CIRCUMSTANCES UNKNOWN

Canada, 1995, 87 minutes, Colour.
Judd Nelson, Isabel Glasser, William R. Moses.
Directed by Robert Lewis.

Circumstances Unknown is a murder thriller, a focus on a psychopath. Judd Nelson looks quite bewildering and menacing as the psychopath, sometimes trying to look innocent as he shows concern and love for others while plotting their downfall.

The film opens with a rather brutal murder, moves to ten years later, shows another murder and then brings the initial characters all together for a final confrontation. The film is very melodramatic in its style - and one wonders why the central character was not detected as mad before this. However, while it is on the screen, it is a mixture of thrills and menace but has some more humane aspects, especially with the central couple who are the victims, as well as an old woman who has had a stroke but witnessed a murder, and her daughter - plus an extremely obtuse sheriff.

The film, while it has an American setting in its plot, was filmed in British Colombia.

1. Entertainment value of this kind of thriller? The murders, the criminal, his deceit, his victims, the confrontations and dangers?

2. The title, the phrase from autopsies? Insufficient evidence, Deena and her not accepting it, Martin and his search for the killer?

3. The British Colombia locations, the woods, the lake? The contrast with the city? Musical score? Special effects, especially for the black and white flashbacks, the irises in colour, the finale with Paul's mother in the lake?

4. The opening with the murder, its brutal impact? Sympathy for Jenny, for Tim, for Martin? The funeral, the flowers, the speeches, the grief? Paul and his putting the irises on the coffin? The audience seeing him in the lake, committing the murder?

5. The transition to ten years later, Paul and his work in the jeweller's shop, his statement about the unique rings, the customer, her fiance, her return, his going to the apartment, killing her and taking the ring for his collection? The fiance later appearing on TV offering a reward? Martin seeing it?

6. The reunion, the ten years and the three friends not seeing each other, the birthday party, Deena and her wanting to meet Paul, John and his age, response to the friends? The going to the lake, Paul taking the opportunity? The invitations?

7. Tim, his grief at Jenny's death, the return to the lake, looking at the photos, Deena's support? Going on the lake, rafting? The joy of the outing, the menace of Paul watching, pushing Tim, drowning him? His coming to support Deena?

8. Deena and her response, helpless, grief, telling John? Her in-laws coming, their support? John and the story about the photo? Getting the photos developed, enlarged, their disappearing? Her search, finding the woman and her mother, listening to the old woman's story? The sheriff and his not wanting to be disturbed? Dismissing her claims? His condemnation of the old woman?

9. Paul, the clash with his father, staying away, returning, in the supermarket, at the house, imposing on Deena, taking John on the water? His menace, the confrontation with his father? Pushing his father down the stairs? The psychological explanations, the flashbacks, his mother's ignoring of him, the revelation that he had killed her at the age of twelve? The destruction of the irises? His finding out about the photos, stealing them from the shop, burning them? His murdering the old lady?

10. The old woman, seeing the murder, trying to communicate with the bells, her daughter and the friendship with Deena, helping her, the discovery of her mother dead?

11. Deena and the clues, the irises at the funeral? Her realisation, her pretending that she would go away with Paul, his stopping her, in the headlights, tying her up, on the lake?

12. Martin, his research, coming to the funeral, the grief, seeing the news, hurrying to the lake, the final confrontation? The sheriff present?

13. Paul and his imagining his mother calling him into the water, his diving in? psychological explanations for his behaviour?

14. The supporting characters: Martin and his grief at Jenny's death, Jenny's family, Tim's mother and father, their support, taking John? John, his age, experience, nightmares, seeing the man in black, thinking that he was coming to kill them? An entertaining thriller?