Is living in Australia for a year so lots of travel reviews coming your way! Trying to read and rate...
Is living in Australia for a year so lots of travel reviews coming your way! Trying to read and rate as much as i can xx
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To Save the Children 1994
THIS IS VHS REVIEW NOT DVD
The Story:
This film is based on a true story about an elementary school in Wyoming that was taken over by a mad man with a bomb. David Young (Richard Thompson) is an unhinged man who has decided that he wants to go to the new world and take the children of Wyoming with him. He sees this as his way of saving the children. He has been making a bomb secretly and planning his take over for some time. David never planned he would be taking over the school alone, he had arranged for two friends to help along with his daughter and wife.
David's wife Dorsie (Wendy Crewson) is not fully aware of his intentions, insisting that he would never actually hurt the children, she stands by him inside the school but when the female teachers start talking to her she starts to have her doubts.
As soon as his friends realise
what his plan entails they try to talk him out of it, when that doesn't work they refuse to take part but end up with a gun pointed in their faces. David's daughter Melanie (Joanne Vannicola) is also against his plans but fear takes over and she joins her father and his wife in taking over the school.
Wyoming is a small town, not much happens day to day and it is a very safe place to live, so safe that they only have one town sheriff. None of the town where prepared for David Young walking into the school with a bomb the way he did.
The film focuses on a few characters and how they cope with what is happening, school teacher Jake Downey (Robert Urich) is inside the school trying to work out what to do to save the children. He is made a negotiator by David giving him access to the outside world. Jake communicates with the police and emergency services waiting outside the school, together they are trying to do the best thing. Outside Jakes heavily pregnant wife is waiting for him.
Two school children, Tom (Barcly Hope) and Emma (Elizabeth Lennie) Little, brother and sister are trapped inside, early on the film we are shown that the boy has a strained relationship with his father. Always seen as coward this is now his chance to do the right thing and prove his father wrong.
Outside the school newly appointed head of emergency planning Kathi Davidson (Jessica Steen) has a first day that she will always remember trying to sort out the emergency services and the parents of the children all desperate to heroes.
My Thoughts:
I felt that this film handled a difficult situation very sensitively; they showed it from many angles both inside and outside the school, from the bombers perspective and the victims.
The acting was brilliant in this film in particular Richard Thomas who plays demented bomber David Young's. He is so convincing in this role. Hard to believe that he was once Jon Boy Walton in the Walton's. Richards's performance is great because he shows how the bomber's confidence changes throughout the hours he is holding the children hostage. He starts off very self assured and ends up more nervous than the children he has held captive.
The children used in the film are all very good as well, it must have been very hard to keep such a large number of children still and quiet for so long. I really liked the way it was so realistic with the teachers trying to keep their panic contained for the children while trying to think of some way of escaping. One of the most poignant moments of the film for me was hearing all the children singing 'If your happy and you know it clap your hands' while all the parents out side where in mad hysterics.
The thing that makes this film so touching and scary is the fact that it is based on a real story.
Since this has happened many other such incidents have tragically happened in schools, this is sad reality in this day and age but it is hoped that such films will help in the increase in security and that procedures and protocol for such incidents will be made to help stop panic taking over.
Where can I buy this?
Avalible from £3.76 at Amazon.
Pictures of To Save The Children (DVD)
To the Save the Children
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Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Ang Lee - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Hugh Laurie, Robert Hardy
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Advantages: Childhood memories, hasn't lost its charm, and still makes me laugh Disadvantages: Quite expensive, perhaps not to everyone's taste as aimed primarily at children
![To Save The Children [DVD] [1994]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/83285276.jpg "To Save The Children [DVD] [1994]")
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