CITIZENS BAND

US, 1977, 98 Minutes, Colour.
Paul Le Mat, Candy Clark, Ann Wedgeworth, Marcia Rodd.
Directed by Jonathan Demme.

Citizens Band: C.B. radio took on with its own language, contacts and spirit. It can be a great means of communication, a fad, a mask for diffident people, a way of invading privacy or of exhibitionism. All this is part of this rather genial story of a small town, an earnest young man, his family and their problems and of a bigamist truckie that he helps. (The sequences with his two wives are excellent.) Full of pleasant and funny detail with some tellingly sharp thrusts at selfish C.B. users and the odd-bods on the channels, it opts for optimistic community spirit in its zany climax. Entertaining, especially for the C.B. fraternity.

1. How interesting and enjoyable a film? Poor release at first but then acclaimed in America and throughout the world? Did the film deserve this? A piece of Americana and the 50s and the Citizens Band phenomenon?

2. Audience response to the background of radio, citizens band and communication and use? The sub-culture of communication and of particular language? The kinds of relationships and bonds, hostilities and danger?

3. The atmosphere of the credits and the introduction of voices in the shadows? A communication of voices with code names rather than persons with identities? The possibilities of tuning in and tuning out, eavesdropping? The control by voice, the power of the radio for good and for ill? vicarious experience rather than face-to-face contact? The importance of code names and language?

4. The serious tone of the film and the presentation of characters, issues, especially in the misuse of the particular channels? The comic overtones and the presentation of an optimistic America? A critique of America in the 70s, of the American dream, its fulfilment?

5. The opening sequences setting the tone of the film: Warlock and his communication with Electra? The sexual overtones and the vicarious experience? The reality and unreality? The later irony of Electra's identity and of Warlock pursuing the prostitute? The repercussions with Harry's accident and Blayn and his communication and help? A mixture of the good and the bad of C.B. radio? (The later ceremony with Blayn receiving the medal?)

6. The technique of introducing various characters and sub-plots and intertwining them? The skill of the editing? The interweaving of the stories and their being brought together? A particular glimpse and feel for a way of life in a particular American town?

7. The portrait of the town, its way of life, its ordinary citizens, moral issues and values, attitudes, selfishness and kindliness?

8. The focus on Blayn as the hero: as a personality, his strengths and his weaknesses, his basic good, his work and his skill with radio, Spider as his code name, his relationship with his brother Dean and the sequence in the gym? His relationship with Pam and love for her and her love for Dean? The comments about his other brothers being in Alaska or in jail? His relationship with his father and helping him (and his father thinking he was helping Blayn?). His Capacity for helping people and his initiatives in' listening in for emergencies? His bond with his fat friend and their helping? Their campaign against those who were abusing selfishly the Citizens' Band? The humour of their attack even though they were vigilante style attacks: the boy and his mother agreeing with the radio being broken, the confessional sequence with the priest, the neo-nazi and his car, Dean and his effacing himself by using the radio? The importance of receiving the medal? Blayn and the basketball sequences, his conversations with his father, with Dean buying the cake and the preparations for the party, Dean's not coming, Pam's presence? A credible character? The stands that he took as representing America in the 70s?

9. Pam as heroine, small town girl, relationship with Blayn, with Dean, especially in the going to the basket-ball game and moving from one brother to the other in the school and the gymnasium after the match? Her conversations with Blayn and the use of the radio and its later irony? The importance of her presence at the meal with Blayn's father? Her decision and the happy zaniness of her marrying Blayn?

10. Dean and his contrast in character with Blayn? The importance of his control of the students at the practice, his devotion to his basketball, his alienation from his father, the buying of the cake, his reliance on Pam and yet knowing she was in love with Blayn, his ability to express his hatred and vengeance only through C.B. radio and the irony of his code name of Blood? The importance of the confrontation with Blayn? The change with their father's loss and the marriage?

11. The portrait of the father and his memories of the past, Canada? His drinking, his ability to communicate and come alive only through radio? His hostility towards the dog and his sly humour at suggesting they were eating it? His disappointment with his sons, his disappointing them? His running away and becoming the focus of attention?

12. The importance of the Harry sub-plot: Harry as a trucking type, the accident and his being saved by Blayn and his gratitude, the humour of the double phone call to his wives? His liaison with Hot Coffee and buying her the caravan? The confrontation with the two wives - his avoiding the situation, the funny way in which the issues were argued out, Hot Coffee's contribution?

13. The introduction to Joyce and Connie, the two types of American wife? Their talk in the bus, the steady build-up to the shared photos, their mutual vengeance, the expensive meal, the talk while drinking together? The humour of their comparing families, comparing relationships with Harry, sexual aspects? The discussion and the humour and irony of the compromise? Hot Coffee's pleasure and being a mediator?

14. The portrait of Hot Coffee as the prostitute with the heart of gold, the caravan, gratitude to Harry?

15. The portrait of the priest and his using the radio for mad religious propaganda, the confessional? The neo-Nazi and his fascist statements? Blayn's confrontation with each of them?

16. The importance of being able to track down the users of the C.B.? The build-up of the search for Blood and the confrontation?

17. The change in mood of the film with the search for Blayn's father and everybody joining in? The picnic atmosphere, the good fellowship, the pooling of differences? The priest, the boy, the neo-Nazi - the only one who failed?

18. The atmosphere of the wedding and its old-fashioned frantic comedy tone? An appropriate ending for this film?

19. How did the film capture and reflect the mood of America in the 70s, its values, purpose and dreams?