FILM LIST
The Seventh Sign (15) (Carl Schultz, US, 1988) Demi Moore, Michael Biehn, Yurgeti Prochnow. 97 mins. Not since The Omen trilogy fizzled out with The Final Conflict has there been a more traditional ‘You Have Been Warned‘ apocalyptic thriller than The Seventh Sign. Carl Schultz' magical mythological mystery tour through the Book of Revelations is told with conviction by a team who trust the momentous epic chargetheirgripping theological tale carries. Although The Seventh Sign could be cynically interpreted as fundamentalist Born Again horror, it nevertheless heralds a welcome return to the intelligent genre movies of yesteryear before gore-soaked rubber by the yard became the substitute for quality story-telling.
The focal point of The Seventh Sign is Demi Moore‘s utterly captivating and tremendously moving performance. As the woman holding mankind's fate in her hands she‘s the emotional core of Schultz‘ compelling and literate doom-laden vision. Moore and Michael Biehn rent out their garage apartment to a sullen stranger, Jurgen Prochnow, who appears anywhere a cataclysmic event occurs— on a Haitian beach awash with dead sea-life, at a desert
performance is a superior entertainment. With a harder. c\ en funkier sound tliati on record. and the itiipositig sexual presence of'dancci‘ (at and Drummer Sheila 1'... this is hot stuff for the eyesand tlieears. lidinburgli: Filmliouse.
I The Singing Defective As part oftheir Dennis Potter season. (if-'1' are screening his controversial series starring Michael (iambon as the hospitalized Marlow . a writer try ing to complete his latest crime novel but beset by the neuroses ofa paiiittil emotional history . A showingov er two evenings sliotild allow viewers the chance to give the rich blend of memory. fantasy . and unpleasant reality the kindof sustained concentration the material undoubtedly deserves. (ilasgow : (it-'1'.
I Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( t ') (Walt Disney Productions. LS. 1937) Voices: Adriana (‘aselotti. Harry
Stockw ell. Lucille La Verne. 83 iiiitis. ()ne of the most enchanting and influential of animated features. The central character is a mite wet bit! the individualisticdwarfs. memorable songs atid superbly crafted backdrops and incidents make this an essetitial cinematic experience. Strathclyde: .'\.\l(‘('1ydebaiik ll). ()deoti Ay r. ()deon Hamilton.
I Something Wild ( 18) (Jonathan Demme. LS. 192%) Jeff Daniels. MelanieUriffith. Ray Liotta. 113 tiiitis. Best oftlic burgeoning y uppie-in-peril genre as business executive Daniels is w illineg led astray by the irresistible charms of ( iriffith only to find liimself'involv ed with getitiitie love and the frightening possessivcness of a psychoticex-beau. Kooky comedy and genuine thrillsarc artfully blended with a non-stop soundtrack of eclectic treats. Not to be tiiissed. fadinburgh: ('ameo.
I Stand By Me (Rob Reincr. LS. 1986) River Phoenix. Will Wlieatori. (‘orey Feldnian. Jerry ()‘(‘onncrs. Kcifer Sutherland. 88 mins. Based on a Stepheti Kiiig short story . this film recalls a childhood adventure for foursmall-town boy s w ho discover the whereabouts ofthe corpse of a missing boy. and decide toget there before the local totiglis. lt'sa charming rite dc passage which Reitier directs with a sure touch. carefully evading
THE SEVENTH SIGN
Israeli village frozen in ice and on a Nicaraguan river bank flowing with blood. As Moore is pregnant, her baby due on 29 February, could the mystic wanderer know something she doesn't? Unfortunately, yes. Prochnow is delivering the seven revelations foretold in ancient prophecy marking the advent of the apocalypse. And when she steps accidentally on one of the unopened parchments breaking the seal, only her unborn baby, faith and hope can change the course of the seventh sign related to the Hall of
sentimentality. lidinburgli: National Museum Of Scotland.
I Star Trek: The Motion Picture ( l’( 1) (Robert Wise. LS. 1979) William Shatncr. Leonard Nimoy. DeForrcst Kelly. 132 mins. Kirk and his crewof old-timers are recommissioncd to board the lintcrprisc once riiore and save the liartli from the unidentified alien probe fast approaching. Interminably dtill big screen adv enture with Spock and co. . unlike the series. there's far too much time and tiioncy to spend. (ilasgow : ()deon.
I Star Wars ( P(i) (George Lucas. 1 ‘S. 1977) Mark Hamill. (‘arrie Fisher. Harrison Ford. Alec ( iiiiness. 121 tiiitis. A long time ago in a galaxy far away. a band of young heroes fight to rescue a princess and save her planet from destruction. llugely influential and succcsf'ul space epic. a modern fairytale with laser swords. lidiriburgh: ('ameo.
IA Summer Story( IS) ( l’iet‘s l laggard. t'K. 1988) James Wilby. lniogen Stubbs. Susannah York. 95 iiiitis. Tasteful adaptation of a John (ialswothy story has city lawyer Wilbyon a rural jaunt fallitig for attractive peasant Stubbs without stopping to consider the differences iii social caste between them. The sort of attractively ptit together literary movie we British do best. or truly dtillsville: it all depends on your personal predilection. [{dinburgh: Dominion.
I Suspect(15)(1’etcr Yates.lfS.1987) ('her. Dennis ()uaid. Liam Neeson. llffi mins. Work-weary public defctidcr ( her is dumped with the case of an apparently barbaric down-arid-out Vietnam veteran on a murder charge over the savage killing of a young woman for a pathetic sum of money.
An old-fashioned. wintry thriller that really thrills with (‘her and Quaid bringing much needed conviction to their roles and screen partnership and Yates confidently adding a cold. bleak feel to the proceedings. suggesting a sense not of the aberration ofcrime but its commonplace frequency. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Taftin ( 18) 27': (Francis Megahy. lfK. 1988) Pierce Brosnan. Ray McAnally. Alison Doody. 9o tiiitis. 1n the title role
Souls.
Schultz' involving Biblical detective story does border on the pretentious at times and like his Iastfilm, Careful, He Might HearYou, is often overblown in the wrong areas. But by never resorting to cheap shock value, allowing the sobering escapism to succeed on old-fashioned narrative merit alone, The Seventh Sign triumphs on a surprising number of unusually high and commanding levels. (Alan Jones)
Pierce Brosnan is a disillusioned cx-pricst who earns a living as a debt collector 111;! small Irish coastal town. How ever. the atmosphere is sooti to be disrupted by ruthless businessman McAnally 's plans to build a huge chemical plant . his dctertiiination such that he is willing tousc violence against those w ho oppose him. It's left to the epotiy nious hero to statid tip for the tow nspeoplc.
Sltiggisli and unimaginative thriller. decently enough made btit w ith a secondhand feel from beginning toend. (ilasgow : (‘aiinon Sachichall Street. Strathclyde: A.\l(‘('lydcbank 111.
I Taxi Driveri 18) (Martin Scorsese. t 'S. 197(i) Robert De Niro. (‘y bill Shepherd. Jodie Foster. 114 tiiiiis. An alienated taxi driver in New York is so repelled by the squalor and the moral decay around him that lie is driven to terrible violence. ()nc of the key films of’tlie '7le with the Scorsese-De .\'iro partnership at its peak. Iidinburgli: ('anteo
I Three Men And A Baby ( f’( ii ( Leonard Nitiioy.17S. 1987) Tom Sellcck. Steve (iuttctiberg. Ted Danson. (‘eleste l lolm. 102 mins. A tt‘foolsnttfg. womanisinglads share a bachelor apartment. btit the arrival on their doorstep of the offspringof one of their careless affairs is soon to wreak havoc with their chic macho
lifestyle. Strathclydc: .-\.\f(‘(’1ydcbank 111.
I Three Men And A Cradle I I'mis Humnu's If! I 'It ( "(inf/in) (P( i ) ((‘oline Serreati. France. 1985) Roland ( iiraud. Michel Botijenah. Andre Dussolier. lfloiiiins. Three Parisian bachelors are left to look after a little French sprog iii the original version of the l lollywood hit remake. ('entral: Regal
I A Time To Die ( 15) (.lorge Ali Triana. ('lombia ('uba. 1985) (itistavo Angarita. Sebastian ()spina. 98 mins. After ciglitceti years in jail. a convicted murder rettirnsto his small home towti only to await the thirst for revenge of the tvso stilts w hose father he killed.
From a screenplay by (iabriel (iarcia Marquez. this is a very similar scenario to that of numerous pot-boiling Westerns. btit it does offer a skilled analysis oftlie historical and emotional raniificationsof
the vendetta demanded by art absurd code of honour. (ilasgow: (iF'I'.
ITrack 29( 18) ( .\'ic Roeg. t'K. 1988) Theresa Russell. (iary ()ldmati. (‘hristopher Lloyd. 9(1mins. Middle America. bored housewife Rttssell becomes increasingly lonely iii her marriage with eccentric surgeon Lloyd. a man with more time for his train set than his unhappy spouse. One day however. there appears strange Britislier ()ldman. w lio might be her long-lost son from a brutal teenage scxtial encounter at a fair. ()r he could simply be the product other frustrated imagination.
Brash btit unfruitful psychodrama. which doesn't really go anywhere despite ati ov er-abtindance of vistial and verbal trickery lidinburgli:(‘ameo I U2 Rattle And Hum ( Phil .loaiioti. L'S. l988)Bono.'1‘lie lidge. Adam('1aytoti. Larry Mullen. 99 tiiitis. l'Zonthcir worldwide Joshua free tour find themselves exploring the great tradition of American popular music as they record with BB. King and make a trip toSun Studios where lilvis first recorded. Intriguing mix of'stirring live footage and intimate documentary capturing a band in transition. often beautifully shot iii evocative monochrome. (ilgisgow'; (‘gmnun lidinburgli:(‘annoti Stratliclydc:.-\.\1(‘ ('lydeebank 111.
I The Untouchables ( 15) (Brian De Palma. LS. 1987) Keviti (‘ostner. Sean (‘oniieryu Robert De Niro. 119 tiiitis. The best American drama of 1987 as naive Treasury officer ( ’ostner. gritty lrish cop(’onnery (the part that woti him. as best supporting actor. his first ()scar). and a grotipof' incorruptibles tackle the bloated criminal empire of Prohibition kingpin Al Capone. ladinburgh: (‘anieo. I Up In Smoke i Loti Adler. t'S. 1978) (‘lieecli Marin. Tommy ('hong. Stacy Keacli. 117 mitts. Two LA dopeheads attempt to drive a van tiiade entirely otitof marijuana back home from Mexico. Slianibling festival ofdrug-rclated humour. (ilasgow : (irosvenor. I Wall Streett 15) a": (Oliver Stone. L'S. 1987)('har1ie Sheen. Michael Douglas. Daryl llannah.’1'erence Statiip. 129mins. (‘ontemporary robber baron and stockniarket legend (iordon (iekko (Douglas) takes a shine toambitiotis yuppie Bud Fox (Sheen) and eventually offers him the choice of becoming a ruthless player like himself. or maintaining his self-respect and integrity. impressive. engrossing drama that. for memorable dialogue and fluid cinematic skill remains comfortably ahead ofthe current pack. (ilasgow: (irosvenor. Stathelyde: A.‘vl(‘(‘1ydebank 111. I White Mischief( is) (Mike Radf'ord. L'K LS. 1987) (iretaScacchi.(‘harles Dance. .loss Ackland, lfl7 tiiiiis. Kenya. 1941 . Sir Jock Delves Brotightonshoots his wife's lover. Lord lirrol. and is acquitted by the colonial court.
Resoluter dreary African sexual shenanigans. lackadaisically acted and dreadfully slow. which manages to make w fiat sounds like qtiitc intriguing source material itito a cold and lumpy ptiddirigof a movie. lidinburgh: Filnihouse.
I Witness ForThe Prosecution (PG ) (Billy Wilder. LS. 1957) ('harles Laughton. Tyrone Power. Marlene Dietrich. 114 tiiitis. ('onvalescent ()(‘ Laughton takes on a routine case that leads him into a web of deceit in this courtroom drama tobeat them all. (‘racking dialogue. sortie miscasting. and a brilliant central perfortiiance cotitrive to make this a great entertainment. lidinburgh: Edinburgh l'niversity Film Society.
I Young Frankenstein ( 15) (Mel Brooks.
1 'S. 1974) (iene Wilder. (icne 1 lackman. Peter Boyle. 1118 tiiiiis. A splendidly accurate James Whale pastiche choe~full of memorable one-liners and crazee situations. Brooks' riiost affectionate and consistently humorous film. Glasgow: (irosvenor.
14 The List 11 — 2-1 November 1988