POLICE STORY: THE FREEWAY KILLINGS

US, 1987, 138 minutes, Colour.
Richard Crenna, Angie Dickenson, Ben Gazzara, Tony Lo Bianco.
Directed by William A. Graham.

Police Story: The Freeway Killings is a mid-'80s pilot, an attempt to rejuvenate the 1970s successful series, Police Story. William A. Graham, the director of the original pilot movie, is director here. There are a lot of technical staff from the original series which was based on ideas by Joseph Wambaugh, with his insight into LA police and the pressures on them (New Centurions, Choirboys, Black Marble).

The film focuses on a series of killings in Los Angeles, the investigations and interdepartmental rivalries, touches on the family backgrounds of some of its characters - with the influence of the successful series LA Law and Hill Street Blues from the '80s.

The film is well acted by a number of movie and TV veterans led by Richard Crenna, Ben Gazzara, Tony Lo Bianco and Angie Dickinson.

The material is familiar - but quite effectively done, even if at some length.

1.Enjoyable police story? Background of the original series? The attempt to bring the series to life, '80s style?

2.Los Angeles settings, the skyline of the city, the freeways, the precincts, the neighbourhoods? Offices, homes? Stunts and special effects? Chases, crimes? Musical score?

3.The title, the original series, the focus on the killings and investigations? Serial killers?

4.The focus on the police force, the memory of the '60s and difficulties against police, their holding the line? Investigations in the '70s? The veterans with their experience? What happened to them over 25 years? Police investigations, computers, subservience to computers, human element? On the streets, detective work? Crime, crime on the streets, organised crime, crazies, drugs, civic corruption? Administration of police forces, relationship with mayors' offices etc?

5.The focus on the police work, the squads in action, pursuits, stakeouts? Detective work and interrogations? Following leads? Interdepartmental rivalry? Authority? Egos and ambitions? The tensions? Personal lives, effect on work? The portrait of police at work, pressures? The media, public officials wanting results?

6.Bob Danvers, his relationship with his wife, clashes with her, her support? 25 years? Memories of Fred? His career, no nonsense, relationship with Tom Wright, with his staff? Computerisation? The exams, the written, the oral - and his views on the police force? Interviews with the mayor and with Harris? Too independent for the mayor? Meeting his rivals, friendliness? Tension, the false arrest, the corrupt cops and the stakeout and pursuit? The serial killer, the investigations, his congratulations? His success? The optimism of delineating this character with his aims for reform?

7.Tom Wright, head of his office, his staff? Tensions with his wife, clashes? The broken marriage? Protecting his family from his work, his daughter's reaction against him, her drug-taking, de Angelo and his partner finding her, the drugs, her physical condition, hospital, animosity towards her father? His reaching out, hard attitudes, her change of heart? Rehabilitation? His inability to relate to his wife, the decisions with Anne, going back to his wife, the reasons? His love for Anne, the burnt-out policeman, coming to life again with her? Collaborating with her at work?

8.Anne Cavanaugh, her work, the relationship with Tom, give and take, the break, the emotional effect? Her skill at her work, the interrogation, confrontations with the killer, quick thinking, her gun and shooting?

9.De Angelo and his partner, on the beat, their skill in tracking down criminals, the pursuits? The case, departmental rivalry? The search for the car, finding it? To the capture, supporting Anne? Their work with Tom Wright's daughter?

10.The crooked cops, their plan, the woman from San Francisco, the ransom, the kidnapping, change of plan? The police officer involved and his reporting to the authorities? Eluding the pursuit, caught, the woman saved?

11.The killers, their picking up the prostitutes, pretending to be police, sadistic? The number of murders? Lack of conscience? Being watched by the police? The investigation, addresses, contacts with the dead women? Tracking down Kerr James, Anne Cavanaugh reaching him, the shoot-out? James and his fear when arrested? The victims, their backgrounds, age, prostitution, drugs?

12.The mayor, busy, wanting finance to come into the city, wanting to control the police? Harris, subservient to the mayor? Warnings to Bob? Interviews with him?

13.The range of criminals, downtown crime, arrests in the street? The drug runner and his being captured, information about the dead girl? The two robbers pursued by Fred, his drinking, downbeat, Kim? The report exonerating him from being drunk? His pride in being a policeman?

14.The popularity of police stories, expectations of the police? Pressures? Crime in the US in the '80s?