THE GLIMMER MAN
US, 1996, 92 minutes, Colour.
Steven Seagall, Brian Cox, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Michelle Johnson, Bob Gunton.
Directed by John Gray.
Steven Seagall brings his granite style to a police story in LA where a serial killer (who reminds us of the murderer in Seven) is killing people in a gruesome parody of religious imagery and crucifixion. However, there are also some drug dealers and big businessmen in league with the Russian Mafia. So, Seagall and his reluctant partner, Keenen Ivory Wayans offering some comic turns, solve the mystery, not without some action sequences. Apart from the serial killer aspects, this is a familiar police thriller.
1.Interesting police drama? Los Angeles? Serial killers?
2.The film as a Steven Seagal vehicle? Yet his getting older and less physically involved in the action? His being teamed with Keenen Ivory Wayans? The buddy team and their collaboration?
3.The Los Angeles settings? The city, the police precincts? The family homes? The church? The shelters for homeless men? The musical score and its atmosphere? The contribution of the songs: `Snake' and ‘Bulletproof'’ (by Segal himself)?
4.The plausibility of the plot? The police work and heroism? The serial killer and his Catholic victims, the crucifixions? The Russian Mafia in Los Angeles and the imitation killings? The investigation and uncovering of the truth?
5.The action sequences, choreography, special effects?
6.The visualising of the crimes? The naming of the serial killer as Family Man? The Catholic families, the grimness of the crucifixions? The sadness of Cole and his ex-wife and her husband being the victims? Cole under suspicion for their killing?
7.Steven Seagal as Jack Cole, the background of his martial arts techniques? Cole as a Los Angeles detective, martial arts, espionage connections? Their work together to find the Family Man? The classroom shooting and its high drama, his coping with the situation? The young offender - his stepfather, the mobster? The murder of his ex-wife and his being under suspicion? His alertness to the work of professional assassins and his suspicions? The discussions with his CIA boss? Smith and his aggression, his henchman, Donald, and the attack on Cole?
8. Jim Campbell, his character, place on the police force, partners? His being an African American in the police force? Being partnered with Cole and his immediate reaction? Having to work with him, finding a way of working with him? The comic touches to Cole’s seriousness? The investigations, the interrogations, the scenes of the crucifixions? The families? The episode in the schoolroom? Campbell and his going to the prison, the discussions with the art therapist, the information about the assassin and his psychology? Donald and his attack on Cole, and on Campbell? The threat to their lives?
9. Frank Deverell, in charge, sinister, keeping law and order? His control over Cole, over Campbell? Their attitudes towards him? The investigation – and the exposure of the cover-up? Cole and Campbell and their abducting Frank, interrogating him, taping him?
10. Smith, the Mob connections, the rackets, the arms deals? His stepson? Donald as his henchman, acting on his orders? The violence of the Mob?
11. The arms deal situation, the CIA and the connections? The terrorists? The role of the families – and the young man trying to warn the families?
12. The taping of the deal between Smith and Campbell and Cole? An arms deal? Their playing the tape back for Donald, his violent reaction?
13. Smith and Donald confronting each other, mistrust? Leading to the eruption of violence, the gunfight? The deaths of Smith and Donald?
14. How satisfyingly did the film combine various genres: police investigation, serial killer, CIA and plots, Mobsters, terrorism – and all within the context of Catholic iconography?
