CHAIN REACTION
Australia, 1980, 89 minutes, Colour.
Stephen Bisley, Ross Thompson, Anna- Maria Winchester, Ralph Cotteril, Hugh Keays- Byrne, Richard Moir, Lorna Leslie.
Directed by Ian Barry.
Chain Reaction is reminiscent of Roger Corman's direct action features: fast pace, basic outline of plot and characters and issues (without too much detail explanation, motivation) and let the film go on its own momentum. Also reminiscent of thrillers where ordinary people are threatened, endure dangers and act heroically as well as sinister pursuers and amnesia victims, this thriller takes current nuclear contamination fears and warnings, ruthless official cover-ups killings. There is good stunt work, especially in car chases. Steve Bisley is the ocker hero, Anna- Maria Winchester a sympathetic heroine and Ross Thompson German scientist. A well known supporting cast is either genial or sinister. Briskly enjoyable, but not for meticulous analysis.
1. The quality of the film as a thriller in itself, its value as a nuclear film and warning, as a police and government cover-up thriller? The blending of these trends?
2. The appeal for the Australian audience? International audience? The multi-national background and its effect on Australia? The use of an Australian setting and atmosphere: H.A.L.D.O. and all that it implied? Nuclear plants and contamination, nuclear waste and storage? Australian problems? Locations, people, style of dialogue?
3. The contribution of the colour photography, the N.S.W. mountain scenery? The style of the musical score and its contribution to atmosphere and suspense?
4. The structure of the screenplay: the establishing of the nuclear problems and the search for Heinz, Harry and Carmel and their marriage and holiday, the town and its ordinary life, Gray and his henchmen and their search for Heinz? The editing in of each segment and the counterplay? The building up of suspense?
5. The film's presentation of the nuclear issues: the possibility of earthquake and the disturbance of the plant, the red alert and the disaster, the effect of contamination on human beings, the spill of water and the chain reaction for grass, animals, humans? The focus of the title and its dangers?
6. Themes of power - H.A.L.D.O. officials and their control, their responsibility and accountability? The control of the doctors in treating Heinz? The anti-nuclear protesters and the picture of the street demonstrations and the park speeches? Gray and his responsibility to the H.A.L.D.O. officials? His henchmen? Ruthless pursuit of people, murder and cover-ups? The motivation for the possession of power and keeping it?
7. The contrast with ordinary people, their becoming involved in a crisis, their care for those in need, participation in dangers, rising to the occasion, heroism and survival? The little people overcoming ruthless multinationals? How persuasive were these themes?
8. The initial focus on Heinz, the power plant and his response, his inability to save the situation? The use of colours, sounds, water and special effects? The recurring images of this throughout the film? His hospital treatment and his warnings? The plausibility of his escape? The ugly killing of the truck driver? His having only three days to live? The amnesia and its effect on him? His killing, hiding, the encounter with Larry and Carmel? His response to their care? The stories of 1957 and the effect of the screenplay reminding people of what attitudes towards nuclear power and scientific development were? Playing the piano, memories of Germany and childhood? Larry's suspicions and reaction? Carmel's care and listening? The suggestions for jogging his memory and the visual suggestions? His being captured, final illness and its proliferation? His wanting to be taken as a warning? The contact with Eagle? His dying in the crash? A German scientist type? Audience sympathy for him? The moralising device of his experience?
9. The contrast with Larry at work, his mates and their talk, his knowledge of cars? Carmel's arrival? The children? The holiday, the phone call? The preparations for enjoying the holiday? The lovemaking sequences? The contrast of the violence? Larry as ocker? Carmel and her calmer style? The compatibility of the two, their relationship, their reactions to Heinz? Larry as mechanic, Carmel as nurse and the screenplay's use of these talents?
10. Their response to Heinz, Larry's harshness, his driving away for the police, the long chase and his escape, his trying to hide in the town, his arrest, accusations of murder? His frustration in the jail, the contact with Eagle and the explanations? The contrast with Carmel and her care for Heinz, their walking to the old gold town, the scenery, jogging of memories? The lyric touch?
11. Eagle and his speech in Sydney, the demonstrations, his arrival, the chatting with Gloria, watching, running over the bicycle, his explanation in prison, the carrier pigeons and the television helicopter coming at the end?
12. How persuasive a character, plausible?
13. The picture of the town, Gloria and her serving in the shop and wanting excitement? The telephone exchange woman and her listening in, her murder? The ordinary people and their watching, the senior policeman and his fishing, the junior policeman and him taking himself seriously, his bike? Their becoming involved in the issues?
14. The portrait of Gray and his relentlessness? The H.A.L.D.O. bosses and their interrogation of Heinz? The semi-trailer, the disguised uniformed men for decontamination? Oates and the fact that he had to use sign language? His tracking of Heinz, killing the lady at the exchange? His pursuit, the violence of his own death? Gray and his self-assurance, his hold over people, his participation in the chases, his enjoyment of the pursuit? Threats, his death?
15. The faceless men and their impact? A means of Larry's escape?
16. Larry and Carmel and their endurance, the build-up to their escape after decontamination, the long pursuit, their survival?
17. The nuclear warnings and the ending? The validity of the point of view? Its persuasiveness?
18. The use of thriller techniques for message films? The direct presentation of character and plot, the reliance on special effects and stunts - especially the car chases? How satisfying for a popular audience - enjoyment, reflection on themes?
