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MOVIES#*• i iintimacy of its focusmakes ‘Testament’ terrifyingH3y Vern Peri£?The Register3* t!~£ “Testame «,ment, a mov personal I tor exploitati Jiative and noj inhere are no r Filmed atis a stunning filmmaking achieve-that brings the horror of nuclear war to U» pci ouua* «nt\ without being the least bit sensationalIfor cxploitatiif. It manages to be powerful and provoc-t all preachy about its message — that inners in a nuclear war. cost of only $7SQ,000, “Testament” es-lchews fancj|(and expensive) special effects for i/cHaracteriztJionas we follow the lives of residents ofnia town near San Francisco after the nd then falls off the brink of thermonu-. More specifically, “Testament” is a , no-punches-pulled look at how a nu-ld affect one family, th style and sensitivity by Lynnef,a small Cali ■^world teeter ♦'clear madn w^straightforw t-elfear war w-* Directedkm 't*CRITIC’S CHOICE: Mlt; /IE!■iitdiiinjM» »“Testament.'1 An Entertainment Events Production In associ* atlon with American Playhouse; released by Paramount Pictures. Produced by Jonathan Bernstein and Lynne llttman, Directed by Lynne Llttman, Written by John Sacret Young; based on the story The Last Testament by Carol Amen. Starring Jane Alexander, William Devane, Ross Harris, Roxana Zal, LucasHaas, Philip Anglim, Lilia Skala, Leon Ames, Lurene Tuttle, Rebecca de Mornay, Kevin Costner and Mako, Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes. Exclusive Orange County engagement begins today at Edwards Bristol, Bristol at Sunflower, Costa Mesa.Littman from a tight and effective screenplay by John Sacret Young, “Testament* works because it focuses on individuals rather than masses of people. We aren’t told who started the war—that isn’t important. What is important is how an all-out nuclear war changes the lives of the individuals who survive.Littman, an honored documentary filmmaker (her “Number Our Days” won the 1977 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short; she also has won four Emmys), has made an impressive feature film debut. Her fear is that a nuclear exchange will rip apart mankind’s social fabric so greatly that it can’t be stitched back together.One of the best things about “Testament” is that thefamily here is not idealized or stereotyped, Tom Wetherly (William Devane) is a good husband and provider, even if he doesn’t help around the house much and pushes his oldest son just a bit too hard. Carol (Jafte Alexander) loves her husband and three chilren, of course, but there are times when she becomes tired of the constant demands and responsibilities they place on her.Carol and Tom’s oldest child, Mary Liz (Roxana Zal), is a promising young teen-age pianist who has become emotionally dependant on her father during puberty. And 13-year-old Brad (Ross Harris) views his father's constant pushing him to try harder as rejection. Even young Scottie (Lukas Haas) has emotional scars—whenever he hears his parents argue or fight, be it with each other or his siblings, he retreats into his own private world by covering his ears with his hands.Despite their differences and problems, though, the Weatherlys, thanks to solid acting from the princi-Jane Alexander and children Roxana Zal, Lukaa Haas face the aftermath of nuclear war.canned food and bottled water to go around. But things start deteriorating fast. Within one month the town has lost 1,300 residents to.radiation poisoning, As timepals, are a real family — at least until the day (with Tom at work in San Francisco) the bombs start dropping. This is one of the most effective and chilling scenes in “Testament.”As the children are watching television, the regular programing is interupted by an emergency announcement. As Carol and the children stare at the screen, scared yet fascinated, they learn from an announcer that nuclear bombs have been exploded in several East Coast American cities and in China and Russia. Then, suddenly, the announcer’s face is replaced with static and a bright light blazes outside. This is the only special effect in “Testament,” and the movie is all the better for it.At first things aren’t too bad. There may be*no electricity or gas, but there seems to be plenty ofgoes on, the community begins to wither and die.This is poignantly brought out in one of the most moving and horrifying scenes in “Testament” as a tearless and shaken Carol, superbly played by Alexander, sews the body of one of her children in ashroud.Yes, “Testament” is a depressing film, one that leaves you without hope for the handful of survivors we come to know and love. But this is what makes it such an important and realistic work.It is impossible not to be affected or frightened by “Testament.”
Newspaper Details
Santa Ana Orange County Register
Santa Ana, California, US
Fri, Nov 04, 1983
Page 154
Full Page
Clipped by
Rotten T.
USA 10 May 2021
Other Publications Near Santa Ana, California
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