FILM INDEX
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Montand. Daniel Auteuil. 121 mins. Provence. during the 1920s. Dcpardieu‘s indomitable hunchback struggles against impossible odds to make a success ofhis inherited farmland. unaware that his neighbours are plotting to drive him from his land. Beautifully photographed. with flawless performances. this is a towering tribute to the highest aspirations of French storytelling. A BAFTA winner forthe film of the year. Glasgow: OFT.
I Jesus 01 Montreal ( 18) (Denys Arcand. Canada. 1989) Lothaire Bluteau. Catherine Wilkening. Johanne-Marie Trernblay. 121) mins. Hired to revampa Catholic passion play. M. Bluteau enlists 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 Arcand's follow-up to Decline ()f 'I'lie.»1nieri(‘mi Empire is chockful of twists. surprises and incisive satire. Finely acted. elegantly filmed and always intriguing. Edinburgh: UCI.
I Jetsons: The Movie (U) (William Hanna & Joseph Barbera. US. 1991 ) With the voices of George ()‘Hanlon. Mel Blane. Penny Singleton. Tiffany. Patric Zimmerman. 83 mins. America's favourite family ofthe future (it says here). as animated by the celebrated duo. move to a new home in outer space when George 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 technoerats from the stratosphere. Strathclyde: Odeon Ayr. I Jimi Hendrix At The Isle OfWight(15) (Murray Lerner. UK. 1970) TheJimi Ilendrix Experience. 55 mins. Filmedjust two weeks before Jimi‘s death in 1971). this unique footage reveals evidence ofthe great man in decline: confused. irritable and struggling to keep a grip on himself. A depressing testimony to the destructive effect of rock 'n' roll excesses. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Jimi Hendrix Plays Monterey(15)(D.A. Pennebaker. US. 1967) The Jimi Hendrix Experience. 49 mins. The concert which really put Jimi into the big time. faithfully recorded to show the man at the peak of his powers: sexual charisma. technical brilliance. wild aggression and that unique inventiveness that — for the few years until his untimely demise — made him indisputed king of rock 'n‘ roll. Edinburgh: Cameo. I King 01 New Yorki IS) (Abel Ferrara. l'S. 199(1) Christopher \Valken. David Caruso. Larry l-‘ishburne. Victor Argo. Wesley Snipes. 111-1 mins. lixtreinely violent and amoral account of New York drug lord Frank White (Walker) ). who kills quite a few people but is really a decent cove. whose dream is to open a hospital for the people of his native South Bronx. A twisted tale ofcriminal loyalty and glamoriscd violence which wastes the Considerable talents of its leadingactor. At least Arnie does it w ith a senseof humour. Edinburgh: Cameo. I King Ralph (PG) (David S. \Vard. US. 1991 )John Goodman. Peter 0‘ 'I‘oole. John I liirt. Camille Coduri. Julian Glover. 9!) mins. When the entire Royal Family is unluckily wiped out. Las Vegas pianist Ralph Jones (Goodman) becomes heirtothe throne of Britain. lntlie struggle to adjiist to his elev ated lifestyle. King Ralph offends other monarchs. disrupts British industry. delights the tabloid press and falls in love vs ith a commoner. But complications arise when Lord Graves ( Hurt) beginsplottinghis downfall. L'nreverential comedy with an enjoyably robust central performance. a pinch ofsatire on the British 'Royals' cult. and a good few laughs. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr. I A Kiss Before Dying ( 18) (James Dearden. US. 1991)) Matt l)illon.Scaii Young. Max \'oii Sydow . Diane Ladd. 92
30 The List 28June— l 1 July 1991
NAVY SEALS
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/ Navy Seals (15) (Lewis Teague, US, 1990) Charlie Sheen, Michael Biehn, Joanne Whalley-Klfmer. 113 mins. Despite having had its British release date delayed by the Gulf War, Navy Seals is still an enjoyany inept recruiting poster for the US Navy’s elite sea, air and land commando teams. Sheen and Biehn lead the squad through the customary round of hard-playing good times and noisy action sequences, all set to pop music. The excuse is an Arab faction in Beirut who have managed to get hold of some American-made portable missiles- ‘the perfect terrorist weapon’. So, with the help of Lebanese-American journalist Joanne Whalley-Kilmer (the achineg contrived romantic interest), the guys go in.
It's an absolute certainty that the filmmakers didn’t intend this to be a parable forthe international arms trade
* 7' x: ' .14
‘ 4*
and the recent war with Iraq, but in a peculiar way that’s exactly how it works. Having Sheen and his pals rescue any hostages from the Lebanon would obviously be in extreme bad taste, so instead all they are left with is a mission to destroy American weapons which have been allowed to fall into the wrong hands. This is a curiously futile enterprise that no amount of wisecracks and hl-tech gunplay can disguise: ‘We go in there, we hit ‘em, we forget ’em!’ says Sheen sensitively. Following on so closely from his role in The Rookie, Navy Seals only further proves that this is a proper Charlie who can’t be taken seriously. (Tom Tunney)
From Fri 28 June. Glasgow: Cannon the Forge, Odeon. Edinburgh: Odeon, UCI. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank. UCI East Kilbride.
mins. Writer/director Dearden also wrote ;
the screenplay for Fain/Attraction. which many people found misogynistic. Ilere. he's back on dangerous relationships territory . though the maladjusted partner in this case is male. and a psychopathic killer at that. Gaps in plot andobvious photographed backdrops actually work in favour of this enjoyable. old-fashioned thriller from the Hitchcock school. Glasgow: Cannon Sauchichall Street. Edinburgh; CC].
I LAStory ( 15) (Mick Jackson. L‘s. wet) Steve Martin. Victoria Tennant. Richard E. Grant. Marilu llenner. 95 mins. Written by Martin himself. this affectionate satire on the world centre of hedonism is also a lov e story in the manner t)f.JrI(III/1(III(U1. though without the intellectual subtlety of that homage to NYC. Martin plays eccentric weatherman Harris K. 'l'elemacher. who setsout to find sanity and true love in a crazy society. Not as funny as it should be. but nonetheless an enjoyable entertainment. Glasgow: Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cannon. ‘
I Late Spring (PG) (Yasujito ()zii.Japan. 1949) lilts‘ mins. Full ofinsight. thissiibtlc film explores the areas of family and marriage. A w idow ed father feels he is keeping his daughter from marriage. but when she is informed by mistake that he is about to remarry . she begins to form marriage plans of her ow n. A beautifully balanced character study. (ilasgoys:(if"1'. I Lawrence OfArabia (I’G) (David Lean. 11K. 1963) Peter O'Toole. Alec Guinness. Jack Hawkins. ()mar Sharif. 222 mins.
Lean‘s mammoth desert epic. restored to its director‘s original cut and the big screen. where filmmaking on this scale belongs. ()‘Toole's debut as the enigmatic adventurer still impresses. but apart from the majestic action sequences. it's the disturbing sense ofclinical and cold-blooded violence hanging over the highly literate characterisation that today seems especially striking. Edinburgh: l-‘ilmhouse.
I Manon Des Sources (PU) (Claude Berri. France Italy. 1986) Yves Montand. Daniel Auteuil. Emmanuelle Beart. 11-1 mins. Ten years after the demise ofJean de Florette. the Soubeyrans run a prosperouscarnation farm. Jean's daughter has grown into an alluringyoung woman and sets out to wreak her revenge. Steering this epic rural saga towards the realmsof Greek tragedy. this is a fiilland 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 Aiiteuil assumes Depardieu’s mantle in his development from glaikit idiot to broken-hearted suitor. Glasgow: GI’I'.
I Memphis Belle ( 12) (Michael (‘aton-Joncs.1IK. 1991)) Matthew Modine. Eric Stoltz. Harry Connick Jr. 106 mins. 1943. and the brave crew ofthe B- 1 7 bomber Memphis Bel/e have one more mission to get through before they reach the target of twenty—five completed runs which will enable them all to return home as heroes. Yet there's still a lot of dangerous sky between them and their
goal. Predictable. occasionally Over-calculating return to the schoolboy heroics of another time. although the filmmakers' integrity in remaining true to the harrowing experiences of the many young flyers who lost their lives manages to save the film from being just another so-what Saturday night special. Glasgow: Grosvenor.
I Men At Work ( 12) (Emilio Estevez. 199(1) Emilio Estevcz. Charlie Sheen. Leslie Hope. Keith David. John Getz. 98 mins. Clumsy attempt at a stiff-on-our-hands comedy. written and directed by Estevez. who stars with his brother Sheen. They play practical joking Californian dustbin men whose jolly japes are brought to an abrupt end by the discovery that one of their victims has died. In the ensuing chaos. the boys escape arrest. and the audience escapes without a laugh. Embarrassing. Glasgow: Grosvenor.
I Mermaids ( 15) (Richard Benjamin. US. 1991 ) Cher. Winona Ryder. Bob 1 loskins. Christina Rieci. 11() mins. Quirky growing-up comedy whose adolescent heroines are an irresponsible. footloose mother Mrs Flax (Cher) and her morose. pious daughter Charlotte (Ryder). both of whom have something to learn from the other‘s pre-supposed values. Enjoyable and warm-hearted. with Hoskins splendid as the sexy shoe-shop owner. and excellent performances from the two central actresses. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. Odeon. Edinburgh: Odeon. UCI. Central: Cannon. Strathclyde: Odeon Ayr. La Scala. L'Cl Clydebank. UCI East Kilbride.
I Mignon Has Lett(12)(Franeesea Archibugi. ltalylFrance. 1988) Stefania Sandrelli. Celine Beauvallet. Leonardo Rota. Francesca Antonelli. 91) mins. Archibugi‘s debut feature brings the beautiful and self-assured Mignon into the turbulent middle-class life of her Italian cousins. She becomes the catalyst as family relationships and emotions go through various stages ofadolescent unrest. Refreshingly free ofstereotypes. .lligiion Has Left manages to capture a slice of European life with subtle wit and tenderness. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Miller's Crossing ( 18) (Joel Coen. US. 1990) Gabriel Byrne. Albert Finney. MarciaGayHarden.JohnTurturro.Jon Polito.J.E. Freeman. 115 mins. The Coen Brothers‘ latest opus is a predictably quirky-but-stylish reworking ofgeiire material - in this case the gangster flick. Set in an unnamed East-coast city in the 1930s. it centres on the falling-out
between mob-leader Finney and his right-hand man Byrne when both take a shine to the same broad (Harden). lt'sall carried out with the Coen's customary aplomb. and even features a fleeting appearance by livi/ Dead and Durkniuii director Sam Raimi. Edinburgh: Filmhoiise.
I Miseryi IS) (Rob Reiner. LS. 1991) Kathy Bates. James Caan. Frances Sternhagen. Richard Farnsworth. Lauren Bacall. 107 mins. Adapted from Stephen King's novel. this psychological chiller centres on a popular author with literary aspirations (Carin) who finds himself trapped. following a nasty car accident. i with his ‘number one fan' ( Bates. who won; the Best Actress ()sear for the role). Gradually. he becomes aware ofher psychosis. and is forced to bide histime until he can contriv e an escape. More than a whiffof Scorsese's excellent King ()f Comedy about this project. but the talents i of all concerned are employed tosiiperb effect. to produce a movie ofgreat 5 originality. subtlety and entertainment value. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. Odeon. Edinburgh: ()deon. l'CI. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank. L'Cl East Kilbride. WMR Film Centre. I Mr And Mrs Bridge (PG) (James Ivory. 13K. 1991)) Paul Newman. Joanne Woodward. Blythe Danner. Simon