FILM INDEX
BACARDI BLACK
FILM
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, briet revleiv and venue details. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.
I Alice h The Cities (U) (Wim Wenders. W. Germany. 1974) Rudiger Vogler. Yella Rotlander. Lisa Krezer. 110 mins. A despairing photo-joumalist traveling across the United States finds himself on a joumey back to Germany in the company of a 9-year-old girl. In the search for her family. he finds himself becoming surrogate parent and spiritual guide. Wise. perceptive and beautifully shot early Wenders. Glasgow: GFI".
I Appleseed (15) (Kazuyoshi Katayama. Japan. 1991) 71 mins. In a future world. run by a singular corporate entity. policewoman Dunan
1
and cyborg sidekick Bularis track down terrorist ‘ I Blank Cheque (PG) (Rupert Wainwright. 17$.
AJ. Sebastian. whose criminal acts threaten the delicate balance of this utopia. The character animation is rudimentary. even by manga standards; the backgrounds don‘t even aspire to the Akini class. and only the hardware seems to have been drawn with relish — which says a lot about the filmmakers and more about the target audience. See Screen Test. Glasgow: ()deon. Edinburgh: Odeon. Fife: Robin‘s.
I Baby's Day Out (PG) (Patrick Read Johnson. US. 1994) Joe Mantegna. Lara Flynn Boyle. Brian Haley. 98 mins. Talk about regression! After Home Alone 2 and Dennis 2. writer John Hughes now has a drooling toddler on the loose in the big city after he escapes from his kidnappers. led by itian-with-no-shame Mantegna. Saccharine sweet storytelling which diabetics would be well advised to steer clear of. General release.
I Backheat (15) (Iain Softley. 17K. 1993) Stephen Dorff. Sheryl Lee. Ian Hart. 1(X) mins. Back before The Beatles were a musical phenomenon. they were just five young lads knocking out 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 Gennan photographer Astrid Kirchherr. The period detail and acting is superb. particularly from Ilart in his second excursion as Lennon (following The Hours And Timex. which is screened here in a double bill). Glasgow: GET. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Beverly llills Cop 3 (IS) (John Landis. US. 1994) Eddie Murphy. Judge Reinhold. Hector Elizondo. 107 mins. Axel‘s boss takes a bullet. so he heads off to an LA theme park to track down the baddie. Terrible plotting. ineffectual action scenes. insulting jumps in the narrative filled in by stilted vocal explanations — if there‘s a worse film this year. I don‘t want to see it. Edinburgh: L'Cl. Strathclyde: Magnum.
I Beyond Bedlam ( l8) (Vadim Jean. UK. 1994) Craig Fairbrass. Elizabeth Hurley. Keith Allen. 90 mins. Dream-invading serial killer The Bone Man (Allen) is the guinea-pig for mind-control drug experiments which allow him to go on a psychic rampage. bringing him face to face with cynical cop Craig Fairbrass. Pitched somewhere between a psychological thriller and an out-and- out horror movie. Jean's follow-up to Leon The Pig Farmer is creatively put together and avoids many of the typical genre trappings. Glasgow: GF'I'.
1993) Brian Bonsall. Karen Duffy. Miguel
Ferrer. 94 mins. When some guy runs over his bike. cleven-ycar-old Preston Waters is hurriedly
given a blank cheque. which he subsequently cashes for a cool million dollars. Btit the
signatory is thief Carl Quigley. and soon he‘s on
the kid‘s trail. Every youngster's dream-come- true meets routine slapstick and slushy morality in what isn't the most subtle or original movie
you‘ll see this year. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr.
I Blown Away ( 15) (Stephen Hopkins. US. 1994) Jeff Bridges. Tommy Lee Jones. Suzy
Amis. 121 mins. A psychotic terrorist blasts his
way otit of prison and leaves Ireland for America. where he discovers that a top bomb disposal expert is really a former terrorist who caused the death of his sister. Cat and mouse sttiff with plenty of big bangs and high anxiety stress factors for audiences who like their palms clammy. See review. General release.
I Bram Stoker's Dracula ( 18) (Francis Ford Coppola. l’S, 1992) Gary ()ldman. Winona Ryder. Anthony Hopkins. 128 mins. More gothic
love story than out-and-out horror. Coppola's
version is not the strict Stoker adaptation that many had hoped for. but is a visual feast
ATHENS
53 Forrest Road
Edinburgh EH1 ZQP Mon-Fri 0900-1730 \\'ed 1 000-1 730 Sat 1000-1700
DELHI
MADRID MEXICO
Glasgow University The Hub
IIilIliead Street Glasgow (:12 8BR Mon-Fri 0930-1700 “ed 1000-1700
PARIS" PRAGUE RIO
11 George Square (ilasgtm (22 IDY \liin-Fri 0900-1730
\Vt‘tI IlIIIII-I71II
.. ‘ Worldwide
S." 5 Days r . a 1 M th 17 ILLEPIIONE s Mggths 80 BOOKINGS
031 one 3303 “'5’
041 221 8808
BANGKOK‘ BUDAPEST COPENHAGEN"
AMSTERDAM
HONG KONG“ KATHMANDU LOS ANGELES'
NEW YORK'
SAN FRANCISCO“ AUSTRALIA
ROUND THE WORLD 'FROM SCOTLAND
INSURANCE
At Campus Travel we specialise in low cost travel for students and young people. WORLDWIDE
£ o/w £ rtn
36 65
59 129
237 473
72 129
84 168
205 335
292 534
250 467
140 280
58 83
175 299
102 199
57 114
59 129
271 528
150 287
479
747
TRAVEL
nonetheless. Oldman taps his own dark. sexy. stormy self to create a powerful btit sympathetic monster. while the rest of the cast range from the ineffectual to the overbearing. A rich and substantial vampire movie for our times. Glasgow: Grosvenor.
I Cliffhanger (18) (Renny Harlin. US. 1993) Sylvester Stallone. John Lithgow. Michael Rooker. Stallone returns to top form as a guilt- riddcn 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 The Contomist (18) (Bernardo Bertolucci. lt/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 (.‘miformi'si can now be seen in Bertolucci's own llS-minute cut. Central: MacRobert.
I The Crow (18) (Alex Proyas. US. 1994) Brandon Lee. Ernie Hudson. Richelle Davis. 101 mins. Infamous as the film on which martial arts star Bruce Lee‘s son Brandon was killed by a defective stunt gun. this is the most consistent attempt yet to create on film the distinctive feel of the graphic novel. The characterisation and plot development may be slight — a rock star comes back from the dead to wrech revenge on the gang who killed him and his girlfriend — btit stylistically. it‘s a gem. Glasgow: Odeon. Strathclyde: WMR.
I The Crying Game (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. Glasgow: GET.
1 I The Custodian ( 15) (John Dingwall. Aus.
1993) Anthony LaPaglia. Hugo Weaving. Barry ()tto. 101 mins. Convinced that his police buddies are on the take. Quinlan decides to blow their gaff from the inside. and so sets himself up as a sacrificial lamb. LaPaglia is so tense. you're waiting for him to explode; his perfonnance in the jewel in the crown of this superior cop corruption thriller that also explores different notions of integrity. Glasgow: GET. I Delicatessen (15) (Jean-Pierre Jeunet/Marc Caro. France. 1991) Dominique Pinon. Marie- 1.aure Dougnac. Jean-Claude Dreyfus. 99 mins. In a sepia wasteland somewhere in the future. a butcher feeds his neighbours with the juicy joints of his lodgers. But when former clown Louison (Pinon) arrives and falls for his daughter. an underground vegetarian resistance group come to the rescue. Hilarious blend of bizarre characters. slapstick and comic tension makes for the first true cult item of the '90s. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Desperate Remedies (15) (Stewart Main/Peter Wells. New Zealand. 1993) Jennifer \k'ard-Lcaland. Kevin Smith. Lisa Chappell. 92 mins. Ilunk stumbles off boat into fin-de-siecle N7. town and is immediately set upon by a millner who reckons he could wean her opium addict sister from her nasty boyfriend. Melodrama? Stylised taffeta sets‘.’ Labyrinthine narrative? You've got the lot here in this in-your- face exercise in flashy visuals. Glasgow: GET. I The Exorcist ( 18) (William Friedkin. US. 1973) Linda Blair. Ellen Burstyn. Max Von Sydow. I 10 mins. Earnest priest Von Sydow steps in to save poor little possessed girl in this hugely effective scarefest. Dead good. dead scarey. dead priest. Glasgow: ()deon. Edinburgh: Cameo. UCI. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr.
I Fearless ( 15) (Peter Weir. US. 1993) Jeff Bridges. Isabella Rossellini. Rosie Perez. 122 mins. Convinced of his own immortality after surviving a horrendous plane crash. Max Klein's reaction to his near-death experience has a metaphysical bent reminiscent of director Peter Weir's early work. Bridges is magnificent as his character reassesses the details of daily living. bringing pain to his family and hope to fellow survivors. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I A Fish Called Wanda (15) (Charles Crichton. UK. 1988) John Cleese. Jamie Lee Cunis. Kevin Kline. Michael Palin. 108 mins. Stuffy English lawyer Archie Leach (Cleese) gets involved with a gang of diamond thieves. including brash American Kline and animal lover Palin. because he has information that will help them lay their hands on the swag. Glamorous Wanda (Curtis) steps in to romance him into talking. but love is
sponsored by BACARDI BLACK
to rear its head. Remarkably effective comedy. with the black humour of the Python generation given a narrative control and sense of timing that only a veteran‘s steady hand could provide. And it makes a wonderful romantic lead out of the rather unlikely (‘Ieese. Edinburgh: Cameo. I The Flintstones (U) (Brian Levant. US. 1994) John Goodman. Rick Moranis. Elizabeth Perkins. Rosie O'Donnell. 92 mins. Fred is promoted to an executive post at the quarry. btit only as a stooge for his boss's corporate rip-off; nevertheless. money and power go to the Flintstones‘ heads. causing friction with the Rubbles. The movie keeps to the TV series' prehistoric parody of modern suburban life. adds bright and chunky sets and a post-yuppie morality tale on greed that doesn't quite sit right. and comes out a little plot-heavy. The one-liners will be picked tip by adults. kids will get bored. Btit it's no the yabba-dabba dodo it could have been. General release. I Fortress ( 18) (Stuart Gordon. US. 1992) Christopher Lambert. Kurtwood Smith. Loryn Locklin. In a harsh America of the future. a former Black Beret and his wife are thrown into a futuristic maximum security prison for attempting to have a second child. Stuart (Reuniniurnr) Gordon delivers an entertaining prison-break drama with sci-fi trappings. great sets. deliciously overcooked acting and a satisfying array of fire-power. Great fun. and a dead cert on video. Strathclyde: Magnum. I Four Weddings And A Funeral (15) (Mike Nowell. UK. 1993) Hugh Grant. Andie MacDowell. Kristin Scott Thomas. 117 mins. Sweet btit stuffy Englishman Charlie (Grant) is convinced that he is not the marrying sort. btit when he keeps meeting the alluring American Carrie (MacDowell) at an assortment of church ceremonies. he begins to doubt his resolve. The sort ofcharrning British comedy that was destined to storm America. btit which adds a little grit to the glamour of the pretty settings thanks to Richard (Bluekudrler) Curtis's script. General release. I La Frontera ( 18) (Ricardo Lairain. Chile. 1991) 115 mins. After being arrested at a union demo. a maths teacher is banished to a gloomy village in the cold south of Chile. A major hit in its homeland and an award-winner at the Berlin Film Festival. Latin American Film Festival. Glasgow: (ii-'1'. I The Getaway ( 18) (Roger Donaldson. IFS. 1994) Kim Basinger. Alec Baldwin. Michael Madsen. l 15 mins Much more of a star vehicle than the tougher Peckinpah original. this bank- roberry-reveiige-chase could do well to ctit away from the leads and focus more on the weirdo subplot following double-crossed baddie Michael Madsen and loopy hostage Jennifer Tilly. The plot has interesting elements. but it's all a bit to glossy for a hard crime thriller. Glasgow: MGM Parkhead. I Getting Even linth Dad (PG) (Howard Deulch. US. 1994) Macaulay Culkin. Ted Danson. Glerine Ileadley. 109 mins. Danson is a small- time crook doing one last job to help set him tip in the straight world; Culkin is'his estranged son who rumbles his dad's plan. takes the loot and blackmails him into doing the bonding good- time thing. A liotch-potch movie. stirring elements of caper. heist. romance and travelogue into something that is not the sum of its parts. The gags are set up well. btit fall to the obvious at the punchline. Edinburgh: ((1. Fife: Glenrothes. Strathclyde: I'Cl East Kilbiide. I Ghosts. . .01 The Civil Dd ( 18) (John llillcoat. Australia, 1988) Dave Field. Mike Bishop. Nick Cave. 9} mins. Brutal Australian prison movie adopts an approach somewhere between hard-edged realism and futuristic stylishness (most readily apparent in the production design) as it unravels an episodic narrative of growing tension and escalating violence between the staff and inmates of a high- security concctional facility. Watch out for cult rocker Cave (who also had a hand in the script). comfortably cast as a disruptive psycho. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I The llairdresser's Husband ( l 5) (Patrice Leconte. France. 1990) Jean Rochefort. Anna Galiena. 90 mins. The romantic tale of a young boy who resolves to marry a hairdresser. and — in eccentric middle age — does just that. According to director Leconte. the film ‘is not autobiographical. although it really (mg/ii to have been'. since the boy's resolution is one he himself made. btit failed to keep. A witty. sexy and eccentric movie with dark undercurrents from the director of i‘IIn/irieur Hire. Glasgow: GI-‘T. I Hidden Agenda ( l 5) (Ken Loach. (K. 1990) Frances McDonnand. Brian Cox. Brad Dourif. Mai Zetterling. 103 mins. One of Britain's most respected political film-makers takes on the big one — the security forces in Nonhem Ireland. When an American lawyer is killed. details
68 The List 26 August-8 September 1994