(15) 95min (Anchor Bay DVD retail) 0..
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This supernatural thriller was somewhat overlooked on its cinematic release in 1989 but is definitely worth another look. Written and directed by Mike Hodges. Black Rainbow mixes a moody Crime stay with a macabre edge in the tale of a scamming medium who begins to predict people's deaths for real. Hodges creates a claustrophobic feel and vividly depicts a run- down and hopeless Bible Belt. but it's the performances of a gnarly drunken Jason Robards and in particular a compelling but understated Rosanna Arguette as the psychic on the edge of madness that make this worth watching. The perfunctory range of extras is worth a passing glance. but little more. (Doug Johnstone)
CLASSIC MUSICAL GIGI
(PG)1 16min (Warner Home Video DVD retail) coco.
é LiVfll’flf.’ G‘! In the tradition of such lovable classics as My Fair Lady. this romantic romp through turn-of- the-century Paris can't help but set your romantic fuses tingling. Gangly teenager Gigi (Leslie Caron). a mischievous streak of charm who is candid to
the point of impropriety. undergoes a Cinderelia- style transformation capturing the heart of old family-friend (and toast of Gay Paris) — Gaston (the delicious LOuis Jourdon). Gigi still sparkles after all these years from Maurice Chevalier's rendition of ‘Thank Heaven for Little Girls' to Caron's ‘The Night They Invented Champagne. Thank Heaven indeed. (Susanna MCMicking)
MUSIC
KING CRIMSON: EYES WIDE OPEN
(E) 265min
(Sanctuary DVD retail)
Attempting to prove that they've still got the cosmic prowess of a thousand screaming guitar solos. King Crimson offer up two discs of material culled from their last two albums. The Power To Believe. and The Constucktion Of Light. Whilst the material has its moments. I'Elektrik'. in particular). its the context and cliche Within which these acts of Progresswe Rock are played out. One disc details the shenanigans at a Japanese concert (all sterile technological Wizardry and ostentatIOLis laser shoWSI has abOLit as much soul as a Pagan All-nighter. The other disc is set on home turf and is a better representation of what Crimson are all about. Pass the lark's tongue in aspic . . . (Simon Dehany)
SEXY CHICK THRILLER SO CLOS
(15) 110min 00 (Columbia Tristar DVDNHS retail’rental)
. . . And yet so far. This hammy slice of Hong Kong action courtesy of Director Cory Yuen is described on the cover
1 14 THE LIST 15-29 Apr 2004
, i. ‘3’ as ‘Charlie's Angels meets Crouching Tiger'. it is a pale comparison. Assassin sisters. corrupt corporate computer viruses - its all here. in a cack-handed melee of irrelevant story lines. second rate special effects and over blown acting. Redeeming factors? The fact that the inspiration for this movie was The Carpenters' song 'Close To You’ which when set to a blistering opening action sequence both loses and finds something in translation. (Simon Dehanyl
MELODRAMA TOGETHER WITH YOU
(PG) 116min (Momentum DVD rentaliretaill 00.
“I I
Prominent Chinese filmmaker Chen Farewell My Coricubirie Kaige's Together With You is an unashamed melodrama. It's the tender and compelling story of a father and son who leave their rural home for big city Beijing in order to realise the boy's potential as a musical prodigy. taking with them the Violin he used to play to his now absent mother.
Will the boy find success? Will the loving relationship between father and son survrve the torments of the youngster's tuition? You'll find the answer to these and other melodramatic propositions whilst blubbing into your chocolate box during the course of this satisfying tearjerker. (Miles Fielder)
BEMUSING COMEDY MYSTERY PETITES COUPURES
(15) 92min (Artificial Eye DVD retail) 0...
Mixing political satire, mystery, domestic comedy and romantic tragedy
Pascal Bonitzer’s Petites Coupures may not know what the hell it wants to be but it’s none the poorer for it. Daniel Auteuil’s journalistic midlife loser Bruno is not the most original central character in French (nouvelle vague- ish) cinema but the twists and turns of the narrative unfold in such a deliciously casual manner that little room is left for scrutiny.
Ex revolutionary journalist Bruno is lured to the ‘dark forest’ by some of his old Marxist compadres (a nod to Dante’s Divine Comedy) and subsequently gets lost. Flitting from one woman to another, he hilariously incurs the wrath and displeasure of just about everyone he comes in
contact with.
Kirstin Scott Thomas as the enigmatic Beatrice makes this a particular delight. Effortlessly switching from bored and frigid bourgeoisie to adulteress, adorable flake to criminal, her performance perfectly mirrors the genre skipping sub Big Sleep narrative playfulness with a healthy disregard. A real treat, it’s hard to see why this little gem was so brutally ignored on it’s theatrical release. (Ricardo Alexander lll)
DOCUMi—NTARY TREMBLING B4 6-0
(15) 84min
(Anchor Bay DVD retaill C...
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Remarkalfly powerful feature documentary that sets out to examine the possibilities of gay and lesbian relationships in Hasidic and Orthodox Jewish communities. Filmmaker Sandi Simcha DuBowski uses New York's first openly gay rabbi Steve Greenberg as a spool point from which to unravel the many tragic. humorous and courageous stories of those who wanted to keep both then God given sexuality and their faith. Informative. intellectually rigorous but accessible this touching film asks some fundamentally deep
questions of the mini theocracies we build around ourselves. The DVD comes With DuBowski's early short and heaps of extra footage of the wise rabbi in conversation.
iPaul Dale)
ARCHIVAL MUSIC THE WHO - THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
(E) 159min
(Sanctuary DVD retail) 0..
Originally released theatrically in 1979. Jeff Stein's clunky eulogy to everybody's favourite
working class mod band gets a thorough digital workover for this two-set DVD release. A visual diary of The Who's many television and concert performances. The Kids Are All Right is both fascinating and annoying: with no peripheral information telling the viewer the year. the date or place of the clips. things can get a bit frustrating. On titE} ()tlieer lizirt(l. watching mad Keith. cynical Pete. pretty boy Roger and solid John degenerate their way through everything from The Russell Harty Show to Woodstock is a joy. The bonus disc contains more rare material. new interviews with Daltrey and director Stein, a virtual tour of London. trivia games and a multi- angle performance segment. (Paul Dale)
DVD give away
To celebrate the release of The Kids are Alright on DVD, we have five copies to give away to the first people who send an email to promotions@list.co.uk by no later than 29 Apr.