I This section aims to provide a review of every film to be seen in central Scotland over the next lortnight. For programme times see individual cinema listings.
(Ul- Universal, suitable lor all ages.
(PG) - Parental Guidance suggested as some scenes may be unsuitable loryounger children.
(15)- No one underthe age at 15admitted. (18)— No one under the age ol18admitted. a — New Release.
I L'Adolescente ( 15) (.leanne Moreau. France. 1979) Laetitia (‘hauy cau. Simone Signoret. lidith ('lever. 91) mins. During the last golden summer before World War Two at young girl struggles with the emotional problems of maturity and first love. A heartfelt if modest nostalgic anecdote. also written by Moreau and
Robocop (18) (Paul Verhoeven, US. 1987) PeterWeller, Nancy Allen, Ronny Cox, Kurtwood Smith. 103 mins. Dutch director Paul Verhoeven tullills two ambitions simultaneously in his luturistic thriller Robocop: to make a science fiction movie, and to do so in America, where the advanced special ellects technology exceeds anything he could produce in his native Holland. It the joins show a little here and there, doubtless down to budget restrictions, the director has produced a slickly paced, explicitly violent thriller which has all the hallmarks of a cult favourite
The film is set in Old Detroit in the near luture, where the police force are stretched beyond their capacity to cope with the title at vicious urban street crime which is turning the city into a warzone. A major corporation specialising in armaments wishes to build Delta City, a dream city of the
on the schlock circuit for years to come.
featuring the always welcome Signoret as the girl's wise old grandmother. (ilasgow; French (‘ine-(‘lub
IAlien ( 18) (Ridley Scott. l'S. 1979) Sigourney Weaver. Ian llolm. John Hurt. 116 mins. Agatha (’hristie in outer space as a freighter lands on a mysterious planet and is ingeniously invaded by a ravenous intruder which suspensefully proceeds to Chomp its way through the cast list. Glasgow; (il’l‘
IAliens ( 18) (James Cameron. US. 1986) Sigourney Weaver. Michael Biehn. 137 mins. Revived from a 57 year-old snooze in deep space. Warrant Officer Weaver is cajoled into joining a marine rescue mission to the planet that is home forthe original alien. L'nrelentingly paced with a terrific performance from Weaver. this nerve-shredding sequel not only matches its predecessor but cannily surpasses it. An ()scar-winner for special effects. Intense. Glasgow; (il'vl‘
I Almonds and Raisins ( 1' ) ( Russ Karel.
FILM LIST
an entertaining and intriguing
UK. 1983)9(1mins. Orson Welles narrates I
documentary on the Yiddish cinema whicl
flourishes in New York in the 1930s. Edinburgh: Royal Scottish Museum. Chambers Street
IAngel Heart ( 18) (Alan Parker. US. 1987) Mickey Rourke. I.isa Bonet. Robert De Niro. l 13 mins. Scruffy private eye Harry Angel is hired by the mysterious Louis ( 'yphre to track down a missing l-‘orties' crooner who has reneged on a life-or-death deal. His investigationslead
him to a seedy New Orleans dominated by 1
voodoo cults and a trail of extremely dead bodies. (ilasgow; (irosvenor I Ashes and Diamonds ( 15) ( Andrzej
Wajda. Poland. 1958) Zbigniew('ybulski. ;
liwa Krlyanowska. Adam Paw likowski. 96 mins. the final film in Wajda's war trilogy is also the best; a stark portrait of the quasi-peace that existed in Poland at the end of World War Two as various factions struggled to gain control ofa country shattered in fragments. ('ybulski. the Polish James Dean. is a disillusioned resistance fighter torn between battling on. or finding a few moments of love. One of the most successful Polish films ever made. Ashes and Diammtds uses a dazzling array of cinematic techniques to capture the anxiety and despair of a nation caught in an invidious destiny. lidinburgh; [it 'l‘S I Autobiography of a Princess 1 l ' ) (James lvory. lfK. 1975) Madhur .laffrey..lames Mason. 59 mins. A film of memory set among contrasting Indian exiles now resident in Britain. .laffrey is the imperious princess who hosts an annual tea party for her late father'sprivate secretary. a figure partly based on liM.
ROBOCOP
next century, on the Old Detroit site, and evolves a plan to place crime prevention under their control. When a robot spectacularly lails its test, an up-and-coming young executive outwits his superior and gets his own programme in lirst.
Which is where the Robocop, part machine and part Murphy. a policeman murdered by the local hoods, comes in. Let loose in the city, he sets about cleaning up the streets, while trying to remember his human origins. The working out of the various sub-plots - Murphy’s revenge, dedicated public servants against sell-interested private enterprise, the involvement of corporation figures in crime themselves- unwinds in rather predictable fashion, but it all cracks along at a lair old pace, with several genuinely gruesome come-uppances meted out (don't say you weren't warned). Alongside the more obvious
' we VI.»
Forster andJ.R. Ackereley and playcdto nondcscript perfection by Mason Documentary films of olden days spark reminiscing that shows them both to be outsiders but in differing way s lidinburgh; l‘ilmhouse I Bambi ( l') (David Hand. 1 'S. 19-13) ‘3 mins. A simple story of a young forest deer and his growth through the changing seasons. An evergreen charmer complete with memorable songs and 'l‘humper. (ilasgoyv; ()deon; lidinburgh; ()deon I The Belly of an Architect( 15 ) ( Peter (ireenaway. l'K Italy. 1987) Brian Dennehy. (‘hloe Webb. lambert Wilson. 118 mins. Distinguished American architect Stourley Kracklite arriy es in Rome to mount an exhibition in memory of his 18th century predecessor one liticnnc LouisBoulee (iradually.ashis health deteriorates. he becomes convinced that his faithlcss. pregnant wife is trying to poison him.
A malestic performance by the burly Dennehy adds a brutal emotional streak to this typically elegant crossword puzzle of a (ireenawy film which makes exemplary use of its sumptuous Roman locations asit winds upon its ey er intriguing w ay. lidinburgh; l~'ilmhouse I Betty Blue ( IX) (Jean-Jacques Beinelx. l'rance. 198(1) .lean Hughes Anglade. Beatrice Dalle. 1le mins. ‘l cmpestuous
loy c gone mad as an older handy man and a free spirited woman embark on a passionate. peripatctic fling that ends in tragedy. l’ilmed with a dazzling technique and an irritating emptiness by the maker of Him. lidinburgh; til 'l'S
IThe Big Heatllblll‘ril/lang.18.19531 (ilenn l-‘ord. (iloria ( irahamc. l.ee Marvin 911 mins. Muscular lhrrllcras
M442?“
thriller elements of the plot runs a quite ’ the action. but they may we" be 1081i"
incisive critique of contemporary American society, mainly in the frequent news bulletins incorporated in
the rush to catch the blood and bullets (Kenny Mathieson).
_ . _ -.-_._- .1
The List 5 — l8 Februarv 198811