FILM LI_S.T-__
o This section aims to provide a review ' of every lilm to be seen in central Scotland over the next tortnlght. For programme times see individual cinema listings.
U - Universal, suitable lor all ages.
PG - Parental Guidance suggested as some scenes may be unsuitable tor younger children.
15 - lilo-one underthe age oi 15 admitted.
18 - No-one under the age oi 18 admitted.
a - New Release. 0 Absolute Beginnerst 15) (.lulien '1'emple.171\'. 1986) liddie ()'('onnell. l’atsy Kensii. l)avid Bowie..lamesl’os. liib’mins. O'Connell and Kensit star as boy and girl and James Fox is the other man in affectineg corny love-story schiick. the connecting narrative in an exuberantly kaleidoscopic musical abottt the long hot London summer of 11158 climaxed by the Noiting l lill Race Riots. .‘ylueh-hyped. much-maligned. and certainly not without its faults. this is still a dazzlingly energetic and electrifyineg visual neon-lit swirl of a film. breathlesst entertaining and With plenty tosay about today's youth culture. Edinburgh; Odeon. Glasgow; Cinema, Grosvenor. Odeon, Rio. Lothian; ABC. Strathclyde; ABC Greenock. ABC Kilmarnock, Kelburne. Odeon Ayr. Odeon Hamilton. Rialto 0 An Actor‘s Revenge ( 15) ( K011 lchikawa. Japan. 1963) Ka/ui llasegawa. l’ujiko Yamamoto. 113 mins. 1n the early 10th century. an actor in a touring company accidentally comes across the rich businessman who ruined his parents and proceeds to take out a bloody retribution. l.urid and strange Japanese melodrama which reeks of .lacobean revenge tragedy but is none the worse for that. Glasgow; GFl' 0 Baby it's You ( 15) (John Sayles. US. 1983) Vincent Spano. Rosanna Arquette. 111-1 mins. 196(ls New Jersey and a tale of fraught romance. She's middle-class. studious and Jewish. lle‘s working-class. Italian-Catholic and a hip layabout.
By turns streetwise and romantic without being slushy. the strength of Sayles’ acutely observant writing lifts the material above the standard teenager-in-love fare. Edinburgh:
20"1‘he List lb’April— 1 May
Filmhouse
0 Back to the Future (PG) (Robert Zemeckis. US. 1985) Michael J. Fox, Crispin Glover. Lea Thompson. 116 mins. Expertly cast. wittily scripted time-travelling Oedipal fantasy adventure. A worthy crowd-pleaser. Strathclyde‘.
O Barbarella i 18i i Roier Vadim,
VIOLENT BREW
:'\
Crimes 01 Passion (18) (Ken Russell, us, 1984) Kathleen Turner, Anthony Perkins, John Laughlin. 107 mins. And abouttime too. Ken Russell’s uproarious sexual satire opened in London last autumn but the Rank Organisation, tor reasons best known to themselves, are only letting us see it now. But I wouldn’t let that put you off, lor this is one 01 the iunniest, sickest entertainments to wend its weary way into your local Odeon tor a long time.
Kathleen Turner is Joanna Crane, a successful iashion designer, but by night she is also China Blue, 3 very successlul hooker pandering to her clients’ every whim. Anthony Perkins is a sex-obsessed man of the (stained) cloth, with a bag full of marital aids, who is determined to save her soul by whatever means at his disposal. Oh yes he is. John Laughlin, by way of a contrast, plays an Ordinary Guy, unlullilled in a marriage with a lrigid wile (and when you see his Human Penis party trick you might sympathise) who lalls ior Turner's Joanna Crane persona. She, however, proves very stand-oliish and the two only manage to achieve bliss when masquerading as prostitute and customer. Meanwhile, the Rev Perkins has armed himseli with a steel-tipped dildo. . .
Russell’s movie has been, predictably accused 01 gross misogyny, and it is certainly an
Kelburne
o Ballad oi Narayama ( is) (Shoei lmmamura. Japan. 1983) Ken ()goia. 12‘) mins. In a remote mountain community. the villagers live out their existences to a set of
seemingly harsh laws -— voluntary
§ death at seventy to make way for the 1 next generation. and marriage only
permissible for the eldest son in each
family. 'l‘his 1983 'annes prizewinner is a frighteningly realistic portrayal of human survival in a hostile environment suffused
with ashockinglyearthysexuality.
Edinburgh; lil' l’ilmsoc
O Bambi (U) (David Hand. US. 1942) 72 mins. A simple story of a young forest deer. Distinguished by its scrupulous attention to detail and craftsmanship Bambi has lost none of its capacity to charm and enthral. Edinburgh; ()deon
.. 3:; _'.
extreme piece of satire, but the thrust of the lilm is a debunking oi the American Way oi Sex. China Blue is a victim of a society thriving on the tantasy of sexual tulillment which obscures any communication between the sexes; she leels she can only approach men as part of their fantasies, which she is able to transcend, but the film charts her progress towards a realisation that her sexual activities are not liberation but humiliation. Instead of misogyny, Russell is pointing the iingeratthe men who want to use rather than understand her.
It’s black, very black. Barry Sandler's brilliantly jocoserious script demonstrates how nasty much 01 our typical innuendo-based comedy really is by taking it shockingly over the edge. Russell helps matters greatly by playing it lairly straight and not undermining the strong material with unnecessary llamboyance. in a brave career move, Kathleen Turner's physical committment brings a good deal 01 pathos to her role and Perkins turns in his linest Norman Bates reprise yet. it's a visceral, quite hilarious (lor those who can cope with the humour) and controversial piece oi lilm-making which will surely provoke strong opinions in everyone who sees it. Make sure you're one at them. (Trevor Johnston)
OCINEMA TIMES AND DATES PAGE 260
France-Italy. 1968) Jane Fonda. 98 mins. In the 40th century a beautiful young space adventuress saves the universe. A fun-filled farrago of interstellar naughtiness. Glasgow: Grosvenor .
O The Big Chill (15) (Lawrence Kasdan. US. 1983) Glenn Close. Kevin Kline. William Hurt. 105 mins. A group ofcollege friends from the Sixties are unexpectedly reunited at the funeral ofone oftheir number who has committed suicide. During the weekend of friendship. fun and sex they reflect that yesterday all their troubles seemed so far away. Short on plot The Big Chill is rich in sardonic humour. pertinent music and expert ensemble acting. Glasgow; Grosvenor
0 Body lleat(18) (Lawrence Kasdan.
US. 1981) Kathleen Turner. William -
Hurt. 113 mins. Kasdan successfully reworks the films noirs ofthe 1940s to provide this sizzling Double Indemnity-style melodrama ofa lawyer and an alluring woman conspiring to murder her now unwelcome spouse. Turner‘s auspicious film debut. Glasgow; Grosvenor o Brimstone and Treacle ( 18) (Richard Loncraine. UK. 1982) Sting. Denholm Elliott. 87 mins. Sting is the charming young chap who ingratiates his way into a cosy middle-class household where a young girl lies in a coma. 111s subsequent rape of the girl helps rather than hinders her recovery. Strange brew ofa melodrama. well acted but unpersuasive. Glasgow; Grosvenor 0 A Camera 0i One‘s Own 1 15 ) 'i‘wo programmes presented by the .-\rts (‘ouncil l’ilm And Video 1 'tnbrella and selected by (’ordelia Swann and Tina Keane olshort films produced by young women lilm-makers. part of the generation which grew up with the women‘s moy ement of the 711s. .-\ccompanied by a special leaflet. the first programme (65 mins) will be introduced by Ms Swann on Tue 23 Apr. while the second selection will be screenedon '1‘hurs 1 May. lidinburgh; l’ilinhouse 0 Cardillac (Edgar Reitz. W Germany) Feature film from the director of11eimat currently unspooling all over BBCZ. The goldsmith (‘ardillac is so obsessed with his works that he cannot hear being separated from them and feels compelled to kill the buyers in order to regain his jewellery. Glasgow: German Cine-Club
0 Cat and Mouse (Hansjiirgen Pohland. W Germany. 1966) Mahlke. the hero ofthe film. strives for military honours in the shape of the Ritterkreuz, but only to cover up his large Adam's apple which is an acute embarrassment to him. Based on a Gunter Grass novel. this
features the two sons of Willy Brandt
in leading roles. Glasgow; German Cine-Club
0 Christiane ( lb’) ( L'lrich fidel. w i Germany. 1981 ) Natja Bruckhorsi. 1 Thomas llaustein. 131 mins. A i serni-documentary treatment of the lives of two young heroin addicts in
Berlin. Grittilv realistic. Edel's film I