SING

US, 1989,98 minutes, Colour.
Lorraine Bracco, Peter Dobson, Jessica Steen, Cuba Gooding Jr, Louise Lasser, George DiCenzo?, Patti LaBelle?.
Directed by Richard J. Baskin.

Sing is a Brooklyn story. It is in the vein of the educational films like To Sir With Love, Up the Down Staircase, Lean on Me. The film is also one of those minorities put on the show which date back to the 30s and such films as Babes in Arms.

While the plot is old-fashioned, so is the sentiment. The film focuses on minorities in Brooklyn and the pressures on them by authorities. The community stands up for its rights. It also shows the contemporary drug world - and the possibility of people being redeemed if they are given the chance.

The film is geared particularly for an American audience. It is not particularly startling - but has some verve, especially in the exuberant production of Sing.

1. Enjoyable education story, putting on the show? in the tradition of Fame?

2. The picturing of Brooklyn, the neighbourhoods, the deserted and ugly streets, the racial groups? School, homes, cafes? Images? Special pleading for Brooklyn?

3. The music, the songs, the choreography, the show?

4. The age old story, Audience expectations? The transformation of the hero? A film of hope?

5. The credits, and Brooklyn, his dancing, the neighbourhoods? Hannah, the bottle? Theresa and her being mugged? The irony of Dominic being the mugger?

6. The party, introductions, the feeling? Hannah and Michael and their break-up, Hannah's sadness? Her mothers pressurising, her, concern? Theresa and her return to the neighbourhood, her loyalties?

7. Education and Brooklyn Central: The principal and his concern, Felicia and her cynical attitudes? The kids and their disregard - manner, clothes, way of speaking? Ignoring Theresa? The tradition of the Sing? The elections?

8. Theresa as being part of the neighbourhood, going away and coming back? Identifying Dominic? The confrontation, her hold over hi.in? Friendship with Hannah, the auditions? Confrontation with Dominic? The practices for the Sing, her work with Dominic, dancing with him, a place in the school, the closure, the triumph of the Sing?

9. Dominic as tough, Theresa, his relationship with his brother Freddie, drugs, crime? Freddie and the jobs? Sleeping through the auditions? His being elected and dominated by Theresa? His taking over - his friends, their performance? The choreography for the Atlantis number? Going to the nightclub with Hannah to study the choreography, dancing with her, kissing her? The robbery, hurt, hurting Hannah? Offering to pay back the money? His actually returning it? The final dancing, with Theresa? Being bashed? The finale, the final performance - transformed? (How credibly)?

10. Hannah, her age, experience, in the neighbourhood, the absent father, the family, her mother, at work? School- friends? Relationship with Michael and the break-up? Tension With Dominic? The Sing, her election, the auditions, the performance? Going with Dominic to the nightclub, seeing Michael? Siding with Dominic after the robbery? her mother's hostility? Being hurt, giving her the tickets? The finale and her mother arriving?

11. Hannah's mother, hurt, her boyfriend, work, the robbery, not going to the Sing, the tickets - her final arrival and the reconciliation?

12. The school staff, the principal and his concern, defying the authorities, Felicia and her cynical attitudes, her performance in the Sing? The meeting about the closure of the school? The educational authorities? The defiance of the parents? Locking the official in the basement during the performance? The policeman taking sides against him?

13. The various parents, the large mother and her pride in her daughter?

14. The sketch of the kids, rehearsals? The performance and the competitiveness? The school song?

15. The world of Brooklyn: Attitudes, neighbourhood in decline, the building up of community, crime, the police, drugs? Positive outlook?