JAGUAR LIVES

US, 1979, 90 minutes, Colour.
Joe Lewis, Christopher Lee, Donald Pleasence, Barbara Bach, Capucine, John Huston.
Directed by Ernest Pintoff.

A blend of Martial Arts material with international espionage and drug-running. There is far too much plot and not enough explanation. The film moves rapidly from spectacular country to country. There are also numerous guest stars doing small acts. The style is either overacting or underacting and the writing is on the cliche level. The film at times gives the impression of being quite preposterous.

However, it is the type of comic strip material that was popular in the late seventies - and indeed is matinee material of all- times. The previous production by the group responsible for Jaguar Lives, The Silent Flute was a much better attempt at blending the Martial Arts, the mystique of self-understanding in a cinema form.

1. An entertaining Martial Arts spy story? Drug-running story? International glamour and espionage?

2. The colour, the variety of world locations and their beauty, the exotic aspects? Audience interest in the international scene?

3. How effective was the structure: the encounter of Jonathan and Brent and the betrayal? His being in Colorado and his training? His being commissioned? The various strands of the mystery? The international locations? The characters and. their backgrounds? The establishing of the issues? The mystery of Estaban and his final challenging?

4. The impact of the opening and its spectacle, danger, Brent's betrayal?

5. The contrast with Jonathan at home in Colorado, his training, his being able to return to Colorado at the end?

6. The girl and her arrival, her commissioning him, her return at the end? Her participation in the activities?

7. Comment on the various strands and their presentation both visual and dramatic:
- the Middle East, the blind man, his role in-the organization, his grandson, his information, the dramatics of the release of the prisoner?
- Latin America, the insane general, his wealth, torturing, the spectacular escape?
- Spain and the wealthy millionaire, his ships, his injury, the kidnapping? His dead son? His being pressurised for the smuggling?
- Rome and the woman in charge of the factory, her heavies and their confrontation with Jonathan?
- Hong Kong, the emphasis on the city, the spy disguised as a nun?
- Japan and the wealthy ex-agent, his drug-running, suave manner, his arranging the fight to the death in the gardens and letting Jonathan go despite the fact his headstone was there?

8. The drug issues and international drug-running, the final parting and the celebration by the exploiters?

9. Jonathan's intrusion and the spectacular fight to the death in the medieval castle? Martial Arts material?

10. The comic strip style of the film and its success? The complexity of the plot? Heroics? Confrontation of good and evil?