Pete Walker's 'Home Before Midnight' is a very different film for him. As we have come to realize, Pete Walker is in the horror and gore business. With films like The Comeback', 'Die Screaming, Marianne', 'House of the Whipcord', and 'Schizo', Walker is known for his gory horror movies. But back in 1978, Walker set aside the blood and guts and made this dramatic court room film called 'Home Before Midnight' that touched on some taboo subjects as well as the late 1970's music scene.
The taboo subject in question is statutory rape and Walker almost makes you a pervert for even watching this film, as a lot of his camera angles are made to look as if you are spying in on a couple consisting of an older man and a very young girl. Needless to say, there are a few awkward moments throughout the film as Walker explores a man and a young girl's sexuality. But it's interesting that Walker took this odd transition into a court room drama. This director is known for pushing the bounds as far as horror, and as he entered into 'Home Before Midnight', he came in guns blazing, but in the second half, we are taken to a courtroom where we are to decide who is at fault here and who is to be punished.
A young woman named Ginny (Alison Elliot) and her promiscuous friend Carol (Debbie Linden) are out on the town where Carol is always trying to convince Ginny to flirt and get with guys. Ginny seems a little uncomfortable most of the time. But the real story begins with Ginny hitchhiking on the side of a road when a man by the name of Mike (James Aubrey) pulls up and offers her a ride. Ginny is hesitant at first, being she about to hitchhike into a guy's car. And even after Mike delivers an awkward rape joke, Ginny still gets in the car. Come to find out, Mike is a songwriter for the popular rock band Bad Accident and is pushing 30 years of age.
Mike and Ginny hit it off fairly quickly. The two become attracted to each other and sex soon follows. As their relationship grows, so does their sex life and every part of each other's bodies are explored. But Mike finds out that Ginny is actually only 14 years old. He's disgusted and horrified of this realization, but he is not ready to leave the relationship, and instead he and Ginny keep it going. But Ginny's parents find out about it and they try to convince Ginny to confess to rape charges. And not only that, they try to brainwash her into telling the press and court that this was one- sided with tons of violence, which is not the case here.
Well soon enough, the press picks up on the story and Mike's life is turned upside down. His friends and band mates turn their back on him, not for doing the deed, but because it could hurt their own careers. As this story gets into the courtroom, Walker makes Mike look like the good guy here, while making Ginny look like a villain, as her parents have coerced her into saying untrue things about their relationship.
It seems that Walker abandoned some good story lines in order to focus more on a punishment fit for Mike. He could have dove in head first and explored what made Ginny and Mike make these decisions, and why Mike continued to pursue Ginny, but that plot point goes nowhere. Instead, Walker centers his attention on the consequences of his actions and less on the whole love and sexuality of the story, which is kind of a let down.
The taboo subject in question is statutory rape and Walker almost makes you a pervert for even watching this film, as a lot of his camera angles are made to look as if you are spying in on a couple consisting of an older man and a very young girl. Needless to say, there are a few awkward moments throughout the film as Walker explores a man and a young girl's sexuality. But it's interesting that Walker took this odd transition into a court room drama. This director is known for pushing the bounds as far as horror, and as he entered into 'Home Before Midnight', he came in guns blazing, but in the second half, we are taken to a courtroom where we are to decide who is at fault here and who is to be punished.
A young woman named Ginny (Alison Elliot) and her promiscuous friend Carol (Debbie Linden) are out on the town where Carol is always trying to convince Ginny to flirt and get with guys. Ginny seems a little uncomfortable most of the time. But the real story begins with Ginny hitchhiking on the side of a road when a man by the name of Mike (James Aubrey) pulls up and offers her a ride. Ginny is hesitant at first, being she about to hitchhike into a guy's car. And even after Mike delivers an awkward rape joke, Ginny still gets in the car. Come to find out, Mike is a songwriter for the popular rock band Bad Accident and is pushing 30 years of age.
Mike and Ginny hit it off fairly quickly. The two become attracted to each other and sex soon follows. As their relationship grows, so does their sex life and every part of each other's bodies are explored. But Mike finds out that Ginny is actually only 14 years old. He's disgusted and horrified of this realization, but he is not ready to leave the relationship, and instead he and Ginny keep it going. But Ginny's parents find out about it and they try to convince Ginny to confess to rape charges. And not only that, they try to brainwash her into telling the press and court that this was one- sided with tons of violence, which is not the case here.
Well soon enough, the press picks up on the story and Mike's life is turned upside down. His friends and band mates turn their back on him, not for doing the deed, but because it could hurt their own careers. As this story gets into the courtroom, Walker makes Mike look like the good guy here, while making Ginny look like a villain, as her parents have coerced her into saying untrue things about their relationship.
It seems that Walker abandoned some good story lines in order to focus more on a punishment fit for Mike. He could have dove in head first and explored what made Ginny and Mike make these decisions, and why Mike continued to pursue Ginny, but that plot point goes nowhere. Instead, Walker centers his attention on the consequences of his actions and less on the whole love and sexuality of the story, which is kind of a let down.