FILM index
FILM INDEX continued
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (U) (Stanley I)onen. US. I954) Howard Keel. Jeff Richards. Russ 'l‘amblyn. I03 mitts. Classic MGM all-singing all-dancing musical loosely based on tIie Rape of the Sabine Women. Despite its arch symmetry. it remains a colourful and vigorous affair with a cosily effective score by I)ePauI and Mercer. The dancing. choreographed by Michael Kidd. is its strongest point. (ilasgow; (irosvenor.
A Simple Wish (I’(i) (Michael Ritchie. US. I997) Mara Wilsoti. Martin Short. Kathleen Turner. 90 mins. When she makes a wish for Iier singer-actor dad to Iaiid the lead in a Broadway musical. Mara Wilson (of Mull/(lit fame) finds herself saddled with a htitiibliiig fairy godfather iii the shape of Martin Short. The magic world of the fairytale is updated to the 90s fora colourful btit ultimately sickly sweet kids movie that features good effects. (ilasgow: (irosveiror. Six Degrees Of Separation i I 5) (I-‘retl Schepisi. L'S. I993) Stockard Channing. Donald Sutherland. Will Smith. I I l mins. A New York bourgeois couple help out a yotitig black man who claims to be a friend of their son; although it sooii becomes obvious he's pulling a scam. it‘s a story they cati dine ("II on. Smith's performance dances along the fine litie between audacity and deceit and Cliaiiiiiiig is a delight. but the film is a tad too long and titit a little stilted. Iidinburgh: ('aineo.
The Slab Boys( I 5) (Jolitt Byrne. UK. I997) Robiii Laing. Russell Barr. Louise Berry. 98 iiiitis. John Byrne combines his plays The Slit/i Brits and ('nnin 'xI Rug for a semi- autobiogiapliical vision of urban lads dreaming about making it to the work dance. However. despite its wonderful stylised look. this lilttt _|t|st doesn‘t do the theatre pieces justice. IIIL‘ screening on Tue l(i at 8.30pm is in aid of a memorial appeal for late Scottish filmmaker Barbara (irigor. which aims to raise money for twelve l’aoloui sculptues to be placed iii the Museum of Scotland. Iidinburgh: Cameo. Sliding Doors ( IS) (l’eter Howitt. UK. I998) (iwyiieth l’altrow. John Hannah. John Lynch. 99 tiiiiis. Mousy-liaired PR executive Helen gets fired and discovers her handsome Irish boyfriend is a two-timer. Blonde PR woman Helen is more successful aiid dates a handsome Scot. 'l‘his sharply observed romantic comedy splits Helen's life in two when she misses/catches a tube train. Utterly entertaining. and one of the best British movies of I998. (icnei'al release. Soul Food I I Si (liS. I997) Nia Long. Vanessa Williams. \'i\ ica l‘ox. Michael Beach. I.“ tiiiiis Mother Joe presides over a 40-year-old tradition: a huge Sunday dinner for all the famin prepared with the help of her three daughters. As well as Iadling otit helpins of fried chicken. Soul Food doesn‘t Iiold hack on the sentiment and human wisdom. (ilasgow: ABC Film Centre. Edinburgh: ()deon.
Sphere ( l2) (Barry Levinson. US. I997) Dustin I-Iof‘fnian. Sharon Stone. Samuel L. Jackson. I33 mins. Jurassic Park writer Michael Crichton steals elements from Solo/'11s and The Abyss for this story about a submerged spherical object which causes a group of scientists to give physical form to their innermost fears. The designs aitd special effects are classy. and the cast works hard; btit any cerebral pretensions are stink by a flawed narrative that buckles under pressure lidinbui'gh: Cameo. (ilent'othes: Cinema.
Star Kid (P(i) (Manny Coto. US. I997) Joseph Mai/Jello. Richard (iilliland. Corinne Bohrer. I()() iiiins. Shy. bullied Spencer (Jurassic Park's Mauello) discovers an alien Cybersuit a voice and personality of its own. Climbing itiside. he gets back at his school nemisis. btit finds himself tip against a deadlier foe when he faces intergalactic tough nuts. the Broodwarriors‘. Clearly aimed at pre-adolescent boys who want to fill out their underdog fantasies. Slur Kid is a better than average kids movie. General release.
Stiff Upper Lips ( l 5) (Gary Sinyor. UK. I997) Sean Pertwee. (ieorgina Cates. Prunella Scales. Sinyor's spoof of Merchant Ivory heritage films Iias as its target the repressed emotions of the upper-class
34 TIIE lIST 11—25 Jun I998
Iinglish (as if l-‘orster hadn't already skewered them himself). btit the satire
doesn‘t really have much forcefl'he cast
deadpan their way impressiver through the quick-fire. Airplane-style gags. btit the meandering narrative barely supports the jokes. See review. (ilasgow: ()deon Quay. Showcase. UCI Clydebank. Virgin. Edinburgh: UCI. Iiast Kilbride: UCI. Paisley: Showcase.
Telford College Show 'the impact of the School of Creative Arts merger with the Television Production department of [Edinburgh's 'I‘elford College is evident in this year‘s collection of student works. Iidinburgh: I-‘ilmhouse.
A Thousand Acres ( I5) (Jocelyn Moorhouse. US. I997) Jessica Lange. Michelle Pfeiffer. Jennifer Jason Leigh. Jason Robards. I05 niins. An elderly father decides to sign over the estate to his three daughters. but when the youngest turns down the offer. the fatnin begin fighting amongst themselves. King l.(’(ll' meets ’Iernis ()f Ifnrlt'urnit'nl on Walton Mountain. with the three key actresses all doing 'disti‘essed' very well. btit the film overall is sodden with schmaltz. See review.
Thunderball (PU) (Terence Young. UK. I965) Sean Connery. Claudine Auger. Adolfo Celi. l3() mins. When SPIiC'I‘RIi nicks a couple of nuclear bombs. who ya gonna call? Bond in his fourth outing is as sleek and stylish as ever. even when switnming with sharks in the bad guy's pool. (ilasgow: (ll-'I‘.
Titanic ( I 2) (James Cameron. US. I997) Leonardo DiCaprio. Kate Winslet. Billy Zane. I94 mitts. Catneron tackles the story of the dootned ocean liner through a touching love story that isn‘t overwhelmed by the awesome special effects. Rich girl Rose (Winslet) is unhappily engaged iti arrogant Cal (Zane) btit falls for third-class passenger Jack (DiCaprio): love blossoms as the ship hits an iceberg in the North Atlantic. In all its on-screen glory. lint/tit does indeed look like the most expensive film ever made. Conveying botli the scale of the disaster and the feeling of clatistropliobia as the water rises. (ieneral release.
The Travelling Players ( I8) ('l'heo Angelopoulos. (ireece. I975) 230 tiiitis. A true tnasterpiece by the winner of the I998 Cannes Palme l)’()r. As a troupe of travelling players move all over (ireece. the political backdrop changes froin the outbreak of World War Two to the election of Papagos in I952. (ilasgow; (il’l‘. TwentyFourSeven ( l 5) (Shane Meadows. UK. I997) Bob Hoskins. Bruce Jones. I-tank Harper. 97 mitts. A down and otit (Hoskins) sets tip a boxing club to give the locals a sense of purpose. bttt tragedy is always lurking. Shot iti dazzling black and while. this is almost certainly the most notable portrayal of Nottingham since Albert I-‘inney refused to be ground down in Sunni/iii Night. Sunday Morning. Hoskins is marvellous in this harsh and beautiful film. Stirling: MacRobert.
Ulee's Gold (l5) (Victor Nunez. US. I997) Peter I’onda. Patricia Richardson. Tom Wood. Ill itiitis. Fonda proves himself back on forin with this film about a bee-keeping widower and Vietnam vet who is yanked otit of his solitary existence to search for the missing wife of his imprisoned son. While atmospheric photography reinforces the overall mood. a gripping crime intrigue plot drives the story along. Fonda‘s admirable performance is also btitli moving aiid honest. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith. Stirling: Carlton.
The Untouchables (PG) (Brian De Patina. US. I987) Kevin Costner. Sean Connery. Robert De Niro. I I9 mins. David Mamet‘s highly entertaining update of the old TV series. Eliot Ness learns the hard way how to deal with underworld crime and police corruption in Chicago during the Prohibition years. Ari Oscar-winning performance from Connery as the seasoned Irish Cop with a Scots accent. and De Niro turns in a grandiose Capone. Glasgow-1 (iilmorehill. Washington Square (PG) (Agnieszka Holland. US. I998) Jennifer Jason Leigh. Albert Finney. Ben Chaplin. I ISmins. Throughout her life. Catherine Sloper (Leigh) has tried to win the affection of her stern father (Finney): when impoverished Morris 'I‘ownsend (Chaplin) comes along.
their love leaves her threatened with disinheritance. Holland's film has a style virtually interchangeable with any of the better IV adaptaions of this sort of stttff - albeit with a more generous btitlget. fairly exquisite lighting and a remarkable cast. (ilasgow. (il’l'. Iidiiiburgh; liiltiihouse.
The Wedding Singer ( l2) il-‘rank Coraci. US. I997) Drew Barrymore. Adam Sandler. Christine 'l‘ay'lor. 97 units. After his bride dumps him at the altar. Robbie (Sandler) ptits on a happy face at his day job — singing at other people's weddings. When his waitress friend (Barrymore) also suffers nuptual disappointment. aii unexpected romance blossoms. Packed with a sublime Stls soundtrack. and featuring some of the most amusing fashions since Boogie Nights, this is a genuine out-of-nowhere delight. (ieneral release.
Western i l5) (.‘ylanuel I’oii'ier. I-irancc. I997) Sei'gi l,ope/. Sacha Bottt'do. l ‘6 turns. ()utsidei‘s within their current environment. Spanish slioe salesman Paco and scruffy Russian Niiio becotiie unlikely friends when they (II'I\C front village to village iii Brittany. Coiiibiiiittg the attractive countryside with a llatttenco guitar soundtrack. Poirier Iias created aii amusineg cross-cultural backdrop for this dryly comic btiddy movie. Like a I‘rench IIll/llttllf A" [oil the road. btit less eventful. See review. (ilasgow; (il’l‘.
Why Did Bodhi Dharma Leave For The East? ( I 2) (Bae Yoiig-Kyun. South Korea. I989) I35 mins. Award-winniiig feature written. directed. produced and photographed by Bae. whose use of the mountains of Korea as a visual arid thematic backdrop to his characters' search for the meaning of life is stiiiiiiitig. An old master. his young disciple and an orphaned boy struggle with Zen Buddhist philosophies in a remote itionastei'y. :\ subtly beautiful piece of liliiimaking. (ilasgow: (il’l‘.
Wild Man Blues ( I 3) (Barbara Kopple. US. I997) Woody Allen. Soon-Yi Previtt Allen. I05 niins. Kopple's back-stage documentary of Woody Allen's lit/.1. band‘s Iiuropean tour features some hot Dixie. btit the subject‘s ulterior motive is clearly to repair something of his good name with respect to the unsavotiry publicity surrounding his break- up with Mia Farrow. The most fttn. however. in this reverential portrait is iii watching Allen‘s ever-evident groticliiness and his flashing one-liners. See preview and review. (ilasgow; (il-T.
Wild Things ( IS) (John Mci 'aughton. US. I997) Neye Campbell. Denise Richards. Matt Dillon. lll mins. An 'ei‘otic thriller" that ct'ams in more plot twists than the Iiyei'glades Iias water courses. this effort from Henri: I’oi'lrtitl ()l .'i Serial Killer director McNaughton has little to recommend it. Spoilt schoolgirl and goth outsider accuse teacher of rape. bttt the frame is revealed in court — atid further complications follow. This is commercial western cinema at its worst; glossy and crude. (ilasgow: UCI Clydebank. Iidinburgh; UCI. liast Kilbi'ide: LICI. (it'eenock: Waterfront.
Wilde I IS) (Brian (iilbert. UK. I997) Stephen I‘ry. Jude Law. Vanessa Redgrase ll7 aims. The casting oI l‘ry as Victorian wit. novelist and playwright Oscar Wilde seems almost inevitable. and it pay s off. with the actor getting beyond surface details to the intelligent. kind man beneath. (iilbei't's film is gritty in its portrayal til homosexual ielationships than most Britiin period dramas. btit first and foremost it is a moving story of tragic. obsessiye |o\ c. Iidinburgh: Cameo.
The Wings Of The Dove t I 5i I turn Softley'. UK. I997) Helena Bonham Carter. Linus Roache. Alison Iilliott. IDS itiitis. An intelligent. emotionally devastating adaptation of Henry James‘s novel that confidently side-steps the pitfalls of stttIfy' costume drama. Prevented from marrying her humble los er. Kate (Bonham Carter) plots to pair him off with a rich. sickly Aiiiei'ican. Iis erything about this Iiliii emphasises quality. including the costumes. photography. use of Venice as a setting and — above all -- the peerless [k'i'forniances Cunibernauld: 'IIieatre.
The Winter Guest ( IS) (Alan Rickman. UK. I997) l’hyllida Law. limma 'l’hompson. (iary Hollywood. ll() itiiiis. ’lhere's
IHit list
The best films this fortnight.
SPECIAL EVENT
The Kid/T he Idle Class Actor-director Charlie Chaplin also wrote the music for these two silent screen classics, and its played live by the RSNO and conductor Carl Davis. Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. FIRST RUN
Wild Man Blues Woody Allen comes under the microscope as he tours Europe With his jazz band in Barbara Kopple's documentary. See preview and review. Glasgow: GFI
The Wedding Singer Waitress Drew Barrymore and entertainer Adam Sandler fall in love in the first 805 nostalgia movie. General release.
The General John Boorman’s take on the life and times of a Dublin criminal stirs tip ambiguous feelings in the viewer. Selected release.
The Big Lebowski After Fargo, it's time for more oddball characters and bungled crimes for the Coen brothers. Selected release.
RE-RELEASE
Point Blank Lee Marvin comes back from the dead to wreack revenge on his wife and best pal in this ClaSSIC hard- bOiled thriller from the 605. See review. Edinburgh Cameo.
The Exorcist The demonic possession of
a pre-pubsescent girl makes a priest doubt his beliefs. Remastered, with a
i new stereo soundtrack, on the 25th ? anniversary of its original release. See feature. General release
something about the way Rickiiiaii‘s directorial debttt mos es from one pair of characters to the next that suggests it‘s based on a play. but that's not a criticism The film works out themes til loss and eittottonal dependency against a snow -covered Scottish landscape. weay ing its icy metaphor through the cliaracters' inner lives atid the film's comptiter-etihanced images. 'IIie cast is excellent. with Law proving herself one of the country's Iiiddeti treasures. Iidinburgh: Cameo. Ayr. ()deon l-‘alkirk: low it Ilall. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith.
Wishmaster t IS) (Robert Kurt/.inan. US. I99Si'lanimy Lauren. Andrew I)I\(ifl. Robert Iingluntl. 9t) nuns. 'Be careful what you wish lot. the saying goes. “for that wish tiiiglit come ti'tie.‘ And that's not w hat you want it the evil l)iinii has come otit of the bottle. It's ancient monster \ersus wide- eyed. all-American girl in a horror throwaway that falls short of edge-of—the- seat excitement. although the over-the-top nature of it all suggests a long and popular video life. (ieneral release.