CRIME TIME
UK, 1996, 118 minutes, Colour.
Stephen Baldwin, Pete Postlethwaite, Sadie Frost, Geraldine Chaplin, Karen Black, James Falconer, Philip Davis, Marianne Faithfull.
Directed by George Sluizer.
Crime Time sounds like a good idea. However, the end result is rather laboured. It was directed by George Sluizer, best known for his original Dutch version of The Vanishing as well as its American remake.
The film is about a crime, a serial killer. However, it is also about the media, programs like Crime Watch and Crime Time which re-enact the murders, arouse prurient interest in the public and increase ratings for the television stations as well as having an effect on the serial killer who can celebrate his fame as well as on some of the actors who participate in the re-enactments and want to be involved more intensely.
While this is interesting on paper, it is much more complex in the film – and often defies credibility.
The film opens with re-enactments of Crime Time with Sadie Frost as the actress who is regularly employed. It soon emerges that Pete Postlethwaite, caring for his ill and blind wife, Geraldine Chaplin, is the serial killer. Stephen Baldwin is the intense would-be star who is chosen to impersonate the killer, investigates with the police getting more detail, is phoned by the killer and a bond made between them. Ultimately, there is a confrontation between the two. Karen Black also appears with an English accent as the head of programming. Phil Davis is the director and Marianne Faithfull opens the film and sings a number of songs throughout.
1. An interesting theme? Crime? Television programs? Re-enactments? Appeals to the public? The film’s critique of these programs?
2. The title, the program itself? The personnel involved, Millicent as the dominating producer, the members of the staff, the director, Val and her performance, Bobby and his performances? Make-up, the technical assistants? Seeing scenes of the re-enactment and how they were performed?
3. The musical score, the songs and their lyrics, sung by Marianne Faithfull?
4. The introduction to Sidney, his chatting in the bar, the attractive woman, accompanying her home, the suddenness of the killing? His seeming lack of emotion? His personality, seeing him at home with Thelma, caring for her, her blindness? Her love for him? Watching television? Preparing her meals? His further crimes? Seeing the re-enactments? His decision to ring Bobby, giving him information? His identifying with Bobby? The hiatus with the murders, Bobby’s career going down, his committing another one in order to help Bobby? Watching the dance re-enactment, imagining himself dressed up and dancing? The arrangement to meet with Bobby? His arguments about identity, the mutual help? His offering Bobby the knife, taking off his shirt, taunting him to kill him? His dying? A credible psychopath?
5. Bobby, seeing him in performance, the scene of weeping with Val, his turning on the man who killed the fly, his speech about killing flies, focus on the moment? At the theatre for Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth? His own career? His relationship with Val, her love for him? His getting the part of re-enacting the murders? His discussions with the police, the information about the left eye? His intensity? The popularity, the fans, signing autographs? His growing moodiness? The cumulative effect of the murders, the information, working with the police? Tensions with Val? The phone calls from Sidney? The cessation of the murders, his feeling his career was lost, going into depression? The final murder? His coming back? The phone call from Sidney, meeting him, the confrontation, the issues of identity? Sidney’s explanation of what the effect was in Bobby’s mind? His preoccupations, intensity of focus? Stabbing Sidney? The irony of the re-enactment – and his career in Los Angeles? The cynical touch?
6. Val, actress, finding her place on Crime Time? The gallery of photos of her as victims? Her love for Bobby, acting with him, living with him? His moods, confrontations, walking out? The final re-enactment?
7. The Crime Time staff, Millicent, her authoritarian approach, exploitation? Pushing the director? Her discussions with Bobby? Her appearing in his fantasies – as a dragon lady?
8. The director, skill, hard work, exploitation?
9. The police, their investigations, the interest in celebrity, in Crime Time, collaboration?
10. The background of theatre? Insights into performance, the effect on actors, their focus, identification? Psychological consequences?
11. Police work? Investigations of crimes?
12. How well did the film work – and not work?
