FILM LIST
Thcmbi Mtshali. Peter Sephuma. 106 mins. Small-time Soweto thief Panic (Mogotlane) is interested only in snatching handbags and carousing in local shcbeens. However. when he is picked up and interned with a number oftrade unionists. his brutal experiences behind bars help him to formulate a more committed attitude to the struggle against apartheid. Filmed under the noses ofthe white authorities. this remarkable film is the most authentic screen examination we have of life in the townships. and while a little lacking in narrative drive or emotional appeal. the quiet power it generates comes from the total conviction of its hard realism. Glasgow: GFI‘. I Married To The Mob ( l5) (Jonathan Demme. US. 1988) Michelle Pfeiffer. Dean Stockwell. Matthew Modine. 104 mins. Mafia wife Angela De Marco (Pfeiffer) finds herselfa widow after her hubby slips into the jacuzzi with Tony ‘The Tiger‘ Russo (Stockwell)'s best girl. Escaping to a new neighbourhood. she hopes to start afresh. but one kill ain't enough for this tiger. who follows her in pursuit ofa bit more meat. When FBI agent Mike Downey (Modine) finds himselfon the case. things hot up. . .or rather don't. because despite the quirky hallmarks of Demme's off-the-wall irony. so successful in Something Wild and Stop Making Sense. the plot is predictable and slow. and the actors seem dragged down with it. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I My Beautiful Laundrette ( 15) (Stephen Frears. UK. 1985) Daniel Day Lewis. Roshan Seth. Gordon Warnccke. Shirley Anne Field. 97 mins. A young Asian from South London is given the chance to manage his uncle's lauiidrette which he and his cx-skinhead boyfriend transform into the latest word in laundromats. Made forTV. the film nevertheless attracted some critical acclaim though has proved somewhat of a puzzle to those neither homosexual nor Asian. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I The Navigator ( 15) (Vincent Ward. NZ. 1988) Bruce Lyons. Chris I laywood. Hamish McFarlane. Marshall Napier. 92 mins. In medieval Cumbria. a lad named Griffin dreams up a mysterious mission to save his fellow villagers from the Plague. The answer is simple: dig a hole to New Zealand. On arrival on the other side of the world. the bewildered villagers find themselves in the present day. and must confront a nightmare world ofcars. televisions and post-industrial cynicism. Ward's extravagant imagination will not please everyone. but for those willing to suspend belief and accept this film's ambiguity. it is a delightful tour de force. Glasgow: GFT. I 91/2 Weeks ( 18) (Adrian Lyne. US. 1985) Mickey Rourke. Kim Basinger. 113 mins. Divorcee Basinger becomes a slave to love when she succumbs to the stubbly charms ofcommodities broker Rourke. Empty-headed designer bonking. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Pelle The Conqueror ( 15) (Billie August. Denmark. 1988) Max Von Sydow. Pelle Hvengaard. Erik Passke. 150 mins. This year's Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film at last gets a British release. August 88's heavyweight literary adaptation has Von Sydow (also nominated for a statuette) and young son Pelle ( l lvengaard) emigrating from Sweden for a better life in Denmark. but finding only the hardships of back-breaking labour and unscrupulous bosses. Glasgow: GFT. I La Petite Voleuse The Little Thief ( 15) (Claude Miller. France. 1989) Charlotte Gainsbourg. Didier bezace. Simon De La Brosse. 110 mins. Provincial France in the Fifties and Janine (Gainsbourg) isan awkward sixteen year-old being brought up by an uncaring aunt. Desperate to enter adult life. she leads a life of petty theft and gets involved with a married man. before finding love with a boyish young biker and furthering hercriminal
record. A familiar adolescent odyssey is given new freshness by the perky performance of the wonderful Ms Gainsbourg. and by director Miller's typically wise and sympathetic approach to all his characters. Adapted from a screenplay written (but never filmed by) the late Francois Truffaut. Glasgow: GFI‘.
I Physical Evidence (Michael Crichton. USA. 1989) Burt Reynolds.Theresa Russell. Kay Lenz. 1le mins. Reynoldsas tough cop. already on suspension. who is arrested for murder; Russell as small-time lawyer making big by defending him. The stars make effective work of a script which overcomes its cliches and melodrama under Crichton‘s intelligent direction and scripting. Especially effective isthe anti-sexism embodied in what could be Russell's best-ever performance. A strong. punchy thriller. Glasgow: ()deon. Edinburgh: ()deon.
I Police Academy 6: City Under Siege ( P0) (Paul Bonerz. US. 1989) George Gaines. G.W. Bailey. Matt McCoy. ()1) mins. The laff-a-minute boys in blue take on a crime ring in this latest instalment of the series that explores new depths in infantile comedy. They stopped showing these to the press ages ago. So there is a (iodafter all. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank ll).
I Radio Days (PG) (Woody Allen. US. 1987) Mia Farrow. Seth Green. Diane Keaton. 8‘) mins. Amiably laid back family recollections of the early Forties and the golden age of the wireless. Potpourri of modest charm held together by an armful of reliable performances front old lugs and the usual flashes ofwit and wisdom. A pleasant time fillerfor both director and audience. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Rain Man ( 15) (Barry Levinson. US. 1988) Dustin Hoffman. Tom Cruise. Valeria (iolino. 1 1-1 mins. lmpecunious smalltime hustler Charlie Babbitt (Cruise) ends tip kidnapping his previously unknown autistic savant brother Raymond ( l loffman ). when their late father leaves his $3 million fortune to the latter. However. as the two cross America by road genuine feelings of fraternal affection well tip between them. The 1989 major Oscar winner is a warmhearted and touching buddy movie that scrupulously avoids sentimentality. and boasts a detailed performance from Hoffman that skilfully elicits both compassion and frustration. Central: MacRobert Arts Centre.
I The Return of The Musketeers ( PG) (Richard Lester. UK. France. 1989) Michael York. ()liver Reed. Richard
‘4 Sex, Lies and Videotape (18) :12- (Steven Soderbergh, US, 1989) Andie McDowell, Laura San Giacomo, James Spader, PeterGallagher. 101 mins. After all the ballyhoo that succeeded 26 year-old hotshot Steven Soderbergh quite remarkably picking up the Cannes Palme d‘Orwith this his first feature, the movie itself now arrives in Britain. This is how it goes. The sex: John (Peter Gallagher) is bedding his siter-in-law Cynthia (Laura San Giacomo). The lies: they omit to tell his wife/her sisterAnn (Andie McDowell). The videotape: John's black-clad buddy Graham (James Spader) gets his rocks off by taping the sexual confessions of young women.
Reduced to the merest salacious details of such a synopsis, you might be inclined to wonderjust what all the fuss is about. Yet, it is a strikingly assured piece of work. From the start, the languid pacing and low-key emoting establish a rigorous tonal control that is to be the foundation for the film's urbane confrontation with the deeply personal aspects of each individual's sexuality.
The video revelations, the highly physical alfair,the emphasis on
SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE
masturbation, all these elements highlight the setting aside of brute desire and sheer orgasmic gratification from the meaningfulness of communication between two partners. Thus, it asks you the viewerwhether you‘re doing the same thing, and the sense of involvement that the spectator accordinglythen derives from the film is most likely the key to its holding power.
The uniformly excellent performances contribute theirfair share too, with the bloodrush sexuality of Laura San Giacomo making a perfect contrast with James Spader’s carefully poised exercise in glacial aloofness. A couple of scenes strut right into instant classic-dom: her reminiscing about the first time she ever came across a penis, and his dinner table monologue extolling the virtues of the one-key lifestyle, both evidence of Soderbergh'stalentfor wittin offhand observation. True, the final resolution is just a little too pat, but here’s one movie where the opening hour at least just doesn’t put a foot wrong. (Trevor Johnston)
From Fri 8. Edinburgh: Cameo.
Chamberlain. C. Thomas Howell. Kim Cattrall. loomins. The 17th century. Twenty years after their original adventures. the fab Four Muskeeters. (D’Artagnan. Aramis. Porthos and Athos). re-form to fight against France’s corrupt new ruler Cardinal Mazarin. who‘s in league with the unscrupulous Justine (Cattrall). the daughter oftheir former arch-enemy M'lady. in planningto depose the boy king Louis XIV and retain complete control over the country.
With its creaking pace. creakinglimbs and a creaking script. one wonders whether the world was really crying out for another Musketeers film. least ofall this one. Glasgow: ()deon. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank It).
I Round Midnight ( 15) (Bertrand Tavernier. US'Francc. 1986) Dexter Gordon. Francois Cluzet. Lonettc McKee. 133 mins. Late 1950s Paris. anda young French jazz fan plays willing minder to bebop legend Dale Turner. engagingly played by real life maestro Gordon. lest he drink his weary body into the grave. Relentlessly touching character study with some fine music. Strathclyde: Paisley Arts Centre.
I The Rutles ( Eric Idle. UK. 1978) Eric Idle. Michael Palin. Neil Innes. (ilimins. Subtitled A I! You Need Is ( 'asli this spoof pop biog of a very different Fab Four isa spin-off from Eric Idle‘s controversialTV series Rut/and Weekend 'l'elevision. Watch out for contributions from Mick Jagger and Honest Ron Wood. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Scandal ( 18) (Michael Caton-Jones. UK. 1989) John Hurt.Joanne Whalley-Kilmer. Ian McKellen. Bridget Fonda. 114 mins. Stylish and involving treatment of the 1963 Profumo affair. which looks at the the tangled love life of Christine Keelcr (Whalley-Kilmer) who numbers War Minister John Profumo (McKellen) and Russian agent Eugene lvanov (Jeroen Krabbe) among her sexual partners. and exposes the establishment's hypocritical treatment of her mentor Stephen Ward (Hurt) when the scandal broke. Assured debut for young Scots director Caton-Jones combines story-telling poise and emotional punch with a knowing sexuality offlip entertainment value. John Hurt is extremely sympathetic in thisoutstanding British film. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I See No Evil, Hear No Evil (15)(Arthur llillcr. US. 1989) Gene Wilder. Richard Pryor. Joan Severance. 107 mins. See panel. Glasgow: Cannon Clarkston Road. Cannon The Forge. Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Grosvenor. Edinburgh: Cannon. Central: Allanpark. Caledonian. Cannon. Strathclyde: Cannon. UCI Clydebank 11). I La Senyora (Jordi Cardena. Spain. 1987) Silvia Tortosa. Hermin Bonnin. 95 mins. Teresa (Tortosa) is married off to old Nicolau (Bonnin). whose lovemaking extends to the presentation of a thiiiible of semen. When he dies she liankers after her nephew. who himself manages toexpire before their passion is consummated. Hothouse Spanish sexual fireworks with a fatalistic slant. very much a product ofthe recent loosening of censorsltip as the country flourishes after Franco. Glasgow: GFI‘.
I Sex, Lies and Videotape ( 15) -:: (Steven Soderbergh. US. 1989) Andie McDowell. Laura San Giacomo. James Spader. Peter Gallagher. 101 mins. See paiieland feature. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Slaves of New York ( 15) (James Ivory. US. 1989) Bernadette Peters. Adam Coleman. Niock Corri. Madeline Potter. 121 mins. Surprising dip intoTama Janowitz‘s eighties sleaze from the man who brought you all those glossy Forster adaptations. But Ivory holds back and lets the sassy dialogue work for itself. with inconsistent but highly intriguing results. Most effective is the portrayal offense shyness which besets Abby (played by Janowitz herself) and Eleanor in the face
30 The List 1 — 14 September 1989