Name Mitchell Lichtenstein
Born 10 March 1956. New York City
Background A jobbing actor since the early 19805. the debonair- looking performer-turned-director has a lot of TV of his CV: Miami Vice. Cheers. Homicide: Life on the Streets. But Lichtenstein has also appeared in such quality cinematic offerings as Robert Altman's Streamers, for which he won Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival in 1983. and Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet. Now in his early 50s Lichtenstein has moved into directing.
What he’s up to now Having premiered his first shot at directing (the 2004 short Resurrection) at Venice. Lichtenstein has completed his feature debut. the comedy horror Teeth. which became the toast of the Sundance Film Festival last year. It's a wry treatment of the still taboo myth of the vagina dentata (toothed vagina) that cleverly subverts male-centric misogynistic horror movies with its story of a high-school student and chastity advocate (newcomer Jess Weixler) whose sexual awakening arrives with a second set of choppers. The film has caused quite a stir, and it's impressed the right peOple. because Lichtenstein is now working on his second feature. the domestic drama Happy Tears which stars leading ladies Ellen Barkin, Demi Moore and Parker Posey.
What he says about the vagina ‘I don't think it would have been possible even ten years ago to make a movie with this kind of focus on the vagina. We‘re talking ab0ut a word that some peOple are still uncomfortable saying aloud. And in the male-dominated movie industry. I doubt many men have been eager to depict the re5ults of an encounter with the vagina dentata. Although it's the basic gynophobic image. i wanted to poke fun at the myth and expose its roots in masculine fear. And I hate movies in which women are victimised. so I deliberately made sure my heroine stayed clean of blood. That said. there are a few scenes that will satisfy gore fans.‘ Interesting fact Mitchell is the son of pop art legend Roy Lichtenstein. (Miles Fielder)
I Teeth is on selected release from Fri 20 Jun. See review, page 51.
60 THE LIST 7‘.) Jun 3 Jul 2008
Cashback
chance to see at cinema. I GFI'. Glasgow. Fri 2080/) 22 Jun.
Teeth ( Its) .00 (Mitchell Lichtenstein. ['S. 2007) Jess \Veixler. John Hensley. Josh Pais. 03min. See review. page Sl and profile. left. St'lt't‘lt't/ release.
The Terminal ( 12A) so (Steven Spielberg. [S 2004) Tom Hanks. (‘atherinc Zeta Jones. Stanley Tucci. 125mm. Inspired by the true story of an Iranian (nan stranded at Paris airport after the fall of the Shah. btit starring Hanks and re-set in the John l-~ Kenncdy Airport of present-day .\'ew York. Spielberg's smug movie misfire substitutes quirky characters. feel-good humour and emotional manipulation for the rich comic tapestry of real life. ()nly the genuinely funny. always believable Hanks emerges unscathed. lllt' Salon. (ilavgmi;
There Will Be Blood ( IS) 000.. (Paul Thomas Anderson. 1S. 2007) Daniel Day-Lewis. Paul Dano. Kevin J ()‘('onnor. 158mm. Silver prospector Daniel Plainvievv (Day-Lew is) and his adopted son move to the impoverished evangelically centred town of New Boston and finds himself in a battle of wits against slea/y child preacher lili Sunday (Dano) over oil. ethics and the American Dream. l'tterly riveting and with Day l.ewis playing a wonderful part with a poisonous leaf. Anderson finally returns to Pane/i Drunk Lore fortn. ()(]('()II A! The Quay. Glasgow.
Underdog (l‘) O. (I’rcderik Du ('hau. l'S. 2007) Jason Lee. Peter Dinklage. James Belushi. Slmin. This live-action filtn from Disney that features a crime-fighting dog with super-powers. although a seemingly attractive proposition for fans of both the talking-animal and superhero genres. is merely a wayward affair with none of the humble charms of the l‘)()0s cartoon series. ()tleoii A! The Quay. Glasgow; ()t/eon Hester Hal/es. Edinburgh. Vertigo (PG) .0000 (Alfred Hitchcock. l'S. 1058) James Stewart. Kim .\'ovak. Barbara Bel (ieddes. 128mm. Detective Stewart. a man afraid of heights. falls in love with a woman who apparently commits suicide. When he meets her dotible. he becomes obsessed with the possibility that she is still alive. lixtraordinary plotting in
this undervalued Hitchcock study of romantic mania. with Stewart memorably cast against type as the distinctly on-the- edge cop. The Bernard llerrmann score is simultaneously lush and disturbing. Scotsman .S't‘reenliig Room. lit/llI/tlll'g’ll. The Waiting Room ( 15) 00
(Roger (ioldby. l'K. 2007) Anne-Marie Duff. Ralf Little. Rupert (iravcs. [05min See review. page 52. SU/Ut'lt't/ I't’lt'ttxt'ji'tmt I")? 201101.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (l') 0... (Nick Park/Steve Box. (K. 2005) Voices of Peter Sallis. Ralph l‘iennes. Helena Bonhatn (‘artcr 85min. The long-awaited feature- length debut for Parks plasticine master and mutt Wallace (Q (iromit. is. to coin a phrase. a grand day out. This time. the cheese- loving Wallace and his canine chum have reinvented themselves as a humane pest- control outfit ‘Anti-Pesto‘ and there's a mysterious 'vvere-rabbit‘ on the prowl at the local neighbourhood (iiant Vegetable competition. Knowing fun for all the family. The 5an)). Glasgow.
Wanted ( 18) .0. (Timur Bekmambctov. IS. 2008) James .\chvoy, Morgan Freeman. Angelina Jolie. 129mm. See review. page 53. (ieneral release. Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (PG) 0... (Jay Russell. l'S/l'K. 2007) limin Watson. Brian (‘o.\. Joel Tobeck.
I l ltnin. Blending monster thrills with a thoughtful pacifist message. this adaptation of Dick King-Smith‘s well-loved book tells of the friendship between Angus and the legendary creature Nessie. who he rears from an egg into a full-blown beastie. Although mainly shot in New Xealand to facilitate the involvement of the Weta Digital special-effects house. the film is firtnly set in WWII-era Scotland. An old- school alternative to the frantic nature of tnost children‘s films. Hater [Io/2w finally provides our beloved monster with the film it deserves. (litt'H'o/‘lr/ Park/teat]. Glasgow; (TITt’H'Ul'ltl Iftliiilitogh. Iz‘tllIl/mrglt. Waxworks (PG) see (Paul t.eni. (iermany. 1924) 70min. A film in three
fantastic cover
A relationship breakdown and night shifts at a supermarket set budding young artist Ben (Sean Biggarstaff) up for some seriously fruity hallucinations in this sexy romantic comedy. Last
episodes (erotic humour in Baghdad. sadistic fantasia with lvan the Terrible. phantasniagoria in Victorian London) apparently conceived by Leni as an inventory of expressionistic effects and experiments in style. motif and mood. Part of Modernity and Tradition season. Film/louse. Ifdlitbtaglt.
What Happens in Vegas . . . (12A) .0 (Tom Vaughan. 2008) (‘ameron Diaz. Ashton Kutcher. Queen l.atifah. 98min. This underwhelming romantic comedy details the love trajectory of Vegas gamblers Joy (Dial) and Jack (Kutcher). who wake up one morning to find they are married and have also hit the jackpot on the tables. (‘ue farcical attempts to cheat each other out of the money while falling in love. It's watchable enough. but ultimately a bit of a waste of time. Selected release.
White Mane (PG) 000 (Albert Lamorisse. France. 1953) Alan Iimery. Pierre Bestieux. Denys (‘olomb Daunant. 40min. Lamorisse’s short tells a tale of friendship between a young fishertnan and a hunted wild horse. Glasgow Film Theatre. Glasgow.
Wings of Desire ( 15) 00000 (Wim Wenders. (iermnay. l987) Bruno (ianz. ()tto Sander. Solveig Dotnmartin. Peter Falk. l27min. Restless angel [)amiel ((ianz) is on duty over Berlin when he takes a tip from American movie star and former angel i-‘alk on the possibilities of crossing over. and follows his mentor‘s path to consummate his relationship with beautiful circus acrobat Doinniartin. Gorgeous black- and-white photography and a sensitive feel for the people and places of Berlin grace. this thematically rich and uncharacteristically optimistic slice of Wenders enchantment is highly recommended. Part of Wenders season. Glasgow I'llm Theatre. Glasgow. Zeitgeist: The Movie (ii) 000
(Peter Joseph. IS. 2007) l20ntin. Three— part documentary film which seeks to debunk the myth of the ‘zeitgeist‘. ACE. lz'tlllihta'gli.