www.list.co.uk/film
‘THE NEXT THING I KNOW, I'M ON THE FLOOR'
In cebration
Karl Magee, the archivist of the Lindsay Anderson Collection welcomes the arrival of a new film about the filmmaker by Malcolm McDowell
this girl. she was gorgeous. I had to do this
scene with her. but unfortunately. I didn‘t have a script. I thought. you know. I'll just wing it. I fall in love with this girl. I see the script says. “Mick grabs hold of girl and kisses her passionately on the lips." I have no problem doing that.‘ A roguish grin spreads across Malcolm McDowell‘s face at the recollection.
‘The next thing I know. I‘m on the floor. She reared up and hit me so hard that it brought tears to my eyes. I hadn't read the next damn line - “Girl slaps Mick in face . .
‘Anyway. then I forget about the part. I stalked her around the stage and she was throwing out lines . . . Of course I didn‘t have a script so I didn‘t know what I was saying. And it was animalistic and it was amazing. and it was. I suppose. real.‘
The fireworks that exploded on stage when Malcolm McDowell clashed with Christine Noonan resulted in both actors being cast in Lindsay Anderson‘s I968 classic. It was McDowell's feature film debut. and now. more than 100 films later. he has created Never Apologize. a loving celebration of his friend and mentor. The film is directed by Mike Kaplan. who produced Anderson's last feature. The Whales ofAugust.
Never Apologize began life as a theatrical tribute to Anderson performed by McDowell at the 2004 Edinburgh International Film Festival. In 2006 be revived and refined the show for a charity event at his local film festival in Ojai. California. captured here by Kaplan.
‘I got a callback for If: . . . I went in and there was
McDowell‘s energetic performance is a reminder of
his charismatic screen presence. It also shows a previously underexploited gift for comedy and impersonation. He captures the personalities of a starry cast of characters: including a dithering John Gielgud and tyrannical Bette Davis. And the imperious presence of Anderson himself.
The director's own words. taken from his diaries and letters. form the core of the film and McDowell
brings the archives alive with his respectful. tender .
readings from Anderson‘s papers. One key moment centres around a letter in which Anderson attempts.
but cannot bring himself. to apologise to the actor
Alan Bates. whom be insulted at a drunken luncheon. Friends such as Bates weren‘t immune from Anderson's maxim. voiced by John Wayne in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. to ‘never apologise‘. John Ford's film was one of Anderson‘s favourites; his friendship with its director is recalled in a moving account of their last meeting at Ford's ranch in the San Fernando Valley.
The macrobert arts centre is a fitting venue for the Scottish premiere of Never Apologize. as Anderson‘s
extensive archives sit boxed and catalogued next door '
in Stirling University Library. To coincide with the event. an exhibition of Anderson‘s papers and photographs will provide an archival backdrop to this entertaining and affectionate cinematic tribute to a great British auteur.
macrobert, University of Stirling on Tue 23 Sep, 01786 466666, info@macrobert.org; GFI', Glasgow on Sat 4 & Sun 5 Oct; Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Tue 9-Thu 1 1 Oct.
I i F»
* Tropic Thunder Cleverer- than-most Hollywood blockbuster satire written and directed by Ben Stiller. Robert Downey Jr, Jack Black and Stiller star with cameos from a fat-suited Tom Cruise and Steve Coogan. See review. page 46. General release from Fri 79 Sep.
* Jar City lmpressively nasty Icelandic police procedural. Catch it while you can. See review and profile, page 47. GFII Glasgow and Cameo, Edinburgh until Thu 25 Sep.
* Swing Vote Apathetic dad Bud (Kevin Costner) ends up getting the deciding vote in a presidential election. Old fashioned, pertinent and enjoyable comedy. See review, page 44. General release from Fri 26 Sep.
=i= Never Apologize Fascinating concert film of Malcolm McDowell’s one man show about his friend and mentor Lindsay Anderson. See preview, left. macrobert, Stirling on Tue 23 Sep.
* Is That All There Is? More Anderson mania with this Monorail Film Club Screening of the funny, absurdist auto portrait Anderson made for the BBC in 1993. GFT, Glasgow on Sun 27 Sep.
* Pineapple Express Hilarious dopeheads on the run comedy. Out now on general release.
* Still Life Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhang-ke lovely. contemplative tale of love, loss and dams gets a DVD release. See review, page 60. Out now (BFI).
3!! Sale Brilliant two disc DVD (and blu-ray) re-release of Pier Paolo Pasolini contentious and disturbing 1975 De Sade adaptation. The extras alone are worth the price. See review, page 60. Out Mon 29 Sep (BFI).
18 Sep—2 Oct 2008 THE LIST 43