The List: 25 Feb 1994 (20/88)

FILM SCOTTISH

BACARDI BLACK

I David Hayman: Acclaimed actor and director David Hayrnan will host a discussion on his thriller The Hawk after its screening on Sat 5 March at Stirling's MacRobert Centre. Centring on the mental stress suffered by a woman (Helen Mirren) who believes her husband is a serial killer. the film will be shown as part of Spring Fling Week. organised by Stirling District Council Equal ()pportunities Unit to celebrate International Women‘s Week. Tickets for the film and discussion cost £3.50 (£2.50). Later in the month. the MacRobert will be hosting a fortnight of special screenings under the banner ‘The Magic ()f Cinema'. with titles to include Gone Wit/'1 The Wind. Farewell My Corrt'uliine. Derek Jarman‘s Blue. and 8% and Julie! ()f’l'lre Spirits by the late Federico Fellini.

I Suzuki Seiiun: As an opener to the forthcoming season of films by Japanese filmmaker Suzuki Seijun. the Glasgow Film Theatre will screen his seminal 1966 work Tokyo Drifter on Mon 7 March at 6.15pm, with the director in attendance to discuss his work afterwards. Beginning on Fri 18 March. the OFT — in association with London's Institute of Contemporary Arts — will screen fourteen Suzuki movies. More details next issue. ()ther OFT visits include Scots actors Tom Conti and Peter Capaldi on Fri 4 and Sun 6 respectively.

, I Ladybird, Ladybird: Hot from the

editing suite. Ken Loach’s latest film was the hit of this year's Berlin Film Festival, winning three awards including the International Critic's (FII’RESCI) Prize and the Best Actress for newcomer Chrissy Rock. Written by Scottish playwright Rona Munro. lxulybirrl. Imlybr'rrl is a harrowing tale of a woman whose four children (by four different men) are taken from her by the Social Services because of a previous violent relationship. but who tries to regain her family when she meets a gentle Latin American immigrant. UK release dates have still to be finalised. (AM)

mum- anvszror KIESLDWSKI

How that he has completed his Three Colours trilogy, Polish-born director Krzysztof Kieslowski claims that he will hang up his camera and go into early retirement. A great shame, if this were to be the case, as he is one of a very small group of truly European directors whose works remain accessible while achieving artistic exceHence.

The first part of the recent trilogy, Three Colours: Blue (15, Fox, £15.99) has an early March retail release. Juliette Binoche stars as a young widow, coming to terms with her grief and self-pity in a wash of blue visuals, set to another haunting score by Zbigniew Preisner. Later in the month, Tartan Video release a special limited edition double box set of A Short Film

‘J A .g; ‘ § A Short Film About Killing

two features were expanded.

Whether tackling the romantic voyeurism of the former or the chilling psychological implications of the latter, Kieslowski is the master of the deceptively simple narrative. His films are about people, not plots, and he

l_._iy_ing designs

Riff-Raff's Robert Carlyle stamnihiarooned

When the National Film Theatre began its ‘Designs Of The Times’ touring season on 14 Feb, Scotland sent its Valentine along in the shape of Marooned, a new short from Scottish independent production company Crash Films, which opened the event. An ‘urban fairy tale’ about a shy left- luggage attendant who is drawn into the violence of Glasgow’s underworld when he opens the suitcase of a woman with whom he is obsessed, Marooned stars Robert Carlyle of Riff- naff and Rain Dog Theatre Company fame, and was produced by Andrea Calderwood, who was recently appointed Head of Drama at BBC Scotland.

Director Jonas Crimas’ film was given a helping hand towards the big screen when both the Scottish Film Production Fund and the First Film Foundation gave development money for Glaswegian writer Dennis McKay’s script. The SFPF then put up £25,000

18 The List 25 liel'rruary ll) March 1994

of the budget, with £5,000 coming trom the BFI and £15,000 (doubled by the ABSA sponsorship initiative scheme) from Habitat. Habitat were already working with the BFI to put together a season of films that would reflect high production design values in British films from the last 30 years (1994 sees the 30th anniversary of the company), but were also keen not to take a purely archival approach. Searching for a new film to invest in, they came across the script of Marooned, which seemed to contain

all the elements hoped for.

‘The script posed a real test for an art director,’ says BFI Production’s

Steve Brooks, who was closely

involved with the project, ‘because it entailed the reconstruction of the left luggage office in Glasgow’s Central

Station on virtually no budget.

Between the genesis of the idea and the shooting, Scotnail had changed the original office into lockers, and so designer Jackie Smith had to come up with a retro, old-style left luggage office which would be the key space in the film. During the shooting, passers-by would say that they preferred the film set to the new metal locker-room.’

The ‘Designs Of The Times’ season winds its way north in March. It’s surely an encouraging sign for the Scottish-based film industry when a new short can celebrate its world premiere in the company of such illustrious titles as Dr Zhivago, The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Tommy, The Man Who Fell To Earth and The Servant. The tour comes to the Glasgow Film Theatre on 10 March with the late Derek Jarman’s Caravaggio (design by Christopher Hobbs) and to Edinburgh on 15 March with Dr Strangelove (design by Ken Adam). Marooned will receive its first home-turf big-screen airings with both of these films. (Alan Morrison)

The List: 25 Feb 1994 (Issue 221)