EXTREME CLOSE-UP

US, 1973, 80 minutes, Colour.
Jim Mc Mullan.
Directed by Jeannot Swarc.

Extreme Close- Up is a brief telemovie of the early 1970s. However, it received a Restricted certificate because of its subject and some of the focus in the extreme close-ups.

The film focuses on James Mc Mullin as a man who has borrowed some surveillance equipment, tries to return it to the shop from which he hired it, finds it closed and begins prying on people’s privacy. This becomes an obsession.

The film is interesting insofar as it is an early film for this kind of subject in the United States. Interestingly also, it was written by Michael Crichton who achieved great fame for his novels in later decades, especially Jurassic Park. However, Crichton had written quite a number of screenplays for cinema and had directed a number of films, especially in the 1970s, with successes like Coma, The First Great Train Robbery.

The film was directed by French-born Jeannot Szwarc who began directing television in the United States in the early 60s and had a career for over four decades in television. In the mid-70s to the mid-80s he directed a number of feature films for cinema including Supergirl and The Santa Clause.

1. Now interesting and entertaining a thriller, psychological study, social film, exploitive film? The combination of these elements? Which predominated?

2. For what audience, American, overseas? people involved in surveillance industries? The ordinary public?

3. The title and its focus on photography and surveillance, Indication of theme? Technical language and the emphasis on the technical side of surveillance? Extreme close-up and the overtones of the voyeur? Technical know-how giving added impetus to the voyeur?

4. The production qualities and budget of the film, its short duration, the cast, the values being explored, the style of the film? How important was the emphasis on the technical, the hero involved in television work, the series, the invasion of privacy theme and its being presented to the public, cameras and the all-seeing eye, recording what they see? Going out to bury the money invested in surveillance equipment? The quality and style of such equipment, its use, the awkwardness of its use especially when needing to be concealed? The humorous and ironic side of the inability to use surveillance equipment out in the open? What surveillance equipment could do, the technical improvements, for example Infra-red, lens focuses etc.? The irony of the salesman selling this material and his patter? John and Tom testing out their equipment in the office, prying, the experience of trying it out? The surveillance equipment in action? The frightening power, the values of this?

5. The theme of invasion of privacy and its adequate presentation In the film? Who has the right? Duty, curiosity, exploit, criminal use?

6. The work on the interviews and the variety of characters who threw light on the use of surveillance materials? Brubl and his being the victim of a bugging incident and his unwillingness to be interviewed, the views of the sociologist Burdick, councilman Reynolds, the psychologist and his comments on the effects of surveillance, details of legislating against it? The interview with the private eye and industrial espionage? The representative of Computer Credit Rating and the misuses of information? What was the total effect of this kind of information? The importance of John illustrating - misuse of information by using Sylvia Marina's car number, finding her address, spying on her, his embarrassment and her paying him off? Her expectations that she would be under surveillance by her husband? What comment on society and its expectations and the invasion of privacy?

7. How was John presented as an ordinary man, his work, working with Tom? His interest in the machinery, amusing himself in the office, the temptation to pry, the effect of surveying the flats and seeing what people were doing, his prurient curiosity about lovemaking couples, his going into extraordinary circumstances and prying?

8. What was the effect on his person, character? The irony of it Improving his lovemaking? The balance with the ordinary details of home with his wife and children?

9. How did the film highlight the dangers of corruption? The irony of his next assignment?

10. Is there any value in surveillance, invasion of privacy, the spread and searching out of necessary information? The moral standards of the people involved in surveillance? The ill effects that this ability to move into people's lives gives to the people concerned?