FIRESTARTER

US, 1984, 109 minutes, Colour.
David Keith, Drew Barrymore, Freddie Jones, Heather Locklear, Martin Sheen, George C.Scott, Art Carney, Louise Fletcher.
Directed by Mark L. Lester

Firestarter is based on a Stephen King novel. It is a star vehicle for Drew Barrymore who two years earlier, as a little girl, made such an impact in ET. It is interesting, in view of Drew Barrymore’s very successful later career, to see her in her childhood performances. She is surrounded by a very strong cast including George C. Scott and Louise Fletcher as well as Martin Sheen and David Keith as her father.

The film focuses on a married couple who have particular powers, give birth to a child who has telekinetic firestarting powers. In the first part of the film, the flashbacks show the government pursuing father and daughter in order to capture them and examine their powers. The second part of the film has the government examining them and submitting them to tests. British actor Freddie Jones is one of the professors examining them.

The film is an exploration of people with stronger powers than normal – but also a study of governments, and government officials, becoming more and more paranoid.

The film was directed by Mark L. Lester, better known as a director of exploitative films. He made some films in the 1970s like Bobby Jo and the Outlaw and Stunts before moving on to Class of 84 and Commando, with Arnold Schwarzenegger, in the 80s. Firestarter is probably his most upmarket film.

1. An effective thriller? Science fiction, science fantasy?

2. The work of Stephen King? The blend of the ordinary and extraordinary? King's focus on special powers, the effect on the person who has the power? Special individuals, society? Diabolical power? The atmosphere of other-worldly power? The characters and their situations as symbols of contemporary fears?

3. Production values: the star cast and their skills? The director with a background in action films? Panavision photography? South Carolina locations? Special effects? The fire and its use? Editing and pace? The atmospheric instrumental work of Tangerine Dream?

4. The structure: the situation of the pursuit of Charlie and Andy? The flashbacks within this chase structure? Explanations of their situation, insertions into Andy's memory? The basic outline of the chase, the drama, the conspiracy, the capture, the final confrontations? Audiences identifying with the characters and their situation? The emotional response to the bonds between father and daughter?

5. The opening with Andy and Charlie in the busy street, the film beginning in mid-chase, the pursuers, the streets, the taxi, the airport? Sense of urgency? The incident with the soldier and Charlie watching him and his girlfriend, setting him on fire? The ludicrous touch with his jumping into the toilet? The pursuit on the freeway, their falling onto the road? Establishing their desperation? The relationship between the two?

6. The pursuit continuing: the motel, the bond between the two? Andy's waning powers? Charlie's strengthening powers? The memories and the problem of Charlie’s capacity for firestarting? Andy's memory of The Shop and the experiment, his meeting his wife? The pleasant memories and their tragic side? The moving along the road, getting a lift with Irv? The pleasant interlude at the farm with the chooks before the pursuers arrived and Charlie's power is manifested?

7. Going to the lake, the quiet, posting the letters (and the irony of Rainbird intercepting them), the old couple as cover agents informing The Shop? The hope for peace, Rainbird and his telescopic lens, the shooting, the men in the fireproof clothes taking them?

8. Audience response to The Shop: as seen in the flashback? Dr. Wanless and his attitude, the tests, the group of people in need of money going to the tests, their hallucinations? Andy and his meeting Vicky, his communicating with her without words? The transition to the home sequences, Charlie's power and the test with the burning toast? Her burning her mother's gloves? The anguish of Vicky's death? Andy's desperation, the attempt to capture Charlie? His blinding the agents? The brevity of the flashbacks but their filling in the picture?

9. Hollister and his being in charge of The Shop, his enthusiasm, his power, his obtuseness? His hating Rainbird? His controlling Andy and Charlie, ordering the tests, experiencing the reactions? His over-enthusiasm? Trying to be persuasive with Andy? Andy deceiving him and gaining control of him, organising their escape? The irony of his being shot by Rainbird?

10. Rainbird as mad? Visual impact - face, scars, hair? A distorted personality? The first glimpse of him from the back, the work of the exterminator? His self-assurance, disliking Hollister, Dr. Wanless? His killing Dr. Wanless? His other-worldliness, wanting to gain Charlie's power? The ambush and the telescopic sights. shooting the two? His work as an orderly, becoming friendly with Charlie, his devious tactics, his acting as if afraid in the dark?

11. Dr. Wanless, his attitudes, the tests, his change of attitude, his death? The medical personnel - the negro doctor, the conduct of the tests, deceiving Charlie, his being inflamed?

12. The personalities at The Shop: the agents, the guards, the administers of the tests? The Shop being engulfed in flames and the personnel dying?

13. Irv and his wife, ordinary pleasant people, the welcome to Charlie and Andy? His being shot, forbidding the agents to come on his land? Charlie returning to them? Going to the New York Times?

14. Drew Barrymore's presence and performance as Charlie? Natural and credible? Being pursued with her father, loving him, her gift, her wanting to control it, the young man at the airport in flames, the agents pursuing them and their hands in flames? The peaceful interlude at the farm with Irv and his wife, looking at the chooks? Her power of far sight? Inflaming all her pursuers and exploding the cars? The lake and the possible happiness? Being captured, her attitudes? Her trying to control her power - the growing trust in John? The demonstrations and her burning things, the water, the wall? Her not wanting to do bad things? The effect of the tests? The message from her father? Going to see him, the possible escape, the confrontation with Rainbird? His death? Her return to Irv? The plausibility of a little girl with this psychological power because of the drug tests?

15. The portrait of Andy - ordinary young man, the experiment, meeting Vicky, marriage, Charlie? Domestic happiness? His own powers - and the effect on him, the bleeding nose, his control? Charlie's powers? The reaction to his wife's death, saving Charlie? Their being captured? His imprisonment, his wiliness in not taking the drugs? Testing his power, control of Hollister, the escape but his death?

16. The firestarting sequences - small episodes, the conflagration at the farm with all the agents being killed? The holocaust with the icon image of Charlie, the wind blowing her hair, her clenched fists, her face and her glance setting fire, sending fireballs etc.?

17. The Firestarter as a symbol of psychic power, fears, a reaction against the control of government agencies and their unlawful experiments?