THE STRANGER
US, 1973, 100 minutes, Colour.
Glenn Corbert, Cameron Mitchell, Lew Ayres, Sharon Acker, George Colouris, Dean Jagger.
Directed by Lee H. Katzin.
The Stranger is a small science fiction telemovie, distinguished by a very interesting plot which shows a 1984 kind of other planet which is very similar to earth and its 20th century development. There is an uncanny feeling in seeing ordinary situations and cities of earth portrayed as an alien civilization. Glen Corbett is a competent hero but Cameron Mitchell has a very substantial part as the head of the planet and its Perfect Order. There in quite a lot of good social observation in this popular telemovie. Directed by Lee H. Katzin, a television director who has made such films as Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice and Steve MoQueen's Le Mans.
1. An interesting and enjoyable telemovie, presenting adventures, science fiction, social comment for home viewers?
2. The appeal of science fiction in the seventies? Technical aspects? Modern science fiction and the comparison of worlds? Space, human development, parallel development?
3. The blending of space science fiction conventions with those of the chase and the fugitive? How well did they complement each other?
4. Entertainment, interest, suspense?
5. The conventions of the space craft opening, introduction to the characters, the authentic atmosphere of American space exploration? A transition from a familiar world to what looks familiar but was foreign? The audience identifying with space exploration and moving to the strange new world?
6. The effect of using modern America as a parallel world to earth? The strange feelings of the history of a separate development which was so similar to that of earth? The visual impact of using earth settings for a strange far away planet? How well was this presented from the point of view of Stryker? Its seeming to be homer the words of the doctorsq their being caught out with Paul Revere? The eeriness and the strangeness for Stryker and for the audience - the hospital, languages, the moons and behaviour on the planet? How was this device a comment on human development and society in the 20th century?
7. Stryker as hero - a space man, his coping with the situation, hospitalised, testing his captors, the ingenuity and excitement of his escape, the encounter with Bettina, and later relating with her, the hitchhiking, the radio and his escaper the various chases especially by Benedict? Friendship with Bettina and the bond with her? Friendship with the Professor and his help? The possibility of his leaving? The effect of this experience on him, his not escaping and his being trapped? Audiences identifying with this kind of popular hero?
8. Benedict as dictator, feelingless control, pushing Stryker in the investigations? His ruthlessness, political power, scientific background? His clash with the doctor and persecuting him? His later torture of Bettina? The obvious parallels of Benedict and his henchmen as an American view of the Russians? The totalitarianism?
9. Bettina an heroine, her knowledge of Stryker and love for him, her changing, brainwashing and betrayal? The torment for her?
10. The Professor and his criticism of the new views. presenting a more humane view, his helping of Stryker, his illness, death?
11. The theme of Perfect Order and the parallels with 1984, the trappings of the totalitarian State and Big Brother watching, conformism of thought? Again, the American view of Russia?
12. The grandeur of the world of space and technology yet the inherent violence and control? The film's comment on the permanent aspects of human nature?
13. The ending and Stryker being trapped, in a familiar world yet with its unfamiliar moons and background? What van the audience left with as Stryker faced the future?
