FILM INDEX
FILM
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.
I The Adventures Of Pinocchio (to (Steve Barron. US. I996) Martin Landau. Jonathan Taylor Thomas. l'do Kier. 96 nrins. More faithful to the original novel than the Disney cartoon. this mix of animatronics. computer animation and live action still falls short of the rrrark. Landau is a .syrripathetic chpetto and the period detail gives a nice fairytale mood. but the sentimentality and moralising (and the shoddy cricket animation) undermine its good elements. General release. I Alaska (PG) (Fraser Heston. l'S. I996) Thorn Birch. Vincent Kartheiser'. (‘Irarlton Heston. l()9 mins. A young brother and sister go searching in the Alaskan wilderness for their father. missing in a plane crash. 'l‘heir' adventures bring them into contact with a grizzled hrintei'tlleston) and a cute polar bear cub. Good wholesome family entertainment will) some tense action scenes. General release. I American Buffalo ( l5) (Michael (‘or'iente. l‘S/l 'K. I995) Dustin Hoffman. Dennis Franz. Sean Nelson. 87 nrins. NI'I’I) Blue veteran Franz plays the down-at-heel proprietor of a junk shop whose plans to steal a rare coin are hijacked by fellow loser Hoffman. ('orrente's film of David Mamet's play sticks so close to its theatrical tools. it barely acknowledges its new cirreatic form at all. The cast of three indulge in the profanities of the rapid-fire dialogue. but this production is worth it for the only for the performances. See review. lidinbrrrgh: Filrirhouse. I Anna Olt I8) (Iiric Roclrarrt. France. I996) (‘harlotte Garnsbour'g. Gerard l.anvin. Sami Bouaiila. 9S mms. The director of World ll’irlrout I’iIv and Auto/mi turns to a more absurdist world of dreams as a young Parisian (Gainsboiri'g) suffers strange visions of a Venetian palace when asked to testify about a murder she can't rerrrernber witnessing. French Filrrr Festival. Glasgow: Gl’l‘. lidinburgh: l-‘ilmhouse. I Babe (Ii) ((‘hrrs Noonan. Australia. I995) James ('romwell. with the voices of ('hristrne (‘avanauglL Miriarrr Maigolyes. Hugo Weaving. 92 nrins. An orphaned pig falls under the eye of a kindly collie and begins to think he's destined for glory at the regional trials. Talking animals suggest that this is a kids‘ movie: to an extent it is — and a great one - bill there‘s enough skewered humour (hail the psycho mice!) for adults to discover an unexpected cult hit. A triumph for the underpig. Glasgow: \‘irgrrr. I Battle OI Algiersr IS) ((iilo I’orrtecorvo. Algeria/Italy. I965) Brahim Haggiag. Jean Martin. l35 mins. :\ dtx‘umentary-slyle reconstruction of Alger ra's struggle for liberation. Brilliantly realistic. quite brutally so in the controversial tortrrre sequences. this is a textbook example of political cinema at its most persuasive Iidinburgli: l-ilmhouse. I The Battleship Potemltin (PG) (Sergei Iiisenstein. IISSR. I925) A. Antonov. Vladimir Barski. Grigoir .-\|exandrov. 75 miirs. Made for the 20th anniversary of the I905 revolution. I'iiserrstern's all-time classic follow s the mrrtirry by the crew of the Prime I’Utentkilt and the support given by the local crviliarr population. who are mowir down by the (‘zars troops in the famous ()dessa Steps sequence. lixpressive camera technique and a grasp of editing that wrote the textbooks are just sorrre of the innovations that put Eisenstein and Russian film firmly on the cinematic map. Glasgow: (ll-T.- I Blue In The Face ( l5) (Wayne Wang. l'S. I995) Harvey Keitel. Roseanne. Victor Argo. 89 turns. llsing Keitcl‘s cigar store manager'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 cameos aplenty from Madonna. Jim Jarmusch and Michael J. Fox. in what is rrotlrrng less than a party or) screen. lidinbirigh: (’ameo I le Bonheurt l5) (litieirne ('liatrlrel. France. I995) Michel Seriairll. liddy Mitchell. ('armen Maura. l()6 mins Serraiilt excels it) this warmly comic tale o) a harried businessman who escapes his dull marriage and work problems by taking tip another identity at a country retreat with ("arirren Mama and a new Iamrly. 'l’he humour has a serious touch to it. and it‘s also worth checking out lootballer liric ('antona in his first big screen cameo. See rev rew. Glasgow: (il’I‘. Izdinbiirgh: (‘arrreo I Boudu Saved From Drowning (PG) (Jean Renoir. l'rairce. I932) Mrclrel Simon. (‘harles
Grandval. Marcelle llainia. S7 mills. The extraordinary Confrontation of moral outlook between a tramp saved from drowning. and his well-to-do rescuer who becomes his Irost is both charming and disturbing. as Renoir explores relationships between opposite sectors of a polarised corriirrunity. lidinbiirgh: Filmhorise.
I Brassed (III ( I 5) (Mark Herman. l'K. I996) liw an McGrcgor‘. 'l'ara Fitzgerald. Pete l’ostlethwaite. I05 nrins. eren the local pit is due to be closed down. it's the end of the day for the colliery brass band as well. even though they've got a chance at winning the national competition. Politics are the heart of the story. but writer-director Ilarrrren has created a film that balances nicer between pithy humour and heartbreaking poignance. Performances are excellent. particularly Ilirll_i‘kiimrreel‘s Stephen 'l‘ompkinson. General release.
I Braveheart ( l5) (Mel Gibsoti. t's. r995) Mel Gibson. Patrick McGoohan. Sophie Marceau. l77 nrins. Mel Gibson‘s long and bloody account of the life of Scottish warrror hero William Wallace boasts some remarkable battle scenes and great performances. Aiming to entertain on a wider scale than the more literate Rob Roy. Brave/rearr's Scottish passion is tempered by a few Hollywood iiromenls — touches of sentimentality and ‘drarriatic' historical inaccuracy. Nevertheless. it's a fine. full-blooded attempt to tap into the spirit that Fires Scotland's history and heroes. Glasgow: Odeon. Showcase. Iidinbrirgh: ()deon. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr.
I Breaking The Waves ( l8) (Lars you “ll lCl. Denmark/France. I996) limin Watson. Stellar) Skarsgai'd. Katrin Cartlidge. l58 mirrs. In a close-knit (‘alvinist coiirrirunity in the north of Scotland. at young woman faces banislrrrrerrt from the church when she makes a self- sacrificing pact with God in order to save her husband's life. l'nlike von 'l‘rier's austere arthouse works (Europa). this intimate melodrama is raw and exposed. Iimotional connection transcends everything else in one of the most moving films ever made. Glasgow: AB(' Sauchiehall Street. Iidinburgh: Cameo.
I Brief Encounter (Pt; r (David Lean. t 'K. I9-I5) (‘elia Johnson. 'l'revor Howard. Stanley Holloway. 86 mins. Stiff upper lips and errrotiorrally charged brushes of the hands are all that Johnson and Howard will allow themselves as their extra-iriarital ‘affair‘ doesn't develop much beyond unspoken longings at a railway statrorr. For some. (Ire (cars will still flow; for others. the tirrgiving morality is exasperating. Given the rigidity of this Iinglish iorrrance. the Rachrrraninov soundtrack is rinl'itlingly sweet. Glasgow: Gl’l'.
I Brothers In Trouble ( I 5) (l ‘dayarr Pr'asad. liK. I995) ()m l’riri. Angeline Ball. I’avan Malhotr'a. l()2 mins. The story of tensions between a group of Asians smuggled illegally into Britain during the 60s provides a fascinating glimpse rrrto a corner of British cultural history ltm often forgotten. In dramatic terms. however. the film needs more focus. The ('onmu'mreniv' Angeline Ball gives a prizefighter's performance .is a waif taken off the streets by Pin i's corrimandrirg head of the household. See review. litlirrbirrglr: Filirrhouse.
I Carouseltt’G) (Henry King. l'S. I956) Gordon Macr'ae. Shirley Jones. ('arrreron Mitchell. Getre I.ockhart. IZS mins. A former fairground barker is given leave from heaven in order to set his family's alfaris in order. A less than successful. glossy. w rde-screerr version of the Broadway musical that spawned that favourite of the terraces. ‘You‘ll Never Walk Alone'. Iidinbrrrgh: St Bride's.
I Chain Reaction ( t 2) (Andrew I):iv ls. tis. I996) Keanu Reeves. Rachel W'eisz. Mergan Freeman. l()6 nrins. Reeves is a scientific genius (it's the movies. reiirember) w hose discovery of a cheap. clean energy source finds him berrrg trained for murder by shady government types and big business corrgolirrerates. (‘ire some lame on-the-r'un cliches. not surprisingly from the director of The Fugitive, ()ccasional action set pieces and fast pacing can‘t disguise the llaw s of sloppy fiIirrrrraking. Glasgow' Show case. lidrnburgh: l'('|.
I The City (It Lost Children ( t 5) (Jean-Pierre Jeunet/Mai‘c Cart). France. I995) Ron l’ei'lriran. Daniel limilfork. Judith \‘ittct. Ill mins. ()ri a mist-shrouded oil rig. mad scientist Krank ages prematurely because Ire cannot dream. and so Ire kidnaps children from the local port and steals into their sleeping hours. A visually wonderful. wacky fairytale from the makers of I)e/it'tllt'\.\'i'lt. that brims over with cinematic imagination. lidinburgh: Film Guild.
I The Craft ( l5) (Andrew Fleming. l‘S. I996) Robin 'I‘unney. Fairirza Balk. Neve Campbell. Rachel 'l'rue. llll nrins. A newcomer to an LA school falls in with a trio of misfits -- ‘lhc bitches of liastwrck' — who turn out to be a teenage witches cover). Revenge on their tormeirtors begins to backfire however. as queen goth Balk goes oiil of control. Scarier than a lot of teen horror. particularly in the slimy. creepy crawa
department. but only for an adolescent audience. General release.
I Crimetltne ( l8) (George Sluizer. UK. I996) Stephen Baldwin. Pete Postlethwaite. Sadie Frost. II9 mins. Air out-of-work actor finds fame portraying a serial killer in a TV crime reconstruction programme and. when the murderer warms to the media glamourisation of his acts. there's an uneasy sense of mutual manipulation in the air. Sluizer. director of both versions of The Vanishing. cleverly blurs the line between reality and illusion while working out themes of perception and distorted viewpoint on various levels. A thriller with deliberately absurdist elements whose dark humour will probably bypass most of the audience. See preview and review. Glasgow: ()deon Quay. Showcase. Edinburgh: UCI.
I The Crow: City Of Angels ( )8) (Tim Pope. tts. I996) Vincent Perez. Mia Kerslrner. Richard Brooks. 90 mins. Superb production design and the lightening fast crrts of pop video master Pope's direction can't disguise the shortcomings of this lamentable script. In the stylised urban wasteland of l.os Angeles. a murdered man returns from the dead as a white-faced avenger. Very bad. with only Iggy Pop's psycho sidekick to enliven the proceedings. General release.
I Dance 1 (PG) 70 nrins. Modern editing techniques and digital technology have stretched the pararrieters of the traditional dance film. and the best new video dance pieces are collected over two programmes as a Film and Video I'mbrella lorrr in association with Northern: lilectic Dance. 'I'ue l0/Wed I I features work by Saburo 'l'eshigawara. n+n corsino and Philippe Decorrlle. lidinburgh: Filiirhouse.
I Dracula: Dead And loving It ( )5) (Mel Brooks. l‘S. I995) Leslie Nielsen. Peter MacNicol. Mel Brooks. 90mins. Brooks jumps on an already departed bandwagon with his feeble spoof of all things vampiric. Like Young Frankenstein. the Universal Studios version is the main target. with (‘oppola et al pointed at on the way — but there the similarities end. The director‘s comic inspiration has crumbled to dust in the crypt. General release.
I Dragonheart (P0) (Rob ('ohen. L's. loom Dennis Quaid. Sean Connery. David 'I‘hewlis. 103 mins. Disillrrsroned but noble knight Bowen (Qiraid) teams up with the last of the dragons (voice aird marrnei'isrrrs by Connery) to free the Iarrd from a tyrant king ('l‘hewlis). Dungeons and dragons for all the family in a film that is only fun when the expertly animated. lire-breathing beast is on screen. Otherwise the storyline lumbers along. General release.
I The Eighth Day ( l5) (Jaco Van Dormael. France. I996) Daniel Arrterril. Pacal Duqiienne. I l-l mins. The follow-up film by the director of Your l.e lleroi will disappoint most. annoy many and win over only a few. Atrteuil plays an uptight businessman whose life is transformed when Ire comes into contact with a man with Downs Syndrome (Duquenne). The frlrn shifts its styles boldly from sentiment to coriredy to drama. and its moments of bizarre magic realism give it a lift. but ultimately it falls into the dreadful ‘handicapped people are touched by God' cliche beloved of Hollywood. Iidinbur'gh: Frlmlrouse.
I Emma (l.' ) (Douglas McGr'ath. l'K/I 'S. I996) Gwyneth Palirow-. Jeremy Northam. 'l'oni (‘ollette. lll mins. Austen-ills continues as Iimma Woodhouse (Paltrow ) rrreddles in other people's love lives while ignoring the fact that her own happiness rs right under her nose in the shape of Irarrdsome Mr Krriglrtley (Northam). An attractive and Iiiscious-Itxrking piece. bill a lot has been sacrificed for reasons of length. leaving fans of the book wishing for those six-part ‘I‘V adaptations. Iidinburglr: (‘ameo
I Enlants De Salaud ( I8) (Torrie Marshall. France. I996) Anemone. Nathalie Baye. Francois (‘quer ll() nrins. Four total strangers learn they are siblings when their father goes on trial for a grisly murder. An errrotiorrally complex tragr-comedy which also features American actress Molly Ringwald. French Film Festival. lidinburgh: Filrrrlrouse.
I Fallen Angels ( 15) (Wong Kar-Wai. llong Kong. I995) Leon Lai. Takeslii Kaneslriro. Michele Reis. 94 mins. Similar in setting and style to arthouse hit (‘hangklng livprerv. 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 hitman. his female boss. a petty tlriefand a distraught woman are filmed in a distinctive style that skewers both the frame and the emotions. Glasgow: GI-‘l‘.
I Fargo ( l8) (Joel (‘oen. US. I996) Frances McDormand. Steve Buscemi. William H. Macy. 97 nrins. Iloping to make some bucks. a car salesman attempts to Irave his wife kidnapped by lritmen; but quickly blood is spilt. As the pregnant police detective on the case. McDormand provides a warrri-hearted centre for the movie. while the absurdist plot and weird local colour gain momentum. It'll be considered
Catch the best Film fills tortrrlght.
FIRST IIIJII
I I Shot Andy Warhol Lili Taylor is superb as lesbian feminist radical Valerie Solanas. the woman who took a pop at the Pope of Pop Art himself. See preview and review. Glasgow: GFT. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I The Last Of The Iligh Kings A coming-of-age comedy-drama that's head and shoulders above its peers, as it captures a strong sense of time and place — the school summer holidays of I977 in Dublin. See review. Selected general release.
I Mr Reliable As offbeat as it is upbeat. this true tale of an unlikely folk hero caught up in a police siege continues Australia‘s run of film hits. General release.
I Brassed Off By turns funny. touching and politically damning. this warm-hearted story of a colliery brass band strrrggling for survival as the local pit closes is one of the year‘s best. General release.
I Fallen Angels Wong Kar-Wai‘s follow-up to Changklng Express is darker in tone. but is still one of the most distinctively .shot films you'll see this year. Glasgow: GI’II FESTIVAL
r I French Film Festival The annual celebration of film premieres from across the Channel comes to an end. but not before we see La Hainedirector Matthieu Kassovitz in acting mode in Un He'ros Trés Discret. Glasgow: (ii-"II Edinburgh: Film/muse.
I Battleship Potemltin/Octoher A double bill of legendary works by Sergei Eisenstein. combining the politics ofthe Russian Revolution with all you need to know about cinema editing. Glasgow: (II'T
a classic. given time. Iidinbuigh: ('ameo. Strathclyde: [7(‘I liast Kllhlltlc‘.
I Fear ( I8) (James Foley. l'S. I996) Mark Walrlberg. Reese Witherspoon. William Petersen. 97 mins. Wahlbeig (former rapper Marky Mark) is a powerful presence in this rrrrfortrrnately weak and lrackrreyed psycho thriller. As the spurned lover of beautiful Witherspoon. wrecking revenge on her family. he imbues his character w rtli a seductive. violent energy. But the film as a whole is sometimes laughable and increasingly ridiculous. See feature and review. Glasgow: AB(‘ Sauchiehall Street. ()deon Quay. Showcase. Virgin. Iidrnbur'gh: I'('l. Strathclyde: I'('|s.
I Feast III Jilly ( l5) ((‘hr rstopher Menarrl. l‘K/I‘S. I995) limbeth Davidtz. 'l‘om Bell. Gerrrrrra Jones. ll6 lllllls‘. First screening in Scotland of this Merchant-Ivor y prtxluction. based on air H.Ii. Bates story and set in rural lingland during the late l9th century. An abandoned woman stris up the passions of three brothers whose fairiin have sheltered her. The frlrir avoids the frivolity of many period pieces and. despite the errrotiorral territory it inhabits. is more seriously minded than your average (‘atherine (‘ooksorr (‘loser to Julie than linima. ('entral: MacRobert.
28 'I'lrc List 29 Nov I2 I)cc I996