NIGHT GAME

US, 1989, 95 minutes, Colour.
Roy Scheider, Karen Young, Lane Smith, Richard Bradford, Paul Gleason, Carlin Glynn, Anthony Palmer, Rex Linn, Alex Garcia.
Directed by Peter Masterson.

Night Game is something of a routine thriller – but with some differences. It is a serial killer thriller with a police investigation.

The setting is Houston, with many vistas of Texas and Houston and the coast. It is also set in the world of baseball – with a pitcher being dropped from his team as well as having an accident with his hand. He becomes obsessed with his successor, brings his substitute hook hand to bear on killing someone every night that the substitute wins a match.

Roy Scheider portrays the Houston policeman who is investigating. His girlfriend Karen Young becomes one of the victims. The Houston police are presented with some criticism – rather crass-mouthed but blind in noticing the clues for solving the case. There is a strong supporting cast – but it makes the film just a variation on the popular murder mystery, serial killer thriller.

1. Entertaining? Interesting? Murders? Police work?

2. The Texas locations, the city of Houston, the coast? The world of baseball and the games? Night and the darkness? The games? The musical score?

3. The title, baseball, the murder games? The link between the killings and baseball?

4. The murder set-up, the visuals, the pursuit of the victims, the confrontation, the deaths? The nature of the victims?

5. The police investigation, rivalries within the police force, the jurisdictions, the government, the clashes and tensions?

6. Roy Scheider as Mike, a weary policeman, his mistakes, his relationship with Roxy, planning to marry? His clash with his mother? The crime links? Television and the shop? The investigations, Ron and his friendship? The clash, the sheriff? Working with Witty? The clues? Investigations and information, the papers, the conferences? The search for the killer? The disappearances? Roxy and the final threat?

7. The clue about the player, wife, wedding, the commentator and the identity, the chase? Roxy and her experience with Epps? The fight, her going into the dark, the clash and her winning?

8. Ron and his work, authentic, the pills? The sheriff and his taunts, the girls? The search of the house, the room, the book? The phone call?

9. Witty, his character, the officials, onside?

10. Roxy, her age, her relationship with Mike, her character, the wedding, preparations, her mother? The phone box? Her going outside, in danger from Epps? The character of her mother, tough?

11. The victims, the effect? The murders in the fun house, the mirrors? The building site?

12. The murderer, his characters, his experiences, the motivation?

13. The wedding, the baseball pitcher and his coming across to the happy couple and wishing them well?

14. How effective is this kind of American-style entertainment?