PRAYER OF THE ROLLERBOYS

US, 1991, 94 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Collet, Corey Haim, Patricia Arquette.
Directed by Rick King.

A futuristic science fantasy - with touches of youth movies like The Outsiders as well as A Clockwork Orange. However, this is very much a youth oriented science fantasy. It is the future, organisation in the United States has collapsed (as well as in the world with headlines like Germany buying Poland, Harvard being rebuilt in Japan . . . ).

In the United States, a young group of roller-blade champions have formed themselves into the Rollerboys. Their chief, Gary Lee, played by Christopher Collett, is a financial wheeler-dealer, exploiting technology, money and drugs. His aim is to introduce drugs which sterilise men, thus controlling the future. He has various young henchmen, as ruthless as himself. However, the hero, played by Corey Haim, is an independent, urged by the police to infiltrate the Rollerboys. He does - and the events are what might be expected. Patricia Arquette is the heroine, also an undercover policewoman.

The film often uses an orange filter, giving a particular tone to the proceedings. There are police, corrupt police, squalid locations for people to survive contrasting with the wealth of the Rollerboys. There is an arresting refrain in the visuals with the Rollerboys coming en masse, often in slow motion.

On the whole, the film is fairly predictable in its presentation of youth, its messages against Fascism, against the use of drugs (especially for children).

1.Science fiction and fantasy from the future - with youth orientation? Impact on young audiences? Older audiences?

2.The American settings, the orange filter and its tone? The squalid surroundings? Wharves and docks? The world of dilapidated technology? Creative technology and the capital kitchen? The action sequences, stunt work? Musical score and songs?

3.The title, the focus on the Rollerboys and their place in society? The prayer and the day of the rope? Their domination? Prayer against them?

4.Griffin as hero? His skill in roll-blading? The credit sequences and his performance? His relationship with his brother, his parents' alcoholism and accident? Delivering pizza? The danger of going to the zone with the homeless? His attraction towards Casey? Encounters with the police? His friendship with the black man at the caravan site? The meeting with Gary Lee, memories of the past? The challenge? His rescuing Beau Winkel from the burning house, the mutual debt? The police approach for him to infiltrate? His being a loner and independent? Milty and the drugs? His concern about his education? His going into the Rollerboys? The interrogations, the trial - and his winning and the deaths of the two competitors? Gary Lee and his ruthlessness? The fights with the gangs? His avoiding the killing? The clash with Beau Winkel, suspicions? His death - and the two policemen killing him? Being taken into the kitchen, the making of Capital Mist? Going on kitchen duty? His talk with the Roller Boy, the roller boy's drinking? The clash, the midnight attack? The violence, deaths? The rescue of Milty? The confrontation with Gary Lee - the long blade chase? Not killing him - his arrest? The clashes with the black man - suspicious of his behaviour? The violence against him and Milty's change of heart? Milty's drug-taking? The encounters with Casey, the jokes about the underwear? The relationship? The corrupt police? Jaworsky and his commission? The finale and their going north - and the irony that Gary Lee would follow?

5.Casey, attractive, undercover policewoman? The story about her brother, the relationship with Griffin, joking, genuine? Getting information? The finale confrontation? The future?

6.Milty, young, orphaned, tough? Relationship with Griffin? Giving the pizza to the homeless girl? Taking the Mist? Admiring the Rollerboys? Challenging Griffin? His friendship with the black man - and being hurt when he was injured? His crass language, behaviour? His needing to be rescued by Griffin, Gary Lee holding him as hostage? The future?

7.Gary Lee and his age, presence, control? The TV interviews? Recruiting? The fights with the gangs? Terrorising? His financial wheeler-dealing, with the Japanese? The technology, the making of the drug? The day of the rope? Attraction towards Griffin, recruiting him? Ignoring the signs? Wanting loyalty? The gang fights, testing Griffin and shooting the competitor? His pride in the making of Capital Mist? The confrontation with Griffin for loyalty, promising him the kitchen watch? The confrontation - the betrayal? Milty as hostage? The pursuit, Griffin not killing him? In prison - and his continuing his empire?

8.Beau Winkel and his being a Roller Boy, rescued, saving Griffin? Suspicious and jealous? Going to the house, realising they were police, his death from the corrupt police? The other members of the gang, the gang member in the kitchen, his drinking - and the final fight when the attack started? The young members of the Rollerboys - the rituals, ceremonies and meetings, chants? The drugs?

9.Jaworsky and his frustration, the police, lack of funds? Persuading Griffin to infiltrate? His suspicions of the corrupt police? The corrupt police - and the irony of their old medieval English names, Watt and Tyler? Their pursuit of Griffin, listening-in? Killing Beau Winkel - but the irony of their being after the money?

10.The old black man, memories of the past, supporting Griffin and Milty? Disgusted with Griffin, his being attacked, rescued? The future?

11.The atmosphere of the American city - suggestions of affluence, television? Poverty? The anti-parent message - the betrayal of the parents? The ruthlessness of the children? The pizza man and his truck - and having to pay protection money? A squalid future?

12.The need for heroes - the anti-Fascist message, the anti-drug message? Griffin as hero?