THE SALTON SEA
US, 2001, 103 minutes, Colour.
Val Kilmer, Vincent d' Onofrio, Peter Sarsgaard, Anthony La Paglia, Doug Hutchison, Debra Kara Unger, Adam Goldberg. Shirley Knight, R. Lee Ermey.
Directed by D.J. Caruso.
The Salton Sea is a complex thriller. It requires concentration and attention from the audience – and is probably more effective when viewed the second time so that clues are recognised and the chronology of the events is understood.
The film was directed by television director D.J. Caruso who was to go on to make Taking Lives with Angelina Jolie. The film is a star vehicle for Val Kilmer, very effective in the central role of the man whose wife is killed by masked gunmen and who vows revenge. He infiltrates the methedrine subculture in Los Angeles in order to track down the killers and set them up.
The film has a very strong supporting cast including Peter Sarsgaard as his addict friend (Sarsgaard was to go on to such successful films as Kinsey, Shattered Glass, Garden State). Debra Kara Unger is the mother whose abduction of her child forces her to betray Kilmer. Anthony La Paglia and Doug Hutchison are the corrupt police and there is a cameo from Shirley Knight and R. Lee Ermey.
The film is both realistic and surreal, the opening with the protagonist playing his trumpet, confiding his story to the audience for them to judge who he was and why he did what he did. There is also a collage of the use of methedrine, focusing on its use by the Japanese and, possibly, by J.F. Kennedy.
The film gives sufficient clues by audiences may not notice them until about an hour into the film when the explanation of Kilmer’s actions is presented in the flashback with the murder of his wife.
The film was not widely seen but is an interesting example of its genre.
1. Audience interest in the film, themes, entertainment? A difficult film requiring concentration?
2. The title, the visualising of the Salton Sea, the story that took place there?
3. The Los Angeles settings, the world of the methedrine addicts, its squalor, the dealers? The world of the police, the FBI? The musical score?
4. The structure of the film: Danny/Tom playing the trumpet, the burning house, the clues, his dying, confiding in the audience, the explanation of his life, his friends amongst the addicts? The collage of methedrine and its use, the Japanese, the kamikaze pilots, J.F. Kennedy, the aftermath? The police set-up and his ratting? An hour into the film and the flashback of his wife’s murder being shown? The set-up of the police, the explanation, the FBI? The carrying out of the plan, his change, Jimmy rescuing him? The end, throwing the trumpet away, the puzzle about his new identity?
5. The picture of the drug world, visual, aural? The men and women, their look, behaviour, Jimmy as genial but his dependence? The visit to Bobby, his erratic behaviour, his wife, the police taking him and his death, his wife’s grief? The meeting with Pooh Bear, the explanation of his name, his nose? His grim stories, playing mind games with Danny? His henchmen, taking the money? The deal? Collette, the taking of her child, her pimp, the violence?
6. Tom, his story, love for his wife, stopping at the Salton Sea, the ordinary diner, the accident of being present with the killers? His being wounded, crawling to his wife, her death, saying it was okay? His decision to die or to take vengeance? Discovering the identity of the killer, the information about the red hair on his wife’s clothes? Going to the police, being a rat, the danger that he ran for a year, changing his identity, becoming Danny? The set-ups with the corrupt police? His aim for vengeance, going to the FBI, the sting with Pooh Bear? His helping Jimmy, telling him the truth, giving him the money? Confiding in Collette? The final confrontation, substituting Jimmy for himself in the motel, the set-up with Pooh Bear, the gun under the table, the shooting? The confrontation with Morgan, the role reversal, the knife and the gun, jabbing him with the syringe? His finally being pursued by the pimp, being shot? Left to burn? Collette and her apology?
7. The police, corruption, as personalities, masked, shooting? The set-ups, the information, the treatment of Bobby, the deal with Pooh Bear, their not reporting it, the FBI on their tracks? Their wanting to get Danny, coming into the house, the shootings, the confrontation with Morgan, the talk, his death?
8. The FBI, the contacts, the set-up, the bureau?
9. Collette, in the apartment, the story of her child, the pimp and his brutality, the connection with the Mexican dealer who wanted to kill Danny for betraying him? The pressure on Collette, her setting him up, her being sorry?
10. Pooh Bear as an eccentric character, the story of his nose, crazed, his talk about the brains and the vice, the meals, joking? His character, talking, his henchmen? The finale, the set-up and his death?
11. Jimmy, a good young man, addiction, the money and the truth, doing anything for Danny, in the motel, saving him and taking him to the hospital?
12. The sequence with Bobby, the violence, his gun, his brutality towards his wife, his death?
13. Kujo and the plan for the robbery, its being visualised as he told the story – and the failure?
14. The blend of genres, the thriller, the drug drama, existential identity quest? The total effect?
