Murderous Spring - The Hallucination

[California gal]

One of my top three episodes, which I watch frequently. Always makes me think about what Jim is seeing while under the influence of the drug.

ccb on the other board pointed out once that the only flaw in the hallucination portrayal is that Artie pulls the door shut when he and Jim head for the stables. Of course it's possible that Jim shuts the door but imagines Artie doing it. A while later, he believes he's holding up the dying Artie and then resting his arms on the chest of the dead Artie.

Then, is Jim having an hallucination within an hallucination when he sees Loveless outside the stable door when he and Artie are in there? "Artie" appears not to spot the little doctor making funny faces.

[Paradox Eyes]

Like dreams, anything goes in a hallucination. Although in a film story like this, you have to keep continuity enough so you don't confuse the viewer too much. Since we're seeing everything through Jim's drugged perspective, I suppose it doesn't matter that Artie doesn't see the same thing. I'm going to have to watch this one again. I know there is a scene where Artie says something to Jim and it's just...'off'. It always bugs me... gonna have to watch it so I can identify it correctly.

[MissRedhead]

Then, is Jim having an hallucination within an hallucination when he sees Loveless outside the stable door when he and Artie are in there? "Artie" appears not to spot the little doctor making funny faces.

I always took it as a hallucination within a hallucination maybe I accepted that readily enough because sometimes if I'm reeeeally exhausted I will have a dream within a dream (and sometimes within a dream to the 3rd degree!) quite disturbing upon waking! Things can seem very very real sometimes in my dreams I actually can feel physical objects (or think I can rather) so the bit about Jim resting his arms on the dead Artie's chest doesn't bother me (maybe he was really resting his arms on a bale of hay for all we know )

[California gal]

A few weeks ago I had a dream about a friend, and then I dreamed I was telling that friend about the dream!

I don't THINK I have ever hallucinated, but if they are anything like dreams, I can see how Jim would think he's actually doing or saying or seeing things. He could have remained in his room and thought he was doing everything.

Something else that always puzzled me what when he shoots at his hallucination of Loveless in the window. Why is it no one else seems to hear the shots? When he runs downstairs, the fellows on the street are playing horseshoes! Does he imagine that he pulled the trigger?

Of course that happens in other episodes. They fire weapons or have a knock-down-drag-out fight and no one seems to notice!

[Dieter]

So true that all the moments you pointed out are confusing and make no sense!! But I know that's the way the episode was meant to be!! Richard Donner directed all that to become that way and he seriously deserved an Emmy Award for making it exactly that!! It was perfect!

And Michael Dunn deserved an Emmy just the same for his speech about how you don't know how it feels when you don't reach full-flowering--That must have come strait from the heart!! Watch that again because that was reality, not script!!

RC did some of his absolute most incredible moments ever in this one too!!

Best episode of the entire series. IMO!!

[California gal]

Definitely great acting and directing. I always watch Artie when he's shot. He's so disbelieving and unsure whether to laugh when Jim points a gun with him. Then he has to see the blood from his wound to really understand what happened. Great acting by Ross.

And as you say, Dieter, Robert does a terrific job all the way through.

Not to mention Michael Dunne. One has to believe that speech was spoken straight from his heart. Great script by John Kneubuhl. The best of the Loveless episodes, that's for sure.

[Dieter]

I didn't include Ross so much in compliments for this ep because he wasn't in it much till later on. But when he was--was also terrific!! When Jim shot him--and was about to die--final word "Why?" --was so intense that just knocks you off your seat with total shock that Jim killed Artie!! Incredible moment all the way!!

[Silver]

I guess everybody knows my feelings on this episode! I hope I may have in my humble way added a little bit extra to it.

[California gal]

Watching this episode this evening (again) something else occurs to me about Jim's hallucination. He sees Artie as the Artie he knows--his caring, understanding friend. Jim hallucinates his own madness and believes it--until Artie walks into the room.