The China Syndrome (Special Edition)

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(5 stars) - The real guardian angel is called mediatic exposition
This film is of course old (1979) and it is based on hypotheses that come from the late 60s and the early 70s. In 1971, nuclear physicist Ralph Lapp used the concept "China syndrome" to describe a special melt-down in a nuclear plant where the burn-through of the reactor vessel by the melting nuclear core would go down and penetrate the concrete below it and into the soil below the reactor right through to China on the other side of the earth from the USA. Of course since then we have had several severe accidents, including Chernobyl. That China Syndrome never occurred and the evolution of this technology is getting safer and safer. The film should not frighten us because of the nuclear dimension of it. The fear we may have is quite different and the film shows it very well. Like all new technology, there may be some danger and security is primordial but security is expensive. The interest of that technology is that it can produce electricity at a very low cost, especially since the treatment of the waste is not included in that cost. And when it is compared with the cost of other types of electricity it is highly competitive and it would be even if the treatment of the waste was taken into account. You can imagine in the 70s, after the first oil crisis, how some private interests were only looking at the profit margin when that "cheap" electricity was put on the market at standard market price. There was then a strong temptation to even cut on some corners to increase the margin, including security and regular safety checks. The point of the film is that the only way to prevent that kind of situation or catastrophe is to be crystal clear on transparency. The film shows that such transparency is practically impossible when the interests of a few people or companies are at stake. They are ready to eliminate in any way possible those who may stand in their path. How can we be that transparent on such tricky and sticky grounds? Some may say: nationalize. Chernobyl shows it is not necessarily the good solution. Some may say: let a serious, objective and relentless commission look into the business all the time. How can we be sure bureaucrats will be honest if they are not exposed in their actions all the time? Then there is only one solution: the media must have access to all the data necessary for them to give the public a fair and objective picture. It is not always easy for journalists to be able to say what they know and it is very difficult for journalists to get the information they need, and what's more reliable information, which means coming from everyone involved in the problem. It is so easy to blackmail an employee into silence. It is so easy to blackmail a journalist into silence. So far there is no guarantee that a journalist will be able to get to everyone concerned and to get the full information he needs. Only a judge can get that and a journalist does not have that power. Will transparency never exist? We may be inclined to saying so. Then bye-bye objectivity and good morning invisible menaces.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, CEGID

(5 stars) - outstanding in every way
The China Syndrome certainly deserves to be an Amazon "essential video." This is a movie with a strong script, great casting with even better acting, and the plot progresses at a very good, even pace. The cinematography is wonderful and I am very impressed by how they used so many miniature sets to recreate the inside machinery of a nuclear power plant.

When the action starts, we quickly meet news reporter Kimberly Wells (Jane Fonda) who is very frustrated because her boss, Don Jacovich (Peter Donat) won't give her anything to report on except light fluffy pieces while she wants to do "hard news." She teams up and makes friends with part-time cameraman Richard Adams (Michael Douglas) who helps her during what is supposed to be a routine report on just how well a local nuclear power plant is doing. (Her annoyed boss gradually gets used to her doing this one "hard news" story.) While Richard and Kimberly are at the power plant they witness a near-meltdown that the plant operators and owners desperately try to pawn off as a mere "stuck valve" problem. In fact, the problem they averted could have easily wiped out the entirety of Southern California! Unbeknownst to power plant management, however, Richard secretly films the hysteria of the employees including their boss Jack Godell (Jack Lemmon) and Kimberly and Richard consult with a scientist who confirms that the plant management is indeed trying to do a cover-up of a much more serious problem that could recur at any time in the future.

This problem gets quickly shoved under the table even after a brief investigation by The Nuclear Regulatory Committee (seems like everything in this movie is political) so that the nuclear plant management can open another plant in just a short while. When Jack Godell, Kimberly Wells and Richard Adams team up to expose the management for being the frauds and the greedy people they are--so much so that they don't care if people's lives are at stake--a lot of action starts up including chase scenes and the like.

Of course from here the plot can still go just about anywhere. Will Jack, Kimberly and Richard be able to stop the plant management and expose them for what they really are--or will they be thwarted by management? It take a while, too, for Jack Godell to decide to join forces with Kimberly and Richard--what will it take to push him to the point where he joins them? Will they be able to produce and show the film that Richard secretly took during the near-meltdown? No plot spoilers here, folks--watch the movie and find out!

The DVD has a couple of very informative, well done extras that explain in some detail just how they went about choosing the cast and making the film; and there are deleted scenes as well.

Overall, The China Syndrome strikes me as one of the best movies I've seen yet. I highly recommend this movie. There is some violence so I wouldn't call it a family movie; but for older teens and up this movie will be a great experience.

(4 stars) - almost
Almost totally memorable flick: gripping possibility, great acting on Lemon's part. Needed a musical score
to add some soul to a sterile background visual.

(5 stars) - Great Movie, Very Interesting
The China Syndrome takes place the same year that it's filmed, 1979. It is most famous for unknowingly predicting that a nuclear accident would happen at Three Mile Island, (which actually did occur, shortly after this movie was released.) That's what makes it interesting is that, this movie tells a situation in which the plant would have a meltdown, and, shortly after being released in 1979, a real nuclear meltdown happens at the plant. Very amazing, and I would very much recommend this movie.

(5 stars) - JANE FONDA IN THE SUPERB NUCLEAR THRILLER
The China Syndrome (Special Edition)
Yet another movie from my Dad's collection. Not only is this movie one of the hardest hitting warnings about modern science, but one of the most entertaining thrillers which I have seen. Jane Fonda, is on the campaign trail again, this time, playing, Kimberly Wells, a budding TV reporter, who's desperate for the chance of that BIG SCOOP. Jack Godell (superbly played by Jack Lemmon), is worried that, the operations, at the cooling system, at the Ventana Nuclear Plant, have been, jeopardised by the falsification of construction reports. He fears that the plant, might not, contain itself, in an emergency, bringing about a melt-down and, theoritically, burning clear through the earth to China. Michael Douglas, produced the movie, and is excellent as the arrogant young camera-man.

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