CHOKE CANYON

US, 1986, 95 minutes, Colour.
Stephen Collins, Bo Svenson, Lance Henrickson.
Directed by Chuck Ball.

Choke Canyon is an action thriller which has its very serious tones as well as elaborate action and stunt sequences. Much of the photography in Utah and its canyons is breathtaking, much of it aerial photography.

Stephen Collins is the hero, a scientist interested in safe energy and harnessing sound waves during the coming of Halley's Comet in 1986. However, his canyon is to be used as a dumping ground for toxic waste, pressures from an unscrupulous head of a company, John Pilgrim. The film shows the interaction between the two. There is a good cast including Nicholas Pryor as Pilgrim, Lance Henrickson as his offsider, Bo Svenson as a tough man brought in to oust the hero. The film is obviously on the side of ecology.

1. Interesting drama? Blend with action adventure? Ecology themes?

2. The title, symbolism, Utah, the vistas, the aerial photography, from the ground? Stunts and effects? Explosions? Helicopter and plane flights, loop-the-loops? Combats? The musical score?

3. David Lowell as hero, Stephen Collins' style? Involved in safe energy, his complex, help from Rachel, Halley's Comet and the energy? Energetic, exercise, surveillance? The visitors and ousting them, confrontations with Alistair, the pressures? The destruction of his plant and the destruction of the - jeeps? Horse-riding and leading the people away? The further attacks? His discovery of the truth, going to the party, meeting Vanessa, eating and talking, imprisoning her, her getting out, sharing the adventure, the black ball and the helicopter, the fight on the black ball? The plan for the experiment, success and resolution?

4. Pilgrim and his power, his firm, toxic waste, relying on Alistair, presumptuous, the use of violence, the party, Vanessa kidnapped, his orders? Alistair as the brains behind Pilgrim, doing his orders? Confrontations with Lowell, the demands for the resetting up of his complex?

5. The toughs and thugs? The chief tough man and his pursuit, caught by Lowell? The antagonism between the two? Vanessa's car? The flight of the plane, the black ball and the fight?

6. Vanessa and her protest, relationship with her father, taken, imprisoned, getting out, helping?

7. Rachel and her friendship, background and information, help?

8. Themes of energy, technology, research, money, big business companies and their lack of scruple, toxic waste? Ecological themes?