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From: otto@whuxle.UUCP (George V.E. Otto)
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Under the Volcano
Message-ID: <474@whuxle.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 23-Jun-84 17:13:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: whuxle.474
Posted: Sat Jun 23 17:13:47 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 27-Jun-84 09:00:13 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Whippany
Lines: 33


Someone on the net asked for a review of *Under the Volcano*, so here goes..

I find this picture somewhat difficult to review, because although the
performances were all uniformly good I found the story less than compelling.
Perhaps the book (which I have not read) tied the elements together better
or did a better job of resolving (or leaving carefully unresolved) the
story's elements.  But based on the film alone I did not feel that the story
probed or explored much.  Immediately upon leaving the theatre I felt the
film had come to a close much too abruptly, having shown me different
situations but with little common, unifying thread or purpose.

However, for several days afterwards I found the same thing happening as
when I saw *Moonlighting*, although not as strongly.  After Moonlighting I
found several strong images coming back into my consciousness as I continued
to deal with the information presented to me in that film: the attitudes and
conditions of the characters portrayed.  In *Under the Volcano* the same
thing began to happen, although as I say, not as strongly.  The underlying
tension of the film centered on, but did not deeply explore, the emotional
juggling acts people perform who are in love, were in love, were betrayed,
want to be in love again, etc.  What drives people to their sometimes
strange attitudes or statements while trying to juggle and make sense of
their emotions?

The scenery of the film was striking and authentic.  The ongoing action held
my attention throughout.  But I am left with the feeling that if the above
were the purpose of the film, there was more that could have been explored
or developed.  If something *else* was the purpose of the film, then it was
presented in such as way as to allow me to miss it altogether.

					George Otto
					AT&T Bell Labs, Whippany
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