NIGHTHAWKS

US, 1981, 95 minutes, Colour.
Sylvester Stallone, Billy Dee Williams, Lindsay Wagner, Persis Khambatta, Nigel Davenport, Rutger Hauer.
Directed by Bruce Malmuth.

Nighthawks is a Sylvester Stall6ne vehicle (he looks like Serpico with glasses) with two New York undercover decoy police (shown effectively in action) trying to find and confront a ruthless international terrorist,(persuasively played by Rutger Hauer). Action involves some grim terrorist bombings and killings, a realistic, desperate subway chase and the hijacking of the Roosevelt Island cable car and an excellent neat surprise ending. Pros and cons of the use of violence by police and by terrorists get an airing and an emotional test for the audience. Lindsay Wagner has some decorative moments. Effectively written, directed and edited for brisk pacing, Stallone doing well ? familiar but above average of its type. Stallone offers another angle on his acting ability, from Rocky, F.I.S.T., Paradise Alley and Escape To Victory.

1. Audience response to the police thrillers of the '70s? The popularity of police films? for and against? Special undercover police and their work, cruising, decoys? The contrast with the ordinary police force? The police in the jungle of the American cities? International police? Police and the confronting of terrorism? A mirroring of contemporary society?

2. The authenticity of the film - as part documentary, as part fiction? The places and dates given? The settings of New York. London and Paris? The emphasis on the United Nations? How did the events in the film tie in with events of terrorism in the '70s and '80s? Audience reaction to terrorism and its demands, relentlessness?

3. The New York locations, the atmosphere of the city, the squalor of the slums, the use of light and darkness, the winter setting? The world of the police? The ordinary world? The visualising of London and Paris in the winter? The contribution of the editing and pace? The special effects, especially in the action sequences e.g. the London bombing, the cable car and helicopter work? The musical score and its atmosphere?

4. The authentic tone with names and dates? The neatness of the screenplay: Sylvester Stallone decoying as a woman at the beginning and his disguise as Irene at the end? The building up of the character of Deko and Wulfgar? The interacting of the New York sequences with the European sequences? Police work, terrorist work, the focusing on the two men to their eventual confrontation? The screenplay and structure involving the audience?

5. Deke and his companion, picturing them in their initial decoy work e.g. Deke disguised as the woman, the fights in the litter-filled streets, the siege of the building via the rooftop, the set up under the Central Park bridge? Dress and manner, Serpico style? The friendship between the two men and their support of one another? Deke restraining his friend's violence? Mutual advice? Friendly gestures e.g. during Hartman's lecturing? Their skill in working together, the chase of Wulfgar is the subway, the slashing and the hospital concern? The role of the special squads? The reaction of the ordinary police and their resentment? The Vietnam background and skill, taste for action? Capacity for killing? Violence and anger? Deke not wanting to risk shots to injure hostages? Their reaction to their superiors and orders?

6. The transfer to the special squad for terrorists? The long sequences with Hartman lecturing about Wulfgar? Use of slides, information? Deke drawing and using the sketch in the nightclub? Hartman and his English background, his reaction to the store bombing? His training the American police? Supervision at the reception? His know-how and drill? The bond between himself and Deke, especially about the question of the one bullet to kill the terrorist? The irony that he was shot by Shukka?

7. The film's presentation of Wulfgar - his initial charm, leaving the bombs in the store, his reaction to the explosion, the statement to the press? The importance of the press for him? His self-importance? The party and his shooting of the police and his own man? His mistake with the passport photo? The meeting with Shukka in the French church? The plastic surgery and the violence towards the surgeon? His change of appearance? Arrival in America and choice of America for hiding? His violence, his ideas, his self-proclaimed mission and work? Arrogance and style? Liking of the good life? The disco and the taking up of the girl, her death on discovery of the weapons? His contact with the store owner? His making mistakes and giving the police leads?

8. His being recognised in the disco and the work of Deke in following up leads and discovering Wulfgar? The long chase, the underground, the subway, the elderly woman hostage, the violence in the crowds, Deke's possibility of shooting and his hesitating? The slashing of the face? The building up of motivation for Wulfgar to confront Deke?

9. The United Nations reception, the importance of security? The hijacking of the cable car and the ruthless killing of the woman and disposing of her body? The helicopter confrontation and the taking of the baby? Wulfgar and his attitude towards the press? The visualising of terrorism in action? The bus and the sheltering of Wulfgar and Shukka behind the people? Deke's device with the tape recorder and the death of Shukka, the crash of the bus?

10. Irene and the relationship with Deke, her being a decoy for Wulfgar? The trick ending in her apartment?

11. Shukka and her ruthlessness, her killings, the visit in the church, presence in New York, in the cable car, the suddenness of her death?

12. The picture of police work, pros and cons, the public and needs for security, crime and terrorism as war and the necessity for killing, the risk of the one bullet and the danger for hostages, the conscienceless ruthlessness of terrorists? Does violence need to be met by more violence as Hartman suggested?