FILM BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS
THE FlLMS OF
The Films of Tod Browning Bernd Herzogenrath (Black Dog Publishing) Stimulating and fascinating collection of essays about. and stills from. the films of the ‘Edgar Allan Poe of cinema'. Browning's films. from Freaks. Dr'aCula. The Unholy Three to Devr/ Doll are dlSCLlSSBd and dissected with rare intellectual rigour by an international list of great film scholars. Highly recommended.
The Winston Effect Jody Duncan lT/tan) An exhaustive look at the life and work of Stan Winston. perhaps the most influential speCial FX guru in modern Cinema. Packed with gorgeous full colour pictures of his bizarre and wonderful iconic creations from the Terminator to the T-Rex in Jurassm: Park and beyond.
The Cinema of Roman Polanski John Orr and Elzbi'eta Ostrowska (Wallflower Press) Excellent if fairly academic re-evaluation of the oeuvre of the great Polish director by several distinguished film lecturers. scholars and writers. Part of this publisher's Director's Cuts series which focus in on the werk of the most significant contemporary filmmakers. Almodovar on Almodovar Frederic Strauss (Faber) The King of Spanish cinema talks abOut his brilliant career. Be warned. however, this revised edition makes no mention of Volver.
What I Really Want to Do is Produce Helen De Winter (Faber) Collection of interviews With top film producers. One for control heaks.
Subjects and Sequences: A Margaret Tait Reader Peter Todd and Benjamin Cook (Lt/X) Lovely. arty selection of poems and thoughts about. and by Margaret Tait. the great. shamefully overlooked avant-garde filmmaker from the Highlands. To order a copy visit wwwwallflowerpressco.uk
Camp Crystal Lake Memories Peter M Bracke (Titan) The complete history of Friday the 13th, taking in all 1 1 films With iriterViews With all the key players.
52 THE LIST 30 Now-14 DOC 2006
Noddy Saves Christmas (t') (. ('8. 2004) 30min. As snow covers Toy Town at (‘hristmas time. Noddy"s mission is to meet father ('hristmas and ask him three big questions: how does he get around the world in one night'.’ How do all the presents fit into his sack'.’ And how does he fit down the chimney"? Short animated film for the little ‘uns this yuletide season. We l-fdinburgh ()nini. Edinburgh.
Nothing Funny (Nic Smiesznego)
( 15) CO. (Marek Kotcrski. Poland. NUS) (‘e/ary Pa/ura. Marek Kondrat. liwa Blas/c/yk. 95min. A dark comedy in which a seemingly successful film director uses his own funeral as an opportunity to look back on the failures of his life. l-‘i/nihause. Edinburgh.
Open Season (PG) 0. (Roger Allers. Jill ('ulton. Anthony Stacchi. IS. 2006) Voices of Martin Lawrence. Ashton Kutchcr. Debra Messing. 86min. ()(Xllb grizzly bear Boog (voiced by Lawrence) takes on a nasty group of human predators during the open hunting season with the help of lilliot (Kutcher). a fast-talking mule deer. Predictable. bland. cliche ridden and ovcrsweet animation that just about passes master as a soft-brained family lTick. .S'elet'ted release.
The Page Turner (La Tourneuse de Pages) ( l5) 0... (Denis Dercourt. l‘rance. 2006) ('atherine l‘rot. Deborah Francois. Pascal (iregory. S-lmin. A thriller set in the rarefied world of classical music. After Melanie's (l-‘rancois) childhood audition is thwarted by famous pianist Ariane (l‘rot ). she seeks payback in this cleverly understated rey enge drama from lirench writer-director Dercourt. When the violence comes. it‘s all the more memorable for the lack of bloodshed. (i/as‘gmi' Eilrn Theatre. (i/usgrm;
* Pale Floweri IS) (Masahiro Shinoda. Japan. 1064) Ryo lkebe. Mariko Kaga. Takashi l’ujuki. 96min. Revisiting his old gambling haunts. an ex-con meets a young woman who he mentors through the dangerous world of gangs. Btit be soon realises that her ltist for pleasure is driy ing her to destruction. Part of Wild Japan: ()utlaw Masters. See feature. page ~12. film/muse. Edinburgh.
* Pan’s Labyrinth l )5) COO. ((iuillermo Del Toro. Mexico/Spain/l ‘S. 2006) lvana Baquero. Doug Jones. Scrgi l.ope/. ll‘lmin. In the closing stages of Spain's (‘ivil War young ()lelia discovers a subterranean world populated by fairytale creatures. As she navigates tasks in the Labyrinth-like world the real dangers lie above ground the dissonance between the two proving that the real world is more horrifying than any imagined one. Seleeted release.
Paris Nous Appartient ( 12A)
0... (Jacques Rivcttc. France. 1960) Betty Schneider. Diani lisposito. l-llmin. Steeped in a mood of ('old War paranoia. which atmospherically unfolds in a series of Left Batik cafes. basements and cheap hotel rooms. Betty Schneider's literature student becomes embroiled in the bohemian circle of her elder brother's friends. one of whom has committed suicide. labyrinthine plotting and reams of dialogue create a demanding watch. exploring the fluid boundaries between 'reality' and artifice. (amen. Edinburgh.
Polar Express (t') .0 (Robert Zemeckis. l'S. 2004) Voices: Tom Hanks. Leslie Zemeckis. ()(hnin. At an estimated cost of Sl65m plus. Robert '/.emeclsis' The Polar lit/tress is the most expensiye (‘hristmas shop window display in history. It's based on (‘hris Jurnanji van Allsberg‘s rather more charming 32 page children's book. and rendered entirely in stunning high-tech animation that resembles a Radio Times cover circa I‘JSS. but it's a teeth rotting ride. (ilasgnii' I'i/ni Theatre. (i/aygrrii': lite Edinburgh ()eean. Edinburgh. The Prestige ( 12A) .000 ((‘hristopher .\'olan. l'S/l'K. 2006) Hugh Jackman. ('hristian Bale. Michael ('aine. Day ie Bowie. 130mm. The .lleniento director adapts ('hristopher Priest‘s novel of rival stage magicians in turn-of-the-last- century London. The non-linear chronology interw eay es the three stories of Rupert
Angler (Jackman) and Alfred Borden's (Bale) magic tuition. Angier's journey to meet a mad scientist (Bowie). and Borden awaiting the gallows for his rivals murder. With gloomy style and dazzling substance. Nolan pulls off his trick. (ienera/ release. Pulp Fiction ( IX) .0... (Quentin Tarantino. l'S. 199-1) John Travolta. Samuel Jackson. t'ma Thurman. Bruce Willis. 150mm. Much more ambitious than Reservoir Dogs. the tnost awaited second feature of the 90s has many scenes that crackle with 'I‘arantino wit. and a few others that fall flat as the writer-director bravely experiments. Interlocking stories iii the pulp
crime manner concern hitmen. ailing boxers.
gang bosses and their molls. dnig fiends. and assorted riff-raff. A surprise ('annes Palme d'()r winner is a trip. all the way. ('inewirr/d Edinburgh. Edinburgh.
The Queen ( 12A) OOOO (Stephen lircars. l'K/l"rance/ltaly. 2006) Helen Mirren. Michael Sheen. James (‘romwell l02min. A behind the scenes glimpse into the relationship between HM lili/abeth ll and Prime Minister Tony Blair during their struggle. after the death of Diana. to reach a compromise between what was a private tragedy and the public's demand for an overt display of mourning. Beautifully written and performed by all. this is the second part of director lireairs' Blair trilogy. Dominion. Edinburgh.
Rampage ( l5) 000 (George (iitloes. Atistralia. 2006) Den/ell l.o\ ett. Marcus Loyett. l lSmin. Following his documentary about the role of music in the lives of [S soldiers in lraq. (iittoes follows one troop back to the equally dangerous war lone of the Brown Sub project in Miami. The result is a passionate and genuine film about the struggles of the [S underclass. ()demt I'ttt‘t Kinnair'd. Edinburgh.
Red Road ( Its’) 0000. (Andrea Arnold. l'K. 2006) Kate Dickie. Tony ('urran. Martin (‘onipston. Nathalie Press. Andrew Armour. l l-lmin. The first feature from Arnold about a (‘(‘T\" operator w ho becomes obsessed with suryeillance. Pan of a project to make three films Using the same characters and different directors. it won the Jury Pri/e at ('annes. ('inewurld Rt’It/I't'lt‘ Street. Glasgow:
* Requiem ( IDA) 0000 (Hans- (‘hristian Schmid. (iermany. 2006) Sandra llullcr. Burghart Klauliner. ltnogen Kogge. 92min. 'I'he Exnr'eixrn of'Ernilv Rose story is given a makeover as a cautionary tale. Michaela Klingler (lliillcr) leaves home for university. only to encounter epileptic sci/tires and dctnon voices. An exorcism or two later. and things take a tragic or saintly turn in this chilling. touching. brilliantly shot and acted investigation into hidden
' 0 Gregory 5 Girl school football team gets a welcome outing this fortnight. John Gordon Sinclair, Dee Hepburn and Clare Grogan are still delightful in the lead roles and one is reminded what a charming and gifted writer and director Forsyth was. When is he going to make another film?
I GFT. Glasgow on Sun 3 Dec only
secrets and hysterical meltdown. (ilasgnii' l-‘i/rn Theatre. (i/asgaii': I-‘ilnihrruye. Edinburgh.
Reservoir Dogs ( 18) 0.... (Quentin 'l'arantino. l'S. l‘)‘)2) llary ey Keitel. Tim Roth. Michael Madsen. 100mm. A gang of hoods. known only to each other by colour- coded nicknames. meets at an abandoned warehouse to figure how out their rigorously planned heist went so drastically wrong. The best debut in years from wrifer-director 'I‘arantino. whose stylish violence seduces the audience into complicity. Brilliant in every sense of the word. Part of Heist Almighty! I'Tlttt/lutlx‘l'. Edinburgh.
Rififi ( 12) O... (Jules Dassin. lirance. 1955) Jean Servais. ('arl Mohncr. Robert Manuel. 1 l7min. Dassin's enormously influential liltn combines a seminal heist sequence with key elements of noir. lts impact on American cinema can't be understated. It leaves its American cousins of the same era standing. The broads are breastier. the hoods harder. the mood darker. the tension higher and the plotting at once doom-laden and riddled with ironic twists. And Ri/ili lives tip to its name: ‘rough and tumble'. as a nightclub diya explains dttring a raunchy musical interlude. Part of lleist Almighty! Film/muse. Edinburgh.
The Rocket Post ( 12A) 0.
(Stephen Whittaker. l’K. 2003) l'lrich Thomsen. Shauna MacDonald. (iary Lewis. Kevin McKidd. 1 18min. Based on a true story in which an intriguing (ierman scientist brightens tip the remote Hebridcan island of Scarp by trying to establish a rocket postal system. with mixed reactions from the locals. Playing more like a Sunday eyening TV drama. the laboured ideology leads to a risihly overblown ending. (iertera/ release.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (l') O (Michael l.cmbeck. IS. 2006) Tim Allen. Martin Short. lili/abeth Mitchell. ‘Jlmin. Once more into the breach steps Santa (Allen) this time battling with an overflowing fatnin and Jack Frost (Short). Do children honestly like this franchised slush'.’. (ienera/ release.
Santa vs The Snowman SD (Pm (Various. l’S. 2002) 32min. IMAX big screen presentation telling the story of a lonely snow man who‘s swept away by the magical wonders of Santa’s village. IMAX Theatre. Glasgow;
Saw III ( l8) OOO (Darren l.y'nn Bousman. IS. 2006) Tobin Bell. Shawnee Smith. Bahar Soomekh. Angus Macfayden. 130mm. Third time around for this horror franchise. liyil mastermind Jigsaw (Bell) and his new apprentice haye disappeared. leaving Dr Lynn Denlon (Soomekh) unaware that she is about to become his
Bill Forsyth’s wonderful 1981 comedy about a boy who falls for the girl who replaces him on the