CLAY PIGEONS
US, 1998, 104 minutes, Colour.
Joachim Phoenix, Vince Vaughn, Janeane Garofalo, Scott Wilson, Georgina Cates.
Directed by David Dobkin.
Clay Pigeons was an early film by director David Dobkin who went on to make Shanghai Nights with Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan and The Wedding Crashers with the star of Clay Pigeons Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. The Wedding Crashers was one of the most successful comedies of 2005.
This is a different kind of film, a film about violence as well as a conman – with touches of macabre humour. Joachim Phoenix portrays an ordinary mechanic in a Montana town, involved with a woman, confronting the husband who kills himself, trying to put the blame on him. A chance encounter with a friendly traveller leads to a complex development where the traveller is revealed as a serial killer who also frames him.
Joachim Phoenix was at the beginning of a very successful career, making Gladiator the following year. Vince Vaughn had made an impact in Swingers and had appeared in many films, especially at this time, Gus van Sant’s remake of Psycho. Here he is another psycho, using something of the laugh that he employed in Van Sant’s film. There is a good supporting cast, especially Janeane Garofalo as a tough FBI agent and Scott Wilson as the sympathetic sheriff.
1. Interesting drama, character study?
2. The Montana settings, the small town, the isolation, the terrain and the physical beauty, the grasslands, the lake? The musical score, the range of songs used, the overtones of Elvis Presley, Midnight Cowboy…?
3. The title, the reference to Clay, the opening with the shooting of targets, the setting up of targets and shooting them down?
4. The opening confrontation, Clay and Earl, their friendship, shooting? Their drinking? Earl and his revelation of the knowledge of the affair, trying to set up Clay to shoot him, the shooting in the leg, his suicide? Clay and his telling Amanda, her not wanting anything to do with him? Clay’s idea and success of putting the truck over the cliff and its being burnt? Sheriff Mooney and his accepting this evidence?
5. Clay, trying to come to terms with his life, Amanda and her visits, sexual provocation, hounding him? His reaction in the bar, slapping her? Her anger? His friendship with Gloria, the night together, Amanda shooting her? His getting rid of the body? His growing friendship with Lester, playing pool, going fishing? The finding of the body, his doing the favour in not mentioning Lester? The discussions with the sheriff, the finding of bodies?
6. Amanda, her relationship with Lester, Clay seeing them? Lester and his killing Amanda? The revelation that he was a serial killer? His moving away? Clay and the FBI investigation?
7. The sheriff, his sympathy, the evidence, his liking Clay? Participating in the investigation? His awkward deputy and his going to sleep, embarrassing people, stepping in the evidence? The sheriff and his pleading Clay’s cause? The finale and his meeting with Lester, posing as a horse owner, taking him in the truck – with the police cars following?
8. The FBI agents, their arrival, the personality of Agent Shelby, Agent Reynard and his help? The body, the tough style, the evidence, the crowd in the house, the fire brigade and the counsellors? Her working with the sheriff? The interrogation of Clay, her suspicions? The search of his house, finding the knife? His being put in the cell? Agent Shelby and her going to the bar, the chance encounter with Lester, his smart-talking her, his going off with Gloria? The scene in the motel, her watching the movies on video, discovering the sex video between Clay and Amanda? Her interrogation and confronting Clay? (And his asking the sheriff not to make it public?)
9. The build-up to the confrontation, Lester with the girl on the pier, the threats, finally letting her go? Clay, waking up the deputy, pretending to get the meal, getting out and taking the car, going to the pier and confronting Lester? Agent Shelby and her arrival, Clay pointing her in the wrong direction?
10. Clay, his being framed, his telling the truth to the agents, his still being put in the jail? His packing up and going, at the diner, Lester’s arrival, the chat? Lester being picked up – Clay driving away in the opposite director, the irony of the police cars coming out and following Lester?
11. A satisfying personal drama, the plausibility of these events happening in a small enclosed town, the frame-up by the serial killer and his surface charm, the investigation of the sheriff, of the FBI?
