INSERTS

UK, 1975, 117 minutes, Colour.
Richard Dreyfuss, Jessica Harper, Veronica Cartwright, Bob Hoskins.
Directed by John Byrum.

Inserts was a film made in England about America and made on a limited budget, a prelude to the nostalgia boom of films about early Hollywood which were made in the mid-70's. This one is quite effective, frequently nasty, a glimpse of the seedy and amoral side of the early thirties in Hollywood. We watch the decline of self-respect in money-making pornography by a drink-sodden, boy-wonder director, played by Richard Dreyfuss. We are presented also with a mercenary and ignorant producer, two pathetic would-be stars and a potentially corrupt, curious young girl on the make. Confined to the set of a mansion-cum-studio, the film touches on the sore spots of the film capital. There is no cover-up here of weakness and wayward human nature. Not a film for everyone, but, within its genre, most effective.

1. The interest value of the film, entertainment value? A film of social history, movie history?

2. The significance and tone of the title? Its use in the film? The significance and impact of the time span of the action, the confinement to one place, the limited number of characters, the length of the film? The use of colour and the overtones of the 'Thirties, the use of black and white photography, especially for the pornographic material? The insertion of black and white pornographic material at various stages, its commentary on the action and characters? Its use in the opening of the film and audience initial response?

3. The film's re-creation of the 'Thirties: the talk, the Hollywood references, people, the attitudes of the 'Thirties towards society, film-making, life in Hollywood, the world of film-making, the house, the freeway looming, the background music?

4. The film and its insight into Hollywood: the development of films from silent to talkies, silent film techniques, the careers of silent actors, actresses and directors, their successes and failures, the drug-taking and the deaths, especially the speech about Wallace Reid and the announcement of his death and people's reactions? The continued reference to Clark Gable, audience response to him, his interest in the 'Boy Wonder', his coming to the door, his finally coming to the door and knocking?

5. The film's insight into Hollywood and its potential for failure? The 'Bog Wonder' and his career. his decline, his enclosing himself in a home that was to be destroyed, the nickname of the 'Boy Wonder' and his lack of fulfilment. his continued drinking, self-absorbed piano playing and cynical singing. the world of drugs, easy sexuality, pornography for a living., a degrading of art, easy death by drugs, the world of technical change and inability to cope with it?

6. The background of the pornography industry? Did the film exploit its material or use it well? The people involved in such an industry for example, Big Mac? The constant talk about the 'real movies'? The nature of contracts for pornographic films. their use at parties as in the pre-credits sequence? The hopes for bigger careers for the people acting in them? The refuge for 'has been' stars?

7. The characterization of Harlene: the skill of the actress in communicating the star quality and its decline. her constant references to her career, her work as a waitress and listening to Hollywood gossip, the scenes of her dependence on drugs and the casual way in which she took them. her attitude towards sexuality and performing in pornographic films, the decline of her career? Her skill in simulating sexual experience? Her taunting of Rex, her compassion for the Boy Wonder, her arguing and rationalizing about the overdose that killed her? The meaninglessness of her death? The significance of this kind of character?

8. The portrayal of Rex: the cynicism in the nickname of 'Wonder Dog', his inflated self-importance, his petty career, his inability to understand what people wanted from his potential, his emphasis on physical sexuality, his ability to act, his lack of intelligence, his sneering at the Boy Wonder, his fear at Harlene's death, his participation in taking the body away? The significance of this kind of character?

9. Big Mac: how well portrayed, how credible a film producer? The world of money, his attitude toward movies as money-making, his antagonism towards art? His relationship with Cathy Cake, his paying Harlene with drugs? His semi-puritanical attitudes about swearing and yet his immorality? His callous attitude towards Harlene's death and getting rid of her body? His unscrupulous attitude towards the film? His final attitude towards Miss Cake? His sarcasm towards the Boy Wonder? The sardonic presentation of a Hollywood mogul type?

10. The film's focus on the Boy Wonder? The skill in Richard Dreyfus's performance and holding audience attention for two hours? His initial singing and piano playing, his drinking, enclosing himself in his failed world,' his fear of facing the daylight? His capacity for film-making, his failure. his being involved in pornographic films, the sex film as a symbol of his failure, his cynical remarks and yet the human feeling underneath, his ability to be hurt, his involvement in his own feelings and the feelings of others, especially Harlene? His not wanting her to take the drug? His skill as a director in getting Harlene and Rex to simulate their sexual experience? His spurning of Big Mac? The portrayal of his skill in film-making and camera work? His mistakes? His directing and controlling of people, as illustrated in his controlling of Cathy Cake? His cynical attitudes towards sex in terms of language, for example 'meat'? The fact that he was seduced by Miss Cake? His having power over her and yet his surrendering this power? His hurt reaction when she accused him of not having film in the camera? His final failure, left alone, not opening the door to Clark Gable, his cynical lyrics? The Boy wonder as a symbol of the ugliness of Hollywood?

11. The portrayal of Miss Cake, her initial appearance and primness, yet her being the mistress of Big Mac? Her using him for her career? The expressions of her curiosity? Big Mac trying to shelter her and yet her wanting to understand drugs and pornography? Her driving ambition, coupled with her naivety? Her taunting of the Boy Wonder and his being crude in answer? Her blase attitudes? Her reaction to undressing, portraying sexual actions? Her ability to enter in? The Boy Wonder's directing her and her capacity for act and its exhilaration? Her realizing his impotence and her seducing him? The audience believing that she was genuine and then her blase attitude towards the camera and the film? Her move from being directed to controller? What was her attitude to the end as she left with Big Mac? The symbol of Hollywood goals and what has to be done to achieve them by actresses?

12. The film's insight into the nature of acting, imagination, direction? The reality and unreality of acting, as it was portrayed on film and captured in black and white Photography?

13. The theme of victors and victims? Human feelings and poses? Success and failure?

14. The importance of the use of this kind of film for comment on the film world and for film communication?