MEDIA LIST
A briel selection ot some ol the videos to watch, or watch out tor, in the lorthcoming tortnighl.
I BLACK WIDDW (15) 102 mins. Another eminently watchable stick thriller lrom Rob Ralelson. Debra Winger is the Justice Department computer expert on the trail at Theresa Russell, whose wealthy husbands seem to have a knack at meeting an early grave. As Winger closes in she becomes involved in a disturbing relationship with Russell's latest prospective millionaire victim. (CBS/Fox, rental).
I BUSTER (15) 103 mins. Adding to the current lascinationlor criminal types lrom the 60sthis glossy Phil Collins vehicle is released tor sate. ‘Buster' was one olthose loveable chaps who robbed a traintoad ol livers in the early 60s. The complex and violent hold-up attempt is virtually ignored and the lilm concentrates instead on the story at the cockney criminal's love lor his wile. Collins actually comes out with some credit as does Julie Walters despite the shortcomings ol the script. A bland mixture of Mills a Boon and Minder. (Vestron, 29.99).
I FRANTIC (15) Polanskl's thriller is a dead cool piece; and there can be no doubt that Harrison Ford is the 808 answerto Humphrey Bogart. Alter Witness and Blade Runner. there he is. enveloped in mystery and suspense, as Polanski returnsto Chinatown
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LISTINGS
FRIDAY 4
IBUZZ ((4) o-(t.3llpiit. Britain'sfir'st terrestrial broadcast of an MTV show marks the start of three ‘youtlt'-ot'ientated series tonight. ’I he first edition ofthc magazine-sly le programme (‘concci'ned with people. change and . .shapingthc luture') presents Malcolm Mel .aren. computer hacking. ‘Reality 'l’heatre’ and why Jon Bon Joyi thinks life is like a sandwich. lfm. yes. I StarTest ((1%) o..‘~lt 7pm. Another series of the occasionally rescaling celebrity grilling session comes w ith an added fillip \ iewcrscan ring up if they think thestar is trying to hide something! I Arena: The Ten Commandments ol Krzystzol Kieslowski ( R m ‘3) 9.3” lll..lllpni. A profile ol'thepromincnt Polish director. whose two recent features. A Short l-t'lm A bout Killing and A Short I'll"! About Loi'r’. are part ofa series of 10 films. to be shown on BB(‘ from Sun (t. IJazz625(BB(‘2) 11.21) ll.55pm. 'l'onight. a 1965 session by a lisinglegeud. drummer Art Blakey I Viz— The Documentary(( ‘4) 11.20er 12.20am. Is it: pure shiteor what.’ llard-hittingtough-talkingreporter Philip Branston inyestigates tlte phenomenon. and talks to public figures including Auberon Waugh. llarry [infield and Keith (‘hegw irt. IThe Swimmermltt‘li l l 55pm 1.55am. '1 his humorous allegory about the liyesof three gener'ationsof a ( ieorgian family under three regimes was only released pt)st~g/rtsitost. I Black LeatherJacket (( It) 13.:o l.3ll;irii. A compilation of the Dennis l lopper-nar'rated ( ‘Iub .\’ strand. which traces the history of the garment from its origins in WWI to the present day.
SATURDAY 5
I The Eurovision Song Contest( tslst‘l)
S HHSpm. ller'e'saninter‘estingfact:the largest single audience for thisanntral emlntrrassment is 75 million yiewei’s in the l 'SSR. which doesn‘t esen compete. l’liis year the host is Yugoslasia. and Bi itain's hopes are stacked on a 15-year old Welsh schoolgirl l-orshame. BB('Y
I Death at a Salesman ( Rm ‘2)
S. l5 ltllipm. After a l7-year break from the stage. l)tistin l lollmarl is the major let-down in this 1085 adaptation of Miller‘s play. The power of the piece comes mainly from the supporting cast. and the direction of \'olker Schlondorff. who made the far superior The 'I'm Drum. I Masques (( '4) ll) ll5llpm. (flaude ('habrol‘s [Vi/m ()It [our International has l’hilippc Noiret as a genial game show host who is unmasked by a writer as a bit of a cad. really.
I Saturday Night Clyde (13m ‘2)
lll.25 -l1.05pm.Seel’reyiew. ILennon(Scottish)10.35 l1.5llpm;(('-l) 11.50pm 1.35am. ’l ltis celebration of .lohn Lennon's life is apparentlysuffering front poor ticket sales, and with Mike Read and (‘hristopher Reeve as linkmen, who cart blame the punters tor staying away'.’ The high ticket price and the rumour that the assembled stars will only be doingone Lennon song each have a part to play as well. In any case.stars appearing include Al ( ireen. Kylie Minogue. Deacon Blue. Wet Wet Wet. Joe ('ocker and [on Reed- and notSarah Vaughan. whatcser (71 may say.
SUNDAY 6
IThe Bridal Path (Scottish) .3 .‘~.-15prn./\ l‘lS‘) adaptation til Nigel 'litatitet'S novel. W ith Bill l ray eis. l‘tona t “lyric. Duncan Macrae and (iordon Jackson.
I Aly Bain and Friends ( Scottish)
4. IS-Spm. Special guests ofthe yirtuoso Shetland fiddler are Lyle Lovett and'l'he Dayy Spillane Band.
I Reid About Scotland (Scottish)
r» 6.3llpm. Jimmy Reid asks ifScotland can really have a capital without a parliament. or ifit is institutions like the Church. the Law and Finance which make [Edinburgh Scotland's capital.
I Hypotheticals ( BBCZ) 8.05—9.05an Professor Arthur Miller of l larvard Law School cross-examines a different panel of lo participants each week on their personal and professional ethics. The first programme is on the subject of‘l’rivacy and the Press”.
I Ten Commandments ( BBCZ) 9.l)5--1llpm. The first often hour-long films by Polish director Krzystzof Kieslowski on the Ten Commandments. all set in a block of flats in Warsaw. At their Venice Film Festival premiere last year they were hailed by Variety as ‘the cinema event of the year'.
I Assault on Precinct 13 (1313(2)
10 -l 1.35pm. flfm‘it’drortzr'. hosted by Alex Cox. returns. and the first delight of the series is John Carpenter‘s 1976 thriller. The good thing about Cox‘s presentation is that ifit isn't really worth watching. he'll tell us beforehand. Sound policy.
I Everyman: A Game 01 Soldiers ( BBCI) lll.3tl—l 1.30pm. To prepare mentor combat. the army has to keep them at the edge of aggression all the time. What does this mean for them morally and psychologically"?
I Celebration (Scottish) 10.35—11.35pm. A ‘psychcdelic caricature ofenterprisc culture' is what they call it — to the restof us. it's a look at the Manchester scene.and the feeding frenzy it's driy en the media into.
I Scottish Books (Scottish) ll.3Spm--12.(15arn. Res iewed tonight: Red Run-arts and Wild Honey by Betsy Whyte. The Ballad ofSait-ney Bean by Henry 'l'ait. 'I‘ukr‘rtg the Devil's Advice by Anne lime. and Nothing .Vut (firing .Wt’ssagr’s by [idwin Morgan.
MONDAY 7
I Garbo ( BBCZ) 12.55—2.5tlpm. This tribute to the screen goddess who died last month traces her early career in Sweden and (icrmany and her I lollywood success. as well as trying to pierce the yeilof secrecy that shrouded her life after she became a virtual recluse at the age of 30. I Ninotchka(l313(‘2)2.io 4.35pm. (iarbo took a risk by making this. herfirst comedy after l3 years of playing the tragic heroine. A worthy film to screen as partof a tribute.
I The Alrican Dueen ( 813(2) 4.354). 15pm. It’s been said often enough. btit thisis tttaryellous stuff. with Bogart and Hepburn in top form.
I Underthe Bed (( 4) S-bpm. 'l‘he ( ioodies are reunited in ‘a scary tale from beyond the duvet'. accompanied by a cast of children. 'l'en-year-old l-‘elieity finds that the pile of rubbish under her bed has come to life and needs huge bags of garbage to sustain it.
I Cosi Fan Tutte(BB(‘:)7.45—t1pm.,s ‘sayagely ironic' production by West (ierman director Johannes Sehaaf. Only the second production of ( ‘05! Fun 'l‘uttr'by the Royal Opera l louse. twocenturies after it was first performed.
I Cutting Edge: Alter the Battle (( '4)
0» Iltpm. (‘uban and Sotrth African soldiers haye gone home now that the Angolan War isoyer. but what hasbcen the cost to the men who volunteered or were conscr ipted'.’ ( ruling Edge listened
to those w ho fought and those who refused.
I Runrig (Scottish ) l)..‘~l)« “1.30pm. The passionate (iaelie rockers caught liye at (ilasgow 's Barrowland.
I Trading Places ( Scottish)
lll.5(lpm— l .lliam. Surprisingly funny
territorylo delivera surreally ellective example at modern litm noir. Watch our Harrison lose his wile. tind a corpse, and then a punk. Can‘t go wrong. (AP) (Warner Home Video, £10.99).
I 84 CHARLIE MDPIC (18) An independently produced movie that lollows the trail ola two-man documentary team in Vietnam. Attached to an ordinary group at grunts the hand-held camera captures the harrowing conllict in a more immediate and ellective way than some at its bigger budget rivals in the lietd have managed. (Virgin, rental).
i I DEAD CALM (15) High ‘ seas suspense lrom Aussie 3 new waver Philip Noyce. ) when a psycho disturbs a l young couple on a cruise. A line blend ol on-ship claustrophobia and open 9 seascapes. I A YEAR TO REMEMBER Yes, it's hats ollto those brave Brits at Parklietd Video — they've released 40 videos covering the years 1930—1969. Each one containinglhe Pathe newsreel highlights at that year. A sort otglorilied version at the Beeb's successlul nostalgia trip The Rock and Roll years. (Parklietd. £9.99).
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I WHD'S AFRAID 0F VIRGINIA WDDLF? (15) 124 mins. The litm version ol Edward Albee's ground-breaking play stars Burton and Taylor in a rehearsal lor their own tong-running marital wars. Although they were apparently getting on very well thank you at the time, their portrayal ol domestic aggro is suspiciously accurate and no doubt storing up ideas tor use later. Lots ol shouting and general angst as a result at inviting another couple round lor dinner. A classic lrom Warner Home Video's collection at Oscar Winners, othertittes include The Fortune Cookie, Summerol 42 and Topkapi. (Warner Home Video. l 29.99).
The List 4 — l7 May 199085