GAS-S-S-S
(GAS! OR IT BECAME NECESSARY TO DESTROY THE WORLD IN ORDER TO SAVE IT)

US, 1971, 79 minutes, Colour.
Bob Corff, Elaine Giftos, Bud Cort, Talia Shire, Ben Vereen, Cindy Williams.
Directed by Roger Corman.

Gas is a bizarre kind of film as may be seen from its title and sub-title. It belongs to 1970 and the period of the
psychedelic film as well as the road film. It is an ironic presentation and imaginative critique of the sixties
generation.

Written by George Armitage who was to go on to direct such films as Vigilante Force, the film was directed by Roger Corman, the master film-maker of the small-budget quick film. During the sixties he had emerged with his series of Edgar Allen Poe stories, especially with Vincent Price. His productions for American International were generally signs of the times and he made such films as The Wild Angels, The Trip. At this time he also made bigger budget films as The St Valentine*s Day Massacre and The Red Baron. Gas is quite unusual and probably a suitable film for studies of the trends of the late sixties.

1. The meaning of the title, the explanation during the credits, the ironic significance and its effect on Americans?

2. The significance of the sub-title and its explanation of themes? For whom was the film made? For what purpose? Its re-capitulating the issues, styles, jargon and fads of the sixties and early seventies? The atmosphere of the Vietnam war? The implications of 'gas' at the time?

3. How much nostalgia for the sixties was there? The outlook of the youth of the sixties? How much glorification of youth? How realistic a prospect for youth taking over the world?

4. The film's emphasis on youth and its meaning? The under-25's as the only survivors? The particular pilgrims as example of youth who were to change the world? The goodies and the baddies of the film? The significance of having no over-25's in the film except in the animation before the credits? The criticism of youth and its fads, aims, styles, attitudes towards good and bad?

5. How important were the cinematic techniques? The echoing of the youth films of the sixties, American International Pictures and their style? Psychedelic tones, the overtones of drugs, gaudy visuals? Rock music sounds? The impact in later years?

6. The importance of the pre-credits and the significance for war and gas? Gas and nuclear fears for America? The effect on people and survival? Setting a theme and atmosphere for the youth exploration of the film?

7. How important were the hero and heroine and their companions? The introduction to each character? The delineation of character and the personal characteristics, the style of each of them, their various beliefs and the way they mouthed them? What did each stand for in terms of America, goals in life, good and bad? The way they related to each other?

8. The pilgrim and odyssey structure of the film? The fact that they were university types, that they started in Dallas, the overtones of the Kennedy assassination, the older Americans of the sixties? Moving away from there? The episodic nature of the wanderings and the effect of each of these on the characters, on the audience? The cumulative effect?

9. The setting of Texas? The world of Texas and what youth can make of Texas? A microcosm of the United States? Dallas itself, driving, rock concerts, shops and ghost towns, hippy communities? Hell's Angels gangs and football teams?

10. The theme of appearance and reality? The fascist footballers and their common acceptance, the Hell's Angels as the conservative guardians of law and order? The hippy look of the protagonists, their decision to change their appearance? The comment on the appearances, issues of the sixties?

11. How optimistic was the outlook of the film? The destructive attitudes of the older Americans? The ambiguity of good and evil in the younger generation? The hopes for peace? The fulfilment of goals of each of the people? Marisa and her finding a jukebox, Coralee and her eating, Hooper and his wandering off, Coel and his relationships, Jason and his warmongering?

12. The background of music and the significance of the songs, the style of music, the lyrics, especially 'Country'? Coel and the concert?

13. The satire and realism in the strategy for peace? Coel's ruse? the act of God and its presentation? The papier mache figures and the heroism? Kennedy, Ghandi, Che Guevera, 'Mad' Magazine? The significance?

14. How much was this a satire, how much a parable and allegory of modern America, how preaching, how nostalgic? The particular details which most Impressed? Does it now seem dated in content and style?