INDEX FILM
of urtderachieving inner city kids with academic potential. The Hollywood optirttisrrt of the plot sits oddly with the classroom realisrtt tltat comes frortt casting fledgling actors and streetwise nort- pr'ofessioirals. but it's a brave attempt at tackling tlte serious stllijL‘L‘l of education irt modern-day America. General release. I ll Deserto iiosso The Red Ilium r IS) (Michaelartgelo Aittoirioiir. Italy. WM) Mortica Vitti. Richard Harris. ('arlo (‘hionettr lltt iitirts. A woritart wlto ltas recently suffered a nervous breakdown begins a terttative affair w itli a friend of her lttrsbartd. Arttoriioitr uses muted colours arid art industrial landscape to rttagnificerit effect. as \"itli's fraught Iieroirte becomes dislocated arid menaced by her surroundings. A masterpiece of cinema as art. Glasgow: (ll-'l'. I Devil In A Blue Dress ( l5) ((‘ail Franklin. l'S. l‘NS) Derwel Washington. Jennifer Beats. 'l'oitt Sizemore. I02 mitts. The social realism arid detailed atmosphere remain true in l-‘rartkliri's scieeir translation of Walter Mosley‘s novel. vvitlt the added bonus of superb photography aitd a sensuous performance by \\'ashiitgton. lle stars as lias‘y Raw lirts. newly uneitiployed iii post- WWZ I,A arid trying to earn a brick searcltrrtg for a ittysteriotis woman. The ('liaitdler tradition witlt a more cyrtical racial twist. Glasgow: (il’l‘. I DO The Right Thing ( IX) (Spike Lee. (S. I‘JS‘JI Spike Lee. Danny Aiello. ()ssie Davis. John ’l‘tirtirri‘o. l l‘) mitts. New York's deprived Bedford-Stuyvesaut district on the hottest day of the summer. and racial tension escalates between ltalian-Arrterrcau Sal (Aiello). his two sorts and the mainly black local cotttritiittity who make tip the bulk of his custoitters. A forceful exploration of the socio-ecortoiitic arid cultural catises behind white racism. Lee's frlrtt also operates as a tiglttly controlled rrtulti-characler drama. lidirtbtirgh: (‘ameo. I l’Eclisse The Izt'lr/He ( l5) t Mrchaelangelo Aittortioitr. Italy/l‘iaitce. l‘)(i3) Monica \‘ittr. Alain Delon. l‘raricisco Rahal. IZS mitts. Vittoria (Vitti) leaves lrer long-standing lover for a stockbroker. but is increasingly drawrt to solitude The final part of Antonioiti’s unofficial trilogy of mm res on doortted relationships (l.':lr'i'etittirtt and La Nut/e are the others). this again captures a restless feeling of ltiritiait alienation and sets it against art unforgiving backdrop — here tlte decaying beauty of Rortte. Glasgow-'2 Gl’l‘. I End Of St Petersburg (I’G) ( \’.t. t’nttov kin. USSR. l‘)27) l()(t rrtirts. During the Bolshevik Revolution. at young peasant boy arrives irt St Petersburg to find work. ()rre of the lesser seen examples of early Soviet filitimaking. Pttdovkin‘s manipulation of party litre arid persortal experiences is another textbook case for formal editing. lidirtburgh: l-‘ilm Guild. I Fair Game ( l8) (Andrew Sipes. l'S. l‘)‘)5) (‘ittdy Crawford. William Baldwin. Steven Berkoff. 96 mins. In her acting debtrt. supermodel (‘rawford plays a Miami attorney on the run front ex-KGB assassins led by Berkoff: her only helping hand comes front cop Baldwin. Stick to the calendeis arid fitness videos. Edinburgh: III I Farinelli ( l 5) (Gerard (‘or'biatL France/Belgium. 1994) Stefano l)iortisi. lirir'ico Lo Verso. Jeroert Krahbe. lltl mitts. Biographical details. period splendour arid a fictionalised narrative combine for art account of the life of lh‘th century castiato (‘arlo Brosclrr. Dependent on his brother's music for Itis stardom (while his brother is dependent on liiiri for art outlet for ltis coiitpositroiis ). his main desire is to sirig the more emotional music of llandel rather than the ctrstorrt-vvirtten ornamental ditties ltis farts love. ()ritate costumes. arresting vocal set pieces arid a strong dramatic undercurrent make this a feast for the eyes artd ears that doesn't ignore the lllllltl. liifei Adam Smith. I Father Of The Bride Part II rt’t‘o (Charles Sltyer. L‘S. l‘)‘)5) Steve Martin. l)rane Keatort. Martin Short. l()7 mitts. Asa plot developiitettt front wltnt was probably the worst movie of I993. George Battks (Martini ttot only has to face up to becoming a gianddad. htrt also a dad again. as wife Nirta (Keaton) falls pregnant. Sitttig comedy with babies. General release. I The Flower Of My Secret ( t 5) (Pub 0 /\Itlt(XIO\'at'. Spain. I‘JUS) Marisa l’aredes. Juan licltartove. Rossy de I’alrita. l()l units, The cult director moves aw ay front hysterical Itrgli camp towards a more serious melodrama as w r rter l’aredes despaiis of her life as a popular romantic novelist. A mature. controlled. often deeply moving work that retains some typically arch humour arid sly rioitres. Glasgow: (ii-'1‘. Edinburgh: ('ameo. I Fresh (I8) (Boaz Yakirt. (TS. i994) Sean Nelson. Giancarlo [isposito. Samuel l.. Jacksott. I IS rttirts. 'i'welve-year-old Fresh (Nelsort) is reckoned by all-and-siirtdry to be the neighbourhood gopher: he'll run heroin artd crack for local drug-dealers. but he‘ll also make sure lte gets to school on time. Because I-‘resh has a maturity beyond hrs years. coupled with a necessary detachment for life around itirrt. and
that's what‘s going to get him clear of trouble before he's dragged irt further. Art excellent debut by Yakiri. with art extremely moving performance by Nelson. lidinbtrrgh: (‘ameo I Funny Bones ( IS) (l’etei' (‘tietsnnr t'K/t 'S. l‘)‘)5) Lee Evans ()liver l’latt. Jerry Lewis. I3S rttins. (‘ltelsom's tiagrcoittedy has funny moments. btrt its ritairt interest hes in its seriousness. 'l‘ommy (l’Iatt) leaves [as Vegas arid comes to Blackpool in search or new material; there lte meets Jack tiivarts). an instinctively funny man. who‘s linked to him by more than profession. An honest and sensitive portrait of the deep sorrow that often under lines coiiiic genius. (‘ertti'ali MacRohert. I Goldeneye ( ll) (Martin (‘antpbcll l'K/l 'S. I095) Pierce Brositait. Sean Bean. l/abella Scotiipco. Ill) mitts. .\ loitg wart. a new Bond. a tvv ist to bring ltiitt tip to the ‘ltls. lt's detrititely worth it. because this is a solid two .iiid-a l‘ll hours of ftiri. filled w itli all the old puns and gadgets. bill with a bit of character develop-.itertt Biosrran is the best Bortd since (‘otirieiy arid his wry smile helps our hero through his trials as he tracks down the baddies w Ito have hijacked a satellite system that cart w rpc the world‘s computer's cleair. Glasgow: ()deoii. I GoodFellaStlSHMaitin Sc‘s)tscsc.l .s. two) Robert De Niro. Ray l.rotta. Joe l’csci. Lorraine Biaco. I’atrl Soi vino. I-IS irirrts. l.rotta plays llenry Hill. a reallife mil/into. with De“ Niro as his mentor in crime. And while the bullets. fists and carving knives fly. Scorsese brings us back to that unavoidable question — yes. it's glamorous atrd lucrative to live this way. but cart anyone really live with the consequences .’ Winner of B:\I"l‘.-\ awards for best film. director and screenplay. and a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Joe l’escr. lidirthurgh: l-ilmlioirse. I la liaine ( IS) ( Matthieu Kassov ill. l-rance. W95) Vincent ('assel. lliihcit Kounde. Said 'l'.’ighiiraoiii. SS ritiits. 'l'his edgy. black-arid wltite portrait of racial tension and police brutality on a run-dow ii estate outside Pat is won tvverttysoritething Kassovrtl. the Director 's l’ri/c at the I005 (‘artnes I‘llttt liestrval. 'l'lttee ethnically mixed lads come up against the cops when one of their pals rs hospitalised after a raid. l’rgent. compelling trlittritakiitg that‘s as punchy as a blow to the ltead. Glasgow: (il’l‘. Giosvenor. lidirtbiirght (‘anteo. l‘rfe: Adant Sittitlt. I tteatr l5) ( Michael Mann. I'S. l‘NS) Al Pacino. Robert De Niro. \al Kilrrier. I70 irtiits. Mann's star package cops-and‘robbei s tale is head arid shoulders above the rest of the genre. thanks to an action-packed screenplay that fully explores its themes and gives depth to its charclers. l’acirto is the dedicated detective whose home life is in ruins; De Niro is the reclusive criminal iitasteririind. The two men's firtely balanced sense of honour arid mutual respect is well dissected. and the shoot-out set pieces are heart-stopping. Brilliant. General release. I High Heels ( l 5) (Pedro .-\|ntixlovar'. Spain. I‘J‘JI ) Victoria Abril. .Migtrel Bose. Marisa l’aredes. IIS mitts. More irrelrxhantatic fl'olics front Spain's finest. this time in the shape of a murderous triangle between a mother. her daughter and the latter 's husband. While Altitodovar isn't quite at his best. .-\brtl excels as the 'l'\' new s presenter w Ito admits on air to her hubby's killing Glasgow. (il-‘l. I I love A Man In Uniform r tsi r l )av tit Wellington. (‘atiad.'i. W” i ) 'l‘oni \lc(‘arrttts. Brigitte Bako. Kevin 'lrglte. ‘)‘) iiuris. Henry. a batik clerk and aspiring actor. lands the role ot a cop iii a TV series. but trncls it (llIllctlIl to separate his fictional character tiorit reality. Soon Ite is subsumed by his alter-ego and finds himself becoittiitg directly involved iii iirbaii \tolettce. A prov ocatrv e psychological tlnillcr. See video rev revv. lidiiihirrghi lirliithoiisc I I Was A Male War Bride (l’(i ) ( l low aid llaw ks. I'S. I‘)~I‘)) (‘aiy Giant. Anti Sheridan. Marion Marshall. lllo llittts. (irarit plays a pirggish l‘rench army officer who discovers -— to his dismay aitd increasing frustration — that to follow his Arrieiicatt lieutenant back to the States. he has to battle all the forces of bureaucracy. a struggle that is eventually to lead him into disguise by cross-dressing. Runtbtistious llawksiaii romantic comedy set against realistic backgrounds. Glasgow: (il-‘l'. I In The Blealt Midwinter ( IS) (Kenneth Branaglt. l'K. l‘)‘)5) Michael Maloriey. Julia Savvallta. Richard Briers. 90 turns A group of actors undergo individual voyages of self- discovery w lirle rehearsing a low -budget version of Hamlet. It sounds like Iuv'v'ie itcll. btit there are some poignant moments arid plenty of otte- lirters to win over the most hardened Braitagh cynic. Stratltclyde: liast Kilhride Arts (‘entie I The Indian In The Cupboard (PG) rt-‘iank ()1. ['S. I905) llal Scar‘dino. l.rtefoot. David Kertlt. ()6 turns. For his birthday. young ()mtt is given a rttagic cupboard that brings to flesh-:iitd-boiie life his plastic toys. principally Native American Little Bear. lixcellent sfx brirrg Lynne Reid Banks' novel to life. btit aside from that. it
doesn't really develop. apart from sortie trite moral lessons about show irig respect for the lives of others. General release. I Institute Benjamenta ( t5) (trinitieis Quay. l'K. NOS) Mark Rylaiice. Alice Kiige. Gottfried John ltll ittirts. Adapted from the vvoik of Kafka-esque va iss writer Robert \\';ilscr. the Quay s' (best know it for Street ()1 ('rm-m/tlev) first feature shows undoubted ae\thetrc brilliance. bill is wilfully obscure. Boredom aitd repression in a servants' academy. all rendered in ritonocltioitte beauty. but Iiard to fathom on any level other than a dicariis‘carc See review. lidiithurgli: liilrrtltttiise. I Jeanne la Pucelle (PG) (Jeatt Rivette. l‘r'artce. IGOR/94) Sartdrine Boiiriaire. l2()/l3() rttirts. Rivette's account of the Joan of Arc legend falls neatly irtto two lieftly chunks. A simple corrtttry girl responds to her heavenly calling to lead soldier's iii a war of liberation; at all turns she is persecuted for her beliefs. Borinaire's performance emphasises the youth and humanity of a figure more usually lost irt hazy myth. while Rivette takes Bressort‘s cirtotiortally detailed. tteo-realist approach to history. Show irig irt two parts on Stilt ll only. Glasgow: Gl7l’. I Jefferson In Paris ( 12) (James lvor'y‘. t'S. l‘)‘)5) Nick Nolte. Greta Scacchi. 'l‘hartdie Newton. l-l() mitts. Merchairt-lvory's take on the third American President's years as Ambassador in Paris has the high production values we've corrte to expect. but the narratives pacois far too slack. lilsewhei'e he may have reckoned ‘all men are created equal' bill that didn't stop him. the film alleges". ltav irig an affair w itlt one of his own slaves. Glimpses only of the team at its best. Stralhcly'de: Motlterwell. I Johnny Mnemonic ( t5) (Robert Lotigo. (is. [005) Keaittr Reeves. Dolph l.rtrtdgrett. ‘l’akeshr. 06 units. (‘yherpirnk author William Gibson's screenplay (from his owrt short story) provides the basis for a 21st century turkey. Reeves carries stolen data irt ltis head. discovers that it contains the cure to a wot ldw ide disease. bill has to dodge the Yaktira tllltl download the itifo before his Itead explodes. ’l'errible acting. shoddy direction. fill-the-gap dialogue. 'I’Ite only Iii-tech gadget you need is the offlswitch. See review. General release. I Jumanii (l ') (Joe Johnston. l'S. l‘)‘)5) Robiri Williams. Jortalltart llyde. Kirsten l)rrrtst. l()l rrtirts. 'l’rapped for 20 years in a jungle board game. Alan l’artish (Williams) is released only w hen two nuidein-day kids throw the dice thetttsclves. But they also unleash a stampede of monkeys. crocodiles. elephants. rhinos arid other unfairtiliar beasts into small tovvrt America. The story manages to get beyond its repetitive limits with a brilliantly original central idea and post- Jtiruvvt'e I’rirk coritputer effects that make it state-of—the-at't cinema spectacle. See review. General release. I Kika ( l8) (l’edro Alirttxlovar‘. Spain. l‘)‘)3) Veronique lioi‘que. Peter (‘oyote. Victoria Abril. ll-l mirts. A make-up artist is involved with art Ariteticaii writer aitd his photographer son: she's also avoiding the attentions of her lesbian maid. whose C\-pt)l'ti star brother escapes from prison and ends tip at the house. arid a predatory ‘reality TV reporter who takes a ghoulish delight rrt other people's iriisfoi'tirries. It all adds tip to l‘cdio Alittodovai ‘s tenth feature. arid his blackest Itit\ to date of sex. death and stylish Isll\L It. (ilasgovv; (il'il‘. I leaving [as Vegasr In) rxtike lirggis. ('5. WW) Nicolas (‘age. lilisabetlt Shire. Julian Sairds_ ll() mitts, Sacked from his rob. Ben r('age) dirv es to |.;is \'egas w tilt the sole intention of di inking himself to death. but during his descent comes across hooker Sela (Shite ). another lost soul. l-iggis's neon-drenched movie captures the irresponsible euphoria and mental pain of alcoliolisrri front a stibrectrve vrewpoirtt. w title the astonishing peifoiitiances by the leads help it transcend the surface tawdiirtess and delve deep into underlying emotions. See review. Glasgow: MGM l-iliti (’eittre. lidrrtburgh: ('aitteo. I The life And Extraordinary Times Of Private titan Chonltin ( l5) (Jiii Mertzel. l'K/(‘Iech/lfiattce. I‘J‘M) Gennadij Nazarov. '/.oja Brii‘jak. \‘ladirtiir llyri. l()(i trtitts. Supposedly guarding a crashed plane near a sleepy Russian village during WW2. a happy- go-liicky soldier falls in love with the female postal clerk and r'orttps about on her farrrt. Ari aw aid-winner at the WW Venice Film Festival. Meiizel‘s corttic satire on Soviet bureaucracy has a warm attd gentle tone. htit hints at darker depths. lidiriburgh: l-‘ilmltouse. I A little Princess (I’G) (Alfonso (‘tiarorL US. l‘)‘)5) lileartor Brori. Liam ('uriirirtgharit. Liesel Matthews. 97 itttiis. Young Sara is forced to leave her privileged life in India fora New York girls' boarding school when WWI breaks otit. Things turn for the worst. however. when her father is reported niissing-iit-actiort and. peiiriiless. she is subjected to the cruelty of
schoolmisti'ess Miss Mirtchin. A movie with a
Catch the best Film this fortnight.
~ FIRST RUN
I A little Princess Lushly shot and beautifully designed. Alfonso Cuaron‘s films shows a true love of storytelling. The best ‘literary' kids“ movie since The Secret Gan/en. See review. General release.
I Blockers A whodtrnnit plot. terrific acting arid plenty of social artd racial realism come together iii Spike Lee‘s story of a young drug dealer‘s hopes of redemption. See f‘atureand review. General release.
I Les Miserables Not the musical. btrt art epic updating oftlte novel to the 20th century. stan’ing Jean-Paul Belmondo. See preview and review. [z'tli'nlntrghs l-‘t'hnliortse.
I Heat The long-awaited on-screen pairing of Robert De Niro and Al ’acino in Michael Mann's seat-edge. dramatically rich thriller is everything we‘d hoped for. General release.
REPEHTORY
I To Have And Have ttot Bogart and Bacall; Hawks and Hemingway; Martinique dtrring World War II; love. romance. intrigue and action. Edinburgh: I’rliri/tartse.
PREVIEW
I Mighty Aphrodite Woody Allen‘s new movie sneaks into a small Scottish screen for one week only (in order to qualify for BAFTA nominations) before full rel *ase in April. Iftlt'nbttrje/t.‘ Cameo.
sense of real magic and love of storytelling. that is beautifully designed arid intelligently acted. See review. Gerteral release.
I loch Ness (I') (John Iletidei‘sott. I‘S. l‘)‘)5l ’I‘ed l)artson. Joer Richardson. Kir'sty Graham. l()() mitts. Art American scientist comes to Scotland to disprove the existence of Nessie. bill is charmed by the place arid the people. So far. so l.rieu/ Hem. But irt its later stages. this fantin rrtovie leaps into action. keeping you on the edge of your seat. Better than you might expect. btrt itot remarkably special. See feature arid review. General release.
I Madagascar Skin ( t 5) ((‘hi'rs Newby. tiK. 1995) John llartiiah. Bernard Hill. 93 rttirts. His face disfigured by a biithmark. llar'i y tllattttalt) flees front the London club scene to the coast. where he meets l‘lttil (llill ). artotlter rttart escaping ltts past. The dialogue glitters. the perfoiittances charm. the imagery is a cavalcade of the absurd arid unexpected. Freshly free of buddy arid rorttatttrc cliches. lidirtbur'gh: l‘ilmhouse.
I Manhattan t 15) iwtxxty Allen. t's‘. t970) Woody Allert. Diane Keaton. Mariel llertiirigway. ()(i rrtiris. Woody wanders through the female jungle of New York irt searelt of a perfect soirlittate after the demise of his marriage. Sublime comic deligltt with a soulful Gershwin score. lidirtburgh: l'ilttiltOttSC.
I Midnight Cowboy ( I8) (John Schlesinger. US. l‘)(t‘)) Jort Voight. Dustin Hoffman. Brenda
The List 9-22 Feb I996 31