Video/DVD
SCOl llSll CLASSIC EDGE OF THE WORLD (U) 74min (BR Video DVD retail) 0””
Rediscovering filmmaker Michael Powell’s first feature is something akin to
the delight at finding a tartan pearl in an old discarded clam. Made in 1937 when Powell was 32 years old and still to meet his screenwriting partner Emeric Pressburger, The Edge of the World establishes Powell’s already ripe gift for mysticism and poetry in a medium that was still in its
adolescence.
Shot over four arduous months on the outer windswept Shetland islands,
the film takes as its basis the true story of the St Kilda (though set on Foula) croflers who, many years before, had requested that their laird help them evacuate the island because no new children were being born and their resources were diminishing with every failed harvest. Onto this desperate back drop Powell paints a dreamy picture of young love trysts, skewered friendships, staunch Knoxian deprecation and extremity.
At this remove The Edge of the World offers up a fascinating portrait of a
community that is slowly being crushed by the considerable demands of a
rapidly industrialising world. Powell was clearly honing his craft here and in
the process he created something of a magic realist masterpiece that was nevertheless raw and decent and respectful of its source material. John
Laurie (of Dad’s Army fame) and Finlay Currie hold the mix of professionals
and amateurs in the cast together as the island’s outspoken counsels of
Foula.
This DVD contains some fantastic extras, the best of which is Powell’s potty 1978 documentary, Return to the Edge of the World. The greatest Scottish film of all time? I can’t think of a more haunting one. (Paul Dale)
With only the stripped down soul of Greg Allman's l lammond organ shining through the glossy. overworked blues; work outs. Were is loads of footage for fans at least. and the second disc has plenty of extras; ‘.‘.(llll lengthy interviews. backstage and rehearsal footage and somewhat superfluous; biography and discography sections. Despite that.
94 THE LIST ;: ,2? H7... .
it's hardly worth the
ride for the uninitiated.
(Doug .Johnstone)
JACOBLAN Al )Al ’ lAl ION
REVENGERS TRAGEDY (15) 106 min (Tartan Video DVD Retail) 0... /
Playwright l'homas Middleton opens; his 160/ play with the warning: ‘l le who seeks revenge should
(lig two graves'. In this; ambitious; adaptation. Vindici (Christopher
Eccleston) returns; from exile to a post— apocalyptic Liverpool to avenge the murder of his; bride by the powerful bully. the Duke (Derek Jacobi). A typically bloody 17th century tale — engorged with lascivious immorality. incest. scheming and violence — ensues. The language is exquisite. and the cast delicious; (Eddie I/xard is; pivotal: Sophie Dahl lovely to look at) but director Alex Repo Man Cox's staging. though lush. is at times a little dated. the film feels; like like a bridging work somewhere between jarman's Edward // and Loncraine's Richard M. Dig the anachronisms; my friend.
(Ashley Davies)
PSYCl lOLOGICAl
lHRll l LR RIPLEY’S GAME (15) 110min (Entertainment In Video DVDVHS rental. retail)
Liliana Cavani's stylish take on the later career of Patricia l-lighsmith's amoral tll)(}l'lll()llS(le Tom Ripley veers throughout between sinewy morality tale and black comedy shocker. .John Malkovich is; at his; louche_ effortless; best as; the charming psychopth who manipulates; terminally ill picture framer Dougray Scott into undertaking a lucrative assassination. only to unleash a murderous; adrenaline rush in the hitherto mild -mannered innocent. Despite some wild plot imr)i'obabilities and the presence of Ray Winstone as the usual identikit cockney criminal. mysteriously residing in Italy. Cavani manages a persuasive balance between suspense and deadpan humour, most
outrageously illustrated by the scene in which Malkovich and Scott commit a triple garrotting in a train toilet. (Allan Radcliffe)
DRAMA SUSPICIOUS RIVER
(15) 89min (Tartan Video DVD Retail) 0.0
Now here's a tale of feminist optimism — not. Leila (Molly Parker) works in a (lull motel in a dull, nondescript town flanked by the eponymous; river. Rendered emotionally numb by an abusive childhood. she seeks; feelings — pain is; better than nowt and she's; immune to the suffering of her anorexic husband — by selling her body to motel guests. As; her reputation for whoring spreads. a new client comes; onto the scene and she starts; coming alive again. feeling affection and sexual gratification. and as; well as; pain from his beatings; and worse. Perhaps a little too laboured in its; symbolism, l ynne K/ssed Stopewich's film s; nevertheless a rich story that's beautifully shot. with an astonishing r)(>rl()riiiziii(:(> fr(>iii Parker. (Ashley DaVIes)
Sll l Nl DRAMA SUNRISE
(U) 91 min
(liureka DVD retail) OOOO
lhe silent era gets; serious cineastes; fired up but tends; to move your average lilmwatchei to tears; of boredom. We've been too spoilt in the interim with. you know. dialogue which is not backed by a creaky musical accomr)animent. But there are some period pieces which reach out from behind the
expressionistic gauze and hit you where it hurts. FW Murnau's Sunrise is one such gem. The simple stoiy of a man and a wife who go through a spiritual reincarnation has enough camera trickery and complex human emotion to make a real splash. (Brian Donaldson)
FOOlBALL PROHLE THE BHOY WHO WOULD BE KING
(E) 81 min (Fremantle Video/DVD retail) 0...
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Rangers fans; look away now. Seeing Henrik Larsson craftily lob Stefan Klos to score a goal described by Jim Kerr as; ‘poetry' just once may be hard enough to take. In the course ()f this; Video and the DVD extras. it may well be shown around 40 times from every conceivable angle.
When Larsson leaves; Celtic next summer, a raft of merchandise will be unleashed upon an adoring Hooped public. but this hedonistic goal fren/y Will do for starters. lhe chatter from fellow professionals and fans; both famous and ‘normal' s; suitably elegiac while the array of hairstyles; (on his; head and above his lip) are endlessly entertaining.
(Brian Donaldson)