Killing Time (public information film)
Killing Time is a 15-minute-long film made for the British Railways Board in 1992. Although it is not strictly a Public Information Film, it is often considered to be so by fans of the genre. Killing Time was directed by Sue Read, produced by Bernard Morris, and narrated by Tom Conti.[1] It was a replacement for the film Robbie, which itself was a replacement for a graphic film called The Finishing Line.
| Killing Time | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Sue Read |
| Produced by | Bernard Morris |
| Narrated by | Tom Conti |
| Distributed by | British Railways Board |
Release date | 1992 |
Running time | 15 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The film, which was shown in schools all over Great Britain, is a two-part presentation. The first is based around the fictional story of a teenager who is killed while trespassing and trying to cross a railway line and punctuated with narration. The second part features interviews with police who have had to deal with railway trespass crime scenes, and the mother of a child killed in a railway trespass death. Both parts contain visually graphic elements.
Plot
A group of bored teenagers at Hornsey train station ignore a sign that forbids passengers from going beyond the platform. Walking along the tracks, Darren suggests playing chicken against oncoming trains, despite his friends' doubts. Jane, one of the friends, refuses to join and goes home (therefore setting an example for the audience to follow). Despite this, the remaining group is cajoled into crossing the railway by Darren, who shows no respect for the dangers of trespassing on the railway and the danger he is wilfully putting himself and his friends in.
The majority of the group is able to cross. However, Andy remains in place, reluctant and concerned over the dangers that the group continues to dissuade. Now played from his perspective, Andy's friends tease and try to convince him that he's safe by saying that the electric current is only active when a train is near, and that touching the electric rail won't harm him. A narrator, however, corrects each fallacy, stating that an electric current is always active, and carries 630 to 750 volts of electricity that will easily burn, disfigure or even kill you. The narrator also states that the overhead line on electrified railways carries 25,000 volts of electricity, is always live and can easily kill you without even having to touch it (as electricity can jump).
Despite his clear concern and fear (shown by Andy's heavy breathing), he manages to cross but falls down on one of the tracks. Some of the friends hear a train coming, but Darren mentions that a train will be able to stop when it sees him. Cue another rebuttal from the narrator, who indicates that an express train's average speed is anywhere between 175 and 225 kilometres per hour, will require at least 2 kilometres to stop in an emergency, and cannot swerve. The last thing the audience sees through Andy's perspective is a fast approaching InterCity 125 express train, directly implying it had struck and killed Andy through following footage of Andy's headphones flying through the air, as well as a bloodstained railway track with an audible emergency siren in the background. A police officer in an orange vest retrieves Andy's headphones and bloodied clothing from the track, as well as his severed arm, while Darren's voice can be heard saying "I'm gonna be sick".
The narrator states that every year, over 200 people are killed on the railway. Graphic images are then shown of real-life victims (including a young child) who were killed in such a way. First-hand accounts by police officers and a railway engineer tell of people who were killed by electrocution or hit by a train. The closing minutes of the film contains the testimony of a mother whose son was also killed, and the aftermath of her loss.
References
- "Killing Time (1992)". Retrieved 6 September 2016.
External links
- Killing Time (original film) - YouTube