FILM INDEX
FILM
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.
I Aardntan Animation (PG) A selection of household favourites from the award-winning team. including Creature C omforiv. A Grand Day Out and The ll’mng Trousers. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I The Actress Die Schauspielerin ( 15) (Siegfried Kuhn. East Germany. 1988) 88 mins A German actress hopes for a great career during The Third Reich by playing stereotypical Aryan heroines. but when she falls in love with a Jew. she fakes her suicide and assumes the identity of a Jewish woman. Themes of transformation. acting and disguise subtly merge as Kuhn examines personal identity in his version of Hedda Zimmer's novel Arrangement mi! rlenr Tod. Glasgow: GET.
I The Adjuster (18) (Atorrt Egoyait. Canada. 1991 ) Elias Koteas. Arsinee Khanjiait. Maury Chaykin. 102 mins. A disparate array of plot elements - an insurance adjuster. film censors. a kinky couple — combines with off-killer Twin Peaks-ish humour and sonre bizarre visuals iit Atom (Speaking Paris) Egoyan's riiost approachable movie to date. ‘A film about believable people doing believable things iii an unbelievable way' is how he describes it. Wierd and. iii its own way, wonderful. Glasgow: (ii-'1‘. I The Adventures or Priscilla. Queen or The Desert ( i8) (Stephan Elliott. Australia. 1994) Terence Stamp. iiugo Weaving. Guy Pearce. 101 mins. Two transvestites and a trans-sexual team tip for a trip across the Australian outback fora drag show in Alice Springs. Serious issues pop up front time to time. but the emphasis is on the camp humour of the in-bus bitchiness and outrageous musical set-pieces. Edinburgh: Cameo. Central: MacRobeit. Fife: Adarit Smith. I Andre (U) (George Miller. US. 1994) Tina Majorino. Keith Carradinc. Chelsea Field. 9-1 mins. This time it's the turn of a seal to keep the kids oohing and aahirrg. as the true story of Andre unfolds. Set during the early 6(1s in a small fishing town in Maine. the film has all the necessary elements - cute kid bonding with cute animal - and with a few adventure sequences in the plot that puts this flippered hero in the Skippy/Champion/Rin Tin Tin class. See review. Glasgow: Odeon. Edinburgh: ()deon. liCI. Strathclyde: Odeon Ayr. L'Cis.
I Angel (15) (Neil Jordan. UK. 1982) Stephen Rea. Ray McAnally. 95 mins. The saxophonist in a touring N. Ireland showband witnesses the brutal killing of a deaf mute girl. anti his life begins to disintegrate as he gets drawn into the conflict. Brilliant debut feature from Jordan. an achievement he has yet to surpass; notable for a true quality of poetic realism that the British cinema all too rarely achieves. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Barcelona (15) (Whit Stillman. US. 1994) Taylor Nichols. Chris Eigeinan. Tushka Bergen. 100 mins. As a follow-up to illeiropo/iian. writer-director- producer Stillman focusses on another group of young people wlto seem to converse solely through witty dialogue. The backdrop is interesting: a pair of American cousins get on each other's nerves in Barcelona during the 70s. a time when their countrymen were unpopular because of anti-NATO tensions. Edinbui‘ h: Cameo.
I Delleipoque (15) (Fernando Tineba. Spain. 1992) Jorge Sanz. Fernando Feman Gomez. Ariadne Gil. Penelope Cruz. 109 mins. During the Civil War. a young desener finds himself under the wing of an elderly libertine. enjoying the pleasures of his four daughters — a lesbian. a widow. a bn'de-to-be and a virgin. Sparkling. feel-good. period comedy that revels in the joys of life and love. Edinburglt: Cameo.
I The Bells Are Ringing (U) (Vincente Minnelli. US. 1960) Judy Holliday. Dean Martin. Fred Clark. 125 mins. Telephone operator Ilolliday can't help meddling in the lives of her clients. and finds herself in the clutches of drunken playwright Martin (who else?) Not as lively as Minnelli's best work. and the script clanks rather than chimes. but the two leads are likeable. Glasgow: GFT.
I Bicycle Thieves (PG) (Vittorio De Sica. Italy. 1948) Lamberto Maggiorani. Enzo Staiola. An unemployed ltalian workman has his bicycle stolen. and badly needs it for a new job. so he and his small son search the busy streets of Rome for it. The epitome of Italian neo-realisrn. with the Roman setting vividly sketched and the performances compellineg natural. so that this unromantic drama takes on an overwheming
24 The List 10-23 Feb was
power. Masterly stuff. Glasgow: GFT.
' I Black Beauty (l‘) (Caroline Thomson.
US/UK. 1994) Sean Bean. David Thewlis. Peter
Cook. The most famous horse iit children's
literature returns iii a faithful screen version by
debut director Thomson. whose work as a
screenwriter - The Secret Garden. Eduard
Scissor/randy. The Nightmare lie/ore Christmas
— taps into a darker current of childhood vision.
The pace sets off at a gallop. and should intrigue
adults as well as younger viewers. See preview.
General release.
I Blown Away ( 15) (Stephen ilopkiris. US.
1994) Jeff Bridges. Toirtiny Lee Jones. Suzy
Amis. 121 mitts. A psychotic terrorist blasts his
way out of prison and leaves lreland for
America. where he discovers that a top bomb
disposal expert is really a former terrorist who
5 caused the death of his sister. Cat arid mouse
stuff with plenty of big bangs and high anxiety
stress factors for audiences wlto like their palms
clammy. Central: Allanpark.
; I The Browning Version ( 15) (Mike Figgis.
i US/UK. 1994) Albert Finney. Greta Scacchi.
' Matthew Modinc. 97 mins. Air unpopular
E classics teacher is given a surprise gift by a pupil
on the day of his retirement. unleashing a torrent
I of emotions. Finney. as the repressed man.
Coming to terms with his failings and his wife‘s infidelity. is marvellous. But there's just enough sense of deja vu — English repression. nice manners. pretty countryside — to make you thirik you've been here several times before. Fife: Robin's.
I The Cabinet or Doctor Caligari (PG) (Robert Wienc. Germany. 1919) Werner Krauss. Conrad Vcidt. Lil Dagover. 9() mins. A landmark of expressionist cinema. feasting the eyes with
bizarre. angular visuals despite its technical crudity. The acting and directing are superb. aitd
the story of a fairgrotrnd liypnotist who uses a
sleepwalkcr to carry out murders still retains a unique sense of horror. Glasgow: GI’I‘.
I The Client ( 15) (Joel Schuiitachcr. US. 1994) Susan Sarattdorr. 'l‘omrrry Lee Jones. Brad Reitfro. 121 ritiits. Rourtdly superior to botlt The Firm arid The Pelican Brie/(which isn't saying much). this John Grisltam adaptation has the benefit ofcredible performances by its leads. A young boy becomes the pawn in a legal battle when he finds himself on the run front botli the Mob and the FBI. No masterpiece. but as a popcorn movie. there's more to savour than other airport novel fillers. Fife: Adam Smith.
I Cliffhanger (18) (Renity llarliii. L75. 1993) Sylvester Stallone. John Lithgow. Michael Rooker. Stallone returns to top form as a gttilt-
ridden mountain rescue pro battling it ortt
amongst the peaks irt Colorado with a gang of
hijackers. Spectacular vistas and stunt sequences ensure a white-knuckle. vertiginous experience front the comfort of your cinema seat.
Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Corrina Corrina (PG) (Jessie Nelson. US.
1994) Whoopi Goldberg. Ray Liotta. Tina
Majorino. 116 mins. Goldberg stars as the maid
to a recently widowed jingle writer (Liotta).
whose daughter helps them overcome the social distance that the times - the 1950s — demand.
Comedy and drama move with seamless skill. although the triumph of romance over cynicism may prove too sweet for some. Strathclyde:
Magnum.
I Dallas Doll (15) (Ann Turner. .»\ustralia/i-'i\'. 1993) Sandra Bernhard. Victoria Longley. Frank Gallagher. 101 mins. Art American golf professional (Bernhard) insinuatcs herself into an Australian suburban family arid sets about seducing husband. wife and sort. Bernhard invests her character with a brazen charm.
Longley delivers an excellent turn as the now liberated woman. but Turner's handling of the sociological economic invasion elements is less
' sure. More intriguing than inspired. See review.
Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
; I Dangerous When Wet (ti) (Charles Walter's.
US. 1953) Esther Williams. Charlotte
Creenwood. William Dearnarest. 95 mins. Who
needs Astaire and Rogers when you cart team
Esther Williams up with Tom and Jerry'.’ Yep.
that's one of the (admittedly fun) scenes in this
silly specacie. as the gal in the swimsuit makes her way across the English Channel to the sound of some swinging songs rortr Schwartz. and
Mercer. Edinburgh: Filrirhouse.
I Dazed And Confused ( 18) (Richard Linklater.
US. 1994) Wiley Wiggins. Jason London. Rory
Cochraite. 95 mitts. The last day of the 1976
term for a bunch of US schoolkids. and. for
some. it's time to face the initiation lrttmiliations
as they move front junior to senior higlt.
Linklater abandons the baton-passing riarritive
style of his seminal work. Slacker. and shows
masterful skill as he weaves together a multitude
of plot strands a la American Graffiti. Coo-til.
Glasgow: Gl’l‘. Central: MacRobei't.
I Dead Ringers ( 18) (David Cronenberg. US. 1988) Jeremy irons. Genevieve Bujold. lleidi Palleske 115 mins. Extraordinary examintioit of
sexual jealousy on identical twins. Irons plays
l
gynaecologists. arrogant Elliot and the more studious Beverly Mantle. who fall iit low with fadirtg actress Claire Niveau when their clinic treats lter infertility. As the emotional irrrrnoils mounts up. the trio become involved iii a frightening downward spiral of drug-induced mania. Deeply melancholic. irrationally powerful exercise iit wayward psychology. which boasts ritagnilicertt aitd carefully differentiated characterisation front irons. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
I Dein Unbekannter Druder ( 15) (L’lrich Weiss. East Germany. 1982) 105 mins. A man firtds work as a projectiortist in 1930s llantbttrg after a spell in prison. brrt. separated from his comrades. he feels increasingly threatened by the world around hint. Weiss skilfully builds a sense of isolation througlt a series of \ isual metaphors. creating a detached view of a country suffering under dictatorship. Glasgow: Goethe iitstittrt.
I Delicatessen ( 15) (Jean-Pierre qunet/Marc Caro. France. 1991 ) Dominique Pirrort. Marie- l.aur'e Dougnac. Jean-Claude Dreyfus. 99 mins. lit a sepia wasteland sornew here in the future. a butcher feeds his neighbours with the juicy joints of his lodgers. But when foritter clown Louisorr (Pinon) arrives arid falls for his daughter. an underground vegetarian resistartce group conre to the rescue. ililar‘ious blend of bizarre characters. slapstick arid comic tension makes for the first true cult item of the ‘90s. Central: Ailanpark.
I The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (15) (Lttis Buirucl. France. 1972) Fernando Rey. Delphine Seyrig. Stephane Audran. 105 mins. A group of friends find their dinner gatltering
interrupted by a series of bizarre. mostly dreamt- I tip events. Not as savage a satire as Bttiruel's earlier work. but he is ccrtairtly more assttred as
ire fires at his constant targets — the church. the
state and the army. Glasgow: Gi-‘l'.
I The Double life or Veronique (15) (Kt'zystof Kieslowski. Poland/France. 1991) Irene Jacob. Plrillppe Voltei'. Alexander Bardini. 110 mins. Two girls — one Polish. the other French — are born at the same time on the santc day and come to discover that their fates are bottrtd tip together. An eerily fascinating and disturbing erotic dance
of love and death from the director of Dekalog
(The Ten ('rininraiu/menis). with an extraordinary twiii performance by Cannes award-winner Jacob. Edinburgh: Filitiliotrse. I The Fencing Master ( 12) (Pedro ()lco. Spain. 1993) Assurnpta Serna. ()mero Aittonutti. Joaquim de Almeida. 88 mitts. Madrid iii the 1860s. and life is turbulent under the decadent Queen isabclla. particularly for swordsman Don Jaime de Astarloa. who is asked by the sultry Adela to be her teacher. A fully-fledged political thriller. with its romance and melodrama restrained by more elevated concerns. Highly recommended. Edinburgh: Cariteo. I The Fiancee Die Vt’l'ltdtie‘ (15)(Guntiier Rocker/Gunther Reisch. East Germany. 1980) 83 mins. After years of coping with imprisonment through reading arid thoughts of her fiance. Ilella — a Communist activist — suffers a breakdown when he finally is allowed to visit. A fresh look at the role of women in East Germany's Communist resistance. Edinburgh: Filmliouse. I Flesh And The Devil (PG) (Clarence Brown. (S. 1927) Greta Garbo. John Gilbert. Lars iiaitson. 109 mins. Classic silertt romantic irrelodraina. ltypcd at the time due to the off- screcn passions between Garbo and Gilbert. An adulterous countess becomes involved with a soldier and his best friend. stirring the passiorts
l
ofever'yone in her path. Perhaps a little overdone
by today's standards. btit the action clirrtax remains exciting. This special screening is set to live music by Carl Davis. who conducts the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Glasgow: Royal Concert liali.
I The Flintstones (t 7) (Brian Levant. 138. 1994) John Goodman. RickMoranis. Elizabeth Perkins. Rosie O'Donnell. 92 mins. Fred is promoted to air executive post at the quarry. brrt orin as a stooge for his boss‘s corporate rip-off: nevertheless. money and power go to the Flintstones‘ treads. causing friction with the Rubbles. The movie keeps to the TV series' prehistoric parody of modern suburban life. adds bright and chunky sets and a post-yuppie morality tale on greed that doesn't quite sit right. arid comes out a little plot-heavy. But it's no the yabba-dabba dodo it could have been. Glasgow: Grosverror. Strathclyde: Cannon.
I Forrest Dump (12) (Robert Zemeckis. US. 1994) Tom flanks. Robiit Wright. Gary Sinise. 142 mins. Even those with the lowest le can rise to the top iii the land of the free. as this picaresque tale sets out to prove. But despite its incurany sweet hero and its fairly standard love story core. Forrest Gain/t has a surprisingly dark-tinted view on recent American history — complete with racism. drug arid child abuse. war and political assassination. There are some bitter tasting choices hidden arttorrg the soft centres. Glasgow: MGM Film Centre.
Catch the best Film this ortnlght.
I Heavenly Creatures The true story of a scandalous New Zealand murder case in the 50s. shown through the eyes of its schoolgirl perpetrators. Director Peter Jackson changes style and pace from Bad Taste anti Braindead. Edinburgh; Cameo.
I Léon innocent. child-like love and graphic violence link the lives of an enigmatic hitman and a twelve-year- old girl in Luc Besson’s brilliant French movie. shot in English in New York. General release.
I Totally F“*ed Up An idiosyncratic mix of video diary and loose narrative. centring on a group of gay teenagers in LA. The world‘s first queer slacker nrovie from the director of The Living End. Edinburgh: Film/rouse.
I La Reine Margot The pretty costumes of 16th century France are splattered in blood as a royal wedding is followed by the St Bartholomew‘s Day Massacre. Cyrano De Bergerac by Quentin Tarantino, anyone? Glasgow: OFT. Edinburgh: Film/rouse.
BEPEBTDRY
I Flesh And The Devil Greta Garbo and John Gilbert set the screen alight to the live sound of Royal Scottish National Orchestra under the baton of Carl Davis. Glasgow: Concert Hall. I Bicycle Thieves Unadorned ltalian nee-realism by Vittorio De Sica. which movineg conveys the trials of the working class. Glasgow? GFII
I Three Colours Trilogy Krzysziot‘ Kieslowski's itiasterful set of movies based around the ideals of the French flag. Catch Blue. White and Red in one sitting. Iz'diiiliurgh.‘ Cameo.
I Four Weddings And A Funeral ( 151(Mikc Newcli. 1K. 199‘) Hugh Grant. Andie MacDowell. Kristin Scott 'l‘hoiiras. 117 mins. Sweet btit stuffy Eirglisiriitan Charlie (Grant) is
convinced that he is not the marry iitg sort. btil j when he keeps meeting the alluring American
Carrie (MacDowell) at art assortment of church ceremonies. he begins to doubt his resolve. The sort of charming British coriiedy that was destirted to storm Aiiiei'ica. btit which adds a little grit to the glamour of the pretty settings thanks to Richard (Blackm/rler) Curtis‘s script. i No doubt this is the first of many Valentine's 1 Day returns. Glasgow: ()deoit. \IGM i’ai‘khead.
' Edinburgh: ()deon. L'Ci. Slrathclyde: L'Cls.
I Gettysburg (PG) (Ronald F. Maxwell. i 's. l 1994) Martin Siteert. Tom Berengcr. Jeff
Daniels. 259 mins. Despite the running time. the focus of the narrative is limited to the three days 1 of battle at Gettysburg during the American
Civil War. This allows. however. the
personalities of the main protagonists to emerge i clearly. By explaining tactical moves before and after the lighting. the action is heightened as we 1 know rtot only wiry. btrt how the battles were fought. By no means an anti-war movie. yet it retains a certain masculine digrtity. Glasgow: GET.
I Gigi (PG) (Vincertte Mirtneili. 1S. 1958) I Leslie Caron. Louis Jourdan. Maurice Chevalier 119 mins. Caron is the cocotte allied to
Jotii’dan's rake: they are watched met by art l extravagantly French Chevalier and the rest of
[in (/t' rier'le Paris. This is a lavish musical front ‘ the golden days of MGM. adapted from