FILM LIST
Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (ll) (Joe Johnston, US, 1989) Rick Moranis. Matt Frewer, Thomas Brown, Amy O’Neill, Robert Oliveri, Jared Rushton. 92 mins. In suburban New York, the Thompsons live next door to the Szalinskis. They don’t mix much, because the Szalinskis are, in the Thompsons’ view, a ‘weird family’. They have a point: Wayne Szalinski (Moranis) is a scatter-brained inventor, whose efforts to create a shrinking ray have solar been disastrous.
But when an unexpected component arrives in the shape of young Ron Thompson’s mislired baseball, the ray proves all too effective, and shrinks the tour kids to a quarter of an inch tall. Accidentally swept up with the trash, they lind themselves in a bin bag at the wrong end of a vastly expanded back yard, a hazardous jungle which they must traverse to return to safety and lull size.
The hackneyed storyline which lollows will be familiar to anyone who remembers Wonderful World of Disney live action stories. In fact there seems to be a deliberate nostalgia about the whole production. From the
1960s-style animated title sequence, through the enjoyable but altogether unconvincing special etlects, to the sugary, mini-morality-tale ending, it's all been seen before. Boy gets girl, lamin harmony is restored, peace and prosperity prevail, etc.
But that doesn’t detract from the movie’s exuberant sense of fun, even it much of it is on the level of juvenile slapstick. There’s enough verbal wlt here to keep the grown-ups amused, and enough pubescent angst to draw in the teenagers. What’s more, the lilm is being screened with the new Roger Rabbit short “Tummy Trouble’, seven minutes at wildly inventive mayhem to test the mettle of any main leature. To the credit of ‘lloney, I Shrunk The Kids’, it stands up to comparison. (Andrew Burnet)
From Fri 9: Glasgow: Cannon Clarkston Road, Cannon The Forge, Odeon, Salon. Edinburgh: Odeon. Central: Allanpark, Caledonian. Cannon. Strathclyde: Cannon, Kelbume, Odeon Ayr, Odeon Hamilton, La Scala, UCl Clydebank, UCI East Kilbride, WMB Film Centre.
Odeon. Edinburgh: Odeon. Central: Cannon. Strathclyde: Cannon, Kelburne, UCl Clydebank, UCl East Kilbride.
I Lola (15) (Jacques Demy, France, 1960) Anouk Aimee, Marc Michel, Jacques Harden. 91 mins. Welcome reissue of Demy’s marvellous first feature. Aimee stars as a cabaret singer and single mother awaiting the return of her long~absent lover and attracting a horde of suitors in the meantime. This tale of wistful melancholy is turned to a thing of joy by the sheer lyricism and brio of the film-making. Demy‘s circling camera is a tribute to the great Max Ophuls in particular and evidence of the French New Wave‘s love of cinema in general. Recommended. Glasgow: GFT.
I The Loveless (18) (Kathryn Bigelow/Monty Montgomery, US, 1981) Willem Dafoe, Robert Gordon, Marin Kanter. 84 mins. Fifties‘ biker film updated for the Eighties. A film built on leather and sunglasses and long lingering scenes to give a sexually charged atmosphere not to be found in earleir bike movies. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Mad Max (18) (George Miller, Australia, 1979) Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Steve Bisley. 93 mins. In a bleak, near future the forces of law and order are barely able to suppress a reckless bedlam rampaging on the highways of the state. Weary and disgusted, supercop Gibson retires but returns with a purpose to
avenge the murder by marauding bikers of his wife and child. Violent stuff with death-defying stunt work. Edinburgh University Film Society.
I Mad Max 2 ( 18) (George Miller, Australia, 1981) Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence. 94 mins. Exhilarating post-Apocalypse adventure, with plenty grotesque imagery and vicious villians. Pure cinema (count the number of words 01‘ Max has to say) and the highpointof the series. Edinburgh University Film Society
I Manhattan (15) (Woody Allen, US, 1979) Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Mariel Hemingway. 96 mins. Woody wanders through the female jungle of New York in search of a perfect soulmate'after the demise of his marriage. Sublime comic delight with a soulful Gershwin score. Glasgow: Grosvenor.
I Manon Des Sources (PG) (Claude Berri, France/Italy, 1986) Yves Montand, Daniel Auteuil, Emmanuelle Beart. 114 mins. Ten years after the demise of Jean de Florette, the Soubeyrans run a prosperous carnation farm. Jean‘s daughter has grown into an alluring young woman and sets out to wreak her revenge. Steering this epic rural saga towardsthe realms of Greek tragedy, this is a full and satisfying second half that explores the suffering of the guilty as they pay a crippling penance for man‘s greed and envy. The production values are as high as
ever and Auteuil assumes Depardieu‘s mantle in his development from glaikit idiot to broken-hearted suitor. Strathclyde: UCl East Kilbride.
I Melancholia (15) (Andi Engel, UK, 1989) Jeroen Krabbe, Susannah York, Kate Hardie. 87 mins. Accomplished debut feature from film distributor Engel (he also runs Artificial Eye) has the excellent Krabbe as an increasingly aimless art critic, scraping out an unsatisfying, alcohol-fuelled living and feeling he‘s compromised the political commitment of his youth. A surprise ‘phone call offers him a new opportunity, though there‘s a price to pay for it. An ambitious and moving evocation of deeply felt despair and futility. Central: MacRobert Arts Centre.
I Mother, Jugs and Speed (PG) (Peter Yates, US, 1976) Bill Cosby, Raquel Welch, Harvey Keitel. 98 mins. Perhaps with the current dispute in mind they thought it an appropriate time to show this totally meaningless comedy about two rival LA ambulance firms. Cosby is wasted, getting about as many laughs as Kenneth Baker while Keitel does little better. Get a life, losers. Glasgow: Grosvenor.
I My Lite As A Dog (PG) (Lasse Halstrom, Sweden, 1985) Anton Glanzelius, Manfred Server, Anki Liden. 101 mins. Wholly captivating rite of passage tale set in Sweden during the 19505. Twelve-year-old lngemar copes with his
‘ mother‘s terminal illness and his family’s
general indifference to him by indulging in a high fantasy life , including the pretence that he is a dog. Terrible title, wonderful, unmissable film. Glasgow: GFI‘.
I The lleked Gun (15) (David Zucker, US, 1988) Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalban. 85 mins. Nielsen plays a disaster-prone LA cop assigned to find the men who shot his colleague in a drugs bust, and protect our dear Queen at the same time , while also finding time for romance with secretary Presley. The makers of Airplane here operate on a similar principle: keep it fast, keep it marvellously dumb, and the comic dividends will eventually flow. Watch out for a great beaver gag and comedy cameos from Arafat, Gaddafi and Gorbachev. Edinburgh: Cameo. Strathclyde: UCI East Kilbride.
I New York, New York (15) (Martin Scorsese, US, 1977) Liza Minelli, Robert De Niro, Lionel Stander. 153 mins. Winning combination of satirical parody and heartfelt tribute , as Scorsese tries his hand at big budget musical comedy. The two stars are outstanding as a warring couple, De Niro’s downbeat jazz saxophonist perfectly counterpoising Minelli’s struggling singer in an affecting rags-to-riches yarn. Glasgow: Grosvenor. I Nine-And-A-llalt Weeks (18) (Adrian Lyne, US, 1985) Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger. 113 mins. Divorcee Basinger becomes a slave to love and lust when she succumbs to the stubbly charms of commodities broker Rourke. Empty-headed and disturbing designer bonking. Edinburgh: Odeon.
I Oliver And Company (U) (George Scribner, US , 1989) With the voices of Joey Lawrence, Billy Joel, Dom DeLuise, Bette Midler. 74 mins. Disney studios’ free adaptation of Dickens’ Oliver Twisris set in modern New York, with Oliver asa cute kitten hanging out with a bunch of Streetwise dogs. The Artful Dodger is played by pop-singer Joel, while La Midler turns in a pampered poodle. The usual Disney charm prevails, though Dickens‘ cutting edge is blunted somewhat. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge, Odeon. Edinburgh: Dominion, Odeon. Central: Cannon, Regal. Strathclyde: Cannon, UCl Clydebank, UCl East Kilbride.
I Once Upon A Time In The West(15) (Sergio Leone, US, 1968) Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards. 165 mins. Probably
Leone‘s best film , this classic western details in operatic fashion the drive of crooked railroad magnate Fonda to cheat widow Cardinale out of her land, until lone stranger Bronson comes to town. Brilliant Morricone score , achingly slow pacing, and an enthusiastic use of the wide screen mark this out as an idiosyncratic gem. Edinburgh University Film Society. I Orphee (15) (Jean Cocteau, France, 1950) Jean Marais, Marie Dea, Maria Casares. 95 mins. Cocteau creates an unrivalled cinema fantasy in this stunning modern version of the Orpheus legend, replete with surprising technical tricks and the director‘s personal brand of poetry. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Parenthood (15) (Ron Howard, US, 1989) Steve Martin, Diane Wiest, Jason Robards, Rick Moranis. 124 mins. The film apparently comes straight from the personal experiences of Ron ‘Mr Nice Film‘ Howard, the ex-Happy Days star. Our Steve , ex-Happy Feet star, is in his element as a lovable jerk trying hard to be a good dad. However, the climactic montage where every member of the cast is either giving birth or cuddling some cute wee baby in glutinous slow-motion had this old bastard reaching for his Sten gun. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge, Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cannon. Dominion. Central: Caledonian. Strathclyde: Odeon Hamilton, UCl Clydebank, UCl East Kilbride.
I Pathfinder ( 15) (Nils Gaup, Norway, 1987) Mikkel Gaup, lngvald Guttorm, Ellen Anne Bulljo. 86 mins. Set in the
FEET FIRST
Edinburgh‘s Festival of new and contemporary dance presented by Assembly Rooms and Traverse Theatre.
GREGORY NASH GROUP
Dance/ video residency Fri 2 March 6.30—9pm Sat 3 March 10am—4.30pm Sun 4 March Ham—4.30pm Tue 6 March 5 .30—7pm The residency aims to explore the relationship between dance and camera. Participants would have some dance and/or video experience and be 15 years or over. £15 and £5 concession.
NAHID SIDDIQUI Kathak workshop Thurs 8 March 1—3pm For those with some dance experience who wish to learn about the disciplined technique of Kathak. Not suitable for under 12 years. £3 and £2 concessions.
MASAKI [WANA Buto Masterclasses Watch out for further details.
To book, contact Sheridan Nicol or Susan Humphries, at The Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street, Edinburgh. Telephone 031 220 4348. There are a limited number of places, so please book early.
“WUMWIM
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The List 9 - 22 February 199017