Track 29 (1988)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Nicolas Roeg

Writer:

Dennis Potter (written by)

Release Date:

October 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

He Was Her Dream And Her Obsession. Her Son... And Her Lover

Plot:

A doctor's wife tires of his obsession with model trains, and spends her days wondering about the son she gave up for adoption at birth...

Plot Keywords:

Model Train | Adoption | Prodigal Son | Incest | Bizarre

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Theresa Russell	...	Linda Henry
Gary Oldman	...	Martin
Christopher Lloyd	...	Henry Henry
Colleen Camp	...	Arlanda
Sandra Bernhard	...	Nurse Stein
Seymour Cassel	...	Dr. Bernard Fairmont
Leon Rippy	...	Trucker
Vance Colvig Jr.	...	Mr. Ennis
Kathryn Tomlinson	...	Receptionist
Jerry Rushing	...	Redneck
Tommy Hull	...	Counterman
J. Michael Hunter	...	Waiter
Richard K. Olsen	...	Delegate
Ted Barrow	...	Old Man

Runtime:

Germany:86 min | USA:90 min | UK:91 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Australia:M | USA:R | West Germany:16 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

Company:

HandMade Films

Trivia:

The young Linda is seen with posters of George Harrison (executive producer of the film) and 'David Bowie' (star of Roeg's hit _Man Who Fell To Earth, The (1976)_) on her bedroom wall.

Movie Connections:

Features Cape Fear (1962)

Soundtrack:

Young at Heart

An exercise in mystery and frustration

Nicholas Roeg's "Track 29", while confusing and frustrating, appears to accomplish what the director and writer set out to do. The film introduces and examines many aspects of Linda's life that are never very clearly answered. If Martin is a figment of her imagination, what is truly imagined? He does appear at the hamburger stand, so is he real after all? Early in the film, a television program is overheard discussing the idea that "two things may ocupy the same time and space". If this is indeed true, than maybe one thing can ocupy more than one time and space. It appears that Linda and Martin may in fact be "exploring" alternate dimensions. The film seems to explore the occurrence and outcome of many different events, and ends with the viewer unclear about what truly happened and what did not. After undergoing real or imaginary emotional torture, Linda calmly collects herself and leaves the house a new woman. To further confuse the lines between imaginary/real, her husband is heard calling to her, even though a pool of blood is forming over her head. (presumably from the stabbing death of the same husband) It is through these very strange events and ideas that the director and writer force the viewer to attempt to decide what is real and what is imagined. The most frustrating thing of all is that there is no real answer to this question.