BACARDI BLACK
INDEX FILM
Shepard. 141 mins. Another adaptation of a John (The Firm) Grisharn novel; another over-long. flabby thriller. Law student Roberts finds herself on the run from killers when her speculative brief on the murder of two Supreme (‘ourt judges hits a raw nerve. instantly disposable stuff. with Washington as solid as ever in his beefed-up role. General release.
I A Perfect World ( l 5) ((‘lim tiasiwood. (‘8. 1993) Kevin Costner. (‘lint Eastwood. Laura Dem. 138 mins. (‘areer criminal Butch Hayes (Costner) springs himself from the pen and takes a young boy hostage: pursued by a grizzled Texas Ranger (liastwtxxl) and a criminologist (Dem). he forms a close relationship with his captive. who begins to enjoy an adventure previously denied him. Unfortunately overlong. due to too many plot strands. there are still enough personal demons present to give it a compelling edge. Strathclyde: Magntrrn.
I Philadelphia (12) (Jonathan Demme. (S. 1993) Tom Hanks. Denzel Washington. Jason Robards. 125 mins. A lawyer takes his former employers to court. convinced that he has been sacked because he is suffering froru AIDS. Demme's film goes as far as any mainstream Hollywood movie on this subject could in the ctment climate. but for all its compromises. it should be applauded for avoiding any notion of manipulative death-bed sensationalisrn. Hanks. for once. is allowed to break free from lightweight comic roles. and delivers a moving perfonnance. General release.
I The Piano (15) (Jane (‘ampion. Australia/New
Zealand. 1993) Holly Hunter. Sam Neill. Harvey
Keitel. 120 mins. Jane (‘ampion‘s masterpiece follows tnute Scotswoman Ada (Hunter) as she travels to 19th century New Zealand with her piano and daughter to enter into an arranged marriage. Soon she begins a passionate and erotic affair with her illiterate neighbour as the means of regaining her treasured instrument.
lmpeccable performances lift this highly charged"
piece to the realms ofclassic cinema. undoubtedly one of the best films of the 90s. lidinburgh: UCI.
I The Remains of the Day (1’) (James Ivory.
UK. 1993) Anthony Hopkins. limma Thompson.
James Fox. 13-1 mins. A butler reminisces on the pre-WWZ days he spent in Darlington Hall. when he turned a blind eye to his employer's dealings with the Nazis and his own feelings for the housekeeper. ()ne of Merchant-lvory‘s best. with Hopkins the epitome of [English emotional repression. Glasgow: (‘annon Edinburgh:
Dominion. Strathclyde: U(‘1 liast Kilbride.
I Reservoir Dogs ( 18) (Quentin Tarantino. US. 1992) Harvey Keitel. Tim Roth. Michael Madsen. 100 mins. A gang of hoods. known only to each other by colour-coded nicknames. meets at an abandoned warehouse to figure how out their rigorously planned heist went so drastically wrong. The best debut in years from writer-director 'l‘arantino. whose stylish violence seduces the audience into complicity. Brilliant in every sense of the word. Glasgow: ()deon. lidinburgh: Cameo. Filmhouse. ()deon. Fife: Robin's. Strathclyde: WMR.
I The Rocky Honor Picture Show (18) (Jirn Shartnan. (K. 1975) Tim (‘ur‘ry. Susan Sarandon. Barry Bostwick. Meat Loaf. 100 mins. The cult film to end all others. this rock spoof on old horror movies has created a breed of Rocky Horror crazies. and packs them in at late shows everywhere. The film has its moments. and (‘urry is splendidly camp as the bisexual Frank N. Furter. Glasgow: ()deon.
I Romper Stamper ( (a) ((ie()ffrey Wright. Australia. 1991) Russell C‘rowe. Jacqueline McKenzie. Daniel Potluck. 8‘) mins. A group of Nazi skinheads in Melbourne find their numbers dwindling when they get caught tip it) a street war with local Vietnamese. Hand-held camera shots draw the audience into the frenzy. letting them reject the skinheads' views with moral certainty rather than blind emotionalistn. A film that pressurises viewers into addressing the issues involved. Strathclyde: l'(‘l Fast Kilbride. I Rosemary‘s Baby ( 18) (Roman Polanski. IS. 1968) Mia Farrow. John (‘assavetes Ruth Gordon. 137 mitts. hi this fastidious. frightening
heroism. while depicting traumatic events in documentary-like black-andwhite images. l’sychologically complex. emotionally devastating and artistically irnpeachable. this is one of the best films ever made. General release. I Scottish Animation (PG) A programme ()f work by young Scottish animators. tying in with the Animation l’lur exhibition at the (‘ollins Gallery. See Rushes for details. Glagsow: (il’l'. I The Secret Garden ([7) (Agnieszka Holland. (S. 1993) Kate Mabetly. Maggie Smith. John Lynch. 102 mins. The unusual combination of the director of Europa Europa and the writer of Iii/ward Si:r'ssurlmnr/r conspires to create an authentic and affecting version ()f the children's
classic novel. Stripped back frotn lndia. lonely
orphan Mary makes friends with a local lad and her sickly cousin. exerting a magical rccuperative process on the latter and a hidden walled garden. 'l‘ouching and uncontrived. (‘entralz MacRohert. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr. I Shadowlands (PG) (Richard Attenborough. IS. 1993) Anthony Hopkins. Debra Winger.
Joey Maz/elo. 131 mins. The true story of
Oxford don and children's novelist (‘S Lewis who. late in life. married feisty American
divorcee Joy Gresham. only to lose her to cancer a few years later. Superlative acting from all
concerned. with Hopkins opening his emotions
more than usual and Attenborough showing that he can work effectively on a detailed. intimate
canvas. See preview. Glasgow: ()deon.
adaptation of Ira Levin's novel. young housewife
Farrow moves into a new apartment block where she comes to believe that her neighbours are witches and her husband is the Devil. Polanski works at the ambiguity factor all the way through by contrasting the everyday surroundings with the extraordinary events (imagined or otherwise) taking place in and around them, while the cast all play it with some conviction. lidinburgh: Cameo.
I Schindler's list ( 15) (Steven Spielberg. (S. 1993) Liam Neeson. Ralph Fiennes. Ben Kingsley. 195 mins. During WW2. German industrialist and Nazi Party member ()skar Schindler saved the lives of over a thousand Jewish employees by demanding they work in his factory rather than be sent to Auschwitz. Spielbetg's magnificent movie and Neeson's txrformance capture this enigmatic brand of
Grosvenor. MGM Parkhead. Fdinburgh: Dominion. ()deon. Strathclyde: Odeon Ayr‘. All (is
I Sleepless In Seattle (PG) (Nora liphton. 1S.
1993) Meg Ryan. Tom Hanks. 105 mins. ()ne of the most warm—hearted romantic comedies to emerge from Hollywood in years. again proving the talent of Nora liphron. who wrote When Harry Met Sally. Newspaper reporter Ryan hears
a radio talk show which features recently
widowed architect Hanks. She‘s sure they are made for each other. btit the whole of the l'nited States lies between them. Central: MacRobert.
Fife: Adam Smith. I The Stolen Children ( 15) (Gianni Amelio. ltaly. 1992) linrico l.o Verso. Valentina Scalici.
Giuseppe leracitano. 112 mitts. A relatiionship
develops between an Italian policeman and two
delinquent kids in his charge after their mother is
arrested. Superb txrformances grace this gentle
study of the meaning of genuine freedom. Iiuropean Film of the Year at the 1992 Felix
Awards. (‘entralz Mac Robert.
I Strictly Ballroom (PG) (Baz Luhnnann. Australia. 1991) Paul Mercurio. Tara Moricc. Bill Hunter. 94 mins. Dancefloor hopeful Scott Hastings incurs the wrath of the Australian Dance Federation by using his own steps in competition. loses his partner and his friends. but finds love and artistic integrity with the local wallflower. The ultimate feelgood movie. it is crammed with colour. glitter. music and spectacle. lidinburgh: Cameo.
I Suzuki Seiiun Season 1n association with London's 1(‘A. the Gl’l' presents a fourteen- strong line-up of bizane thrillers by the director who was honoured with a retrospective at the 1988 [Edinburgh International Film Festival. Matinee prices apply at all screenings. See panel for general intrtxluction. and below for details of films showing this issue.
The Bastard ( 18) (Suzuki Seiiun. Japan. 1963) 90 mins. This story of psychological and sexual ' development from the novel by Kon Toko saw Suzuki push his studio‘s target teenage audience beyond the usual genre limitations. Sat 19 only. Detective Bureau 2-3 ( l 8) (Suzuki Seijun. Japan. 1963) 89 mins. A private eye infiltrates a yakuza gang. in this perfect example of the Nikkatsu cop/yakuza genre. peppered with a few idiosyncratic twists of comedy. Fri 18 only.
The Gate 0t Flesh ( l 8) (Suzuki Seijun. Japan. 1964) 90 mins. A strange. almost Bunuelian treatment of post-war Japan. as a teenage girl joins a group of prostitutes in an attempt to avoid the gangs roaming the ruined city streets. Sun 20 only.
Kanto Wanderer ( 18) (Suzuki Seijun. Japan. 1963) 93 mins. 'I‘wo yakuzas from rival gangs find their lives fatally entwined when one falls for the other's sister. Mon 21 only.
One Generation Offattooe (18) (Suzuki Seijun. Japan. 1965) 87 mins. Familiar plot elements — a yakuza hitrnan wants to retire after one final job — are spiced tip by the director whose striking visual stylisation and political references earned him a caution from his studio bosses. Thurs 24 only.
Story Of A Prostitute ( l 8) (Suzuki Seijun. Japan. 1965) 96 mins. A hardboiled look at violence and prostitution on the Manchurian front in 1937. adapted frorn a novel by Tamura Taijiro. Wed 23 only.
Tokyo Drifter (18) (Suzuki Seijun. Japan. 1966) 83 mins. Classic Suzuki. as an ‘honourable’ yakuza finds himself at odds with the corporate corruption of the modem age. Tue 22 only.
BACARDI§ BLACK
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:11” BACARDI - AV/l’i/ri
The List 1 1—24 March 1994 21