FILM LIST
with the beautiful people of rich Roman society and is ambivalently shocked and fascinated by the vigour oftheir excessive decadence. Everything you ever wanted from a Fellini movie -- black humour. grotesque sexuality. inspired visual imagination and the wonderful Marcello. See it. Glasgow: GET. I Do The Right Thing ( 18) (Spike Lee. US. 1989) Spike Lee. Danny Aiello. ()ssie Davis. John Turturro. 119 mins. New York’s deprived Redford-Stuyvesant district on the hottest day of the summer. and racial tension escalates between Italian-American Sal (Aiello) and his two sons. the proprietors of a popular pizzeria. and the mainly black local community who make up the bulk of his customers. Asthe situation worsens and the option of violence looks a possibility. Sal's black delivery boy Mookie (Lee) ponders how to do the right thing. forceful exploration of the socio—econornic and cultural causes behind endemic white racism. Lee‘s film also operates as a tightly-controlled multi-character drama. Glasgow: Gl’l‘. I Eight Men Out( 15) (John Sayles. US. 1988) John (‘usack. John Mahoney. Charlie Sheen. 120 mins. Chicago 1919. and with baseball players unhappy about their mediocre levels of pay. gamblers approach the White Sox to fix the World Series. and soon they seem to be purposefully losing their matchesagainst the rival Red Sox team. The media however suspect that mischief is afoot. and it takes a good deal of corruption and bribery before the matter finally winds up in court. Disappointing effort from Sayles. its attempt to blow the gaffe on America's national pastime hampered by an overabundance of plotting and a paucity of character. Iidinburgh: Filmhouse. I A Fish Called Wanda ( 15) (Charles Crichton. l'K. 1988) John Cleese.Jamie Lee Curtis. Kevin Kline. Michael Palin. Tom Georgeson. 1118 mins. Stuffy English lawyer Archie Leach (Cleese ) gets unwittineg involved with a gangof diamond thieves. including brash American Kline and stammering animal lover Palin. because he has access to information that will help them lay their hands on the swag. Glamorous Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) steps in to romance him into talking. but love is to rearits head. Remarkably effective comedy. with the absurdly black humour of the Python generation given a narrative control and sense of timing that only a veteran's steady hand could provide. And it makes a wonderful romantic lead otit of the rather unlikely MrCleese. lidinburgh: I’ilttthouse. I The Flyt lh’) (David Cronenberg. CS. 1986) Jeff ( ioldblum. ( ieena Davis. Brilliant reconceptualization of the original 1958 camp classic with Goldblum highly effective as the scientist whose experiments in teleportation go disastrously wrong. and Davis no less impressive as the love of his life. Special effects superlativer revolting. tension sustained throughout. lidinburgh: ()deon. Strathclyde: I’CI Clydebank 1(1. IThe F|y2( 13):“: (Chris \Valas. t's.19s9) Eric Stoltz. Daphne Zuniga.1.ee Richardson. 1115 mins. See panel. Glasgow: ('annon The Forge. ( )deon. Salon. Izdinburgh: ()deon. Strathclyde: Kelburne. ()deon Ayr. ()deon llamilton. L'Cl Clydebank 111. I Grease (PG) (Randal Kleiser. I'S. 197S)John 'l ravolta. Stockard Charming. Olivia Newton John. 111) mins. The long-running broadway show arriveson screen dripping with ‘Slls nostalgia. cheery tunes. a high camp value and the winsome charms of the plastic Newton-John and the toothy 'I ravolta. A nice collection of old timers enhance the Cast. lzdinburgh: Filmhouse. I Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade ( l’( 3) (Steven Spielberg. I'S. l9S9)IIarrison l-‘ord. Sean Connery . Alison Doody. Denholrn lilliot. 127 mins. The third and
supposedly final instalment ofSpielberg's bumper blockbuster series. in which the archaeological adventurer is joined by his father (Connery) for a romp through the Middle East in search of the I Ioly Grail. hotly pursued (as ever) by the Nazis. A rather dodgy would-be Christian morality and a more-of-the-same-ish plot are offset by strong performances from Ford and Connery and technical bravura. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cannon. Dominion. Central: Cannon. Regal. Strathclyde: La Scala. UCI Clydebank ll).
I The Inquisitor Currie A Vue ( 15) (Claude Miller. France. 1981 ) Lino Ventura. Michel Serrault. Guy Marchand. Romy Schneider. 88 mins. Miller in fine fettle. with a slow and wordy but tense and ultimately surprising plot. involvinga respected citizen accused of rape. who
undergoes police interrogation. Glasgow: I (if’l .
I The Karate Kid Part 3(1’0) (John (3. Avildsen. US. 1989) Ralph Macchio. Noriyuki ‘Pat' Morita. Thomas Ian Griffith. 111 mins. In thisinstalment Daniel (Macchio) and his coach Mr Miyagi (Morita) are driven apart when the young martial arts expert agrees against his mentor's advice to take part in another karate tournament. but the source ofthe pressure placed upon him can be traced back to unscrupulous millionaire Silver (Thomas). whose hobby seems to be turning innocent young lads to nastiness. The fight sequences. as ever. are the highlights. but the signs are there ofa certain running out of creative steam.
Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. Odeon. Edinburgh: Odeon. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank ll).
I Kick Boxer ( 18) (David Worth. US. 1989) Jean Claude Von Damme. Dennis Alexio. 105 mins. At the International Karate Association's Kick-Boxing Championships in Long Beach. California. the brothers Sloane battle it out in pyjamas and bandaged feet. In the wake of Karate K1213 are we witnessing the revival of the Kung Fu movie? To be Bruce Lee frank about it who needsit'.’ Strathclyde:UClClydebank1(1.
I Lair Of The White Worm (The) ( 18) (Ken Russell. UK. 1988) Amanda Donohoe. Hugh Grant. Catherine Oxenberg. Peter Capaldi. 93 mins. The Peak District. and the legend of the monstrous D‘Ampton Worm turns out to perhaps be more than that when Lady Sylvia Marsh (Donohoe) turns out to be none other than the white worm's immortal snake-priestess. her need for plentiful supplies ofvirgin blood explaining a spate ofdisappearances in the area. Mad Ken Russell appears to have set out to make a piece of schlock. and here he more than succeeds. although the feverish sexuality of the dream sequences come across much better than his lacklustre attempts at tension. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I The Land Before Time (U) (Don Bluth. US. 1989) 86 mins. Latest animated feature from Disney graduate Bluth follows the fortune oforphaned Brontosaurus Littlefoot. who loses his mum to the claws ofa nasty Tyrannosaurus Rex befroe teaming up
— THE FLY II
The Fly II (18) (Chris Walas, 1989, US 1989) Eric Stoltz, Daphne Zuniga. 105 mins. Sequel Mania continues its rather well trodden unimaginitive path into boredom, embodied this time in the blood-ridden form of ‘The Fly ll‘. David Cronenberg's ‘The Fly' (1986), a remake of the rather ludicrous 1958 original, was a beautifully crafted horror film complete with great photography, outstanding special effects and genuine suspense. Chris Walas was the ‘talent' behind the gruesome abominations in ‘The Fly’ but somehow has managed to bring himself down to the rathertiring role of director, creating a pastiche of well known horror/science-fiction films, and has left the special effects to the mutated dog which appears in the film. The widow of Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum's character inthe predecessor) gives birth to their son,
Martin Brundle, who develops at an incredible rate in size and intellect— unlike the film. At the age of five (physically around 21), he is confident to continue the outstanding work of his demised father and attempts to perfect teleportation techniques. Unfortunately he stumbles across some Hollywood cliches and starts to stalk dark corridors late at night, picks up a girlfriend and finally mutates into a supposedly terrifying monster.
What is really lacking in this film is character study. ‘The Fly‘ had three central characters who all interacted to provide emotion, humour and suspense. ‘The Fly ll’ offers us 3 Kyle Makachlan lookalike whom we cannot sympathise with as his character development is suffocated by the evil scientists who are studying his progress — not of course for science but for military purposes, accompanied by such marvellous dialogue as ‘1 want to take over life on this planet as we know it'. The ending of the film is so supremely moronic that it is worth paying just to see it. It also paves the way for ‘The Fly III‘ which undoubtedly will arrive soon as ‘The Fly 11’ has sadly been a success in the US.
If you enjoy horror films just for their gore content and not their credibility then you will undoubtedly thrill to see another 57 gallons of blood spilled anywhere predictable. My advice is to ignore this waste ofcelluloid.
(Dylan Matthew)
Preview Fri 1. Edinburgh: Odeon.
From Fri 8. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge, Ddeon, Salon. Edinburgh: Odeon. Strathclyde: Kelburne, Odeon Ayr, Odeon Hamilton, UCI Clydebank
with a gang of similarly parentlcss wee dinos to undertake the hazardousjourney across country to the safety of the Great Valley. Classically drawn and chockful of edifying moral lessons. this is solid entertainment perfectly tailored to the demands of its target audience ofvery young children. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank 10. I Lawrence 0f Arabia (PG) (David Lean. UK. 1962) Peter O’Toole. Alec Guiness. Jack Hawkins. Omar Sharif. 222 mins. Lean‘s mammoth desert epic is at last restored to its director's original cut and back on the big screen where film-making on this scale belongs. ()‘Toole‘s debut as engimatic adventurer still impresses. but apart from the majestic action sequences. it‘s the disturbing sense of clinical and cold-blooded violence hanging over the highly literate characterisation that today seems especially striking. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. I Licence To Kill (15) (John Glen. UK. 1989) Timothy Dalton. Carey Lowell. Talisa Soto. Robert Davi. 133 mins. The latest Bond flick has Timbo Dalton once more attempting to act himselfback into the shoes of vintage Connery and a straightforward though rather low-powered narrative drive that involves the credible machinations of nasty South American drug dealer Sanchez (Robert Davi). As for the lasses. there‘s ‘Plain ()ld Bimbo‘ bimbo Soto. the Latin plaything of both men. or there's ‘Woman ofthe Eighties‘ bimbo Carey Lowell. who‘s allowed to have a brain and be feisty; gratuitous sadism and an eye-catching truck chase. Glasgow: Odeon. Edinburgh: Dominion. ()deon. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank ll). WMR Film Centre. I Life Of Brian ( 15)(Terry Jones. UK. 1979) Graham Chapman. Terry Jones. John Cleese. Michael Palin. Eric Idle. 93 mins. The Gospel According to Monty Python offended a whole host of religious dominations upon its initial release. which rather obscured the fact that behind the controversy lay what still remains their most sustained exercise in lunatic English humour. A host of very funny set piece scenes and smart cameos from all the team climaxes in a rather fetching musical crucifixion. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I Mad Max II (18) (George Miller. Australia. 1981) Mel Gibson. Bruce Spence. 94 mins. [ixhilarating post-Apocalypse adventure. pure cinema and the highpoint ofthe series. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome(15) (George Miller St George ()gilvie. Australia. 1985) Mel Gibson. Tina Turner. 107 mins. Max is hailed as the new Messiah by a group ofchildrcn and faces the challenge ofTina's queen of Bartertown in this overblown disappointment. Edinburgh: Cameo. I My Left Foot (Jim Sheridan. Eire, U K. 1989) Daniel Day Lewis. Ray McAnally. Brenda Fricker. 9(1mins. Day Lewis gives an extraordinary. committed performance in this moving yet unsentimental account of Dubliner ( ‘hristy Brown‘s brave struggle to become both a painter and a novelist while cerebral palsy meant he could control only his left foot. Day Lewis himself will be present for a special preview screening of the film. which is due to open in the next fortnight. lidinburgh: Filmhouse. I Mac and Me (U ) (Stewart Raffill. US. 1988) Christine libersole. Jonathan Ward. Tina Caspary. 100 mins. Mac is in factan acronym for .‘llysleri'uus Alien ( Nature in this kiddies' adventure that follows the cute little extraterrestrial'searthbound encounters with a gang of four young chums. And yes it does sound a lot like Spielberg's 1-."1‘. Glasgow: ()deon. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr. UCI Clydebank It). WMR Film Centre. I Mapantsula(15)(()liver Schmitz. S. Africa. 1988) Thomas Mogotlane.
2'3*1‘~'h.-rir.. 1— i4 September 1989