FILM
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Playing the king
The starring role in a new film of Macbeth should release JASON CONNERY from his
father’s shadow. Worm Alan Morrison
l.ike lather. like son. Back in the late “’50s. Sean (‘onnery had a stab at Shakespeare when he played Macbeth lor a liyc teley ision transmission ol the Scottish play. liorty years on. it‘s his son .lason‘s turn to take on the role. this lime in a low-budget lilm made in Scotland. .«llm‘lm/r is a solid. well-acted. occasionally impressiy‘e \‘ersion ol the play that's inl'initely better than the producers' preyious ellorts — the dismal (liming '/‘/1(' Deer and The lirut-t' and it may well proyide (’onnery with the means to persuade others that there‘s more to his talents than the lamily name.
‘\\'ell. a lew years ago I would hay e madly delended the lact that | get the jobs because ol my dad.‘ he says. ‘liut the way I look at it now is that I can‘t really worry about why I'm cast in something. ll someone casts me because I hay e a lamous lather. that‘s their problem. It you get all allected and otlended about those kinds ol things. it eats away at yott. I do get pissed oil. but it’s wasted energy really. Sometimes the public must think all l ey er talk about is my dad.‘
'l-‘ather‘s son syndrome‘ was something (‘onnery perhaps brought upon himsell by agreeing to play the
James Bond creator in 'l'\' moyie The Secret lili’ (2/
Ill/l I’lr'mme back in l‘Nl). Best known as Robin Hood in the third series ol Rob/'11 ()I‘S/icrwmul. he was. how ey er. nominated lor the Australian equiyalent ol an Oscar lor l‘iSJ's 'lilir' llny Who Had l'ft't'ry'I/Ir/Ig. which also starred his mother. Diane ('ilento. \ow .llm‘ln'I/t giy'es the lormer (iordonstoun pupil and Perth Repertory Theatre actor a rare bout with the Bard.
‘l leel that. lor the prowess ol the warrior. my age is about the right age.‘ he says ol the character. olten played older than (‘onnery‘s 3-1 years. ‘I liked the idea ol all the thanes being the young guns coming in. and the ambition ol youth. I'm not sure il he leels guilt. but I think right lrom the beginning he has a conscience - unlike his “He. who says once you‘ye washed the blood lrom your hands. then it‘s oyer. I think he has the leeling that he’s going to commit this crime belore he does ll.
‘\\'e also wanted to get oy'er that he and Lady Macbeth [played by Helen lia\endalel were a really good learn. that they adored and admired each other.
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Is this a dagger which I see before me?: Jason Connery in Macbeth
and that‘s what makes it so tragic when he decides to take the other road.‘
The lilm also allowed him to work in Scotland. which he yisits as olten as possible lor llogmanay hashes and rugby matches. ‘\\'orking in Dunl'ermline .-\bbey. where \lacbeth had actually stayed. and up at Blackness. really enhanced the play. It lelt as though . we were liying and shooting ' at the right place. I only
became aware ol the boom j in the Scottish lilm industry once I‘d gone up there. I know that in .-\merica. people haye lfl'(ll'('/I(’(II'I parties and a lot ol it is to do with just looking at the beauty ol the countryside.‘
like his lather. hes unlikely to become a Scottish resident just yet back in l.os Angeles. he and his .-\merican wile. actress .\lia Sara. are awaiting the birth (it their lirst child in a couple ol months' time. But as the dynasty continues to grow. who‘s to say that in another J.l) years. there won‘t be another ('onnery ready to take on \lacbeth — or Lady Macbeth
on stage or screen‘.’
Macbeth has a gala premiere at the Odeon, Edinburgh, on Thurs 8 May and goes on selected release on Fri 16 May.
preview FILM Rough Cuts
Taking a peek at the new Cinema 3 at the Edinburgh Filmhouse.
Big news for Lothian's film-goers, as l the Edinburgh Filmhouse nears completion of its £600,000 l refurbishment programme with the opening of Cinema 3 on Friday 2 May. Other improvements include new screens for Cinemas 1 and 2, as well as new digital sound equipment for the main auditorium.
The new cinema, situated opposite Cinema 2 at the rear of the building, is a well-appointed and spacious 73- seater in an Art Deco style, designed by architect James Doherty. With state-of-the-art projection and sound equipment and a reasonably- sized fourteen by seven foot screen, the cinema brings the number of dedicated arthouse/non-mainstream screens in Edinburgh to six.
'lt is not going to mean a change in the way we programme or the sort of films that we programme,’ says Filmhouse Director Jim Hamilton. ’What you will get is more of it and more of all of it. Demand for arthouse cinema is greater in Edinburgh than in most other cities, apart from London, but in the past we have not been able to fulfil that to my satisfaction. The more commercial films sometimes had to be pulled when they were still taking money, and there wasn't enough space to show the smaller, more esoteric films — the culture.’
The more commercial films will move into Cinema 2 towards the end of their run at Filmhouse, while Cinema 3 will allow Hamilton to extend the range of films he can show. This will strengthen special events such as the French, Italian, and Gay and Lesbian Film Festivals, which will be able to show more films for more screenings.
Filmhouse audiences are already benefiting from the upgrades in the two existing cinemas. The new screens mean that films are brighter, and coupled with the new sound equipment, allow films like Branagh's Hamlet to get their first screenings in Scotland in the format for which they were made: 70mm prints with digital sound. (Thom Dibdin)
I Fll/rihot/sc 3 opens on Fir/(lay 2 Mai" Sort Listings for ,oroqm/rimo (loin/ls
State-of-the-art: the new Filmhouse 3
2 1‘) May 109/ THE lIST 23