MURDERLAND

UK, 2009, 105 minutes, Colour.
Robbie Coltrane,
Directed by Catherine Morshead.

Murderland is a Scottish film, a movie made for television. It stars Robbie Coltrane who had great success on television with the Cracker series as well as on the big screen as Hagrid in the Harry Potter films. Here he is a Scots policeman, involved a murder, covering up evidence, suspect. However, the daughter of the murder victim whom he had interrogated at the time returns to try to solve the mystery of the death of her mother. She was a prostitute, linked with criminal elements who were making money out of clubs, drugs and prostitution as well as with corrupt police.

The film is complex in its moving from the time of the crime to the future and the attempts to solve it. The plot is also complex, introducing elements that the audience would not have anticipated, reaching a satisfactory conclusion and the tying up of all loose ends.

1. A British Scottish production? For television? The complexity of the plot, the characters, the mystery? Investigation and solution?

2. The crime itself, the visuals, the background, the characters, their involvement? The investigation at the time?

3. The Scottish setting, the city, the past, the clubs, brothels? The 21st century and changes? Musical score?

4. The title and the reference for Carol and her going into Murderland with her obsession?

5. Sally as the focus for Carrie and Doug, their love for her? A pleasant woman, kind, loving? Her work as a prostitute, her clients and the treatment? In love with Doug, his visits, his irascible nature, jealousy? The gift of the dress, her wearing it, Carrie not wanting her to wear it, discovering her mother dead, the brutality of the killing? The return to these images throughout the film?

6. The party, the men, Rachel present? The video and its use for the investigation, the flashbacks, the clues?

7. The investigation at the time, Doug, his presence at the scene of the crime, the evidence, the shoes, the condom, his getting rid of the evidence? The arrest, the interrogation? Nothing to hold him on? The flashbacks of his destroying the evidence? The audience judging him, Carol judging him?

8. Phillips, the clubs, making money, criminal? Oliver and suspicions of his being corrupt? Whittaker and his taking the photos of Carrie as a girl?

9. Carrie, the little girl, with her mother, idealistic, her response to the dress, the hope for the holidays? The effect of the death, her mother wearing the dress? Her remembering aspects, sensing someone in the house, not remembering? The psychiatrist? Telling her what her mother’s work was? Doug and his reaction? The doctor, the discussions, going to the funeral? The treatment of Carrie? The interrogations and her evidence?

10. Carol, her return as an adult, her search, the pain, Doug and her anger towards him? Believing him or not? Getting Doug involved in the investigation? Her leaving her boyfriend, his turning up, his dismay, the discussions with him, his leaving?

11. The secrets and lies, Doug and his concealing the truth, Oliver and his lies, Rachel and her misleading information?

12. Carol, her return, decision to follow her mother’s steps, her prostitution, empathising with her mother? Going to the madam, the interactions with the other prostitute, the client and the encounter and its effect on her? Whittaker, the information about the photos? Doug’s disapproval?

13. Whittaker, client, the photos, his commission? Giving Carol information?

14. The visit to Rachel, Rachel and her story, the lies, her knowing the truth? Going to find the paper boy? His evidence?

15. The paper boy, at the factory, his fears, running away? The video, the flashbacks, the story of his abuse?

16. The party, the various clients, the club, Oliver and his control?

17. Oliver, Phillips, citizens, their raising money for charity? The truth, Carrie and Doug and the public confrontation? Oliver, his arrest, his anger, trying to run down Carrie and Doug? Doug pushing Carrie away, Doug’s death?

18. Doug as a character, his concern, love for Sally, the truth, Carol and her freedom?

19. Sally, the truth about her death, Oliver and his wanting to use Carrie for the photos in the club? Her dying to protect Doug and Carrie?

20. Satisfying crime reconstruction, mystery, solution? The growing and accumulated evidence for the complexity of the crime?