187

US, 1997, 119 minutes, Colour.
Samuel L. Jackson, John Heard, Kelly Rowan, Clifton Collins Jr, Tony Plana, Karina Arroyave, Lobo Sebastian.
Directed by Kevin Reynolds.

187 is the Californian code for murder. However, the setting of this absorbing and disturbing drama is education, the high schools with their mixture of conventional schooling and violence problems from the streets and gangs of the city.

Director Kevin Reynolds has made action shows like Robin Hood, Rapa Nui and Waterworld. His focus here on personal drama is quite unexpected and successfully intense. The use of colour filters for contrasting atmospheres and a wide range of cinematography styles, slow-motion, unexpected angles, means that the audience is conscious of the techniques as well as the issues.

And the issues are strong. They are also familiar from movies like The Blackboard Jungle to Stand and Deliver. However, Samuel L. Jackson as a teacher, severely wounded by a vengeful student, trying to make a difference with an indifferent class, and the unpredictable developments in the plot (including the teacher's personal religious beliefs and prayer) make this a challenging film.

1.The film written by a teacher, observations on teaching, education, difficulties in the United States in the 1990s? An alarming film, pessimistic – what hopes?

2.The film in the tradition of American school films, from The Blackboard Jungle and its troubles through to the more optimistic and challenging films like Stand and Deliver?

3.The 1990s, the big city neighbourhoods, the students, thugs, oppressed, poverty, racism, the pressure of families, single parent families, peers and violence?

4.The presentation of New York City as well as Los Angeles, their similarities? The use of particular coloured filters and light for creating atmosphere? Yellows and blues? The musical score?

5.The significance of 187, the threats in Trevor Garfield’s book, the student threatening, the call for the police for a murder?

6.Samuel L. Jackson as Trevor Garfield: in himself, dedicated to his work, love for science, the classroom sequences, the students and their lack of attention, his persevering? His anxieties, the message in the book, the discussions with the principal? The shock of his being stabbed?

7.Fifteen months later, his moving to Los Angeles? The effect of the stabbing on his personality, considering himself dead already? Life in Los Angeles, alone, offering to be a substitute teacher?

8.The portrait of the school, like New York schools? His going into the wrong room? Dave Childress and his introduction, guiding him to the right place? Going into the class, the students? The staff, Childress, Ellen, the principal and his concerns and his lack of experience in the classroom?

9.Trevor and his teaching, his hopes? The clashes with Benny? The clashes with Cesar? Rita and her cooperation? Stephen as the white boy, his disdain? The classes, Trevor and his perseverance? The successful science classes? The class about the muscles in the hand? The confrontations?

10.Ellen Henry, her work with computers, discussions with Trevor, realising who he was, her abrupt moving and apology? Sharing, the relationship? The smears on the computer message, her sending Stephen to the principal? The events, comfortable with Trevor? The killing of the dog? Benny and the threats? His body being discovered, going with his mother to the morgue? Her fears? Wariness of Trevor, not going out with him?

11.Dave Childress, his attitudes, easygoing, with Rita, the sexual relationship, the discussions with Trevor, realising about the killings?

12.The principal, wary about litigation? The meetings, Cesar and his accusations against Trevor? His finally dismissing him from the school?

13.Trevor, the effect of the past, Los Angeles, his nerves? The clashes with Benny? The clashes with Cesar, confronting him, going to his home, meeting his mother? The contrast with Rita, her cooperation, the encouragement he gave her? To be a writer? Her wariness? Stephen and his antagonism? Racism?

14.The deaths, Benny and his death? Cesar and the arrow and the drugs? The cutting off of his finger? The discovery of Benny’s body? The death of the dog? The finger and the inscription written on it, sent to the hospital? Cesar and the stitching of his finger, in the classroom?

15.Cesar and his toughness, his family background, his brutality towards his mother? His clashes with Trevor, the taunts? The confrontations? The arrow, the cutting off of his finger? In class, his resentment? His accusations against Trevor?

16.The film’s build-up of an uneasy world, tensions, exploding?

17.Cesar and his two friends, confronting Trevor, the Russian Roulette, Trevor and his pulling the trigger? His taunting Cesar about his courage, games, macho? Controlling him? Trevor’s death? Cesar and his stance, his own death?

18.The graduation, Ellen and the discussion with the teacher, reassessing Trevor? Rita, her speech, her tribute to Trevor?

19.The film as a comment on American education, the strains and problems in American society?