BLACK RAINBOW
UK, 1991, 100 minutes, Colour.
Rosanna Arquette, Jason Robards, Tom Hulce.
Directed by Mike Hodges.
Black Rainbow is an interesting and offbeat thriller. It was written and directed by Mike Hodges, whose credits include Get Carter and Pulp, Terminal Man in the '70s and A Prayer for the Dying in the '80s.
The film focuses on the American South, the interest of people in religious preachers and spiritual mediums. Rosanna Arquette, in an excellent performance, is Martha, a young girl who has inherited from her mother the possibility of contacting people after they had died. In performance, she sees people who are on the other side - but who, in fact, have not yet died. The ramifications of her visions include police corruption, industrial corruption, the role of the media.
Jason Robards is very good as her huckster father. Tom Hulce is the ambitious journalist. The film has almost too much plot, some of it passed over rather quickly. However, the strong performances and the focus on Rosanna Arquette make the film interesting and entertaining.
1.Interesting thriller, personal drama?
2.The American South settings, the towns, the people, hotels, halls, industry, factories? The musical score?
3.The title and Martha's explanation, the pessimistic rainbows?
4.The weaving together of issues of religion, faith, the role of the media, industrial corruption, violence and murder, police corruption?
5.Gary Wallace and his quest, driving in the car, his comment on the creeper overtaking buildings? The questioning of the man in the store? Going to the house, glimpsing Martha with the dogs, his photographs, her shutting the door in his face? The end, the photos of the empty house? His continuing on his quest?
6.Rosanna Arquette's portrait of Martha: presence and style, innocence and knowledge? Enigmatic introduction on the train? Her father and his drinking? Travelling with him, going to the hotel, his arrogance to the desk clerk? Settling into the hotel, the rest before work? Testing the acoustics in the hall? Her transformation in the white dress, her performance, religious speech, the music? Her speaking to the audiences, the messages, her manner and style of hearing those on the other side? Her response to people, taking on their information, her mistakes, capitalising on the mistakes? Audience response to her as a fraud? The upset woman whose husband was not dead? Her being upset, refusing to apologise? The truth of the death? The heritage of her gift, memories of her mother and her leaving Walter? Gary and his inquiry, her flirting with him, curious, the sexual approach, the encounter - and the mixed motivations? The meeting in his presence, the people talking, the number of deaths she saw - and people still alive? Her leaving the stage? His denunciation? The next day, talking quietly with Walt - and the information about the factory explosion? Her visiting the site, being attacked as a witch? Her final talk to the audience, talking about life after death? The threats, the hired killer, her giving Gary the name of the killer? Her not wanting protection? The final visions, her seeing Walt? Bi-location? Vanished - and mute?
7.The portrait of Walter, the huckster, his drinking on the train, curt attitude at the hotel? Memories of his wife, his angers at her and her leaving? His ambiguous attitudes towards Martha? Critical, hurtful? The testing out the auditorium? The rest before the performance? His hosting the sessions, bringing people to the microphone? The encounters with Gary, talking freely? His sceptical attitudes, attitudes of show business? His losing all of Martha's money? His drinking, collapse? His seeing Martha - her seeming to lure him to his death? His being shot? His communication with Martha during the session?
8.Gary and his ambitions, the good relationship with his editor, going to the session and his scepticism? The mystery of the murder, his interviewing the neighbours, the puzzle about Martha? Talking with her, the afternoon with Walter and the drinking? The sexual approach, his response - even though married? His wanting to write articles, do the job, be promoted? His scepticism, her performance about all the people who had died but were still alive? The explosion, his seeing people at the site, changing his attitude? Contact with the editor? Persuading Martha to give the name of the killer on the note? Discussions with the police? The threats, his wanting to help Martha? Her disappearance? His 10 year quest - and it continuing?
9.The owner of the factory, his sinister attitudes, health, decisions - and the hiring of the killer? His religious background and preaching? The investigation, the liaison with the girl at the diner, leading the police chief on, controlling him? The information in the papers, the police chief and the threats, exposure?
10.The police chief, the investigation, friendship with Gary, his mother's death? Jewish and relating to Christians? His image of the agony in the garden, the crucifixion and the Jesus imagery? Corruption, covering, contact with the boss, talking to him in the diner? The investigation, information about the killer, his being shot?
11.The portrait of the killer, with his family, genial, the phone call and his reaction? His arrogance at the airport and the delay? Arrival, posing as Martha's brother, waiting in the hotel, alert to sounds, shooting Walter, trapped in the building?
12.The people in the audience, their stories, their testimonies, the applause from the audience? Messages of kindness? People and their longings and yearnings for information about life after death? The people who were not dead - and the frightened reactions? The woman and the murder of her husband at home? The interview with the people next door and their telling the truth? The people involved with the factory, its explosion? The woman and her anger at Martha and calling her and calling her a witch?
13.The plausibility of the plot, characters? The psychological truth of the drama?
