DOOM WATCH

UK, 1972, 85 minutes, Colour.
Ian Bannen, Judy Geeson, George Sanders.
Directed by Peter Sasdy.

Doom Watch is a cinema spin-off from a popular television series on ecology. It is rather stilted in its presentation, awkward in much of its acting. However, it does show concern for environment in the late 60s-early 70s, especially with radioactive material being dumped, with oil spillages and with garbage deposit in the ocean.

Ian Bannen has a starring role as a scientist who visits a remote island collecting evidence of oil spillage. What he discovers is a village which has been affected by eating fish which have been contaminated by the radioactive material. The film then has aspects of a horror film as the villagers ban together to conceal what has happened to them.

George Sanders in one of his last roles plays the admiral who is in charge of the dumping of the radioactive material.

While the film is particularly dated, it reminds us that serious issues of pollution and contamination are still current.

1. Impact of the film? Derived from a television series? A fable about the environment and contamination?

2. The title, the reference to the organisation concerned about ecological disasters?

3. The island setting, Cornwall, the sea, isolation? The contrast with London and the laboratories? The Admiralty?

4. The credibility of the plot, the radioactive material dumped by the navy, the contamination of the fish, the disposals companies dumping their rubbish, the canisters exploding because of radioactivity? The final image of the film with the dead fish and the canisters?

5. Doom Watch and the investigation, Dr Shaw and his discussions in London, going to the island, collecting the specimens, their being examined in London, the illness being diagnosed?

6. Dr Shaw and his arrival on the island, suspicions and hostility, at the pub, with the vicar, with the various characters who insult him? His getting lodgings, meeting with Victoria, her being a foreigner, two years on the island, the teacher? Her finally agreeing to help him?

7. The sketches of the various characters on the island, the body in the ground, its disappearance? The police? The attack on Dr Shaw in the barn? The gradual revelation of the disfigured islanders? Finding the man, his trusting him? Dr Shaw calling the villagers together, the speech, the diagnosis, the threat of death, the islanders reacting against him? His desperation, the phone call, the people in the pub, finally agreeing?

8. The Admiralty, the admiral and his comments, the revelation of the truth, the uncovering of the radioactive material? The trawler and the garbage disposal company, the owner? Travelling to the dump? The picture of environmental contamination?

9. The horror aspects of the film, the disfigured characters, the violence, the dogs and their fight and the attack on Dr Shaw?

10. The possibility of doing good, the islanders being removed and medical help being given? The final image of the contamination in the sea?