INDEX FILM
FILM
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.
I The Adventures or Priscilla, llueen or The Desert ( l8) (Stephan Elliott. Australia. I994) Terence Stamp. Hugo Weaving. Guy Pearce. l04 mins. Two transvestites and a trans-sexual team up for a trip across the Australian outback for a drag show in Alice Springs. Serious issues pop tip from time to time. but the emphasis is on the canrp humour of the in-bus bitchiness and outrageous musical set-pieces. Fife: New Picture Ilouse.
I Amateur ( I5) (Ilal Hartley. ('8. I994) Isabelle Huppen. Martin Donovan. Elina Lowensolrn. I05 mins. Isabelle. an ex-nun writing porn stories. meets amnesiac Thomas on the streets of New York; soon they find that his past is somehow linked to Sofia. a porn actress. and two violent corporate assassins. The patented Hartley dialogue and wit is ever present. but this time there are a few filmic jokes thrown irt with references to specific genres and other movies. Edinburgh: Cameo. Filmhouse.
I Andre (U) (George Miller. US. I994) Tina Majorino. Keith Carradine. Chelsea Field. 94 ruins. This time it's the turn of a seal to keep the kids oohing and aahing. as the true story of Andre unfolds. Set during the early 60s in a small fishing town in Maine. the film has all the necessary elements — cute kid bonding with cute animal — and with a few adventure sequences in the plot that puts this flippered heroin the Skippy/Chatirpion/Rin Tin Tin class. General release.
I An Awfully Big Adventure (15) (Mike Newell. UK. I995) Ilugh Grant. Alan Rickman. Georgina Cates. Amidst dreary post-war surroundings. the naive and impressionable Stella (Cares) discovers a microcosmic world of rivalry. jealousy. lust and resentment when takes a job as assistant stage manager with a rep theatre company. Newell taps into the darkness of Beryl Bainbridge's novel. btit like his previous Enchanted April and Futtt‘ ll’eddingx And A Funeral. it really might be more suited to an evening at home in front of the box. See preview. Glasgow: MGM Film Centre. Edinburgh: MGM. UCI. Strathclyde: UCIs.
I Beijing Bastards (15) (Zhang Yuan. China. I993) 95 mins. Electric guitars. concerts. music . . . youth culture expresses itself this way the world over. In China. however. it has a different twist. a political dimension. Nevertheless. Yuan uncovers common concerns with young Western adults. as he focusses more on minor life crises than the music itself. Edinburgh: Filmhorrse.
I Bicycle Thieves (PG) (Vittorio De Sica. Italy. I948) Lambeito Maggiorani. Enzo Staiola. An unemployed Italian workman has his bicycle stolen. and badly needs it for a new job. so he and his small son search the busy streets of Rome for it. The epitome of Italian neo-realism. with the Roman setting vividly sketched and the performances compellineg natural. so that this unromantic drama takes on an overwheming power. MaSter'ly stuff. Glasgow: GF'I'.
I Black Beauty (U) (Caroline Thomson. US/UK. I994) Sean Bean. David Thewlis. Peter Cook. 82 mins. The most famous horse in children's literature returns in a faithful screen version by debut director Thomson. whose work as a screenwriter — The Secret Garden. Edward Scissor/raruls. The Nightmare Before Christmas — taps into a darker current of childhood vision. The pace sets off at a gallop. and should intrigue adults as well as younger viewers. General release.
I The Blob (PG) (Irwin Yeaworth. US. I958) Steve McQueen. Aneta Corseault. Earl Rowe. 85 mins. In his debut. the young McQueen and his 50s delinquent mates battle monsterjelly from outer space. A classic drive-in style movie. with the most hilariously inappropriate theme song in film history. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Blue Sky (12) (Tony Richardson. US. I99l) Jessica Lange. Torrurry Lee Jones. Powers Boothe. l0l mins. Carly. extrovert wife of armv radiation expert Ilank. courts tragedy when she. begins an affair with the base commander. Oscar-winner Lange plays a fragile. mentally unstable heroine of the Tennessee Williams type. following a similar path to the one she took in Francis. Tommy Lee Jones is on brilliant fomr. proving that Tony Richardson's final film is expert at creating characters. but falls apart when it concentrates on plot. See review. Glasgow: GFT.
I Chaplin Operas (PG) Three Chaplin classics — Easy Street. The Adventurer and The Immigrant
— with music by Benedict Mason played live by the Paragon Ensemble. This performance goes beyond the typical fashion for writing new music for silent cinema. by using texts lifted from Blake. Joyce. a French cookery book and a Metropolitan Police recruitment advert — which adds an ironic edge to the montage. Central: MacRobert.
I Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (U) (Ken Hughes. UK. I968) Sally Anne llowes. Dick Van Dyke. Lionel Jeffries. I45 mins. Lengthy. effects-filled children‘s adventure conceived in the wake of Mary Poppins" huge commercial succes btit with a charm (and great songs) all of its own. Dick Van Dyke is the mad inventor whose flying car propels his children and romantic interest llowes to a far-off land of adventure. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Cinema Paradiso: The Special Edition ( )5) (Giuseppe Tornatore. Italy/France. I988) Salvatore (‘ascio. Philippe .\'oiret. Jacques Pen'in. I70 mins. The nostalgic chronicle of a Sicilian youngster's formative relationship with his local movie house and its wise old projectionist is largely unaltered; the new material details the older Salvatore's traumatic return home. showing exactly what happened to his teenage paramour. Consequently. the tone is darkened. a counterpoint to the central slushiness. A masterpiece restored. Central: Allanpark.
I The Days ( l5) (Wang Xiaoshuai. China. I993) 85 mins. Brilliantly shot in melancholy black and white. this masterpiece of China's new tiew generation of filmmakers is much more graphic and intimate in its portrayal of love than its predecessors. Performances by the young leads
capture the psychological dangers of the
characters' relationship and make for compelling viewing. Glasgow: GI-‘l'. Edinburgh: FIIIIIIIOIISC. I Disclosure ( IS) (Barry Levtnsori. I’S. I994) Michael Douglas. Demi Moore. Donald Sutherland. I28 ruins. IIigh-llying computer hardware exec Douglas is beaten to promotion by former flame Moore. whose subsequent attempts to get his pants off brings about allegations of sexual harassment. The spark point in Michael Crichton's source novel is only one factor in this corporate suspense thriller. which is as slick. professional and empty of sure-footed morality as you would expect. That said. you'll .stay glued to the screen. General release.
I La Dolce Vita( IS) (Federico Fellini. Italy/France. I960) Marcello Mastroianni. Anita Ekberg. Anouk Aimee. I73 mitts. Journalist Mastroianni mixes with the beautiful people of rich Roman society and is anibivalently shocked and fascinated by the vigour of their excessive decadence Everything you ever wanted from a Fellini movie - black humour. grotesque sexuality. inspired visual imagination and the wonderful Marcello. See it. With Scottish short. Hairpin. Glasgow: GET.
I Drop Zone ( I5) (John Badham. [38. I994) Wesley Snipes. Yancy Butler. Gary Busey. NH mins. ()tit to catch the bad gtiys who killed his brother. Snipes infiltrates a group of exhibition sky-divers — but you can't fool us that this is a plot. lt'sjust an excrrsc to rip off Put/it Break territory. indulge is sortie breath-taking aii'botirne shots. and get the star in skin-tight jump-suits. Delivers the thrills. btit nothing else. Glasgow: MGMs. Edinburgh: I'Cl. Strathclyde: IFCI C!ydebank.
I Dumb And Dumber ( l2) (Peter Frti'ielly. US. I994) Jim ('artey. Jeff Daniels. Lauren Ilolly. l02 mins: Brainless limo driver Lloyd (Cariey) drags equally intellectually challenged roommate Harry (Daniels) to Aspen in search of the beautiful Mary. not knowing the suitcase he's carrying contains the ransom for her husband's kidnappers. There s nothing patronising about these guy's sheer stupidity — this is aimless. puerile. sliariiefacedly hilarious stuff for people who didn't understand the jokes in ll’a'vne'x World. See review. General release.
I Eat Drink Man Woman (PG) (Atig Lee. Taiwan. I993) Sihung Lung. Kttei Mei Yang. Chein Lien Wu. I23 mins. Aug Lee's The Wedding Banquet was a surprise international hit; Eat Drink Man Il’mnan surpasses it on every level. Clrtt is the greatest chef in Taipai. but for years his affection for his three grown-tip daughters has been redirected into the lavish meals he prepares for them. When love unexpectedly enters into the lives of all four. their inability to comrrrunicate comes to a head. Warm. funny. colourful. A joyful experience. Glasgow: Gl-T.
I l’Enier ( 15) (Claude Chabrol. Fiance. I994) Emmanuelle Beart. Francois Cluzet. Andre Wilrns. I00 mins. In the 70s. Henri-Georges Clouzot stopped shooting this script after a nervous breakdown. Picked tip 20 years later by Chabrol. the sense of impasse is obvious and. while interesting enough. it‘s less than satisfying. Cluzet suspects that coquettish young wife Bean is unfaithful; she denies it. Credibility is pushed aside as the director concentrates on male paranoia. Central: MacRobert.
I Even Cowgirls Get The Blues ( (5) (Gus Van Sant. US. I993) Uma Thurman. John Iliitt. Rain Phoenix. 88 mitts. Thurman stars as the free- wheeling Sissy llankshaw. sent to the all-female Rubber Rose rancir to shoot an advert for female hygiene products. in this unsuccessful adaptation of Tom Robbins' seminal 70s novel. Van Sant neither sticks to straight narrative nor fully endorses the esotei ic. so the result falls between two stools. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. Strathclyde: L’CI East Kilbride.
I The Exorcist ( l 8) (William Friedkin. US. I973) Linda Blair. Ellen Burstyn. Max Von Sydow. I l0 mins. Earnest priest Von Sydow steps iii to save poor little possessed girl in this hugely effective scarefest. Dead good. dead scarey. dead priest. Fife: New Picture Ilouse.
I Far From Home (PG) (Phillip Borsos. US. I994) Mimi Rogers. Bruce Davison. Jesse Bradford. Fourteeit-year-old Angus is washed up on the shores of the Pacific Northwest and. separated from his family. relies on The Yellow Dog for help. A live action kids' movie in the ‘one boy and his dog' mould. with ingenuity under pressure shown by the young teen hero and canine courage from the four-legged hero. Glasgow: ()dcon. MGM Parkltead. All LTCls.
I Fashion From The Archives (PG) 102 mins. Scottish Film Archive curator Janet McBain makes a personal selection from the film wardrobe. and discovers early promotional pieces for gentlerrien's combinations. flapper fashions and 70s flares. Willi Norrie. Glasgow: Gl-"I'.
I Fellini's Roma ( 18) (Federico Fellini. Italy. I972) Peter Gonzales. Stefano Majore. Britta Barnes. I28 mitts. A personal tour of the eternal city and its highlights by the maestro. split between the 70s and the 20s (when Fellini first arrived). Brothels. music-halls. murals. traffic
jams — all merge together with fantasy.
autobiography and documentary. Edinburgh: l'iliiiliouse.
I Five Easy Pieces ( 15) (Bob Rafelson. US. I970) Jack Nicholson. Karen Black. Susan Anspach. 9S niins. Adventures of a middle-class nogoodnik. his pregnant mistress and his brother's girlfriend. Archetypally impish Nicholson performance and some all-time classic sequences. including the legendary set-to in the diner. bound together with a smashing country soundtrack. ()ne of the finest films of the 70s. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Forrest Gump ( l2) (Robert Zemeckis. US. I994) Tom Hanks. Robin Wright. Gary Sirrise. I42 mins. Even those with the lowest le can rise to the top in the land of the free. as this picaresqtte tale sets out to prove. But despite its incurath sweet hero and its fairly standard love story core. Forrest Gum/r has a surprisingly dark-tinted view on recent American history — complete with racism. drug and child abuse. war and political assassination.
Glasgow: MGM Film Centre. Edinburgh: MGM. ITCI. Borders: Roxy. Strathclyde: L'CI (Tydebank.
I Heavenly Creatures ( 18) (Peter Jackson. New Zealand. 1994) Melanie Lynskey. Kate Winslet. Sarah Peirse. 98 mins. In I952. New Zealand was shocked by the murder of Ilonora Parker by her teenage daughter and a schoolfriend. Despite director Peter Jackson's back catalogue in slapstick gore — Braindead. Bad Taste — Heaven/v Creatures does not dwell on the more Itrrid details of the crime. Instead. it examines the imaginative fantasy worlds of the girls and the strength of their friendship in a sympathetic light. I-‘ife: Adam Smith.
I Hoop Dreams ( l 5) (Steve James/Fred Marx/Peter Gilbert. US. I994) I75 mins. Filmed over four and a half years. [limp Dreams follows the hopes and disapmintments of two young black kids from Chicago whose ticket out of the ghetto is a basketball scholarship. You'll cheer the games. you'll cry at family traumas. you'll get angry at a system that sets tip and snatches away goals that mean more than life to the participants. More than a remarkable achievement. this is great cinema. See preview. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I I like It Like That ( l5) (Darnell Martin. US. I994) Lauren Velez. John Seda. Griffin Dunne. 106 mins. A sparky debut by twentysometlring writer-director Martin shows the influence of Spike Lee. btit has a refreshingly female perspective. Forced to take a job with a record company when her husband is ptrt in jail. Lysette faces typical sex. class and race obstacles. A pumping Latin soundtrack adds to the buzz. Glasgow: GET.
I I, The Worst of All (Maria Luisa Bemberg. Argentina. I990) ( I5) Assumpta Serna. Dominique Satida. Ilector Alterio. I05 mins. Set iii 17th century Mexico. this film from Argentina's leading feminist director follows the life of poet. playwright. intellectual and nun. Sister Juana lites de la Cruz. Her privileged position allows her to continue writing until the local archbishop conspires to end her work. Demanding. btrt ultimately rewarding. Glasgow: GFI'.
Catch the best Film this fortnight. “' '7 AI!
FIRST BUN I Hoop Dreams The struggles of two black teenagers to win basketball scholarships is chronicled over a four-year period in this rivetting documentary. A masterpiece. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Once Were Warriors New Zealand‘s biggest ever box office success is. surprisingly. a hard-hitting Loach-style look at domestic violence and discnfranchisernent in the Maori community. Edinburgh: Filth/tame.
I The Madness Dr King George No dull costume drama here — Alan Bennett‘s adaptation of his stage play is topical. witty and superbly acted. General release.
I Priest Written by Jimmy (Cracker) McGovern and directed by Antonia (Safe) Bird. this is an emotional DCIICI' that confronts the question of sexual identity within the Catholic Church. Glasgow: GFT. Edinburgh: Canter).
I Totally F“"ed Up Watching Gregg Araki‘s fragmented look at young gay life in LA is like channel surfing through modern existence. A slacker movie in which sexuality is not necessarily the major factor. G/agsmv: GET
I Les Boseaux Sauvages Winner of the French Cesar for Best Film. Andre’ Techine's beautifully observed ensemble portrait of French adolescence in the early 60s is subtle and evocative. Edinburgh:
F ilmluruse.
REPERTOBY
I Jaws Spielberg’s shark movie is a contemporary horror classic with a backdrop of small town politics and dorrrestic tension. Discover it afresh on the big screen. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Amateur Hal Hartley proves that he can inject a little more plot into his work without harming the patented dialogue and offbeat style. Edinburgh: l‘T/lll/IUHS‘e.
I Immortal Beloved (15) (Bernard Rose. I7S/IIK. I994) Gary Oldman. Jei'oen Krabbe. Isabella Rossellini. I20 mins. Taking the route of a flashback romantic mystery rather than a traditional biopic. Rose's investigatiou into the loves of Beethoven's life ends tip actually revealing rrrore about the composer's state of mind and his music. Unfortunately the direction frequently plods along. but the final 'Ode To Joy' set-piece is worth the wait and Oldman perfectly captures Ludwig's frustration with his deafness. Edinburgh: UCI.
I Interview With The Vampire ()8) (Neil Jordan. US. I994) Tom Cruise. Brad Pitt. Christian Slater. 122 mins. More faithful to Anne Rice‘s book than anyone had any right to expect. Jordan's blood-soaked movie never shies from the more gruesome aspects of vampirism. The homo-erotic qualities of the original may be downplayed. but the morbid melancholy of 18th century New Orleans and the Grand Guignol set—
The List 7-20 Apr 1995 27