LEVIATHAN
US, 1989, 98 minutes, Colour.
Peter Weller, Richard Crenna, Amanda Pays, Daniel Stern, Ernie Hudson, Hector Elizondo, Meg Foster.
Directed by George Pan Cosmatos.
Leviathan is the mythological name of a sea monster. This time it is a sunken Russian ship which wreaks havoc on Americans in a mining ship several kilometres down in the ocean.
The film's screenplay is reminiscent of Alien, the adaptation of an old horror story to a science fiction technological future. The members of a mining ship are threatened by a mysterious virus which becomes a monster and devours them in turn. The callous authorities on the surface avoid responsibility. It is up to hero and heroine to succeed.
This is familiar material - and lacks the flair of such films as Aliens. While the wide-screen photography and the technological details are impressive, the cast lacks something of the screen presence of a heroine like Sigourney Weaver.
The film is directed by George Pan Cosmatos, maker of such thrillers as Escape to Athena, The Cassandra Crossing, Rambo II and Cobra.
1. Interesting and entertaining horror monster story?
2. Panavision photography, underwater, the shaft, the sea and the mining, the developments in technology, computers, communication, destruction?
3. The special effects, atmosphere of horror, the monster, the humans? Stunt work?
4. The title: mythology, the Russian ship, the submarine, the disease, plague, the experiments gone wrong?
5. Themes and comments on nature and science, possibilities, conforming to nature or destructing? The experiments to produce homo aquaticus?
6. The set-up with the company, the mining for silver, the depths of the sea, safety, money, the turn of 90 days, the quota required, the details of work, machinery, the suits, the return to the shaft? The initial crisis with De Jesus, Doe's absence? Signalling of dangers? Beck as boss (and checking books about being in charge)? The unions and stances?
7. The interaction of the group, likes and dislikes, pressures? Interests, the end of term, the clash? Six-pack and his scare? Beck and trying to be in charge? Martin at the service and her television communications, commands, abrupt turning off?
8. The situation and the group in the ship, Six-pack and his going off by himself, discovering the Leviathan, taking what he found, Williams following him,, the plunder and the video information, the vodka and the party? The genetic alteration? Bowman and the vodka, her discovering her illness, her killing herself? Communication with Martin, the news of the hurricane? The two dead bodies, deciding the get them out of the ship? Cobb scratched, the limb cut off? The pursuit of the remaining Victims, their strategies? Cobb going, Doe and his message, his death? De Jesus and his being destroyed? The others having to cope, plans, destruction, the danger and the escape? The surface and the irony of there not being a hurricane? The pursuit of the sharks, the sudden appearance of the monster and Beck destroying him?
9. Characters: Beck, geological background, in charge, helping De Jesus back into the-shaft, Doe's absence, Six-pack and his cheek, his going into the boat, return, the vodka, his death and keeping it quiet, Bowman and her illness and death? Strategies, interactions with Martin, leading the group, destroying the monster, surviving?
10. Bowman, her work, interest in money, tough, the vodka, her horror, killing herself?
11. Six-pack as loud, vulgar, with the women, with Williams, going to the Leviathan, stealing the vodka, the horror of his death?
12. Cobb as the union man, his help, being scratched, ultimately destroyed?
13. De Jesus, the crisis, recovering, objective about the deaths, the jigsaw puzzle, his being consumed by the monster?
14. Doe and his absence, clever, his background, his concern about the illness, computer information, help, being caught, sending the desperate message to save the world?
15. Williams and the mining, jogging, training for space, clashes with Six-pack, the creature in his bed, the terror, getting to safety?
16. Martin and her executive style, smooth and callous, the discovery of the death list, her welcoming them aboard - and the audience responding to Beck's chauvinist or non-chauvinist, punching of her?
17. The visualising of the monster, its gradual mutation and absorbing the characters?
18. The tradition of alien horror?
