High Cost of Letting Go
High Cost of Letting Go is a short film released on 16mm. It is held in the Prelinger Archives collection.
Safety film targeted at railroad workers about how mental upsets can increase vulnerability to accidents. A newspaper reporter tries to reconstruct why a mysterious accident occurred.
Filmed in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California. Slow zoom into newspaper building Valley Times (identifiably in California) VS newspaper printing press, and newspapers coming off press (good) CU typewriter platen and keys writing news copy (good) Man gets into late 1960s-model sedan outside Valley Times office POV man in suit driving, seen from back seat and looking out front window Pan over highway construction site where work is not currently happening Zoom out from silver hearse to church building, people entering to attend funeral Dark shots inside church sanctuary, people at funeral Preacher at lectern: The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Pan over attendees in church CU man looking to side while he sits in church Cross on top of church Mike Miller, a railroad man, exits side door of house, sees hose coiled on ground, shakes his head and picks it up to stow properly. Katie Miller, age 12, walks out of side door eating apple, returns to get her sweater from mother Ethel Miller, Mike s wife, exiting door Bud Miller, age 22, exits door and walks over to old yellow delivery van Katie wheels her bike out driveway, gets kiss from her smiling dad, exits MS Ethel Miller pruning her garden bushes MS building with CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL sign on wall California Highway Patrol officer gets out of his car, walks over to blue car to issue ticket VS CUs of driver and CHP officer CU young man: Oh, he was on top of the world. You never know when the sky s going to fall on you, do you? (reaction shot?) Union Pacific engine and freight cars pull into frame, going from left to right. Engineer jumps off to talk to foreman. CU foreman: The way you been acting, I don t want you around here anyway. LS two teen girls riding bikes into suburban house CU chicken sitting by driveway Two girls hold chicken and pet it. Blue car pulls into driveway fast CU bike sitting in driveway; car runs it over Daughter and Dad have words over him running over bike, she tells him you drove in too fast ; dad says What did you say? CU dad looks disconsolate; wife s hands touch his shoulders; offscreen we hear her say, Oh, dear. CU zoom into reporter s face looking quizzical and concerned Blue convertible pulls up outside MEDICAL BUILDING ; reporter goes in CU hands loosening tire nuts with lug wrench CU trailer resting on wooden blocks; blocks collapse; Mike Miller wrenches his shoulder as trailer falls, and grimaces in pain LS man walking towards his car, seen through front windshield from inside the car Bud Miller asks his father for money, but his dad is having a bad day, and refuses him CU young man looks in either direction, grimaces, leaves frame Beautiful 1960s yellow Dodge van with yellow over white paint job pulls out of driveway Young man and young boy sitting in front of van, driving VS CU Bud and Katie Miller and young boy sitting in front seat, talking and somewhat agitated VS CU of agitated youngsters ECU young man s eyes, agitated (several shots in great sequence) Reckless driving sequence: running through red light, running by flagman, losing control of van Traffic accident: shown in POV and from outside; van veers off road and hits freeway bridge abutment (good accident) CU windshield cracking into spiderweb pattern GS policeman walking towards wreck CU and pan down news article: Brother and Sister Die in Crash CU Ethel Miller sitting and staring; pan over and zoom out to show Mike Miller sitting in couch, sad and silent
Zoom out to show house with lighted living room window in which sad parents sit| High Cost of Letting Go | |
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| Produced by | Carlisle (Robert W.) |
Production company | Carlisle (Robert W.) |
| Distributed by | Carlisle (Robert W.) |
Release date | 0 |
Running time | 25:16 |
| Language | English |
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