FILM INDEX .
actresses - irt addition to Ryder and Bancroft. /
there's Ellen Btrrstyri. Kate Nelligan. Jean Simmons and Samantha Mathis - appear iii a mirlti-generational women's movie. When Ryder ponders over a marriage proposal. advice on love arid men is forthcoming froin her fetnale relatives. Unfortunately. Hollywood has knitted up this pattern before. Glasgow: ABC Sauchielrall Street.
I the Hunchback OI llotre Danie (PG) (Gary 'l't'ousdale/Kirk Wise. l’S. I906) With the voices of Tom lltilce. Demi Moore. Kevin Kline. 90 mins. Young Quasimodo is kept prisoner in medieval Paris's great cathedral by the evil Judge lir'ollo. btit when the beautiful gypsy listneralda comes on the scene. the boy's heroic instincts save the day. Strong vocal performances. stunning city scapes. grand songs aritl an expertly mature handling of adult themes make this an instant classic with plenty to say about moral hypocrisy. See preview and review. General release.
I Ilunger Artist ( l5) (Bernard Rudden. Scotland. I‘NS) ~15 nrins. Based on a Kafka lel'y. Hunger Aru'vi concerns a young man who treats his fasting as an artform and the female journalist who searches for him when he is kidnapped. Rttddeit's approach is more stream of consciousness than linear narrative. and as a restrlt. the film is raw. gritty. metaphysical poetry on screen. With Oscar-winning Tartan Short Fran: Iv'a/la'v In A ll'mttlt'r/ul Lite (25 mitts) and The (‘uniraei (27 mins). Glasgow: Gl’l‘.
I the Indian In the Cupboard (PG) (Frank 0;. l'S. I‘J‘JS) llal Scardiiio. l.itcfoot. David Keith. 90 mins. For his birtltday. young ()mri is given a magic cupboard that hrirtgs to tlesh-and-borte life his plastic toys. principally Native Arnericart Little Bear. Excellent sf.\ bring Lynne Reid Banks' novel to life. btrt aside front that. it doesn't really develop. apart frortr some trite moral lessons about showing respect for the lives of others. Glasgow: Gl‘T.
I Jewish Shorts-t l5) 7() mitts. Three short films from the touring l.ondon Jewish l‘ilm Festival: dysfunctional family problems irr Grant/pa} Funeral. senior citizen dope smoking itr I’rt'vvurt' [)rtr/i and lesbian problems at a bridal shower in The I’arrv I’m-or. Edinburgh: litlttrhoiise.
I Juiiianii (l') (Joe Johnston. l'S. l‘)‘)5) Robiri Williams. Jonathan llyde. Kirsten Duiist. l()l mins. 'l‘i‘apped for lo years iii a jungle board game. Alan Parrish (Williams) is released only when two iiitxlern-day kids throw the dice themselves. Btrt they also unleash a stampede of monkeys. crocodiles. elephants. rhinos arid other unfamiliar beasts into small town America. The story manages to get beyond its repetitive limits with a brilliantly original central idea and post- Jurasvit- I’urk computer effects that make it state-of-the-art cinema spectacle. I‘ife: Adam Smith.
I the Killers ( II) (Robert Stottitiak. US. I940) Edmond O'Brien. Ava Gardner. Burt Lancaster. IOS mins. All the markers of the classic film noir are here in abundance as insurance investigator ()‘Brieii looks into the mysterious death of Burt Lancaster. Better than the Don Siegel remake. if only for the atmospherics. Edinburgh: Filmhonse.
I Kingpin ( I 2) (Peter and Bobby liair'elly. US. l‘)‘)(r) Woody llarrelson. Randy Qtraid. Bill Murray. I IS mins. Bowling's golden hope Roy Mttnson tllarrelson) loses his hand when a hustle goes badly wrong; seventeen years later. he‘s an alcoholic sleazebag. btrt with Amish protege Ishmael (Qttaid) by his side. he's got a chance to win back his self-respect at a competition in Reno. Bad taste humour hits at too many easy targets. and the gag rate isn't as fast as the I‘arrelly's debut. Dumb Ant/ [)Ilm/H’I'. Dull. unfunny sttiff. See review. Glasgow: ()deon. MGM Parkhead. Edinburgh: ()deon. UC‘l. Stratlrclyde: ()deons. U(‘ls.
I land Md Freedom ( l5) (Keri l.oach. UK/Spain. I‘JOS) lart llart. Rosana Pastor. Iciar Bollain. IO‘) mins. A magnificent. moving. politicised epic on the Spanish (‘ivil War by Britain's riiost committed director on the Left. An unemployed mart (llai't) leaves 30s Liverpool to fight with the P()l ‘M Militia. and sees first hand the betrayal of his cause by the Stalinists. His story rs told iii flashback. as his granddaughter reads his hidden letters home - a link to the present day that proves these events have {I'Sll'ullg relevance to today. Glasgow: GI’l‘. I leaving la: Vega: ( l8) (Mike liiggis. US. I‘J‘JS) Nicolas Cage. Elisabeth Shue. Julian Sands. l l() trrirrs. Sacked from hisjob. Ben (Cage) drives to l.as Vegas with the sole intention of drinking himself to death. btit during his descent comes across hooker Sera (Shire). another lost soul. Figgis's neon-drenched movie captures the irresponsible euphoria and mental pain of alcoholism from a subjective viewpoint. while the astonishing performances by the leads help it transcend the surface tawdriness and delve deep into underlying emotions. Edinburgh: Filtnhouse. (‘entralz MaeRobert.
I Local New (PC) (Bill Forsytlt. UK. l983)
Peter Riegeit. Btitt l.ancaster. Denis l.awson.
I l l mins. ()ne of Bill l:()t'sy'lll's most sure-footed ventures. and one in which his eye for charm balances with his love for whimsy. An ambitious executive of an American oil company is sent to btry an entire Scottish town for a future drilling project. btit soon finds himself falling in love
w tilt the place. while being hoodwinked by the community. life: Adatti Smith.
I Madeleine (PG) (David l.eatt. l.‘K. I‘N‘J) Ann Todd. l.C\llC Banks. Elizabeth Sellais. I H mins. l.eari's wife Ann Todd stars as a woman who finds herself tip against the moral hypocrisy of Victorian Glasgow. Pr'es‘strirsed on all sides by the men around her. she finds herself in court accused of poisoning her l‘rencli lover. A strong depiction of a heroine who refuses to become a
v ictrm, Witer Small [Jr/unit t I3 mitts). Glasgow: (ilrl‘.
I Marnie ( (to (Alfred llitclrcock. ('8. WM) 'l'ippi lledten. Sean (‘onneryz Diane Baker. I20 tiiiiis. lledrcn (in a role intended for Grace Kelly) is the glacial blortde heroine irt this most florid of llitchcock's psychological trieltxlramas. After lrer boss ('ortnery catches her robbing his safe. he becomes attracted to her and the two marry. btit her frigidin in the bedroom hides a much darker secret. The usual late llitch mixture of carelessness (those backdrops!) and technical virtuosity. A playground for veteran l‘retrdians. Glasgow: GIT.
I Aphrodite l l 5) (Woody Allen. [-5. I005) Woody Allen. Mira Soivino. llelerra Boriliaiii ('arter. 95 mins. Sports writer l.enny (Allen) and his busy art dealer wife (Boriltarn (litter) adopt a baby. bttt when the kid starts to show unusually high intelligence. dad goes searching lot the real mother — a notre-ttxr-bright hooker and porn actress (Sotvirto). ()scar-
w inning Sotv trio is the best thing iii the movie. even if her role is rather dubious. btrt Woody's a bit long in the tooth for his part. litinny. bttt a little tired. Glasgow: Gl’l'.
I les Miserablem l2) ((‘latide l.elotrclr. France. IWS) Jean-Paul Belrnortdo. Michel Botrjenah. Annie Giradot. I77 mins. A vastly enjoyable 30th century updating of the lltigo novel. which also examines the effects of trial. tribulation and coincidence on a single man ( Belmondo). lts unflinching depiction of l'rance's treatment of the Jews under the Occupation ptits iron iii the tilt“ ie's abundant soul. (‘entral: MacRobert.
I Mission: Impossible (t’tir ( In iatt De Palma. l'S. l‘)‘)(i) Toni ('iuise. Jort Voiglll. liiriiiiamielle Beait. llt) mins. l'nlike the fondly ieiiienibered TV series which pushed the notion of teamwork. this lavishly produced llollywood thriller is driven by (‘ttitse's solo star power. As the only strrv ivoi of a hit on his espionage teatrt. he races across tlte world. setting tip double bltrffs to lltrsh out a mole. There are a couple of dazzling set pieces. bttt they're padded ottt by yards of complicated plot. Slick. btrt cold. General release.
I Moonlight And Valentino ( t 5) (David Anspaugh. l'S. I‘J‘JS) Elizabeth Perkins. Gwyneth Paltiow. Whoopi Goldberg. Ill-l mitts. When her husband is killed when ottt jogging. Rebecea (Perkins) finds herself being comforted by her sister. es-stepmother and eccentric best friend. An intelligent weepie which also features the acting debut of Joti Bon Jovi. Glasgow:
MGM Parkhead. Strathclyde: l'('l East Kilbride.
I the Most terrible time or My life ( Ix)
(llayashi Kai/.o. Japan. I993) Masatoslii Nagase.
Kiyotaka \ambar'a. Shiro Sarto. ()2 mins. A playful spiti on the Hollywood gtrtnsltoe movie from the director of the wonderful ('ii't-uv Burv. Myvit'rv 'l'rat'n's Masatoshi Nagase plays Mike llama. a laconic private eye on an investigation in Yokohama. Althouin there's a little too rntrclt plot. the pastiche works well in a hip sort of way. See review. Glasgow: Gl-‘l'.
I Mr Holland’s Opus (PG) (Stephen Ileiek. l‘S. I‘J‘JS) Richard Dreyftiss. Glenrie lleadly. Jay Thomas. l-U nrins. An old-fashioned and very sentimental melodrama starring the ()sear- rrominated Dreyfuss as a teacher whose throws himself iitto his dream of composing a major work when his sort is diagnosed as deaf. ()ecasional tedium is lifted with moments of emotion and lump-in-the-tltroat poignancy. so it's not one for the cynics. liife: Adatn Smith.
I Muppet treasure Island (PG) (Brian llenson. l'S/UK. I996) Tim Curry. Kevin Bishop. Billy Connolly. l02 mins. Young Jim Ilaw-kiiis. along with his friends the Great Gonzo and Rizzo The Rat go hunting for treasure with (‘aptain I-‘lint's map. meeting tip on the way with l.ong John Silver (Curry). and liozzie. Kermit. Miss Piggy et al as various Stevenson characters. l‘aithful to the book. but hilarious iii its extraneous details — especially in the opening section - this is one time everyone catr enjoy Ilollywotxl's plundering of Britiin literature. General release. I Muppets take Manhattan (U) (Frank 02. US. l98-I) Kermit. Miss Piggy. Fozzie Bear. 94 mins. The Muppets try to break itrto Broadway with their college show. Amusing use of New York
locations and guest appearances from the likes of
Joan Rivers and Gregory Ilines mark this out as
superior fun for the family. Glasgow: MGM Parkhead.
I Mystery train ( IS) (Jim Jaimttseh. l'S. I‘JS‘J) Masatoshi Nagase. Nicoletta Btaschi. Screamin' Jay llavvkins. Joe Striimirier. I ll mins. Jatmttsch’s first colour feature. like his earlier films. draws Iteavily on a beat-inspired road- movie genre. Three seperate groups of ill assorted people drift through Memphis. iii a trio of interlocking vignettes that examined their various experiences in the city that boasts of the blues and Graceland. Edinburgh: (‘ameo.
I Ilarrow Margin ( l2) (Richard l'lcisclret. l'S. l‘JSZ) (‘ltai'les McGraw. Marie Windsor. Jacqueline White. 7() mins. A transcontinental train provides a suitably tight setting for this excellent ptilp thriller about cops try trig to get a gang boss's widow to trial before the bad guys blow her away. Fast-paced. brilliantly atmospheric. this is one that deserves to be brought itrto the light again. Edinburgh: Fillilllollsc.
I Ilhton ( l5) (Oliver Stone. l'S. I‘NS) Anthony Ilopkins. Joan Allen. James Woods. l‘)3 mins. Avoiding the conspiracy traps we rtiiglrt have expected (Watergate. etc ). Stone concentrates less on the politics and more on the man driven by inner demons to succeed at all costs. In this way. Ni.tmt becomes an Amer ican tragedy. founded on llopkins's astonishing performance which goes way beyond itttpcisortalion. Nevertheless. the President did nasty things. so all we can hope forts sympathy for the devil. Glasgow: GET.
I North By Northwest (PG) (Alfred llitclrcock. ['S. l‘JS‘J) (‘ary Grant. live Marie Saint. James Mason. Martin Landau. I30 Illlll\. Quintessential llitclrcock comedy-actioner with Grant perfect as the everyday admaii pitched into a freewheeling espionage adventure. w lieie nobody believes his innocence btrt he finds self- wot'th and romance along the way. ('lassic sequences abound. including the crop-dusting rotttirte arid the Mount Rushmore climax. Brilliant entertainment. Edinburgh: l-"rlmlrouse. I Now Md then (PG) (l.esli Linka Glaltet‘. l'S. l‘)‘)5) Demi Moore. Melanie Griffith. Christina Ricci. Thora Birch. l()2 mins. liour women meet after an a gap of ten years and remember back to their childhood. when an enigmatic headstone message set off a chain of events that bonded them together. llints of a female Siam/ Ilv .llt' perhaps. btit this is a thoughtful. comforting memory piece. Sentimental. but that comes with the territory. All U(‘ls.
I (in the Waterfront (PG) (lilia Kazan. l'S. I‘JS-I) Marlon Brando. Iiva Marie-Saint. Karl Maldeii. l()8 mins. Taking on gangster supremo Lee J. (‘obb's dominating inlltrerice iii the New York dockers' union leads only to tragedy for Brando's err-boxer Terry Malloy irt this early masterpiece of the Method school. Despite an injection of over-obvious religiotrs symbolism. Btidd Schtilberg's politically contentious script and Kazan's typically involved direction offered a launchpad for one of Brando's best screen performances. This is where you'll find the original 'I coulda been a contender" monologue later so effectively taken tip by Scorsese/De .\'iro in Raging Bull. Edinburgh: liilmlrouse.
I Osltar Mid Jack (PG) (liranke Saridig. Germany. l‘)‘)(r) (t() tiiiiis. A documentary on identical twins. separated at hirtli irt ION. ()skar went to Germany with his mother and joined the llitler Youth; Jack stayed iii (In (‘arrbbean and was raised as a Jew. An early meeting in W.“ found too tnany barriers between them. bttt itr subsequent meetings. they grow to understand each other. \Vilh Afttlni [Jul/v llllll Black-[fret] PH“ (35 mitts). Edinburgh: liilitilitrtise.
I l Place In the Sun (PG) (George Stevens. I'S. I‘JSI ) Montgomery ('lift. Elizabeth Taylor. Shelley Winters. l22 mins. Steven's brough Theodore l)reisler's novel xln Atitt't'it'an Tragedy tip to date btrt. as a consequence. lost thus! of the social satire and replaced it with romantic melodrama. Clift is the yourtg rtrari. tied down by a pregnant working class girl. who tragically tries to better himself by falling in with a snobbish socialite (Taylor). Glasgow: Gl’l'.
I ll Postino (U) (Michael Radford. Italy. I995) Massimo Troisi. Philippe Noiret. Maria Grazia (‘ueinotta. l()8 mins. When exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (Noiret) arrives on a remote island off the Neapolitan coast. he aids local postman Mario (Troisi) to woo the village barmaid. Gently paced and ftrll of Mediterranean sun. Radford's film is nicely tinsentimental. Sadly. 'l'roisi died the day after shooting was completed. btit he couldn't have left a finer legacy. Edinburgh: Iiilmhouse.
I Reservoir coast l8) (Quentin 'l'arantino. US. IWZ) Harvey Keitel. Tirii Roth. Michael Madsen. l()() mins. A gang of hoods. known only to each other by colour-coded nicknames. meets at an abandoned warehouse to figure Irow otit their rigorotrsly planned heist went so drastically wrong. The best debut iii years from writer-director Tarantino. whose stylish violence seduces the audience irtto complicity. Brilliant in every sense of the word. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Richard III ( l5) (Richard l-oncraine. l7K. I905) lair McKellen. Annette Benmg. Jim Broadbcitt. l0} mins. l‘pdated to England dttring the 30s. Shakespeare's play is sensibly trimmed to concentrate fully on the crookbacked kir g's inutdeiotts rise to the throne. McKellen gives a coiirmatidrng performance amidst some w onderftil supporting (runs. while l.oncraine ensures that the bard has rarely been treated in such splendidly cinematic terms. The fascistic look of the costumes does help clarify some of the divisions iii the tcvt. Glasgow: Gl-‘l’. Edinburgh: (‘amco. l-ilmliouse Borders: Pavilion.
I Rob lloy ( l5) (Michael ('aton—Jones. l'S/l'K. l‘J‘JS) Liam \ceson. Jessica l.aitge. Tim Roth. lfill mins. When he is betrayed by the Marquis of Morittose (John lltitt) and a irraliciotrsly psychopathic Englishman (Roth). Rob Roy MacGiegor is determined to w in back the honour of his name. Alan Sharp's script is rich. witty and literate. ('aton-Jones's direction injects a little action. bttt doesn't pander to Hollywood; and all the performances are wonderful. A stirring epic which reltrses to coitipromise. making it one of the best films about Scotland and the Scottish psycltc ever made. life: Adaitt Smith.
I the flock ( l5) (Michael Bay. l'S. l‘)‘)(r) Nicolas (‘age. Sean ('onnery. lzd llattts_ HS mins. Psychotic ainry cornrnarrdet llairis takes over Alcatraz arid threatens to (lecrmate San l'r‘ancrsco in a poison gas attack; but on the goodies side are goolball chemical weapons evpeit ('age and ('otiiieiy. the only man ever to Iravc escaped ‘the rock'. llypcd tip M’l'V-style direction. lasl ctrts. big evplosioris. Brain removal is recommended for ftill enjoyment. Gerneral release.
I Screamem IS ) ((‘hiistian l)ttgtr.iy. ('anada. IWS) Peter Weller. Roy l)ttpois. Jennifer Rttbiii. lllh‘ mins. It’s 3078. and on the tnirirng colony of Sirius (rB. a ground war has degenerated itito stalemate because of nasty flesh-chopping fighting machines called Screamers. Weller is the (‘olonel who disobeys orders and tries for peace. Moments ol tension arid nightmare- inducing lrortot are letdown by poor dialogue arid holes in the plot. It's based on a story by Philip K. Dick. bttt his enduring themes were better handled in Ii/(It/f' Runner. lzdrnlttirgh:
l ('l.
I the Secret Garden (I )(Agnieszka llollartd. l'S. I‘J‘JJ) Kate Mabcrly. Maggie Smith. John Lynch. Ill] units. The unusual combination of the director of [Stun/ta Iiumpa arid the writer of ljtlrt'attl Strum/randy conspires to create an authentic and affecting version of the children's classic novel. Shipped back from India. lotier orphan Mary makes friends with a local lad atid her sickly cousin. exerting a ttragrcal rectiperativ-e process on the latter and a ltiddcn walled garden. 'l‘otrching and trncontiived. liife: Adam Smith.
I Secrets Md lies ( l 5) (Mike l.erglr. liK. l‘)‘)(i) Timothy Spall. Brenda Blethyn. Phyllis l.ogarr. Ht) mins. l.eigh's Palme l)‘()i'-wirining follow up to A’akt't/ is a bittersweet take on suburban domestic life. Young black optician lltritertse searches for the mother who pttt her up for adoptiotr as a baby. btrt is surprised to discover it's white working-class (‘y-rrtltiir. Gcntrinely eriiotional. w rtli great performances by Marianne Jean-Baptiste arid 'l'intothy Spall. bttt the showstoppirig turn comes from (‘annes winner Brenda Bletlian. Edinburgh: (‘ameo.
I Sense Md Sensibility (l')(Ang Lee. l‘S/UK. IWS) Emma 'l'hottipson. Kate Wirtslet. Alan Rickman. Ilttgli Grant. IJS mins. Denied their inheritance when the father of the household (lies. the female members of the Dashwood family face a precarious future which complicates the roitiances of sensible Elinor (Thompson) and emotive Marianne (Winslet). Thompson's adaptation keeps the wordplay engaginly tart aiid sharp-witted. bttt never loses sight of the powerful frustrations simmering beneath the surface. Infinitely more satisfying than your typical fluffy period piece. Strathclyde: East Kilbride Arts Centre.
I Sgt. Bilko (PG) (Jonathan Lynn. US. I905) Steve Martin. Dan Aykroyd. Phil Hartman. 95 mins. There are no surprises in this routine Steve Martin vehicle. lifted froin the Phil Silvers 50s TV show. Here the scam—boy Master Sergeant continues his private vendetta with Major Thorn. By ttrrns fttrttiy and boring. the script has too rntrclr sheen arid no real firepower. Glasgow: MGM Parkhead.
I Small Faces ( l8) (Gillies Mackinnon. UK. NOS) lain Robertson. Joseph McFadden. J.S. Duffy. l08 mins. ('o-written with producer brother Billy. Gillies Mackinnon's marvelloust detailed study about the growing pains of a boy caught in the fringes of Glasgow's gangland violence in the 60s emerges as a warm arid accurate portrayal of working-class family life. Centring on three brothers. it avoids the pitfalls of the Glasgow hard mart movie. instead becoming a superior rites-of-passage tale. Edinburgh: C ameo. Filmhouse.
28 The List l2-25 Jul I996
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