POPULATION 436
US, 2006, 92 minutes, Colour.
Jeremy Sisto, Fred Durst, Charlotte Sullivan, Peter Outerbridge, David Fox, Reva Timbers.
Directed by Michelle McLaren.
Population 436 is one of those eerie films, atmosphere of the Twilight Zone.
Jeremy Sisto plays an Inspector, checking on population figures in outlying towns in North Dakota. Arriving, he sees a woman fall from a horse, crashes his car, is given a lift by the deputy sheriff. He is welcomed by the population, by the Mayor, honoured, given accommodation. But, as he stays in the town he notices more and more strange behaviour. At a Festival, procession in celebration, a woman sacrifices herself.
It emerges that this remote community has religious fanaticism, believing that it will survive by keeping population 436, killing anyone who increases that number. It also emerges that the doctor keeps some of the population who want to leave under control, even with electric shock treatment.
The inspector has strange dreams, is attracted to the young woman, daughter of his host where he is staying, as well as a young girl who wants to leave. When he makes up his mind to go, he is held by the doctor, but escapes, taking the young girl with him but leaving behind the daughter who is already been affected the doctor.
As they make their escape, at the exit from the town, they are hit by a semitrailer.
The film ends with the inspector’s successor arriving in the town to discover what has happened.
- The title, the focus on the population, the small town, the exact number, its sinister meaning? Religious meaning?
- The setting, North Dakota, the open plains, the small town, homes, stores, sheriff’s office, doctor’s office, the celebration? The musical score?
- Steve Kadey, government official, the Census bureau, checking on the town? Age, personality, diligence? Entering the town, the woman falling from the horse, his flat tires, the deputy sheriff, the welcome, the mayor, accommodation, the daughter of the house, the jealousy of the sheriff? His becoming more and more wary, strange dreams, the odd behaviour of the population? The celebration, the woman sacrificing herself?
- The people in the town, midwest American types the sheriff, law and order, the Deputy, the mayor? The role of the doctor? The host, Courtney, Steve’s attraction?
- The realisation that the population must be kept to 436, any increase means death, Steve taken by the doctor, the treatment, his escape, wanting Courtney to leave, but her being already conditioned by the doctor, with Amanda?
- The road to escape, the oncoming vehicle, the crash?
- And the eerie ending, anticipation of repetition with Steve’s successor arriving in the town to continue his work?
