THIS FILM SHOULD BE CONSIGNED TO THE DUST BIN OF CINEMA
Razamataz and stilurge
As Bugsy Malone gets a re-issue at cinemas, o
essive fan Morag Bruce
and cynic Paul Dale go head to head as to the 1976 film’s relative merits.
Morag Bruce: You’ve cracked it this time Captain Schmowlski! oooo Musicals are annoying. (‘hildren singing in musicals are incredibly annoying. But there’s an exception to eyery rule. and that exception is Bugsy .l/(lllnu’. liorget little orphan Annie and her macabre dimpled glee: the characters in
Bugsy .llulmiv lire their cream-tiring guns. deliyer
one-liners and sup at the bar of the Speakeasy with as much gusto as any grown-up gangster or moll. Director Alan Parker took the genre. and with a da/lle of fantastic costumes. slapstick and aforementioned one-liners created something magical.
But back to the singing. (‘rucially. Parker knew he
didn‘t want to l'ob people oil with limp l'lannels oi
songs so he got Paul Williams to write a superb soundtrack with tongue—in-cheek lyrics oyer 1920s tinkly piano and screaming brass. When the teenage Jodie l’oster. Scott Baio and. heck. eyen Bonnie Langlord burst into (mimedl song. the pace does not slow for one moment.
Speaking of the cast. you can play ‘oh (iod. it‘s . . f a lot watching this film. Blink and you‘ll miss little Versions oi. Qmulm/ilit'niu‘s Phil Daniels l’rt'ss' (iung‘s Dexter l‘letchcr and cyen [flue l’t'lr'r‘s Mark (‘urryz
Look at them — what a lot ol‘ fun they are haying. ll‘
you don't wish you could have taken part in the filial ‘splurgc' in liat Sam‘s Speakeasy (shot in one take. unsurprisingly). then you are truly dead inside. Williams' title song states that ‘liyerybody loyes that man Bugsy Malone’. And so they should.
Paul Dale: Charlie! Yonkers! It’s a double cross! 00 Despite some earlier television work Alan Parker began his moyiemaking career with Bugsy Malone. This was the film that allowed him to go on and make such unspeakable bags oi excrement as l‘illlll‘. 'l'lu' (‘oinniimmirs and lz’riru. If that isn’t reason enough to consign this lilm to the dustbin of cinematic history I don‘t know what is.
l was nine years old when Bugs-y .llulum' lirst came
otit. A lot of my friends at school rayed about it. and it’
I remember right there was cyen a comic based on the film that we used to lend each other. I can remember not really getting the whole phenomenon bttt pretending that I did. The thing was. I had already discoyercd James ('agney. Paul Mimi and Humphrey Bogart in The l’ulilit' line/fir. Scarf/lire ( W32) and The Roaring 'lirt'iirit's by sitting still for too long in front oi the gogglebox. 'l'hese Brylcreamed manicured children wearing their parents‘ clothes just made me think 01‘ those pictures oi dogs playing pool.
Watching Bugsy .llulom' now I was surprised by how creaky the whole Venture is. It's like amateur hour in the schoolyard il‘ only those splurge guns had had some real ammo in them.
Bugsy Malone is at GFT, Glasgow from Fri 29-Sun 31 Dec only. For the Hogmanay screening you are invited to wear Malone fancy dress and there will be prizes for the best costume.
Hit
THE BEST FILM RELEASES
Fleming's evergreen 1939 adaptation of L Frank Baum's book gets a brand new print so it can be seen as was always intended. See Big Picture, page 11 and review. page 62. Fi/mhouse, Edinburgh from Fri 75 Dec.
* Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Powerful and faithful adaptation of Patrick Suskind's bestselling serial killer novel from Tom Tykwer, the German director of Run, Lola, Run. See review. page 63 and profile, listings. General release from Tue 26 Dec.
* I Saw Ben Barka Get Killed Playful and intriguing fictional investigation into the events surrounding one of France's greatest political scandals. See review, page 62. GFT, Glasgow from Fri 22—Thu 28 Dec only.
* Kabul Express Surprisingly topical and gripping Hindi road movie/comedy/thriller about two Indian journalists. an American and an Afghani who take a journey across war-torn Afghanistan in search of a Taliban prisoner. See Bollywood round-up. page 62. Selected release from Fri 75 Dec.
* It's A Wonderful Life It's Christmas. so it's time for Frank Capra 1946 blub inducer. See Also Released. page 64. GFI', Glasgow from Thu 7 4-Sun 24 Dec.
* Manhattan Woody Allen 1979 masterpiece. Fi/mhouse, Edinburgh until Thu 21 Dec.
* M Fritz Lang's first sound film from 1931 about is one of the highlights of a season of early German sound films. Fi/mhouse, Edinburgh on Fri 29 Dec only.
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