FILM LIST
.Road, Cannon The Forge, Odeon, Grosvenor. Edinburgh: Odeon. Central: Allanpark, Cannon. Strathclyde: Cannon, Kelbume, Odeon Ayr, Odeon Hamilton. UCI Clydebank 10. I Die Hard (18) (John MeTiernan, US, 1988) Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia. 131 mins. On a Christmas visit to his estranged wife in California. New York cop Willis is trapped in a new tower block when the corporate party he is attending with his spouse is attacked by international terrorists after the millions in the company safe. So it‘s left to Willisto bump off the baddies and save the hostages while the LAPD and FBI languish ineptiy on the sidelines. Unbearany tense actioner that gets good .miieage out of yawning lift-shafts and flying bullets, while Willis is convincing as an ordinary guy trying to cope with it all. Watch out for the RSC‘s Alan Rickman as a villain with a highly-developed sense of humour. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Film Society. I Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (PG) (Frank Oz, US, 1988) Steve Martin, Michael Caine, Glenne Headly. 110 mins. in this remake of Bedtime Story, which starred Niven and Brando in 1964, Caine is the sophisticated con-man, elegantly separating the rich from their wealth, and Martin plays the interloper who invades his patch in the Sud de France. The two become allies, then rivals, and finally agree to settle their differences with a con-men‘s wager. Despite the obvious skill of its stars, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels fails to stretch them or to take itselfseriously enough, and thus does not fulfil its full potential. it's an amusing and enjoyable, but ultimately bloodless entertainment. Glasgow: Odeon. Strathclyde: UCl Clydebank 10, WMR Film Centre. I Do The Right Thing ( l8) (Spike Lee, US, 1989) Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, John Turturro. 119 mins. New York’s deprived Bedford-Stuyvesant district on the hottest day of the summer, and racial tension escalates between ltalian-American Sal (Aiello) and his two sons. the proprietors of a popular pizzeria. and the mainly black local community whc 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-economic and cultural causes behind endemic white racism, Lee's film also operates as a tightly-controlled multi-character drama. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I Dumbo (U) (Ben Sharpsteen,US,1941) 64 mins. The rest ofthe circus animals make fun of the little elephant with the huge ears, but he discovers they have a use after all. Classic Disney animated feature. timeless entertainment. Glasgow: Cannor The Forge. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank 10. I Erik The Viking (12) fi (Terry Jones, UK/Sweden, 1989) Tim Robbins, John Cleese,Terry Jones, imogen Stubbs,John Gordon Sinclair. 103 mins. See review. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge, Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cannon. Central: Cannon. Strathclyde: Cannon, UCl Clydebank 10. I The Europeans (PG) (James ivory. UK, 1979) Robin Ellis, Lee Remick.Tim Woodward. 83 mins. in 19th century New England staid American family life suffers all manner of romantic disruptions when two European cousins come to stay for a spell. Mcticuious, well-acted Merchant-Ivory James adaptation, which might just be a little too dry forsome tastes. Glasgow: GFT. I The Fly 2 (18) (Chris Walas, US,1989) Eric Stoltz. Daphne Zuniga, Lee Richardson. 105 mins. Despite the advances in contraception since the original 1958 Fly. insect-man Seth Brundle (1986 model) managed to sire a son before genetically crossing himself
Erik The Viking (12)(Terry Jones, UK 1989) Tim Robbins, Gary Cady, Terry Jones, Eartha Kilt, Mickey Rooney, John Cleese, Antony Sher, Imogen Stubbs. 103 mins. Terry Jones writes and directs this bizarre hybrid based on one of his childrens’ stories. Billed as an ‘adventure comedy’ the film’s uneasy blend of action and humour amounts to a sure case of ‘nlce visuals - shame about the script’. Life of Brian it is not.
We open on rape and pillage of a disturbing realism. Then we meet Erik, the Norse New Man who doesn’t see the sense in senseless violence. He'd much rather seek out the iabled City of the Gods.
The Pythonesque humour— all puking overthe side at the Iongboat and silly voices from the London suburbs- sits very uncomfortany with luscious sets and excellent special effects (the edge at the world scene puts the parting of the Red Sea in The Ten Commandments to shame).
With all the hallmarks at a big budget extravaganza — including RSC players like Antony Sher and Imogen Stubbs and cameos from Eartha Kitt and
EIKHE
«a.
VIKING
"3“ ' «on. "" Mickey Rooney- it’s as it the makers couldn’t bearthe idea of a serious action/fantasy adventure or, alternatively, the black, irreverent humour ol the Python has been blue pencilled to satisfy the American market and gain a‘12’cerlilicate.
In the end, it’s a desperate mlsh-mash with characters that are neither sympathic nor particularly lunny. Clearly, this is a children's story with a relevant message ior adults (stockpiling arms is no deterrent against war; war is bad but part of human nature) but the lilm’s elaborate set pieces, reminiscent of the excellent Willow, stand painlully at odds with the nudge-nudge comedy.
In the lace oi sharp alternative comics and rapid-lire American sitcom humour the old Python style looks played out, weak and insipid. (Kennedy Wilson)
From Fri 29 Sept: Glasgow: Cannon The Forge, Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cannon. Central: Cannon. Strathclyde: Cannon, UCI Clydebank 10.
with his duplicating machine. This at least is the tenuous pretext on which Walas (the man behind the latex mucus and copious gore in Carpenter‘s remake) builds this poor shadow of a sequel. Like father, like son, needless to say (is this a crossoverof late-eighties Hollywood genres?), and the blood-letting which results allows Walas more space than ever for his special talents.
Subtle as a vindaloo curry, intelligent as a seedless grape, and doubtless a box office winner. Glasgow: Odeon. Central: Caledonian. I The Future of Emily (15) (Helma Sanders~Brahms, France/W. Germany, 1984) Brigitte Fossey, Hildegarde Knef, lvan Desny. 116 mins. Movie star Fossey returns home from a shoot to visit her parents and young daughter, with whom she spends a long evening exchanging thoughts. revealing secrets, and making plans for the future. intelligent portrayal of the problems of parenthood touching on similar ground to Bergman‘sAutumn Sonata. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I Highlander (15) (UK, 1986) Christopher Lambert, Beatie Edney, Sean Connery. 111 mins. A handful ofimmortals battle through the centuries to win a mythical prize. A curious mixture of romance in 16th century heather and car chases in present day New York, the film is an inelegant, often ludicrous, but enjoyably daffy fantasy adventure. Lambert seems more at home with the contemporary passages and only the ever wonderful
Connery has the requisite style for the kitsch Scottish scenes. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I The Hitcher ( 18) (Robert Mandel, US. 1986) Rutger Hauer, C. Thomas Howell, Jennifer Jason Leigh. 98 mins. Drowsy driver Howell gets more than he bargains for when he picks up psycho-hitcher Hauer in this genuine edge-of-the-seat suspenseful thriller. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Hollywood Shullle (15) (Robert Townsend. US, 1987). RobertTownsend, Anne-Marie Johnson, Starlette Dupois. 81 mins. Financed by Townsend's credit cards, the film stars the man himselfas Bobby Taylor, a hot~dog vendor who dreams of stardom in Tinseltown, but in reality Bobby finally has to face the choice of continuing to be a stereotype in the white dominated industry, or stand up for self-respect. A film which confronts important issues with some wit, and, iffar from perfect, one forgives its faults because it is pertinent, fresh, well-intentioned and frequently side-splitting. Glasgow: GFT.
I A Hungarian Fairy Tale (PG) (Gyula Gazdag, Hungary, 1986) David Vermes, Husak Frantisek, Pal Hetenyi. 97mins. After the death of his mother, a young boy searches for the father named on his birth certificate, a petty clerk currently on a self-imposed mission to destroy all the paerwork he has fabricated over the years but who happens not to be the child‘s real parent. lnitialy charming, but finally rather sloppiiy constructed exercise in
would-be magical absurdity. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I lndiana Jones And The Last Crusade (PG) (Steven Spielberg, US, 1989) Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Alison Doody, Denholm Elliot. 127 mins. The third and supposedly final instalment of Spielberg‘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 Holy 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. Edinburgh: Dominion. Strathclyde: UCl Clydebank 10. I The iron Triangle (18) ii (Eric Weston. US, 1989) Beau Bridges, Haing Ngor, Johnny Halliday. 90 mins. Yet another Nam movie, the advance here beingthat we follow the fortunes of both all-American captain Beau Bridges and idealistic Viet Cong guerilla Haing Ngor as they come to terms with the humanity that lies beyond the ideology ofeonflict. However, despite this involvement in the workings of character, the film‘s most impressive aspect remains the splendidly realised action set pieces. Though the strain for poetic realism is overly apparent, the visceral impact of what isa very bloody movie by even this genre’s standards should make it a certain video hit. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank 10. IJacknile (15) (David Jones, US, 1989) Robert De Niro, Kathy Baker, Ed Harris. 102 mins. See panel. Glasgow: Odeon. IJane Austen In Manhattan (PG) (James ivory, UK, 1980) Anne Bazter, Robert Powell, Sean Young. 111 mins. Rare screening of a Merchant-ivory film made for London Weekend Television after Melvyn Bragg secured the rights to a hitherto undiscovered play written by the young Jane Austen. Ruth Prawer Jhabvaia‘s script follows the efforts oftwo New York theatre groups to stage the piece in radically different styles. Glasgow: GFT. I The Karate Kid Part3 (PG) (John G. Avildsen, US, 1989) Ralph Macchio. Noriyuki ‘Pat‘ Morita, Thomas lan Griffith. 111 mins. in this instalment 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. I K-9 (PG) (Rod Daniel.US,1989)Jim Belushi, Jerry Lee The German Shepherd. 102 mins. An ever-so-subtle twist on the cop buddy movie has unconventional San Diego narcotics tee Belushi reluctantly teamed up with a drug-sniffing alsatian from the K-9 department. The same plot as usual isto follow: suspicious of each other at first, helping each other through a series of scrapes they gradually learn mutual respect etc. Ofcourse the dog steals the acting honours by shitting in the wrong places, shagging poodles and the like. Belushi however must be looking for a new agent: after equal billing with Schwarzenegger on Red Heat, co-starring with a four-legged friend can hardly be described as an astute career move. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cannon. Central: Cannon. Strathclyde: Odeon Ayr, Odeon Hamilton. I Kwaidan (18) (Masaki Kobayashi. Japan, 1964) Rentaro Mikuni, Ganjiro Nakamura, Miehiyo Aratama. 164 mins.
22 The List 29 September - 12 October 1989