Three Thrilling Gems

Dirty Harry

By Harry Julian Fink and R.M. Fink

Premise:

Detective Harry Callahan goes on the hunt for a vicious psychopath.

Production:

Malpaso Productions

Inspiration:

The film drew upon the actual case of the Zodiac Killer as the Callahan character seeks out a similar vicious psychopath.

Inspired by traditional 50s Cop Dramas. Eastwood takes on Humphrey Bogart’s cool as the detective. Bogart didn’t even have to point his gun at the criminal to send him flying, only shot it (Police tactics)

Robert Armstrong using machine gun to enforce the law

William Powell lecturing on ballistics

Drew upon detectives doing things their own, personal way

Themes:

Individual against Society

You've got to ask yourself a question: 'do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk? Dirty Harry provoked a critical uproar in 1971 for its fascist message about the power of one.

Hero against the Establishment

Good vs Evil

Extremism

Injustice

Corruption

Characters:

Harry Callahan

Scorpio

Chico Gonzalez

Homicide lt. Al Bressler

The Mayor of San Francisco

Chief of Police

Homicide Inspector Frank ‘Fatso’ DiGiorgio

Jaffe

William T. Rothko

Bank Robber

Norma Gonzalez

Marcella Platt (School Bus Driver)

Hot Mary

Bannerman

Reineke

Reviews/Paratexts:

http://tonymacklin.net/content.php?cID=202

Examples:

Can’t Convict scene and Stalking sequence:

Contrast between formal office dialogue scene, and a tense, creepy visual montage of Harry chasing the paedophile.

Setting/Visual Storytelling/ Tone:

-Opening sequence:

Tells the story visually

-List of Police officers who’ve died in action- states the films moral bias for the audience, foreshadows the risk Harry will be undertaking.

-Woman swimming in pool whilst sniper is trained on her (Gripping)

-Gripping location: Panorama perfectly introduces the city of San Francisco, it’s complex, gridded streets making it difficult to find a killer.

-Dirty Harry’s character, as he coolly removes his sunglasses and looks at the body shows ‘it’s just another day on the job.’

-He searches up the tallest building and locates the sniper’s vantage point. We know his competence and determination without even any dialogue yet. Traits all shown visually.

-He finds the sniper’s bullet and a letter with his name ‘Scorpio’ on it. He comment; ‘Jesus’ lends a cool, comic tone to the first line of dialogue. Before juxtaposing stuffy mayor’s office scene afterwards.

First phone call with Scorpio:

-Waits by docks in the dark. Quiet, eery, boats bobbing

-Hears phone call. He runs over to the booth, looking foolish (being manipulated) running with his bright yellow bag of cash. Active question; will he make it to the booth in time. He struggles to take the phone from the booth and says “Yeah.” There is a tense pause before Scorpio’s reply:

S: You got the yellow suitcase?

H: Yeah, got it right with me. Hello?

He loses connection as his assistant loses connection- Scorpio in complete control of the situation, establishes threat- he could be anywhere, plot and direction hangs on his word

S: Alright, Police Officer. This is how we play…

-Establishes the rules, like it’s a game. Manipulates Harry like a puppet to flaunt his own power.

S: You say a word to anyone, the girl dies.

H: Is she ok? (showing empathy)

S: Shut up. Next stop is forest hill station. Cop?

H: Yeah?

S: I hope you’re not stupid. (The word ‘stupid’ is eerily young and kiddish, as though the killer adopts the dialect and mannerisms of the children he preys on.)

-The fact you can’t see him, only hear his voice makes it creepy.

-Harry Follows Killer:

Unhelpful authorities, sitting, uncaring in suits.

Paedo walks past peace graphite in children’s playground and wear peace belt when perving on kids. Symbol of freedom in this context ‘too much freedom.’

Harry in sunglasses and trackies.

Scene juxtaposition children’s playground nursery rhyme music to, raunchy sex band for the strip club- criminal pervertion across all age demographics

Strip club: red lighting, begins on naked woman feeling her breasts, rapist beneath, and Harry watching him at the bar.

Plot/ Active Questions/ Tension:

Attorney: “How do you know [he’s going to kill again]?”

Harry: “Because he likes it.” – Audience mind on the killer, expecting what he’s going to do next.

Creepy playground scene as he watches kids.. what’s he going to do? Relief- Harry’s there to save the day, scares him off.

Strip club- he’s going to rape someone… but wait, Harry there again, tries to act inconspicuous.

Settings designed to increase our hatred for the killer, the fact that he’s frequenting these places for his own pleasure. But initially hatred for authorities in dull, boring office room where they sit and simply dismiss cases.

Active question: When’s Harry going to catch him?

-Bus chase sequence:

-Harry latches onto car. Will he fall off?

-The crashes, Killer gets out.

-Harry and Scorpio shoot out in building site, dust everywhere. Makes use of setting as they hide behind machinery and tunnels.

-Boy fishing in the lake- audience expectation that Scorpio will hold him at ransom.

-Scorpio holds gun to boy’s head. Harry lowers his gun, audience expecting him to give in.

-Harry lifts his gun and uses extraordinary aim to shoot Scorpio.

-Boy runs off and Harry aims a Scorpio again as he reaches for dropped gun with his famous line; “Feeling lucky Punk?”

-More audience anticipation ‘Does he feel lucky?’ Which he does, reaches for gun and gets blasted into the water. Harry also throws his badge in the water, showing his disillusionment with the job.

Academic lecturer- what does he know?

Attorney- “The girl was dead in the report.”  Smiles smugly; “how do you know?” Frustrated facial expression on Harry. Helps us understand Harry’s frustration, creates empathy.

Fear of the paedo, wondering what his next move is going to be, hobbles along on wounded leg, shows his sick determination, smiling pervertedly at kids.

Harry’s determination, following him around these different places. Continues to follow him at the end of each scene, both day and night. Restless, won’t rest until he’s caught, no matter what the authorities say.

24
Gordon, Surnow, Cochran

Premise: Agent Jack Baur has to stop a terrorist attack within 24 hours.

Production: Imagine Entertainment

Themes:

Terrorism

Family Comittments

Risk/Danger /Impulse

Time/ Deadlines

Characters:

Jack Baur

Dominant Attitude: ‘Ends Justify the Means’ approach, regardless of perceived morality of his actions.

Series 5:

Chloe O’Brien

Charles Logan

Vladimir Bierko

Curtis Manning

Audrey Raines

Tony Almeida

Examples:

Series 5:

Jack has the odds stacked against him- people think he's dead, then blame him and go after him as he tries to catch Logan for what he’s done. It becomes a race against time as more and more pressure is piled upon him.

-Jack has to kill his own, bomb explodes

Luther

By Neil Cross

Premise: A committed detective must prevent himself from being consumed by the darkness of the crimes with which he deals.

Production: BBC Drama Productions

  

Inspiration:

Inspector Columbo

Sherlock Holmes

Themes:

Mystery

Love

Emotion/Passion/Anger/Frustration

Psychology

Inverted Detective

Characters:

John Luther

Alice Morgan

Justin Ripley

Ian Reed

George Stark

Zoe Luther

Martin Schenk

Benny ‘Deadhead’ Silver

Erin Gray

Mary Day

Rose Teller

Mark North

Caroline Jones

Jenny Jones

Baba

Frank Hodge

Toby Kent

Examples:

Ep.1 Opening scene

Ep.1 John gets mad at Zoe

The first time we see John meet Zoe she tells him about the affair the audience knows about.

-Visual/setting/tone: Red door, (all red metaphors; blood love, etc.) Cosy, wealthy house compared to Luther grubby workplace and grubby job. Candle lit, sheek, ornaments everywhere, warm

Zoe all dressed up and John in his grey work suit (John: (Smiles) Nice dress…) John bashes down the door. Silent, no dialogue as he leaves and shot of Zoe, still in battered room.

-Plot:

Dramatic irony: The audience know about the affair and are wondering how initially happy John is going react- already an unpredictable character in the way he treats his work.

Close proximity, is he going to hurt her?

The aftermath of the door destroying- how is he going to deal with this rejection?

-Character:

Zoe, still uncaring in dress, doesn’t move.

John is moving, frustrated, nervous, trying the comprehend the uncomprehensive nature of love (human emotion, we’ve all been there) “Sorry? (Silence) What…. What do you mean you… met someone… who?” Stunted dialogue “What do you mean…. Sorry… when?” and all these unclear, unhelpful responses: “A long time ago” Sympathy totally in Luther’s court.

The use of pinter pauses and silence, drags out the tension for the audience… only a matter of time before he flips at the news.

He grabs the candle ornament, clutching at object like evidence, before roaring and making his explosive swing at the door. John’s explosive temper.

Simple closing, emotional dialogue: “Go home John.” “This is my home.” “No.”

Theme: Uncomprehensive Unfaithfulness, the cold, harsh truth of love

Alice and Luther - Do you Believe in Evil?

Luther: Seems kind of pitiless to shoot the dog in the first place.

Alice: (Sighing) You look exhausted…

-Like a housewife would say to her husband or close lover, and yet in the twisted context of a relationship built upon a murder investigation and characters with two polar opposing morals.

Luther: You don’t know what love is, Alice.

Luther: I’m going to get you, Alice.

Alice: Not if I get you first…

Luther’s outrageous DNA gathering technique:

Punches the killer to get his blood in plastic glove

Memorable wearing woolly hat and sunglasses, no dialogue

(Visually cool, one of those scenes that sticks in your head as the character goes rogue and takes RISKS)

Evil Ian Reed Episode

DCI Reed confesses to Luther

Luther, held at gun point, has to control his emotions.

Episode One:
Begins with action, Luther trying to get the truth from a criminal about to fall to his death whilst the police try to save the life of a girl. Neil Cross knows how to start with a good opening.
Then comes the meeting between Luther and his new companion, Reed which was totally belieavable in its awkwardness; "alright?" This is a writer who knows the nature of speech and conversation.
And of course Luther's character, detective genius and nagging dissatisfaction with the given evidence, always looking for new, exciting angles that get the audience hooked. His failing love life for one thing, but also his suspicion of Alice killing her parents is evident from his first meeting with her.
Quarter of an hour into the first episode, and we feel like we know this character better than any other we've seen on TV. Brilliant.
Something I've noticed about Cross' writing style is that he's very good at considering all the characters motivations- acknowledge that all the characters, as living creatures will always be wanting something at every moment in the narrative. He then uses the most interesting and useful character motivations to progress the story in a fresh, new direction.

The tension of the series soars and at no moment has a hint of dying out as the two stories; Luther's Love life and Luther's Investigations interweave and wrestle for domination.