film
index
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.
the Adventures Of tom Sawyer tl't .r (Norman 'I'aurog. I'S. l9.‘~\‘.)'l'otttrtiy Kelly. Javkie Moran. Walter Brennan. 93 mitts. 'I he Mark Twain classic is brought to the \t teen in a classic David (I Sel/nick prtxluctiott. with all the concise storytelling control of the goldett age of the Holly wood studio
produc tioti Ret otitnientled \ liiltlren's eiitertarnrtreiit. Izdinhtrr'gh' St flirtle'~ (‘viriie Affliction ( l S) (I’auI Schrad. i‘. I'S. I'I9SI Nick Nolte. .Iatiies ('obuiii. Sissy Spicek I H ttiiiis. NOTICS I lsear iioiiirriated perforrttant e as a small-town New Hampshire law man is the outstanding coittponent of Schradei 's Ieatlen film. which pummels liortie its theme of paternal tyranny arid t hiItI abuse w ith unnecessary ltea\ y -l).tfttlc'(lllc‘s\ Ittlttrspc' to e and inaccessible Stirling; MaeRobeit.
An Autumn tale ([7) (I".t ic Rohrirer. I-raiice. I999) Beatrice Romand. Marie Riviere. Alexia Portal. III mitts. Rohmer once agaiti. quite stunningly. accesses the tltoughts arid feelings of his characters Patience is the key to Rohtner's w oi‘k.‘ ifyott can empalhise with the vacillatitig characters. you ate richly rewarded by a film it hose charms linger for months afterwards. lidiitbuigh l iritrtere. (ilasgow. (ii-T. .
Antz (I’(i) tlzirc Ilarrtt II. litii .Iohiiur't I" 5 The voices of \lootly :\Ilt rt Sharon St illc'. (iene Ilackmaii. 83 turns. \\ Iieit worker am 7.— 4I95 (Allen) IIlt‘t'l\ l’fllts t‘\\ lltlld ISIHtit‘f. llc‘ falls completely to on e. btit. while its trig to prove himself as a soldier. he utieoyet s a dastardly platt to flood Ilie colony; :lrir: is bl’lg‘lllly c‘ttltlttlc‘tl .lfltl Illll (ll f.'.l1.'\. V) .lllllll\ will ehtrckle while kids are pulled III by the slick computer aniiiratiort. Stir ling
MaeRobert.
Apt Pupil ( l5) (Bryan Singer, I S l""'ll lair NcKelIen. Brad Renfro. Ilay rd St hy- imrrrer. Ill titiiis . This frtiely at tetl adaptation of a Stephen King itoyella tells the story of lotltl (Retrfro). ati ilt'dclt‘llllt ally grttid Io st at old who is researching the Holocaust when he finds a pltoto of a .\'a/i that resembles Kurt Diissander (McKeIleir). an old triati lly rtrg nearby. Iii his follow up to The ('sriii! Sits/retry. Singer again detitonstrates Iris es e for suspense and pacing. Krikcaldy; -\d.rrii Smith Theatre. Arlington Road ( l5) t.\I.trk I‘t‘lliriyioiy [5, I998) Jeff Bridges 'I rru Robbins. Joan Ctrsack. II7 mitts. l’eIlrirgton's second It'afttlt‘ goes a long way towards rev italisrtig the paranoia thriller genie. draw mg on the Oklahoma City boitibitig and the Waco \It ~e. Single parent. widower and university lt‘t litter in American It‘l‘l()l'l\lll Bridges bet oiries suspicious of neighbours Robbins arid (‘tists’k when he (JI\C()\ us a worry rug. hidden past. Mothei‘wellz Mothetwell Ihealre. Stirling; MacRober't.
Austin Powers: the Spy Who Shagged Me (I?) (Jay Roach. I'S. I999) Mike Myers. Heather (irahaitt. lzli/abeth Iltuley. 9o turns The Spy Who Shaggetl Me doesn't really make any advances iii wftat is surely. by now, .i new filrti franchise - Austin Powers 3; I is e Arid I et Shag. Austin Powers -l: The Man With The (iolden Mott). perhaps .’ — rather. it consolidates It's three types of ltlket‘y (ills kitsch. film references and sexual innuendo. General release. _
Best Laid Plansthr l.\lllst Barker. 1 5. Wm Alessandro t\'ivola. Reese \\ ilhei‘spoon. Josh Brolin. 93 mitts. It's impossible to i'e\eal much ofthe plot of this stipei'~st\lrsli. w ell-crafted thriller without ruining it 7 so It t's rust say it involves Tlte reunion of two (‘ltl \ tillege pals and art accusation of tape. I'heie's much to recommend; a palpable atmosphere of brooding tnenace and dark desire. a plot full of L7-turns and art enormoust ittipressty e cast Glasgow: (if-T.
the Big lebowslti ( lisr t loel (men I s I‘M7i Jeff Bridges. John (ioodiuatr. Steve lltlsr. ettti
I I3 mins. The ('oeri brothers give their trniqtre twist to a Chandler-esque l A tioir. as Ms hlPP)" Ilttow back Jt‘II 'The Dude. I ebowskt (Bridges) is draw it itito the sordid affairs of his millionaire namesake. Suddenly Ire has to
sleuth his way through disorganised crime. 'I'rademark oddball characters. surreal imagery and excellent performances grace this virtuoso comedy. Edinburgh: Cameo.
Black Cat. White Cat ( I5) (Fault Ktisttrrica. Germany/Iirarice/Yugoslavia/Ausiria/(ireece. I998) Florijan Aidini. Branka Katie. Bajram Sevred/an. I29 mins. Crazy filiti from the Yugoslavian director of .‘lI'IIUIltl Dream and Uritlergroimtl. set within a community of gypsy people and telling a tale of dodgy deals. family ties. young love and magical occurrences. A sensory overload delight. Kirkealdy: Adatti Smith Theatre.
Blade ( I8) (Stephen Norrington. L7S. I998) Wesley Snipes. Stephen l)orff. Kris Kristofferson. IZI mitts. Yotrtig Brit director Norrington's techno-vautpire movie — based
on the Marvel Comics character — is marred by
weak story telling and flashy cotttputer-game visuals. One hoped for sustained attuospherics and coherent mythology: instead. this fashionany updated take on vampire lore sqtranders its innovative ideas on a series of disjointed set-pieces. Glasgow: (il'T.
Bride 0t Chucky ( IS) (Ronnie Yti. lTS. I999). 89 mitts. The disrtiembered corpse of the pint- si/ed homicidal maniac is exhutired for this knowing horror sequel to the ('Iit'ltl's I’lttv series. The new edition offers diversion iii the form of Jennifer Tilly as the once-human ('lrtrcky's vengeful ex-girlfriemd. Tiffany. (‘Iydebankz l'('l. (ilasgow: ()tleon.
A Bug's life (I 7) ( Iohn I asseter. l‘S. l99.\') Voices of Day e I’oley. Kevin Spacey. David Hyde Pierce. 95 rtiiiis. The colony of Ant Island is being oppressed by a gang of
Illt‘flt’tv trig grasslioptx-is \\ Iien inventive btit clumsy worker ant I‘ltk tiieuis the wrath of gang leader Iloppc r. he heads off to fittd Iipr heavyweight help iii the battle against his oppressors. I..litibut‘gh: ()deott. (ialashiels: Pavilion I.args: Barrfields.
Buttoners (Knofllltari) t Isr (I’eli‘ '/.elertka. Czech Republic. I997). l22 rtriiis. The opening tale of this offbeat quintet is set iii I945 and hinges on a treat. simple irony: bomber pilots over Koktir'a. Japan follow their orders to fly on to Iliroshima instead because of bad weather. This is a darkly funny and understated piet e; btit the following stories drag. are inconsistent in their impact and rely too much upon arthotrse standards — world- weary taxi drivers. iiai\e. circular
coiiy ersatiotrs. lragrcomic suicide attempts and eccentric sexual preferences. Iidinbur'gh: I-‘ilrnlrouse.
Celebrity t l8) (\Ytltlcly Allen. [8. I999) Kenneth Branagh. Melanie (lllITfllt. Winona Ryder. ('Iiarlize 'I‘heion. I eotiardo DiCaprio.
I I3 tiiitis. A not always successful dissection of the nature and price of fame. The fifth revolves around Branagh's pltilandering hat k atid wannabe screenwriter. I ee Simon (Allen's alter-ego). who is irresistible to a succession of daHIitieg' attractit e women. l-'dirrburgh: ('ameo.
Central Station t ISr t\\’.iliei- Stilles. Ilia/if. I998) \'ruieius de ()liveir'a. Fernanda Montenegro. I l() mitts. Sugar~coated Ilc‘()- realism or a film that stares poyet'ty' in the eye.’ Salles‘s intertrational hit is the story of a young Rio de Janeiro street urchin and a former schoolteacher who go on the I'm) together in a film explores that Latin American mainstay: the search for a missing loved one. Iidinbuigh: ('ameo.
Clerks ( IS) (Key iii Siitilli. liS. I993) Brian ()‘I-Iallot‘an. Jeff Anderson. Marilyn (ihigliottt. 9() mitts. Just when you were sick of the very sight of the word ‘slacker'. along comes (‘Ierks and gives the whole commercialisation of the Gen X lifestyle a good hard kick tip the backside. Kevin Smith's hilarioust foul dialogue peps tip the exchanges on life. sex and everyday living between bored convenience store check-out assistant Dame
and equally bored video store manager Randal.
Edinburgh: Filinhouse. Cruel Intentions ( l5) (Roger Kttmhle. liS. I999). Sarah Michelle (iellar. Ryan Phillipe.
Reese Witherspoon. 93 mins. This teen remake
of Dangerous I ittiyorrv with horny high school kids takittg the place of the sexual schemers is terrific fun. Kathryn (Cellar) and Sebastian (Phillipe) are two spoiled. wealthy step- siblings living in Manhattan who devise a wager: Ire tiitist .st duce the new school principals daughter Annette (Witherspoon) If Sebastian fails. Kathryn gets his car; if he succeeds. fie gets to have sex with his stepsister every which way. (ieneral release.
Dance of Life/Liv Ullman - Scenes From A l Life (I’(i) (I iritlsa 'tlr’llartibro, \c-rw ty. l""‘l 52/75 mitts {Iii/ii e (If I it: is a built .rt of
world famous p fIIlIt'I I d\.ttil .\Itru. It S. we» Front/l I.i/e is .i. flll o porn in of rli-- f it: c, Iilttl director and t I).lIlt[‘It‘lI of from 'II If 'lt's (ilasgow; (il ‘I
the Debt COIlPCtOflISr t \lilltiitn \ v!
I'K. I999) l Illll\ t illlllt‘ll\ K It St '_ I .r-t Robertson. Illlitiriis ls’.-torrii if lllil r'uf .2 prison. ex-Ioan shark \rtls J‘IMI f) ((‘otinolly I is a IIL Ii. happily Ill.llllt 'I on the Scottish art scene. but pUIIt‘t‘I“ ~ri k. In (Stott) is deternrined to crash his party Ils- lives ofJimmy Boyle and thigh (‘olfriis spllll" to mind. but writer-director .\eilsoti tis. s the tale to picks away at the nasty iealotisi.-s air I i small-mindedness that cart fester beneath th - surface of a small nation, (ilasgow: ()dt oii Kirkealdy: Adam Smith 'I'heatre.
Dial M For Murder tl’ti) tAli‘i-etl the Ir. .~ L.
IS. I953) Ray Slilland. (irace Ktlly'. If“
mitts. A suave tennis player plots the lllllI-I I or ltis gorgeous. itch wife. Remade (and as
Perfect Mun/er). Iidinburgh: Cameo.
Le Diner De Cons t l5) (Francis Veils-i.
France. I999) Thierry l.hermitte. Jacques 1 Villeret. Catherine Hot. 80 mitts. liach Wednesday upmarket professional. l’ietrt- and g his friends invite someone for dinner as a playtliirig for their own amusement. Lliermilte's chosetr victim on one such Ill"'ll r. Francois. an accountant whose hobby is making models otrt of itrateltstieks. If on.- tiii interesting the idea of a lonely accountant abused for his stupidity before the tables at turned. their \"ei'ber's filtii offers IIllILll IIII! 'Jl lidiitbui'gh: l:flftlltt)tlse.
Double Indemnity (l’(i) (Billy w’rttfeta s. I944) Barbara Stanwyck. I-‘ted .\It .\furr.is Iidward (i. Robinson Illh mitts ('rackrne adaptation by Wilder and Raymond ('haittll I of the James M. (‘airi Itt)\c'l has insurance Ill ill MeMurray attracted by the alluring Staitw-s. I, who talks ltitti irtto murdering her spouse. .rr~ I all goes well until his boss Iitlwartl (i. l)t"'fll~ to suspect foul play. Sexual chemistry. labyrinthine plotting. tart wordplay. it's all here. A classic. Edinburgh: l’ilmhouse Entrapment t IS) tJoii Aiiiiel. ('8. I99”) \' 1!! ('ortnery. (.‘atherine Zeta-Jones Ill mirrs l-‘ormet' ace cat burglar Robert ‘.\lac' MacDougal (Connery) attracts the attention of sexy insurance investigator (iiit Baker t/er r Jones). She is deterttiined to fiitd ey ltlc'llct‘ connecting hittt with that opening sequent .- robbery. just as he is determined to not Ita‘. that erittie pitrtied on hitn. It's all very 'Io (huh A Thief. btit not really in the same league. (ierieral release.
Eraserhead ( l8) (David Lynch. I S. I9'TM John Nance. 90 mitts. You may Ilt‘\ er eat i: lly babies again after the repellent btrt coiirpt "If!" tale of Henry. his haircut. his girlfriend. llIs strange offspring and a sileable qirautitv of pus. Disturbing sttrff. itiet'ciftilly filmed llI blat k and white. Iiditiburgh: Cameo
Eternity and a Day (PG) t'ftreo
Augelopoulos. (ireece. I998) Bruno ( i.lll/
I l‘th
Isabelle Renatrfd. I32 tiiins. Typically elt ' llII
irreditation trpott life from the (heck auteur. ’ (itlftl. plays a 'w-riter who is preparirtg to It‘.l\ .- his lifelong home by the sea. Discovering , letter from his lortg dead wife. Ire becomes
ensrrated by his memories of her. Iidutbureh I-‘ilttihouse.
Ever After (I’(il (Andy Tt‘tllltll". llS. f99\‘r Drew Barryrttore. l)ougray Scott. Angelic .i I-Iustoti). Ill) itiitts. Why filrii a story synonymous with Walt Disney animation ' Because this purports to be the definitive one The filmmakers invest the tale with PC \.ilrr~s. most obvioust in a heroine who shows 'f'tll power‘ independence and intellect played by Barry more. who manages to be botlt sweet .tlltl gutsy.. Btrt the real surprise lies iii Scott's engaging turn as the Prince. Edinburgh: Lumiere.
Fear And loathing In las Vegas t I8) t I 'II \ (iilliattl. [3. I998) Johtltty' I)epp.. IIS iririis As adaptations ofctilt books go. (iilltam's I.Il.'. on Hunter S. 'I'hompson's assassination of the Aiiteriean Dream is a glorious mess of a
moy ie. It remains trtre to the atrthor 's y ision of moral torpor and psychosis. whilst llIlt's‘Illt" .I good shot of (iilham's own obsessions
l'law ed. certainly. btrt epically degenerate \lltl thus pure goo/.0. lidinburgh; Cameo,
Festen ( I5) (Thomas Vititerberg. (iet tiiam. I998). 106 mins. All is not as it seems at .i country house party given to celebrate the “lib. i birthday of rich patriarch Ilelge Klingenfelili t
lisitidgx FILM Nicky Agate
the column that previews the summer's movies from the streets of New York.
they love it and they Irate it. Stanley f’rrlrruk's an unparalleled genius, fatrley Kubricle a Soft-(ore Ioon
t rr‘elc-y V'rfrrii l;'s’ Ext“ I’l’ro’t} Slit/t has ‘i’oil. in a state of social illl/t 'til‘rc’nir
fl’lllrlv lb I'rlv .lz".(J Manhattanite inophrlws est ape the perennial heat naive and . l'O‘.‘/d into freezing theatres : x pass prthernerit (iii the swansong
f (oittiovc-rsy’s Id‘.’0llfll0 auteur. We an incessantly naked Krdman and t not—so naked Cruise as Dr Bill ll rifortl and his unemployed Wife. She tells him an arcane fantasy, he realotrslv reacts with rritzscalrne-Ievel ' talitv, and every detail in the film — from tho styitrnrr to the ltlllSlC t0 the
rstinq (if It‘ll I'fe husband and Wife -- irlavs vxrtfr this ‘.lll)lC‘XIllal flurdtty lr'twt r V) fr fit in and truth TWO and a h rlf hour, later, people are Sllll in the (I 'rl.. W:- rIon’t know how to react, litaust) We didn't know what to r )(flf’t t, and half the audience leaves tll‘,.Ipp(‘il'II(‘(l, muttering about money
:nil tlit- (Janitors of unsubstantiated v yer hype.
Eves f/t’n/e Shirt I‘, (If‘IIItIS, but slow,
-If generating ()(‘llllIS, its impact 'i vealed in the ll‘l't‘i‘ day comedown .rtont trying to work it .out. On the surface it's finely acted, technically perfect, and texttially over-explained. I leave feeling like I’ve been taken by the hand on a jOln-llle-dOIS plot expose, and it isn't until eight hours tater, when I'm still discussing the boundaries between real life and reverie, that the film's meticulous intricacies and intelligence really come to light Lower East Siders are still discussing it over brunch, confounded Iiy their mutable reactions, whispering, 'I thought I hated it, but I can’t get it out of my mrnd.’
Also transgressing the boundaries of cellulord truth is The Blair Witch Project, a film hyped as both doc and mockumentary, and an exploration of the ps,choloqical impacts of fear and myth. Willing to screw tip my mind a little more, I loin the long lines of masochism waiting to fry their brains, then leave too scared to walk the r-vr'imtral erriht blotks home Maybe this tiltrmate mytholonital City exists rnlv rrt my mian Maybe I don't really VlSt
IIt‘Al trrnc», I'm riding to see Tarzan. At least there I lrnow where I stand.
22 Jul-5 Aug I999 THELISTM