THE BOYS NEXT DOOR (WITHOUT APPARENT MOTIVE)

US, 1985, 90 minutes, Colour.
Charlie Sheen, Maxwell Caulfield, Christopher Mc Donald, Patti D'Arbanville, Moon Zappa.
Directed by Penelope Spheeris.

The Boys Next Door (Without Apparent Motive) is a film by Penelope Spheeris, best known for her two films about the Los Angeles punk rock scene, The Decline of Western Civilisation. She also made the features Hollywood Vice Squad and Dudes.

This film is about serial killers - trying to understand something of their motivation. This is clear during the initial credits with the background information of many serial and multiple killers. (This gives something of a sensationalist tone to the film, which veers its way between drama and touches of exploitation.)

Charlie Sheen in an early role and Maxwell Caulfield are two young men from a California town who seem to lack a moral sense and resent their family background. After rejection from people at their school, they go to Los Angeles and the Caulfield character goes on something of a killing spree. There is quite a striking ending.

A film to reflect on, perhaps, rather than enjoy.

1.Audience response to serial and multiple killers? The presentation of their behaviour, exploration of motivation? Audience understanding?

2.The California background, the small American town, the trip to Los Angeles, the city and its sleaziness? The musical score?

3.The two titles and their emphases?

4.How authentic the presentation, the exploration of character? Exploitive?

5.The credits, the picturing of the killers, the information given about them? Setting a tone for the film?

6.Roy and Bo, young men, their friendship, buddies, at school, their families rejecting them, the absence of Bo's family, Roy's alcoholic father and his watching television? Their experience of neglect? Rejection by people at the school? Their prospects? Their attitudes towards drink, sexuality? Gatecrashing the dance? The car?

7.The clashes with their peers, the bonds between the two? How much dependence?

8.The opening with the drawing of the corpse outline, the joke and the students' reactions? The irony for Roy at the end?

9.The decision to go to Los Angeles, the joy ride, audience interest and sympathy, the beginnings of their motivation?

10.The service station, the Iranian server, the bashing, the argument about the money? The injured man and his giving information to the police in the hospital?

11.The portrait of the police, Los Angeles precincts, detection, their reactions about the injuries and deaths? The pursuit and their skills? Personal involvement?

12.The boys going to Venice, watching people, the old lady and her criticisms, their violent reaction? The young women and their criticisms?

13.Going into sleazy Los Angeles, the bars, prostitution