’ mam FREE-CD PtUSWINA TRIP TO lCELAND‘ I
...bu is it really . rthan Edinburgh?
sail q t ' bette
' swerve mu co PLUSWINA iRlP ro ICELAND' I
. . . but is it really better than Glasgow?
NEVER MIND THE LENGTH - FEEL THE QUALITY
Re: 8000M
After reading your preview article. I went to the opening night of Suspect Culture's new performance at Tramway last week. Since then I've seen several really negative reviews in the press. Doubtless your own review will appear shortly. but I wanted to say that I found the play engrossing. impressive. and only just a little too long. Don't believe all you read in the papers!
Hannah Dunning
Glasgow
TOKYO NO STORY Re: Movie release dates
In last fortnight‘s The List. you reviewed Tokyo Story, and said that it was on selected release from 16th January. I was looking fonrvard to seeing the film — please don't tell me it only came out for the few days that I wasn't paying attention! Kathryn Sharp
Edinburgh
In a distribution change made after we 'd gone to press. Toyko Story ended up without any screenings in Glasgow or Edinburgh. Apologies.I
FILM BUFFS’ CORNER
Re: Letters (486)
Thanks to Ian Miller for ‘liberally laying into' The 50 Best Scottish Films of All Time. The modestly-sized guide was always intended to provoke debate (and text vote3) rather
2 THE LIST 5— 19 Feb 2004
Letters
React, The List,
14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE
or React, The List,
at the CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD
or email editor@list.co.uk
than be a complete reference tool. In that regard it‘s doing its job just fine.
In any event. one man's Massacre of G/encoe is another man's Hold Back the Night (an inept film that also never made it into the Top 50). That said. the long list from which the 50 films and Finest Filmmakers was culled included a number of entries that. had space permitted. WOuld have made it into the guide. Here's Finlayson's entry as it would have appeared: The bald-headed, handlebar- moustachioed James Henderson Finlayson was the finest of all the comic foils to Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy Working with Stan and Ollie on many of their short films during the 79303, Finlayson will be forever remembered as the master of the double take, which the actor usual/y combined with a penetrating. one-eye-closed stare and finished with a ‘s/owburn’ (a turn to the camera in utter dismay or disgust). So memorable, too. was Finlayson '3 comic exclamation, ‘Dohl '. that the Simpsons' voice actor Dan Caste/laneta made it the catchphrase of his Homer Simpson.
Finlayson was born in Falkirk in 7887 and died of a heart attack — doh.I — in Los Ange/es in 7953, two years after making his final film. ln between, he made almost 200 films (mostly in America), beginning with Yank/"e Doodle in Berlin in 7979.
The choice of entries was ultimately mine as editor of the guide. but made in conSultation with some of the contributors. You'd be surprised how much you can write about in 48 pages. and no less Surprised that with twice that number of pages you'd still not be able to do justice to Scottish cinema. Bring on The 50 Best Scottish Film of All Time. The Sequel. Miles Fielder Edinburgh
WHAT IS INDEPENDENT CINEMA’S JOB? Re: GFI’ programme Last night I had one of those cinema experiences that are familiar to us all: you read the five-star reviews. your friends tell you how wonderful it is. . ' I'm not going to blame the GFT for the fact that l was bored stiff by Lost in Translation. But I do have a complaint which this experience prompted. Since the opening of the UGC. Europe‘s tallest — yes, tallest — cinema the GET has had some competition in showing the smaller mainstream films which previously didn‘t make it to the big screens in the city centre. It seems the Gl-T's response has been to play the UGC at its own game. I know that Lost in Translation is an important and
RYAN AIRBORNE
Heartbreaker and the excellent. Neil Young- intluenced (not to mention radio-friendly) Gold. It's just a pity that while the White Stripes take to the stage at the SECC. Adams will be nursing a broken wrist suffered diving from the stage in Liverpool. Very rock'n‘roll!
Pasquale lannone Edinburgh
Re: Editorial comment (486)
Whilst l concur wholeheartedly with your championing of the White Stripes as an uncompromising alternative to the processed. pimply pop currently being rolled from TV to radio to supermarket shelves to gather dust, I must also mention another artist who had a prolific 2003 (artistically. it not commercially). Last year. Ryan Adams released two albums of unquestionable Quality in the form of ‘Love is Hell' Parts 1 and 2. Much as it can be argued that his official album ‘Rock n' Roll' is not as accomplished as the White Stripes' Elephant. these two ‘unofticial' EPs (derided and delayed by his record company) are a fascinating glimpse into the world of the artist as tired, washed-up and broken-up. Not exactly typical Saturday night fare, but brilliant nonetheless. Like Meg and Jack, Ryan arrives in the UK having matured and developed as an artist through studio albums such as the country-influenced
& Australian Wine iii its best
critically successful film. and that the GET perhaps sees itself as obliged to show it for those reasons. but does it really need to be on screen for three weeks. at the expense of other far more interesting and lesser-known projects? I know that the reels come to Scotland because I've seen the Edinburgh Filmhouse programme, which offers a far wider range of independent and repertory cinema. How can the GFT justify its arts council funding by showing almost nothing but films that are also available 100 yards down the road?
it would be great if the GET could do a bit more of what independent cinemas are made for: showing independent films. Thomas Alexander Glasgow
THE LETTER OF THE ISSUE WILL RECEIVE
FOUR BOTTLES OF WOLF BLASS WINE
lST
Evens cum: CONTRIBUTORS
Publisher & General Editor Robin Hodge
EDITORIAL
Editor Nick Barley Deputy Editor
Brian Donaldson Assistant Editors
Mark Robertson.
Maureen Ellis. Paul Dale Research
Helen Monaghan (Art). Maureen Ellis (Comedy & Sport), Henry Northmore (Film & Rock). Anna Millar (City Life, Dance 8. Theatre). Ruth Hedges (Classical. Folk. Jazz & Kids)
SALES AND MARKETING
Sales a Sponsorship Director Amanda Mungall Media Sales Support Barbara Crichton
Senior Media Sales Executives
Carol Ferguson
Rachel Shields
Media Sales Executive Brigid Kennedy Promotions Manager Sheri Friers
Circulation Kate Fairclough
PRODUCTION
Art Director
Krista Kegel-Dixon Production Manager Simon Armin
Designer Lucy Reeves Subeditor Ashley Davies Production Assistant Russell Steedman
ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Georgette Renwick Accounts Assistant Manager Donna Taylor Reception
Rachael Street Edinburgh Office Susannah McMicking Glasgow Office
Jane Hamilton.
Elaine Graham
New Projects Director Mhairi Mackenzie Robinson IT Andy Bowles
SECTION EDITORS Art Helen Monaghan Books Brian Donaldson City Life Anna Millar, Jane Hamilton
Clubs Henry Northmore (with Kenny Hodgart) Comedy Maureen Ellis Comics Paul Dale Dance Kelly Apter
Film Paul Dale
Food Barry Shelby Games lain Davidson Gay Jane Hamilton
Kids Ruth Hedges Music Mark RobertSOn (with Norman Chalmers. Carol Main. Kenny Mathieson. Fiona Shepherd) News Ruth Hedges Records Mark Robertson Shopping Maureen Ellis Sport Maureen Ellis Television Brian Donaldson Theatre Steve Cramer Travel Anna Millar Video/DVD Paul Dale