REVIEW Ell.
FRINGE FILM FESTIVAL
Eclectic is about the only way to describe the Fringe Film Festival. Just about everything in the way at lilm is there and it must be said, surprisingly little is complete crap it the preview reel is anything to go by.
Of course in the creative cockcrow from which most at these lilms emerge, there is the odd idea that should never have existed. At lour minutes, Hulk Film by Jo and Pickup (The Body Politic) is 240 long seconds too long. But lrom the most cringemaking ol descriptions some of
Kayala Parker’s Cage of Flame (State at the Mation) is an ‘alternative view at menstrualion’ which takes every animation technique in its stride to
!
the creative period most dare not even acknowledge.
The Independents Now section 01 Scottish tilms should prove popular. In Pay Your Bent Beethoven, Jurgen Vsych gives a lunny and visually inventive account of the inspiration lor ‘Fur Elise’. As is so often the case, the best ideas are the simplest and lor my money, Heads on Scotland will win the Best 01 the Fest award lor director Andrew MacDonald. The series of talking heads lrom the streets ol Glasgow, Edinburgh and Soho, produce the ultimate in vox populi
when the tables are turned on a
clipboard-wielding pollster who is
Q totally, and sublimely, tongue-tied the best ideas and tinest lilms emerge.
when asked to address the question ol
Scottishindependence. (Thom Dibdin)
The 8th Fringe Film and Video Festival,
Thurs 3-Sun 6 Dec, Edinburgh Filmhouse. See listings and film index serve an intriguing visual expression at '
lorlurtherdetalls.
Cage Dl Flame:
taking every animation technique in itsstride
GREEN
l EST—ES
I Deadly Currents (12) Unlike many 1 documentaries seen in
cinema theatres, Simcha
J acobovici‘s dissection of l the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the West Bank
is shot with the big screen,
notTV,inmind.The Canadian filmmaker gets hiscamera behind those images that fill our news bulletins,talkingto
5 religious leaders, Israeli
soldiers, Intifada leaders and the ordinary people
I caught up in a centuries-
:i
[— TRACES or RED
Hallway through a routine murder case, Palm Beach homicide cop Jack Duggan (James Belushi) suddenly linds his lite turning into an ‘erotic thriller'. With his latest girllriend having just swapped his bed tor a mortuary slab, circumstances are combining to cast a shadow over his long-running secret affair with hormonally hyperactive heiress Ellen Scholield (Lorraine Bracco). As Duggan and his partner go alter the killer at large, they could hardly be prepared for the stew ol sexual deceit, murky personal history and political
Traces ot Bed: ‘stew ol sexual deceit’ corruption they’re about to be served
up in generous helplngs. A rough-looking Bracco in a lading blonde dye job, aerial shots of the Florida coastline and piles ol unsavoury slayings simply aren’t enough to do another Basic Instinct. The cast ought to hurl themselves into the physical side of things rather than cover themselves with sheets at every opportunity but, more importantly, you do need a thread at cohesion to pull the narrative through the usual twists and turns. Some master ironist could retitle this one Traces ol Intelligence, but it still wouldn’t stop it (ram being strictly last-video-in-the-shop todder. (TJ) Traces of Bed (15) (Andy Wolk, US, 1991) James Belushi, Lorraine Bracco, Tony Goldwyn. From Fri 11: Edinburgh UCI.
old whirlpool of hatred, intolerance and violence. I Death Becomes Her(PG) An actress in decline and a
frumpy author discover
the secret of eternal life, and so are able to carry
5 their mutual jealousy to outrageousextremes.A comedy that is
surprisingly black, given the stars involved, but which tends to get carried away with its impressive
special effects. See = preview.
I Into The West (PG)
Following the death of his { wife.aformertraveller
(Gabriel Byrne) sets up home with his two sons in a Dublin slum. But when a
; mystical white horse
I- HDMEALONEZ
With the slapstick original ranking at numberthree in the all-time box oltice chart, writer/producer John Hughes and director Chris Columbus set out to deliver a lollow-up that is more of a remake than a sequel. And we all know what that means- lots and lots and lots at the boy Culkin hitting Messrs Stern and Pescl over the head with sundry household implements. Ha ha lia/yawn (depending on your inclination).
This time Maw and Paw McCallister iet oil to Florida with the rest oi the tamily, except that— guess what? — little Kevin gets left behind, and accidently ends up in New York with his dad’s credit card, booked into a snazzy hotel and eating loads at ice cream. Meanwhile the bumbling burglars just happen to have escaped from prison, and the scene is set lor another
stand-oll in a big old abandoned house. F
Home Alone 2 shares the previous oltering’s llaws, in that the plot takes ages to creak into action and the impact of the knockabout comedy is sadly dulled by crass over-emphasis. ll you loved/hated the first one, then you’ll love/hate this one, so just keep those ‘Culkin must die’ letters coming and we’ll make sure he gets them. (TJ) Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (U) (Chris Columbus, US, 1992) Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern. From Fri 11: wide general release.
1 l
M ‘ E -
Home Alone 2: ‘more oi a remake thana sequel’
appears and the boys head offinto the Irish countryside with it, he is forced to come to terms with his present life and
past culture. A wonderful
piece of family
“\ storytelling. _See feature.
I Young filmmakers directory A new directory encompassing freelance and student filmmaking talent in Scotland will appear early next year. The organisers hope it will become a vital point of reference for all young filmmakers, actors and technicians dedicated to film production north of the border. Further info from the film departments at Edinburgh College of Art and Napier University
v - or fromthe WildTrack
m. Lisfi; 1’7‘oéccmbél @9215
office on 031 229 5564.
I First Reels Now in its second year, First Reels— the Scottish Film Council and Scottish Television’s innovative scheme to encourage up-and-coming film and video makers — is again awarding small grants of up to £2000 towards the completion of low-budget projects. Last year around 30 new short works benefited from the scheme. The closing date for application this year is 21 December, and forms may be obtained from Scottish Film Council, 74
Victoria Crescent Road, Glasgow 012 9JN.