FILM INDEX
exemplary film is a harrowing account of an amoral mass murderer. Scenes of rape and mutilation transcend the usual titillation of the genre and force the audience to question the use of murder as entertainment. Simultaneously one ofthe most important releases of recent years and one recommended with caution. Edinburgh: UCl. I Hidden City ( 15) (Stephen Poliakoff. UK. 1987) Charles Dance. Cassie Stewart. Bill Paterson. Alex Norton. 108 mins. A statistician/writer is dragged into an increasingly surreal and frightening hidden side of London when he joinsa young girl in the search for a security classified piece of film. Poliakoff uses bizarre and oppressive locations to create the atmosphere of a plausible 1984 in which the video eye of Big Brother lurks around every corner. Glasgow: GFT. I Home Alone (PG) (Chris Columbus. US. 1990) Macaulay Culkin. Joe Pesci. Daniel Stern. John Heard. Catherine O‘Hara. 103 mins. Peter and Kate McCallister (Heard and O'Hara) have an eight-year-old brat and wisely — albeit accidentally — leave him behind in Chicago when they go on holiday to Paris. Left to his own devices young Kevin (Culkin) has to deal with two bungling burglars (Pesci and Stern) who threaten to invade his peaceful haven. Jolly. ifsadistic. scare-comedy antics produced by teenflick veteran John Hughes. Central: Caledonian. Strathclyde: Kelburne. I Homework ( 18) (Jaime Humberto Hermosilla, Mexico. 1990) Maria Rojo. Jose Alonso. 85 mins. A young woman invites her ex-lover to her flat for a romantic evening. but keeps from him the fact that their subsequent romps are being filmed by a hidden camera in order to complete the home movie she is working on as a class project. Shot from a single camera angle. Hermosillo‘s film cocks a snoot at the more serious examination of sexuality and voyeurism in sex. lies and videotape. Glasgow: GFT. I Jean De Florette (PG) (Claude Berri. France. 1986) Gerard Depardieu. Yves Montand, Daniel Auteuil. 121 mins. Provence. during the 1920s. Depardieu‘s indomitable hunchback struggles against impossible odds to make a success of his inherited farmland. unaware that his neighbours are plotting to drive him from his land. Beautifully photographed. with flawless performances. this is a towering tribute to the highest aspirations of French storytelling. A BAFTA winner for the film ofthe year. Edinburgh: Cameo. IJungle Fever(l8) (Spike Lee. US. 1991) Wesley Snipes. Annabella Sciorra,John Turturro. Spike Lee. Anthony Quinn. 132 mins. See preview. Edinburgh: Cameo. I A Kiss Beiore Dying (18) (James Dearden. US. 1990) Matt Dillon. Sean Young. Max Von Sydow. Diane Ladd. 92 mins. Writer/director Dearden also wrote the screenplay for Fatal Attraction. which many people found misogynistic. Here. he‘s back on dangerous relationships territory. though the maladjusted partner in this case is male. and a psychopathic killer at that. Gaps in plot and obvious photographed backdrops actually work in favour of this enjoyable. old-fashioned thriller from the Hitchcock school. Strathclyde: Odeon Ayr. I Lite Stinks(12) (Mel Brooks. US. 1991) Mel Brooks, Jeffrey Tambor. Lesley Ann Warren. 95 mins. See feature. Glasgow: Salon. Edinburgh: Odeon, UC1. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank. UCl East Kilbride. I Love At Large (15) (Alan Rudolph. US. 1990) Tom Berenger. Elizabeth Perkins. Kate Capshaw. Anne Archer. Neil Young. 97 mins. Rudolph‘s latest is a bizarre kind of noir pastiche. in which private dick Berenger is hired to keep tabs on Archer‘s errant husband. and is in turn tailed by a female dick (Perkins) hired by his jealous girlfriend (Capshaw). Eccentrically humorous and sumptuously
REGARDING HENRY
Regarding Henry (12) (Mike Nicols, US, 1991) Harrison Ford, Annette Bening, Bill Nunn, Mlkkl Allen. 107 mins. Hoiiman’s done it. Cruise has been there as well. Even Gibson tried it beiore he leit those Antlpodean shores. How it’s Harrison Ford's turn to put away the whip and the eight-feet tall hairy sidekick and have a go at some serious acting. Oh dear.
Henry Turner is more than just a bastard, he’s a lawyer. In a short live-minute spell, he unjustly wins a case ior personal glory, is arrogant to all and sundry, is rude on the phone, is unloving towards his daughter and is shot in the head. The lengths you have to go to in orderto learn a lesson. When he emerges irom a coma, he begins a long period at rehabilitation during which he does a complete 180 degree shllt in attitude and becomes a nice person. Yep, we’re supposed to feel sorry tor the guy- why, he might even lose his six-figure apartment or trade in some oi the 50 suits he has hanging in his wardrobe.
In the initial stages of his tight ior recovery. Ford does give his character just the right amount at unvocalised anger and irustration to convey an intelligent man trapped inside a detective mind and body. But as the lilm continues, this gives way to a series oi unashamedly predictable plot
and character developments that undermine any sense at pity we could have tor the Turner household. Jeiirey Abrams' script is too black and white; Mike Nichols’ direction iartoo glib. In the end, we're left testing that it's all been too easy, that we’ve been cheated at any real conllict, whether between characters or inside Henry himseli. After all, lithe badness in your memory has been completely wiped, where is the dramatic victory in doing the odd good turn? A poor—almost oiiensive - attempt by talents that should know better. (Alan Morrison)
From 13 Sept. Glasgow: The Forge, Cannon, Sauchlehall Street, Grosvenor. Edinbugh: Cannon, UCl. Strathclyde: UCl Clydebank. 001 East Kilbride.
filmed, it fails to gel into a satisfying whole. but should not disappoint Rudolph‘s followers. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I The Man Who Fell To Earth (18) (Nicolas Rocg. UK. 1976) David Bowie. Rip Torn. Buck Henry. 138 mins. An alien searching for the water needed to save his own planet has his powers destroyed by the sinister machinations of a multinational business enterprise. Well cast Bowie gives perhaps his best performance in this dazzling. occasionally obtuse. piece of Roegian sci-fi. A film that bears and indeed improves with repeated viewings. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Manon Des Sources (PG) (Claude Berri. France/Italy. 1986) Yves Montand. Daniel Auteuil. Emmanuclle Beart. 114 mins. Ten years after the demise ochan de Florette. the Soubcyrans run a prosperous carnation farm. Jean‘s daughter has grown into an alluring young woman and sets out to wreak her revenge. Steering this epic rural saga towards the realms of Greek tragedy. this is a fulland satisfying second half that explores the suffering of the guilty as they pay a crippling penance for man's greed and envy. The production values are as high as ever and Auteuil assumes Depardieu‘s mantle in his development from glaikit idiot to broken-hearted suitor. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Mary Of My Heart ( 18) (Jaime Humberto Hermosilla. Mexico, 1979) Hector Bonilla. Maria Rojo. Armando Martin. Salvadore Sanchez. 120 mins. Life moves swiftly from a fairy tale ofsuccess tothe nightmare of a lunatic asylum for a beautiful magician and her husband. One of Hermosilla‘s most disturbing films. it was co-seripted by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Glasgow: GFT.
I Matinee (18) (Jaime Humberto Hermosilla. Mexico. 1976) Hector Bonilla. Manuel Ojeda. Armando Martin. Cesar Bono. 96 mins. Two boys heading for Mexico City get more than they bargained for when their delivery
truck is hijacked by road pirates. Although it starts out something like a Disney adventure. by the time the final credits role. Hermosilla has shown us violent death. disaster and gay love. Glasgow: GFT.
I Mermaids ( 15) (Richard Benjamin. US. 1991 ) Cher. Winona Ryder. Bob Hoskins. Christina Ricci. 110 mins. Quirky growing-up comedy whose adolescent heroines are an irresponsible. footloose mother Mrs Flax (Cher) and her morose. pious daughter Charlotte (Ryder). both of whom have something to learn from the other‘s pre-supposed values. Enjoyable and warm-hearted. with Hoskins splendid as the sexy shoe-shop owner. and excellent performances from the two central actresses. Central: Regal.
I Miller's Crossing (18) (Joel Coen. US. 1990) Gabriel Byrne. Albert Finney. Marcia Gay Harden. John Turturro. Jon Polito. J.E. Freeman. 115 mins. The Coen Brothers‘ latest opus is a predictably quirky-but-stylish reworking ofgenrc material - in this case the gangster flick. Set in an unnamed East-coast city in the 1930s. it centres on the falling-out between mob-leader Finney and his right-hand man Byrne when both take a shine to the same broad (Harden). It‘s all carried out with the Coen‘s customary aplomb. and even features a fleeting appearance by Evil Dead and Darkman director Sam Raimi. Central: MacRobert Arts Centre.
I Mo’ Better Blues (18) (Spike Lee. US. 1990) Denzel Washington. Spike Lee. Joie Lee. Cynda Williams. 130mins. Exuberantly shot. enterprisingly designed and evocatively scored. Lee‘s jazz flick scores on the incidentals but neglects the basics with a central storyline that moves at a snail‘s pace and was neverthat interesting in the first place. Denzel Washington is the self-absorbed trumpet star Bleek Gilliam. involved with both teacher Joie Lee and aspiring singer Williams while failing to notice manager Spike's gambling habit and the discord in
his band. Worth seeing all the same. but patience is required. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. I Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (PG) (Jacques Tati. France. 1953) Jacques Tati. Nathalie Pascaud. Michelle Rolla. 91 mins. M. Hulot. the bachelor with the accident-prone touch. arrives at a jaunty coastal resort and devastation very soon ensues. Comic timing at its most irresistible. as Tati gets away with a number of memorable. slow-burning gags. all undercut by the stabbing notion that we all have an uncle exactly like Hulot. Glasgow: GFl'. I New Jack City ( 18) (Mario Van Peebles. US. 1991) Wesley Snipes. lee-T. Allen Payne. Chris Rock. Mario Van Peebles. 101 mins. Rapper lee-T playsan undercover cop dedicated to smashing a powerful gang who run a drugs empire. But when his cover is blown. a seriesof violent confrontations follow. Director Van Peebles delviers a gripping work of fiction based on a frightening world of fact. while packing in an impressive quotient of Uzi fire and hot babe action. Glasgow: Cannon Saucbiehall Street. Edinburgh: UCl. Strathclyde: UCI Clydebank. UCl East Kilbride. I A Night At The Opera (PG) (Sam Wood. US. 1935) The Marx Brothers. Margaret Dumont. Kitty Carlisle. Allan Jones. Walter Woolf King. 90 mins. The Brothers (minus Zeppo) were at the height of their comic powers when they made this masterpiece. This time they're helping an opera company get back on its feet. but not before they‘ve had a hand in wrecking it in the first place. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Nikita ( 18) (Luc Besson. France. 1990) Anne Parillaud. Tcheky Karyo. Jean-Hughes Anglade. Jeanne Moreau. 114 mins. The latest exercise in stylish tosh from Gallic maestro Besson. l’arillaud stars as a junkie waif resurrected from her dreary existence by the enigmatic Karyo. an agent for the government‘s most secretive undercover organistaion. and pretty soon she‘s a topnotch assassin. But does this make her any more fulfilled? Glasgow: GFT. I Only The Lonely ( 12) (Chris Columbus. US. 1991 ) John Candy. Maureen ()‘l lara. Ally Sheedy. Kevin Dunn. Milo O‘Shea. 104 mins. See review. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. Grosvenor. ()deon. Edinburgh: Odeon. UCl. Strathclyde: Cannon. UCl Clydebank. UCl East Kilbride. I Oscar (PG) (John Landis. US. 1991) Sylvester Stallone. Yvonne I)e(‘arlo. Tim Curry. Don Ameche. ()rnella Muti. 110 mins. Persuaded by his dying father to give up his life ofcrime. Angelo‘Snaps‘ Provelone (Stallone) finds it difficult to convince the local cops and his colleagues that he has indeed turned over a new leaf. A classy. slick Touchstone product that careers from farce to Runyonesque satire. pushed along by a snappy line in comedy dialogue from its star. Glasgow: Cannon The Forge. Odeon. Edinburgh: Dominion. Odeon. UCl. Strathclyde: Odeon Ayr. Odeon Hamilton. UCl Clydebank. UCl East Kilbride. I Paciiic Heights ( 15) (John Schlesinger. US. 1990) Melanie Griffith. Matthew Modine. Michael Keaton. Tippi Hedren. 102 mins. Creepy suspense thriller with mildly Hitchcockian undertones has Griffith and Modinc as a lovey-dovey couple struggling to pay the mortgage on their desirable new Frisco home. Keaton is their undesirable new lodger. who not only fails to pay the rent. but also introduces some other unwanted tenants of the six-legged variety. Well acted and not without its moments. but rather slender in the plot department. Edinburgh: Cameo. I Paris Trout ( 18) (Stephen Gyllenhaal. US. 1991) Dennis Hopper. Barbara Hershey. Ed Harris. Tina Lifford. 99 mins. Hopper is on trademark psychotic
18 The List 13 - 26 September 1991