FILM INDEX
FILM —m§:—
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.
I The American President ( )5) (Rob Reitrer. I'S. l‘NS) .Miclrael Douglas. Annette Bening. Martin Sheen I I3 mins. Widower and leader of the Western world Andrew Shepherd (Douglas) falls for a sparky' environmental lobbyist (Berring ). but finds that press intrusion. opposition slurs and his dayto-day chores get in the way of romance. Director Reitrer ( ll'lmr llarrv .Iler Sal/v) again pulls off a perfectly balanced romantic corriedy. throwing in sortie serious points alotig the way. (ilasgow: (il’l'.
I l’Amore Molesto ( I S) ( \Iatio Martonc. Italy. 1095) Anna Bonaitrto. Angela I rice. (ilillllll ('ajafa. Illl mrns -\ woman is found dead on a beach and. despite an official verdict of suicide. her daughter remains unconvinced .\ disturbing psychological thriller. Italian lirlrrr l‘estival. (ilasgow: (iliT. lidinburgh: liihtrliorise.
I Anchors Aweigh (I ' ) ((ieoi‘ge Sidney. I'S. I‘MS) l-‘r'ank Srrratra. (iene Kelly. Kathryn (iraysorr IJ‘,’ nuns. long for a musical with such lightweight rrraterral. but it's still charm all the way from the leads as a couple of sailors on shore leave. singing their way through a gltrt of Styne and ('ahn songs Kelly men has time to share a dance with cartoon mouse lreio Jerry. Iidinbuigh: St Brides
I Asterix Conquers America rt‘itttt-r hard llahn. (iei'itiany. I005) SS mins. While brewing tip a potion. village druid (ietafrs is capttrred by the Romans and taken over the sea to America. Inuriediately Asteirx and ()belix set off to saye lirrti. coming across a tribe of Indians. stamtx-ding bullan and oilrer Western adventures. The animation sty le hasn't changed for years. so you know exactly what to expect. (ilitsgow: (ill.
I M The Circus 4 I ' ) ( I~'.dw'aid Bax/ell. I‘S. l‘)3‘)) 00 mins This time it's a circus that the Mars Brothers decide to save from hankrupcy. but the usual g'rszs. puns and rcpaitee were beCoiiiing a bit strained by this poitrt. lidrnburgh: St Brides.
I Babe (I')((‘hris Nooriarr. Australia. l‘NS) James (’romw ell. w itli the voices of (’hiistrne (‘avanauglL Miriarrr Margolyes. Iltrgo Weay ing. 02 mirrs. .-\n orphaned pig falls under the eye of a kitidly collie and begins to think he's destined for glory at the regrorral trials. Talking animals sirggest that this is a kids” moy ie: to an extent it is — and a great one -- but there's enough skewered humour (Irarl the psycho mice?) for adults to discover an unexpected cult lrrt. A triumph for the underpig. Iidmbtrrgh: .\l(i.\l. l'('l. Borders: Pavilion. Strathclydc; ('annon. Magnum. ()deon .r\yr. I ~(‘Is
I Balto (l'i (Simon Wells. I 'S. l‘)‘)5 ) With the voices of Kevin Bacon. Bridget l‘onda. Bob Iloskins. 73 mins. When the medical supplies to an isolated Alaskan tow n are threatened by a blizzard. Italf—litrsky/half-w olf Balto -- an outsider because of his mongrel nature — comes to the rescue. Impressive action sequences ensure that [\mbIrn's feature-length cartoon gives Disney a run for its money. lidinbtirgh: I'('I. (‘entralt Allanpark. Stiathclyde: I'(‘ls.
I Before And After ( II) (Barbet Schroeder. (S. l‘)‘)()) Meryl Streep. Liam Nceson. Iidward litrrlong. IOS mins. When their sort is suspected
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of rnrrrdertng his girlfriend. artist father Neeson and doctor mother Streep show opposite reactions: he destroys evidence while she opts for the truth. Nertlrer a murder mystery nor a courtroom drama. this exploration of family division slides into sentirrrental bonding. See
iey iew'. (ilasgow‘ ()deon. Iidinbttt‘glt: ()deon. l'('l. Strathclyde: I'(‘Is.
I The Birdcage ( t 5) (Mike Nichols. ('8. 1005) Robiri Williams. Nathan I ane. (ierre llacknran. Il‘) mins. A t'eriiakc of La (itl‘L’t’ .'Ill\ Fol/m with plenty to say about contemporary .-\mei ica's hypocrisy. Williams is superb (and more restrained) as the gay nightclub owner whose attempts to impress the right-wing parents of his son's fiancee go awry. l‘trnny and sensitive. with excellent per‘forrriances, See review. (ieiieial release.
I Blovv To The Heart ( I2) ((‘rianirr Aurelio. Italy. I‘ISZ) Jean-Louis 'I‘rrntrgnant. Laura Morante. l'atrsto Rossr. HIS mirrs. .-\ boy and his father keep a woman under surveillance w hen their friend is killed in a terrorist shooting. An insightful study of family relationships. Italrarr l'ihrr I-‘estival. (ilasgow: (ll-T. lidrnhuiglr: l‘ilmhouse.
I Bosnia Documentary Event tht ('taigic atrd Michael l‘oot‘s dairiniiig docurrientary. '/rm l/ora y l’mnr lain/mi. attacks Western noir- intetvention. and is shown alongside two episodes of the BB("s llir' [)4’rII/l ()f liteorlavia. Writer and psychologist l.y nne .loires follows the screenings w ith a lecture aird opetr discussion. (ilasgow' (iI'I.
I Braveheart t I 5) ( \Iel (iibsori. I‘S. l‘I‘ISi Mel (‘rrbsorr Patrick .\Ic(ioohan. Sophie Marceau I77 mins. Mel (iibson's long and bloody account of the life of SCotlisIt w ariroi hero William Wallace boasts some remarkable battle scenes and great perfoi'irrances. The Scottish passion is tempered by a few Hollywood moments — touches of senttirientality and dramatic" historical inaccuracy. Neyertheless. it's a fine. full-blooded attempt to tap into the spirit that fires Scotland's history and heroes. (ilasgow: ()deon. Iidinbtrigh; Dominion. ()deon. l'('l. Borders: Pavilion. Strathclyde: I'(‘Is.
I The Bridges (If Madison County r )2) ((‘lint lfastwood. IS. 1095) (‘Iint liastwotxl. Meryl Streep 0-1 mins. Robert James Wallets book
may be literary tripe. bttt one's adrrriration for
director-star Iiastwood increases a thousand fold. as he conjures one of Iirs finest achieyements as a filirimaket‘. It's a classic love story between a passrrrg photographer and a woman whose husband and children are off at the state fair. and liastwood has created a work with real teat-stirring potency despite its utter lack of sentremental gushiness. (ilasgow: (ll-'l'. I Broken Arrow ( 1 Sr ( John who, (‘8. tons) John Travolta. (‘hrrstian Slater. Samantha Mathis. Sn mins. Bad guy military pilot John Travolta ejects his partner (‘hrrstian Slater from the cockpit while on a routine assignment and trips off with two live nuclear missiles. The script (by the writer of Slaw/i falls over rtselt in an attempt to set tip as many problems as possible for Slater to solve. but it also offers plenty of superior set pieces. And 'I ravolta relishes playing the villain. (ieneral release.
I The Brothers McMullen ( I 5) (lidwai'd Burns. I'S. I994) Iidward Burns. Jack Mtilcahey. Michael McGlone. 07 mins. Adultery. commitirieirt. splitting up. fidelity ~ the main topics of conversation for three Iirsir .'\ll)('ltcilll brothers who are each undergoing a period of adjustment in their personal lives; Ideard Bur'ns' award-winning debut is a lowbtrdget indie charmer. with a well-crafted screenplay and charismatic performances. (‘ential1 MacRobert.
I The Bruce ( I5) (Scotland. I‘No) Sandy Welcli. ()Iiver Reed. Brian Blessed. A bray e attempt to take on another slice of Scottish history — Barinockbrrrn —- btit all the best intentions iii the world can't obscure the truth that bad dialogue is bad dialogue wherever ll occurs. Better than the filmiiiakers' previous effort. ('liaiing The Den: biit there's still a long way to go before their work can be heartily recortrmended as worthy of the general ptiblrc's hard-earned cash. Iidinburgh: ()deon. L'(‘l. Borders: Pavilion. Roxy life: New Picture llouse. Robin's.
I Caheza de Vaca ( t5) (Nicholas lichcvarrra. Mexico. WOO) Juan Diego. Daniel (‘acho. Roberto Sosa. Jose I'Iores. II2 nrins Based on the memoirs of Alvar Nrine/ (‘abe/a de \'aca. this historical epic tells of a Spaniard who was captured by Indian tribes in the lorlr century of the (‘onquistadores. After a failed attempt at escape. he learns his captors' language and soon discovers that their rrroral code is super ror to his own. Mysterious and exotic. (ilasgow- (il'T.
I Casablanca (PU) (Michael (‘urtrL I'S. I942) Humphrey Bogart. Ingrid Betgrnarr. Dooley Wilson. I03 mins. You must renrember this Bogart being itttpossibly noble. Bergman torn between two lovers. (‘laude Rains playing both ends against the middle. devious Nazis. a fogbound airport. a piano-player trnkling that
tune. Edinburgh: St Bride's.
I Castle 0i Purity ( I8) (Arturo Ripstein. Mexico. l‘)72) 00 mins. A fanatical bourgeois man locks in family indoors all day while he goes to work in order to protect them from contamination. Glasgow: (il-‘f.
I Centenary Reels Programme 1 (it) turns. i-‘m one year only. the First Reels scheme transforms into ("eiitenary Reels. with projects that reflect an aspect of cinema. This progratrriire consists of I.ticien Giive and Mark Mcl.achlan'.s Belly ('/i. a slobbish tribute to Jules [it Jim; New York's homeless terriembei'irig their youth in Andrew Wilde's xi! 2/; Margaret Reeves's Sail 'lir Say liar Sammv ls Dr'rlil. a hyper-real reconstruction of suburban Australia; Paul ('ameron and (‘astlemilk Video Workshop‘s drx‘irmeutary on the media rrianipiilation of ('astlemilk's image. [NU/slim l’ur .Ilr Racr'rv. and Hannah Robinson" film noir Sher/a. the story- of a smallttme gangster and the ultimate femme fatale Iidinburgh: liilmhouse.
I Centenary fleets Programme 2 no nuns. The second programme consists of('hirs I)ooks and Alex Norris's experimental documentary on the significance of light in British people's liyes. limit-mix; Moya McKenzie McDonald's documentary about transport in ()rkney. The 947) Front Kirkri'ail 'lo Lulu/on; .-\Ii 'l‘uirrball‘s tale of a hypnotised suburban housewife. liar/r; Ros (‘asselle's Miran- Il'mr ‘: lIair. about a key piece of arclrrve film. and a Saturday nrglrt outing seen through a toilet mirror in Wendy (iril'fin‘s .IllI‘I'UI'. .Ilr'rmi, Izdinbuigli: l-‘rlmhouse. I Chinatown (Rorrran Polanski. I'S. l‘)7~l) Jack Nicholson. Faye l)unaway. John Huston. HI mins. Private eye Jake (litres takes on a routine case in 1037 l..-\ and ends up uncovering trrore than he bargained for. Splendid conspiracy thriller with a Iiandsoirre period look and a quite superlative cast. Despite rumours spread by Nicholson and Polanski. though. the nose~slittiirg scene was faked lidrnburgh: (‘ameo
I Citizen Kane (PU) (Orson Welles. (PS. l‘)-ll r Orson Welles. Joseph (‘ottcn. Agnes Moorehcad. I 1‘) turns. Stunnineg successful biograplucal mosaic cerrtrirrg on a Hearst-like media tycoon. Welles first film remains scintillating viewing for its sheer technical verve. narrative confidence and spellbinding jx'rformances. lidtnbui'gh: St Bride's
I City llall ( t 5) (Harold Becker. t's. i005) Al Pacino. John (‘usack. Bridget I-"onda. I ll ruins. When a shooting incident between a cop and a drug dealer ends iii the accidental death of a young black kid. New York Major Jolrtr Pappas (Pacino) finds himself in a crisis. Not only that. his idealistic assistant ((‘rrsackl is beginning to discoyet evidence of cor rription iii the background. Becker 's direction shows great control m er a set ipt that refuses to settle for simplistic morality. Pacino and (‘usack are wonderful (ilasgow: ()deon. lidiriburgh: MUM. l'(‘l. Strathclyde: l'('ls.
I The Comancheros ( IS) (Michael (‘tlt'IlL l‘S‘. tom ) John Wayne. Lee Marvin. Bruce (‘abor l(l7 mitts The final film by the director of (‘aia/ilairr‘a sees the Duke as a Texas Ranger
c leaning up a gang of terregades. Tough stuff. and undervalued in the genre. Edinburgh: St Bride's.
I The Connection r in) (Shirley ('lar‘ke. (is. I‘)(rl ) William Redfield. Warren l-‘irrnerty, (iari‘y (irrotliow. I If) inrns. .-\ group ofjan. musicians improvise while waiting for their dope dealer. More interesting than it sounds. Follow ed by Tom McGrath reading some of his poetry. lzdinburgh: Flllllllollsc,
I Cutthroat Island ( I 5) (Retrrry llarlin. IS. 1995) (ieena Davis. Matthew Modine. I‘rank Langella. l2} turns. The daughter (Davis) of an infamous pirate inherits his ship. crew and mean reputation as she searches for an island and hidden treasure. Dir Ilarr/ 2 director llarlitr's preference for blowing things rrp when the action sags show-s lack of iriragination and he lets it all go on too long. l-or a while. though. it's a triatinee-style romp through all the peg-leg cliches of the genre. (ilasgow: MGM I-‘ilm (‘entre
I Dangerous Minds ()5) (John .\'. Smith. (is. I995) Michelle Pfeiffer. (‘reoige I)zrind/a. (‘ourtney' B. \"ance. III() mitts. In a tougher role than some she's Played to date. Pfeiffer' is an ex- mai'ine who becomes linglish teacher to a bunch of underachieving inner city kids with academic poterrtral. The Ilollywood optimism of the plot sits oddly with the classroom realism that comes from casting fledgling actors and streetwise norr professiotials. btrt it's a brave attempt at tackling the serious subject of edtrcation in irrthein-day .'\lltC|lC(I. I-ife: Adam Smith.
I Bead Man Walking ( IS) (Tim Robbins. t's. I905) Susan Sarandon. Sean Penn. Robert Pr'Osky. l22 mins. A nun (Sarandon) begins her own difficult spiritual journey when she becomes religious advisor to a brutal murderer (Penn) facing the death penalty. Sarandon's presence is unshowy and cornrrritted. Penn's vivid and deeply insightful. and Robbins's achievement is to make a film whose rritetrsity
Catch the best Film this fortnight.
FIRST RUN
I Sale A suburban w'orrian's allergic reaction to the 20th century environment slides from satire itrto chilling nredical horror in Todd llay'nes‘s rerrrarkablc exairrination of contemporary issues. (i/aveoiv: (Il’lf lz'rli'rtlnirgli: Film/rouse.
I 12 Monkeys Terry Gilliam brings his visual skills to an eccentric but intriguing tale of titrre travel. lethal viruses and psychosis. (Femoral release.
I Small Faces Gillies Mackinnon‘s tale of growing up in Glasgow in the late 60s captures a sense of the city and its tensions from the unusual perspective of a teenage boy. See feature and review. (ieiiera/ release. I Toy Story Woody the cowboy and space ranger Bit/.1. Lightyear embark on a thrilling buddy adventure in Disney's first ctrriiputcr-generated animation feature. General release. I Dead Man Walking Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn refuse to indulge in unnecessary etirotionalism as a nun and killer who meet on Death Row. Tim Robbins‘s intelligent direction raises complex issues.
Generalrelease
' FESTIVALS
: I Fringe Film & Video Festival A
‘ startling selection ofcutting-edge film. video and irrulti-media works. including a majorretrospective ofthc underground cinema of the Ktichar Brothers. See Film and Art previews. l;‘(lliil)ra'gli.‘ Film/muse. ll'rlt'('l'.\'('.
I Italian Film Festival Festival The best new work froin Italy. with special retrospectives on director Gianni Aurelio and the late Massimo Tt‘oisi. (Ilas‘gari': (ll-T lirllrt/ua‘glr.‘ Film/muse.
arid coriipassion ranks it far above the usual run of Hollywood pttlp (ilasgow ()deon. MUM Parkltead. lidinhuigh' Cameo, I'(‘I. Strathclyde: I‘('I ('Iydcbatik.
' I Declaration I" love i ll) rPtipi Avati. Italy. 1095) Alessio Modrca. .-\rnaldo Ninchi. Angiola Baggi ()0 turns. l‘his nostalgic period piece about a school romance is the most iirtrriiate and personal film so fat by a director who received a retrospective at the Izdtnbtirgh l’lllll I'estival some years ago Italian film festival. (ilasgow' (ilrll. lfdirrbtiigh: l-rlnrlrouse.
I Bellamorte Bellamore ( its) (Michele so.“ i. Italy. I‘M-I) Rupert l'.\c'tcll. l-"tatrcois Ilang I.a//aro. Anna I‘alchi I(X) rnrns Like his mentor. l);riio .-\rgento. Soayi makes y rscei'al. visually brrlliarrt horror lltt)\lL‘\'. Ileie. British star Iiverett play s the custodian of a cemetery whose inhabitants haye a habit of leaving their abodes in search of liesh meat. Italian lirlrir l‘estival. (ilasgow; (il’l' I:(Illll\tllglll I'lllllltnltst' I Devil In A Blue Dress ( IS) ((‘ail Franklin. I‘S. I005) I)ctt/cl \\’.'rshington. Jennifer Beals. Tom Sizemoie. I03 turns. The social realism and
26 The List l9 Apr-2 May I996