FIlM INDEX
that's filled with unsympathetic characters and flashy images: the ugly. unacceptable face of Hollywood. See preview and review. General release.
I Fargo (I8) (Joel Cocn. US. I996) Frances McDormand. Steve Buscemi. William II. Macy. 97 rttins. 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. McDormand 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. Strathclyde: East Kilbride Arts Centre.
I Ilne Fetnlne Francaise(18)(Regis Wargnier. France/Germany/UK. I996) Emmanuelle Beart. Daniel Auteuil. Gabriel Barylli. 98 mins. The beautiful Jeanne (Beart) weds French lieutenant Louis (Atrterril) a few months before WW2 and his internment iii a POW carttp. Once released. he forgives her adultery and they move to Berlin. where she begins philandering again. Then it‘s lrtdochina. Beatt scrabbles for the merest sketch of a role. and the repetition of the plotjust becorrtes infuriating. Not up to the standard of lmlm'hine. Fife: Adam Smith.
I Pled(l8) (Kevin Hooks. US. I996) Lawrence Fishburne. Stephen Baldwin. Will Patton. 98 mins. Two convicts escape front their prison work detail carrying information about a valuable computer disc: now the Feds want them alive and the Cuban Mafia want them dead. Basically jtrst a succession of fast cuts. unnecessary violence and nudity that doesn't hold any sense of pursuit. Stupid and cliched. See review. Glasgow: ABC Sauchiehall Street. Odeon Quay. Edinburgh: UCI. Strathclyde: UCIs.
I Flesh (Paul Morrissey. US. I968). Joe Dallessandro. 80 mins. Boasting more of a story- line than many of the products of the Warhol factory irt the late I9603. Morrissey's filtn follows Dallessandro as. trrn. Joe. in his weird and wonderful progress through the junk underworld. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Flesh For Frankenstein ( 18) (Paul Morrissey. Italy/France. I973) Udo Keir. Joe Dallesandro. Monique Van Vooren. 95 mins. Gory and sexy. Morrissey's twist on the Hammer movies is a lttrgely entertaining camp-fest. What's interesting is the political level that's grafted on: these monsters are to be part of a Serbian master-race (and the use of Wagner's Tiara/tamer also points tts itt this direction). Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Flipper (PG) (Alart Shapiro. US. I996) Elijah Wood. Paul Hogan. Chelsea Field. 96 mins. Difficttlt city teenager Sandy (Wood) doesn't warm to ex-hippy uncle Porter (Hogan) dowrt iii the Florida Keys rrntil along comes friendly dolphin Flipper. The story brings to mind aspects of Andre and Free ll’iI/_r. bttt there are only so many scripts that cart accommodate an acquatic star. Predictable stuff iii the heart-warming category. Glasgow: Virgin. Central: ABC. Fife:
ABC.
I From Dusk Till Dawn ( 18) (Robert Rodriguez. US. I996) George Clooney. Harvey Keitel. Quentin Tarantino. I08 rttins. For its first third. this 'I‘arantino-scripted movie is a suspenseful kidnap thriller as two killers on the run (Clooney artd Tarantino) hole up with three hostages in a Mexican strip club. Then the tone changes ittto an sfx-heavy vampire western as the clientele spring fangs. Repetition abounds in a messy. tedious affair that's neither scary nor ftrnny. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Gilda (PG) (Charles Vidor. US. I946) Rita llayworth. Glenn Ford. George Macready. Joseph Calleia. l l0 mins. A bizarre attd disturbing menage a (mix builds up in Argentina between roving card-sharp Ford and the couple (llaywortlt arid Macready) who own the casino where he finds ltirttself. Plenty innuendo and sexual ambigtrity. Glasgow: GFI‘.
I The Glass Menagerie (PG) (Paul Newman. US. I987) Joanne Woodward. John Malkovich. Karen Allen. James Naugltton. I35 mins. Definitive and tender screen translation of Tennessee Williams' acutely autobiographical play. dealing with his love for a ntentally ill sister artd his own guilty homosexuality. Woodward plays the fluttering Southern belle matriarch with her golden memories of youth. Allen the crippled daughter retreating into herself and her collection of fragile glass animals. Malkoviclt the restless sort eager for life. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Glimmer Man ( I 8) (John Gray. US. I996) Steven Seagal. Keenen Ivory Wayans. Bob Gttrtton. 90 mins. This formulaic action pic from Seagal is different front his past work in a couple of ways: he's lightened rip a bit and he's got a btrddy in tow. The mismatched cop team of a clean-living Buddhist (Seagal) and a tough joker (Wayans) are hunting a serial killer who might be linked to the Russian Mafia. Briart Cox adds a touch of style as a Special Ops boss. See review. General release.
I A Booty Movie (U) (Kevin Lirtta. US. I996) With the voices of Bill Farmer. Jason Marsden.
Jim Cummings. 74 mins. After a school prank backfires. Goofy decides to take troublesonte son Max off on a bortding fishing trip. Max is tryittg his best to be cool. but that isn‘t easy when your dad's this particrrlar Disney star. An incident-packed journey provides plenty of laughs which should keep restless kids artd accompanying adults amused. General release. I Hands Of The flipper ( I8) (Peter Sasdy. UK. I97 I) Eric Porter. Artgltarad Rees. Jarte Metrow. 85 mins. Like father. like daughter: Jack the Ripper's female offspring grows up to follow in her dad's footsteps after witnessing the murder of lter mother. Lurid Hammer with Freudian twists. which makes it one of the studio's more interesting psychological studies. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Ilenry V (PG) (Kennetlt Branagh. UK. I989) Kenneth Branagh. Derek Jacobi. Paul Scofield. I37 rrtins. There are inevitable associations with ()livier in Branagh's choice of first feature. btrt he emerges with sonte credit as both director and performer. This is a much rttuddier version than its predecessor. botlt irt the scrappy turmoil of the battle scenes and in the tempering of zesty jingoism with an appreciation of the human cost of conflict. Portraying the young king as a careworn. rather sullen warrior. the film seems to offer a tnore complex reading of the text. Glasgow: GFI'.
I Ilollow Reed ( l5) (Angela Pope. UK. I996) Martin Don0van. Joer Richardson. Ian Hart. 104 mins. A divorced tttart reckons that his ex- wife's new lover is abusing his sort and sues for custody. The problem is that he left her for his gay lover. Parental dtrty and gay prejudices clash in this well acted drama. which features an intelligent performance from llal Hartley regular Donovart. Pope sometimes plays the 'issues‘ card a bit too strongly artd sets the characters up as a bit too black and white. making this seem like a decent TV drama masquerading as something bigger. Glasgow: GFI‘. Fife: Adam Smith.
I The Hunchback 0f Ilotre Dame (PG) (Gary Trousdale/Kirk Wise. US. I996) With the voices of'l'om llulce. Demi Moore. Kevin Kline. 90 mins. Young Quasimodo is kept prisoner in medieval Paris's great cathedral by the evil Judge Frollo. btrt when the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda comes on the scene. the boy's heroic instincts save the day. Strong vocal performances. stunning cityscapes. grand songs artd art expertly mature handling of adult themes make this an instant classic with plenty to say about moral hypocrisy. Edinburgh: UCI. Central: MacRobert. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank. WMR. I Independence Day ( l 2) (Roland Emmerich. US. I996) Will Smith. Jeff Goldblurrr. Bill Pullman. ISO mins. 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 Dav 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 artd rounds it off with the tnost devastating disaster scenes ever ptrt on film. Glasgow: Odeous. Edinburgh: Odeon. UCI. Strathclyde: UCIs.
I Jack (PG) (Francis Ford Coppola. US. I996) Robin Williams. Diane Lane. Bill Cosby. ll3 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 when barely out of his teens. Further itnplausibility is added by the way lte wins his classmates onto his side. Well-meaning btrt embarrassing and sentintental piece from Coppola which might disturb young viewers artd will irritate older audiences. General release.
I James And The Giant Peach (U) (Ilenry Selick. US. I996) Patrl Terry. Susan Sarandon. Simon Callow. 79 mins. From the director of 77m Barron '.r The Nightmare Before C hrixmras comes a wonderfully colourful adaptation of Roald Dahl‘s much-loved rtovel. Live action tops and tails the story. btrt for the rttost part. it's ftrtt times with stop-motion puppets. By turns ftrnrty and scary. it stays true to Dahl's surreal and whimsical vision. Glasgow: Odeon Quay. Virgin. Edinburgh: UCI. Strathclyde: UCIs.
I Jane Eyre (PG) (Franco Zeffirelli. UK/ltaly. I996) William Hurt. Charlotte Gainsbourg. Joan Plowright. “3 mins. A decnet enough adaptation of Charlotte Bronte‘s literary classic which features weighty acting front lltrrt and the British thesps in support. The atmosphere is effective. if not entirely remarkable. as Zeffirelli manages to tune into the darker. more brooding aspects of the novel. Fife: Adatrt Smith. New Picture Ilouse. ’
I Jude (l8) (Michael Winterbottom. UK. I996) Christopher Ecclestorr. Kate Winslet. Rachel Griffiths. I20 tttitts. Based on Thomas Hardy's uncorttpromisingly bitter final novel. this tremendously powerful adaptation shares the novel's romantic tragedy between its two central characters. Determined artd honest Jude
(Eccleston) is snubbed by Victorian society as he strives for a university education. but worse is in store when he falls in love with his cousin (Winslet). Hard-hitting acting. a director and writer who truly understand Hardy's themes. and stunning photography elevate this to classic status. Glasgow: Grosvenor. Edinburgh: Cameo. Borders: Roxy.
I Juntanli (U) (Joe Johnston. US. I995) Robin Williams. Jonathan Hyde. Kirsten Dunst. IOI mins. Trapped for 26 years in a jungle board game. Alan Parrish (Williams) is released only when two modern-day kids throw the dice themselves. Brit they also unleash a stampede of monkeys. crocodiles. elephants. rhinos and other unfamiliar beasts into small town America. The story manages to get beyond its repetitive limits with a brilliantly original central idea and post- Jurassr'e Park computer effects that make it state-of—tlte-att cinema spectacle. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Katia Isrnailova ( l 8) (Valeri Todorovski. Russia/France. I994) lngeborga Dapkounaite. Alice Friendlikh. Vladimir Machkov. 88mins. The rtturderous instincts of the secretary and daughter-in-law of a well-known writer come into play when she begins an affair with the local handyman. An adaption of the story Lady Macbeth Oerensk. this study of self-delusion features a beautifully judged central performance by Dapkounaite. who also appeared in Burn: By The Sun. Edinbtrrgh: Filrtthouse.
I Kids In The llall: Brain Candy (IS) David Foley. Bruce McCulloch. Kevin McDonald. 90 mins. The late night Canadian cult sketch show expands to feature length. but falls flat despite numerous caricatures by its stars. The perfunctory story concerns the big business exploitation of an untested Prozac-like drtrg. btrt the jokes don't even have the knowing. throwaway humour of Airplane! attd the like. See review. Glasgow: Odeon Quay. Edinburgh: Cameo. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank.
I King tear (U) (Grigori Kosintsev. USSR. l97l) Yuri Jarvet. I37 rttins. Brilliant Russian version of Shakespeare filmed in bleak monochrome. which emphasises the theme of civilisation in turmoil rather than the private tragedy. Edinburgh: Film Guild.
I lone Star (l5) (John Sayles. US. I996) Chris Cooper. Elizabeth Pena. Kris Kristoffersort. I35 rttirts. Wltert a modern-day Texan sheriff investigates a decades-old murder. past clashes with present and local rttythologies have to be re-examined. Sayles's various sub-plots don't distract front each other: in fact. they reoinforce and counterpoint. building a complex social. historical and political backdrop to the rivetting thriller on the surface. Another masterpiece from America‘s greatest independent director. Glasgow: ABC Sauchiehall Street.
I Michael Collins ( I 5) (Neil Jordan. US. I996) Liam Neeson. Julia Roberts. Alan Rickrnan. I32 tnirts. Winner of the Best Film and Best Actor awards at the Venice Film Festival and the cause of knee-jerk criticism from the right-wing press. Jordan's stirring historical epic is an honest portrayal of a ragged and bloody conflict between the Britislt imperial power and idealistic Irish Nationalists early this century. The action is well handled. the characterisations strong and the brutality on both sides is never glossed over. See feature. Glasgow: Grosvenor. Odeon Quay. Virgitt. Edinburgh: ABC. Dominion. UCI. Strathclyde: Odeort Ayr. UCIs.
I Mighty Aphrodite (l5) (Woody Allen. US. I995) Woody Allen. Mira Sorvino. Helena Bonham Carter. 95 mins. Sports writer Lenny (Allen) and his busy art dealer wife (Bonham Carter) adopt a baby. bttt when the kid starts to show unusually high intelligence. dad goes searching for the real mother - a none-too-bright hooker and porn actress (Sorvino). Oscar- witrnittg Sorvino is the best thing in the movie. even if her role is rather dubious. but Woody's a bit long in the tooth for his part. Funny. but a little tired. Glasgow: GFI‘.
I Muppet Treason Island (PG) (Brian Henson. US/UK. I996) Tim Curry. Kevin Bishop. Billy Connolly. l02 mins. Young Jim Hawkins. along with his friends the Great Gonzo and Rizzo The Rat go Itttnting for treasure with Captain Flint's map. meeting up on the way with Long John Silver (Curry). and Fozzie. Kenttit. Miss Piggy et al as various Stevenson characters. Faithful to the book. bttt hilarious in its extraneous details :- especially in the opening section - this is one time everyone can enjoy Hollywood's plundering of British literature. Strathclyde: Magnum.
I My Beautiful Laundrette (l5) (Stephen Frears. UK. I985) Daniel Day Lewis. Roshan Seth. Gordon Wamecke. Shirley Anne Field. 97 mins. A young Asian from South London is given the chance to manage his uncle's laundrette. which he and his err-skinhead boyfriend transform into the latest word in laundrornats. Originally made for TV. this provided Channel Four‘s first foray into the cinema. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I The Ilantty ( l8) (Seth Holt. UK. I965) Bette
Davis. Wendy Craig. Jill Bennett. 93 mins. After Whatever Happened 7?) Baby Jane?. Davis settled into scary granny mode for a series of movies. including this lively melodrama in which she looks after a I0~year-old boy just released from psychiatric hospital who's convinced his new nanny is trying to murder him. A Hammer production that's more fun than ntost. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Night Of The Living Dead (18) (George A. Romero. US. I968) Duane Jones. Judith O'Dea. Russell Streiner. 96 mins. Seminal black comedy shocker which spawned two increasingly nasty sequels and countless unauthorised imitations. A group of people barricade themselves into a farmhouse to seek refuge from the hordes of flesh-crazy undead. created by misfiring military experiments. Filmed on a shoestring in Pittsburgh. with real gore supplied by a local butcher. Though it now seems dated. the rough and grainy qualities of the film only serve to make it more horribly convincing. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I Ilotltlng Personal (I5) (Thaddeus O'Sullivan. UK. I995) Ian Hart. James Frain. John Lynch. 85 mins. During a shaky ceasefire in I975. a team of Loyalist paramilitaries in Belfast pursue their own agenda. bringing tragedy to an innocent Catholic man (Lynch). O'Sullivan‘s dramatic portrait of The Troubles shows the effect of the violence on ordinary people. as well as hinting at how the situation legitimises the actions of dangerous psychotics. The acting is strong. while the mood has a tense inevitability. Glasgow: Odeon Quay. I Notorious (PG) (Alfred Hitchcock. US. I946) Cary Grant. Ingrid Bergman. Claude Rains. l0l rttins. World War Two. Cynical intelligence agent Grant enlists playgirl Bergman to help him uncover a Nazi atomic plot in Rio de Janeiro. She marries suave plotter Rains and then finds her life in alarming danger. Taut. classic thriller. with a fine Ben Hecht script that effectively blends romance and suspense. Bergman and Grant create movie magic in each other‘s presence. particulary during what was advertised as ‘the longest kiss in history'. Edinburgh: Filrtthouse. I The Nutty Professor (l2) (Tom Shadyac. US. I996) Eddie Murphy. Jada Pinkett. James Coburn. 95 tttins. Stealing the plot from the Jeny Lewis vehicle. this Jekyll-and-Hyde variation has Murphy in a variety of roles. Principally. he's overweight but sweet scientist Sherman Klutttp. who comes up with a formula that shrinks hint to sexy but egotistical Buddy Love. Unfortunately. he often reverts to gross size at inopertune moments. The make-up is good. but the fart level of humour is way too simplistic. General release. It (PG) (Jon Tuneltaub. US. I996) John Travolta. Robert Dtrvall. Kyra Sedgwick. I23 ntins. When a strange white light knocks him flat. rural mechanic George (Travolta) becomes a super-achiever overnight: but his new-found genius turns him into the town pariah and soon the FBI are on his case. This is a big- heatted. big-minded film lit up by cracking performances from every single one of the cast. with Travolta playing the lead with total commitment and honesty. Glasgow: Odeon
Quay.
I The Pillow Book (l8) (Peter Greenaway. UK/Netherlands/France. I996) Vivian Wu. Ewan McGregor. Yoshi Oida. l26 mins. Greenaway's distinctive style of frames within frames and text scrolling across the screen reaches its zenith in this visual masterpiece. A Japanese tnodel chooses her lovers on the strength of their calligraphic skills. and slowly she puts in motion a revenge plan against the man who ruined her father. McGregor co-stars as a bisexual translator whose kit is more off than on. but the graphic nudity is sensually handled. Achineg gorgeous images make for sheer cinematic poetry. See feature and review. Glasgow: GFI‘. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I II Pristine (U) (Michael Radford. Italy. I995) Massimo Troisi. Philippe Noiret. Maria Grazia Cucinotta. l08 rttins. 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 full of Mediterranean sun. Radford‘s film is nicely unsentimental. Sadly. Troisi died the day after shooting was completed. but he couldn't have left a finer legacy. Glasgow: GFT.
I Pulp Fiction (18) (Quentin Tarantino. US. I994) John Travolta. Samuel Jackson. Uma Thurman. Bruce Willis. ISO mins. Much more ambitious than Reservoir Dogs. the most awaited second feature of the 90s has many scenes that crackle with Tarantino wit. and a few others that fall flat as the writer-director bravely experiments. Interlocking stories in the pulp crime manner concern hitmen. ailing boxers. gang bosses and their molls. drug fiends. and assoned riff-raff. A surprise Cannes Palme d‘Or winner is a trip. all the way. A special screening in conjunction with the National Union of Students and Rock The Vote. Glasgow: GFT.
3G The List l-l4 Nov I996