MIRACLE MILE
US, 1988, 87 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Edwards, Mare Winningham, John Agar, Mykelti Williamson.
Directed by Steve de Jarnett.
Miracle Mile is a nuclear, what if ... ? melodrama. While some have found it persuasive, most have found it unrealistic in its situation and especially in its treatment. It is highly stylised, a night moving into a day when the nuclear explosions occur in Los Angeles. The characters are well-acted, there is a group of character actors in support - however, the overall effect seems more and more implausible. The intentions of writer and director Steve de Jarnett are very good, but the result is, at times, ludicrous.
1. Nuclear film? The imagination: what if… thriller?
2. The title, Los Angeles, located in the miracle mile and its environment? Action?
3. Special effects, the nuclear explosions, the helicopter? Tangerine Dream, atmospheric score?
4. The plausibility of the plot, the treatment? The phone call, panic and action, authorities concealing the blast? The fact of the explosion?
5. The plausibility of the treatment: characters, action and behaviour, dialogue?
6. The introduction and its cosmic effect: the slides, the history of evolution and the world, the museum and its exhibits, the tone?
7. Harry and his voice-over, seeing Julie, losing her, meeting her, the meal and freeing the lobsters, making the date, meeting the grandfather and his genial tone, the grandmother? Going to sleep, the electric accident, the
clock not going off? His cigarette, the bird and the film? Waking late?
8. Harry's background, character, going to the diner, the types in the diner, the girl behind the counter, ringing Julie? Going outside, Chip's phone call and his answering it, disbelief, the credibility or not, his subsequent behaviour, telling everybody, the increasing panic?
9. Landa and her phone, her organisation, finding out the truth? Fred and the diner, his staff, threatening Harry with the gun, storing the truck with food, driving away frantically, taking Harry, pushing him off? The workers and their sex talk, disbelief, going? The transvestite and his decision to stay?
10. The encounter with Wilson on the highway, holding him up with the gun, his. stolen goods, driving frantically, going to the petrol station, the police arriving, his dousing them and the explosion, driving away, leaving Harry, going to get his sister, crashing into the department store, his death and his sister's death?
11. Julie not knowing, the grandmother with the gun, the grandparents reconciled and preferring to stay and die, their final quarrel, happiness? Julie's happiness? Julie and her discovering of the truth on the roof, running and searching?
12. Harry and his search for the pilot, the gymnasium, hiring the pilot, his wanting to take his male companion? His returning with the helicopter?
13. Scenes of looting, television interviews and the shooting of the announcer, the violence, the cars in the streets, the madness?
14. Julie and Harry going to the lift, the building, the helicopter, the explosion, the crash of the helicopter, in the tar pits, their hopes in dying together?
15. The visuals of the nuclear blast on Los Angeles? The impact? Leaving the audience with these visuals, sharing the experience of their hero and heroine, observing them? The point being made about nuclear war?
