FESTIVAL
unarm— Suspect devices
Destined to be the cult hit of the year, The Usual Suspects proves that, as far as the movies are concerned, crime does pay. Nigel Floyd met the
ITLIS
As the closing credits start to roll, Alan Morrison checks out the highlights of the Film Festival’s tinal few days.
director and cast. ~ ~- , v ~ A «Newsflaswm Although 27-year-old Bryan Singer‘s The Usual Suspects: ‘seamless plotting’ promising debut feature. Public Access. numbers. For (lit-cam- Siagct‘ this was knowing exactly what he wanted. in won the Grand Jury Prize at the the kg)! m gag-ting and directing Such a every frame. and still being open to the Sundance Film Festival. how he and his tight cngcntblc pig-cc. to draw upon a actor's interpretation. 1 foolisth have regular writing partner Chris wide range of performing backgrounds, been likening it to my experience of Mthitliiie got from that Sihtiii PiCtUte and use each of the actor's talents and working with Martin Scorsese. Who has to their astonishingly assured second personalities to the full; ‘You find the that same love of the actor's process.‘ film. The Usual Sits/tests. is as big 11 similarities in the core of their being. Comedian Benicio Del Tom. whose I 51130 ceeehi D’Amice N0! only 11 mystery as the film itself. A complex you scrape Off the image, you settth bizarrely garbled diction adds a legend in Italian cinema. but one ofthe crime thriller that is very much an Off the eighteen movies they've done peculiar flavour to his role as hardware medium‘s greatest ever writers (Bicycle eh-‘eiiihie Piece. it eiieit‘ Superb and who they are in the media. You find specialist Todd Hockney. admits that he Thieves. Sens-a, ’l‘he Leopard). Cecchi PerimiiitihceS from a dream CtiSt h)’ out what they're really like and you approached the project with slightly D'AIHiCO PFC-WINS 11 (ielililCd analysis Of tittiWihg “PO” 3 variety or “Ctihg Styles. cast to that.‘ more trepidation: ‘I did another movie th Scripting 0i VlSCOtiti'S claSSiC. yet somehow tUSihg them together into As tale-spinning con man ‘Verbal' that was an ensemble piece but the RUH'U rlml HIS [MN/1611?. a perfectly-integrated. satisfying whole. Kim. Broadway thespian Spacey chemistry didn't work. so I was .S‘usa ('ecchl I) 'Amica Scene By Scene. Every eieiheht. from the Seaihie“ revelled in the fact that director sceptical about working with a group of 35 rills’. I‘ilHI/IUH-i'é’ 1» 6151""- PiOttihg t0 the inspired eaStihg~ Sharp Singer's total control over the material full-time actors who were all better I The 309" BfOthefS A bit 0f 11 COUP dialogue and Class)/ Wide'seieeh allowed him the space to develop his known than myself. but I think our it” the Film FestiViii. 11$ Wtitihg' Visuaist i5 POiiShed and “QWieSS- Yet own interpretation of the character. ‘I trademark personalities complimented (iii'eetiiig‘Pi‘Otitieihg Ptii'tiietSiiiP Joel like 3 Peiieeti)’ Ctit diamondv the hit“ implicitly and completely trusted Bryan each ether: Stephen Baldwin's a really illlti Ethan C0011 to“ into town to COhStahti)’ PresentS different. titiZZiihg to lead me down this road. and to allow outgoing guy. then you‘ve got Gabriel discuss their work OH 7710 I'lud-Ym-‘ké’r facets 0i itseit- me to build a performance that relied Byrne who's really quiet. Kevin l’I'U-t')‘.
NOW that The Usual Suspects ll Pollack who's a Comedian‘ and Kevin (,‘(M’Il [ifUl/It’lit‘ St't’llt’ B)‘ St'é’llé’. Aug, insissrsssiassz lists; A complex crime tnrmer mat Sears» doc: .
. . t ) Impugonanons of 0(er I The Near Room Adrian Dunbar before it ever reached a movie theatre. is very much an ensemble actorS a” thc timcf trawls Glasgow‘s underworld in a it had made back its paltry $5.5 million piece, it elicits supefb Underpinning Singer's confident superb thriller that brings an budget three times over. in foreign sales performances from a dream direction and some exceptional unexpected depth ofemOtion and sense alone. When Singer first showed them t b d i ensemble acting was the seamless of character to its classic genre McQuarrie's script however it was a cas y raw "9 Upon a 1 ' . ~ ' '1 - ' r "d' ' ‘ t t p otttng and sharp dialogue of melt ieht-‘i
different story. ‘The script was vaiiety 0' aeting Styles- Scriptwritcr ChhS MCQaam'c‘ who 'I‘lre Near Roam. 25 Aug. Film/muse l. perceived as a bit dense and COthSihg“ worked with the director on Public 10-151)” he recalls. ‘but I knew in my heart of very much on what's happening inside.‘ Agata-S. Once again, Kevin pollack I Blue Juice Surf‘s up in Cornwall as beans that when names were put to the says the actor. ‘lt’s a very small. spare. SamS up the {cchng of the entire cast; Sean Pertwee and a bunch of mates faces. and when the music was with the internal character. and that was very You have to understand that the take to the waves to work out the images. the whole thing would flow for good discipline for me. because lately majority Of What we read in Hollywchd complexities of life. Brirnrning over the atidiehee- AiSO‘ What how seems to i‘Ve been Playing some Pretty is pabulum. but this script was magical. with laddish energy. and with an ear- PeOPie to he a dream cash was "Ct at flamboyant Ches- There W35 1‘ cehaih I quote Jimmy Stewart when he was busting soundtrack as an added bonus. the time COhSideied Sexy enough to '5 freedom i experienced in this mOViel asked. “What is the greatest thing an Blue Juice. 25 Aug. Canter) I. 9.30pm; iUStit)’ the btidget- Bi" i knew the)’ v because Bryan W119 50 certain Of What actor can offer an audience?“. And he 26 Aug, Cameo l. 11.30pm.
were PeiteCt for these mics-i i he Wanted. YOU COUid Step Otit 0“ t0 the said, “To be a participant rather than a I Living In Oblivion Cult hero Steve
Earlier this Yeah 0“ the heaCh at the i thE hoard ahd know YOU Weren't witness". When you read this script Buscemi stars as a low-budget film Chimes Film FCStii/ai- the “St Of The i 30mg to tail in» or it YOU did. that there you realise that this is why audiences director experiencing a nightmare shoot' Usual Sit-WC” 3” Sported Shade-9t h0t : WOUid be water in the Poet. go to movie theatres. to be drawn in by in Tom DiCillo‘s follow-up to Johnny to look tough but to protect them from Diving in. ex-stand-up comedian the story, to follow closely, to be truly Suede.
the sun's early morning giaie- Like POllaCk (Wh0 PiaYS SOCiOPch Fred cun'ous. it's a movie that makes you Living In Oblivion. 26 Aug. Filrnhouse their PerformanceS in the him. eaeh Fenstef) eXtehds this aquatic iihet bUt feel smart. it doesn‘t cater to you like 1. 8.30pm.
pair was distinct. reflecting the unique , with a slightly more comic take: ‘And if so many movies do, like fast food. I Funny Bones The 49th Drambuic PeiSOhaiity Otthe Wear“ The qUietv ‘ i may darihgi)’ add to the metaphor. When was the last time you went to a Edinburgh Film Festival goes out on a seemingly hUhg‘OVer Gabriel Byme that YOU Weren't Standing 0" the diVihg film and were utterly baffled?‘ high as Oliver Platt and Lee Evans mumbled from behind RayBahSt While 1 board WithOUt your trUhi’tS- The Usual Suspects. 24 Aug. OPT. cross paths as two very different kinds l cerebral. New York stage actor Kevin t ‘The great thing was Bryan‘s 8pm; 25 Aug. Cameo 1. 7pm. Thefilm of comedian in Peter Chelsom‘s i Spaceyv i‘tSt'taikihg qUiPStet KeVih l aPPteCitttiOh 0f the aetOi‘S ProceS-‘t hi5 gaes an general release in Glasgow an Blackpool comedy drama.
Pollack. and word-garbling comic i ability to allow our interpretation from 1 Se," and at the Edinburgh Cameo 0n Funny Bones. 27 Aug. ()tlean. 6.30pm Benicio Del Toro all sported jazzier | beginning to end. That combination of 8 Sept, and [0pm.
| ’J The List 25 Aug-7 Sept 1995 57