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IMPULSE
US, 1984, 95 minutes, Colour.
Tim Matheson, Meg Tilly, Hume Cronyn, Bill Paxton.
Directed by Graham Baker.
Impulse is an entertaining, modest ecological/psychological thriller. It has a competent cast led by Tim Matheson and Meg Tilley. It was directed by Graeme Baker, director of the third film in the Omen series, The Final Conflict.
The film shows an accident which has repercussions on local water and local milk production. Explanations in the film indicate that it alters people's motor ability and makes them do impulsive things, bringing to the surface behaviour that they might otherwise repress. It is interesting as a dramatising of Shadow Behaviour. The film also has an ecological critical message.
The film is carefully crafted, looks good - veers, at times, into some sensationalism - though not nearly as much as audiences hoping for exploitive material might want.
Interesting of its kind.
1. The title, expectations, meaning?
2. Contemporary science fiction, situations, characters, ecology, psychology? A thriller with a message?
3. The style of the opening: the setting of the atmosphere, the characters? The build-up visually to the earthquake, the people involved, the town, the accident? The gradual involving of the central couple in the difficulties? Bizarre behaviour building to a climax? Atmosphere, pace, momentum?
4. Location photography, Sutcliffe and the town sequences, the farms? The contrast with New York and its sophistication? The film's constant use of the town and its environment? Atmospheric score?
5. The visualising of the earthquake - suggestions, catching people in their ordinary behaviour, puzzle, eeriness, the crack with its suggestion of the accident, the nature of the solution? Suggesting a natural cause, or more? The mysterious car and its tracks, the car observing in the town, the plane, the spray, and the killing of the citizens? The note of official use on the car? Anonymous observers? Personalised with the confrontation by Stuart? Jennifer's killing the official?
6. Jennifer and her ballet, the mood of art, Stuart and his surgery, his skill? The phone call from Jennifer's mother and its erratic content, impact, her shooting herself and the sound over the phone? Their return to Sutcliffe?
7. The ordinary town yet the difficulties, nobody there at their arrival, Jennifer's father emerging, home, the family welcome but the family quarrel, the mother in the hospital and her dying, Margo and her touchiness, her hallucinations in the bar? Indication of tension to come?
8. Dr Carr and his behaviour, kindliness, reaction to Margaret, explanations about motor arrest? His own story about his mother and her stroke? His compulsions to kill Margaret? Succeeding? The autopsy and the realisation of the truth? Jennifer's reaction? His being trapped on the bridge - crashing the car, dying?
9. The dramatising of impulses: repressed behaviour surfacing, nothing to censor behaviour? The mother angry with her daughter and shooting herself, the quarrels of father and son, the behaviour at the table, the woman in the bank and her anger and her robbing the bank, the old man taking the money, the man abusing Jennifer in the nightclub and breaking his fingers, the woman and the parking spot and her smashing the car, Margo and her visualising sexual fantasies, leaving her children be, the children and their pranks and setting fire to the garage, the doctor and his killing Margaret? The spread of the behaviour - the sheriff and his chasing the children and shooting them? The churchgoer and his abuse of the sheriff? Stuart affected and his sexual looks at the girl in the office, sexual encounter, his behaviour with Jennifer? Eddie and the photos of his sister, killing himself? Eventually the town going berserk and in flames? The toxic effect of the milk, the people doomed?
10. Stuart as hero, pleasant, his courtesy, medical knowledge, help with Margaret, with Dr. Carr, the night out, the dancing with Jennifer, at home with the family? The bizarre incidents and his reaction? The deaths? Dr. Carr and the autopsy? His changing? The nastiness, frightening Jennifer? His spending the night alone, the discovery of the pipes, tracing what had happened, urging Jennifer to go? The confrontation with the government official, his death?
11. Jennifer as heroine,. family, sadness, the siege with Margo and the clash, the visit, the greater dangers, the family destroyed, her final fears, Stuart's death, her killing the official? Surviving?
12. Dramatic impact? Credibility not credible? A possible scenario? The validity of the message?