FILM LIST
Something Wild (18) (Jonathan Demme, US, 1986) Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffiths, Ray Liotta. 113 mins. The Yuppie In Peril seems to be fast becoming almost a sub-genre of American movie comedy these days. We’ve had Rosanna Arquette swapping lifestyles with Madonna in Susan Seidefman’s Desperately Seeking Susan, and Griffin Dunne marooned in a night-time downtown New York hinterland in Scorsese’s After Hours, but now Jonathan Demme surpasses both these notable efforts with Something Wild.
Here, Wall Street kid Charles Driggs (Jeff Daniels) oh-so-daringly strolls out of a café without paying and is accosted outisde by Lulu (Melanie Griffith), the young lady with the Louise Brooks bob and African jewellery who'd been lingering over coffee just a few tables away. He expects to be turned in, but she offers him a lift and, disregarding his protests, drives him to New Jersey. Later, as he begins to realise his own facility for rebellion, she handcuffs him to a bed in a seedy motel and drains the fuddy-duddy out of him once and for all, as itwere.
So far, so screwball, but aftera jolly jaunt to Pennsylvania (choruses of “Wild Thing’ in the open-top sports car along the way) to see Lulu's or rather Audrey’s mother and to make an unexpected visit to her high school reunion, things turn forthe worse when at the latter engagement who should turn up but Audrey’s ex-classmate, ex-con, ex-husband and full-time psythopath Bay (Ray Liotta) — who’s
Elliott. 117 mins. Crisp. immaculately designed and acted. near-perfect adaptation of the Ii. M. Forster novel in which a young English rose surrenders to romance in exotic Venice. (i1asgow:(iFl'. Edinburgh; Dominion
o The Secret of My Success ( PG) (Herbert Ross. US. 1987) Michael J. Fox. Helen Slater. Richard Jordan. 111 mins. Country bumpkin Fox strikes out for New York dtermined to make his mark in the cut-throat world of Big Apple big business.
Sleek. sleekly photographed
yuppie comedy that is entirely predictable and as obnoxious in its view of the world as Top (Jim but entertains in a mindless manner thanks to a sympathetic cast Glasgow; Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cannon. Lothian; Cannon. Strathclyde: Cannon (ireenock. Cannon Kilmarnock
o The Secret of the Sword (U) Animated. big-screen adventure of kids telly favourites lle-Man and She-Ra. Edinburgh: Dominion
0 Short Circuit ( PG) (John Badhatn. US. 1986) Ally Sheedy. Steven Guttenberg. Fisher Stevens. 98 mins. Formula rotnp in which a sophistricated military robot is struck by lightning and develops human characteristics. An [5. 'l‘. by any other name. (ilasgow: Salon
0 Sid and Nancy ( 18) (Alex Cox. UK. 1986) (iary ()ldman. Chloe Webb. David Hayman. llllmins. For the
SOMETHING WILD
somewhat aggrieved because dear Charlie appears to have a good thing going with the woman he still loves. Nastiness ensues, and one-time stuffed shirt Charlie soon gets the hang of fighting dirty.
Something Wild shares the same kooky humour and unpredictable narrative of its two esteemed predecessors and is as smartly enjoyable as either of them. Where it scores overthem though is the touching emotional resonance that the too-cool Susan and the cynical After Hours both rather lacked. The deftly-handled relationship between Charlie and Lulu created by wonderfully sympathetic performances from Jeff Daniels and Melanie Griffiths makes us really care about these two disparate personalities, whilst a
tnost part a breathlesst enjoyable biopic of the Sex Pistols‘ bassist and his girlfriend before getting bogged down in an interminable last half hour Iidinburgh; Filmhouse 0 Smooth Talk ( l5) (.loyce Chopra. US. 1985) Laura Dern. 'l‘reat Williams. Mary Kay Place. 91 mins. Fifteen year-old Connie spends the Californian summer days at the mall with her girlfriends. or at borne bickering with her parents. before meeting a handsome older man on a daring sally to the local burger joint. Wonderfully observed coming-of- age story for once seen frorn the young girl‘s point of view. Glasgow; (iFI' 0 Something Wild ( 18) fir (Jonathan Demme. US. 1986) Jeffl)aniels. Melanie (iriffith. Ray Liotta. 113 mins. See panel. (ilasgow; ()deon. Edinburgh; ()deon o The South ( 15/ Sur) ( L} ) (Victor [irice. Spain. 1983) 9-1 mitts. The director of The Spirit oft/1e Bee/rive delivers another sensitive portrait of a father-daughter relationship in which the young listrella’s childhood memories circle around her dead father and his love for a film actress. (ilasgow; (iFl‘ o Streets of Fire ( 15) (Walter 1 till. UK. 198-1) Michael Pare. Diane Lane. Rick Moranis. 9-) mins. When a rock singer is kidnapped her former boyfriend rides to the rescue. Swaggering comic-strip rock 'n' roll fable that is hard to take seriously. (ilasgow; (iFI‘
finely-judged villain in Ray Liotta who never veers into hammy loony territory makes the threat posed to their sattey in the edge-of-the-seat last half-hour all the more biting.
Great movie. All the parts fit together like they were made for each other. Moving effortlessly from flip comedy to emotional insight, to explosive violence with a plethora of just-so details and distinguished along the way, this is a smart piece of entertainment made by people who treat their audience with a little savvy. A soundtrack to be savoured - David Byrne, John Cole, reggae, African and more—and intelligently used too ifl may say so, make this one forthe connoisseurs. Get hip to it, y'all. (Trevor Johnston)
0 Sweet Dreams ( 15) (Karel Reisz. US. 1985) Jessica Lange. Ed Harris. Ann Wedgeworth. 115 mins. The story of cottntry and western star Patsy Cline. concentrating on the see-saw oftensions between her career aspirations and a turbulent marriage to the beer guzzling Charlie Dick. llighly praiseworthy Oscar-nominated unsentitnental biopic. Edinburgh; Filmhouse
0 The Tenant ( 18) ( Rotnan Polanski. France. 1976) Roman Polanski. Isabelle Adjani. 126 mins. A Polish immigrant moves into a Paris apartment and finds himself gradually adopting the personality of the former occupier. a young woman. Edinburgh; Cameo
o Tenue de Soirée ( l8) (Bertrand Blier. France. 1986) (ierard Depardieu. Miou-Miou. Michel Blane. 85 mins. Outrageous menage a trois black comedy wit Depardieu as a randy gay burgler who steals the mouse-like Blane away frorn his bossy gold-digging partner. A wild and rambling mess Glasgow; (iFI' 0 To Be Or Not To Be (PG) (Iirnst Lubitsch. US. 19-12) Jack Benny. Carole Lombard. Sig Rutnan. 99 mins. Deliciously black wartime satire as a troupe of Polish actors in occupied Warsaw help the local resistance by impersonating Nazi officers.Edinburgh; Filmhouse
0 To Live And Die In LA( 18) (William Friedkin. US. 1986) William Petersen. Willen Dafoe. 116 mins. Director Friedkin has a go at
updating his earlier French Connection in this violent and cynical thriller that follows the trail of two unscrupulous FBI agents on the tail of a psychotic counterfeiter. As in its predecessor the highlight is an astonishing car chase. this time along the wrong side of a freeway at rush hour. (31asgow;(il~'l‘
o Toute Une Nuit( 15) (Chantal Akerman. Belgium/France. 1982) Angela Abazoglou. Natalia Akerrnan. 89 mins. During one long. steamy night in a European city a kaleidoscope of amorous encounters takes shape. Chantal Akerman's genuinely stylish movie dances through the encounters by tantalizineg offeringonly significant glimpses ofeach of the myriad love stories leaving tts to fill in the rest ourselves. Lithe. sensuous film-making Edinburgh: Filtnhouse 0 Trouble in Mind ( 15) (Alan Rudolph. US. 1985) Kris Kristofferson. Keith Carradine. (ienevieve Bujold. 112 mins. Rudolph's phantastnagorical blend ofgangster tnovie. fantasy melodrama. and mode m day western. with desperate characters trying to go straight in the tnoral playground of Rain City Edinburgh; Filmhouse
0 Trouble in Paradise ( 1:) (lirnst [-ubitsch. US. 1932) Miriam llopkins. Herbert Marshall. Edward Everett llorton. 83 mins. 'l‘ypically elegant Lubitsch froth about two jewel thieves turned lovers whose romantic bliss is interrupted by the allure oftheir latest pretty victim. Edinburgh; Filmhouse
o The Trouble with Girls ( PU) (Peter 'l‘ewkesbury. US. 1969) Elvis Presley. Sheree North. Vincent Price. 111-) mins. ()ne ofthe better Iatterday Presley vehicles with the King as the manager ofa medicine show in the 192(ls. (iood cast. Edinburgh; Cameo
0 True Stories 9PM) ( David Byrne. US. 1986) David Byrne. Spalding (iray.John(ioodman. 88mins. Writer Director Starand 'l'alking lleads frontman Byrne is ottr gttide to the mythical small town of \r'irgil in Texas where we are introduced to the variously charming and idiosyncratic inhabitants. Edinburgh; Filmhouse
0 Vamp ( 18) (Richard Wenk. LS. 1986) Chris I‘vlakepiece. Sandy Baron. (irace Jones. 94 mins. ()ut-of—town undergrads come to town in search ofa stripper fora frat party and wind up in the After Dark Strip Club. where the attractions. much to the peril of the two boys. turnout to be voracious vampires. La Jones finally gets the role she was born to play in this occasionally exploitative. intermittently engaging recent addition to the catalogue of" Hollywoodvampirelore. (ilasgow; (iFI‘
0 West Side Story ( PU) (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. CS. 1961) Natalie Wood. Richard Beytner. Rita Moreno. 152 mins. Disregarding the inadequate central performances and the inordinate running time this is a vibrant screen adaptation of the Broadway hit Edinburgh; Filmhouse
The List Ill - 23 July 13