From: utzoo!decvax!duke!mcnc!unc!bch Newsgroups: net.movies Title: Re: Special Bulletin Article-I.D.: unc.4820 Posted: Wed Mar 23 14:24:37 1983 Received: Thu Mar 24 20:12:10 1983 References: princeto.129 Despite the predictable aspects of plot and characterization, I thought the drama did a good job in portraying a situation in which familiar, institutionalized, reactions of the media and the government no longer make any sense. The straightfaced "we're in control" attitude of the White House and the network newscasters contrasted with the kind of collective, very much out-of-control, insanity aboard the terrorist ship to make a point about the nature of public events. Even the viewer is sucked in to the drama as an impotent observer of a process which seems to take place without coherency or logic. There you are, sitting in the comfort of your own home watching events taking place in some never-never land. Do you really care about them? Does it matter? I suspect Charleston was chosen precisely because it is not a generally familiar city. It is also a city with the innocence of the deep south surrounded by enough military hardware to start World War III. More important, the reporters in the area would not be used to covering large scale crises hence their emotionalism and inability to make sense of their situation.