FILM SCOTTISH
I Comic Relief Film Marathon: For the first time in the history of Comic Relief. one of the fund-raising events will be a 24-hour comedy film marathon. The brainchild of Edinburgh-based comedy duo Dallas and Packer (the men behind the capital’s twice-weekly Comedy Stop at Stepping Stones), it all gets underway at noon on Friday 17 at the Cameo. ‘We felt a lot of those classic comedies didn't get shown on the big screen anymore, only video or television,’ says Packer. ‘We were keen that all the main comedians and teams were represented — Peter Sellers, the Pythons, the Carry Ons, the Marx Brothers, Steve Martin.‘ These and more will feature in a total of twelve celluloid chucklers, kindly donated free of charge by various film distribution companies. In between, Dallas and Packer will provide their own brand of unpredictable introductions, while non- stop local cabaret continues in the bar (which serves alcohol until 1am, then other refreshments for the duration). Tickets cost £3 for individual films, although bulk deals are available. Cult comedy fans should note the List- ' sponsored through-the-night section — The Pink Panther Strikes Again, The Adventures Of Priscilla. The Life Of Brian and The Jerk — while the event closes with a special kids‘ double bill (starting at 9am on Saturday 18) of The Muppets Take Manhattan and Cool Runnings. For full details of films and running times, see listings. I Film Festival Submissions: All too often, young filmmakers working on low budget productions are discouraged from entering film festivals due to high submission fees. This year's Drambuie Edinburgh Film Festival, which runs 13—27 August. has set out to make its prestigious international platform open to all. ‘This year we have extended the period for submissions until Tuesday 23 May and reduced the submission fee for low budget films to just £10 to encourage young filmmakers from
SQOTTISH FILM
around the world to submit their work.‘ says the Festival‘s Director. Mark Cousins. The Festival defines a low budget film as one acquired or produced for less than £50,000. Application forms can be requested by phone on 0131 228 4051. fax 0110131 229 5501 or from the Drarnbuie Edinburgh Film Festival. Filrnhouse. 88 Lothian Road. Edinburgh EH3 982.
I Gaelic Shorts: After the international success of two years of Tartan Shorts. the Scottish Film Production Fund and BBC Scotland have teamed up with Comataidh Telebhisen Gaidhlig for the new ‘Geur Ghearr' initiative. The scheme has been set up to promote opportunities for emerging Gaelic writers, directors and producers to develop their filmmaking skills. The first two successful projects are An lubart (The Sar't't/it'e). written by Aonghas Macneacail and produced by Lucy Conan, with the director still to be
-confirmed; and Rimn/t Gltanitli A'
Gheamhraid/i (Before Winter ll’im/s). a story set in the dying days of the South Georgia whale hunts. written by Martainn Domhnullach and Uiileam Macleoid (who also directs). and produced by Mairead Mairi Mhoireach. I llo-To-Low Budget Workshop: Anyone dauntcd by the thought of writing. directing, producing or marketing their first feature film could receive some invaluable advice at an intensive one-day seminar held by the Independent Film Workshop at Hillhead Library in Glasgow‘s Byres Road on Saturday 25 March (9.30am—5pm). The course will he presented by Elliot Grove. founder of the Raindance Film Festival, Britain‘s film forum and market for independent cinema. Concentrating on the no-to-low budget end of the market, the seminar covers several topics, including evaluating a screenplay. marketing and distributing internationally. creating a career. independent financing, co- productions. securing music rights and virtually every other essential area of film production.
Grove‘s bold claim is that he can tell you how to make a 35mm 90-minute feature with Dolby stereo soundtrack for £10,000 — and over 1000 filmmakers in UK, France and America have heard him out in the last year. Registration costs £50 (£65 on the door if space is available). Information and forms are available from The independent Film Workshop. 81 Berwick Street, London WIV 3PF (0171437 3991).
Who needs Hollywood when all the glitz and glamour of Oscar night can be found in Scotland? While the stars’ hearts skip a beat in the States, the assembled throng at the Crusaid benefit in the Edinburgh Fllmhouse will watch the entire event live on massive screen “13 throughout the cafe and bar area. Starting at 11pm on Monday 27 March, the event will also include preview screenings of two Academy Award nominated films not
yet seen in the UK.
The evening’s charity auction features some of the most desirable memorabilia items ever to be put under the hammer in Scotland. Elton John has sent a suit and a gold disc, Cher’s posted oft one of her bras, there’s a hacksaw and shovel courtesy of Shallow Grave, a belt buckle used in the original Star Trek movie, an exact copy of a Marilyn Monroe dress and countless other goodies awaiting your bidding. Tickets, priced £15, are available now at the Filmhouse box office. (AM)
VIDEOS
[313111311— GAY CINEMA
last year, the Oscars made their nod towards gay film culture with a fairly safe award for Tom ilanks in Philadelphia. This year it is much more encouraging to see a Best Foreign Film nomination for a Cuban movie that examines the joys and sorrows of gay lifestyle with much more conviction. Strawberry And Chocolate (18, Tartan £15.99) follows the developing friendship between a witty, intelligent, gay art lover and a serious, communist, straight student. As the barriers are crossed and they reach greater mutual understanding, so too do our prejudices disappear.
The film’s low budget realism is in complete contrast to Fassbinder’s final movie, liuerelle (18, Artificial Eye £15.99), a film that is stylised and theatrical in the best sense of the words. Gloriously shot in widescreen, it presents an intellectualised argument about the distance between the sexual act and love itself within a richly homoerotic frame.
With the death of Derek Jannan, the film world lost one of its most original talents and the gay community one of
its foremost voices. His first feature, Sebastiane (18, Tartan £15.99) is unique for its use of colloquial Latin dialogue. Simultaneoust classical and coarse, the language mirrors the images of bored Roman soldiers swordfighting in G-strings while one of their number is martyred for his Christian beliefs. An examination of iconography and the persecution of the outsider.
Jarman’s Jubilee (18, Tartan £15.99) brings Elizabeth 1 and her entourage into a post-apocalyptic Britain. This is a genuinely anarchic film, bursting with energy, from the chubby Toyah’s flame-coloured hair to Jordan’s punk opera rendition of ‘iiule Britannia’. An enduring example of how the best anti-establishment movies are often driven by a gay sensibility. (AM)
KILLER B’S
Proving that there is such a thing as an ‘A’ grade ‘B’-movie, First Class Films are launching their new Killer B’s label with three sci-fi cult classics from the 50s. The line between being truly bad and boring, and being naively incompetent but hilariously entertaining is a fine one indeed, but this trashy trio get it right every time. in The Brain From Planet Arous (PG), nuclear physicist Steve is possessed by a criminal alien brain, then given powers that will lead to world domination - unless the good alien brain that’s taken hold of his girlfriend’s pet dog can save the day. If, however, it’s mad scientists you’re after, check out Jackie Coogan (TV’s
Addams Family’s Uncle Faster) as he crosses human beings with spiders in The Mesa 0f Lost Women (PC) - one some giant webspinners, deformed men and wickedly sexy, deadly females. The melodramatic voice-over narration takes this homage to the Ed Wood school of cinematics to a higher level of silliness.
A personal favourite is Cat-Women Of The Moon, which contains perhaps the least realistic moonwalk in film history. Man-hungry space babes in tight black ieotards become intergalactic feminist terrorists as they wrap the Earthmen round their little fingers. Tacky sets, terrible acting, but an Elmer Bernstein score! Oh yes, this Is definitely what the kids want. (AM)
The three titles are released by First Class Films at £12.99 each.
greed and the obsession
many fine performances
RENTAL
I Color Of flight (18) California. the psychiatric wing of America. Traumatised psychologist Bruce Willis heads there when a patient takes a jump from his office window, but finds himself in the middle of a murder mystery when one of his colleagues is killed by a member of a five-person therapy group. The sex scenes between Willis and Jane March are over- hyped. but everywhere else there's just a hint of self-parody that veers from the excruciating to the hilarious. Bad in an inspired sort of way —just don‘t take it seriously. (Guild)
I Cronos ( 18) Guillermo del Toro‘s beautifully artistic horror movie is a classic tale of human
for eternal youth. The story revolves around a delicate but deadly insect- like ornament capable of turning back the wheels of time in return for human blood. Simultaneously released for rental and retail. this brilliantly original piece is one of the most impressive debuts of recent years. (Tartan £15.99)
I Short Cuts (18) The format is simple. and certainly common from TV soaps: variously looser linked lives play out over a flow of time. revealing a little more about the community's social context every time they cross. In the hands of Robert Altman. however. it becomes something precious. Rarely have so
graced a single film, building towards a complex and slightly disturbing portrait of modem Los Angeles. A masterpiece of our time. (Artificial Eye £15.99)
I Paul Merton: Live At The Palladium (15) As his TV work has shown. the man who has made sarcasm into an art form is at his best when inter- relating with others. Hence the fact that this live show features only a few solo stand-up routines and concentrates on skits with Lee Simpson and Richard Vranch; also. given the location. it‘s more like vaudeville than alternative comedy. Whatever, it's high on the laugh quotient. and there’s an extra 20 minutes of material not seen on TV. (PolyGram £12.99)
22 The List 10-23 Mar 1995