THE BIG CHILL

US, 1983, 100 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, William Hurt, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Berenger, Meg Tilley, Jo Beth Williams, Mary Kay Place, Don Galloway.
Directed by Lawrence Kasdan.

The Big Chill has become a cult movie. At its time of release, critics made comparisons with John Sayles' The Return of the Secaucus Seven, a film about middle-aged men and women having a reunion, talking about their past, re-examining their relationships, discussing the values of life. This is what happens in the reunion in The Big Chill.

The film is also a cult movie because of the range of songs from the 60s and 70s that were incorporated into the soundtrack. In retrospect, it also sees the emergence of several top actors at the beginning of their careers, especially Kevin Kline, William Hurt, Glenn Close. The former two were to win Oscars during the 80s and Glenn Close was to be nominated many times. The story about The Big Chill which people remember is that Kevin Costner played the dead body of the friend whom the others gather to commemorate. However, he finished up on the cutting-room floor. However, he was to film with director Lawrence Kasdan in Silverado and later in Wyatt Earp.

Kasdan had been a successful writer (Raiders of the Lost Ark) and began directing with The Big Heat. He made a number of successful films including Grand Canyon. After the failure at the box-office of the very solemn Wyatt Earp, he was quiet for several years, although he made the excellent Mumford, unfortunately not seen by many people. He emerged in 2003 with his adaptation of the Stephen King story, Dream Catcher.

1. The popularity of the film? Oscar nominations? Critical acclaim? Impact for American audiences? Non-Americans?

2. The work of Lawrence Kasdan - fantasy with Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars films? His use of American genres in Body Heat, Continental Divide? His consciousness of American types, situations? Ironies?

3. The Carolina locations, the mansion, lifestyle? A piece of '80s Americana? The significance of the score - the selection of records, artists? Memories of the '60s? The significance of the lyrics and the characterisation and episodes?

4. The reunion genre: the basic situation, arrivals, initial encounters, emotional reactions, surface reactions, the move to deeper interaction, hurts, joys? An effective reunion?

5. The style of the film as less discursive than exploratory? The presentation of facets of characters? Contrived situations in which characters reacted?

6. The atmosphere of the film and its opening: talk, the baby in the bath, the news of the death and the tears, the collage of people dressing and the news of the suicide? Audience anticipation?

7. The transition to the funeral: the guests arriving, the role of each of the friends at the funeral and in the ceremony, the ceremony itself, the eulogy by the minister - and the anticipation of what he was going to say? The carrying of the coffin, the graveside? The party and the lightening of atmosphere? The jokes -and the comment on the poor taste of the jokes? The significance of the adolescent-style death jokes throughout the film?

8. The interaction at the party, the staying for the weekend, the collage of people's behaviour, the use of dissolves, the editing and the various glimpses of characters, entering in mid-conversation and leaving? The effect of audience getting to know and understand the characters? Character development in a brief time? The music and the lyrics relating to the characters?

9. The importance of memories: college days, the dead friend, the time at college when they were themselves, youthfulness, dreams, vision, an earnest hope for the future? The short time that they were together and had bonds with one another? Strengths, weaknesses? Memories of lost opportunities? The shallowness of their subsequent lives? Having to face the transition from college to mid-lives?

10. The portrait of each of the individuals:
a) Harold and Sarah - their marriage, their child and their love for the child, the story of the infidelity told by Harold, by Sarah? Their business, organisation, responsibilities? The church, the wake? Sarah and the significant scene of her grieving, nude? Harold and his talk? Business, the visit to the block of land, success? Jogging, business tips? The warmth of Harold and Sarah together? Sarah and her strength, her good sense, empathy? The significance of Meg and her wanting a child? The credibility of Sarah's arranging for Harold to father the child? Its significance, effect on the friendship, on the marriage?
b) Meg - her grief, alone at the back of the church, her being stoned? Her isolated life, being alone, her capacity for loving? Her career and the law? Her moving from needy cases to more professional cases? Her relation to each of the group? Her wanting the baby, flirting? The consummation of the relation ship with Harold?
c) Karen and Richard - the marriage, its effect, Karen playing the organ, her grief? Richard as a fussy husband, his comments the night sandwich, his going? Karen and her memories? Her seeming to have succeeded? Her family, children? The other men in love with her from the past? Sam and the sexual fascination?
d) Sam and his glamour, Karen and his dreams, the autographs of the celebrity, the TV role: J. T. Lacey - the group watching his performance, the mocking of television series with the macho image, the violence? The failing for the police, sympathy, Karen and sexual relationship?
e) Michael and his appearance, working for 'People Magazine', brashness, flirtatious, talking, ringing up hot news, pursuing everybody? When alone? His comic style - and the clashing with Sam?
f) Nick and his arriving late, appearance, his being stoned, the Vietnam experience, his isolation, drug-pushing? His attachment to Chloe? Reaction to the others, the car-ride, his bitterness, truth, Michael's article?
g) Chloe - young, callow, literal in her interpretation of what people said, laughter, few memories, easily able to comfort her self after Alex's death, joining in the group, excluded from it? Nick becoming a new Alex for her?

11. Alex as focal point - yet never seen, partly known, partly unknown? His being constructed by the images of each of the eight? The attitude of each of the eight towards him? Genuineness of their grief? His bringing them together in death?

12. The exploration of friendship and its qualities, love, companionship, truth?

13. Themes of truth, selfishness? The expose aspects of the film? The ultimate gentleness of the ending?

14. The importance of these people, their seeming self-satisfaction and smugness, the significance of the reunion on their lives? Thews of consequence, inconsequential matters? The inconclusive ending - their future? A comment on the young Americans of the '60s?