INDEX FILM
FILM
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.
I Aardman Animation (PG) A compilation of animated shorts from Britain's favourite studio. including the Oscar-winning Wallace and Gronrit in A Grand Day 0rd. The Wrong Trousers and recent adventure A Close Share. Glasgow: GI-‘l'.
I Abba The Movie (U) (Lasse Ilalstrorn. ch/Australia. I977) ABBA. Robert Hughes. Tonr Oliver. Bruce Barry. 95 rrrin. Made at the height of their populatrity. the wafer thin plotline consists of the four Swedes being pursued across Oz by a Sydney DJ. ‘Dancing Queerr'. ‘Waterloo'. ‘S.O.S.'. etc. Takes you back eh? Glasgow: GET.
I The Adventures or Pinocchio (PG) (Steve Barron. US. I996) Martin Landau. Udo Keir. Jonathan Taylor Thomas. 95 rrrins. Slightly disappointing Iivc action/arrimatronics/computer animation mix that gets closer to the novel's darkness than the Disney cartoon. but still falls short of the mark. Reviewed in ftrll next issue. General release.
I Alaska (PG) (Fraser Ilestorr. US. I996) 'I'hora Birch. Vincent Kartheiser. Charlton Heston. l09 mins. When their dad's supply plain crashes in the icy wastelarrds. a brother and sister set out on a rescue mission. Exciting kids adventure w itlr a nice line in polar bears. Reviewed in full next issue. General release.
I Les Amants nil Pont-lleul ( l 8 ) (Leos Car'ax. France. l99l ) Juliette Birroclre. Denis Lavant. I27 mins. An artist with a degenerative eye disease meets a fire-eating down-and-out. and they fall in love against the backdrop of Paris's Pont-Neuf. A stunnineg visual movie. with a wonderful sense of spectacle. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Antonia's line ( I 5) (Marleen Gorris. Netherlands/Belgiurrr/UK. I995) Willeke van Amnrelrooy. Els Dottermarrs. Dora van der Overloop. l04 trritrs. The Best Foreign Filrrr Oscar winner for I996. Antonia 's Line is the family saga of five generations of worrrerr from a nrral Dutch corrrrrrurrity. The story. told with magic realist elements. is fragrrrented and incident-driven. but it's uplifting in its engagement with the sextral politics Gorris has explored in previous films. Glasgow: Gl-‘I'. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Blue In The Face (IS) (Wayne Wang. IFS. I995) Ilarvey Keitel. Roseanne. Victor Argo. 89 mins. Using Keitel's cigar store rrranager's tangled love life as a loose narrative thread. the makers of Smoke returned to the set for an improvised portrait of Brooklyn and its residents. Witty celebrity carrreos aplenty from Madonna. Jinr Jarrrrusclr and Michael J. Fox. in what is nothing less than a party on screen. Central: MacRobert.
I The Cabinet or Doctor Callgari (PG) (Robert Wiene. Germany. I919) Werner Krauss. Conrad Veidt. Lil Dagover. 90 rrrins. A landmark of expressionist cinema. feasting the eyes with bizarre. angular visuals despite its technical crudity. Tire acting and directing are superb. and the story of a fairgrorrnd hypnotist who uses a sleepwalker to carry out murders still retains a unique sense of horror. With live musical accompaniment by ambient duo In The Nursery. Glasgow: GFI‘.
I casino (rs) (Martin Scorsese. us. 1995) Robert De Niro. Sharon Stone. Joe Pesci. I78 mins. Lifetime gambler Ace Rothstein is chosen as the mob‘s man in Vegas. and runs the casinos smoothly until things fall apart dtrring the 70s. Scorsese's latest gangster epic has a touch of Greek tragedy about its downfall of a self-made man. but it's too rntrch in GmulFe/las territory to be special. The cinematography and editing are as textbook as ever. and Stone delivers the performance of her career. Edinburgh: Cameo. I courage llnder rrre ( r 5) (Edward Zwick. us. I996) Denzel Washington. Meg Ryan. Lou Diamond Phillips. “6 rrrirrs. Washington gives a superb performance. hinting at dangerous vulnerability. as an army officer assessing a fellow soldier‘s nomination for a posthumous award and then has to face his own nightmares over a friendly fire incident. Slightly slushy in some areas. but otherwise an intelligent. understated filnr. See review. General release. I Dead Man(l8) (Jim Jarmusch. US. I995) Johnny Depp. Gary Famrer. Lance Henricksen. l2l mins. After heading out west for ajob vacancy that's already been filled. accountant Bill Blake (Deon) finds a posse on his tail after
the shooting of his would-be employer's son. With a bullet in his own chest. Blake hooks up with an Indian called Nobody (Famrer). who reckons this is the spirit of the poet Blake and so prepares a proper funeral. Glorioust shot in black and white. meticulously paced and imbued with a spiritual transcendence. Jamrusch's existential Western is innovative and unexpected. Glasgow: GF'I'.
I The Devil llltles Dill ( l8) (Terence Fisher. UK. l967) Christopher Lee. Charles Gray. Patrick Mower. 95 mins. Lee is the good Duc dc Richleau; Gray the Satanist baddie; Richard Matheson the writer (from Dennis Wheatley's novel): Fisher the director who pulls it all off atrrrospberically. One of llammer's finest moments. with a fine use of colour. Glasgow: GI-T.
I La Dolce Vita(18) (Federico Fellini. Italy/France. I960) Marcello Mastroiarrrri. Anita Ekberg. Anorrk Aimee. I73 nrirrs. l’aparazsi Mastroianrri mixes with the beautiful people of rich Rorrran society and is arnbivalently shocked and fascinated by the vigour of their excessive decadence. Everything you ever wanted from a Fellini movie — black lrurnorrr. grotesque sexuality. inspired visual imagination and the wonderful Marcello. See it. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Elllazardtlzr (Japan. I996) 71 mins. The high school rivalry between Jirrrrai and Makoto throws therrr into another dimension where a planetary war is ensuing. Ilelerr McCarthy. the UK's leading expert on anime. introduces this latest piece of big screen Japanese animation. Glasgow: GET.
I Emma (U) (Douglas McGratlr. UK/US. I996) Gwyneth Paltrow. Jerenry Northam. Toni Collette. Ill rrrirrs. Austen-itis continues as Emma Woodlrouse (I’altrow) rrreddles in other people's love lives while ignoring the fact that her own happiness is right trnder her nose in the shape of lrarrdsorrre Mr Krriglrtley (Nortlrarrr). An
attractive and luscious-looking piece. but a lot Iras been sacrificed for reasons of length. leaving fans of the book wishing for those six-part TV adaptations. General release.
I Eraser (18) (Charles Russell. US. l996) Arnold Schwarzenegger. James Caan. Vanessa Williams. 130 mins. Arnie plays a witness protection cop whose latest job is to protect Williams from the bad guys (and US govemrrrent officials) whom she's spotted doing illegal amrs deals. Plenty of big guns. quips and gags. and good turns from veterans James Caan and James Coburn. but the shoot-'cm-up storyline is wearing thin. Edinburgh: UCI.
I Escape From LA (l5) (John Carpenter. US. I996) Kurt Russell. Stacy Keach. Steve Buscerrri. lOl mins. Why bother to make the sarrre film as the entertaining Escape From New York again. with rrrore nroney but less satirical bite and no imagination? Carpenter and co severely disappoint with this hackneycd sequel. which finds anti-hero Snake Plissken hunting down the President's renegade daughter and encountering various oddballs en route. Glasgow: ABC Sauclriehall Street. Odeon at the Quay. Edinburgh: UCI. Strathclyde: UCl
C lydebank.
I Fallen Angels ( I 5) (Wong Kar-Wai. Hong Kong. I995) Leon Lai. Takeshi Kaneshiro. Michele Reis. 94 rrrins. Similar in setting and style to arthouse hit Changking Express. this tale of love and death in the neon-soaked nights of Hong Kong is much darker in tone. with characters that seem just a little more psychologically disturbed. Overlapping lives of a lritman. his female boss. a petty thief and a distraught woman are filmed in a distinctive style that skewers both the frame and the emotions. See review. Edinburgh: Filnrhouse.
I Fargo (18) (Joel Coen. US. I996) Frances McDonnand. Steve Buscemi. William H. Macy. 97 rrrins. Hoping to make some bucks. a car salesman attempts to have his wife kidnapped by hitmen: but quickly blood is spilt. As the pregnant police detective on the case. McDonnand provides a warm-hearted centre for the movie. while the absurdist plot and weird local colour gain momentum. It'll be considered a classic. given time. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Fellow Traveller (15) (Philip Saville. US/UK. I989) Ron Silver. Hart Bochner. Imogen Stubbs. 97 mins. A screenwriter (Silver) finds himself blacklisted by Joe McCarthy's House Unanrerican Activities Committee. He flees to find work in fledgling British television. only to discover that one of his best friends back home has unaccountably committed suicide. Drawn from a brilliant screenplay by Michael Eaton this is a British picture of rare intelligence and verve. After the screening. Eaton shares some secrets of the scriptwriting process. Glasgow: GFI'. I Flipper (PG) (Alan Shapiro. US. I996) Elijah Wood. Paul Hogan. Chelsea Field. 96 mins. Difficult city teenager Sandy (Wood) doesn't warm to ex-hippy uncle Porter (Hogan) down in the Florida Keys until along comes friendly dolphin Flipper. The story brings to mind aspects
of Andre and F ree Willy. but there are only so many scripts that can accommodate an acquatic star. Predictable stuff in the heart-warming category. General release.
I The Flower or My Secret ( l 5) (Pedro Almod0var. Spain. I995) Marisa Paredes. Juan Echanove. Rossy de Palnra. lOl nrins. The cult director moves away from hysterical high camp towards a more serious melodrama as writer Paredes despairs of her life as a popular romantic novelist. A rrrattrre. controlled. often deeply moving work that retains some typically arch humour and sly ironies. Central: MacRobert.
I Flowers Of The Forest ( l 5) (Michael Whyte. Scotland. I996) Lia Williams. Pauline Collins. Susan Vidler. 89 rrrirrs. A one-off preview of the Michael Eaton scripted BBC Scotland production about suspected satanic child abuse in the Highlands. Broadcast a few days later. it's bound to cause a stonrr of controversy. so hear what the direcor and writer have to say for therrrselves after the screening. See TV preview. Glasgow: GET.
I The Four Just Men (UK. l92l/l939) 60/85 rrrins. A rare chance to corrrpare the silent and sound versions of this Edgar Wallace novel adaptation. picking up on the cirrerrratic and social distinctions of the two ages. A cracking vigilante thriller. it follows a group of men determined to bump off a corrupt politician. Glasgow: GFT.
I Georgia (18) (Ulu Grosbard. US/France. I995) Jennifer Jason Lee. Mare Winningharrr. Ted Levine. l 17 rrrirrs. The Oscar-norrrinated Wirrrrirrglrarrr plays a successful and happily married folk-rock singer troubled by the antics of her younger sister. Leigh again strides through highly-strung territory in this uneven but evocative film about sibling rivalry. Special preview. Glasgow: GF'I'.
I A Goofy Movie (U) (Kevin Lirrra. US. I996) With the voices of Bill Farmer. Jason Marsden. Jim Cummings. 74 trrirrs. After a school prank backfires. Goofy decides to take troublesome son Max off on a bonding fishing trip. Max is trying his best to be cool. but that isn't easy when your dad's this particular Disney star. An incident-packed journey provides plenty of laughs which slrorrld keep restless kids and accompanying adrrlts amused. See review. General release.
I The llakltenden ( l 5) (Japan. I996) 8| rrrins. Strbtitled The Legend Of The Dog ll’arriors. this animated adventure mixes the samurai tradition with the supernatural as ancient clans go to battle in feudal Japan. Glasgow: GET.
I llollow Reed ( l5) (Angela Pope. UK. I996) Martin Donovan. Joer Richardson. Ian Ilart. I04 mins. A divorced man reckons that his ex- wife's new lover is abusing his son and sues for custody. The problem is that he left her for his gay lover. Parental duty and gay prejudices clash in this well acted drama. which features an intelligent perfonnance from Hal Hartley regular Donovan. Pope sometimes plays the ‘issues' card a bit too strongly and sets the characters up as a bit too black and white. rrrakirrg this seem like a decent TV drama masquerading as something bigger. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I The Hunchback or llotre Dame (PG) (Gary Trousdale/Kirk Wise. US. I996) With the voices of Tom llulce. Derrri Moore. Kevin Kline. 90 rtrirrs. Young Quasimodo is kept prisoner in medieval Paris's great cathedral by the evil Judge Frollo. btrt when the beautiful gypsy Esrrreralda comes on the scene. the boy's heroic instincts save the day. Strong vocal perforrrrances. stunning cityscapes. grand songs and an expertly mature handling of adult themes make this an instant classic with plenty to say about rrroral hypocrisy. General release.
I The Incredibly True Adventures Of Two Bins In love (l5) (Maria Maggenti. US. I995) Laurel lIolloman. Nichole Parker. 98 rrrins. Two American girls from opposite backgrounds — one a white trash slacker. the other from an intellectual black fatrrily — begin a tentative romance in this well-received US independent. Notable for its off-beat humour and hilarious cameo performances. Glasgow: Odeon at the Quay.
I independence Day ( 12) (Roland Emmerich. US. I996) Will Smith. Jeff Goldblum. Bill Pullman. l50 rrrins. Day One: alien ships hover over the world's major cities. Day Two: they attack. Day Three: mankind goes into hokum overdrive and gears up to kick some alien ass. A SOs-style invasion B-movie with 90s state-of-the art effects. Independence Day is popcorn value- for-money at its very best. A gripping scare scenario that doesn't take itself too seriously. throws in some conspiracy theories and rounds it off with the most devastating disaster scenes ever put on film. General release.
I Jack (PG) (Francis Ford Coppola. US. I996) Robin Williams. Diane Lane. Bill Cosby. “3 mins. Again playing a kid-in-adult's-body. Williams is this time thwarted by the movie's appalling central concept: the ageing disease suffered by his ten-year-old means he'll die
catch the best Film on; fortnight. :' '
FIRST Bllll
ll lone Star Past and present clash in a variety of sub-plots as a Texan sheriff investigates a decades-old murder in a border town. John Sayles‘s thriller is a rich and resonant piece of filrrrmaking. See review. Glasgow: OFT? Edinburgh: Film/rouse.
l I Jude Terrific performances by Christopher Eccleston and Kate Winslct are the dual backbones of this hard-hitting version of Thomas Hardy’s novel. Period filmmaking at its best. General release.
I Fallen Angels Wong Kar-Wai's follow-up to Chungking Express is darker in tone, but is still amongst the most distinctively shot films you’ll see this year. Edinburgh: F ilmhouse. II A Summer’s Tale The romantic fumblings of three-timing Gaspard in the French resort of Dinard provide Eric Rohrner with material for the latest of his ‘Tales Of The Four Seasons'. See review. Glasgow: OFT Edinburgh: F ilmhouse.
I Antonia’s Line This year's Oscar- winner for Best Foreign Film is a rich celebration of five generations of women from a rural cornnrunity in the Netherlands. See review. Glasgow: GFT Edinburgh:
F i lmhouse.
REPEBTOBY
I The Cabinet or llr Caligarl Silent cinema‘s purest example of Genrran Expressionism is presented with a specially commissioned score played live by In The Nursery. Glasgow: 0147?
I Mirrorball One of the hippest innovations at this year’s Drambuie Edinburgh Film Festival. the Foster's Ice Mirrorball sparkles again, as music video showreels by Pedro Rohnranyi. Stern & Glazer and Oil Factory give a visual edge to the Ten Day Weekend. Glasgow: GFTI
when barely out of his teens. Further implausibility is added by the way he wins his classmates onto his side. Well-meaning but embarrassing and sentimental piece from Coppola which might disturb young viewers and will irritate older audiences. See review. General release. I James And The Giant Peach (U) (Henry Selick. US. l996) Parrl Terry. Susan Sarandon. Simon Callow. 79 rrrirrs. From the director of 77m Barron 's The Nightmare Before Christmas comes a wonderfully colourful adaptation of Roald Dalrl's much-loved novel. Live action tops and tails the story. btrt for the rrrost part. it's fun times with stop-motion puppets. By tums funny and scary. it stays true to Dalrl's suneal and whimsical vision. General release. I Jane Eyre (PG) (Franco Zeffirelli. UK/Italy. I996) William Hurt. Charlotte Gainsbourg. Joan Plowright. 113 mins. A decnet enough adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's literary classic which features weighty acting from Hurt and the British thesps in support. The atmosphere is
The List 4- l 7 Oct I996 27