convenience is arranged. btit the authorities are not convinced. so the mismatched couple are forced to invent a history for themselves. In doing so.of course. they fall for each other. Funny. charming. and not without profundity. but suspend yotrr disbelief for the deriormienr. Glasgow: ()deon. (irosvenor. Edinburgh: ()deon. L'Cl. Central: Caledonian. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr. ['Cl Clydebank. L'Cl East Kilbride. IThe Handmaid's Tale ( 18) ( \'olker Schlondorff. LS. 1989) Natasha Richardson. Iilizabeth McGovern. Faye Dunaway. Robert Duvall. 10b’mins. Despite the excellent cast and the screenplay by l larold Pinter. Schlondorff's adaptation of Margaret Atwood‘s anti-L'topian novel disappoints. Set in near-future America. the plot revolves around the tribulations of fertile white women. who are forced to act as child-bearers for the ruling elite. Predictable resistance-movement adventures follow the heroine's capture. and the novel's subtlety drowns despite everyone's efforts. Cilasgow: (irosvenor. I Hidden Agenda ( 15) ( Ken Loach. CK. 1990) Frances McDormand. Brian Cox. Brad Dourif. Mai Zetterling. 103 mins. ()ne of Britain‘s most respected political film-makers takes on the big one — the security forces in Northern Ireland. When an American lawyer is killed. details begin to emerge which are neither palatable nor — in the view of the British government— suitable for public consumption. Fortunately for all concerned. the characters and narrative are fictional. but Loach's research revealed some unsavoury facts about Britain's record on civil and human rights. and he’s not keeping them to himself. A bitter pill. Glasgow: (EFT. I Highlander2: The Ouickeningt 15) (Russell Mulachy. L'S. 1991)Christopher Lambert. Sean Connery. Virginia Madsen. Michael lronside. 95 mins. See review. (ilasgow: Cannon Clarkston Road. Cannon The Forge. ()deon. Edinburgh: ()deon. L'Cl. Central: Cannon. Allanpark. Strathclyde: Cannon. ()deon Ayr. ()deon Hamilton. La Scala. L'CI Clydebank. L'Cl East Kilbride. I Home Alone (PG ) (Chris Columbtrs. L‘s. 1990) Macaulay Culkin. Joe Pesci. Daniel Stern. John Heard. Catherine ()‘Hara. 103 mins. Peter and Kate McCallister (Heard and ()‘i lara) have an eight-year-old brat and wisely - albeit accidentally ~ leave him behind in Chicago when they go on holiday to Paris. Left to his own devices young Kevin (Culkin ) has to deal with two bungling burglars ( Pesci and Stern) w ho threaten to invade his peaceful haven. Jolly. ifsadistic. scare-comedy antics produced by teenflick veteran John Hughes. (ilzrsgow‘: ()deon. Edinburgh: ()deon. L'Cl. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr. l'Cl Clydebank. L'Cl Iiast Kilbride. I The Hunt For Red OctoberiJohn Mc'I‘iernan. CS. 1990) Sean Connery. Alec Baldwin. Scott (ilen. Tim Curry. Joss Ackland. 136 mins. The latest all-star
offering from the director of Die Hard. set
aboard a Soviet submarine and the NATO sub sent to hunt it down. In response tothe plot-spoiling thaw of liast-West relations. Mc'l‘iernan siieakily sets the film a few years back. which can't help brrt renderit anachronistic. (ilasgow: (il’l‘.
I I Hired A Contract Killerr 15 r ( Ara Kaurismaki. Sweden Finland. I990) Jean-Pierre Leaud. Margi Clarke. Kenneth Colley . Nicky 'l'eseo. 80mins. Shot on location in London with a British and French cast. the glum Finnish maverick‘s first film entirely in linglish isa black comedy and a homage to lialing. Leaud stars as a suicidal Frenchman who— unable to go through with it employsa specialist to do him in. but then meets Clarke's cheery flow er-seller and finds a new reason for existence. But can the contract be declared null and y oid'.’ An ironic. moving and highly amusing tale.
20 The List 5 - lb’ April 1991
FILM
Highlanderll: The Quickening (15) Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Virginia Madsen. 95 mins. I should point out that since the first preview (now deemed a rough cut, though at the time only awaiting extra music), much doctoring has restructured sequences, added footage, shortened the film, replaced music and attempted to explain certain confusions.
Much to the distributors' chagrin, this revised print was not available for screening to the press. But even with extensive surgery, it’s hard to imagine how Russell Mulcahy's essentially inherent hotch-potch can be transformed into anything approaching a worthy successor to his inventive original. When the skull’s rotten, a new wig doesn’t help.
It's 2024 and now mortal Connor MacLeod (Lambert) is an old man (practising poor Brando impressions), responsible for saving mankind by replacing the ozone layer with a protective shield. However, an underground movement (led by obligatory romantic interest and wasted talent Madsen), believes the atmosphere has now healed itself and that big business is suppressing this information to maintain power.
Meanwhile, ittranspires that
HIGHLANDER II: THE
QUICKENING
.3 C. \ . ’ b
MacLeod is actually an exiled alien and that his arch enemy, the evil tyrant of Zeist (Michael lronside, very Joker) has come to Earth to kill him (MacLeod regains immortality and youth to make things more even-handed), thereby preventing his return home. That this new revelation makes nonsense of the original film’s mythology doesn’t seem to botheranyone. After all, if the decapitated Connery can be resurrected in a remarkably contrived piece of plot-engineering, then who cares about narrative integrity?
Logic and plausibility come poor second to special effects and comic-book action, but that’s no excuse forthe awful dialogue, feeble comedy (Connery’s materialisation amid a performance of Hamlet, and his later shopping expedition are gross embarrassments), half-baked ideas and recycled sci-fl. The first film‘s catchline was ‘there can be only one’. Wise words, which all concerned should have heeded. (Mike Davies)
From Fri 12 April. Glasgow: Cannon Clarkston Road. Cannon The Forge. Odeon. Edinburgh: Odeon, UCI. Centralelfanpark. Cannon. Strathclyde: Cannon. OdeonAyr, Odeon Hamilton, La Scala, UCl Clydebank. UCI East Kilbride.
told with the Finn's usual economy and bleakness. (ilasgow: (ii-T. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Jagged Edge ( 18) (Richard Marquand. 1985) (ilenn Close. JeffBridges. Robert Loggia 109 mins. Bridges stands accused of the brutal slaying of his wealthy wife. Close is the defence lawyer whose involvement with her client dangerously mixes business with pleasure. Antiquated. unremarkable courtroom whodunnit. (ilasgow : URL.
I Jesus Of Montreal ( lb’) ( Denys Arcand. Canada. 1989) Lothaire Bluteau. Catherine Wilkening. Johanne-Marie 'l'remblay. l20mins. Hired to revarnpa Catholic passion play. M. Bluteauenlists four actors from diverse sources. casts himself as Jesus. and sets to work on a stunningly radical version of hisown. Naturally. life begins to imitate art. but don‘t expect anything else predictable.
because Arcarid's follow-up to Decline ()f
The American limpire is chockftrl of twists. surprises and incisive satire. Finely acted. elegantly filmed and always intriguing. Strathclyde: Haldane Film Society.
I Jetsons: The Movie ( t“ i (William Hanna ck Joseph Barbera. LS. 1991 ) With the
voices of George 0‘} lanlon. Mel Blane. Penny Singleton. Tiffany. Patric Zimmerman. 83 mins. America‘s favourite family of the future (it says here). as animated by the celebrated duo. move to a new home in outer space when (ieorge Jetson gets promotion at Spacely Sprockets. His new job is jeopardised by a sabotage campaign. however. which leads to a struggle between the astral green movement and the technocrats from the stratosphere. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cannon. L'Cl. Strathclyde: liCl Clydebank. L'Cl liast Kilbride.
I Jimi Hendrix ( 15) (Joe Boy-d. John l lead «8; (iery Weis. L'S. l973)Jinii Hendrix. Peter 'l‘ow'nshend. Eric Clapton. Al Hendrix. Major Charles. 102 mins. Live footage of the boy. fecorded at Monterey'. the Isle of Wight. Woodstock and London‘s Marquee. plus interviews with his friends and admirers. all cut together in a satisfying shape thanks to the dexterity of producer co-director Boyd. Strathclyde: UCI East Kilbride.
I Jimi Plays Berkeley (Peter Pilafian. t ‘s‘. l97l)'l'heJimi Hendrix Experience-15 mins. Live footage from the Memorial
. Daygig back in 1970, plus a fewglimpses
l
of riots and peace protestors thrown in for good measure. Not the definitiy e Jimi Hendrix experience. Strathclyde: LCl
Iiast Kilbride.
I Ju DOU ( l5 l (Xhang Yimou.
China Japan. l990l ( ioiig Li. l,i Wei. Li Bao-l‘ian. 94 mins. ln I930sChina. a
young man ( Li Wei) falls innocently for his tyrannical uncle's third wife .lu l)ou((iong Li). and they embark on a forbidden romance. But the truth w ill out . w ith tragic consequences. lit the confines ofthc uncle's dyeing factory . the story's crrrel logic is offset by an intense beauty and eroticism. lixccptional film-making from the director of Red Sore/rum. ( ilasgow: (il’l‘. lidiriburgli; l‘ilrriliouse,
I Kindergarten Copi flirt» an Rcrlman. LS. 1990) Arnold Seliw ar/enegger. Penelope :\llll Miller. Pamela Reed. Richard 'l yson. ll l mins. lhe large fellow is the polis in question. taking up the reins in a nursery class w hen he gocstrrrder'coy er to track down the w ile and child of a murder suspect. '1 his is a slea/y. exploitative mishmash of genie-blending. 3 family comedy spliced clumsily with bloodthirst thriller. and a spot of child abuse throw it in for cheap pathos anda veneer of social concern. Since lit rm.
we'y e know ii .~\r nold has a sense of
humour . biit can lie play the new man'.’()n this evidence. no. (ilasgow : Cannon ' Sauchiehall Street. lidrnburgli: LCl. Strathclyde: Motherw ell 'l‘heatrc. ( )deon ' Ayr'. L'Cl Clydebank. WMR l-‘ilrnCentre. I I King Ralphr ll l ( l)ay id S. Ward. l 'S.
1991 )John (ioodrnan. Peter ( )' 'l’oole. John 1 lurt. CamilleCoduri. Julian
(ilover. 96 mins. When the entire Royal Family is unluckin wiped out. Las Vegas pianist Ralph Jones ((ioodmafl ) becomes heir to the throne of Britain. In the
struggle to adiust to his elevated lifestyle. King Ralph offends other monarchs. disrupts British industry. delights the tabloid press and falls in loy e with a commoner. But complications arise w hen Lord (iraves ( l lurt l begins plottingliis downfall. L'nreverential comedy with an enjoyably robust central performance. a pinch ofsatire on the British ‘Roy als' cult. and a good few laughs. (ilasgow : Cannon Clarkston Road. Cannon 'l‘he l'orge. Cannon Sarrchiehall Street. lidinburgh:
Cannon. L'CI. Central: .-\llanpark. Cannon. Strathclyde: Cannon. LCI
Clydebank. l'Cl liast Kilbride.
IThe Ladykillers ( l’(i)(:\lcxander Mackemdrick. CK. 1955) :\lcc ( iuinness. Cecil Parker. Katie Johnson. 9" mins. A bunch of not-so-bright crooks planning a daring robbery get more than they bargain for when they set tip headquarters w ith a seemingly harmless little old lady . Wry lialing comedy. w ith (iuinness as usual
I outshiningaplethoraofyigor‘otrscomic
character actors. (ilasgow : (il'osy error.
I Last ExitTo Brooklyn ( is) ( t 'lrich lidel.
W.(}ermany. l9.\’9) Stephen Lang.
JenniferJason Leigh. Burt Young. 104 mins. Brutal. graphic and dy iiamiestudy ofthe steamy . seamy‘ side of life in the
5 dockland areaof Brooklyn duringthe
Fifties. Hubert Selby 's once banned noycl has made it to the screen more or less intact in a narrative strung together from his seriesofy ignettes. .»\ painful dissection. not for the faint-hearted. lidinburgh: Cameo.
IThe Last Picture ShOW( liul’erer Bogdanovich. LS. 197] )‘l'imothy Bottoms. Jeff Bridges. Cy bill Shepherd.
Ben Johnson. Cloris Icachriian. Randy ()traid. l 18mins. The film that made
Bogdariovich. far superior to its seqtrel liiuisri/lr'. and indeed most ofthc director‘s other work. Set in small-town Texas in the 1950s. it captures the local atmosphere and the traumas of adolesccncc to perfection. focusing on the growing pains of a groupof teenagerson the brink of adulthood. to whom the l closure of the local cinema sy nibolrses loss of youth and innocence. lidinburgh: l Cameo. ’J