SALVATION
US, 1987, 80 minutes, Colour.
Stephen McHattie?, Exene Cervanka, Viggo Mortensen.
Directed by Beth B.
Salvation is a short film by underground, small budget writer-director Beth B. It does not go very far into its exploration of the phenomenon of the tele-evangelists - and their hypocrisy. It relies, however, on taking off the tele-evangelists and indicating to audiences how they act. The danger of this is that it merely reinforces stereotypes and caricatures.
The film focuses on situations rather than the development of character, indeed, motivation seems hard to understand at times. Perhaps the style of less commercial film-making and the video-clip phenomenon explain the style and the structure of the film. In fact, it ends with what is really a video-clip. The cast works well, given the style and limitations of the approach to the theme.
1. The impact of the tele-evangelists, the millions of Americans who listen to them and give them money? Who appreciate their performances? The questioning of their motives? The exposes that have been continually present - and emphasised in the mid-'80s?
2. How much insight into the tele-evangelist does the film offer? The danger of merely stereotyping and caricaturing? The legitimacy of the spoof and the take-off?
3. The video style of the film: the long sequences of the TV preaching, the scenes in the home, factory, on the roads? In the house, the fight? In the television studios and the programmes? The video-clip final song? The nature of film and video communication?
4. The range of the music: the score, the lyrics of the sone, the finale?
5. Steven McHattie? as Edward Randall: the style of his preaching, its content? Fundamentalist Christianity? The statement of cliches in a dramatic and unctuous way? His performance, his rehearsals? The various ways in which he could communicate his message? The girl arriving at his house, his suspicions, letting her in, the sexual attraction, the sexual encounter, his worrying about blackmail? The sadistic touches? The two men at the door and his suspicions? Sending them away? Jerome's arrival, suspicions, the fight? Trussing him up, attempting to drown him? The rescue, his recuperation? Escape from the bath? Using the cross to escape? His car and the two men in the car? His second escape and the cross falling? Meeting Rhonda on the road? Her ideas, the programme takeover? The family controlling him? The counting of the money and their ineptness? His ousting the two men, ousting Jerome? His being under Rhonda's thumb - the lawyers and the discussion about the marketing of the programme? This symbolised in the final rock song? Portrait of a tele-evangelist?
6. Rhonda at home, listening to every word of the Reverend Randall, mouthing her own cliches, the meals, supporting Jerome, her sister? What she would, do with a show? The plan, finding the Reverend? Her tough attitudes, performance, the sincerity of her message? Salvation and damnation? The final rock video and its symbolising her as the warrior conquering Randall?
7. The sister at home, sexy, with Jerome? Acting her lost part at the door, sexual attraction, the encounter, reaction, being tied up, on the beach, the rescue? In the plan, in the entourage, ousted?
8. Jerome, the worker, at home, slovenly, with his sister-in-law, reaction to Rhonda, the sending of the money to the Reverend Randall? Going to the factory, the Iona walk with the boss, his being fired? His anger, going home? His violence with Randall, the plan, success, counting the money? His being ousted? The two men seeking the party, part of the plan, not able to count the money, the bodyguards preventing them coming back into the studio?
9. The domestic sequences and the American home? Television religion and its place in the home? Sex and power? The irony of the film’s structure: dream, nightmare, salvation - and the irony of these titles?
10. The spoof of fundamentalist Christianity, its presentation of Jesus, its presentation of the Devil, of good and evil, the moral cliche - not lived up to?
