I

INDEX

I This section aims to provide a review oi every lilm to be seen in central Scotland over the next lortnlght. For programme times see individual cinema listings.

(U)- Universal, suitable tor all ages.

(PG)- Parental Guidance suggested as some scenes may be unsuitable toryounger children.

(15)- No one underthe age of 15admitted. (18)- No one underthe age ol18admitted. a New Release.

I Adieu Bonaparte (Youssel Chahine, France. 1985) Michel Piccoli, Patric Chéreau. 95 mins. A historical fresco depicting Napoleon‘s expedition to Egypt through the life of an Egyptian family. Edinburgh; French Institute

I The Adventures 01 Buckaroo Banzai (PG) (W.D. Richter. US. 1984) Peter Weller. John Lithgow. Ellen Barkin.Jeff Goldblum. 102 mins. Crazee cult fave has

Masters of the Universe (PG) (Gary Goddard, US, 1987) Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, Courteney Cox, James Tolkan.100 mins. Cannon need a hit, their ailing balance sheets are gasping tor cash, so this latest attempt at a blockbuster must have seemed a great idea. With the range at toys and the TV cartoon series already a household name, an eager young audience for a helping ol intergalactic sword ’n’ sorcery is assured: so now that’s settled, why bother trying too hard to put any imagination into making it a good movie?

This is singularly lacklustre stufl. Dolph Lundgren is dull, dull, dull as the Goodie lie-Man battling mantully against Frank Langella’s Baddie Skeleton, a Darth Vadar by any other name, in the midst of the sort ol sets and costumes we’ve all seen betore in

Japanese-american physicist/brain surgeon/rock star/superhero Buckeroo Banzai battling against his arch enemy Lord John Whorfin and the Red Lectoids From Planet Ten. Utterly baffling from beginning to end this high-spirited adaptation of what must be a pretty outre comic strip. has just about enough amiable detail (and a splendid cast) to make it worth sitting through. Edinburgh; EUFS IAn American Tail (U) (Don Bluth. US. 1986) Voices of Dom De Luise. Madeline Kahn. 81 mins. Cutesy. patriotic animated feature with the Spielberg touch as the Mousekiwitz family make the hazardous journey from old Russia to the New World. The rich detail demanded by master craftsman Bluth wins the day. Edinburgh; Filmhouse

IAngel Heart (18) (Alan Parker. US. 1987) Mickey Rourke. Lisa Bonet. Robert De Niro. 113 mins. Unkempt private eye IIarry Angel (Rourke) is hired by the enigmatic Louis Cyphre (De Niro) to track down a missing Forties' crooner who has reneged on a life-or-death deal. “is investigations lead him to a seedy New

FILM LIST

Orleans dominated by voodoo cults and a trail of very dead bodies. Unpalatable Faustian brew unsuccessfully blending a detective yarn with explicit special effects. horror and gore. Glasgow; ()deon. (‘alon_ Edinburgh; ()deon

I Les Anges Du Peche (PG) (Robert Bresson. France. 194-1) Renee Fauree. Jany Holt. 91 mins. Gleaming reissue of Robert Bresson's astonishing debut. Made under Nazi occupation. it is astudy of life in a convent dedicated tothe rehabilitation of women from prison. and the intense emotions of the enclosed atmosphere are sensitively rendered by taut dialogue and typically low-key performances. Edinburgh; Filmhouse

I Aria ( 18) (Robert Altman. Bruce Beresford. Bill Bryden. Jean-Luc Godard. Derek Jarman. Nicolas Roeg. Franc Roddam. Ken Russell. Charles Sturrdige. Julien Temple. US/UK. 1987) Theresa Russell. John Hurt. Sophie Ward. 98 mins. A ragbagofinternational (male) directors have been given free rein to interpret a favourite piece ofopera music from the RCA catalogue and this is the resulting portemanteau hodgepodge. Very much a mixed bag but there are delights from Sturridge. Jarman and Roddam as well as atrocities and tedium from some of the more distinguished names. An inspired notion that never really works. Glasgow; GFT

I BestSeller(18) (John Flynn. US. 1987) James Woods. Brian Dennehy. Victoria Tennant. 9-1 mins. The plotline may be overloaded and rather improbably but this is a generally nifty little thriller in which Woods‘ chillingly narcissistic hit man and Dennehy‘s doughty cop/novelist team up to expose the foul deeds of an apparently philanthropic business tycoon. A sanguine. expertly acted diversion ofsome

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accomplishment. Glasgow: ()deon I Betty Blue (18) (Jean-Jacques Beineix. France. 1986) Beatrice Dalle. Jean-IIughesAnglade. llemins. Tempestuous tale of amour fou delivered with all the style (and none ofthe substance) one expects from the auteur of Diva. Glasgow; Grosvenor I Beverly Hills Cop ll ( 15)( (Tony Scott. US. 1987) Eddie Murphy. Brigitte Nielsen. Dean Stockwell. 98 mins. Doggedly unadvanturous sequel/clone that dispatches smart-ass Murphy back to lotus land to clean up a gang responsible for the Alphabet Crimes. A loud. crashing bore. unaided by Murphy's now tiresome display of ad-libbed antics. Glasgow: Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh; Cannon I Bigfoot and the Hendersons (PG) fr (William Dear. US. 1987) John Lithgow. Melinda Dillon. Don Ameche. 111 mins. See panel. Glasgow; Cannon Clarkston Road. Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cannon. Lothian; Cannon I Birdy ( 15) (Alan Parker. US. 198-1) Matthew Modine. Nicolas cage. llemins. Two boyhood chums are traumatized by their experience in Vietnam. One indulges in a childhood illusion that he is a bird. the other seeks a mutual road back tosanity. Peculiar. well-acted drama directed by Parker with the expected heavy hand allied to uncharacteristic optimism. Glasgow; Grosvenor I Blind Date(15) (Blake Edwards. US. 1987) Bruce Willis. Kim Basinger. 95 mins. Excruciatingly contrived screwball farce with yuppie Willis coming a cropper when he stupidly plies blind date Basinger with champagne. Flat and insulting. Strathclyde; Rialto I The Blue Angel (PG) (Josef Von

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

all the kids’ space llicks. Having ripped oil Star Wars mercilessly, the makers throw in a trip to earth (shades of Star Trek IV?), to involve a couple of gormless mid-American teens and a wise-cracking cop, and we climax with a bit ot time-travelling wish tultilment in customary Back To The Future style. Explosions and lasers lor the boys, a cute lurry creature lorthe girls, some leggy lovelies tor the dads, and the mums can ogle Dolph’s gleaming pectorals. Happy? This is lamin entertainment.

In the production notes the director (who used to design theme parks apparently). claims thatthe lilm ‘communicates on some kind of universal mythic Ievel.‘ What a load of tosh. Masters Oi The Universe is all about the true meaning of Christmas. See the adverts, buy the toys. See the

cartoon, buy more toys. See the movie, buy even more toys. Someone. somewhere is going ‘yo ho ho’ all the

way to the bank. Cannon could do with it. (Trevor Johnston)

16The List 11 Dec l987—7Jan 1988