FILM
DIE HARD 2: NE HARDER
despite having spent a reported $70 million, tails to deliver any or the original wit or claustrophobic drive that made John McTiernan’s original film so outstanding.
While Brucie pertorms more than adequately, a toweringly mediocre screenplay unfortunately makes it impossible lor the audience to doubt for the brielest moment his ability to get out of any and every tough corner. Thus the great strength at the first instalment, the tact that McClane seemed to survive by his wits and the seat at his pants, is thrown away by turning the Willis character into Superman with a Brooklyn accent. Exacerbating the problem, ‘shadows’ would be too strong an epithet to apply to the supporting cast, so we’re left with a starvehicle pure and simple, albeit one that might have been more acceptable had it been better constructed.
Hollywood these days seems to demand one thing from a sequel: that it be like the original, only more so. Freddy Krueger’s murders grow more elaborate, lndlana Jones’ escapades more thrillineg preposterous, so it hardly comes as a shock to lind Die Harder (a greattitle, it nothing else) tollowing the pattern. What is
INDEX
I All Dogs Go to Heaven (U) (Don Bluth, US, 1989) With the voices ofBurt Reynolds, Loni Anderson and Dom DeLuise. 84 mins. In Bluth‘slatest animated feature, likeable Alsatian Charlie Barkin is killed by his partnerin small-time crime. but manages to trick his way out of the Afterlife to face earthbound adventure with cute orphan Anne-Marie as he seeks revenge on his double-crossing buddy. Occasionally sloppy animation is more than made up for by the inventive story-line and an allusive sense ofhumour that should even have adults suppressing the odd guffaw. Strathclyde: Odeon Ayr. lAlligatorEyes ( 18) (John Feldman. US. 1990) Annabelle Larson, Roger Kabler, Mary McLain. 100 mins. Continuingthe Edinburgh Film Festival on Tour package is this intriguing American independent from first-time director John Feldman which elicits a genuine what-happens-next flow from its story of a group of friends who pick up a mysterious hitchhiker. Glasgow: GFT.
I Alphavllle (15) (Jean-Luc Godard, France, 1965) Eddie Constantine, Anna Karina, Howard Vernon. 98 mins. Enjoyable mid~605 Godard caper which turns contemporary Paris into Alpha 60, a chilly city of the future from which such concepts as love and tenderness have been banned. Enter Constantine‘s grizzled gumshoe Lemmy Caution and we‘re set
for an extended andhighly idiosyncratic Die Hard 2: Die Harder (18) (Benny ourselves delving deep into ‘no lob tor surprising is that n does n so clumsily. homage ‘0 60mm SmP hero'sm- Glasgow: Harlin, US, 1990) Bruce Willis, Bonnie one man but a lob only one man could (John Niven) Gav; v, . 7 . Bedelia, William Atherton. 122 mins. do’ territory. The plot quickly thins as g a (18" f’“°".s' UK' 198 .) 98 """5' Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis Willis systematically works his way °" mum“ by d'“°’°"‘ “‘3’” l i i Oh i i th h tlt tl lllains all their directors(including Rocg. Russell, 39a n) sspend "9 r “In” n "mg 8 masse v ’ From F” 24‘ Glasgow: cannon Altman, Temple. and Godard, although Washington oc with the kids and intricate planning and state-ol-the-art Mutrend, Cannon The Forge, Odeon, Charles Sturridge‘s contribution is ln-laws, and while waiting at the technology rendered impotent by the Gmsvenor. Edinburgh; Dominion, perhaps the best) each basedon operatic airport tor his wife to arrive spots a tear merest blast of his Baretta automatic. Odeon, um. Cenml: Cannon. array A self-Indulgcnt and wildly mixed dubious terrorist types lurking round Not too different lrom Die Hard really, smmclyde; Cannon, Odeon A", has lslncwtablm but the film IS , y the concourse. The authorities, but unfortunately Finnish director Odeon Hamilton, La Scala, um O'Ccas'o."a"y chc‘lcé‘ét at?" m: "‘US'C '5 naturally, refuse to take hls warnings Benny Harlin (best known for A Clydebank, um East mm“, WMR :i‘f’rgzZL'Egrcss'vc' ”‘ "'g ' seriously and very soon we lind Nightmare on Elm Street Part 4), Film Centre. I Australian Aboriginal Films and Videos (15) To coincide with the special Tagari Lia exhibition ofcomcmporary I Back To The Future Part 3 (PG) (Robert Cannon The Forge, Cannon Sauchiehall from beyond. One night however. Australian Aboriginal art at the Third Eye ZcmCCkiS» US 1990) MiChaCl 3- FOX. : Street. Edinburgh: Cannon.UC1- Arquette accurately predicts the Centre (see art listings for further details) ChriSlOPhCT Lloyd~ Mary Steenburgen. Strathdydm Odeon AW. UCI ClydCbank. circumstances of a murder. so attracting comes this compilation of film and video 119 mins. Back to 1885 for the third and um East Kilbfidc. the unwanted attentions of journalist Tom work assembled by Aboriginal artist absolutely final instalment of the series, in I Batteries Not Included (PG) (Matthew llulce and corrupt industrialist John Michael Rllcy‘ who‘llalso be on hand“) which Michael hasto face upto Robbins. US, 1987) Hume Cronvn. Bennes who'll doanythingtopreventhis introduce the pieces Twelve selections longstanding enemy Biff and save the Doc Jessica Tandy, Frank McRae. lilo mins. secrets from escaping. After the Prayer will be shown, including the talented from certain death. except that the latteris Only one tenement stands between a | For The Dying debacle. writer director Tracey Moffat‘s short wan-how, a positive much more interested in falling for Mary businessman and the construction ofhis l Hodges bounces back with a nicely judged and personal story of a young Aboriginal Steenburgen. The end result is not quite a latest brainchild. The desperate tenants shocker that's always reliant on dancer and Michael Riley‘sown bad film, but. as with almost every other having withstood bribes and threats of characterisation rather than cheap thrills. Dreamings, a visit to the country‘s sequel Ola sequel there's an overall violence are now at the end of their tether. Glasgow: cann‘m SZ‘UCthhZ‘H Sue“ heartlands for a glimpse at the world's SlaCknCSS Which prevents it from lifting off One elderly couple pray for a mimch and I The Brave Little Toaster ( U) (Jerry Recs. oldest continuous art tradition. Glasgow: in the way that it should. In almost every arc rewarde with the {my ()ffricndly US. 1990) 94 mins- Fun animated OFF sensor we‘ve been here beforc- 013580“? alien creatures who help them resist ihe adventure as a group 0‘ Pluck" Clccmwl - ~ —-—— —r--—— -- - ~- —--—- - —-—————- — ----— - — menace of the property dot-clopcre appliances go off in Scaréh 0f the” mast“ Lacklustre Spielberg-produced adventure Who‘s mm’cd t0 the blg crty. Yet for w “ laCking imagination and originality. Toaster. Lampy the lamp. Klrby the h ‘ > Strathclydc; UCl Clydcbank. ' vaccuum cleaner and Blankcy the electrlc ’ ‘ BALLOON I the 3“, (p0) (JcénJacqucs Annaud‘ blanket there are many dangers to be face , France, 1988) Bart, Douce, Jack Wallace. along thc “'35- Edinburgh: LC!" I ecossg Tchcky Kam- 98 mins. Simplc‘ Strathclyde: L'CI East Kilbride. ' iNfiWBATTLE YERRACECWMLL unsentimental narrative follows the . BUD" "3'0"? (U) (Alan Parker" b_K‘ 5mm” 031 “7 268° 2 experiences of two bears. a big adult 1976) Scott Balo, lodle Foster, Martin - kodlak and a young orphan cub. as they Lc‘“ 93 mms' Mus'cal spogfm . are pursued by two hunters. Cleverly ' thlblllon'cra Salli?!“ f'lms' w'th an filmed to capture the bears acting ' all-Child cast- Family CntFVFalnm?“t.Purc RELAXED ATMOSPH ERE naturally. this insightful record oftheir and simple. and a true original With It. . "m cm” point of view makes a moving plea for the Slmlhc'ydCI UCI Clyd'ibank- ' decent treatment of all animals and is I Crimes and Mlsdemeanours(15)(“r 00dy highly entertaining asitgoes aboutit. Allen. US, 1989) Marlin Landau~ ~ 0 ' Edinburgh: Filmhouse. Anjclica Huston. WOOd)’ Allcnt Ala” NOT JUST for introductory hot air I Black Hainbow(15) (Mike Hodges. UK. “‘18- “’4 “‘3' Two smriisitrcd All - 1989) Rosanna Ar uette. Jason Robards. interwoven in this accomp IS 6 C" , TH balloon fl'ghts a" Tom Hulcc. 103 m?“ Superior offering which effortlessly blends the Big ballooning aCtIVItleS supernatural thriller with Robards and Questions side of his art with the inc-lllne Arquette as a rather dod 'travellin Wit We've taken for granted from n No-5mokjng Auditoria father and daughter meditim act Half/ling the first strand, opthalmologist Martin Fun Licensed Bar and Restaurant , 7 America's bible belt to fleece gullible Landau has a hit man bump Offhls _ punters taken in by their fake messages unsettled mistress lest she alert his Wife of
66 The List 24 — 30 August I990