Killing Time (public information film)

Killing Time
Directed by	Sue Read
Produced by	Bernard Morris
Narrated by	Tom Conti
Distributed by	British Railways Board
Release dates	1992
Running time	15 minutes
Country	United Kingdom

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.

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

This film follows a group of teenagers who ignore a sign telling them that passengers are not allowed in this part of the railway station. They then decide that the fastest and most exciting way to get home is to walk across several railway lines (except a girl who refuses and leaves, as an example to the audience.) While most of the group easily crosses these lines Andy is more reluctant.

The next part of this film is shown from Andy's perspective (subjective viewpoint point-of-view shots) with Andy mainly looking at his friends across the railway lines and occasionally looking around for trains. Though Andy is wearing headphones he is able to clearly hear what his friends are saying. His friends then make several claims, such as the third rail isn't live unless a train is coming or that trains can quickly brake; all of which are rebutted by the narrator who explains that the third rail is always live, and that a train can neither brake quickly nor swerve. Andy starts to walk across the railway lines when his friends hear a train coming; he sees the train and slips on the rails, falling down onto the track. Andy's friends don't do anything to help him, believing that the train will see Andy and stop before hitting him.

Although not explicitly shown, the oncoming train is implied to hit Andy. Detached headphones fly through the air, and a blooded railway track is shown. A moment later, as an offscreen teenager's voice exclaims, "I'm going to be sick," as an orange vested British police constable picks up clothing fragments and a detached arm wearing what appears to be the blue jacket Andy had been wearing earlier, from the rail bed.

The remainder of the film is centered around the effects of actual railway trespass incidents. Three post-mortem photos of deceased individuals killed by railway trespass are shown. First hand stories are told by British Transport Police constables and a railway engineer regarding people who have died after being electrocuted or hit by a train. It also contains the testimony of a mother regarding how her son died and the aftermath of her loss.

References

External links

• Killing Time (original film) - YouTube