FILM INDEX
BACARDI BLACK
' FILM
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, brief revievt and venue details. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.
I Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (I2) (Tom Shadyac. US. 1994) Jim Carrey. Sean Young. Courtney Cox. 86mins. When Snowflake. mascot of the Miami Dolphins. goes missing. there‘s only one man for the job — Ace Ventura. : cross between Phillip Marlowe and Dr Doolittle. Another American TV comedian to successfully make the transfer to the big screen. (‘arrey‘s wacky persona doesn't outstay its welcome in this funny and bizarre movie. General release. I Adrian Family Values (PG) (Barty 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 — an improvement on the original Addams Famin film — a plot. in the form of gold-digging nanny Joan Cusack. who‘s got her eyes on Fester's riches. 'l'wisted humour and inverted morality for the adolescent in us all. Great set design. butjokes that will go way over the head of the kids. Fife: Robins.
I The Adventures oi Huckleberry Finn (Po ) (Stephen Sornmers. US. 1993) Elijah Wood. Courtney B. Vance. Robbie Coltrane. Jason Robards. 108 mins. Mark Twain's affectionate Mississippi River yam gets the Disney treatment it) this unusually faithful adaptation. With sterling work from the reliable young Wood in the title role. Vance as his runaway slave pardner Jim. and oor Rab and ole man Robards in colourful supporting roles. this is sound entertainment for all but the youngest of audiences. See review. Glasgow: ()deon. MGM The Forge. Edinburgh: ()deon. UCI. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr. both UCls.
I The Age Of Innocence (U) (Martin Scorsese. US. 1993) Daniel Day-Lewis. Michelle Pfeiffer. Winona Ryder. 138 mins. 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 Edith Wharton's novel. while painting its troubled emotions with an eloquent camera. ()pulent and richly detailed. with no release from the interrialised pain of passion. Glasgow: GET. Edinburgh: Cameo. Fife: Adam Smith. Strathclyde: Magnum.
I Alice (15) (Jati Svankmajer. Switzerland. 1988) 84 mins. Radical version of the Lewis Carroll classic by brilliant Czech filmmaker Svankrnajer. which has the protagonist as the only live action character making her way through a harsh dreamscape vividly conveyed through puppet animation and trick photography. Atmospheric treatment of cruel. childlike fantasies. which makes for absorbing viewing. btrt Disney it definitely ain't. Glasgow: Gl’l‘.
I Allen 3(18) (David Fincher. LS. 1992) Sigourney Weaver. (‘liarles Dutton. (‘liarles Dance. 114 mins. Forget the backlash and the woeful tales of production difficulties — pop promo wunderkind Fincher makes a brave attempt to bring something new to the series by placing a shaven-headed Ripley plus monster companion on a prison planet filled with religious nutcases. ()kay. it's not Ridley Scott's classic sci-fi honor or James (‘ameron's Rambo In Space. but it is very dark. very atmospheric and very nearly worth the wait. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I American fleart (15)(Maitin Bell. ('5. I993) Jeff Bridges. Edward Furlong. Lucinda Jenney. 114 mins. Newly otit of prison. Bridges is tagged by son Furlong. and the two move itito a shabby room iii Seattle. They share dreams of moving to Alaska. btrt find it difficult to pull themselves free of the mire that surrounds them. Brilliantly acted by both leads. this generation-gap drama is perhaps gratuitously downbeat. (‘entralt MacRobert.
I The Animals Film ( t S) (UK/US. I981) 136 mins. As nan‘ated by Julie Christie. this documentary about animal abuse concentrates on laboratory experiments and so. while by no means easy viewing. it places the argument firmly in a political and moral sphere rather than a woolly. lentil one. Designed to set you thinking and talking. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I The Aristocats (l7) (Wolfgang Reitherman. US. 1970) With the voices of Phil Harris. Eva Gabor. Sterling Holloway. 78 mins. A street- wise alley cal woos an upper-class lelrne against
the backdrop of turn-of—the-century Paris. Loads of loveable cats. dogs. mice detectives and human adversaries. alongside some of Disney's rriore under-rated songs. Glasgow: ()deon. MGM The Forge. Edinburgh: ()deon. llCl. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr. both UCls.
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 riot-so- murky depths. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Autogeddon First of two live performances by Roy llutchins of lleathcote Williams' eco- political poems. Today‘s piece. which -— as its name suggests — condemns our culture's slavish worship of the motor car. is aptly followed by Falling Down. Joel Schuiriacher's excellent portrayal of white male paranoia. which opens on an LA traffic jam. Edinburgh: Filrrihouse.
I Backbeat (15) (lain Softley. UK. 1993) Stephen Dor'ff. Sheryl Lee. lan Hart. 100 mins. Back before The Beatles were a musical phenorrrenon. they were jrrst fr ve young lads knocking otrt rock 'n' roll hits in seedy Hamburg. Softley's film pushes the music aside and concentrates on the odd three-sided relationship of John Lennon. painter and ‘fifth Beatle' Stuart Sutcliffe and German photographer Astrid Kirchherr. The period detail and acting is superb. particularly from Hart in his second excursion as Lennon (following The Hours Arir/ 'Iinrm. Edinburgh: ()deon.
I The Ballad Of little Jo (15) (Molly Greenwald. US. 1993)Su1.y Amis. Bo Hopkins. lati McKellen. 121 mins. An unusual western that redefines the genre through modern. politically correct eyes (feminism. anti-racisrrr and homophilia raise their anachronistic heads). Josephine Moriaghan cuts her hair and passes her off as cowboy Jo after her family disowns her for becoming air unmarried mother. The male- dominated society she comes rip against. and ultimately defeats. is a mirror of today. Beautifully shot. the aridrtxlyrious castitig is interesting and a little unsettling. See review. Glasgow: GET.
I Baraka (PG) (Ron Fricke. LS. 1992) 9() mins. Environmentally aware eco-doc iii the style of It'riyrurrrivqatsi has the major advantage of having been shot it) 70mm. which makes the stunning cinematography the star of the show. Beautiful footage of Planet Earth is juxtaposed with man's harmful relation to it. with the Big Statement being pushed forwards by a series of powerful images. A genuine spectacle. Edinburgh: Filrrihouse.
I Barton Fink (15) (Joel ('oen. ITS. I991 ) John 'l‘uiturro. John Goodman. Judy Davis. Michael Lerner. 1 17 mins. When socially-committed play wright Barton Fitik ('l‘rirtui'ro) is consigned by the Hollywood machine to write wrestling films. he slumps itito a writer's block as large as his iiiysterions next‘door neighbour (John Goodman). I'nprecedented winner of best film. actor and direction awards at 1991's (‘annes Film Festival shows the ('oeri's at their most menacing and absurd best. Glasgow: GFI‘.
I Beethoven’s 2nd (I' ) (Rod Daniel. [78. I993) ('hailes Grodin. Bonnie Hunt. Debi Mazar. (‘hr'is Penn. S9 mins. It's love at first sight when cinema's lavorite St Bernard sees Missy. looking delectable with a pink bow it) her hair. Pretty soon. this Beetho.en has produced a not-so- musical quartet of pooping pups. w hose ability for mischief is matched only by their sickening cuteness. (‘loying stuff. certain to be lapped up by kids and people who smile at Andiex adverts. Glasgow: MGM Sauchiehall Street. MGM The Forge. Edinburgh: l'(‘l. Fife: Glerirothes Cinema. Strathclyde: ('annon. ()deon Ayr. both 1'(‘1s.
I Betty Blue: The Complete Version ( Ix) (Jean- Jacques Berrieix. France. 1980) Jean-Hugues Anglade. Beatrice Dalle. Gerard Dai'irion. 180 mins. The story remains the same —- boy meets girl. girl flips out —- btit the extra ()0 mins of unseen footage is a mixed bag. Some new scenes help give a creditable timescale to Betty's descent into insanity. while others are distracting. the cinematic equivalent of irioristt'ous carbuttcles on the face of a well-loved friend. Glasgow: GFII
I Blink ( 18) (Michael Apted. I‘S. 199-1) Madeleine Stowe. Aidan Quinn. James Reemat'. 106 mins. ~A woman who has been blind since childhood is given a corneal transplant and is the sole witness to a murder. although the fuzzy image orin slowly begins to reveal itself to her. Investigating cop Qtrirrn is suspicious. btit he's distracted by her body. Apted's classy intelligent suspensei is emotionally itivolvitig and finely acted. Glasgow: ()deon. MGM 'l‘lie l'orge. Edinburgh: ()deon. l'('1. Strathclyde: ()deon
Hamilton. both LYCIs.
I The Blue Kite ( IS) (Tian Zliriarrgzliuang. ('hina/HK. 1993~) Lu Liping. Zhang Wenyao. (‘hen Xiaomari. 138 mins. A mother and son struggle to survive the upheavals of the Mao regime and the violent turmoil of the (‘ultural Revolution. 'l'ian's film tells it straight. where others. such as Farewell My Cntrt‘ttlrfltc'. have taken a more metaphorical approach. and the result is an honest and moving account of a still sensitive issue. ('entral: MacRobert.
I Blue Velvet (18) (David Lynch. US. 1986) Kyle Macl.achlan. Dennis Hopper. Isabella Rossellini. 120 mins. lti srnall-town Middle America. would-be boy detective Macl-achlan finds a severed eat on some waste ground. When the police shoo him away he decides to do some investigating of his own. A singular fusion of the cosy and the terrifying which blends kitsch and nightmare. B-movie detection and brutal sex to deconstruct our complacent vision of nonrial society. This is film-making of remarkable imagination and skill. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I The Blues Brothers ( 15) (John Landis. US. 1980) John Belushi. Dan Aykroyd. Carrie Fisher. 130 mins. Bloated. overlong anarchic (‘hicago comedy with the two stars on a mission from God to salvage the irriperilled fortunes of an orphanage. Lots of guest stars. musical numbers and automotive destruction in a typical product of over-etiiphatic contemmrary American humour. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Born Free (U) (James ilill. (K. 1965) Virginia McKenna. Bill 'l'ravers. Geoffrey Keen. 95 mins. Based on the true story of Joy and George Adamson. this family favourite is a little bit ‘jolly nice' in the Englishness of the game warden couple. btit the three lion cubs who act as their co-stars can't fail to win the audience over. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I A Bronx Tale (18) (Robert De Niro. ('8. 1993) Robert De Niro. (‘hazz Palminteri. Lollo Brarrcato. 124 mins. After witnessing a fatal shooting. a young boy is taken under the wing of a local hood. btit his honest. hard-working father attempts to drive out the bad angel's influence. bringing the boy itito conflict with his ne‘er-do- well buddies. An atmospheric. asstrred and subtly rendered corriing-of-age tale set ill the (iOs. with De .\'iro showing ample talent on both sides of the camera. Edinburgh: [If].
I Car Sick A BB(‘ “Open Space' special. iii which Michael Palin paints a gloomy picture of increasing pollution and underfunded public transport — is part of "Tolerable 'I'owns'. a lecture by Philippe Spapens on a Dutch model for future transport and urban planning. Discussion follows. Organised by Friends ()f'l'he Earth (Edinburgh). Edinburgh: Filrnlrouse.
I Clearcut (15) (Richard Bugajski. Canada. 1991 ) Graham Greene. Ron Lea. Michael Hogan. 102 mins. After losing a court battle over land claims. a native North American (Greene) kidnaps a big-city lawyer and the local paper mill manager. Bugajski‘s film notorin raises important questions about larid rights. btit also about acceptable riieans of protest and use of violence. Edinburgh: liilrrihouse.
I Un Coeur En fliver A Heart In Winter ( 1?.) ((‘laude Satitet. France. 1993) Daniel Auteuil. lirriiiianuelle Beart. Andre Dtrssolier. 105 mins. A withdrawn violin maker becomes the object of desire for a young violinist who herself is the amour of the for'trier‘s business partner. An elegantly trenchant chronicle of triangular relationships which trroves with such graceful fltiidity that it's easy to miss the toughness at its core. Glasgow: Girl.
I Cool Runnings (PG) (John 'l'urteltaub. IFS. I993) Dotrg E. Dotig. Icon. John Candy. 99 mins. Speculative comedy based on the firstever Jarriaican bobsled team at the last Winter ()lyrripics is harriilessly amiable. but unfortunately cranks tip too many trioralistic messages complete with appropriate accompanying music. Still. audiences seem to like its easy-going nature. making it ati affectionate tribute to the late John (‘aiidy Glasgow: ()deon. MGM The Forge. Edinburgh: MGM. l'(‘l. Strathclyde: both I’(‘Is. WMR Film (‘entie
I A Dangerous Woman ( 15) (Stephen Gyllerrlraal. LS. 1993) Debra Winger. Barbara Hershey. Gabriel Byr'rie. 101 mins. I'gly duckling Martha (Winger) fairly miserable life is made worse when she accuses a fellow worker of stealing money ~ one of her strange traits is that she cannot tell a lie. When she is rejected by her rich aunt's handyman (Byrne) after a drunken fling. her emotional and psychological levels tip way out of balance. Much more than your usual psychoskiller movie. See review. Glasgow" Gl’l‘. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I The Dark llalf ( 18) (George A. Romero. LS. 1993) Timothy Hutton. Amy Madigarr. Michael Rookei‘. 120 mins. Ari attempt to literally bury his pen-name goes fatally wrong for novelist
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Thad Beaumont when a physical manifestation of his pseudonym starts stalking his household. An inventive twist on the Jekyll and Hyde scenario. with enjoyany overblown effects. which makes for one of the better mainstream horror movies in recent years. See review. Glasgow: ()deon. MGM The Forge. Edinburgh: ()deon. L'(‘l. Strathclyde: Kelburne. ()deon Ayr. botlt C(‘ls. I Days (it Hope Parts 3 and 4 (Ken Loach. (K. 1975) Paul (‘opley. Nikolas Simmonds. Pamela Brighton. Norman Tyrrel. Gary Roberts. Edward l'ndenvotxl. John Phillips. [924: The First labour Cover/intent 77 mins; I926: The General Strike 132 mins. The second half of the four-part television docudrama written by Jim Allen. about ten years of the British Labour movement. as seen through the lives of three working people and from a Socialist perspective. A milestone of its genre. and a chance to assess the political commitment of l.oach's earlier work. Edinburgh: Filrrihouse. I Desperately Seeking Susan (15) (Susan Seidelriian. US. 1985) Rosanna Arquette. Madonna. Aidan Quinn. It)! mins. Frrn and fizzy. role—swapping feminist fantasy coiriedy set in the Big Apple. 1s Madonna a sleazy. streetwise version of Orson Welles. doing her best work first and going steadily downhill ever since'.’ Edinburgh: l’illllliUtlSC. I The Exorcist ( 18) (William Fr'icdkiti. LS. 1973) Linda Blair. Ellen Burstyn. Max Von Sydow. 110 mins. Earnest priest Von Sydow steps in to save poor" little possessed girl in this hugely effective scai‘efest. Dead good. dead scarey. dead priest. Glasgow: ()deon. I Falling Down ( 18) (Joel Sclrurriacher. LS. 1992) Michael Douglas. Robert Dtrvall. Barbara Hershey. 112 mins. A sacked defence worker abandons his car in a traffic jam and goes on an escalating rampage across l.os Arigeles. No mere vigilante movie this. but the zeitgeist rnovre of the 90s. drinking deep of White Middle-('lass America's fears about its future. Actor Douglas and director Schnmacher deliver their finest work to date. Wed I only. preceded by Roy Iltitchin's live per'for'iiiancc of zilliogt't/(fnll at the evening screening. Edinburgh: l-ilmhouse. I Farewell My Conculiine ( 15) (Chen Kaige. (Irina. 1993) Gong Li. Leslie (‘heung. [hang liengyi. 150 mins. The story of two Peking ()pera actors and the woman who comes between them provides an intimately detailed story which is set to a constantly shifting backdrop of Chinese politics during the 20th century. The Opera setting provides colour and spectacle. and questions how far a man will go for his art; the historical episodes give this Palme d'()r winning film the flavour of a genuine epic. Edinburgh: (‘ameo Strathclyde: U(‘l C‘Iydebank. I Fearless ( 15) (Peter Weir. its. 1993) Jeff Bridges. Isabella Rossellini. Rosie Perez. 122 mins. (‘onvinced of his own irrirriortality after surviving a horrendous plane crash. Max Klein's reaction to his near death experience has a metaphysical bent rerrriniscent of director Peter Weir's early work. Bridges is irragniliccnt .is his character reassesses the tlc'l.’lll\ of daily living. bringing pain to lll\ family and hope to fellow survivors. Edinburgh [(1. I Fish out 0' Water ( 15 ) (Denmark. 1993) 97 mins. A skilled w elder is made redundant from the factory w here he has worked for 237 years. Stuck all day in his cramped appartmerit. he begins to make his w if'e feel that she too has l()\l hcr' independence. But when he meets a beautiful young girl and heads to the Mediteriearr. he must reassess his life. A subtle tiagi comedy. Edinburgh: Filrrihotise I Four Weddings And A Funeral ( t5) (Mike Newell. I'K. 1993) Hugh Grant. Andre MacDow ell. Kristin Scott 'l'honias. 117 mins. Sweet brit stuffy Englishman ('harlic (Grant) is convinced that he is not the marrying sort. but when he keeps meeting the alluring Arrierican ('ariie (MacDowell) at an assortment of church ceretrioriies. he begins to doubt his resolve. I he sort ofcharrrring Britiin comedy that was destined to storm Airieiica. btit which adds a little grit to the glamour of the pretty settings thanks to Richard (liltit'k‘tlrrlt/t’l’l ('rntis'scr'ipt. General release. I Free Willy (1') (Simon writer-i. rs. 1993) Jason James Richter. Lori Petty. Michael Madsen. I 13 mins_ After rriovirrg from one set of foster parents to another young Jesse finds himself helping out with chores at a marine atriusetrient park where Will). the orca whale has also been separated from his family. land and sea rebels become soul-triates. and the plot heads down a distinctly li'ldike path. Easy to grasp adventure for the kids; a little too simplistic and rrianipulative for a more sophisticated audience. Glasgow: ('atinon (‘laikston Road. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. Borders: Pavilion. I Germinal (15) ((‘latide Berri. France. 1993)
24 The List 20 May—2 June 1994