SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION
US, 1989, 98 minutes, Colour.
Brad Dourif, Jon Cypher, Melinda Dillon, William Prince.
Directed by Tobe Hooper.
Spontaneous Combustion is a science fiction thriller from a story co-written by director Tobe Hooper. Hooper is best known for his Texas Chainsaw Massacre and other horror thrillers including Return to Salem's Lot, Poltergeist, Life Force, Invaders from Mars.
This thriller has an anti-nuclear message. The opening sequences are set in 1955 with the hydrogen bomb tests in Nevada. It shows the American military collaborating with unscrupulous business interests and using human guinea pigs to test radiation (without telling them the truth about their medication). The exemplary American couple give birth to a boy who has powers to ignite spontaneous combustion in human beings. On his 34th birthday, still supervised by the business interests, he is made a further guinea pig for the establishment of a nuclear reactor in Trinidad, Florida.
Brad Dourif is the young man with the fiery powers. Johann Cypher and William Prince are the villains. Melinda Dillon has a good cameo as someone with information about the initial tests who wants to let the hero know what is happening to him.
The film has the usual melodramatic turns but is more restrained than might be expected from Hooper. There are, of course, some special effects with people consumed by fire in spontaneous combustion. The anti-nuclear message is particularly strong.
1. The title? Expectations? Horror context? Nuclear experimentation context? The plausibility of the plot and situations?
2. The 1955 settings, Nevada, the atomic tests? The newsreel-style footage? Explosions? Florida in the '80s? College, medical centres, affluent homes? The special effects and stunt work? Musical score, songs?
3. The message tone of the film: nuclear experimentation in the '50s, people's ignorance, government propaganda, military hopes? The big business interests, scientific experimentation? Lack of precautions for innocent people? The hope for new developments in weaponry? The shift to the 1980s: nuclear power stations, scientific experimentation and lack of scruple, human combat weapons with powers for creating spontaneous combustion?
4. Brian and Peggy, the ideal American couple, youthfulness, the explosion and their fear? Being paid? The success of the experiment? The newsreel footage in tribute to them? The party, their dancing, meeting Lou? Their home, Peggy's pregnancy, the discussions about the abortion? Her giving birth, delight? Brian bringing the present of the merry-go-round? Their love for their baby? The fire - and their being destroyed?
5. Nina, her being present at the experiments? Friends with Brian and Peggy? In the 1980s, the talkback show on radio, her phoning in, contact with Sam? His coming to meet her, her showing him the movies of his parents? Her helping him? Her being murdered?
6. Sam, the sign of the birthmark? His constant temperature? 34 years passing? The irony of his birthday on the anniversary of Hiroshima? The background of his being brought up by Lou, affluence, marrying Rachel, the divorce? Lou's continued interest? The relationship with Lisa? The rehearsals? His illness, the news of people dying by fire and its effect on him? Trying to contact Lisa? The dinner with Rachel, the clash with Dr Marsh? His migraines and the tablets? The fears about the fire, his own experience of combustion, his hands? The phone call to the clairvoyant on radio? The death of the assistant? His friendship with Lou, going to the doctor? Dr Cagney's treatment? Cagney's death, his going to see Nina, hearing the truth, the effect of watching the films? Going to Lou, the confrontation, finding the truth - his being used, as a deadly weapon? Lou's death? The effect on the nuclear power station? Getting in touch with Lisa, her own combustion, his saving her and his being destroyed?
7. Lisa, relationship with Sam? At the rehearsal, out with him, the tablets? Being looked after by Lou, helping Sam? His mistrust? Her going to the doctor, the confrontation with Dr Marsh? Her own combustion - and her being saved by Sam?
8. Lou, the sinister shadowy figure in the '50s? Looking after Sam and Lisa? His kindness, the final confrontation and the revelation of the truth? His megalomania? Destroyed? Rachel, taking after her father, the liaison with Dr Marsh, her wanting control?
9. Dr Marsh, sinister, with Rachel, confronting Sam? In his laboratory, his trying to control Sam and Lisa, his death? Cagney as his assistant, his death?
10. The clairvoyant on the radio? His premonitions? Trying to help Sam?
11. The horror aspects, the special effects, the atmosphere of realism with the nuclear power plant, the past experiments? Combining for an effective message thriller?
