From: Reviews and Criticism of Vietnam War Theatrical and Television Dramas (http://www.lasalle.edu/library/vietnam/FilmIndex/home.htm) compiled by John K. McAskill, La Salle University ([email protected])

N5640 THE NINTH CONFIGURATION (USA, 1980) (Other titles: Nona configurazione; Twinkle, twinkle killer Kane)

Credits: director/writer/novel, . Cast: Stacy Keach, Scott Wilson, Jason Miller, Ed Flanders. Summary: Psychological melodrama set in the contemporary U.S. Colonel Hudson Kane (Keach) arrives to take charge at an old Gothic mansion near Washington which the military has acquired to study the possibility that incidents of psychosis in Vietnam are faked. The inmates submit him to harrowing display of eccentricities which they hope will break him down like his predecessor. Appointed by a clerical error, Kane is no psychiatrist, but a combat veteran troubled by dreams of his brother Vincent, a ruthless killer. Kane holds a Catholic belief in the essential goodness of man. This belief is mocked by Capt. Cutshaw (Wilson), a mad astronaut. Realizing that his patients need a safety valve, Kane plans to stage John Sturges’s The great escape as a psychodrama. However, when a new arrival recognizes him as ‘Killer Kane’ he collapses. Col. Fell (Flanders) then reveals himself to be the real Hudson Kane, explaining the masquerade as a form of shock therapy to heal his traumatized brother. Disillusioned by this revelation, Cutshaw runs away. Kane rescues him from a group of hostile bikers by reverting to his ‘Killer’ persona, then commits suicide. Cutshaw eventually is rehabilitated and rediscovers a St. Christopher medal which Kane gave him at their first meeting.

Allen, Tom. “Film: God and man in cuckoo’s nest” Village voice 25 (Aug 13, 1980), p. 42. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1981] Blatty, William Peter. The ninth configuration (commentary by Mark, Kermode) Southwold, Suffolk : ScreenPress, 1999. (xiii, 170 p.) “Blatty ‘Configuration’ to WB” Variety 297 (Jan 2, 1980), p. 4. “Blatty in N.Y. for UFD’s ‘Kane’; plans non-sequel using ‘Exorcist’ characters; resents WB handle” Variety 299 (Jul 23, 1980), p. 7+ [2 p.] “Blatty’s ‘Configuration’ bought for world by United Film” Variety (Jun 20, 1979), p. 28. Butcher, Maryvonne. “Cinema” Tablet 235 (Feb 21, 1981), p. 185. Champlin, Charles. [Ninth configuration] times (Feb 7, 1980), pt. VI, p. 1. [Reprinted in Film review annaul 1981] Coleman, John. “Films: False-hoods” New statesman 101 (Feb 13, 1981), p. 23-4. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1981] Devine, Jeremy M. Vietnam at 24 frames a second [GB] (p. 201, 320) Farber, Stephen. [Ninth configuration] New west 5 (Mar 24, 1980), p. 110. Fox, Jordan R. “The ninth configuration” Cine fantastique 9/3-4 (1980), p. 71. Ginsberg, Steven (Berg). “The ninth configuration” Variety 298 (Feb 6, 1980), p. 20+ [2 p.] Keneas, Alex. [Ninth configuration] Newsday (Aug 8, 1980), pt. II, p. 7. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1981] Kermode, Mark. “The ninth configuration” Sight and sound 9 (Jul 1999), p. 50. ______(see also under Blatty, William Peter) Lanning, Michael Lee. Vietnam at the movies [GB] (p. 280-81) Maslin, Janet. “Screen: ‘Twinkle, twinkle’ opens” New York times 129 (Aug 8, 1980), p. C3. Milne, Tom. “Ninth configuration, The” Monthly film bulletin 48 (Mar 1981), p. 53- 4. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1981] Muse, Eben J. The land of Nam : the Vietnam war in American film [GB] (p. 138, 258) [Ninth configuration] Ecran fantastique n.14 (1980), p. 47. “The Ninth configuration” Films illustrated 10 (Mar 1981), p. 209. [Ninth configuration] Hollywood reporter 260/20 (Feb 7, 1980), p. 3, 8. “Ninth configuration, The” Motion picture guide (edited by Jay Robert Nash and Stanley Ralph Ross) Chicago : Cinebooks, 1985. (v. 6, p. 2172) [Ninth configuration] Screen international n.282 (Mar 7, 1981), p. 26. [Ninth configuration] Starburst n.27 (1980), p. 7. [Ninth configuration] Starburst n.32 (1981), p. 16-17. Petrelli, Savino. “La nona configurazione” Revista cinematografo 54 (Sep/Oct 1981), p. 532. Sterritt, David. “On film: If it works ... don’t fix it” Christian science monitor (Aug 14, 1980), p. 19. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1981] Tamulis, Jim. “Twinkle, twinkle killer Kane” Film journal 83 (Sep 1980), p. 16. “Twinkle, twinkle ‘Killer’ Kane” Film review annual 1981 Englewood, N.J. : J.S. Ozer, 1981- (p. 1012-17) Walker, Mark Edward. Vietnam veteran films [GB] (p. 137) Weemaes, Gaston. “The ninth configuration” Film en Televisie 297 (Feb 1982), p. 39. Weldon, Michael. The psychotronic video guide New York : St. Martin’s Griffin, 1996. (p. 404) “William Peter Blatty on ‘Killer Kane’” Film journal 83 (Sep 1980), p. 6+ [2 p.] Williams, Tony. “Ninth configuration” Vietnam war feature filmography (1992 draft) [GB] (p. 275-7) and Vietnam war films [GB] (Entry 409) Winsten, Archer. [Ninth configuration] New York post (Aug 8, 1980), p. 31. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1981]

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