FILM index
FILM INDEX continued
Maids Of Honor ( l8) (Various. Australia/US. l99X/99) SI tttitts. A trio of featurettes. Tit-n (iir/x AIM/xi "(I/H sees lipstick lesbians Catherine attd l.i/. adding tension to their relationship by brtrtgtrtg a baby ittto it. The 'I'raeet/v ()I'Sanrantlta Bigg/e Am/ The Twins examines tlte difficult relationsltip between two school friends. Serena. tlte Maid 0f I/nnm'. tinds a forgettett kiss threatening her relationsltip. Part of tlte Lesbiart & Gay Film Festival. l'idinburgh: Filmltouse. Maltom,Avoda (Nttritb Aviv. I998) 8| tttitts. 'I'his filttt deals witlt the problems experienced by tlte 'l’hai workers brought iii to replace Palestinians as well as lookirtg at the roots of the problettt. Part of Descriptions Of A Strtrggle. an Israeli/Palestinian film season. Iidtnburgh: l’rurtmarket (iallery.
The Matrix ( IS) (The Wacltowski Brothers. I'S. I999) Keatttt Reeves. Carrie-Anne Moss. Lawrence l-‘isltburtte. l39 tttitts. lit the future. reality is actually art illttsiort — the human race is enslaved by a cotttputer vtrtrs which ltas takett ov er tlte world. Cotttputer genius Neo (Reeves) is one of the few people who doesn't belies e his eyes. so it's up to hint and a couple more cyber cottttttandoes to save the world. General release.
Metropolis (PG) (l-‘ritz Lartg. (iertttany. I926) Brigitte Helm. Alfred Abel. Gustav l’rolich. I34 mins. ()ne of'the greatest filttts of all ttttte. here ttt its longer-length. uttcolorised \erston. free frottt (iiorgio Moroder's tacked-on rock soundtrack. The cityscapes t'etttatn unsurpassed. altltough the allegory agatttst totalitariattisttt is a bit ttaive. (ilttsgow; (it'osv enor,
Mighty Joe (PG) (Rort L'ndet'wood. L'S. I99S) Charlile ’I'lteron. Btll Paxton. I H mitts. Whichever way yoti cut it. Mighty Joe is lust attotlter big rttottkey rttovie. Despite infinitely more sophisticated effects than its I949 predecessor. tltts version is far less ittvolvtttg or entertaining — it's so predictable yott would tltittk the monkey wrote it. Glasgow; ()(leon Quay. lidmburgh: L’CI. Greettock: Waterfront. The Mummy ( l2) (Stephen Sommers. L'S. I999) Brendan l-‘raser. Rachel Weisz. John Ilaitttalt. IIS tttttts. The secret of the film's success ltes ttt its reinvention as art Indiana Jones-sly le adventure itt which rugged hero I-‘raser. luscious librarian Weisz and comic sidekick Hannah scour l93()s Northern Africa for the fabled City of the Dead arid unwittingly resuscitate dead ligyptian pr'iest. who immediately bustes Itttttself with ravagtrtg the land w ith apocalyptic plagues. See review. General release.
My Favourite Martian (PG) (Donald Petrie. l'S. I999) Christopher Lloyd. Jeff Daniels. lilt/abetlt Hurley. 93 tttttts. 'l‘his tttovre tetttakeof an American TV favourite. scarcely known iii the UK. is a breezy fantin atlvetttute that's arttusittg attd disartttittgly entertaining. Some excellent special effects help. as we meet a hapless Martian visitor wlto ltas crash landed on l-Iarth attd is keen to leave as soon as possible. Gerteral release. My Very Private Map (Sohlti '/.ohaidi. I998) 3| tttttts. Documentary made to cottttttetttot'ate the \aklta (the "disaster'l. the 50th anniversary ()I the State of Israel. art e\ettt wlttclt werglted heavily on Palestinian refugees Part of Descriptions ()f A Struggle. an Israelt/l’alesuman filrtt season. Iidinburgh: I’t‘utttttat'ket Gallery
Natural Born Killers ( IS) (Oliver Stone. US. I994) Woody Hat‘relsott. Juliette Lewis. Robert Dow ttey .ll'. I I9 tttitts. Stone's visual attd aural assault makes for one of the tttost remarkable cinematic experiences itt years: his attempts to marry style witlt content. attd provide a damning expose of the media adulation of serial killers is less successful. let down by his trademark overstatement. Violent. mesrttertsittg. hallucinatory. lidittburgh: Canteo.
Nil By Mouth ( IS) (Gary ()ltlman. UK. I997) Ray Winstone. Kathy Burke. Charlie Creed-Miles. LN ittttts. ()ldmart's directorial debut is an account of alcoholism arid marital abuse which stalks smoky liast lind pttbs. siting-ridden cottttctl estates attd cheap-rate lives wrtlt an ttchv atttphetatttttte energy. In a flawless ensetttble cast. Burke ts heroic as the put-upon wile. wlttle thtstotte dominates the screen. l‘hts is simply one of the best British movies of tlte 9()s Iidinburgh: l‘ilttthouse.
The 92 Minutes Of Mr Baum Part or 28 THE lIST .14 run-8 )ul 1999
Descriptions OfA Struggle. an Israeli/Palestinian filnt season. Mr Baum is given just 92 minutes to live. dttring which time he imagines how his nearest and dearest react to news of his death. Edinburgh: Fruitntarket Gallery.
Norman. . . Is That You? ( I8) (George Schlatter. US. I976) 92 tttins. This curious gem finds a young. gay window~dresser confronted with his father on his doorstep and his boyfriend in his bed. Forthe connoisseur of low budget filrttntaking with appropriately naff script and pleasurany dire acting. Part of the Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
Notting Hill (l5) (Roger Michell. UK. I999) Hugh Grant. Julia Roberts. Roger Michell.
I IO tttins. Screenwriter Richard Curtis‘s eagerly awaited follow-up to Four ll’v/tlings Ara/A Funeral Itas Grant playing William Thacker. tlte divorced owner of a travel bookshop irtto whose life walks Hollywood titegastar Anna Scott (Roberts) and. before you know it. they kiss. General release.
One Touch Of Venus ( )8) (William A. Seiter. US. I948) live Arden. Robert Walker. Ava Gardner. 8| tttitts. Walker kisses a statue of Venus and. hey presto. the ravasltittg Garnder appears. Tall. cool supporting player Arden is on hand to pour on scorn. Part of tlte Lesbian 8: Gay Film Festival. Edinburgh: Filtttltouse. The Opposite Of Sex (Don Roos. US. I998) Christina Ricci. Martin Donovan. Lisa Kudrow. IOS mitts. Last seen giving a brilliantly understated performance opposite a manic one by Vincent Gallo itt Britta/n (to. Ricci continttes to impress as Dedee the .sttpersntart teenager on tlte run frortt her white trash family. Edinburgh: Cartteo. Orphans ( l8) (Peter Mullan. UK. I999) Douglas Henshall. Gary Lewis. Stephen McCole. 95 mitts. On the eve of (lteir mother's funeral. four grown-up orphans express tlteir grief as slornt clouds gather itt the skies. Less the social realism of Kett Loaclt. more a sun'eal expressionism which takes everything to its illogical conclusion. Glasgow: Odeon Quay. Showcase. UCI Clydebartk. East Kilbride: Arts Centre. Falkirk: FIH. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith. Ostura (Nizar Hassan. I998) 90 tttitts. Hassan's filttt documents the plight of a fantin living itt northern Palestine whose lives are torn apart when the I948 wat' leading to the establishment of the Sale of Israel destroyed tlteir home towtt. Part of Descriptions Of A Struggle. an Israeli/Palestiniatt filttt season. Edinburgh: Fruitmarket Gallery.
Palestine: Story Of A Land (Simone Bittort. I993) I IS tttirts. Compiled from film and photographic archives. the filttt tells the controversial story of Palestine this century. Patt of Descriptions ()fA Struggle. an Israeli/Palestinian filttt season. Edinburgh: Fruitmarket Gallery.
Payback (I8) (Brian Hegeland. L’S. I998) Mel Gibson. Gregg Henry. Deborah Kara Urtger. I IO mitts. Art etttertaittittgly erratic rehash of I9(t7’s Put"! Blank. Pay/tack fittds Gibson good. if unlikely. itt the Lee Marvitt touglt guy role. Hegelattd's impressive directorial debut. wltile perhaps even rttore cyttical tltan the earlier ftlttt. turns much more to comedy and works partly as a send-up and partly as an homage to Jolttt Boorman's original. Edinburgh: Filmltouse.
Perets And The Wolf (Atnit Goren. 1999) St) tttitts. Examination of the relationship between man attd beast as illustrated through tlte story of Perets Giladi. a Nature Reserve Ranger attd wolfexpert. Part of Descriptions OfA Struggle. art Israeli/I’alestirtian film season. Edinburgh: Fruitmarket Gallery.
The Philadelphia Story (PG) (George Cttkor. US. I940) Katltarine Hepburn. Cary Grant. Jatttes Stewart. I l2 tttitts. Spleftdidly sophisticated Hollywood comedy with Stewart as a scandalslteet reporter coverirtg the society wedding of recently divorced Hepburn. ex-hubby Grant lurking lit the wittgs. artd romance rekittdlittg despite itself. Sparkling dialogue and cltarisrttatic perfortttattces all rottrtd make this one of the best of its kittd. Glasgow: (iI-‘I'. Pleasantville ( )2) (Gary Ross. L'S. I998) Tobey Maguire. Reese Witlterspoon. William H. Macy. Jeff Daniels. Joart Allen. IZ-I tttitts. Thanks to a dodgy plot twist. 90s kids David artd Jennifer are zapped ittto P/easantt-ille. an I Lure Lucy-style 50s sitcom. a monochrome world wltere sex. art attd passion are
unknown. lfthis wasjust a gimmick movie. it would be a brilliant one. but Pleasantt-ille is also a relentlessly inventive comedy. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith.
Plunltett And Macleane ( I5) (Jake Scott. UK. I999) Jortny Lee Miller. Robert Carlyle. Liv Tyler. l()l rttins. Destitute gentleman James Macleatte and battkrupt apotltecary (timed tltief Will Plunkett are thrown together in ntid-l8th century London. where they pool their talents to launch a new career as daslting ltighwaymen. A Itugel y enjoyable if empty~ headed romp. Kirkcaldy: Adant Sntith. Pretty Village. Pretty Flame ( I 8) (St-dart Dragoievic. Serbia. I996) I29 rttirts. 'l‘ltis filrtt. made by filmmakers in the former Yugoslavia. charts the destruction of the friendship (attd the country) of two young rttert — a Serb attd a Muslint - who take opposing sides after war breaks out. Like Underground. it uses allegory to invoke history artd emphasise tragedy. and goes a long way towards at) understanding of a horrific civil war. Stirlirtg: MacRobert.
The Princess And The Goblin (U) (Josef Getttes. U K/Hungary. I99I) With the voices of Rik Mayall. Claire Bloom. Joss Acklartd. 7S tttitts. Pretty poor piece ofchildten‘s animation takes only the fairy tale cliches front a good origittal novel attd Itas ttotltittg other than Mayall's ()Tl' voice perfortttattce as the Goblin Prince to give it any life. I suspect that today's audiences will be a little too sophisticated for this offering. Stirlirtg: MacRobert.
Real To Reel ( I5) (Various. UK. (998/99) Ill) tttirts approx. Billed as a unique and revolutionary cinematic evettt where you cart gain an ittsigltt irtto tlte future of filmntakirtg. Real 'I'u Reel should prove to be an intriguing experiences. Glasgow: GI’I‘.
The Red Violin ( I5) (Francois Git'at'd. Canada. I998) Samuel L. Jackson. Don McKelIar. Jason I-‘lemyttg. l3() ntirts. .\'ot the story of a ntusician. bttt the story of a musical instrument. Spattttirtg four centuries. tIte'life story' of the violin is related irt five cltapters. begittttirtg iii art Italian workshop. ending with an auctiort itt Montreal. Hauntineg lyrical. but uneven filttt. Glasgow: Grosvettor. Rogue Trader ( IS) (James Dearden. t‘K. I999) liwatt McGregor. Anna Friel. 92 rttitts. Young Watford boy Nick Leeson conquered the Singapore stock exchange. tttade millions for Bat'itrgs Merchant Bank of London. tIten battkrupted tltertt with a billion dollar debt. For his trouble. he got a prison sentence itt Singapore. cancer. was divorced by his wife artd. according to ltittt. tttade not one petttty. Based on Leeson's book. Deardert's version of the events makes fora surprisingly rivetittg underdog-versus-the-estahlishmettt thriller. See review. General release.
A Room With a View (PG) (James Ivory. L'K. I985) Helena Bonltant Carter. Maggie Srttitlt. Julian Sattds. Denholm Elliot. “7 mins. Classy adaptation of the ILM. Forster novel about a prissy young [English girl who falls irt love it) romantic Italy. bttt with an unconventional young tttatt who seems ttot quite the rigltt thing at all. Glasgow: GF'I'. The Rugrats Movie (I?) (Norton Virgien/Igor Kovalyov. L'S. I998) Voices of: Ii.G. Daily. Christine Cavanauglt. Kath Sotrcie. SO tttirts. The weekly animated adventures of tlte tin-cutesy. itrttatingly voiced Pickles fatttily is big among kiddies artd adults lit the States. btit the tttovie is definitely more of a junior entertainment. Might keep the little ones quiet for a while. General release.
Seul Contre Tous I Stand xl/tttlt’l IS) (Gaspar Noe. l-‘rance. I99S) 93 tttirts. Hardcore penetrative sex and a nauseating scene which a pregnant woman is repeatedly punched lit the stomach. Distttrhittg artd graphic’.’ Yes. Gratuitous shock tactics'.’ No: only material of such uncotttprotttising brutality cart brirtg tlte viewer close to the utter desolation felt by the tttaitt character. art unetttployed 50-year-old butcher who has been slammed ittto a dead-end existence. lidittburglt: l:llltlllt)tt.\'c.
Shakespeare In Love ( I5) (John Madden. UK. I998) Joseph l-‘ienttes. Gwyneth Paltrow. Rupert Everett. IZO mitts, Joseph l-‘ienttes. a pair of breecltes and a few moody verses artd a league of women will leave the cinema wondering why they never figured it ottt at school: Shakespeare is sex on legs. 'I'om Stoppard's script is exuberantly confident. irreverent arid witty. \Iotlterwell:
Moviehouse. Stirling: MacRoben.
She's All That ( l 2) (Robert Iscove. US.
I999) Freddie Prinze Jr. Rachel Leigh Cook. Matthew Lilliard. 95 ntins. While botlt Clueless transforms Emma and Cruel Intentions twists Dangerous Liaisons into art Anterican ltiglt school setting. SIMS All Tltat is basically a teen romantic comedy remake of Pygmtlliun — with a fair amount of stereotyping alottg the way. General release. Shine (I2) (Scott Hicks. Australia. I996) Geoffrey Ruslt. Noah Taylor. Armin Mueller- Stahl. IOS ntins. Winner of rtine top awards at Australia's equivalent of the ()scars. Shine is a remarkable and devastating film about the life of child prodigy and pianist David Helfgott. who was forced to retire front the stage due to a mental breakdown. bttt returned later itt life. The perfortttattces sltow real love. wltile the recital passages are presented with a cortvictiort that underlines the quality of the film as a whole. Iidirtburgh: Canteo.
Skirts Ahoy (L') (Sidttey Lartf'teld. US. I952) listher Williams. Debbie Reynolds. Barry Sullivan. I09 mitts. Musical comedy attd entertaining propaganda piece about three socialites whojoitts the American navy. Iidinburglt: St Bride's Centre.
Sleeping Beauties ( l8) (Various. I997—99) S3 mitts. Short filrtt anthology featuring: Wltv Illate Bt'ex‘ tttigltt be retitled why I hate boys. film/my recollects some hoop dreams. Bel/0v. l’eniur is questions the natute of attraction. Getting On sltows a Bristol babe coping with a cruslt. attd Sleeping Beauties tells the tale of a tttottuary costttetician. Part of the Lesbian 8: Gay Film Festival. Edinburgh: l-‘ilmltouse. Stress (Rasltid Masltrawi/Duki Dror. I998) 53 tttirts. 'I‘wo short films. made side-by-side. by a Palestinian and art Israeli filmmaker. about the stress of modern day life irt botlt countries. Part of Descriptions ()f A Struggle. art Israeli/I’alestittian film season. l-Zdinburglt: l-‘ruitmarket Gallery.
Sumud (Ayelet Dekel. l987/97) 2t) tttirts. Iixploration of the emergence of the Palestinian uprising. Part of Descriptions ()f A Struggle. an Israeli/Palestirtiatt filttt season. Iidinburgh: Fruitmarket Gallery.
Sweet Smell 0f Success ( IS) (Alexander Mackendrick. US. I957) Burt Lancaster. 'l‘ony Curtis. Susatt Harrison. Martin Milner. 9o rttirts. A dark-centred conspiracy thriller with a superb evocation of fear attd paranoia. sltot on the streets of New York. Lancaster stars as a powerful journalist obsessed with destroying Itis sister's marriage. while Curtis is tlte gossip Itack wltose willingness to oblige leads ltittt irtto trouble. Part of the West [ind Film Festival. Glasgow: Giltttoreltill Centre. Tea With Mussolini ( l’(i) (Franco '/.effirelli. Italy/UK. I999) Clter. Joart Plow-right. Maggie Smith. I I7 mitts. Yeffirelli‘s film is partly autobiograpltical. partly fictitious. and concerns the effect on his own upbringing and education by a group of [English ladies living irt Florence at the time of II Duee's rise to power. This particular brew seertts oddly lacking itt zest. Iidittburgh: Dontittion. Duttfermline: Carnegie Hall.
Testimonies (Ido Sela. I985) So ntins. Docutttetttary itt which Israeli soldiers involved itt sutpressittg the Palestinian uprising discuss the emotions they experienced attd the memories they harbour today. Part of l)escriptiotts ()f A Struggle. an Israeli/Palestinian film season. Edinburgh: Fruitmarket Gallery.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ( t8) (Tobe Hooper. L'S. I974) Marilyn Burtts. Guttnar Hansen. Allen Dan/.iger. S-l mitts. A group of ktds travel to a broken-down house (it the middle of nowhere attd meet cannibalistic degenerates who pick off the cast one by one. Perhaps the tttost relentless slice of terror ever pttt on screen. lidittbttrgh: Canteo.
The 39 Steps (PG) (Alfred Hitchcock. L'K. I935) Robert Donat. Madeleine Carroll. Godfrey 'I‘eale. SI tttitts. Undoubtedly the best filttt version of John Buchatt's novel. as Donal evades a spy rtrtg across the length and breadth of (lte coutttry. with ittarvellous set pieces iii the London Palladium arid the Forth Bridge. Hitcltcock at his action-packing peak. Glasgow: GI-‘I'.
Three Sisters ('I'sipi Reibettbaclt. I993) (its aims. This documentary focuses on three Holocaust survivors. sisters denied tltetr youth by the Nazis attd now old and approaching their last days. Yet Reibenbaeh's film is also full of humour attd optimism. Part of Descriptions ()f A Struggle. art