Name David Leaf
Born New Rochelle. New York
Background Leaf began his career as a New York City based news and sports reporter. but moved to Los Angeles where he became an Emmy award-winning writer-producer-director of music culture shows for American television. Among his numerous credits are You Can 't Do That: The Making of A Hard Day’s Night. Beautiful Dreamer: The Story of Brian Wilson and Smile. and Who is Harry Nilsson and Why is Everybody Ta/kin' About Him? This guy knows his pop music history. What’s he up to now? Leaf has co-written. produced and directed (with creative partner John Scheinfeld) The US vs John Lennon. a documentary portrait of the former Beatle as political activist in America and the Nixon administration's covert effOrts to silence him.
What he says about the story ‘lt's definitely a forgotten story. What people under 40 know about Lennon is that he was in The Beatles. he wrote ‘lmagine‘ and he was murdered. 1 don’t think people have a sense of the courage with which he lived his life and his and Yoko's willingness to put everything on the line for what they believed in.‘
What he says about the film ‘When we started we knew what had happened, but we didn‘t know why. Why had the US government targeted Lennon? What was so dangerous about what he was saying? This movie is an adventure story about what happened to the most famous person in the world when he decided to use his fame to launch a worldwide campaign for peace.’ What he says about why he and Scheinfeld made the film ‘We saw what happened when The Dixie Chicks and other celebrities who voiced their Opinions regarding the war or the president. We thought by telling this stew that took place 35 years ago. we could make a film that was relevant to America today.‘ Interesting fact Yoko Ono says, ‘Of all the documentaries that have been made about John. this is the one he would have loved.'
I The US Vs John Lennon is on selected release from Fri 8 Dec. See review, page 43.
54 THE LIST 30 Nov-14 Dec 2006
Thunderbolt and Lightloot ( 18) C... (Michael (‘imino. l'S. 1974)(‘1int Eastwood. Jeff Bridges. (ieorge Kennedy.
1 14min. ('harming drifter Bridges teams up with ex-con and robbery expert Eastwood's old gang to recover the loot stashed away after a previous heist. It's a nicely handled character action piece with Bridges at his most Iikeable. Trim and compact in itself. it gave little indication of the sense of inflation that was a feature of (‘imino’s later career. Part of Heist Almightl Film/muse. Edinburgh.
Ugetsu Monogatari (P( i) oooo (Kenji Mi/oguchi. Japan. 1953) Masayuki Mori. Kinuyo 'l‘anaka. 96min. ()ne of the defining althouse movies of the 50s is at last available again in the L'K. During a bitter civil war. a greedy potter takes advantage of the situation while his neighbour heads off to become a samurai. As in much of .\1i/oguchi's work. it‘s the women who hear the brunt of male irresponsibility. Formally composed. with a compelling humanism at its core. Edinburgh I-‘ilrn (iuild. Edinburgh. An Unfinished Life ( 12A) o
(Lasse Hallstrom. LS. 2005) Robert Redford. Jennifer Lopez. Morgan Freeman. Josh Lucas. Damien Lewis. l()7min. Lasse it'liat'x Eating (ii/her! (irape llallstrom produces another tedioust whimsical character drama. Set against the rugged ranchlands of Wyoming. Redford plays a father who blames Lopez for his son‘s death. Morgan Freeman narrates while Josh Lucas and Damien Lewis fight over Lopcl. Dull. ('inewurld Par/(head. Glasgow.
71‘ The US vs John Lennon ( 12A) 0... (David Leaf/John Scheinfeld. l'S. 2006) 99min. See profile in index and review. page 43.
Vera Drake ( 12A) oooo (Mike Leigh. l’K. 2004) Imelda Staunton. Richard (iraham. liddie Marsan. Anna Keaveney. 125mm. Vera Drake sees Leigh return with a tragic-comic drama that boasts both the warm affection of Life is Sweet and the sharp cruelty of Naked. Set in post-war Britain ( 1950/1 London) and focusing on the titular good little wife. mother and secret backstreet abortionist (Staunton). lt'r'a Drake benefits from compelling narrative that sees the good-hearted if naive protagonist subjected to institutionalised victimisation. Glasgow I-ilrn Theatre. (ilasgrm'.
Video Killed the Painting Stan 18) (Various. L'K. 2006) 90min. The series showcasing free screenings of work by students from the (ilasgow School of Art on the Masters of Fine Art course continues.
alongside work by artists from the 17K and US. (‘( 2'1. (i/uxgrm‘.
Wallace and Gromitdi) (Nick Park. l'K. 1989-95) 83min. All three A (irand Day Out. The ll'mng 'I'r'rrusers and (1 (7031’ Share of the adventures of a Lancastrian cheese lover and his hound. Probably the funniest animation in the world. Part of Weans‘ World. Film/muse. Edinburgh. Who Killed the Electric Cal? (1') 0.. ((‘hris Paine. IS. 2006) Phyllis Diller. Tom Hanks. Martin Sheen. Mel (iibson. 92min. A conspiracy theory-style look at why the econmic and ecologically safer alternative of the electric car has not caught on. Film/muse. Edinburgh.
The Wizard of 02 (PG) .0000 (Victor Fleming. LS. 1939) Judy (iarland. Frank Morgan. Ray Bolger. Bert Lahr. Jack llaley. Margaret Hamilton. Toto. l()2min. Miserable Dorothy runs away from home but is soon whisked tip into a magical land where her adventures teach her that happiness is to be found in her own back yard. (‘lassic stuff indeed. just chockful of great songs. characterisation and memorably garish design. Perhaps marginally less enjoyable for the curmudgeonly element rooting for the Wicked Witch of the West though. (‘harity screening. l’illli/lullM’. Edinburgh.
* Yakuza Graveyard ( 15) oooo (Kinji Fukasaku. Japan. 1976) '1‘etsuya Watari. Meiko Kaji. Sci/.o Fuktlmoto. 96min. A lean. tough. cops-on-the-street crime thriller from the director of Battle Raya/e. Hand-held and gritty. this urban race through police corruption and codes of honour is no stroll in the park. Part of Wild Japan: ()utlaw Masters. see feature. page 42. I’ilrnhuuse. Edinburgh.
>1< Zatoichi the Fugitive ( 15)
C... ('l'oku/oTanaka. Japan. 1964) Shintaro Katsu. Miwa 'l‘akada. Masayo Banri. 86min. The fourth film of Zatoichi’s
25-plus outings. and considered to he one of
the best. sees the blind masseur/samurai seeking to resolve a yaku/a turf war. Part of Wild Japan: ()utlaw Masters. see feature. page 42. Film/muse. Edinburgh.
Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (PG) 0... (Douglas (iordon. Philippe Parreno. France/Icelaml. 2006) 95min. The Scottish artist (inrdnn and his French collaborator follow a match from '/.idane‘s perspective. The film focuses less on the already publicised events of Germany 2006. being less a sports movie and more an analysis of the immigrant experience. Glasgow Eilrn Theatre. (i/asgrr.‘ ('ameu. Edinburgh.
Don’t miss this special preview of Nick Broomfield’s new film. Unusually for the director of Biggie and Tupac and Fetishes, this is a fiction feature film and not a documentary. The tragedy of the 23
Glasgow
Films are listed by city, then alphabetically by cinema. Listings are compiled by Jules Graham.
350 Sauchiehall Street. 0141 352 4900.
Bookings: 0141 352 4900. £3.
3 THURSDAY 30 NOV In a Year of 13 Moons ( 18) 7.00.
TUESDAY 5 DEC Video Killed the Painting Star (18) 7.00.
WEDNESDAY 6 DEC The Magic Lantern Short Film Illght (ti)
7.30.
TUESDAY 12 DEC
Video Killed the Painting Star ( 18) 7.00.
Cineworld Parkhead
The Forge. Parkhead. 0871 200 2000. Adult £5.40 (£4.80 before 5pm Mon-Tiliu. (‘hildz £3.80 (£3.50
Mon Thu). Student: £3.70 (£3 Mon—'I‘hu). ()AP/L'B40: £3.70. Family ticket £15. All tickets before noon: £3.40.
IHt)RSDAY_3_Q
Barnyard (PG) 1 1.20am.
Borat(l5) 12.15. 2.30. 4.30. 6.35. 900.
Casino Itoyale(l2.\) 11.00am. 1.15. 2.15. 4.31). 5.31). 7.45. 8.45. Jackass Ilumber ‘Mo ( 18) l 1.55am. 2.05. 4.10. 6.45. 8.55.
Open Season(P(}) noon. 2.00. 4.00. TheSanta Clause 3:The Escape Clause (15) 11.15am. 1.30. 3.45. 6.00. 8.15. Saw III(l8) 9.05.
Step Ilp(PG) 6.45. TenacioulenthePlckofDestIny(15) 12.25. 2.40. 4.50. 7.00. 9.05.
Chinese cookie-pickers who lost their lives in Morecambe Bay in 2004 provides the film with its central premise. Broomfield will introduce this special preview and you’ll be able to talk to him about it in a Q&A
session after the show. Ghosts opens nationally on Friday 26 January 2007.
I GFT, Glasgow on Fri 8 Dec only