KIDS LIST
$74.29
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VIDEO
The Coca Cola Kid (Dusan Makavejev, Australia, 1985) Eric Roberts, Greta Scacchi, Bill Kerr (Palace). Smooth operator Roberts, a mere ring-pull in the great soft drinks empire, journeys to Sydney to boost sales in the face of unscrupulous competition from an eccentric veteran whose own brand of fizzy car oil has a monopoly hold on the market place. A whizz-kid cast adrift from his own established order, he is bewitched. bothered and bewildered by the myriad alternative I pleasures that life can offer, not the ' least of which is the charming Miss Scaochi. Uneven international satire with a é largely unappealing hero, similar in ’ tone and content to an Antipodean Local Hero but lacking the charm, l substance and assured touch that i made Forsyth’s piece so distinctive. ' 0 Easy Rider (Dennis Hopper, US, : 1969) Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, 7 Jack Nicholson (RCA/Columbia) I
Artless, archetypal ‘road movie’ in which two dope-loving bikers, Captain America and Billy, travel the highways and by-ways of America. Their odyssey into a heartland of darkness brings them into contact with a peaceful hippy commune, Mardi Gras in New Orleans and, most memorably, 1 booze-drenched, strait-laced lawyer Jack Nicholson who is persuaded to i join their trip. i This low-budget independent feature startled audiences in the late 19605 and still makes an unsettling impact with its cinema-verité approach and affecting observations on the disheartening state of the American nation and the blind prejudice and casual violence to be found therein. 0 insignllicance (Nicholas Roeg, UK, 1985) Theresa Russell, Tony Curtis, Michael Emil (Palace) New York, 1954. A quartet of mid-century icons congregate in a hotel one night, the fictionalised intertwining of their lives allowing for speculation on the private concerns of some very public figures. Any resemblance to Marilyn Monroe, husband Joe di Maggio, Einstein and commie-hater Joe McCarthy is purely intentional.
Terry Johnson‘s stage play presents ideal material for Roeg‘s characteristically dense but unusually accessible explosion of ideas in this examination of personal identity. The revival ofTony Curtis in a worthwhile setting is to be applauded.
o The Man with Two Brains (Carl Reiner, US, 1983) Steve Martin, Kathleen Turner, David Warner (Warner Home Video) Martin stars as brilliant brain surgeon Dr Michael Hfuhruhurr. Still grieving for his late wife he busies himselfwith work perfecting a system ofoperation involving cranial screw tops. with child-proof locks ofcourse. Then he literally runs into sexy Kathleen Turner as a man-hungry murderess with a penchant for driving elderly husbands to early graves and pocketing substantial legacies. An unconsummated marriage and the prospect of Martin inheriting a fortune are only the beginning of their problems.
This is a suitably wacky comedy from the actor-director partnership of Martin and Reiner, also responsible for Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid and All of Me. The level of invention is insufficient to sustain a 90 minute feature but there is enough madcap lunacy to provoke bouts ofintermittent hilarity. The wonderful Miss Turner proves herself an able farceur and a woman for all genres.
o Micki and Maude (Blake Edwards, US, 1984) Dudley Moore, Ami Irving, Ann Reinking (RCA/Columbia) Dainty Dud. presenter of the TV show Hey, America! pines for the patter oftiny feet but his wife is preoccupied with her career and a seat on the state superior court. One assignment brings him into contact with a charming cellist and they become lovers. Before you can say Victoria Gillick both women are pregnant and harrassed dad-to-be Dud is faced with complications of double
I paternity.
The central premise of this film at least raises hopes of a few laughs from the mechanical pleasures of old-fashioned bedroom farce. Even that unambitious expectation goes unfulfilled as we are presented with a woeful, witless plod ofa film that can only be termed ‘laboured‘. Hard, on this evidence, to imagine how Blake Edwards ever gained the reputation as a master of light, romantic comedy.
0 Kids aims to provide into. about events in and around Edinburgh and Glasgow tor children and young people. Please send details not later than 10 days belore publication.
GLASGOW
Actrvrties
0 HAGGS CASTLE Sat 2 Nov. Horrific Hallowe‘en Party. Fiendish fun and ghoulish games all day from 10am—5pm. All ages. No booking. Come dressed up — broomsticks opfional
O GLASGOW GREEN 5 Nov. Bonfire Night Spectacular 7.30pm. Funfair from 6.30pm.
0 THIRD EYE CENTRE Sauchiehall Street. Sat 2 Nov. 11am. Princes Puppets. Adult £1 Child 75p.
0 GROSVENOR CINEMA Ashton Lane. Hillhead, 339 4298. Sat afternoon Calley Kids Club. 1.30—4.30pm. Games. cartoons. raffles and prizes. This week the adventure serial is all about ghosts.
0 COATS OBSERVATORY. High Street. Paisley, 889 3151. Open every Thursday from 7pm. Enquiries to Mr Milliken.
EDINBURGH
Exhibitions
0 CANONGATE TOLBOOTH MUSEUM 163 Canongate. Mon—Sat 10am-5pm. Free.
Art, Laughter and the Bright Eyes oi Children An exhibition oftreasures from the Museum of Childhood.
0 NATIONAL GALLERY The Mound. 556 8921. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm. Sun 2—5pm. il Nov—5 Jan.
The Christmas Story An exhibition of paintings. prints and drawings covering 500 years ofartists‘ interpretations ofthe Nativity. including Mantenga‘s Adoration of the Magi. There will be a competition entitled Christmas — A Story for Our Time. for which children up to 18 are invited to submit artwork or written material about an updated version of the Jesus and Mary story. Who do you think the Three Wise Men are today? All entries will be on show in December.
Theatre
0 THEATRE WORKSHOP 34 Hamilton Place, 225 7942. 14-16 Nov. Thurs & Fri 5pm, Sat 11am. 75p and 50p. That’ll Teach You A new show for children by children set in a Clown School with songs. music and a lot of surprise tricks. Part of Young People‘s Theatre Week. Older children and teenagers see THEATRE section.
Actrvrtles
0 ROYAL OBSERVATORY Blackford Hill. 667 3321. 7—10pm, 9-16 Nov. Viewing Free. An illustrated talk on Comet Halley will be given twice a day. Ring for details.
0 CITY OBSERVATORY Calton Hill. 556 4365. 6-9pm throughout the week. As well as observing there will ha a slide show about the comet and a chance to see round the observatory.
_ OMY WEEK 9—16 NOV
NATIONAL ASTRON
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The Greeks called comets ‘hairy stars’ because at their long tails made of gas and dust. Haliey’s comet takes 76 years to orbit the sun and alter its appearance this winter will not return until 2062. From late Decemberto January the comet may be visible to the naked eye but now you will be lucky to see more than a faint smudge in the sky. However it you can get hold of some binoculars or better still look through a telescope at one at the observatories listed above. llere are some planets and stars in our picture to look out lor.
Also look tor the planet Jupiter low down in the South. The spots at light on either side at it are the tour brightest moons-Ganymede, Europa, Callisto and lo.
The List 1—14 November 39