; I NUTsns) (Martin Ritt. US. 1987)
The Last Emperor (15)(Bernardo l Bertolucci,UK/China,1988)John Lone, ’ Joan Chen, Peter O’Toole, Ryuichi ( Sakamoto. l62 mins. Peking, 1908, a 5 three year-old boy named Pu Yi I ascends to the Imperial throne to become ‘The Lord Of Ten Thousand Years' and ruler over almost halffhe world's population. A mere 59 years later however, he dies a humble gardener in the Maoist People’s Republic. Bernardo Bertolucci’s new film explores the distance between these two points in the extraordinary life of a man overtaken by history. Independently produced by Britain‘s Jeremy Thomas, it’s an epic on as vast a scale as the Forbidden City itself, the Emperor‘s residence which makes Versailles look like an outhouse, and which is here seen on a Western cinema screen forthe very lirsttime. Bertolucci’s Pu Yi follows a path (one reminiscent of Shakespeare‘s King Lear) from the pinnacle of a hierarchical power structure which conditioned his responses to his experience in terms of despotism, to the final recognition, after much self-delusion, of his common humanity. Forced to abdicate from his imperial seat by the first Chinese republic in 1924, the next decade sees him vainly trying to recreate former glories as the unwitting puppet monarch for the barbaric Japanese occupation in Manchuria, and he only realises his lolly during the ‘ideological re-education' of a ten-year prison sentence underthe communist
FILM LIST
O THE LAST EMPEROR
authorities of the People's Republic in the Fifties.
Incarceration teaches him personal humility and he is made aware of his tragic naively in tacit collaboration in Japanese atrocities, while his release in I959 offers him the challenge of lacing the modern world on equal terms with the rest of Peking's ordinary citizenry. Just before his death, however, he witnesses the zealotry of the Cultural Revolution, and the huge pictures oi Mao llourished by the massed marches suggestthat the deifying structures olthe imperial ethos have not been wholly consigned to the oblivion of the past.
In a production of remarkable grandeur, where the sets, costumes and Vittorio Storaro‘s lush
cinematography are olan exquisifeness rarely achieved, John Lone gives a dignified performance in the central role, though he is occasionally overshadowed in the charisma stakes by an ellervescent Peter O’Toole as his Scottish tutor.
lithe film's eliptical structure sometimes seems to leave too much out, and the stately atmosphere occasionally lacks a touch of humour or emotional resonance, such minor considerations are outweighed by the consistently absorbing histoical tapestry it so skilfully creates. That it seems too short at 162 mins is a testament to the considerable pleasures it has to other both the mind and the eye. (TrevorJohnston)
I No Way Out ( 15) (Roger Donaldson. US. 1987) Kevin Costner. Gene llackman, Sean Young. 114 mins. Resourceful naval hero Costner. now a liaison officer between Secretary of Defense llackman and the CIA. is asked to lead an investigation into the murder ofa Washingon socialite. However. he knows that llackman was the accidental killer and that the finger ofsuspicion is being falsely pointed towards another man who shared the girl‘s bed. namely himself. ..
Beautifully paced conspiracy yarn with fine performances all round. particularly from Will Patton as an obsessively loyal hatchet man and from Costner who effortlessly confirms his charismatic star status. A wily fox of a thriller that keeps the adrenalin flowing and the brain permanently locked in top gear. Recommended. Glasgow; ()deon. Edinburgh; Odeon
Barbra Streisand. Richard Dreyfuss. Karl Malden. Ill mins. Streisand. out to prove
her dramatic worth. is a high-class hooker
. on a charge of manslaughter who must
first prove her mental competence to
stand trial. The makers seems convinced ' that this is a daring piece of adult drama
| errors. lidinburgh; I"ilriihotise
but the reality is an antiquated courtroom melodrama/star vehicle with all the pleasures and pitfalls that that entails. Dreyfuss offers solid. selfless support as her world-weary attorney. Glasgow; Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh; Cannon I Peggy Sue Got Married ( P( i i ( I‘rancis I‘ordCoppola. I‘S. l‘)t\'(i) Kathleen 'l‘urner. Nicolas Cage. John Carradirie. Ill: mins. Irresistible romantic drama as 'l‘urner collapses at her hiin school reunion and finds herself back iii 195‘)“ itli a chance to live her life oy er. ayoidirigpast
lfi'lihe List I‘) I’eb— 3 Mar 1988
I Predatori l8) (.lohri Mcl’iernan. I 'S. 1987) Arnold Schwarzenegger. Carl Weathers. lilpidia Carrillo. llITmiiis. Arnie and his dirty halfdozen are hired to enter a South American iungle and liberate a cabinet minister held hostage by hostile guerrilla forces. But. lurking unseen in the foliage is a chameleon-like alien being. waiting toskin alive any unsuspecting human to cross its path. Slow to build but ultimately gripping riiaclio mayhem :l/ien meets ( 'oniniimtln. (ilasgoyy : Cannon Muircnd. ( )deon. Central; Cannon
I Rebel Without a Cause ( Pt '. ) t Nlc‘tiltls Ray . I "S. IUF.‘ l James Dean. Natalie Wood. Sal .\lineo. lllmins. Moody. middle-class delinquent Dean is riiisuriderstood by parents and peers alike but finds a sympathetic shoulder in pretty Wood. Seminal portrait ofalienated adolescence that retains its raw edge and vitality. Izdinburgh; lidiriburgh l-ilm (iuild
I Robocop (18) (Paul Verhoeven. US. 1987)Petcr Weller. Nancy Allen. Daniel O‘Ilerlihy. 103 mins. Slick and exceedingly violent futuristic thriller blending elements of Dirty Harry, Frankenstein and Six Million Dollar Man. When diligent policeman Murphy is shot to pieces by vicious thugs his remains are mechanically reconstructed into a high-tech law enforcement officer. However. beneath his tin exteriorthe human desire for vengeance beats on.
A predictable but inventive slab ofpulp mayhem with a redeeming sense of humour and social critique within the blood and bullets formula.
(ilasgow; ()deon. Iidinburgh: ()deon. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr
I The Rocky Horror Picture Show t 15 i (Jim Shannan. I'K. l‘FSl'l‘im Curry. Susan Sarandon. lilil mins. Appealingly perverse cult musical horror spoof.
(ilasgoyy ; ( irosveriot'
I Roma l lb) ( l‘ederico I‘ellini. Italy . 1”?) Peter ( ion/ales. I-eder'ico l’ellini. (lore Vidal. 128 mins. ()y erlong quasidocumentary on the ancient and modern aspects of l'cllitit‘s backyard. flashes of fun peep otit through the self-indulgence. most notably an ecclesiastical fashion parade on roller skates. (ilasgoyy ‘. ( ill
I Roxanne (PG) (Fred Schepisi. US. 1987) Steve Martin. Daryl Hannah, Shelley Duvall. 107 mins. Witty. tender and charming reworking of Cyrano de Bergerac. deploying a range ofcomcdy techniques as fire chief Martin ofthe enormous proboscis copes with life and lovestruck romance. Edinburgh: Dominion
I Rumble Fishi Is) ( I'l'allL'IsI'tit'tl Coppola. IS. 1983) Mickey Rourke. Matt Dillon. Dennis l lopper. 04 mins. lilectr‘ify irig expressionist y isuals grace an existentialist parable about the need to forge ones on n identity and the alienation it can bring. Intense and sty lisli. Iidinburgh; Cameo
I 8an (No cert) (Pier Paolo Pasolini. Italy. 1976) Claudio Troccoli. Nico Naldini. During the Salo republic ofthe last days of German occupation in Italy during World War One. a group of aristocratic fascists induct the local peasant youth into a series ofincreasingly depraved sexual rites. Heavily influenced by the writing of the Marquis de Sade, Pasolini's final film (he was brutally murdered soon afterwards). is a truly horrifying exploration of the relationship between power and sexuality. Edinburgh; EUFS (Members only for this performance; no Guest Tickets will be available).
I Sammy and Rosie Get Laidi is) (Stephen l-‘r‘ears. I‘K. 198") Shashi
Kapoor. l-r'ances Barber. .-\yub Khan. lfll mins. See panel. (ilasgoyy ;(il~'l'
I Scarfacet Is) i Brian De l’alnia. t's. IVS: I :\l l’aeino. Michelle l’feiffer. Steven Batter. lo‘) mins. .~\I’ter evpulsion frorii Cuba. 'l‘oriy Montana lands in Honda and gets iltyol\cd as a hired thug lot'dr'ug smugglers. the first step in an ine.\or'able rise to the top of the criminal pile.
.-\n epic reworking of the dark underside of the .y\riier'iean Dream becomes lust tilltilltcl ‘( .1 title doesn‘t [my ' nieludr';|r]i;i_ 'l‘lic sheer blood-spattctcd bloated e\cess of the thing proy okes both admiration and tll\lll.t\. l'dinburgh. l-ilmhonse I ShOOl the Pianist ( lire: 5m [4' I’imiiyll (l’( i I t l-rancois 'l ruffaut. I'l.fllc‘L‘. l‘lbll) Charles .'\/ll.l\t\tll'. \larie Dubois. Nicole lierger 5‘5 mins ()nce rcnoys tied iyor'y - tinkler .-\/na\oui now plays iria second-rate I’arisiaii cafe but u lien his pushy girlfriend caiolcs him iiitoresuming ti c‘illlc'cl'l career he I‘L‘L‘Ulllc\ lily UI\ ed \\ III) a groupof gangsters. Superior early 'l'r'uffant. its apparent at tlessness concealing an appealing drama of anti-heroism. I-duiburgh; ll ‘l-S IThe SilentVoice t l’( i) l.\like \t-xyell. I'S. l‘lb'") .Iamie lee Curtis. .-\le\ linglisli.(iregory l’cck. l 15mins. ()riginally entitled slim/:mg (imt'i'imil ("Inn A. this tells a frank ( apra-like yyisli-fulfilriicnt fantasy in \s liicli a concerned llyeai old I ittle league hotshot nary ely decides to stop play irig baseball until the world agrees tototal nuclear disarmament. lloyyc\ct‘. tliestory is picked tip by the media and soon athletes from around the nor ld are follow ing his lead until a global sporting anti-nukes protest is under way
'I hope this film ys rll leay e audiences energized and vs ith a great surge of hope. hope it w ill be a reminder that the indiy udal can make a difference and that humanity is capable of follow mg itsbest instiricts‘. laudable \yords from .\likc New ell. the director Ul l)tl’l( i' II'Il/I .'I Slrungi'r. \oyy heic'sa belated opportunity to )udgc for yourself after the film boriibcd touch? I in the States. Central; Cannon. Strathclyde;Cannon I Spaceballsil’m ( .‘vlel iii-oaks. t ‘s‘. 1987) Mel Brooks. Rick .\l( )ranis..lohn Candy . ‘lo mins. lecble Brooks take-off of Star liars and the space genre that relies heay ily on weak puns and )tiyenilc iokcs. Intergalactic garbage. Strathclyde; ( )deori llamilton I Star Trek— The Motion Picture t t ‘i (Robert \Vise. IS. 19"”) William Shatuer'. l.eonard .\'imoy . Stephen Collins. 13H mins. .'\I a desperate (tincture in the history of the cosmos. the rebuilt I 85' [inter/Misc is ordered itito immediate service. 'I’he mission tostopan irresistible force hurling toyyar‘ds larth.
liland. big-screen embaliiiirig of the IV series. ixdiriburgh; ( )deon
I Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khani l’( i I (\lcliiilas .\lcy er‘. I '5. l‘lb: l I ,coriar'd \imoy . William Sliatner. l)cl-’orrest Kelley. ll.‘~ mins Kit k and crew dobattle \\ till the \ illaltis til llie l‘lti" "Space Secd' episode. Best of the 'l'rekkie films asit stays closest to the flavour of the original series. lidinburgh; ( )deon
IStarTrek Ill: The SearchforSpocki l’t‘.)
( leonar'd .\'imoy . I 'S. 1984 ) William Shatticr. Christopher l.loyd. Dame .luditli Anderson. lllS mins. Last time the noble Spock gave his all to save the lanterpriye crew . this time a brooding Kirk suffers countless privations as he returns to the (ieriesis l’lanct to retrieve \vhatey er rernairisof' his departedcolleague. lidiriburgh: ()deon
I Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ( l’( i) (Leonard .\'imoy. CS. 1986) William Sliatrier. Del-'orrest Kelley . James Doohan. l 19mins. l’reposterously plotted and only modestly entertaining'I‘rckkie saga with the Enterprise gang travelling back to Wh’o Sari l’rariciseo to pick up a couple of humpback whales which will. for