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voyage toward the Final Frontier: though others may enjoy watching the hairs turn grey over a decade of boldly flogging the flagging horse Enterprise where each instalment has gone before. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Step Across The Border ( 15) (Nicholas Humbert 6‘; Werner Penzel. Germany Switzerland. 1990) Fred Frith. 90mins. Music documenarychronicling rehearsals. performances and cilyscapes on the world tour ofinstrumental Composer Fred Frilh from Zurich lo 'I‘okyo. (European Film Awards) Glasgow: GFT. I Stranger Than Paradise ( 15)(Jim Jarmusch. US West Germany. 1984)John Lurie. Eszter Balint. Richard Edson. Cecilia Stark. Danny Rosen. 89 mins. ln Jarmusch's debut feature. Lurie (laterto star in Down By Law) is a New Yorker playing reluctant host to his cousin front Hungary. When she departs to play cards with her mad aunt in Ohio. he and his mate Edson follow her into the bleak. l mid-western snowscape. All very low-key and monochrome. but there's a wonderfully dry sense of humour at play. Central: MacRobcrt Arts Centre. I Sur ( 15) (Fernando Solanas. Argentina. 1988) Sus Pecoraro. Miguel Angel Sola. Philippe Lcotard. 119 mins. At longlast getting a British release. Solanas' winner of the 1988 Best Director award at Cannes is set in Argentina after the collapse ofthe military junta. and follows one released prisoner's cfforts to be reunited with his wife and reconciled to the haunting memories of the past. Edinburgh: Film Guild. I Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (PG) (Steve Barron. US. 1989) Judith Hoag. Elias Koteas. James Sato. 93 mins. See feature. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. (,‘annon Sauchiehall Street. Grosvenor. Edinburgh: Cannon. Odeon. UCl. Central: Cannon. Strathclyde: Kelburne. Odeon Ayr. ()deon Hamilton. UCl Clydebank. UCl East Kilbride. I Tenue de Soiree (18) (Bertrand Blier. France. 1986) Gerard Dcpardieu. Miou Miou. Michel Blane. 85 mins. Outrageous menage a trois black comedy with Depardieu as a randy gay burglar who steals the mouse-like Blane away from his bossy. gold-digging partner. A wild and rambling mess that is not as hipor coherent as it appears to think itself. Edinburgh: Filmhousc. I Theorem (18) (Pier Paulo Pasolini. ltaly. 1968) Terence Stamp. Silvana Mangano. Massimo Girotti. Anne Wiazemsky. 98 mins. Pasolini's twin obsessions which Christianity and Marxism are brought searingly to life in this intense fable. featuring our Tel as a mysterious Christ figure. who creates spiritual. sexual and emotional upheavals within a wealthy family when he stays for a short time in their home. Enigmatic and powerful. Edinburgh: Filmhousc. I These Foolish Things (15) (Bertrand Tavernier. France. 1990) Dirk Bogarde. Odette Laure. Jane Birkin. 105 mins. ln Bogarde‘s first screen appearance for twelve years. he plays an Englishman abroad in the South of France. who gradually develops a bond with his formerly distant daughter (Birkin) after surviving a heart operation. Tavernier‘s gentle touch produces a subtle and undramatic. but warm and moving family drama. Glasgow: GF'T. I Tremors ( 18) (Ron Underwood. US. 199(1) Kevin Bacon. Fred Ward. Finn Carter. 96 mins. In this spirited homage to Fifties monster movies. the remote Nevada town of Perfection is menaced by huge burrowing worms that gobble up anyone unfortunate to cross their path. lt’s left to handymen Bacon and Ward plus assorted townsfolk to save the day and get through the plot exposition without cracking up at the agreeably knowing dialogue in this splendid blend ofstraight faces and off-the Richter-scale daftness.
FILM
l ASHOCKTO
it"
i A Shock To The System (15) (Jan ] Egleson, US, 1990) Michael Caine,
Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Hlegert,
Swoosie Kurtz. 87 mins. Anotherweek, another Michael Caine movie, with the lovable former cockney almost on his way to the presently vacant title of hardest working man in show business. The problem is though (see Jaws, The Revenge, Ashanti. Bullseye! etc) that as the sheer quantity escalates, the quality control level goes awry, so the promise of Caine in a movie more likely than not indicates a solid workmanlike run-through of often substandard material.
There are. however, always exceptions to the rule (see Hannah and Her Sisters). They don't come along that often, but it's a pleasure to announce that A Shock To The System is one of them. He can be so effective as a villain (see Dressed To Kill), as he demonstrates here in a performance
THE SYSTEM
that starts with frustration, builds to
resentment, explodes in anger, then
goes supernova into murderous malevolence. Caine carries the whole picture, and he's great entertainment value for it too.
Freely adapted from a novel by British thriller expert Simon Brett, Jan Egleson's film relocates the action to the world of New York high finance and ends up somewhere in the middle ground between Wall Street and Kind Hearts and Coronets. Caine plays Graham Marshall, an unhappily married exec who's banking on a major promotion to sort out his mid-life problems. He is of course passed over, and seething with rage on the way home from the office he manages to halt-accidentally push an unfortunate tramp under a subway train. Hmm. Killing now doesn’t seem so tough to him once he's got the first one under his belt, so he sets out with a meticulous plan to radically improve his career prospects.
Reasonably modest in its aspirations, A Shock To The System pulls off the mordant, restrained tone it’s aiming for and may well look even better on its video release. Caine achieves one moment of supreme aplomb when he’s on the phone lying about his spouse's recent demise. With a gleeful raise of the eyebrows and a dark chuckle he shows he mastery of the small gestue that makes him such a consummate screen actor. When he can be bothered, that is. (Trevor Johnston)
From Fri 23 Nov. Glasgow: Odeon. Edinburgh: Odeon, UCI. Strathclyde: Odeon Ayr, UCl Clydebank, UCI East Kilbride.
Glasgow: Grosvenor.
ITume ()It Tour ( 15) (Gabriele Salvatores. Italy. 1990) Diego Abatantuono. Laura Morante. Fabrizio Bentivoglio. 91 mins. Eternal triangleon the rock ‘n‘ roll circuit. as Dario (Abatabtuono) and his best mate Federico (Bentivoglio) set off on the road in Dario‘s car. with Vittoria (Morante). who istorn between two lovers. (European Film Awards) Glasgow: GF'T.
I Vincent (PG) (Paul Cox. Australia/Netherlands. 1987) John Hurt (narrator). Gabi Trsek. Marika Rivera. 100 mins. Unusual film on Van Gogh. neither straight documentary nor fictionalised account. but a study ofthe artist's life using his famous letters as the soundtrack to visuals that merge the paintings with the places where he lived and worked. Ambitious attempt at a varying an old. rather staid form of film~making. but the pace isoftcn unbearably slow. Edinburgh: Filmhousc. I Vincent and Theo ( 15) (Robert Altman. UK/Netherlands. 1990) Tim Roth. Paul Rhys. 140 mins. The obsession with Van Gogh‘s art and madness manifests itself again as Robert Altman ponderously and at undue length traces Vincent‘s frustrated career and working relationship with brother Theo. Tim Roth plays the artist as a demented clown. stomping off for a day‘s painting to Gabriel Yared‘s thrashing soundtrack and eating as much paint as he gets on canvas. Cinematically it might have its moments. but essentially this is art history as a tabloid journalist might see it. Central: MacRobert Arts Centre.
I The White Dove La Blanca Paloma ( 15) (Juan Minon. Spain. 1990) Antonio Banderas. 104 mins. Three wild young men and a doomed love affair are at the centre of this impassioned effort (nominated for Young Film OfThe Year) which takes its title from a flamenco club turned downmarket bar. (European Film Awards) Glasgow: GFT.
I The Witches (PG) (Nicholas Roeg. US. 1990) Anjelica Huston. Mai Zetterling. Rowan Atkinson. 92 mins. Nine year-old Luke is warned by his Norwegian granny about the everpresent threat posed by the existence of witches. which isn‘t much help actually because within the next half hour he stumbles on their annual convention in a small English hotel and gets himself changed into a mouse for his pains. A pleasing adaption of Roald Dahl’s children‘s story has director Roeg (in unusually straightforward manner) creating a superior kids movie that has you rooting for the mice all the way. Lots of fun. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. Strathclyde10deon Ayr.
I Young Guns 2 (12) (Geoff Murphy. US. 1990) Emilio Estevez. Kiefer Sutherland. Lou Diamond Phillips. Christian Slater. James Coburn. 104 mins. Re-hash time as the brat packers slip back into their chaps for another bash around the deserts ofthe south-western States. with in-fighting and hot pursuit from William Petersen‘s Pat Garrett to contend with. But the slick violence and loud guitars fall well short of recapturing the exhilaration of the first instalment. Glasgow: Odeon. Edinburgh: Odeon. UCl. Central: Caledonian. Strathclyde: UCl Clydebank.
LISTINGS WEEK on:
Friday 23—Thursday 29
Readers are advised that programmes may be subject to late change at anytime. [0] indicates that wheelchair access is available. though prior notification is advisable. [E] indicates the availability olan induction loop. lorthe convenience of hearing aid users.
GLASGOW CINEMAS
I CANNON Clarkston Road. Muirend.637
2641. £2.50(Child/OAP£1.50). 1. Ghost ( 12) 2pm (Sat only), 5pm. 8pm. 2. Hardware ( 18) 5.30pm (not Sat. Sun). 8.30pm. The Little Mermaid (U) 2.45pm (Sat only). 6pm (Sat. Sun only). I CANNON The Forge . Parkhead. 556 4282/4343. [D]. (screens 1.3 and 5). Shows commencing before 6pm £2; after 6pm £3 (Child £2). 1. The Exorcistlll(18) 1.10pm.3.40pm. 6.10pm. 8.40pm. 2. Ghost(12) 1.45pm. 5.25pm. 8.20pm. 3. Flatliners ( 15) 1.05pm. 3.40pm. 6.05pm 8.40pm. 4. Bird onaWire(12) l.l()pm.3.4()pm. 6.10pm.8.45pm. 5. Darkman ( 15) 4. 10pm (not Sat. Sun). 7pm. 9.05pm. 6. The Little Mermaid (U) Fri. Mon—Thurs 1.15pm;Sat.Sun 1pm. 3pm.5pm. 7. The Witches (PG) Sat only 1.30pm. Blue Steel (18) 1.20pm (not Sat). 3. 15pm, 6. 10pm. 8.45pm. Hardware (18)6. 15pm.8.35pm. My Blue Heaven (PG) 1.30pm. 3.50pm. I CANNON Sauchichall Street. 332 1592. £3 (Child £1.60; OAP[bcfore6pm] £1.60). Two bars open 6—9.30pm (Mon—Sat); 6.30—9.30pm (Sun). 1. Ghost ( 12) 1.30pm. 4.40pm. 7.55pm. 2. The Exorcist Ill (18) 1.30pm. 5.05pm. 8.05pm. 3. BoodFellas ( 18) 1.10pm.4.20pm. 7.40pm. 4. My Blue Heaven (PG) 1.55pm. 5.20pm. 5. Presumed Innocent (15) 7.55pm. Darkman(15) 1.10pm. 3.25pm.5.50pm. 8.25pm. I CITY CENTRE OOEON Renfield Street. 332 8701. Licensed bar. [D] screens 2. 3 and 4. £3.10(Child/OAP£1.95 [£2.401ast show]; Student/U840 £2.40 [available as advertised]). Luxury seats also available in screen 1 £3.60. All tickets for shows commencing before 1.30pm £1.95. Advance booking available from box office ( 1 lam—7.30pm) or by Visa/Access hotline (3339551). Flatliners(15) 12.40pm (not Sun).3.10pm. 5.45pm, 8.35pm. The Little Mermaid (U) 1pm. 3.30pm. 6pm. Criminal Law (18) 8.30pm. Hardware(18) 1.25pm (not Sun).3.45pm. 6. 15pm. 8.50pm. A Shock to the System (15) 1.25pm. 3.45pm. 6.15pm. 8.55pm. Young Gunsll(12) 1pm. 3.30pm.6pm. 8.45pm. Blue Steel ( 18) 1pm. 3.30pm. 6pm. 8.45pm. . I GBOSVENOB Ashton Lane. Hillhcad, 339 4298/7814. £2.50 (Student/U840 £2; Child/OAP£1.50). Seats can now be booked for last evening and late screenings: the box office is open 2—7pm. 1. Ghost(12)2.15pm. 5.20pm. 8.05pm. 2. Flatllners ( 15) 2pm (not Sat. Sun). 5.25pm (Sat 5.45pm). 8. 15pm. The Little Mermaid (U) Sat only 2pm. 4.10pm. See also Glasgow Lates. I SALON Vinicombe Street. 3394256. Circle £2.75; Stalls £2.50 (Student/U840 £2; Child/OAP£1.50). Blue Steel (18) Fri—Tue, Thurs 2pm.
30 The List 23 November— 6 December 1990