FILM INDEX
BACARDI BLACK
FILM mm:-
Filrns screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, brief review and venue details. Full length reviews of new releases can he found in the listings section wich follows. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.
I Abigail's Party (15) (Mike Leigh. UK. 1977) Alison Steadman. 100 mins. Landmark TV drama (the first full-length TV film to be partly improvised) with Steadman throwing a bash while the grown-ups along the road try to have a quieter night. Sparks of wit. although Leigh's trademark style can become a bit annoying. Glasgow: Gl’l'. I The Abyss: Special Edition (15) (James Cameron. US. 1989) Ed Harris. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Michael Biehn. 168 mins. Let's face it: the original ending of Cameron‘s underwater extra-terrestrial drama left a lot to be desired. Much better is the heightened political intrigue of this extended version. which still retains its human emotional impact. Edinburgh: Cameo. Strathclyde: UCl Clydebank. I Accion Mutante (18) (Alex de la lglesia. Spain. 1993) Frederique Feder. Antonio Resines. Alex Angulo. 94 mins. A group of handicapped revolutionaries kidnap an heiress and head to an off-world mining planet for a bloody showdown. An instant sci-fi/horror cult classic let loose from the Almod0var experimental labs. Try to imagine Freaks meeting Barbarella at a party thrown by Mad Mar. Central: MacRobert. I l’Accompagnatrice (PG) (Claude Miller. France. 1993) Richard Bohringer. Elena Safonova. Romane Bohringer. 111 mins. During the Second World War. a poverty-stricken pianist's life is transformed when she becomes accompaniest to a beautiful singer. whose luxurious apartment she moves into. But her mentor. although married. is having an affair with a member of the French Resistance. which continues when they move to London. Fairly lifeless stuff from a country that still hasn't got to grips with this period of its history. See review. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I Atlantis (PG) (Luc Besson. France. 1991) 76 mins. Ambient underwater antics from the man who brought you Nikita and The Big Blue. Besson and his small crew capture a subaquatic world that at times resembles documentary footage of another planet. No actors. no dialogue: just impressive photography and Eric Serra's score to guide you through the not-so- murky depths. Central: MacRobert. I The Baby of Macon ( 18) (Peter Greenaway. Europe. 1993) Julie Onnond. Ralph Fiennes. Philip Stone. 122 mins. More stylised. more controversial. more Greenaway. The story of a professed ‘child saint' in 17th centry France is the means by which the director picks apart exploitation of children. particularly by the Catholic church. and notions of child abuse. images of rape and mutilation will undoubtedly appal most viewers. regardless of Greenaway‘s artistic intentions. Central: MacRobert. I Bambi (U) (David D. Hand. US. 1942) 69 mins. Disney at his cutest. purest best. A baby fawn enjoys life in the forest with his friends (Thumper the rabbit is surely one of Disney‘s most memorable creations). grows up. has a nin- in with Man. and becomes Great Prince of the Forest. Nice animation. with touches of extreme tweeness. and a massive hankie count when Bambi's mum dies. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. Fife: Glenrothes. Kelbume. I Batman (PG) (Leslie H. Martinson. US. 1966) Adam West. Burt Ward. Burgess Meredith. 105 mins. Holy Bat-originals! This big screen version of the Sixties TV Bat-capers piles on the Bat-camp and Bat-innuendo and sports wonderful THWOK! effects for the fight sequences. and the fact that there is indeed a (gasp!) plot is one thing it has over the darker. more expensive 1989 incarnation. Edinburgh: MGM. I The Beauty Jungle (PG) (Val Guest. UK. 1964) Janette Scott. [on Hendry. Ronald Fraser. 114 mins. A typist enters a beauty contest. quickly becomes Miss Globe. and just as quickly fades again. Predictable but fun take on the wicked side of showbiz. Edinburgh: St Bride's. I Belle De Jet: (18) (Luis Bunuel. France/ltaly. 1967) Catherine Deneuve. Jean Sorel. Michel Piccoli. 100 mins. The beautiful but bored wife of a surgeon spends her afternoons working in a brothel where she meets an odd assortment of characters. Bunuel‘s treatment of the bourgeoisie
is typically cool but unforgiving. and hrs blurring of the line between fantasy and reality so succesful that by the end. we are unsure if the whole movie could have been dreamt up by the protagonist. Wonderfully amoral comedy of manners. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Benefit (it The llouht ( 18) (Jonathan Heap. US. 1993) Donald Sutherland. Amy lrving. Graham Greene. 91 mins. Out of prison after a 22-year sentence for murdering his wife. Frank (Sutherland) tracks down his daughter (Irving) whose eye-witness testimony put him away. When he charms her young son. she wonders if her mother's death was the accident her father always claimed it to be. Another twist on the ‘outsider threat to the family unit' thriller formula that should have run its course by now. See review. All UCls.
I Bhali on the Beach ( 12) (Gurinder (‘hadha UK. 1993) Kim Vithana. Jimrni llarkishin. Sarita Khajuria. 100 mins. A group of Asian women from Birmingham leave their day-to-day cares behind them and head in a van for Blackpool. But the problems ofcultute clashes. a patriarchal community. domestic violence and generation
fresh. uplifting view of life in Britain through Asian eyes. A special preview screening. followed by an audience discussion with the director and stars of the film. Fri 19 only. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I The Big lleat ( l8) (Fritz Lang. US. 1953) Glenn Ford. Gloria Grahame. Lee Marvin. 9() mins. Muscular thriller as ex-cop Ford tries to track down his wife's killer and nab a crime ring with the assistance of Grahame's sympathetic moll. Marvin is a blisteringly vicious villain. stubbing out cigarettes on a human ash-tray and scalding Grahame with the contents of a coffee pot. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Braintlead ( 18) (Peter Jackson. New Zealand. 1992) Timothy Baltne. Diana Penalver. Elizabeth Moodv. 104 mins. You won't believe the fun that can be had with a rotary blade lawnmower. a cast of slobbering zombies and several hundred gallons of blood. Peter (Bad Taste) Jackson wrenches the King of Gore title away from Sam Raimi with this outrageous slapstick classic in which our nerdy heroes battles it out with the undead population of Wellington. Tremendous. Edinburgh: Odeon.
I Bullet In The Head (18) (John Woo. Hong Kong. 1990) Tony Leung. Jacky Circling. Waise Lee. 100 mins. At last. the chance to see Woo‘s celebrated Asian actioner on a Scottish big screen. Set in the Hong Kong of the late 60s. three friends get caught up in gang war and have to flee to Saigon. See Screen Test. Glasgow: GET.
i I Calendar ( 15) (Atom Egoyan.
; Armenia/Canada/Germany. 1993) Arsinee
Khanjian. Ashot Adarnian. Atom Egoyan. 72
; mins. A Canadian-Armenian photographer and ; his wife travel on an assignment to take images
of twelve Armenian churches. Btrt as they learn about the history of their homeland. she falls in
love with the tour guide. forcing her husband to
face life at home without her. A personal but
Adjuster. Followed by an audience discussion with the director. Glasgow: Gl’l‘. Edinbrrrgh:
Filmhouse.
I Caravaggio (18) (Derek Jarman. UK. 1986)
Nigel Terry. Sean Bean. Tilda Swinton. 90 mins.
Jannan's biographical study of the brilliant
1 Italian Renaissance painter centres on the artist's
i triangular relationship with a low-life gambler
l and his prostitute lever. a passion that is to result
3 in murder. Ambitious and accessible work that
finds a delicate. cinematic equivalent for the
| subtle shadings of in Caravaggio's bnrshwork. Glasgow: GFT. . I CB‘ (18) (Tamra Davis. US. 1993) Chris Rock. Allen Payne. Phil Hartman. 88 mins. Three homeboys try for fame and fortune in the world of rap music. and achieve some success when they mimic the tough ‘gangsta' style. Btrt then a right-wing politician launches a crusade against the group. An amusing send up of an already overblown musical style. it draws comparisons with This Is Spinal Tap and doesn't always come out favourably. Glasgow: MGM Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: UCl.
I The Cement Garden (18) (Andrew Birkin. UK/Gennany/France. 1993) Charlotte Gainsbourg. Andrew Robertson. Sinead Cusack. 105 mins. Based on the acclaimed book by Ian McEwan. Birkin's award-winning film intertwines themes of incest and death with innocent insight. Not so much a coming-of-age movie as a regression into childhood. it is meticulously observed and contains flawless performances from its young cast. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Chinatown (Roman Polanski. US. 1974) Jack Nicholson. Faye Dunaway. John Huston. 131 mins. Private eye Jake Gittes takes on a routine case in 1937 LA and ends up uncovering more
than he bargained for. Splendid conspiracy thriller with a handsome period look and a quite superlative cast. Despite rumours spread by Nicholson and Polanski. though. the nose-slitting scene was faked. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I The commitments ( I 5) (Alan Parker. UK. 1991) Robert Arkins. Michael Aherne. Angeline Ball. Maria Doyle. 118 mins. Sod U2 — when would-be manager Jimmy Rabbitte (Atkins) puts together The Commitments. soul comes to Dublin and the band become the force to really put Irish music on the map. Alan Parker delivers a hilarious. down-to-earth. close-to-home movie. stuffed full of good music and with some relevent social comment to boot. Fife: New Picture House.
I The Concierge (PG) (Barry Sonnenfeld. US. 1993) Michael J. Fox. Gabrielle Anwar. Anthony Higgens. 95 mins. Doug lreland (Fox). a young concierge who dreams of owning his own hotel. meets an investor who will put up the money if Doug ‘babysits' his drop-dead gorgeous mistress (Anwar). Yeah. right. Ditch those lustful feelings. go for the money. No
3 chance. This is Hollywood's own brand of ‘ gaps follow them onto the sand. A magnificently ‘
romantic comedy. Fox‘s career seems to be in much trouble: but the beautiful Anwar. last seen
T tangoing with Pacino in Seen! ()fA Woman. here
waltzes away with the film. Glasgow: All MGMs. Edinburgh: MGM. All UCls.
; I The Crying came (15) (Neil Jordan. UK.
1992) Stephen Rea. Forest Whitaker. Jaye
Davidson. 112 mins. A disillusioned IRA
terrorist strikes up a friendship with the black British soldier he has kidnapped. and subsequently finds himself in London and in
love with the latter's girlfriend. A bold.
unpredictable film that has plenty to say about notions of personal and sexual identity. if only all British movies were as good as this. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Cup Final (15) (Eran Riklis. Israel. 1991) Moshe lvgi. Muhamad Bacri. Salim Dau. 109 mins. Captured bv the PLO in Lebanon in 1982.
a couple of Israeli soldiers have worse things to think about than not making it to the World Cup Finals in Spain. But by talking about football
and family. individual personalities merge from
1 the group image of The Enemy. A brave attempt
to get beyond the rhetoric and expectations of war and examine the human factor. See review. Glasgow: GET.
, I The Cure Show (12) (Aubrey Powell/Leroy Bennett. UK. 1993) 96 mins. A second live concert film starring Robert Smith and the boys.
this time filmed in the summer of 1992 in Detroit. Good sound. dull visuals as it's mostly
filmed without close-ups from an audience point
of view. A couple of oldies on the soundtrack. btrt tnainly newer material. Strictly for the fans. Central: MacRobert.
I Damage (18) (Louis Malle. UK/France. 1992)
Jeremy Irons. Juliette Binoche. Miranda Richardson. Rupert Graves. 111 mins. A Tory
MP. headed for high office. drops his
parliamentary briefs in favour of his son‘s new
girlfriend. David Hare's script is restrained and dispassionate. leaving the audience detached nevertheless engaging film by the director of The
from the potential melodrama. A very English
sexual repression pulled apart by French master Malle. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
; I Daughters of the Dust (PG) (Julie Dash. USA I991) Cora Lee Day. Alva Rogers. Trula
Hoosier. 112 mins. An impressionist portrait of a turn-of—the-century family living on one of the
barrier islands off Georgia. who are about to migrate to the mainland. Drawing on the Gullah dialect of the islands. the film becomes a vibrant detailed account of colonial history and family life spread across generations. See review. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I Dave (12) (Ivan Reitrnan. US. 1993) Kevin Kline. Sigoumey Weaver. Frank Langella. 110 mins. it‘s one of those eternal Hollywood myths: an ordinary Joe — or in this case. Dave — finds himself in the White Home and. despite the D powers that be. decides to give US politics a liberal heart. Kline is at his most appealing. 3 Weaver nicely underplays the supporting role. Comfortable old-fashioned filmmaking that's a bit like soaking in a warm bath. Glasgow: All MGMs. Edinburgh: Dominion. MGM. Fife: Glenrothes. New Picture House. All UCls. I Dead Ringers (18) (David Cronenberg. US. 1988) Jeremy irons. Genevieve Bujold. Heidi Palleske. 115 mins. Extraordinary exatnintion of sexual jealousy on identical twins. irons plays gynaecologists. arrogant Elliot and the more , studious Beverly Mantle. who fall in love with fading actress Claire Niveau when their clinic treats her infertility. As the emotional tumioils mounts up. the trio become involved in a i frightening downward spiral of drug-induced ; mania. Deeply melancholic. irrationally i powerful exercise in wayward psychology. ; which boasts magnificent and carefully i differentiated characterisation from 1rons. i Edinburgh: Cameo.
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I Death Becomes ller (PG) (Robert Zemeckis. US. 1992) Meryl Streep. Goldie Hawn. Bruce Willis. 103 mins. An actress in decline and a frumpy author discover the secret of eternal life. and so are able to carry their mutual jealousy to outrageous extremes. A comedy that is surprisingly black. given the stars involved and the pressures on its $40 million budget. btrt which tends to get carried away with its distractineg impressive special effects. Glasgow: Grosvenor.
I Demolition Man (15) (Marco Brambilla. US. 1993) Sylvester Stallone. Wesley Snipes. Nigel llawthome. 115 mins. Cryogenically frozen in 1996. but thawed out for a parole hearing 36 years later. mass murderer Simon Phoenix (Snipes) escapes and sets about creating major mayhem. The only man who can stop him is Sgt John Spartan (Stallone). the man who caught him first time round and who is also undergoing the big freeze. Producer Joel Silver's trademark big bangs and some lampooning of screen images by the stars enliven this excellent sci-fi action movie that is laced with sharp social satire. General release.
I Dennis (PG) (Nick Castle. US. 1993) Mason Gamble. Walter Matthau. Joan Plowright. 98 mins. lle's blond. he's cute. he’s American. his dog isn‘t a fluffiiall with teeth. At least the stripey jumper remains the same. Brit. then again. the Dennis of the US cartoon strip never was related to The Beano's arch-menace. When Dennis's folks go off on business. the mischevious little brat is left in the hands of his elderly neighbours: Home Alone scenario from the John Hughes stable. Glasgow: MGM Parkhead. All L’Cls.
I Dirty Weekend ( 18) (Michael Winner. UK. 1993) Lia Williams. David McCallutn. Miriam Kelly. 102 mins. Not a female Death Wish. but a feminist revenge fantasy taken to extremes. Winner captures the tone of Helen Zahavi‘s novel perfectly. btrt the film‘s shoddy editing. lighting and dubbing is unforgivable. Technically inept. extremely offensive. but of some social relevance.
I Dragon ( 15) (Rob Cohen. US. 1993) Jason Scott Lee. Lauren Holly. Robert Wagner. 119 mins. Exciting. intelligent biopic on the short life of martial arts star Bruce Lee will please action fans and provide some insight into the motivations that drove the man through his revolutionary fighting techniques. ground- breaking films and inter-racial marriage. .lason Scott Lee is excellent in the lead role. his sinewy physique a match for the master's. Edinburgh: UCl. Strathclyde: Magnum.
I Dr Who and The Daleks (U) (Gordon Flemyng. UK. 1965) Peter Cushing. Roy Castle. Jennie Linden. 83 mins. in which the good Time Lord foils those malevolent maestros of metallic mayhem. the Daleks (who‘ve managed to conquer a good deal of the cosmos without ascending so tntrch as a flight of stairs) and Roy Castle saves the universe. Fife: Robins.
I les infants Du Paradis (PG) (Marcel Carne. France. 1944) Arletty. Jean-Louis Barrault. Pierre Brasseur. 195 mins. Paris in the 1840s. Amid the seething heart of the French capital's theatre street. a mime artist falls in love with the delicious but flirtatious Garnace. One of the cinema‘s most extravagantly enjoyable productions. this gorgeous elephantine wallow of a filrn is crammed with incident and compellineg curious Gallic Comic characters. Re-issued in a new print. See review. Glasgow: GFI‘.
I Eraserheatl ( 18) (David Lynch. US. 1976) John Nance. 90mins. You may never eat jelly babies again after the repellent but compelling tale of Henry. his haircut. his girlfriend. his strange offspring and a sizeable quantity of pus. Disturbing stuff. mercifully filmed in black and white. Re-issued in a new print. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I FFVF: Questions of Identity 1 Can people have a sure sense of national or cultural identity in a world heading towards the global village? Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I FFVF: Danish Film and Video A series of films from the Danish Film Institute Workshop including a road movie by David Wojnarowicz set in a violent and disturbed America. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I FFVF: Magiclt and Mysticism A series of films looking at mythology and Eastern philosophy including a tale of incest told in fairytale style. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I FFVF: Questions of identity 2 The second programme of films considering questions of national and cultural identity. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I FFVF: colour. Shape and Form Films which question the way we see an and the world around us. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I FFVF: Australian Experimental A selection of filtns from Melbourne's Experimenta festival. Edinbur h: Filmhouse.
18 The List 19 November-2 December 1993