CATCHFIRE

US, 1989, 99 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Hopper, Jodie Foster, Dean Stockwell, Vincent Price, John Turturro, Joe Pesci, Julie Adams, Fred Ward.
Directed by Alan Smithee (Dennis Hopper).

Catchfire was directed by Dennis Hopper. However, the `front office' intervened in the production of the film and cut it considerably, with the result that Hopper asked for his name to be removed and the pseudonym, Alan Smithee, used so frequently in Hollywood, was applied to the credits.

However, the film has a great deal of Hopper's stylish intensity. Much of the material is taken from the opening of the film, which begins somewhat abruptly and introduces characters quickly (some of whom aren't developed as much as might be expected, for example those played by Fred Ward, Vincent Price and Dean Stockwell).

However, the film is an interesting portrait of a woman in peril, a Mob hit man pursuing her, falling in love with her, transforming her. The background of the police and the Mob is sketched as well.

The film is morally ambiguous, the audience's point of view and sympathies shifting with greater understandings of the characters and their interactions. It is also a strong piece of Americana in its presentation of violence, the Mob, journeys across America which are also journeys into the interior of the person.

Many critics lamented the interference with the film - and see it as a might-have-been masterpiece by Hopper.

1.Impact of the film? Audience knowledge of its production difficulties and production interference?

2.Quality of the film as thriller, drama, rapport between unlikely characters, characters driven to the edge?

3.The title, the references, the experience Anne, the experience of Milo?

4.Anne, her work, her art (useful or not, extravagant or not)? Her walking home, witnessing the killing, her reaction, the escape? The interviews with the police, their pressures to testify? The pressure from Pauling? Going home, her fear, her boyfriend - and her going downstairs, the killers and the irony of the boyfriend being killed? Her fears and wanting to leave the city?

5.The picturing of the killing, the Mafia links? Mafia corruption, the crooked lawyer, the assassins? The Mafia Don and his henchmen? Their antagonism towards the police - and the police desperate to make an arrest?

6.The criminal characters and their types? Leo Carelli and his dominance, his relationship with his woman? With the lawyer, with the Don? His angers? Hiring Milo?

7.Anne, her escape from the city, travelling, getting work in Seattle, her art - and the slogans for the advertisements?

8.The introduction to Milo, Dennis Hopper and his intensity? Well-dressed, studying art, trying to understand Anne? His motivation as a killer? The intensity of his pursuit and search, the photographs? His tracking down Anne? Seeing her in the provocative poses in the photos, the beginning of the infatuation, falling in love?

9.Milo catching up with Anne, the police? The drama in the factory and the chase? The drama in the fairground - the house and Anne being caught by Milo?

10.Anne and her work in the gallery, art, caring for the gallery, the manager leaving it in her hands? Her fears, her putting her ideas and dreams and fears in the letter - and Milo intervening?

11.Anne and Milo, set adrift, isolated, their talk about art? Milo guarding Anne? His infatuation and love? Her response, bewilderment, being isolated and becoming more infatuated? The relationship, love, sexuality? Dependence?

12.The pursuit of Milo by Pinella? The control of Milo - the betrayal? The death of Pinnella? Milo going on his own way? The reaction of Leo, of the Don? The advice from the lawyer? The pursuit by the police?

13.Anne and Milo not wanting to be on the run, preparing the plan, the build-up to the confrontation, using the explosives in the factory? Their escape, the deaths of the criminals? Their future?

14.How effective the film as drama, as action thriller, as portrait of Mafia and their dealings - a portrait of relationships, dependence and transference?