INDEX FILM
FILM muzz-
Films screening this fortnight are listed below with certificate, credits, brief review and venue details. Film index compiled by Alan Morrison.
I AlienSt l8) (James (.arrreron. US. I986) Sigourirey Weaver. Micltael Bielin. I37 mins. Revived from a 57-year snooze in deep space. Warrant Officer Weaver is cajoled into joining a marine rescue mission to the planet that is home for the original alien beastie. Unrelentingly paced w ith a terrifically gutsy performance from Weaver. this nerve-shredding sequel not only matches its predecessor but cannin surpasses it. A n Oscar winner for special effects. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Avanti (PG) (Billy Wilder. I'S. I972) Jack I-emmon. Juliet Mills. (‘Iive Revill. I44 mins. Lemmon and Wilder pair again after Some Like I! Hi)! and The A/ipttl'lnlt'llf for a very funny comedy about an American businessman who finds love in Italy with the mistress of his late father. Theatrical roots show through. btrt not to the film's detriment. Glasgow: GFI'.
I l’Avventura (I8) (Michelangelo Antonioni. Italy. I960) Monica Vitti. Gabriele I-‘erzetti. Lea Massari. I45 mins. Slow and detached from plot devices. Antonioni's focus concentrates more on the developing relationship of a couple searching the Sicilian landscape for a missing friend than the how or why of the disappearance itself. A prime example of European chic. memorany photographed. Glasgow: GFI".
I Babe (U) ((‘ht'is Noonan. Australia. I995) James Cromwell. with the voices of (‘hristine Cavanaugli. Miriam Margolyes. Hugo Weaving. 92 mins. Ari orphaned pig falls under the eye of a kindly collie and begins to think he's destined for glory at the regional trials. Talking animals suggest that this is a kids‘ movie: to an extent it is — and a great one — btit there's enough skewered humour (hail the psycho mice!) for adults to discover an unexpected cult hit. A triumph for the underpig. Central: ABC. Strathclyde: Odeon Hamilton.
I The Battleship Potetnltin (I’G) (Sergei Eisenstein. USSR. I925) A. Aritorrov. Vladimir Barski. Grigori Alexandrov. 75 mins. Made for the 20th anniversary of the I905 revolution. Eisenstein's all-time classic follows the mutiny by the crew of the Prince Pmemkiii and the support given by the local civilian population. who are mown down by the Czar's troops in the famous ()dessa Steps sequence. Expressive camera technique and a grasp of editing that
o rote the textbooks are just some of the innovations that ptit Eisenstein and Russian film firmly on the cinematic map. Edinburgh: I-‘ilmhouse.
I Beautiful Thing ( I5) (Ilettie Macdonald. UK. I990) Glen Berry. Linda Henry. Scott Neal. 90 mins. Jamie. a teenager having a hard time at the local comprehensive. falls for neighbour Ste.
w ho himself is on the receiving end from his ex- hoxer dad. First-timer Macdonald's direction is titiIIaslty. btit attuned to the inner lives of these motley individuals. and the cast work wonders. Bright. summery and ftrll of life's possibilities. Glasgow: ABC Sauchiehall Street. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Braveheart t I5) (Mel Gibson. US. t995) Mel Gibson. Patrick McGoohan. Sophie Marceau. I77 mins. Mel Gibson's long and bloody account of the life of Scottish warrior hero William Wallace boasts some remarkable battle scenes and great performances. Aiming to entertain on a wider scale than the more literate Ru/i Rrit'. Bruveheurr's Scottish passion is tempered by a few Hollywood moments — touches of sentimentality and ‘dramatic' Iristorical inaccuracy. Nevertheless. it's a fine. full-blooded attempt to tap into the spirit that fires Scotland‘s history and heroes. Edinburgh: ()deon.
I Casino ( l8) (Martin Scorsese. US. I995) Robert De .\'iro. Sharon Stone. Joe I’esci. I78 mins. Lifetime gambler Ace Rothsteiri is chosen as the mobs man in Vegas. and runs the casinos smoothly until things fall apart during the 70s. Scorsese's latest gangster epic has a touch of Greek tragedy about its downfall of a self-made man. but it's too much in lelllFl’llth territory to be special. The cinematography and editing are as textbook as ever. and Stone delivers the performance of her career. Glasgow: GET.
I Chunglting Express ( I2) (Wong Kai-.Wai. Hong Kong. I994) Brigitte Lin. Takeslri Karreshiro. Tony Leung. Faye Wang. 97 mins. Such a glorious concoction of humour. energy.
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.sty Ie and kookiness rarely comes our way. The tvv o loosely overlapping stories are set around a fast food stall in Houg Kong. with mismatched romance and indulgent heartache the menu for today. The second segirteiit is the stronger. btrt the film is st) fresh and unusual that it more than sui vrves this slight imbalance. A limit I)" Souffle for otii times. Edinburgh: Cameo.
I Circle Of Friendst t5) (I’at ()‘connm;
IRS/I 'K. I994) Chris O'Donnell. (‘oliir l'lllll. Minnie Driver. IOZ mins. A group of friends meet and socialise together as a relief from their college studies in Dublin. \\ itli love and disappointment inevitably rearing their heads A slice of life in I957 Ireland - so parochial it might as well be another planet - ()‘(fonnoi 's adaptation of Maeve Binchy’s novel is faithfully recreated but-too lightweight. Edinburgh: Odeon. I The confessional ( l8) (Robert Lepage. Catiada/UK/France. I995) Lothaire Bltrteatr. Patrick Goyette. Kristen Scott-'I'homas. I00 rrrins. Acclaimed theatre director Lepage makes his film directorial debut with a corirplcx. btrt mar'vellously visual tale that clashes past against present. I’iert‘c (Bluteau) returns to Quebec and his quest for“ identity merges with flashbacks to the time Hitchcock came to town to shoot I Confess. Edinburgh: l-‘ilmhoiise
I Copycat ( I8) (Jon Amiel. tjs. I996) Sigourney Weaver. Holly Hunter. Harry (,‘onrrrck Jr. I23 mins. A criminal psychologist (Weaver). who suffers front acute agoraphobia after an attack. is threatened by a copycat killer t ‘\Iy God. he's going to do Ted Bundy next') after a female cop (Hunter) tires to draw her otrt of retirement. A redundant. reprehensible slice of schlock that leaves a nasty taste in the mouth. Glasgow: Odeon.
I Cutthroat Island (l5) (Reniiy Harlin. ITS. I995) Geena Davis. Matthew Modine. Frank Langella. I23 mins. The daughter (Davis) of an infamous pirate inherits his ship. crew and mean reputation as she searches for an island and hidden treasure. Die Hard 2 director Ilarlin's preference for blowing things tip when the action sags shows lack of imagination and he lets it all go on too long. For a while. though. it's a irratinee-style romp through all the peg-leg cliches of the genre. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr.
I Dead Man (I8) (Jim Jarmusch. US. I995) Johnny Depp. Gary Farmer. Lance Henricksen. l2l mins. After heading out west for a job vacancy that's already been filled. accountant Bill Blake (Depp) finds a posse on his tail after
the shooting of his would-be errrployer's son. With a bullet in his own chest. Blake hooks up with an Indian called Nobody (Farmer). \v ho reckons this is the spirit of the poet Blake and so prepares a proper funeral. Glorioust shot in black and white. meticulously paced. and imbued with a spiritual transcendence. Jaimtrsch's existential Western is innovative and unexpected. See preview and review. Edinburgh: ('ameo.
I Dead Man Walking ( l5) (Tim Robbins. IJS. I995) Susan Sarandou. Sean Penn. Robert I’rosky. I22 mins. A nun (Sarandorr) begins Irer ovvri difficult spiritual journey when she becomes religious advisor to a brutal murderer (I’enn) lacing the death penalty. Saiandon‘s presence is unshowy and corririritted. Penn's vivid and deeply insightful. and Robbins‘s achieverrietit is to make a film whose intensity and coiirpassion ranks it far above the usual run of Hollywood pulp. Iidiiiburgh: ()deon. Strathclyde: ()deon Ayr.
I Desperado ( l8) (Robert Rodriguez. t's. I995) Antonio Banderas. Salma Hayek. Joachim De Almeida. I00 mins. Part sequel. part big budget remake. nl’.\[)('l'(I(/U delivers all the shoot-outs and explosions denied us in Rodriguez's inventive debut 15/ ilftiriuclii'. Banderas smoulders as the revenge~driven guitarist. btrt the erriphasis is not on plot ~ delight instead in the glorious action set pieces. The ultimate firearm flairierico. Glasgow: (it'osv error.
I Don Juan IleMarco i IS) (Jererriy Lev III. t is. I994) Johnny Depp. Marlon Brando. I‘ayc Dtruaway. IOU mins. (‘orrvrnced he's the legendary seducer and swordsman Don Juan. Depp finds hims'elf under the psychiatric care of Marlon Brando. who is inspired by his young chargc's energy to invigorate his own iriaiiiage. Writer-director Levitt doesn't varv the structure or add any flair to the movie. btrt. despite the lightweight structure. Brando's contribution is sorrtething to treasure. Iidinburgh: ('airieo.
I Down Periscope (I’G) (David 8. Ward. ('8. I995) Kelsey Grammar. Lauren Holly. Brtrce Dei'n. I00 mins. ('lit'ei'v and Fm:icr star Grammar plays a navy comrriander given the unenviable job of turning a rusty submarine and its scabby crew into a fighting unit. Slapstick knockabout and cringemaking humour put this on the level of I’m/ice Academy. General release. I Dunston Checks to (PG) (Keri Kwapis. US. I995) Jason Alexander. Faye Dunaway. Eric Lloyd. 88 mins. There's monkey business
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The List 28 Jun-II Jul I996 29