continues to impress as I)edce the supcrsmart teenager on the run from her white trash family. Iidinburgh: I—‘ilmhouse. Orphans ( ls‘) (l’ctcl' .\IuIlan. UK. 1999) Douglas Henshall. (iat'y Lewis. Stephen .\Ic('ole. 95 nuns ()n the eve of their mother's funeral. four grow ti-up orphans express their grief as storm clouds gather it) the skies, Less the social realism of Ken Loach. more a surreal expressionism which takes everything to its illogical conclusion. Selected release.
Oscar And Lucinda ( IS) «(Billian .’\l'lll\ll'()llf_'. I'S/"Australia. I997) Ralph l‘lC‘IlllC\ (ate Blancliett. (’iai'an Hinds. I33 nuns. Adapted fioni I’cter (‘arey‘x Booker Prize-w inning ito\ cl about a I9th century titan of the cloth obsessed \\ lIll gambling who bets he can transport the glass church designed by at) .\l|\ll';lllilll heiress across the treacherous outback. Iidinbui'gli: Cameo. Painted Angels 4 I5) (Ion Sanders. L‘S. I999) Brenda I'rickcr. Kelly .\Ic(iillis. Anna \Iottrani. I II) iiiins. I’ll/ult't/xlnet'lv conveys the insecurities of displaced wotiien aitd their hardships as they struggle to earn a crust through the sc\ trade in the I9th century .\ll)L‘I'lCtlIl west. Refreshineg noti- malc picture of the western frontier. liast Kilbride: Arts ('entrc. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith.
Palookaville I I5) (Alan Ta) loi‘. L'S. I996) William I-ot'sytlie. \‘ittcent (iallo. Adam 'I'resc. 9: units The simplest way to nutshell l’tlhmktli .I.'."t‘ \\t)tlld l‘t‘ It) tlL‘\c‘l‘Il)C II il\ 31 heist tumie starting the Three Stooges. Incompetence causes our heroes to break into .I bakery instead of the neu door tewellcr's. but then their huiiiaiiity \\ ins out as they saw a sectiiity drivers life. Ifdinhta'gh (’aiuco
The Parent Trap it I Dennis (Juaid. Natasha Richardson. Lindsay I,ohan. l35 nuns 'I'his updated version of the Hayley Mills original casts I.o|ian In the dttal role of identical in ins completely unaware of each others c\tstence until they discover the truth at summer camp Never has iiig titet the other parent. .-\nici'ican llallic and Iinglish Annie agrcc Io swap identities lidinburgh: ()dcon
Patch Adams ( | In «loin Sliadyac. I'S. I998) Robin Williams. \loitica I’otter. l’hilip Scynioui llollntan. ll5 turns. The eponymous medics philosophy that laughter is the best medicine brings him into conflict \\IIll the llt)\|)lI.tl authorities \Vitli Williams cast once again .I\ the caring but uncomciitional doctor. it's impossible to escape a diagnosis of terminal deia \ u. Iidtnburgh. Brunton 'l hcatrc
Paws (I’(i) (Karl [wicky .-\uslralia/UK. I997) \alhati ('.t\.tlcri. Iznttlie l'i'ancois. voice of Billy (‘Hllllttlly S3 mitts, (‘|e\ct‘ doggie I’(~ is on a mission to deliver a coiiipulcr disc. but I\ being tracked down by the unpleasant baddie w Ito killed his master. Befriending computer whi/l kid Xac. the mutt links tip to a \oicc simulator aiid starts talking \\ itli the broad twang of Btllv Connolly. (ilasgow, (ii'l'. . Payback ( IS) (Brian Ilcgeland. L'S. I998)
Mel Gibson. Gregg Henry. Deborah Kara Unger. I I0 mins. An entertainineg erratic rehash of I967's Point Blank. Par/welt: finds Gibson good. if unlikely. in the Lee Marvin touin guy role. Hegeland's impressive directorial debut. while perhaps even more cynical than the earlier film. turns much more to comedy and works partly as u send- tip and partly as an homage to John Boorman‘s original. Selected release.
The Philadelphia Story (PG) (George Cukor. US. I940) Katharine Hepburn. Cary Grant. James Stewart. I I2 mins. Splendidly sophisticated Hollywood comedy with Stewart as a scandalsheet reporter covering the society wedding of recently divorced Hepburn. ex-hubby Grant lurking in the wings. and romance recurdling despite itself. One of the best of its kind. l-‘alkirk: l-‘l'H.
Plunkett And Macleane ( I 5) (Jake Scott. UK. I999) Jonny Lee Miller. Robert Carlyle. Liv TylerlOl mins. Destitute gentleman James Macleane and bankrupt apothecary turned thief Will Plunkett are thrown together in mid- I 8th century London. where they pool their talents to launch a new career as dashing highwaymen. A hugely enjoyable if empty- headed romp. Glasgow; UCI Clydebank. Edinburgh: ABC Multiplex. Cameo. UCI. East Kilbride: UCI.
Pretty In Pink (PG) (John Hughes. US.
I986) Molly Ringwald. Harry Dean Stanton.
Joit Cryer. 97 mins. Better-than-average teen movie in which Ms Ringwald is pretty in pink for the high school prom. btit not before she has undergone the prejudice of the kids from the rich side of town. Edinburgh: Cameo.
Primary Colors ( I 5) (Mike Nichols. US. I998) John 'Ii'avolta. Emma 'l‘hompson. Adrian Lester. I43 mins. Although President Clinton's sexual proclivities are all done with. there is still a fair amount of satirical bite it) this fictional portrayal of a Southern politician whose rampant libido continually threatens to scupper his pursuit of the presidency. Edinburgh: l-‘ilmhouse.
The Red Violin (l5) (I‘rancois Girard. Canada. I998) Samuel l.. Jackson. Don McKeIlar. Jason I-‘lemyng. l3() mins. Not the story of a musician. btit the story of" a
musical instrument. Spanning four centuries.
the‘life story" of the violin is related in five chapters. beginning in an Italian workshop. ending with ait auction tn Montreal. Hauntineg lyrical. btit uneven film. See review. Edinburgh: l’iiliiihouse.
Ritchie Rich (PG) (Donald Peti‘ie. US. I995) Macaulay Ctilkiit. Jonathan Hyde. John Larroquette. 95 mins. The world's wealthiest child played by the world’s wealthiest child actor - this comic strip turned movie has enough knockabout mayhem to keep the kids happy. Edinburgh: ABC Film Centre.
Roma (18) (Federico Fellini. Italy. I972) Peter Gonzales. Stefano Majore. Britta Barnes. I28 mins. A personal tour of the eternal city and its highlights by the maestro. split between the 70s and the 20s
The birth of tool: Alexei Sayle in Swing
(when I‘t‘llllll first arrived). Brothels. music- halls. murals. traffic jams — all merge together with fantasy. autobiography and documentary. Glasgow: GET.
The Rugrats Movie (U) (Norton Virgien/Igor Kovalyov. US. I998) Voices of: EC]. Daily. Christine Cavanaugh. Kath Soucie. 80 ntins. The weekly animated adventures of the tin-cutesy. irritatineg voiced Pickles family is big among kiddies and adults in the States. btit the movie is definitely more of a junior entertainment. Might keep the little ones quiet for a while. General release.
Saving Private Ryan ( I5) (Steven Spielberg. US. I998) Tom Hanks. Tom Sizeinoi'c. Matt Damon. l7() mitts. Like no film in recent memory. Sui-mg l’ri'rtnt' Ryan focuses its attention squarer on the brutalities endured by American soldiers in World War II. The actual meat of the story concerns Hanks' unit who are sent off to locate the eponymous Ryan. Kilmarnock: ()deon.
Schizopolis (I5) (Steven Soderbergh. US. I996) Steven Soderbergh. 96 mins. The director of .v‘tht. lies and i-it/t'olri/w and ()m ()f Sig/ii confounds expectation with this absurd. anarchic piece of filmmaking. a shock social commentary which touches on Bunttel and Monty Python. Part of the American Independence Tour. See feature. Edinburgh: l-‘ilmhottse.
Set It Off ( I 8) (I5. Gary (ii'ay. US. I996) Jada Pinkett. Queen Latifah. Vivica A Fox. Kimberly Elise. IZI mins. Bringing the 70s exploitation market in line with a self- consctous post But: N The Hand action flick. Set /I 0” follows four women who decide to pull a bank robbery. Edinburgh: l’ilinhouse.
Shakespeare In Love ( l5) (John Madden. UK. I998) Joseph Fiennes. (iwyneth Paltrow. Rupert Everett. I20 mitts. I'lClIIlCS. a pair of breecltes and a few moody verses and a league of women will leave the cinema wondering why they never figured it ottt at school: Shakespeare is sex on legs. Toni Stoppard's script is exubei'antly confident. irreverent and witty. Selected release.
Singing Streets/The Magic Umbrella (Various. UK. I95()/l998) 40 mins approx. Two short films celebrating Edinburgh city life. Made by the children of Norton Park Primary School. Singing Streets captures kids at play iii the streets. In contrast. the colourful T/lc‘ Magic (,l'niltrt'l/u. made by Dalry Primary School. pays homage to T/lc’ Rt’t/ Balloon. Edinburgh: St Bride's Centre. Slam ( I 5) (Marc Levin. US. I998) Sattl Williams. Sonia Soltn. l()3 mins. A street poet is framed by the cops for a drttgs bust and locked tip in a Washington DC. jail. Fact and fiction are seemlessly intertwined to provide gritty authenticity while the dynamic performances give Slum its considerable dramatic effect. See preview and review. Glasgow: Gl‘T. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
Smilla's Feeling For Snow ( I5) (Bille August. Germany/Denmark/Sweden. I997)
index FILM
Julia Ormond. Gabriel Byrne. Richard Harris. 120 mins. When Greenland native Smilla investigates the death of her neighbour's child in a fall. her highly developed 'sense of snow' convinces her it was murder. An Arctic conspiracy of iceberg-sized proportions unravels. Edinburgh: Cameo.
A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries ( l 5) (James Ivory. UK. I998) Kris Kristofferson. Barbara Hershey. Jesse Bradford. I24 mins. A disappointingly episodic drama about an American writer and his family living in the French capital from the 60s to the 70s. Adapted from a semi-autobiographical novel by Kaylie Jones about her father James. writer of From Here To Eternity: Edinburgh: Lumiere.
The Sticky Fingers Of Time ( )5) (Hilary Brougher. US. I997) 82 mins. Offbeat seems to be a key word in the US indies season. here the tag refers to the study of time travel set in the I950s. It's also about love and the creative process. Part of the American Independence Tour. See feature. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
Swing (l5) (Nick Mead. UK. I999) Hugo Speer. Liszt Stansfield. tbc mins.
Swing music is now the lifeblood ofex-con Martin Luxford who is released on parole determined to set up a band back borne in Liverpool. He enrols the support of a motley group of musicians. and also calls on ex- girlfriend loan to be his singer. Light comedy. light drama and a consistently entertaining film. See review. Glasgow: Odeon Quay. UCI Clydebank. Edinburgh: ABC Multiplex. UCI.
Switchblade Sisters ( )8) (Jack Hill. US. I975) 90 mins. Trashy comedy action flick about girl gang warfare. re-released at the behest of Hill fan Quentin Tarantino who dedicated his own film to the cult director: Jackie after Jack. Brown after Hill‘s film. Foxy Brown. Falkirk: FTH.
Taxi Driver ( I8) (Martin Scorsese. US. I976) Robert De Niro. Cybill Shepherd. Jodie Foster. I I4 mins. An alienated taxi driver in New York is so repelled by the squalor and the moral decay around him that he is driven to terrible violence. One of the key films of the Seventies with the Scorsese-De Niro partnership at its peak. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith.
Tea With Mussolini (PG) (Franco Zeffirelli. Italy/U K. I999) Cher. Joan Plowright. Maggie Smith. I I7 mins. Zeffirelli's film is partly autobiographical. partly fictitious. and concerns the effect on his own upbringing and education by a group of English ladies living in Florence at the time of II Duce's rise to power. This particular brew seems oddly lacking in zest. Edinburgh: Dominion. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (I8) (Tobe Hooper. US. I974) Marilyn Burns. Gunnar Hansen. Allen Danziger. 84 mins. A group of kids travel to a broken-down house in the middle of nowhere and meet cannabalistic degenerates who pick off the cast one by one. Perhaps the most relentless slice of terror ever pttt on screen. Edinburgh: Cameo. Paisley: Showcase.
This Year's Love ( )5) (David Kane. UK. I998) Douglas Henshall. Catherine McCormack. Kathy Burke. Jennifer Ehle. Dougray Scott. Ian Hart. I I8 mins. Kane's deliciously wry romantic comedy features star-crossed lovers. 90s-style — six late- twetitysomethings whose orbits coincide briefly in Camden. London over a period of three years. An ensemble piece that is gratifyineg free of synthetic sitcom contrivance or cute. sentimental solutions. Edinburgh: Cameo.
Thumbelina (U) (Don Blttth. US. I993) Animator Bltith comes close to rivalling Disney with this charming fairy tale filled with little folk. princes. easy-to-follow messages and a Barry Manilow soundtrack. (ilasgow: Gi'osvenor.
To Have And Have Not (PG) (Howard Hawks. US. I945) Humphrey Bogart. Lauren Bacall. Walter Brennan. Hoagy Carmichael. l()() mins. Bogart and Bacall worked together for the first time in Hawks' Hemingway adaptation. set in the Caribbean during the war. where Bogart's fishing-boat owner is drawn into the conflict by his (real life) love for Bacall. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith.
Continued over page
29 Apr-l3 May 1999 THE U8T27