China Lake (film)
Encyclopedia
China Lake is a 1983 psychological thriller starring Charles Napier
as a deranged police officer
, who rides around on a motorbike "targeting" people that have offended him in some way while vacationing near the film's titular location of China Lake.
The short film was directed by Robert Harmon
, who funded this movie in order to make his suspenseful 1986 film, The Hitcher, which starred Rutger Hauer and was eventually followed by The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting and a 2006 remake, with Sean Bean
. Thus, China Lake can be considered a prototype concept for what eventually became that film.
In 1990, the film was made into a feature-length made-for-TV movie, called The China Lake Murders
, which is considered to be a remake of this film, rather than being an actual sequel.
, he stops a lady whom he accuses of being drunk; while exhausted from driving continuously for hours, she is obviously anything but drunk. Donnelly proceeds to lock her in the trunk of her car, leaving her on a quiet road where no one is likely to pass by for some time.
Continuing on, he stops at a closed petrol station in the middle of the night. The pumps are padlocked, so he takes out his revolver and shoots the lock off so he can refill his bike with fuel. The next day, Donnelly goes to China Lake for some relaxation and then goes to a nearby diner for lunch and coffee, which he refers to as Black Mud.
Two cement workers are sitting at the main counter and they arouse his ire to the point that he completely forgets the (somewhat pleasant) conversation he was having with the waitress. Later that same day, he notices a car on the side of the road belonging to one of the truckers, as it has the same trademark on it. After the other trucker leaves his friend to repair the car by himself Donnelly, who has been watching and waiting nearby for the men to return, makes a reappearance and chases the confused man before knocking him down. He then locks the man in the trunk of his car and pushes the car over the stretch of desert next to the road.
Donnelly is next shown returning to work. When the watch commander asks Donnelly how his vacation was, he responds that he enjoyed it. The film comes to an end as the credits roll.
Charles Napier (actor)
Charles L. Napier was an American actor, known for his portrayals of square-jawed tough guys and military types.-Early life:...
as a deranged police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
, who rides around on a motorbike "targeting" people that have offended him in some way while vacationing near the film's titular location of China Lake.
The short film was directed by Robert Harmon
Robert Harmon
Robert Harmon is an American film and television director. He is best known for the 1986 horror classic The Hitcher, starring Rutger Hauer, as well as for films like They and Nowhere to Run....
, who funded this movie in order to make his suspenseful 1986 film, The Hitcher, which starred Rutger Hauer and was eventually followed by The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting and a 2006 remake, with Sean Bean
Sean Bean
Shaun Mark "Sean" Bean is an English film and stage actor. Bean is best known for playing Boromir in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and, previously, British Colonel Richard Sharpe in the ITV television series Sharpe...
. Thus, China Lake can be considered a prototype concept for what eventually became that film.
In 1990, the film was made into a feature-length made-for-TV movie, called The China Lake Murders
The China Lake Murders
The China Lake Murders is a television movie starring Tom Skerritt. This 1990 film is about a small desert town that experiences a series of murders. The film was rated PG-13.-Synopsis:...
, which is considered to be a remake of this film, rather than being an actual sequel.
Plot summary
Donnelly is a disturbed cop on vacation leave. Despite being off-duty, he is still in his uniform. As he rides through the desert on his HarleyHarley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
, he stops a lady whom he accuses of being drunk; while exhausted from driving continuously for hours, she is obviously anything but drunk. Donnelly proceeds to lock her in the trunk of her car, leaving her on a quiet road where no one is likely to pass by for some time.
Continuing on, he stops at a closed petrol station in the middle of the night. The pumps are padlocked, so he takes out his revolver and shoots the lock off so he can refill his bike with fuel. The next day, Donnelly goes to China Lake for some relaxation and then goes to a nearby diner for lunch and coffee, which he refers to as Black Mud.
Two cement workers are sitting at the main counter and they arouse his ire to the point that he completely forgets the (somewhat pleasant) conversation he was having with the waitress. Later that same day, he notices a car on the side of the road belonging to one of the truckers, as it has the same trademark on it. After the other trucker leaves his friend to repair the car by himself Donnelly, who has been watching and waiting nearby for the men to return, makes a reappearance and chases the confused man before knocking him down. He then locks the man in the trunk of his car and pushes the car over the stretch of desert next to the road.
Donnelly is next shown returning to work. When the watch commander asks Donnelly how his vacation was, he responds that he enjoyed it. The film comes to an end as the credits roll.