La Mort en direct (1980) - film review

In the near future, disease has been practically wiped out by medical science – to the extent that those who do die prematurely find themselves the object of great public interest.  When she is diagnosed with a terminal illness, writer Katherine Mortenhoe is determined to avoid ending up as television ratings fodder, but TV producer Vincent Ferriman has other ideas.  He hires Roddy, a man with a camera implanted in his brain, to make contact with Katherine, so that her last few weeks can be relayed to television screens across the land..

This low-key science-fiction drama from acclaimed director Bertrand Tavernier has proven to be chillingly prophetic.  Twenty years on, fly-on-the-wall documentaries and "reality" shows have become the staple diet of most television networks in the Western world.  Nothing is taboo in the ratings-hungry TV executives’ relentless pursuit to satisfy an increasingly sick society’s appetite for cheap sensationalist kicks.  Tavernier applies a detached, almost documentary style which serves the film well, subtly emphasising the appalling moral decline of our society.

Whilst the film tackles an interesting and unusual subject with some cinematic originality, it is not without its flaws.  Despite compelling performances (most notably from Romy Schneider and Harvey Keitel) and some great moments of dramatic intensity, the film is weighed down by empty dialogue and generally lack-lustre cinematography.  Travernier chose to shoot the film in Glasgow in attempt to give the film a grey look reflecting a bland, colourless future.  However, the drab setting soon becomes wearying and possibly detracts from the film’s better points and its very powerful messages.  That said, La Mort en direct does offer a healthy reminder of where our increasingly soulless society may be heading – although a cursory glance at today’s TV listings might suggest that the warning has arrived too late.

© James Travers 2003

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