“it:
Name Robin Wright Penn
Born 8 April 1966 in Dallas. Texas.
Background Born in Texas. teen model turned daytime soap actress Wright actually grew up in San Diego. Her feature debut was as Rob Reiner's Princess Bride (1987). She met Sean Penn on Irish mob thriller State of Grace. they later married and had two children. Her other films include Forrest Gump. Unbreakable and Penn's The Pledge.
What’s she up to now? She's starring as the Swedish-American lover of Jude Law's errant architect in Anthony Minghella's Breaking and Entering.
What she says about playing a part-Swedish character
‘I went to Stockholm for a couple of days to research. It was very impressive. in that everyone that I questioned. observed had this overall sense of. “Oh. we were born suicidal . . . we have 18 hours of darkness most of the year and of course we're alcoholic and therefore depressed most of the time." They're all in the same boat — but that boat's very small.‘
What she says about the treatment of Immigrant communities in the US 'They work for you. It's cheaper labour and they don't have the rights. they're not able to be citizens - but it's good for the American work force. We've lost the American Man. You know. they used to be at the gas stations. run the diners — not any more. It's like we've killed off our own in a way.‘ What she says about her husband’s outspoken political beliefs 'I don't think I'd be married to someone if I didn't agree with their politics. 1 suppOrt his belief system; I love what he does. I think there should be more need to speak out and if it’s an avenue that works. being a celebrity and using your celebrity for that. well. fuckin' hell man. do it more.’
interesting Fact Penn dropped out of Hollywood blockbusters on two separate occasions. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) and The Firm (1993). because she was pregnant. (Leigh Singer)
I Breaking and Entering is on general release from Fri 10 Nov. See review, page 43.
46 THE LIST 2—16 Nov 2006
Danger: Diabolik (PG) 0000 (Mario Bava. ltaly/t-‘rance. 1968) John Phillip Law. Marisa Melt. Micltel I’iecoli. 99min. Italian horror maestro Bava turns his hatid to eotnic strip actiott with this wonderfully bi/arre. sub-Bond parody. tinlivened by the director’s eye for outlandish visuals atid some unusual fantasy sequences. Part of Motido ltalia! Glasgow Film Theatre. Glasgow:
The Departed ( 18) 000 (Martin Scorsese. IS. 2006) Leonardo t)i(‘aprio. Matt Damon. Jack Nicholson. Martin Sheet). Mark Walilberg. 151mm. This remake of the Hotig Kong triad thriller Infernal Altair-s is not as good as the Scorsese classics bttt still hooks right to the very last shot with a distingttished cast I)i(‘aprio finally fitidiiig a role that suits and several superb set pieces along the way. (ierter'a/ release.
The Devil Wears Prada (PG) 0000 tI)avid lirankel. IS. 2006) Meryl Streep. Anne Hathaway. limin Blunt. 109mm. Nice. twee w annabee journalist Attdy
(Ilathaway) fitids herself employed as one of
two personal secretaries to the formidable Miranda Priestly (Streep). an Anna Wintour style fashion editor. With killer one lines. really well rounded characterisatioti arid excellent performances. it's difficult not to fall for its myriad charms. Though formulaic. in terms of decent mainstream t'S films this year. this enjoyany innocuous. bitchy rottip. may be as good as it gets. (ieneral I'eletly’e.
Digging Up the Dear Green Place (tbe) (Various. I'K. Variousil‘he JAM7-l catnpaign to stop motorway construction through (ilasgow Southside presents an evening of films about the project and other community cultivation schemes: the Walter .llut'l’lyrilt ('ommtinity (iarden. ()n Allotments and ./.-i.ll. ('( 'xl. (i/avgrni: Django ( 15) 0... (Sergio ('orbticci. Italy/Spain. 1966) l‘ranco Nero. Jose Bodalo. l.oredana Nttsciak. (iino Pet'nice. 91min. Although it was a hit on the international circuit. British audiences have had only rare chances to \ iew- (‘orbucci‘s cult Western. With its emphasis on the violettt and bizarre. this was one of the founding fathers of the spaghetti Western oeuvre atid a far cry frotii the ruti-of-the-mill revenge dramas often churned otit by Hollywood. l’lllltltt)tt.\‘('. Iz'din/mrjeh. DoNation: Kidney Transplant l 12.-\) (Various. (K. 2005) 120mm. A documentary about a kidney transplant from a livitig donor. The bill also features Life on the List. two episodes from a doe about dotiatioti. and The law ol'xtreragex. about a boy with kidney disease. Part of lithics of'I'ransplantatioii season. I'ilmhoiise. lidtnlnirgh.
Don ( 12A) (I’arhan Akhtar. India. 2006) Shahrukh Khan. Priyanka (’hopra. Arjun Rampal. Kareetta Kapoor. 150mm. Bollywood presentation in which a strapped-for-cash single father is recruited by a police officer to masquerade as the mastermind behind at) international gaiig of thieves. Selected release.
Don Ameche: Hollywood’s Class Act (the) (IS. 1986) 90min. The life story of the 'I'inseltown actor. who graced the silver screen from the 1930s to the 1990s. St Bride 's (entre. Edinburgh.
Dr No (P(i) O... ('I‘erence Young. t'ls'. 1962) Sean (’onnery. t'rsula Andress. Joseph Wiseman. Jack Lord. 105mm. The first Bond movie. and a vintage one at that. A very young-looking atid Scots-sounding (‘onnery works his charming (and '.’ in hindsight '.’ somewhat camp) way through the diabolical back passageway s of Dr .\'o's evil etnpirc and the reqttisitc number of floosies. pattsitig only to take otil the occasional tarantula arid take iii the (‘aribbean scenery. To say nothing of Ms Andress' spectacular appearance on the beach with that conch shell . . They don't make ‘em like they itsed to. lite Iz'dirilni/gli ()mni. It'dinlmrjeh.
Eros ( IS) 0.. (Wong Kar Wat. Stey eti Soderbergh. Michelangelo .-\ntonioni. t7S/(‘hina/ltaly. 2006) ('hristopher Buchholr. I.i (iong. Alan Arkin. Robert 1)owney Jr. 106mm. See review. page 43. Glasgow" I‘llm Theatre. Glasgow:
Flesh for Frankenstein ( 18) (Paul Morrissey. Italy/France. 1973) [do Keir. Joe
t)allesandro. Monique \‘an \‘ooren. 95min. (iory and sexy. Morrissey's twist on the Hammer tiiovies is a hugely entertaining camp-fest. What‘s interesting is the political level that's grafted on: these monsters are to be part of a Serbian titaster-race (and the rise of Wagner’s taint/tamer.2 also points In in this dil'eetlrntl. Part of Psychotronic (‘inema and Mondo Italial Film/louse. lidinlmrgh. The Flying Scotsman (l’( i) 000 (Douglas MaeKinnon. t'K. 2006) Jonny Lee Miller. Billy Boy-d. Laura l'raser. Brian Cox. 105mm. High profile dramatisation of the (iraham ()bree story. The cyclist struggles with personal demons atid a homemade bike to set a new world one-hour cycling record. Part of Rccl 2006. l‘llltllttltt.\t'. [ct/iri/mrgli. For Whom the Bell Tolls (t') tSam Wood. I'S. 19-13) (iary (‘oopetz Ingrid Bergman. Akitti 'l'amiroff. 171mm. ()seat‘ winning adaptation of lirnest Hemingway's (‘i\ it War-time drama. (‘ooper stars as the soldier on a dangerous mission who finds love (Bergman ). Scotsman .S'ereening Room. I'fdinlnugh.
Free Cinema ( 12A) (Various. t'ls'. Various) 100mm. A progratmne of short films front the influential British cinematic movement of l-‘ree ('inenia: .llormna Don '1 Allow. Nice lime. (I Dreamland atid together. l’ltis short Night .ttall. l‘lllltlttlltu'. Izdinlitirgli. Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties (t‘) (Tim ltill. IS. 2006) Breckin Meyer. Jennifer Love Ilewitt. Billy ('onnolly. Bill Murray. laii Abererombie. Roger Rees. 80min. Iii his return to the big screen. the cley er ginger feline (voiced by Murray ). takes a trip to Blighty. attd throttin a case of mistaken identity ends tip ruling over a rather flashy country pile. The nefarious 1.ord I)argis ((‘onnolly ) has other ideas though. Selected release.
Gene Tierney: A Shattered Portrait (the) (IS. l986)~15min. The life story of the 20th ('entury t-‘os starlet. St Bride’s ('eiitre. Iidinliar'gh.
Goideneye ( 12) .00 (Martin ('attipbell. t’K/t'S. 1995) Pierce Brosnan. Seati Bean. l/abclla Scorttpco. 130mm. A long w all. a new Bottd. a twist to bring him tip to the 90s. It's definitely worth it.
because this is a solid two-and-a-bit hours of
fun. filled with all the old pttiis atid gadgets. btit with a bit of character dey elopttietit. Brosnan is the best Bond since ('onnery. and his wry smile helps our hero through his trials as he tracks down the haddies who have hijacked a satellite system that cati wipe the world's computers clean. tire lidiitliia'e/t ()rnni. lz'dinlnrrgli.
Goldfinger ( l’( }) eeee ((iuy Ilatiiiltoti. t'K. 196-1) Sean ('onnery. llonor Blackman. (iert I‘robe. 1 12min. The one with I’llssy‘ (ialore. ()dd Job. Shirley Bassey belting it ottt. Shirley Iiaton covered itt gold and a typically oyer-the-top plot as mad Attric plans to break into liort Knox. Much better on the big screen when it doesn't have to be crammed into the TV frame. lite Edinburgh ()nini. Izdinhiufieh.
Good Night, and Good Luck (PU) .... (( icorgc (‘1ooncy. Japan/l-'ranee/t'K/t ‘S. 2005) Day id Strathairn. Robert 1)owney Jr. (ieorge (‘looney. Patricia ('larkson. I‘rank l.ange|la. Ray \Visc. 92min. Journalist and broadcaster lid R .\1tirrow"s campaigns were tiiatiy and fair-handed bill be is still best known for this Is London. his World War II radio show and his fight to stop the red scare that gripped the [S in the 1950s courtesy of Senators .\tc('arthy atid ('ohn. It is the latter period that director ('looncy chooses to concentrate on in his modest second feature. l'ot' CBS. Murrow. Friendly and the entire stall of the current affairs slit)“ See II .Vth' the cost was huge. btit the dividends were greater. If you care ‘that good news cannot cotne from bad practice'. then this w ill send tingles down your spine. (i/aseou- I'i/rn I‘llt'tlll't'. (iltlygriit‘.
A Good Year ( l’(i) 0.. (Ritlley Scott. I8. 2006) I‘TL‘tItIlc lltghinore. Albert l‘inney. Rtissell (‘row e. Rafe Spu||_ Ark-im- l’anjabi. 1 13min. Scott's gladiator ((‘row e) plays Max Skinner. a London stockbroker who inherits his uncle‘s chateau attd tailing \ incyard atid begrtidgingly discovers happiness in a slower pace of life. Jaunty. cheeky atid colourful. xi (iood l'ear has a
good nose. even if it fails to linger on the palate. (r'eneral release.
Gremlins ( 15) eeoe (Joe Dante. t'S. 198st) Zach (ialligan. Phoebe ('ates. 106mm. (’tite attd cuddly little mogwais becotiie malevolent monsters if not properly cared for atid wreak havoc iii idealised stiiall town America. Resistible horror comedy. ney er as funny as it tliittks it is. (‘irieu'orld Edinburgh. Ifdinhtiijeh.
The Grudge 2 ( )5) O ('l‘akashi Shimi/tt. IS 2006) Sarah Michelle (iellar. Amber Tamblyn. tidison (‘hen 102mm. Shimi/tt has turned a simple horror idea into a repetitive and underwhelming series. This garbled mess picks tip after the previous film with Karen ((iellarlis little sister ('l‘attibly‘ti) atid a story that bounces incoherently between Japan atid New York without delivering a modicum of scares. (iener‘al release.
The Guardian ( 12A) .0 tAndrew Day is. t'S. 2006) Key in ('ostner. Ashton Ktttcher. l)erek Adams. 139mm. Ben ((‘ostnerl loses all his colleagues in a rescue attempt and titttst teach at the (‘oast (iuard's elite training school where Jake (Ktttcher) is the cocky cadet. The pair play well off each othet‘. Predictably. however. they are sent on a tiresome post graduation rescue mission. (it’ltel‘tll release.
La Habanera (PG) (Dcllef Sierck. Germany. 1937) Zat'ah Leander. Karl Martcll. Ferdinand Marian. 100mm. The film that proved to be the passport for its director. Douglas Sirk. to Hollywood. tells of a Swede who falls iti love with Puerto Rico and marries a rich landowner. A decade later. however. she yearns for her homeland. ()vcrly melodramatic iii certain sections. it's say ed by the director's oby iotts skills and ironic detachment. (ilttsgoit' l'l/In Theatre. (iluxgrm‘.
Hallaig: The Landscape and Poetry of Soriey MacLean (PU) t'l'imothy .\'cat. (K. 198-1) 65min. The work (attd its context) of the 2tltlt ceiittit'y Scottish poet is shown as part of the annual ('arrying Stream l‘estiyal. Part of Reel 2006. Film/muse. lidinlmrgh.
Havoc ( IS) 0. (Barbara Kopplc. t'S/(iermany. 2005) Anne Hathaway. Bijou Phillips. Shiri Appleby. Michael Biehn. 35min. lit the wealthy suburbs of LA. discontented rich girls Allison (Hathaway ) and limin (Phillips) play pretend ‘hip-hop gangstas'. llut‘m‘ is a filttt awash with promising ideas which its filmtiiakers proceed to then piss away itito gauche.
aw kw'ard and horribly cringey sttiff. ()deon I-ort Kiri/taint. Edinburgh.
His Big White Self(15)(.\'iek Brootnfield. t'K. 2006) 92min. The intrepid atid iiisiglitftil documentarian turns his camera on Sotitli African white supremacist tittgene 'l‘erreblanche. the man who sent liitti death threats following a 1991 documentary about the Apartheid. I‘lllllllutt.\'t'. Iidi'nlnirgh. The History Boys ( IS) .00
(Nicholas IIytncr. t'K. 2006) Richard (iriffiths. ('liye Merrison. Stephen ('ampbell Moore. 109mm. The big screen adaptation of Alan Bennett‘s biggest West tind hit about a group of 1980s students arid the influences of their teachers manages to maintain some of the humour attd pathos of the original despite changes iii the structure atid fate of a central character. Selected release. Hoodwinked tt') coo ((‘orey tk Todd lidwards . IS. 2006) Anne Hathaway. Patrick Warburton. Jim Belushi. 81min. Like a bedtime story told by at) amiable drunk. this is equal parts Ray tnond (‘handler atid Shrek as Red Riding Hood (Hathaway ). woodsman (Beltishi) and big bad wolf (Wat'bttrton) all get to tell their side of the story. Rashomoii-sty le. tlow ey er the animation falls way short of the standards of I’i\ar and Disney. (it'ltt'l‘ttl release.
The Host (Gwoemul) ( IS) .00
(Boitg Joon-ho. Japan/South Korea. 2006) Katig-ho Sotig. lite-bong Byeon. Ilae-il Park. I 19min. See rcy icw. page 42. (.lltelt'rn'ld ReIt/l'ett' Street. Glasgow:
How to Survive the 19403 t 15) (Various. t'K. 19-16-50) 85min. ()n the 60th anniversary of the ('()1 (Central Office of Information). a collection of \ intage public information filitis are brought together. some hilariously outdated. some still worth lieeding today. I-ilmhouse. Ifdinlnirjeh.