The List: 6 May 1994 (31/84)

BACARDI BLACK

INDEX FILM

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 which follows. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.

I Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (12) (Tom Shadyac. I.‘S. 1994) Jim Carrey. Sean Yotrng. Courtney Cox. 86 mins. When Snowflake. mascot of the Miami Dolphins. goes missing. there's only one man for the job - Ace Ventura. a cross between Phillip Marlowe and Dr Doolittle. Another American TV comedian to strecessfully make the transfer to the big screen. (‘arrey‘s wacky persona doesn't outstay its welcome in this funny and bizarre nrovie. General release. I The Age Of Innocence (L?) (Martin Scorsese. US. I993) Daniel Day-Lewis. Michelle Pfeiffer. Winona Ryder. I38 mitts. Up-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 Iidith Wharton's novel. while painting its troubled emotions with an eloquent camera. ()pulent and richly detailed. with no release from the internalised pain of passion. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.

I Alien Trilogy (18) (Ridley Scott/James Cameron/ David Fincher. 1979/86/92) Sigourney Weaver et al. lIo/l37/114 mins. The complete story of Ripley and friend. front Scott‘s edge-of-the-seat suspense thriller. through (‘ameron's Rambo In Space. to Fincher's dark. atmospheric finale. A variety of styles and scares around every corner. Glasgow: ()deon.

I All You llever Wanted To Know About Women (IS) (Lothar Lambert. (ierrnany. l99l ) 80 mins. Post-Wall Berlin seen through the unstable eyes of a psychiatrist whose ‘therapeutic commtrne‘ of neurotic women hasjust been infiltrated by a suspicioust normal liast (ier'man. An off-beat comedy about reuniﬁcation and the search for the perfect sexual partner. from a veteran of Berlin‘s gay and underground film scene. Iidinburgh: Filrnlrotrse.

I And The Ship Sails On (PC r (Federico Fellini. Italy. 1983) Freddie Jones. Barbara Jefford. Victor Poletti. I32 mins. Ilighly stylised piece of indulgence by the late Fellini. set on-board a luxury liner in 19H. Politics enters in the shape of Serbian refugees. btrt the emphasis is on a loving depiction of aristocrats and opera singers. Glasgow: (EI’I'.

I Another Girl. Another Planet ( l5) (Michael Almereyda. IFS. I992) Nic Ratner. Barry Sherman. Iilina Lowensohn. 56 mins. Shot on a Fisher Price PXL .2000 camera. this mini-feature takes the story of New York romantic pessimism and aching longing into hitherto uncharted visual territories. Iidinburgh: (‘ameo

I l’Atalante (PG) (Jean Vigo. France. I934) Michel Simon. Jean Daste. Dita Parlo. 89 mins. The only feature to be made by the brilliant Vigo before his tragically early death. A sirrrplc narrative follows the tangled passions of newlyweds Daste and Parlo as they spend their honeymoon on a barge trip with seedy old captain Simon. l.'.»lI(r/un!e's rich cavalcade of ever-changing moods and unforgettany poetic moments of sensuality make it a unique classic to be cherished. (ilasgow: (il-‘I‘.

I The Aristocats (1') (Wolfgang Reitherrnan. l'S. I970) With the voices of Phil Harris. Iiva (iabor. Sterling Ilolloway. 78 mins. A street- wise alley cat woos an upper-class feline against the backdrop of ttrrn-of-the-century Paris. Loads of Ioveable cats. dogs. rnrce detectives and human adversaries. alongside some of Disney's more under-rated songs. (iener'al reiease.

I Backbeat ( I5) ( Iain Softley. I’K. I993) Stephen Dorff. Sheryl Lee. Ian Hart. 100 mins. Back before The. Beatles were a musical plrenorrrenon. they were _|ust five young lads knocking otrt rock 'rt‘ roll hits in seedy Ilamburg. Sol'tley's frlrn pushes the music aside and concentrates on the odd three-sided relationship of John Lennon. painter and ‘l’rfth Beatle' Stuart Sutcliffe and (ierman photographer Astrid Kirchherr. The period detail and acting is superb. particularly from Ilart in his second excursion as Lennon (following The "0(er And ’Iimer. (ilasgow: ()deon. lidirrbur‘gh: ()deon. l'(‘l. Str'atnclyde: l'(‘l Fast Kilbride. \VMR.

I Beethoven's 2nd (1') (Rod Daniel. ('8. 1993) (‘harles Grodin. Bonnie Hunt. Debi Slazar. ('hris

“sits”

FIRST RIJH I What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? Johnny Depp is the face of normality amongst some strange people in srrralltown Iowa. Director Lasse Hallstrom casts an intelligent and sympathetic eye on romance and American neuroticisrn. Glasgow: MGM Pork/read. lit/inlmrglr: Cameo. UCI. I Four Weddings And A Funeral A very British style of romance hits batchelor Hugh Grant as he keeps meeting Andie MacDoweIl at church ceremonies. General release. I La Scorta Edge-of—seat tension never abates when the police bodyguards ofa magistrate on Sicily come face to face with the mafia. lidlrrlmrg/r.‘ Film/rouse. I Schindler’s List Spielberg‘s talents mature with this multi-Osear winning story of a German industrialist who saved I.I()() Jews from certain death during World War II. General release. REPERTORY I King Of The Hill As yet unseen north of the border. Steven Soderbergh‘s third film is a warmly sympathetic rites-of-passage tale set in St Louis during the Depression. Central: MucRoberl.

The Elephant Man Masterful black- 'rnd-white photography capture the ragic story of a badly deformed man leaving behind his circus freak past and seeking dignity in Victorian Britain. Edinburgh: Film/rouse.

Penn. 89 mins. lt's love at first sight when cirrema‘s favorite St Bernard sees .‘ylissy. looking delectable with a pink bow in her hair. Pretty

soon. this Beethoven has produced a not No-

musical quartet of pooping pups. whose ability (or mischief is rtratched only by their sickening

cuteness. (‘oning stuff. certain to be lapped up

by kids and people who smile at Andrex adverts. (ieneral release.

I Behind The Rainbow ( IS r (llc‘twig Kipping. (iermarry. I99l r 89 mins. listravagent stuff. depicting Iiast (ierman chrldhood during the Stalinist era. set to an overblown Mahler soundtrack. Iidrnburgh: l‘ilmhouse.

I Bhaii on the Beach ( I2) ((itrrirrder ('hadha. l'K. I993) Kim \'rtharra. errrrr Harkrshin. Sarita Khaiuria. l()() mins. .-\ group of Asian women from Birmingham leave their day-to-day cares belrirtd them and head in a van tor Blackpool Btrt the problems of culture clashes. a patriarchal community. domestic violence and generation gaps follow them onto the sand. A rrragnrficently fresh. uplifting view of Irfe in Brrtairr through Asian eyes. (ilasgow: (iI-‘l‘. (irosvenor.

I Blink ( IS) (Michael Apted. l'S. I‘M-l) Madeleine Stowe Aidan Quinn. James Recrnar. I06 mins. A woman who has been blrrrd since childhood is given a corneal transplant and is the sole witness to a murder. although the fuzzy

image only slowly begins to reveal itself to her. Investigating cop Quinn is suspicious. btrt he‘s

distracted by her body. Apted's classy. intelligent .suspenser is ertrotionally involving and finely acted. See review. Iidinburgh: ()deon. All l'('ls.

The List: 6 May 1994 (Issue 226)