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A Few Facts and Observations about Slipstream


I don't know why I keep coming back to this film, I know it's far from perfect but something about it still haunts me. I admit some parts don't work but the film also has many strange and brilliant scenes.
Here are some facts about the production I've picked up over the years and also some stray observations based on what I like about this film based on watching it too many times

-This is one of the few post-apocalyptic films to depict how the British would deal with such an event. Whilst the vulgar Australians and Americans drive ridiculous modified cars and wear leather, the English upper class lock themselves up with all the best art books and booze, to have an endless ball while it all falls apart-while keeping the rest of the world locked out. A bit like now.

-According to John Brosnan in his book Primal Scream, the original script was based on the strange ideas of a movie executive: a young boy and a robot journeying across a post-apocalyptic landscape together. A science fiction Huckleberry Finn

-Also according to Brosnan, the script was initially developed by an (uncredited) Charles Edward Pogue, writer of The Fly and Dragonheart. The script is credited to Tony Kayden who has mainly been working in television. He was Lindsay Anderson's choice to remake "In a Lonely Place" in the late 70s, but the studio wouldn't accept him because he asked for too little money

-Despite being described as low budget by several reviewers, a surprising amount was built and designed for this film, including several detailed large sets. The art direction was by Andrew McAlpine who previously did Dark Crystal and Willow. See the "Making of Slipstream" for more details
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67WdIRsBks8

-Gary Kurtz and Steve Lisberger have both mentioned in interviews how the film was originally written as much more violent and adult, but shortly before filming the backers decided they wanted a PG, so several important scenes were cut out of the script and never filmed. They both felt the film suffered for it.

-I've always wondered if one of the script cuts was 'the Settlement', the nearest thing to a city. Characters talk about going there throughout the film but no-one seems to arrive

-Another possible cut: after Tasker shoots Matt Owen with a poison/tracking dart, Kitty Aldridge's character suddenly shouts something I still can't make out. Then out of nowhere a microlight flies at Hamill. Part of the plane breaks off as it hits him.
From a brief close-up on the pilot's face it seems to be Ricco Ross (who Matt talked with in the cafe earlier) but it's hard to tell. If so why is attacking Hamill's character? The scene seems to be clumsily edited-like they didn't get enough coverage. Maybe the action is clearer in the widescreen version but that still wouldn't explain everything.

I also wonder if Tasker and Belitski's subsequent pursuit of the 'flyboy' (Ross?) who just flew at them (rather than chasing after Matt and Byron) is another excised violent scene.

-Mark Hamill still speaks fondly of this film. At the time he compared it to a spaghetti western and has since recommended it to fans. He recently told AVClub.com that, at the time, he hoped it would get him the part of a Bond villain

-I love Mark Hamill's performance in this. There's a scene where he's trying to persuade Matt to give up Byron, Matt asks why and he just smiles and casually states "Because it's the right thing to".
That line and the delivery of that line, the quietness and confidence tells you everything you need to know about the character-this is a man who believes in right and wrong, and believes everyone else does too.
His final cry of "We're going to make it" at the end, is haunting

-There's a small cameo from playwright Heathcote Williams (One of Al Pacino's favourite writers-See The Local Stigmatic) He appears in the museum scenes, he's the big haired gentleman who takes off his gas mask when the air-conditioning is fixed. He later appeared in another Gary Kurtz film "The Steal" (1994). Maybe they're friends

-The man with Heathcote Williams is played by successful character actor Murray Melvin (Taste of Honey/Torchwood) May seem obvious but I only noticed it just now

-For the UK VHS release, at least three scenes were cut out.
-One with Byron and Matt by the campfire when Byron confidently declares that Matt will not kill him.
-Another when they come to the Museum and Byron talks about the statues and man's relationship to God.
-Another when Matt arrives at the party and pours champagne. It also lost one of my favourite lines between the two old men about running out of drink.

-The film's opening sequence seems to be a homage to the famous sequence from North by Northwest: A smartly dressed man, on the run in the wilderness, pursued by something from above (Hitchcock apparently wanted a Tornado)

-Another resident of the museum is played by Roshan Seth, who had recently drawn acclaim for large roles in My Beautiful Laundrette and Temple of Doom, which leads one to wonder what he's doing in such a thankless role. Rather eccentrically, he is wearing a tweed suit with a paintbrush sticking out the top pocket(!)

-One of the best things about this film are all the little stories happening off-screen:
the mysterious back-story of Bryon's master (later hinted as an assisted suicide);
the previous stranger brought to the museum who basically killed himself when he discovered he couldn't leave;
The "men with machines" who previously attacked the mystics;
The sad strong-looking woman who offers her services to Hamill whilst heaving rocks.
The couple who appear to be erecting a tent amongst ruined buildings as Matt Owens flies by listening to 'Big Area'.

-The film has aged pretty well, probably because it looked so out of place in 1989. The only two dated elements I clocked were the song 'Big Area' (on CD!) and Will Tasker's little digital calculator/notebook which were all the rage back then. According to the internet the computer is a 'Husky Hawk' model

-The cynic in me wonders whether making the disaster the 'convergence' where continents crashed together was just an excuse to help cut together footage shot in Turkey, Ireland and England. As far as I know it remains only science fiction film with such an event. It's also one of the few where nature really 'fights back'....and wins. Reflecting the ecological concerns of the late 80s early 90s

Needless to say this film got very little promotion when it was released in the UK. The only thing I could find was that Mark Hamill was interviewed on the TV show 'Wogan'. Even Cinefantastique gave it a very small mention when it was just about to come out.

-Surprisingly this film gets a mention in Robbie Coltrane's biography The writer points out Robbie's line "I could just die of embarrassment" and bitchily quips that this could reflect the actor's feeling about the project. And why on earth is his character called Montclaire?

Several characters have strange names, refrences I don't get: Belitski, Avatar Cornelius. Ariel could be a reference to Shakespeare's Temepest. After they are wrecked she leads them away to an isolated place, not an island but a museum.

-Bob Peck's performance is simply superlative. He's the heart of the movie, childlike in some scenes, cold and menacing in others. He's always watchable. For those who only know him from Jurassic Park, please seek out the 1985 Edge of Darkness.

-Very Underrated performance from Eleanor David. She has the daunting task of having to react to Peck. I especially the way she asks Byron if he's hurt after as she dies.

-The sad strong-looking woman I mentioned earlier, Diana Defries now runs hoop classes in London. Kitty Aldrige now writes novels.

-Lisberger is an interesting director who really didn't get enough work.
In a later interview he said he did this film as a 'favour' to the producers but I've also read he helped rewrite the script
I haven't analyzed either film carefully enough but it's interesting to see thematic correlations this film and Tron.
Both split the hero character between a swaggering flawed hero (Matt/Flynn) and a more pure heroic one (Byron/Tron)-built by man but better than him. The villain in both cases is someone enforcing the rules and their own worldview over others. Both films also have strong mystic themes to contrast with the technology of science fiction

If you've reached this far, well done. A final observation. When I first saw this movie as a young teenager, I really didn't like it. I remember I particularly disliked the way it didn't feel futuristic just strange. But certain scenes, and the atmosphere stayed with me over time,and a year later I saw the video and bought it. I re-watched it repeatedly and liked it more and more each time, appreciating it's strange unique qualities even if clearly everything worked. And it's still appreciating now, even if though I haven't watched it in years.
At a time when films are getting more and more disposable I'd encourage others do the same with other odd films



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Excellent post. Great read.

Do it Doug!!!!
http://movie-memorabilia-emporium.blogspot.com/

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Im pretty Sure there is a longer cut of this movie.. eather for vhs or cinema (dont know about cinema) but a more complete movie where Byron meets an old man who can explane more about him that Might be just me my own faulty memory or something. . Any one have any thoughts? I live in Norway and have seen a lot of movies changed from country to country and have alias wondered if it was so..

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