The List: 25 Feb 1994 (22/88)

FILM INDEX

BACARDI BLACK

_ FILM

Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, brief review and venue details. Full length reviews of new releases can be found in the listings section wich follows. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.

I Addams Family Values (PG) (Barry Sonnenfeld. US. 1993) Anjelica Huston. Raul Julia. Christopher Lloyd. 95 mins. The Addams clan are back in residence. but this time with the addition of baby Pubert and gold-digging nanny 1 Joan Cusack. who's got her eyes on Fester's

; riches. Twisted humour and inverted ruorality for the adolescent in us all. Great set design. btrt

g jokes that will go way over the head of the kids.

Strathclyde: IiCl Clydebaiik. I The Age Of Innocence (1)) (Martin Scorsese. LS. 1993) Daniel Day-l.ewis. Michelle Pfeiffer'.

Winona Ryder. 138 mins. I'p-and-coming

lawyer Newland Archer risks the wrath of 1870s New York society when he falls in love with the scandal-shrouded Countess ()lenska. despite being already engaged. Scorsese is magniﬁcently faithful to Edith Wharton's novel. while painting its troubled emotions with an eloquent camera. Opulent and richly detailed. with no release froru the internalised pain of passion. Glasgow: ()deon. Edinburgh: ()deon. 1'(‘I.Strathc1yde: I'Cl Clydebank.

I Aladdin (Li) (John Muskcr/Ron ('lcments. 1S. 1992) Willi the voices of Robin Williams. Scott Weinger. Linda 1.ar'kin. 91 mins. Panto tirue. Disney style. as street-wise thief Aladdin woos Princess Jasmine with the help of the Genie of the lamp and hindrance of the evil Jafar. Colourful. entertaining sttrff that will be lapped up by children and adults alike. Williams‘s whirling der'vish of a Genie inevitably steals the show. Glasgow: ()deon. MGM Parklread. Edinburgh: ()deon. Strathclyde: Odeon Ayr. All L'Cls.

I Aliens ( 18) (James Cameron. IS. 1986) Sigourney Weaver. Michael Biehn. 137 mitts. Revived from a 57-year snooze in deep space. Warrant ()fficcr Weaver is cajoled into joining a marine rescue mission to the planet that is home for the original alien beastie. L'nrelentingly paced with a terriﬁcally gutsy performance from Weaver. this nerve~shredding sequel not only matches its predecessor btrt cannin surpasses it. An Oscar winner for special effects. Fife: New Picture House.

I Animal Farm (U) (John llalas & Joy Batchelor. CK. 1955) With the voice of Maurice Denham. 75 mins. Reasonable attempt to translate Orwell's classic into cartoon form. which is too earnest to reproduce the novel's zest in a satisfactory way. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.

I Bad Girls Programme 3 — Chicks With Dicks (18) Bizarre gender-bending video. beginning with a topless Jesus Christ lip-synching to Jim Morrison in A Spy: llesior Rt’t’i'r’.\‘ Does The Doors. Kathy Acker pumps iron in Empire 0] The Sense/err; erotic home movies rueet with ACT UP demos in Keep roman-.1- ()fva Bot/v; Linda/Lev (uu/ Annie introduces us to Annie Sprinkle and her transsexual lover“. and Juggling Gent/er features a bearded lady. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.

I Bad Girls Programme 4 — Sisters lire Doing It To Themselves (18) Bad Girls show a sense of humour in road movie parody I)e.\'ire Driver Her Cur; The March Thur Starlet! My Fire is Cathy Cook's comedy of sexual discovery; German ﬁlmmaker Monika Treut captures the witty side of transsexual Mar; shaven-head protest fills the frames of K ugelkolif'. and Mayhem utilises found footage from film noir and soap opera thrillers. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.

I Bhall on the Beach (12) (Gurinder Chadha. UK. 1993) Kim Vithana. Jirurni llarkislrin. 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 of culture clashes. a patriarchal community. domestic violence and generation gaps follow them onto the sand. A magnificently fresh. uplifting view of life in Britain through

Asian eyes. Glasgow: GET.

I Blade Runner: The Director's Cut(15) (Ridley Scott. L'S. 1982/92) Harrison Ford. Sean Young. Rutger Hauer. 116 mins. Out go the pseudo-noir narration and the tacked-on happy ending: in comes a ruore defined sense that Deckard himself may be a replicant. The look and feel remain as powerful. and the acting is superb A flawed masterpiece is now a restored masterpiece. Edinburgh: UCI.

I Blow-Up ( 15) (Michelangelo Antonioni. (K. 1966) David llemmings. Vanessa Redgrave. Sarah Miles. I IO mins. A (lashing young Swinging Sixties photographer ruay or may not have captured evidence of a murder on ﬁlm. Dated btrt intriguing backgrounds of decadent London are overshadowed by a sensitively evoked exploration of vision and truth in this typically elegiac Antonioni outing. Edinburgh: Filrrrhouse.

I The Blue llite ( 15) (Tian Zhuangzhuang. China/11K. 1993) Lu Liping. Zhang Wenyao. Chen Xiaoman. 138 mins. A mother and son struggle to survive the upheavals of the Mao regime and the violent turmoil of the Cultural Revolution. Tian‘s ﬁlm tells it straight. where others. such as Farewell My ('oncubine have taken a rrrore metaphorical approach. and the result is an honest and moving account of a still sensitive issue. See preview. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.

f I The Blues Brothers ( 15) (John Landis. L’S.

r 1980) John Belushi. Dan Aykroyd. Carrie Fisher.

130 mins. Bloated. overlong anarchic Chicago

; comedy with the two stars on a mission frorrr God to salvage the imperilled fortunes of an

orphanage. Lots of guest stars. musical numbers

I and automotive destruction in a typical product

1 of over-emphatic contemporary American

humour. Edinbtrrgh: Cameo. I Bodies. nest a Motion ( 15) (Michael Steinberg. US. 1993) Bridget Fonda. Tim Roth. Eric Stoltz. Phoebe Cates. 94 mins. Four restless

lwcrrtysomething Americans criss and cross over

a couple days as they search for love and meaning in their lives. The acting is a little self- satisficd. btrt the script and direction are spot-on. capturing wit and snatches of insight in a stylised mildly philosophical manner. Edinburgh: Filrrrhouse. I A Bronx Ta|e(15) (Robert De Niro. 178. 1993) Robert De Niro. (‘hazz Palminteri. I.illo Brancato. 124 mins. After witnessing a fatal

shooting. a young boy is taken under the wing of

a local hood: btrt this bad angel's influence is balanced with advice from his honest. hard- working father. Au atmospheric. subtly rendered coming-of-age tale set in the 60s. with De Niro showing ample talent before and behind the caruera. Glasgow: ()deon. Edinburgh: ()deon. All 1'(‘ls.

I Caravaggio ( 18) (Derek Jarman. UK. 1986)

Nigel 'l‘erry. Sean Bean. Tilda Swinton. 90mins. Jarman's biographical study of the brilliant Italian Renaissance painter centres on the artist‘s triangular relationship with a low-life gambler and his prostitute lover. a passion that is to result in murder. Ambitious and accessible work that ﬁnds a delicate. cinematic equivalent for the subtle slradiugs of in (‘ar'avaggio‘s brushwork.

1 With new Scottish short .Iluroonetl (see Scottish i Film). Glasgow: Gl’l'.

i I Darlito’s Way ( 18) (Brian De Palma. US.

1 1993) Al Pacino. Sean Penn. Penelope Atru

Miller. 141 mins. ()111 of jail after five years. former drug runner Catlito Brigante can't come to terms with the erosion of any sense of honour on the streets. and finds his struggle to go straight becoming more and more impossible. Pacino at times slips into performance rather 1 than characterisation. btrt still squeezes 5 sensitivity from the character; Sean Penn is excellent in his return to acting: and De Palrua pulls it all off with ruore restraint than usual. Glasgow: MGM Film Centre. I Carmen (PG) (Peter Brook. Fr/IIK. I983) Helene Delavault. 85 mins. Based on Brook's own highly acclaimed Paris ()pera production. this is a pared down version of Bizet shot in claustrophobic settings to an intimate effect that subverts the usual expansive cinematic approach to the medium. Edinburgh: French Institute. I Celeste (15) (Percy Adlon. Germany. 1981) Eva Mattes. Jurgen Arndt. Norbert Wartha. 106 mins. The final years in the life of writer Marcel Proust as seen through the eyes of housekeeper Celeste Albarot (who wrote the book on which the film is based). Great performances. I interestingly filmed by no less than four cinematographers. and a fascinating study of art 5 artist‘s (homo)sexuality by the director. 1 Edinburgh: French Institute. ; I Century ( 15) (Stephen Poliakoff. UK. 1993) 1 (‘live ()wetr. Charles Dance. Miranda ‘ Richardson. 114 mins. A rarity: a British film. set in the past. that actually looks forward. An ambitious young doctor comes to a London institute bill is banned when he disagrees with its

3 charismatic head. No staid period drama this. but

a fresh look at the late Victorian era and its

attitudes to poverty. class. immigration and

i medical science. I-Idinbtrrgh: Filmhouse.

I Cliffhanger (18) (chny Ilarlin. US. 1993)

Sylvester Stallone. John I.ithgow. Michael Rooker. Stallone returns to top forru as a guilt- ridden mountain rescue pro battling it out amongst the peaks in Colorado with a gang of hijackers. Spectacular vistas and stunt sequences

ensure a white-knuckle. vertiginous experience from the comfort of your cinema seat. Edinburgh: Cameo.

I [In Coeur En lliver A Heart In Winter ( 12) (Claude Sautet. France. 1992) Daniel Atrteuil. Emmanuelle Bean. Andre Dussolier'. 105 mins. A withdrawn violin maker becomes the object of desire for a young violinist who herself is the amour of the forrner“s business partner. An elegantly trenchant chronicle of triangular relationships which moves with such graceful ﬂuidity that it‘s easy to miss the toughness at its core. Edinburgh: Carueo. Fife: Robin‘s.

I The Conformist ( l8) (Bernardo Bertolucci. It/Fr/Ger. 1970) Jean-Louis Trintigant. Stefania Sandrelli. Gastonne Moschin. 115 mins. A man tries to sublimate his homosexuality by conforming to the dictates of 30s fascist Italy. marrying a dull wife and agreeing to carry out an assassination. A masterpiece of visual style that draws disturbing links between the political and sexual arenas. The (‘mrformist can now be seen in Bertolucci‘s own 1 I 5-minute ctrt. See review. Glasgow: GET.

I Cool Runnings (PG) (John Turteltatrb. US. 1993) Doug E. Doug. Leon. John Candy. 99

mins. Speculative comedy based on the ﬁrst-ever

Jamaican bobsled team at the last Winter Olympics is harmlessly amiable. btrt unfortunately cranks up too many moralistic messages complete with appropriate accompanying music. See review. General release.

I La Crise(15)((‘o111ne Serreau. France. 1993) Vincent Lindon. Patrick Timsit. Annick Alame. 95 mins. The director of ’I‘rois Homnrev [5! Un Col/fun and Ronuullt/ Ant! Juliette plays for farce-style laughs the story of a man who loses hisjob and his wife in a day. A fistftrl of

contemjxrrary issues are thrown up. hill one or

two flashes of inspiration aside. these personal disasters are a pretty weary ride. See review. Glasgow: Gl’l'. Edinburgh: Cameo.

I Dances With Wolves ( 12) (Kevin Costner. t'S.

I 1990) Kevin Costner. Mary McDonnell. Graham

1 Greene. Rodney Grant. 179 mins. Costner‘s

debut as director and co-producer. in which he

also stars. was widely praised for its epic scale

. and its sympathetic depiction of Red Indian

culture in the 1860s. bringing it seven Oscars including Best Film and Best Director. Set at a remote outpost during the American Civil War. it offers a sensitive and intense analysis of both the Yankee and Sioux factions. and of a man caught between two different cultures. Edinburgh: III I The Deer Hunter (18) (Michael Cimino. 1978) Robert [)e Niro. Meryl Streep. Jon Savage. Jon Cazale. 180 mins. The Vietnam war lras the effect of disrupting the lives of a small steel town. as various friends go off to face the horrors of war and return with emotional scars. A daring triptych structure. the first part of which displays a rare sympathy for the traditions and rituals of the emigrant corrrmunity. marks this out as a (‘irrrino movie. as he explores his favourite theme of American idealism being stretched almost to breaking point. Superb performances all round. Edinburgh: Cameo.

I Demolition Man (15) (Marco Brambilla. 11%. 1993) Sylvester Stallone. Wesley Stripes. Nigel Hawthorne. 115 mins. (.‘r'yogcnically frozen in 1996. btit thawed out for a parole hearing 36 years later. mass murderer Siruon Phoenix (Snipes) escapes and sets about creating major rrrayhem. 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 traderrrark

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. Edinburgh: Cameo.

I I Die ilard 2: Die Harder ( l8) (chny Harlin.

L'S. 1990) Brtrce Willis. Bonnie Bedelia.

; Williarrr Athetton. 122 mins. Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) is spending Christmas

in Washington. but as he waits at the airport for

; his wife's flight to get in the whole place is taken

over by terrorists. Needless to say action man ' Bruce jumps in there to sort them 0111. but he'd

better be quick because the baddies are refusing to let his missus's plane land. Usual patterned sequel that's like the original. only more so with rmrch moolah spent on the explosions and superhero Willis battling a screenplay of towering mediocrity. Edinburgh: Cameo.

5 I Distant Voices. Still lives ( 15) (Terence

Davies. UK. 1988) Freda Dow-1e. Pete Postlethwaite. Angela Walsh. Dean Williams. 85 mins. In the Liverpool of the late Forties and early Fifties. a working class household perseveres through domestic violence. death and marriage. A brilliantly made tribute to the Davies family's experience. and a requiem for a way of life now past. by one of the most gifted cinematic artists this country now possesses. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.

I Eraserhead (18) (David Lynch. US. 1976)

The List: 25 Feb 1994 (Issue 221)