THE SAVAGE BEES

US, 1976, 100 minutes, Colour.
Ben Johnson, Michael Parks, Paul Hecht, Gretchen Corbett, Horst Buchholz, James Best.
Directed by Bruce Geller.

The Savage Bees is a telemovie that is somewhat superior to other variations on the theme of killer bees and of the 1978 big-budget The Swarm.

The film offers some historical background about migrations of killer bees from South America to the United States. The film also had strong technical advice about bees and what would happen in an invasion. The victim city in this case is New Orleans on the eve of Mardi Gras – when crowds are about in festive mood and not expecting an attack from a swarm.

Ben Johnson is strong as the sheriff and Horst Buchholz appears as one of the doctors.

The film is in the atmosphere of the animal menace films of the period, symbolised by such films as Jaws.

1. The quality of the entertainment, audience interest, excitement and horror?

2. Audience interst in animal science filetion? The insect genre and the terrorising of humans? how good an example? Particular differences?

3. The 70's and the disaster tradition, animals menacing human beings, technological solutios? This film as a modest example of the disaster genre? Similarities? Differences?

5. The plausible scientific background? The information given on the bees, the South American experience? Statistics and information? The authentic atmosphere of New Orleans and the investigations? The situation in the city, people terrorised?

6. Audience interest in science, its developments? Developments getting out of hand and uncontrolable? The symbolic significance of the bees? Killers, savege? Confined yet menacing people when uncontrolled?

7. Audience responce to bees in themselves, their symbolism of fear? The visualising of the deaths and audience frightened responce?

8. The contribution of the New Orleans setting? The city, the country side out side, rivers and swamps? Farms? Small towns? The atmosphere of Mardi Gras and the threat to people celebrating? The frame of mind and mood of people? The transition to Ash Wednesday and the solemn atmophere of the city, able to be used for the solution?

9. The opening impact of the death of McKew's dog? His reaction in taking it to the vet? The little girl and her death? The man with the tractor? The sailors and the explanation of the arrival of the bees?

10. The focus of the film on McKew? A solid man, sherrif, reaction to the dogs death? His relentless pursuit for a solution? Work with Goeff? Growing Involvement? His authority, commonsense? The U.S reliable type, appropriate for this kind of film?

11. Geoff as the young hero type? His skill with his work, the encounter with McKew? The involvement of his personal life and relationsip with Jeanette? His growing desparation, his giving Information to the television? His commonsense and heroism in providing a solution?

12. How attractive was Jeanette as a heroine? her relationship with Geoff? Her scientific work? her prevailing commonsense, involvement? Could audiences identify with her and her attwmpts to get a solution?

13. The character of Rufusand his skill in identifying the problem?

14. The background of Dr Muller, the documentary? His arriv&l, skills, control of the situation, his suit? Crises being able to provide some kind of saviour figure

15. The presentation of the police and the inability to cope with danger?

16. How well did the film visualise the swarms, their menace, the angle shots and heights etc? The couple with the kiosk? The solution with Dr Muller and the sudden cutting of his suit and his unneccessary death? The death of a carnival couple?

17. The build-up to the solution? Jeanette and her car, the continued suspense and fear? The long trip into the city? The suspense about the cooling of the stadium? The happy ending, appropriate?

18. How well did the film generate genuine fear, tension? The personal involvement and aspects of human nature? The social implications for science, communication, menace, the states of emergency and technological knowhow for solutions to evil menacing human beings?