FILM index
FILM INDEX continued
Fairytale: A True Story (L? ) (Charles Suit-ridge. UK. I997) Florence Hoatlr. Iilizabeth Izarl. Paul MeGann. 98 nrirrs. In telling (Ire story of two Edwardian girls who cause a sensation when they capture a photographic image of fairies. l’tlll‘t'ltI/c’ manages to be more coherent and less downbeat than the similar Photographing l-‘urriei. Provides moving entertainment for the famin audience. Edinburgh: Lumiere.
Festen (I5) t'l'liomas \‘iiiterberg. (iermany. I998) I06 mitts. All is not as it seems at a country house party given to celebrate the 60th birthday of rich patriarch Helge Klingenfeidt. 'l‘ensions surface before long and a disturbing family secret is revealed in Vinterberg's brilliant black. black comedy. (ilasgow: (il-"I'. Iidinburgh: I-‘ilmhouse. The Flintstones (L') (Brian Levant. L’S. I994) John Goodman. Rick .\Ioranis. lilizabeth Perkins. Rosie O'Donnell. 93 mins. The movie keeps to the TV series' prehistoric parody of modern suburban life. adds bright and chunky sets and a post-y uppie morality tale on greed that doesn‘t quite sit right. arid comes out a little plot-Item y. (ilasgow: Grosseiior.
Frankenstein ll’(i) (James W Iiale. LS. |93I ) Boris Karloff. 7| mins. Screening of the classic Hollywood horror Ill()\ re ty mg in w ith the opening of (Int/s Ant! .llurisien. Whales version of the myth takes liberties with its source material bttt is probably better known than Mary Shelley's novel. Karlosz nameless monster was so memorable that audiences came to think of it. rather than its creator. as ‘I5r'aiikc'irsteiii‘. (ilasgow: (iI’I‘.
Fred, Gromit And Friends (I' i Animation froin Ardnian Studios. originators ot the Lancastrian cheese oner and his Iround. Wallace and (iromit. whose adyentures were chronicled III A (il'.!llt/ Dirt ()III. The ll'i'uite litiiiyt rt atid A Close Show. Probably the funniest animation in the world. Glasgow: (iilmorehill Centre.
Full Metal Jacket i IS) (Stanley Kubrick. I'K. l987) .\Iatthew .\lodiite. Dorian llat'ewood. Lee lirttiey. I09 turns. The late. great directors technically effectiyc and narratiyely balanced depiction of raw \‘ictnam recruits as they endure basic training and the even greater horrors of the I968 'I‘et offensive. lidiriburgh: Cameo.
Gilda (PU) (Charles \'idor. LS. I946) Rita Hay-worth. (ilc‘llll I-"ot'd. (icorge .\Iacready. Joseph Calleia. I It) mins. A bizarre and disturbing nicritiee (I Imis builds tip in Argentina between roy mg card- sharp I-'ord and the couple (Hay w orth and .\lacrcady') who own the casino where he finds himself. Plenty of innuendo and sesual ambiguity. Edinburgh: Iiilrnhouse (I‘ilm (itnltli.
Gods And Monsters r )5) (hit) Condor). t'K/t'S. I998) Ian .\IcKeIIen. Brendan I5r‘aser'. Lynn Redgraye. I I5 mins. .\loyiiig. losineg crafted film following the last day s of Iinglish-born filmmaker James Whale. director ofthe I9.‘sl I’m/ritciisiciir. In I957. while in retirement tit Hollywood suffering from the side effects of a stroke that causes him to re~live episodes from his past lrtc Whale strikes tip a tentative. homoerotic friendship is it!) his handsome gardener. See prey iew and re\ rcw. (ilas'gow: (il’l. Godzilla (PG) (Roland Iimmerrch. l'S. I998) Matthew Broderick. Jean Reno. .\Iaria Pitillo. I-II) mins. .\‘uclear testing causes a hand to grow to an enormous size. reproduce aseyually and head to New York to lay some eggs. When the military take the offensive. it‘s time for the rampaging reptile to demolish .\Ianhattan. When a film like ihrs fails to thrill with its effects it can only fall flat on its over- sizcd Hollywood ass. Ay r: ()deon.
Golden Balls I I8) (Bigas Luna. Spun. I993) Jay ier Bardem. .\laria I)e .\Iedeiros. .\larilsel \er'du. 9.: mins. Benito (ionzales has three passions: fried eggs. building skyscrapers and having ses. When he marries for money. it seems that all his dreams could come trtre. especially when he's able to see his former girlfriend on the side. A slea/y take on lost and Spain‘s nottyeau i'iche. (ilasgow: (iI-‘I'. Iidinburgh: I5ilmhousc.
Hana-Bi I I8) t'I'akcshi Kitano. Japan. I998) ‘Bea' Takeslii. Kay-oko Kishimoto. Reii ()sugi. IIIB nuns. ’ Kitano. a Iticga-stai‘ I!) Japan. returns to the director's seat for Ilium-Bi. in winch he stars as a cop suffering bouts of guilt. His wile is dying in hospital. his partner has been paraly sctl during a stakeout and he's so far iii debt to the Yaku/a that he's contemplating robbing a batik. Iidinbuigh: Lumiere.
Heathers ( l5) (.‘incliael Lehman. l'S. I989) Winona Ryder. Christian Slater. Lisanne I-‘alk. IIIZ mitts. An ulti‘ablack parody of the Iiigli school teenflick. this cult hip hit o: its year has Slater and Ryder starting .‘l suicide cia/c to muscle in on the cliqtrey Heathers running the ioiiit. |.di:iburgh: Cameo.
High Society (Charles Walters. I'S. I956) Bing 28 THE lIST )8 Liar
,.;)l L [WHO
Crosby. (irace Kelly. Frank Sinatra. Celeste Holm. l()7 inins. Classic musical entertainment from the MGM studios. in which a rich bitch plays hard to get with a string of suitors. The plot of Philadelphia Story goes out the window. biit with stars like these. style is everything. (ilasgow: (il-‘I'.
Hilary And Jackie ( I5) (Anarid Tucker. L'K. I998) Iimily' Watson. Rachel (iriffiths. David .\Iorrissey. I22 niins. 'Ihis biopic of Jacqueline dti Pre. who died from multiple sclerosis in I987. lras incensed the classical music world. Howey er. based on the book A (it'nius Iii Tllc’ Finn/Iv by the cellist's sister Hilary and brother Piers. it tells a complex. honest and moving story. lidinburgh: Cameo. Dominion. St Andrews: Picture House.
I Confess ( I5) (Alfred Hitchcock. L'S. I953) Montgomery Clift. Karl .\laldcir. 95 mins. Quebec priest Clift hears a confession from a murderer. btit discretion and duty leads him to become the prime suspect. At last Hitchcock's study on the nature of gtiilt is available in a sharper print. lidirrburgh: Lumiere.
In The Company Of Men f )8) (Neil LaBute. L'S. I996) Aaron Iickhart. .\Iatt .\Iolloy. Stacy Iidwards. 97 iitiiis. 'I‘he misanthropy of American commerce is right up there oii screen. fifty feet high. as Chad and Howard plan to date the same \uInerabIe woman and dump her without w arnirig. It's corporate .-\merica's strongest-w ill-surviye ethos which is the real target Iil this powerful independent that's ftrll of sucker punches. Iidinburgh: I-‘ilmhouse Il'llltt (iuildi.
Jack Frost (PU) ('I‘roy .\Iiller. CS. I998) Michael Keaton. Kelly Preston. .\Iark Addy. It): mins. Negligent husband and father Jack I5ros‘t chooses to go on a road trip with his band rather than a holiday with his family and is killed in a car accident. Howeser. he gets a chance to begin afresh when he is reincarnated as. erm . . . a snowman. Jack Fr“)! has a simple. puerrle charm that eight-year-olds will enioy. (ieneral release.
Jackie Brown ( I5) (Quentin ‘I'araritino. L'S. I997) Pain (irier. Samuel L. Jackson. Robert De .\'iro. ISJ mins. 'I’arantino‘s hlasploitation homage is proof that the directorjust loves to Irear his characters run their months off. How eser. the dialogue is pure pleasure in this sprawling. funky. triple-crossing heist nioy ie about a I‘ederal Agent sting to trap a gun runner. Iidmburgh: Cameo.
James And The Giant Peach (L'i (Henry Selick. CS. I996) Paul Terry. Susan Sarandon. Simon Callow. 79 mitts. A wonderfully colourful adaptation of Roald Dahl‘s much-on ed nos el. Lise action tops and tails the story. btit for the most part. it's fun times with stop-motion puppets. By turns funny and scary. it stays true to I)ahl's surreal and whimsical vision. (ilasgow: (iilmore Centre.
Key Largo (PG) (John Huston. LS. 1948) Humphrey Bogart. Lauren Bacall. Edward G Robinson. llll mins. lithium (is gangster boss arid his boys hole tip in a hotel in the I-‘lorida keys. Bogart‘s army officer is already there. along with the hotel owner's daughter. Bacall. As a storm breaks out the tension rises in Huston's taut drama. Stirling: .\lacRobert.
Kundun ( I5) (Martin Scorsese. l'S. I997) l-Ill niins. Scorsese's biography of the fourteenth l)alai Lama is also a painstaking record of a culture close to estinctiori. The beauty of 'l‘rbet and gentle nature of the people is disrupted by invasion by China. btit the I)alai Lattia remains true to the ideal of non- \ioleiice. Iidinbtirgh: Lumiere.
LA. Confidential I IS) (Curtis Hanson. L‘S. I997) Kevin Spacey. (iuy Pearce. Russell Crowe. Kitti Basinger. 135 mins. Adapted from James lillroy's neo-iioir novel. the best American film of I997 cyokcs a glitzy post-WW3 Los Angelcs underpinned by an all-pervasive. festering corruption. An intricate. drop-(lead brilliant plot links bent cops. good cops. Holly wood star lookalike prostitutes arid the mob. Iidinburgh: Cameo.
The last Days Of Disco i )5) (Who Stillman. L's. I998) Chloe Seyrgny. Kate Beckinsale. Clirrs Iiigeman. III inins. Sey igny and Beckmsale play publishing assistants who lreqtient a trendy cltrb in early 80s .\'ew York. where they and their male yuppie friends worry about relationships. careers and the reactionary strbteyt of Disney 's Imli Am! The 'l'ruiiip. Iidinburgh: Cameo.
Left luggage (PU) (Jeroen Krabbe. \cthcrlands. I998) Laura liraser. Adam .\Ioiity. Jeroen Krabbe. 93 mins. l‘raser. star of Sum/I l-lrr t'y. plays a young Jewish woman studying in Holland in I973 who takes a iob as a nanny to pay her rent. She swiftly comes into conflict with the head of the family. btit remains in the home out of her new-found love for her the year old ward. Winner of seyeral awards at the I998 Berlin I‘ilm l‘estiyal. (ilasgow: (ll-'I‘.
Life Is Beautiful (la Vita E Bella) (H i) (Roberto Benigni. Italy. I998) Roberto Benigni. Nicolettt: IIraschi. l 16 mins. A comedy about the Ilolocatist'.’ Surely not. Well. that's what Italian writer-director-
ti / o
The bad boy neitt door: Tim Robbins in Arlington Road
star Benigni has done it) fashioning a poignant comic fable about the resilience of the human spirit and the power of the imagination. A humane and moving film. (ilasgow: (iI’I‘. (irosyeiior. ()deon Quay. Edinburgh: lilllllllt)ll.\‘c.
Little Voice I I5) (.\Iark Herman. L'K. I998) Jane Horrocks. Brenda Blethyn. Michael Caine. 97 mins. 'I‘lie sensational Horrocks recreates her acclaimed performance in Jrnr Cartwright's I992 hit play as a repressed Northern girl w ho reveals a remarkable gift for impersonating great pop divas. (ilasgow: ()deon Qtray. Show case. L'Cl Clydebank. lidinburgh: L'CI. Paisley: Showcase. Stirling: .\lacRobert.
Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels i )8) (Guy Ritchie. L’K. I997) Nick .\Ior'an. Jason Statlrarn. Vinnie Jones. |()7 mins. Witty homage to the British crime thrillers of the I96I)s. with appropriately seedy London underworld locations and streetw ise dialogue. (ilasgow: ()deon Quay. Iidrnburgh: ()deon.
Lotte In Weimar t I5) iIEgoii (iiinther‘. (iermany. I976) Lilli Palmer. III) inins. Complex adaptation of 'I‘homas .\Iann‘s novel in which Palmer plays (ioethe's lover Charlotte w ho returns to Weimar after four decades to be reunited with the author. Iidinburgh: I5i|mhoiisc.
Madame Dubarry ( l5) (Izriist Lubitsch. l9l9) I’ola .\'egri. 85 mms. Historical romance. complete w ith lay ish costumes and set design. in which a woman of the people becomes the Countess to King Louis XV. Iidinburgh: Lumiere.
Madeline (L') (Daisy \‘on Schcrler. L'S. I998) Frances .\IcI)ormand. Nigel Hawthorne. Hatty Jones. 89 ruins. .\Iadeline is a hybrid of the ‘adorable' pie-teen childrens’ heroine. As intelligent as .\Iatilda. she's also as precocious as I’ippi Longstocking and. like Annie. she‘s an orphan. WelI-intentioned btit desperately dull. (ieiieral release.
The Maltese Falcon ll’(i) (John Huston. LS. 194)) Humphrey Bogart. .\Iary Astor. Sidney (ireens’treet. Peter Lorre. IlII mtirs. Huston's first Illlll is a quintessential. claustrophobic film IIHII. Bogart is caught in a web of deceit and betrayal as the Iiit .\laii uses eyery means. including murder. to get his hands on the elusive ornament of the title. (ilasgow. (il7l‘.
Man With A Movie Camera il’tii tl)ziga \‘erios. l'SSR. I939) 9() mins. \'ertov's poetic account of the state of the Soviet l'nion employs \ar‘iotts' espcriments with filrii form — superimposition. split screen - in art cyplorattor) of the cityscape. In The Nursery perform a new score and there's a discussion after the screening. (ilasgow: (iI’I‘.
The Mask 0t Zorro (I’(it (.\Iartin Campbell. LS. I998) Antonio Banderas. Catherine Zeta Jones. Anthony Hopkins. I37 mins. As a piece of old- school matinee hokuni. The .l/tisl ()r Zurm flashes its blade w ith the best of them. btit it's also clever enough to draw in a new audience by plundering every manifestation of the action-adsentui‘e formula lidinburgh: ()deon. Iry me: W.\IR. Krrkcaldy: Adam Smith. .
Metropolis (I’(ii tIi'it/ Lang. (ieriiiany. I936) Brigitte HcIm.AIfi'edAbel.(itista\ I'iolich. ILI rnms. ()ne of the greatest films of all time. here in its longer-length. uncoloi'ised \ei'sion. 'I‘he cityscapcs' remain unsurpassed. although the allegory against totalitarianism is a bit naiye. Iidinbur’gh: Lumiere.
The Mighty (P(i) (Peter Chelsom. LS. I998) Sharon Stone. (ieiia Rowlands. Harry Dean Stanton. 99 mins. .\'ot wholely successful story about two misfit kids who combine brain and brawn to become one chiy alrous champion of the oppressed. Iry ine: .\Iagnuiii.
Mighty Joe Young II’(iI (Ron t'ndeiwood. (‘5. I998) CharIi/e ‘l'hci'on. Bill I’aston. IIJ ruins. Whichever way you cut it. .lliehii Joe lining is lost another big monkey tttoy ie. I)espite infinitely more
sophisticated effects than its I949 predecessor. this i version is far less involving or entertaining — it's s 0 predictable you would think the monkey wrote it. ' See review. (ilasgow: ()deon Quay. ()deon City Centre. L'Cl Clydebank. lidinburgh: ABC I Multiples. ()deon. L'CI. Ay r: ()deon. My Name Is Joe ( )5) (Ken Loaeii. t'k’. I998) Peter I .\Iullan. Louise Croodall. l)ayid .\IcKay'. IIIS niins. I Recovering alcoholic Joe Kavaiizigh meets and falls in love with health \ rsitor Sarah. btit his well intentioned scheme to get a young frie id otit of the
grip of a vicious drug dealer looks likely to backfire
on everyone he cares for. Ay r: ()deon
The Negotiator I )5) Samuel l. Jackson. is'ey Ill Spacey. J.'I‘. Walsh. l-Ill mins. When IIanny' Roman.
the best hostage negotiator in Chicago. is trained for murder by his fellow boys Ill blue. Ire takes hostages and seals himself off it) an office high-rise. As an extra safeguard. Ire demands that negotiations are handled by his peer from another precinct. A taut thriller with intense performances. lidinburgh: Cameo. A Night At The Roxbury i l5) (John Iiorten'tX‘rry'.
CS. I998) Will lierrell. Chris Is'attan. I)ai. lledaya.
83 mins. Ill-conceived blow-up of Stimuli/i Sig/i! y Lire's Roxbuiy (itiys fails dismally. partly because lierrell and Kattati. who play the dorky. shiny-suited ' Butabi brothers who aspire to gain entry to l,,»\'c top nrglitclub. are neither ‘zany nor funny. btit mainly because their script is” so appallingiy‘ bad. Sec review. (ieneral release.
Nights Of Cabiria la' Ali/ti l)i (ith/rid (I‘cderico l’t‘llllll. Italy. I957) lilo nuns. .-\ sweet-natured innocent prostitute neyer looses her profound optimism for life nor her desire to find Mr Right throughout a series of adyentures and misadventures in liellini‘s ()scar-w inning film. Iidirbuigh: Italian Cultural Institute.
The Opposite Of Sex (Don Roos. I'S. I998) Christina Ricci. .\Iartrn Donovan. Lisa Kttdt‘ow. III.< iiiins. Dedec I'ruitt. a .\l\l.'c'll-yc‘:tl-(\ILI super-bitch. runs away from Louisiana to Inc in Indiana with her half-brother Bill. swiftly steals has new disliy-bitt- I dun boy friend. announces her pregnancy and (tees the state with SIIIJIIIII of her brother's money. A dark. flawed comedy. I-alkir'k: I7I‘II.
Oscar And Lucinda l I5) ikililldl‘i .\i'instiong. l'S/Aus’tralia. I997) Ralph I'ieiincs. Cate Blanchett. Ciaran Hinds. I33 mtns. Adapted from Peter Carey's Booker Prize-winning iioyel. this tale of passion and unconstimmated one falls short or 1's shimmering goals. I-‘iennes is a 19th century rnan ot the cloth obsessed with gambling who bets he can transport the glass church designed by an .-\usu';ihai: ireri'ess across the treacherous outback. lidinbtirgh: Luiiirere.
Out Of Sight ( I5) (Steyen Sotleriverglr. L'S. I998) (ieorge Clooney. Jennifer Lopel. \itig Rhames. I33 mins. This stylish adaptation ol Iilmorc Leonard's noyel teams Clooncy's bank robber Jack I5oley with Jennifer Lopez' chic. Chanel-wearing cop. Soder‘lX‘rgh catches pertcctly Leonard's sly. deadpan wit. while infusing it with .i wistful melancholy. Iidinburgh: Cameo.
The Parent Trap tl‘) Dennis ()uard. .\atzisha : Richardson. Lindsay Lohat; I)" Illllis ‘I‘Itis updated version of the Hayley Mills original casts Lonan in
tlie dual role of identical tw iris completely unaware
of each others esistcnce tiiitil they discover the
truth at summer camp. .\cyer‘ haying met the other parent. .'\IIIL‘I‘IL‘;III Hallie and Iiiiglish Annie agree to swap identities. Iidinburgh: ()deozr.
Patch Adams i I3) (loin Shadyac. LS. I998) Robin Williams. .\loriica Potter. Philip Seymour Hoffman. ll.R turns, The eponymous irredios philosophy that laughter is the best medicine brings Iiiiii into conflict
w ith the hospital authorities W iIIiaiirs w cars his
heart _iust a little too oby rotist on his slceye and.
cast once again .is the caring btit tzircoriyentional doctor. it is impossible to escape a diagnosis here ot terminal deia \u. (icneral release.
Paths of Glory il’(ii (Stanley Kubrick. IS. I957) Kirk Douglas. Ralph .\leeker. .\dolplie .\Ienioti .\(i miiis. .\on mg portrayal ol the iriadness of war has three men selected for trial lot cowardice after a
futile World War (Inc mission unsurprisineg tails, Douglas is superb as the delence lawyerduiing the court martial scenes. shot on location in the French chateauy. Kubrick‘s lengthy tracking shots through
the trenches are among the most cflcctiyc scenes of battle eyer filmed. (ilasgow (irosyenor.
Paws (l’(i) (Karl Zw icky. .v\tisti'.iIi.i.7l‘K. I99“)
Nathan Cayaleri. Iiinilre I'ldlls‘y‘ls. tone of Billy Connolly. .‘3 turns. Cleyei' doggie PC is on .:
mission to deltyer a computer disc. btit is I\‘lll'__' tracked down by the unpleasant l‘addre who killed his master. Belt tending computer whr/z kid /ac. the lllllll Iiiiks tip to a once simulator and starts talking
w ith the broad twang of Billy Connolly. Sonic genuinely funny moments. Ldinbui'gh: \BC l-ilrri Centre.
Payback I IS) I Brian Ilegelaird. l'S. I998) .\Iel