tale's denouement. the shock is almost unbearable. But like its predecessor. The Hidden Blade is marred by its excessive length, its Overly swish soundtrack and its need to tie everything up as if it were written by Laura lngalls Wilder. but there is no denying the film's pure emotional pull and slow burning pleasures. Also. Mutsuo Naganuma's elegant and thoughtful ciirematography is one of the very best appropriations of the work of O/u's favourite lens man Yuuharu Atsuta's work that l have ever seen. (Paul Dale)
I Cinewor/d Reiifrew Street. Glasgow from Fri 2 Dec and GFI'. Glasgow from Fri 30 Dec. See interwew. left.
FANTASY
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
(PG) 125min 0
‘Heaven offers nothing that a mercenary soul can desire.’ CS Lewis, author of The Narnia Chronicles, wrote that and if we are to take him at his word, the makers of this pointless adaptation and its subsequent sequels will certainly not be hanging out with the angel Gabriel any time soon. For this - the first of seven proposed children fantasy blockbusters based on Lewis’ much loved allegorical novels (though curiously not the first in the book series for that was The Magician’s Nephew) - is an absolute stinker. It’s made all the more unpalatable by the fact that the very unchristian greed of its producers is so utterly palpable over its seemingly endless running time.
After an impressive opening sequence involving the wartime bombing of the children’s East Finchley home and their subsequent evacuation to the countryside, Andrew Shrek Adamson’s film stays witlessly faithful to Lewis’ tale of wardrobes, 100 year winters, fawns, beavers and Christlike lions. Unlike Lewis’ compellingly
THRILLER WHERE THE TRUTH LIES (18) 107min O...
In their day Lanny Morris (Kevin Bacon) and Vince Collins (Colin Firth) were bigger than Dino and Jerry Lewis. This music and comedy duo was a mainstay of the TV telethons and ritzy nightclubs that were part of the social fabric of 1950s America. But then one day the body of a beautiful yOung woman was found in the bathtub of their hotel suite and nothing would be the same again. Flash forward to the 19708. when wannabe gonzo jOurnalist Karen O'Connor (Alison Lehman). who is researching Collins' authorised biography. becomes consumed with finding out the truth behind the long buried incident and discovers that the truth can be a very Subjective thing.
This is something of a return to form for writer/director Atom Egoyan after the disappointments of both his last film Ararat and 1999's Felicia 's Journey. Constructed like a classic episode of Columbo. this witty and raunchy whedunnit. based on singer, composer and writer Rupert Holmes'
is.
deliciously scurrilous novel of imagined rat pack mores. Where the Truth Lies is a whole load of mysterious fun. As ever. Egoyan uses a generic formula to explore his favourite theme — the media — and expOunds on the beginning of celebrity Culture. showbiz. the Quaalude generation and the death of traditional journalism in the hippy era. The reSult is a wonderfully entertaining drama that uses intellectual rigour and hedonistic vigour to play out a vaguely Hitchcockian premise. Where the Truth Lies is something of a prescribed treat but you will be thanking the doctor for it. (Paul Dale)
I General release from Fri 2 Dec. See interview. page 48.
a ' ! “1.x ..
simple proto Christian fable, which took inspiration from the Gospel themes of betrayal, death, resurrection
and redemption, the Old and New Covenants of Christianity, the Trinity concept and even Platonic
page 15.
philosophy, this live action film version seems propelled only by the findings of the last focus group that was made to sit through a Lord of the Ring or Harry Potter film. 80 amongst the latex costumes that look like they’ve been rendered by Chris Offili, the garden centre ice statues, the jars of juice of the firefly and the echoes of middle-class imperialism, we are treated to Tolkein-rivalling battle sequences that seem to have swallowed this otherwise cheaply FX’d film’s budget. With all the adult stars (Tilda Swinton, Ray Winstone and Liam Neeson in particular) phoning in their performances from some Kiwi pleasure beach (the film was filmed in New Zealand), this really is about as tiresome as it gets. Soft brained children who lack any kind of critical faculty may enjoy it but ultimately this is proof (if it were needed) that great books can make truly appalling films. (Paul Dale)
I General release from Thu 8 Dec. See Big Picture.
Film
l-7lm’ news and giveaways for
beautiful cineaste types
.I “a
I Make sure you don’t miss the Talent Circle Super Shorts Film Festival (pictured) at the Brass Monkey Pub, Edinburgh, Monday 5 December to Friday 9 December. Admission is free all day. www.supershorts.org.uk for details. I Filmhouse has been appointed
, to curate the film programme for the new An Lanntair Art Centre in Stornoway. To celebrate they have secured a UK Premiere screening of The Rocket Post. The film is based on the true story of a German scientist who planned to link the community via a rocket postal service. Roddy Murray, the director of An Lanntair, is ‘expecting a sell-out'.
WIN SEINFELD
With 26 hours of special features Seinfeld seasons five and six cannot ‘ _ be missed. We have five I t copies of each box set up for grabs. Simply send an email marked ‘SEINFELD' to prornoti<>r1s<a>list.co.uk by no later than 15 December. Please include a daytime telephone number and postal address
WIN BOND DVDS
Call us mad but we are also giving away the Bond DVD collection box set of all 20 special edition DVD 007 movies. Simply send an email marked ‘BOND' to promotit.)nsta>list.co.uk by no later than 15 December. Please include a daytime telephone number and postal address.
1 ~11") Dec 9005) THE LIST 51