BLINK

US, 1993, 106 minutes, Colour.
Madeleine Stowe, Aidan Quinn, Laurie Metcalf, James Remar.
Directed by Michael Apted.

Blink is a routine enjoyable murder mystery thriller. It is in the tradition of a young woman who recovers her sight - one thinks of Magnificent Obsession or such variations as The Eyes of Laura Mars as well as those films about blind heroines encountering danger, Wait Until Dark.

Madeleine Stowe is Emma Brodie, a violinist who is blind but receives her sight again from an organ donor (with the camera using special effects to show the experience of her blurred vision). Aidan Quinn is the police investigation who is sceptical of Emma and her ability as a witness but who, of course, falls in love with her.

There are the expected scenes of danger, chases, romance. The film was directed by Michael Apted, the British director of a number of fine documentaries, especially the Seven- Up series, and a range of films from espionage with Gorky Park to the James Bond film, The World Is Not Enough.

1.Entertaining murder mystery? Romance? The blind woman - witness, in peril, investigating the murder and coming through triumphant?

2.The Chicago settings, hospital, apartments, bars? The action sequences? The editing? The musical score - the range of the songs, the Irish background?

3.The title? The reference to Emma's blindness? The visual special effects to indicate her sight returning, distortions, hallucinations, delayed reaction?

4.The focus on Emma - the flashbacks, her vicious mother, hurting her daughter, ridiculing her, blinding her? Emma and her hatred for her mother? Hallucinations of her? Fearing that she looked like her mother as she grew up? Her playing the violin, John and his exhibitionism and her not seeing it? The possibilities of the operation, the doctor and his collaboration, his devotion to her? The operations and the aftermath? Her strength of character, the years of blindness? The distorted shapes? Vision lacking depth? The impact of sight - and her not recognising Connie? At night, the woman upstairs and her seeing her on the stairs? The noise, her seeing the murderer and thinking it was the landlord? The delayed reaction? The dangerous situation?

5.The murderer, his infatuation with the accident victim, hospital work, tracking down the addresses, the recipients of the organ donations and his malevolence towards them? The murders, the clinical viciousness, the rape? The carbolic washing of his hands? Emma and her seeing him, smelling the soap? The irony of her having the wrong address and being saved? The investigation, her concern about the victim and the victim's mother? Going to the place, the murder of the policeman, her confrontation with the murderer, his thinking she was Lesley? His viciousness about her taking Lesley's eyes? Her strength of character, her will and determination, killing the assailant?

6.Her going to the police, John not believing her, the scepticism of the authorities? Her discussions with her doctor? Her doubting herself? The discovery of the body, John and his change of attitude? Her collaboration - especially about smells? Her needing protection? The infatuation with John, the sexual relationship, his unwillingness to commit himself and her reaction? Her ordinary life, the gradual recovery, her friends, the second operation, the music? Her learning the truth about John and his exhibitionism? Her anger, going to the police station, her hallucination on the train, saved by the police? Her being lured to the rendezvous with the murderer? Her overcoming him?

7.John, the police group, his performance and the bet, his callow attitude towards sexuality? Waking up with an unknown woman? Going to work? The encounter with Emma, concealing his identity - and her later finding out the truth? His scepticism, the discovery of the body, listening to Emma, defending her, protective? The growing attraction, the sexual encounter, his inability to give commitment? The criticisms of his officer? Collaboration with his associate? His going to the Milwaukee victim's house, the encounter with the husband and his being criticised for insensitivity? The finale with the murderer, finding that Emma had defended herself? A future with Emma?

8.The doctor, his love for Emma, helping her with the eyes, the operation, the convalescence, advice? Her not being able to return his love? Her suspicions because of his washing his hands? Innocent?

9.The police, blase? Sceptical about Emma? Hardworking, wanting to solve the case? Clues? John and his work, the envelope and the hospital connection, tracking down the donor, his going to see the donor's mother and then realising the trap for Emma?

10.The band, their friendship with Emma, Connie and her support?

11.Incidental characters, murder victims, the donor's mother? The atmosphere of the hospital? Authentic?

12.A satisfying murder mystery? The theme of hospitals, donors - and psychological reactions?