FILM
genre. Edinburgh University Film Society. I Crimes and Misdemeanours (15) (Woody Allen. US, 1989) Martin Landau. Anjelica Huston. Woody Allen. Alan Alda. 104 mins. Two stories are interwoven in this accomplished Allen offering which effortlessly blends the Big Questions side of his art with the one-line wit we‘ve taken for granted from him. In the first strand. opthalmologist Martin Landau has a hit man bump offhis unsettled mistress lest she alert his wife of their affair, while the second thread has worthy documentary filmmaker Allen clashing with smug media tycoon Alda. The two narratives work towards a wise affirmation of life's impenetrable moral complexities. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I The Damned (18) (Luchino Visconti. ltaly/W. Germany. 1969) Dirk Bogardc. lngrid Thulin. Charlotte Rampling. Helmut Berger. 164 mins. Visconti‘s massive fresco on the rise of Nazism in 303 Germany virtually defines his later. operatic style. Beautifully composed throughout but very slow-moving. this saga ofan industrial dynasty gradually being overwhelmed by its own decadence boasts highly impressive sequences like the Night of the Long Knives massacre. but is finally just too languorous forits own good. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I Days otThunder ( 12) (Tony Scott. US. 1990) Tom Cruise. Robert Duvall. Nicole Kidman. 107 mins. Fairly routine rerun of the Top Gun formula which once more unites main attraction Cruise with superproducers Simpson and Bruckheimer and commercially successful British ex-adman director Tony (wee brother of Ridley) Scott. This time the difference is that esteemed screenwriter Robert Towne‘s dialogue strains to add significance to the events. but while everyone tries to convince themselves that this is something more than an auto-racing flick. that‘s just what it is. A very well put together stock-car movie. ifthat‘s what you want to see. Edinburgh: UCl. I Die Hard 2: Die Harder (18) (Renny Harlin. US. 1990) Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia. William Atherton. 122 mins. Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) is spending Christmas in Washington, but as he waits at the airport for his wife‘sf'light to get in the whole place is taken overby terrorists. Needless to say action man Bruce jumps in there to sort them out, but he‘d better be quick because the baddies are refusing to let his missus's plane land. Usual patterned sequel that‘s like the original. only more so with much moolah spent on the explosions and superhero Willis battling a screenplay oftowering mediocrity. Edinburgh: UCI. I Do The mom Thing (18) (Spike Lee. US. 1989) Spike Lee. Danny Aiello. Ossie Davis. John Turturro. 119 mins. New York's deprived Bedford-Stuyvesant district on the hottest day of the summer. and racial tension escalates between Italian-American Sal (Aiello). his two sons and the mainly black local community who make up the bulk ofhis customers. As the situation worsens and violence looks a possibility, Sal‘s black delivery boy Mookie (Lee) ponders how to do the right thing. A forceful exploration of the socio-economic and cultural causes behind white racism. Lee‘s film also operates as a tightly controlled multi-character drama. Strathclyde: Haldane Film Society. I Drowning By Numbers ( 18) (Peter Greenaway. UK. 1988) Joan Plowright. Bernard Hill. Joely Richardson. 118mins. In a narrative as straightforward and complicated as the title . three generations of women. all of them called Cissie Colpitts. dispose of their husbands in a series of aquatic murders. whilst the numbers 1 to 100 run through the filmin the backgrounds. Full ofGreenaway‘s ravishing visual symmetries and with a highly developed sense of the
Heart Condition (James D. Parriott, 1990, US) Bob Hoskins, Denzel Washington, Chloe Webb. 100 mins. A prominent politician dies during scandalous goings-on with two call girls. The cover-up involves lawyer Washington being murdered, while at the same time Hoskins, the racist cop on the case, suffers a heart attack. Dne transplant later and Bob is biting into a burger when Denzel’s ghost turns up to ask him to help track down his killers. No one else can see the ghost and Fatty gets very mad, but he's stuck with his new pal until the case is solved.
Yet another ghost movie, Heart Condition has gathered almost exclusively hostile reviews lor its London release, which is very odd, given the way in which it manages to make easy, appealing work of the kind of contrived storyline that usually tends to sink Hollywood movies with all
hands. There is plenty of plot here, but it’s handled with a deft touch which always emphasises character and laughs over exposition, keeps the twists and turns coming, and never strays to the wrong side of sickly. As a double act, Hoskins and Washington work together so well that they even manage to get away with the inevitable scene involving a baby. Loud-mouthed exasperation versus one elegant, cool dude, this delivers the goods without any fuss or pretension. Neat, well played and thoroughly competent, it’s one of the year’s best arguments for not believing what you read in the papers. (Taw Jackson)
From Fri 2 Nov. Glasgow: Ddeon. Edinburgh: Ddeon, UCI. Strathclyde: Ddeon Ayr, Ddeon Hamilton, UCI Clydebank, UCI East Kilbride.
incongruous. the movie sports a number of polished. sympathetic performances. Besides the enjoyable pastime ofnumber spotting. this is among his most accessible and pleasurable films. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Easy Rider ( 18) (Dennis Hopper. US. 1969) Peter Fonda. Dennis Hopper. Jack Nicholson. 94 mins. Artless. archetypal road movie in which twodope-loving bikers travel the highways and by-ways of America. Dated cult attraction with Nicholson stealing the show as a boozy lawyer persuaded to join up for the trip. Edinburgh University Film Society. I ET (Steven Spielberg. US. 1982). Dee Wallace. Henry Thomas. Peter Coyote. 115 mins. An alien creature gets stranded on earth (the opening sequence of threatening legs and flashing torches is beautifully done). where he is adopted by some kids. who help him construct a communication device to summon back his spaceship. All the little guy wanted to do was go home. but Spielberg made sure he had lots of cute and agreeable adventures first. and slipped in the most tear-jerking psuedo-death since Baloo the Bear in The Jungle Book for good measure. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. Strathclyde: WMR Film Centre. I The Exorcist ( 18) (William Friedkin. US.
1973) Linda Blair. Ellen Burstyn. Max Von Sydow. 111) mins. Earnest priest Von Sydow steps in to save poor little obsessed girl in this hugely effective scarefest. Dead good. dead scarey. dead priest. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr.
I The Fabulous Baker Boys ( 15) (Steve Kloves. US. 1989) JeffBridges. Beau Bridges. Michelle Pfeiffer. 113 mins. Writer/director Kloves makes an auspicious debut with this evocative tale of broken dreams. fraternal jealousy and slowly awakening passion among three very ordinary cabaret performers. Veteran piano duo Jeff and Beau draft in Ms Pfeiffer‘s smokey chanteuse to save their act‘s declining fortunes. but asthe trio go on the road together. romanticand professional relationships are soon in turmoil. Crackling with some ofthe sharpest dialogue in years. this is a moody. mature picture. beautifully shot and scored. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Frame T0 Frame. ( 15) Continuingthe series devoted to film and the art school sensibility. this programme covers animation by two alumni of Glasgow Art School. Norman McLaren and Lesley Keen. McLaren experimented with painting directly onto film and examples of his work shown here include Fiddle [)8 Dee( 1947) and Neighbors ( 1952). Keen‘s
l
films evolved out of her work in Prague in the 70s. Glasgow: GET.
I Frances ( l5) (Graeme Clifford. US. 1982) Jessica Lange. Sam Shepard. Kim
1
Stanley. 14(imins. Earnest film biography '
of fills movie star Frances Farmer. focusing on her battles with the Hollywood star system. her domineering mother. and the alcohol problem that finally led to her treatment in a horrific institution. Lange is never less than convincing. and the film's air of restraint overcomes the hysteria which sooften surrounds the portrayal ofextreme events. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I The Freshman (PG) (Andrew Bergman. US. 1991)) Marlon Brando. Matthew Broderick. Bruno Kirby. Maximilian Schell. 102 mins. See preview.
I Forgotten Millions Joan Shenton and David Cohen‘s 1987 TV documentary looks at the various mental healthcare systems throughout the world. focusing in particular on the vastly underdeveloped Japanese model and the mounting problems faced by community-based care in the US. The screening will be followed by a discussion led by Penumbra. a
Scottishcharityofferinghelpandadviceto
those who have suffered repeated
psychiatric breakdown. Glasgow: Cannon
The Forge. ()deon. Edinburgh: ()deon. UCI. Strathclyde: L'Cl Clydebank. UCI East Kilbride.
I Ghost(12) (Gerry Zucker. US. 199(1) Patrick Swayze. Demi Moore. Whoopi Goldberg. Tony Goldwyn. 126 mins. Swayze stars as the recently deceased hubby trying to get back in touch with spouse Demi Moore. via medium Whoopi Goldberg in Jerry Zucker'samiable supernatural. comedy-drama. A box-office hit in the States it isalready charming audiences here. Glasgow: Cannon Clarkston Road. Cannon The Forge. Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Grosvenor. Edinburgh: Cannon. Dominion. UCI. Central: Allanpark. Cannon. Strathclyde: Cannon. Kelburne. ()deon Ayr. ()deon Hamilton. UCI Clydebank. UCI East Kilbride.
I Gone With The Wind (P( i ) (Victor Fleming. US. 1939) Clark Gable. Vivien Leigh. ()Iivia dc llavilland. Leslie Howard. 221) mins. This new print has restored the original colour to the classic. fifty-year-old tale that brings alive the era ofthe civil war through gripping narrative
and characterisation.remaining faithfulto 5
Margaret Mitchell's powerful novel. Strathclyde: L'Cl Clydebank.
I GoodFellas ( 18) (Martin Scorsese. US. 199()) Ray Liotta. Robert De Niro,Joc Pesci. Lorraine Braceo. Paul Sorvino. 145 mins. See feature. Glasgow: ('annonThe Forge. Cannon Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cannon. L'Cl. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank. L'Cl East Kilbride.
I Grease (PG) (Randal Kleiser. US. 1978) John Travolta. Stockard Charming. ()livia Newton John. 111) mins. The long‘running broadway show arrives on screen dripping with Fifties‘ nostalgia. cheery tunes. a high camp value and the winsome charms of the plastic Newton-John and the toothy Travolta. A nice collection of old timers enhance the cast. Glasgow: Grosvenor.
I Halloweenula) (Dwight 11. Little. US. 1989) Donald Pleasence. Ellie Cornell. Danielle Harris. George P. Wilbur. 100 mins. The return ofslicc‘n'dice enthusiast Michael Myers (Wilbur). whose hospital transfer due to a legal technicality affords an opportunity to escape. Blade at the ready. he hotfoots it to l laddowfield todo away with his neice (Harris). with his psychiatrist of old (Pleasence) on his heels. Run-of—the-kill sequel carnage. with little more than fresh flesh forthe gore-hungry US meat market. Strathclyde: UCI East Kilbride.
I A Handful Dl Dust ( PU) (Charles Sturridge. UK. 1987) James Wilby. Kirstyn Scott-Thomas. Rupert Graves. 118 mins. Living in splendour at the
22 The List 26 ()ctober — 8 November 1990