INDEX FILM
FILM
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, brief review and venue details. Fllnr index compiled by Alan Morrison.
I Apocalypse NOW! ( I8) (lit'attcis ('oppola. US. I980) Martin Slteert. Marlon Brando. Robert Dtrvall. Dennis Hopper. I53 mitts. Vietrrartt as The I'ltirnate Trip. We follow IIS Army assassirt Slreert dowrtriver and deeper irtto tlte Heart 0/ Darkness ruled over by Brando‘s mad Colonel Kurtz. Alternater preterttious artd visually over'jmwering (the Valkyries helicopter attack. for example). its grandiltxprent folly somehow pierces rigltt to the borte of the conflict. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Arizona Dream ( I5) (Erttrr Kirsturica. France/US. I993) Joltrtrry Depp. Faye Dunaway. Jerry Lewis. I35 rrtirts. We‘re talking the 'logic of drearus' here. so it's useless to attempt a plot synopsis. Let’s just say it ltas Depp as at) NYC fish inspector out west. a bizarre love triangle with wacko I)urtaway and her weirdo daughter. caddy salesman Lewis. Eskimos arid a flying machine. Sometimes inspired. often infuriating. mostly impenetrable. Edinburgh: Carueo.
I Babe (I') ((‘hris Noouan. Australia. I995) Jatttes ('romwell. with the voices ofChristine ('avanaugh. Miriam Margolyes. Iltrgo Weaving. 92 mins. Art orphaned pig falls under the eye of a kindly collie artd begins to think he's destined for glory at the regional trials. Talking animals suggest that this rs a kids‘ utovie: to art extent it is — artd a great one — btrt there‘s enough skewered humour (hail the psyclto mice!) for adults to discover an unexpected ctrlt hit. A triumph for the underpig. Central: MacRobert. I Balto (If) (Sirrtort Wells. L'S. I995) With the voices of Kevin Bacon. Bridget Fonda. Bob Iloskius. 78 mins. Wlten the rttedical srrpplies to art isolated Alaskan town are threatened by a blizzard. ltalf-husky/haIf-wolf Balto — art outsider because of his mongrel nature — comes to the rescue. Impressive action sequences ensure that Amblin's feature-length cartoon gives Disney a run for its money. Central: MacRobert.
I Barb Wire ( I 5) (David Ilogart. l'S. I996) Pamela Anderson Lee. Temuet'a Morris-or). Victoria Row ell. 94 rttirts. I’Irrvlmv pin-up artd Blrl'lt'tllr'll babe Artdersorr turns irtto an on-screcn Parttbo as she kicks ass as a comic book-style heroine in the rtot-too-distartt ftrtrrre. The action sequences aren't bad attd. while the star isn't going to give Meryl Streep uneasy nights. the supporting cast do their bit it) the acting stakes. Edittburglt: ()deon.
I Beautiful Thing ( I5) (llettie Macdonald. UK. I996) Glen Berry. Linda Ilenry. Scott Neal. 90 rttirts. Jamie. a teenager havirtg a hard time at the local comprehensive. falls for neighbour Ste. who hirrtself is on the receiving end frqu his ex- boxer dad. l-‘ir'st-tittter Macdouald‘s direction is unflashy. brrt attuned to the inner lives of these motley individuals. arid the cast work wottders. Bright. summery arid full ()f life's possibilities. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I The Blues Brothers ( )5) (John Landis. (:8.
I980) John Belushi. Dan Aykroyd. Carrie Fisher.
I30 mitts. Bloated. overlortg anarchic Chicago comedy with the two stars on a mission from God to salvage the rrttperilled forturtes of art orphanage. Lots of guest stars. musical numbers arid automotive destruction irt a typical product of over-emphatic contemporary American Ittrrttotrr. Glasgow: GFI'. I Braveheart ( 1:?) (Mel Gibson. ('8. I995) Mel Gibson. Patrick McGoohan. Sophie Marceau. I77 trtitts. Mel Gibson's long artd bloody account of the life of Scottish warrior hero Williarrt Wallace boasts some remarkable battle scenes and great performances. Aiming to entertain on a wider scale than the more literate Rob Roy. Brave/warts Scottish passion is tempered by a few Ilollywood moments — touches of sentimentality arid ‘dramatic' historical inaccuracy. Nevertheless. it's a line. full-blooded attempt to tap into the spirit that tires Scotland's history artd heroes. Edinburgh: Odeon. Central: MacRobert. I Broken Arrow ( IS) (Joltn Woo. US. I995) John Travolta. Christian Slater. Samantha Mathis. 86 rttirts. Bad guy military pilot John Travolta ejects his partner Christian Slater from the cockpit while on a routine assignment arid nips off with two live nuclear missiles. The
. script (by the writer of Speed) falls over itself in art attempt to set tip as rttarty problems as possible for Slater to solve. but it also offers plenty of superior set pieces. And Travolta relishes playing the villain. Fife: Adam Smith.
I Bullet In The Ilead ( l8) (Joltrt Woo. Ilortg Kong. I990) Tony Lerrng. Jacky Cheuug. Waise Lee. l()() rttirts. Woo's epic rrtastet'piece begins irt the Ilortg Kong of the late 60s. three friends get caught up in gartg war artd ltave to flee to Saigon. There. they are drawrt ittto the social. rttoral arid political anarchy of the Vietrtartt war. The \ rolertce grow s more graphically painful as the film progresses. with the result that some of the war torture scenes are alrttost unwatchable. Disturbing. compelling viewing. Edinburgh: i:tilllllt)ll\t:. I The (table Guy ( l2) (Bert Stiller. L3S. I996) Jim C arrey. Matthew Broderick. Leslie Mann. 96 trtirts. Wltert he settles irtto his batcltelor pad. hoping to enjoy an easy life ofcable television. architect Steven Kovacs (Broderick) didn't expect that the cable irtstaller would go to arty lengths to become his friend. Misjudged comedy with tlte hyperactive (‘ar'r'ey irt conniving forrtt. full of spot-the-scene hurttotrr. See review. General release. I Casino ( l8) (Martin Scorsese. US. I995) Robert De Niro. Sharon Stone. Joe Pesci. I78 rttirts. Lifetime gambler Ace Rolhsteirt is cltosert as the mob‘s titan irt Vegas. arid runs the casinos srrtootltly until things fall apart during the 70s. Scorsese's latest gangster epic has a touch of Greek tragedy about its downfall of a self-made man. brrt it's too rrttrclt irt Cmn/Fc’I/ut territory to be special. The cinerttatography arid editing are as textbook as ever. artd Stone delivers the performance of her career. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Chicken Farr! ( I8) 90 mitts. New video art frortt Scotland. focusing on performance. The progratttrrte irtclttdes work by Stephanie Smith. Edward Stewart. Douglas Gordort. Ross Sinclair. Christopher Evans. Tara Babel. Joarrrte Tatham artd Tout ()‘Sullixau. Glasgow: (‘CA. I Copycat ( l8) (Jort Arrtiel. L‘S. I996) Sigourney Weaver. Ilolly llrrnter. Ilarry (‘onuick Jr. I23 tttirts. A criminal psychologist (Weaver). who suffers front acute agoraphobia after art attack. is threatened by a copycat killer after a female cop (lluttter) tries to draw lter otrt of retirement. A redundant. reprehensible slice of schlock that leaves a nasty taste it) the mouth. Fife: Adam Smith. I Dead Man ( l8) (Jim Jarrttusclt. l'S. I995) Joltrtrry Depp. Gary Farmer. Lartce Ileurickseu. I2I mitts. After Iteadirtg otrt west for a job vacancy that's already been filled. accountant Bill Blake (Depp) fittds a posse on his tail after the shooting of his would-be employ er's sort. With a bullet it) his ow r) chest. Blake hooks up w itlt art lrtdiart called Nobody (Farmer). who reckons this is the spirit of the poet Blake and so prepares a proper frrrteral. Glorioust shot irt black artd white. rrtetictrlously paced arid imbued with a spirittral transcendence. Jarmusch's existerttial Westerrt is innovative and unexpected. Edirtbrrrglt: Cameo. I Dead Man Walking ( I5) (Tirtt Robbins. l7S. I995) Susan Sarandort. Sean Perttt. Robert Prosky. I22 rrtirts. A rtrrrt (Sarartdou) begins her own difficult spiritual journey when she becomes religious advisor to a brutal rrtttrderer (Penn) facing the deatlt pertalty. Sar'artdon's presence is unshowy arid committed. Penn's vivid artd deeply insightful. arid Robbirts's achievement is to make a film whose ittteusity artd compassion ranks it far above the usual run of Hollywood pulp. Glasgow: GET. Stratltclyde: ()deon Ayr. I Diva ( I5) (Jean-Jacques Beirteix. France. I98I I Frederic Artdrei. Roland Berlin. Richard Boht'irtger. I I7 trtirts. The twisted fate of two tapes. one at) illegal recording of an American opera star. the other exposing a crime ring. is the central strand of this daffy Gallic crrlt favourite. Style exudes from every sprocket hole. Glasgow: GET. I The Double life or Veronique ( I5) (Kt zystof Kieslowski. Poland/France. I99I ) Irerte Jacob. Plrillppe Volter'. Alexander Bardinr. I l0 rttirts. Two girls — orte Polish. the other French — are born at the sartte time on the same day and come to discover that their fares are bound rrp together. Art eerin fascirtatirtg arid disturbirtg erotic dartce of love artd deatlt from the director of Dekalug (The Ten C UIJIIJIHIIt/Illt’lll.\ ). with art extraordinary twirt performance by Cannes award-winner Jacob. Glasgow: GFT. I down By late ( )5) (Jim Jarrrtrrsch. US. I986). John Lurie. Roberto Benigni. Tom Waits. Three petty crooks irt New Orleans find themselves framed (‘down by law") arid imprisoned in the heart of the Lorrisiarta swarttps. They escape. btrt the jailbreak is hardly relevartt (attd ltardly explained either) - the crux of the film lies it) the relatiortship between the tltree men as they make their hazardous way through art alien environment. Benigni just steals the honours front his better-known comrades irt Jarmusch's splendidly off -beat. monochrome comedy. Edinburgh: Cameo. I new Periscope (PG) (David 5. Ward. US. I995) Kelsey Grammar. Lauren Holly. Bruce Dern. I00 mins. Cheers artd F ra:ier star Grammar plays a navy commander given the
trrtertviable job of ttrrrtirtg a rusty submarine arid its scabby crew ittto a fighting trrtit. Slapstick krtockaborrt attd cringemaking humour put this
on the level of I’u/it'e rlt'arlemt'. Edinburgh: liCl.
Borders: Pavilion. Stratltclyde: ()deort Ayr. l'CI Clydebauk. I Dunston Checks In (I’(;) (Ken Kwapts. ('5. I995) Jasort Alexartder. Faye I)trrtaway. lirrc Lloyd. 88 rttirts. There's monkey busittess aplenty when a jewel thief smuggles his orangutan [)llt'lIlCl’-ill-Clinic rrrto a posh hotel. Adttlts will get even more out of this than kids. because the Itrttttottr is irresistible. the characters suitany loathsome or adorable. artd Sartt the Orang a .star irt the making. Fife: Adarrt Smith. I Ed Wood ( l5) (Tint Burton. IFS. I994) Joltnrty Depp. Martin Landau. Patricia Arqrrette. I23 rrtirts. Burton‘s fortdly atrtrospheric homage to the so-called 'w-orst director of all time' is his best film to date. It‘s more tltart a biopic pastiche. however: the emotional heart of the film is found irt the getttrirtely carirtg relationship between Wood and the dyirtg. drug-addicted Bela Lugosi (a rrtarvellotrs Martin Landau). Depp plays Wood as a bundle ()f energy and innocent romartticisrn. capturing the spirit of dogged determination that makes the subject such art appealirtg character. Edinburgh: Cameo. I The Exorcist ( I8) (William Friedkiu. IJS. I973) Linda Blair. Ellen Burstyrt. Max You Sydow. I 10mins. Earnest priest Vott Sydow steps in to save poor little possessed girl in this hugely effective scarefest. Dead good. dead scary. dead priest. Edinburgh: Filrrthouse. I Fargo ( I8) (Joel Coert. US. I996) Frances McDormaud. Steve Btrscertti. William ll. Macy. 97 mins. Hoping to make sorrte bucks. a car salesman attempts to have his wife kidttapped by ltitrttett: btrt quickly blood is spilt. As the pregnant police detective on the case. McDormaud provides a warm-hearted centre for the movie. while the abstrrdist plot arid weird local colour gait) utomeututtt. It'll be considered a classic. given time. Glasgow: ABC Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cameo. Central: MacRobert. I Frorn Dusk Till Dawn ( I8) (Robert Rodriguez. I'S. I996) George (‘Ioouey. Harvey Keitel. Quentin Tarautiuo. l08 rrtirts. For its first third. this Tttt'alilttlo-scl'tplcd movie is a srrspertseful kidnap thriller as two killers on the rrrtt ((‘Iooney arid 'I‘arantirto) hole tip with three hostages lit a Mexican strip club. Then the tone cltauges irtto art sfx-Iteavy vampire western as the clientele spring fartgs. Repetition abounds it) a messy. tedious affair that's neither scary rtor ftrrtrty. Glasgow: ()deort. Edinburgh: l'(.‘l. Strathclyde: l'(‘Is. I Get Shorty I I5) (Barry Sorrrterrfeld. ITS. I995) Joltrr Travolta. Dartuy DeVito. Gerte Ilackntart. Rene Russo. I I0 rttitts. Loart shark Chili Palmer (Travolta) shifts from Miattti to LA arid. being a rttovie buff. decides to get irtto the film busittess. With its sharp dialogue. quirky characters attd offbeat humour. this is probably the best adaptation yet of art Elmore Leonard novel. Travolta shows his true star quality — he's as cool as milk and as deadly as a rattlesnake. Edinburgh: Carrteo. Filmhottse. I The Godfather t I8) (Francis Ford Coppola. IFS. I97I ) Marlon Brartdo. Al Pacino. James Caart. I75 rttirts. Malia epic that follows the collapse ()f the Corleone eutpire rrrrder the old Don (Brando) and the struggle for power this causes between rival families artd his own sorts. Al Pacino is rrtagniftcertt as the good sort who Itas to ttrrrt bad it) order to regain famin honour. IIrrgely enjoyable. violent trtovie is a landmark irr American filrttrtrakirtg. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I Guiltrip ( l5) (Gerard Stcmbridge. Ireland. I995) Andrew Connolly. Jasmine Russell. Peter Ilanly. 90 tttirts. Irish army corporal Liam (cltillirtgly played by Connolly) tries to keep his loyal btrt fearful wife Tirta (Russell) irt line with a militaristic set of house rules. btrt underneath his disciplined exterior is the turmoil of a guilty secret. Understated directiort. great perforrttances artd art imaginative story give this uttcortrfortably powerful film a mean punch. See review. Edirtbtrrgh: Filrrtltouse. I Happy Billion ( l2) (Dennis Dugan. I‘S. I996) Adam Sandler. Christopher McDonald. Julie Bowen. 92 rttirrs. A would-be ice hockey pro. who can Itit the puck with explosive force. finds Itirttself raising hackles or) the golfcircuit. Predictable comedy pepped rip by Sandler's energy. Will tlte deluge of urtwartted Salim/av Ni ghI Lit'e spin-offs ever cease? See review. Glasgow: ABC Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: ABC. Strathclyde: UCIs. I lleat ( I5) (Michael Marttr. US. I995) Al Pacino. Robert De Niro. Val Kilmer. I70 mins. Mann's star package cops-and-robbers tale is head and shoulders above the rest of the genre. thanks to an action-packed screenplay that fully explores its themes artd gives depth to its charcters. Pacino is the dedicated detective whose home life is in rrrins: De Niro is the reclusive crimihal mastermind. The two men's finely balanced sense of honour and mutual respect is well dissected. and the shoot-out set
Catch the best Film this fortnight.
f
I the Hunchback ot Iotre om Disney doesn't skim on the adult themes of Victor Hugo‘s novel. while the aniruation and songs prove strong enough to keep the kids spellbound. Another instant classic. See preview and review. General release.
I Bullet In The Head Made six years ago. but only now receiving a proper big screen release. John Woo‘s story of three Chinese men caught up in the Vietnam War is an Eastern answer to The Deerhunler. Edinburgh: Film/rouse.
I Dead Man The measured pace of Jirrt Jarmusch's existential Western adds to the dreamlike atmosphere as Johnny Depp goes on an epic journey. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Beautiful Thing On a London housing estate one hot summer. two teenage boys embark on an affair that provides an escape from the problems around them. A low budget British gay ruovie that doesn't preach. Glasgow: ABC Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Canter).
BEPERTORY
I The Godfather The epic power of Coppola‘s mafia story is restored as one of the greatest films ever made returns to the big screen. Edinburgh: Film/muse.
I lllchard III Ian McKeIIen hold centre stage in this strongly cinematic version of Shakespeare's portrait of totalitarian power. Glasgow: GFT Edinburgh: Film/muse.
I llorth By Northwest Masterful suspense from Alfred Hitchcock — dodge the dust-cropper and scale Mount Rushmore with Cary Grant. Edinburgh: F ilmltause.
pieces are heart-stopping. Brilliant. Glasgow: Gl-“l‘. Edinburgh: ABC.
I highlander ( l5) (Russell Mulcalty. UK. I986) Christopher Lambert. Beatie Edney. Sean Connery. III rttins. A Itartdful of immortals battle througlt the centuries to win a mythical prize. A curious mixture of rontance irt I6th century heather and car chases in presertt day New York. the filur is art inelegartt. often ludicrous. btrt enjoyany daffy adventure. Lambert seems more at home with the conterrtporary passages and only the ever wonderful Connery has the requisite style for the kitsch Scottish scenes. Fife: Adam Smith.
I The lionenan On The hoot (t5) (Jean-Paul Rappeneau. France. I995) Juliette Binoche. Olivier Martinez. Jean Yanne. I30 ntins. Rappeneau's follow-up to Cyrano De Bergerac lacks the verve of that ruodem arthouse blockbuster. An Italian hussar evades Hapsburg agents and crosses cholera~ravished I9th century France. meeting up with a beautiful young woman. Emotions are repressed to the extent that it actually hinders audience involvement. and we're left just looking at pictures - which are spectacular. admittedly. Glasgow: GFI'.
I llore to like In American lllllt ( t5) (Jocelyn Moorhouse. US. I995) Winona Ryder. Anne Bancroft. Dermot Mulroney. II6 mins. A multi- generational cast of wonderful American
The List 12-2siur I996 27 '