The Trap (1975 film)

The Trap (Fällen in swedish) is a 1975 Swedish tv movie directed by Peter Watkins and written by Watkins and Bo Melander. It takes place in Sweden in an alternative end of the 20th century where the United States and the Soviet Union rule the world through collution and authoritarian rule.

The story takes place on December 31, 1999 in a nuclear waste station on the west coast of Sweden. The station controller John is living with his wife and son in an underground bunker, while riots are occurring on the surface. John's brother Bertil, and Bo - the son of a third brother, passes through the Swedish, American and Russian checkpoints in order to celebrate New Year's Eve. Bertil is critical to the new order, where the U.S.A and the U.S.S.R control the world. Freedom, democracy and environmentalism are things of the past, public security is strict, technocrats make the decitions, and production of nuclear energy and waste have risen significantly. In 1985, the Soviets and the Americans dropped hydrogen bombs on the Middle East, and is currently in a joint occupation of the region. Close to midnight, guards and workers from the station join in the celebrations. Bertil confronts the guests by claiming that they do not understand their roles in society, resulting in the visitors leaving. Bertil and Bo attempt to leave as well, but is arrested at a security checkpoint, and is separated from one another at the turn of the new millennium.

Watkins accepted the role of director in 1974 after a teleplay by journalist Bo Melander had been chosen for production by Sveriges Radio. The broadcasting company wanted scrips dealing the “future”, and Bo and Watkins decided to concentrate on the nuclear reactor issue which was becoming a major political concern in Sweden. The production was taped entirely in a studio, using four heavy TV cameras on mobile mounts. Watkins gave the cameramen the responsibility of selecting their images, while Monika Barthelson edited the program during recording.^[1]

Scholar Joseph Gomez notes that the movie's significance, both in terms of subject matter and production method, has not been properly acknowledged. Some of the executives at Sveriges Radio disliked The Trap because of Watkins’ use of amateurs, but Stockholm newspapers were generally favorable to all aspects of the production. Norwegian and Danish television have been more critical, and have refused to show it. In a 1977 radio discussion on Watkins, [the Danish Drama Head] said that The Trap "was one of the worst productions Peter has made, if not the worst,". Gomez describes The Trap as a minor Watkins work, but also clearly of a "standard" considerably higher than nearly all of the productions telecast on Scandinavian channels.^[1]

• Fällan at IMDb