BODY COUNT
US, 1998, 80 minutes, Colour.
David Caruso, Linda Fiorentino, Ving Rhames, John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg, Forrest Whittaker.
Directed by Robert Patton- Spruill.
Body Count has a very strong cast, but is considered a considerable failure - its short running time of 80 minutes might indicate a number of cuts and the film did not reach the cinemas for release.
The film is basically a robbery story, a robbery that goes wrong. The focus of the drama is the clash between the various members of the gang, their clashes during a journey from the northern states to Florida, the way they fall out, the way they try to deceive each other, the murders and double-crosses.
Leonard Maltin's Television Guide makes the remark that a more despicable bunch of characters would be hard to imagine. This is also a difficulty with the film. David Caruso does a variation on his tough guy persona, aggressive, offensive, especially attacking the black Africans and Hispanic Americans. Linda Fiorentino is a hitch-hiker who double-crosses them all. John Leguizamo is an ignorant and self-important Latino who annoys everyone. Vin Rhames at least offers some kind of leadership of the group and has a few sympathetic moments. Forrest Whittaker is the member of the gang who is killed during the robbery.
1. The failure of the film to get a market and release? Characters, performances, plot, moral perspective?
2. The city settings, the robbery? The American states, the open roads and the forests, the small towns, the motels? A piece of Americana? The musical score?
3. The title and its reference to the robbery, to the clashes between the robbers themselves? The tone of the title?
4. The structure of the film, the robbery, its going wrong, the escape vehicle, the shootings? The range of flashbacks throughout the film, especially from the point of view of Pike? His friendship with Crane? The flashbacks and the escape highlighting the dramatic tension?
5. The robbery going wrong, Chino and his taking the painting from the wall, setting off the alarms? The masks, the hold over the security guards? The shootings? The police pursuit, the car? Crane being killed? The consequences?
6. Hobbs, David Caruso's style, the driver, his decision about bringing the car around after escaping? The clashes with Chino and the taunts? With Booker? His role with the gang, his reactions during the trip, driving, humiliating Chino? The encounter with Natalie? Trying to get her on-side, turn her against Pike? Booker's death and his being in the trunk of the car? The police stopping the car? The shootings? His final clash with Chino and his own death?
7. Pike as leader, in prison, his status there, meeting Crane, being persuaded to do the job? Getting the crew? The robbery itself, his leadership, the phone calls to deliver the paintings? The decisions to go to Florida, the driving, at the bus station and getting the tickets, Chino and his behaviour, their losing the bus? The train tickets? The motel? The relationship with Natalie, his shrewdness in seeing how people were reacting? His betrayal by Natalie? His setting her up and finally escaping?
8. Crane, meeting Pike coming out of prison, the plan, the execution? His role in the museum itself, his interactions with the rest of the group, his death?
9. Booker, with Chino, smoking the drugs, lacking the intelligence to see what was really happening? Natural shrewdness? In the car, at the station? The fights? His death, being put in the trunk of the car, his moaning and the police examining it, leading to the shooting of the policeman?
10. Natalie, on the side of the road, sizing up the situation, not revealing anything to the police? Her ingratiating herself with each of the characters, the come-ons, the sexual advances? Chino and his imagination? Relationship with Hobbs? Her being seductive with Pike? His setting her up and her being arrested?
11. The aftermath of the escape? Pike and his prosperity? Emotional tone, moral tone?
