FILM index
FILM INDEX continued
Grease (PG) (Randal Kleiser. L7S. I978) John Travolta. Stockard Chaiining. ()livia Newton John. I ll) mins. The long-running broadway show arrives on screen dripping with thties' nostalgia. cheery tunes. a hiin camp value and the winsome chamis of the plastic Newton-John and the toothy Travolta. .A nice collection of old timers enhance the cast. Edinburgh: ABC Film Centre. Stirling: MacRobert. La Haine ( l8) (Matthieu Kassovitz. France. 1995) Vincent Cassel. Hubert Kounde. Said 'l‘aghmaoui. 85 mins. This edgy. black-and-white portrait of racial tension and police bnitality on a rundown estate outside Paris won twentysomething Kassovitz the Director's Prize at the I995 Cannes Film Festival. ’lhree ethnically mixed lads come tip against the cops when one of their pals is hospitalised after a raid. L'rgent. compelling filmmaking that's as punchy as a blow to the head. Edinburgh: Cameo.
Hamam - The Turkish Bath ( I8) (Ferzan (lzpertek.
Turkey. I997) 94 mins. ()zpertek wisely sticks to familiar territory for his confident debut. a sensuous slice of cultural contrast and smouldering emotion. It's the tale of Francesco. a cool. independent Italian professional who discovers he has inherited a run- down ‘hamam' (a Turkish bath) in Istanbul from his aunt. He and the viewer are instantly beguiled: by the alien city. by the tales and letters describing his bohemian aunt. and by the welcoming family who look after the property. See review. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
Hana-Bi (l8) (Takeshi Kitano. Japan. I998) ’l‘akeshi Kitano. 103 mins. Kitano retums to the director's seat and also stars as a cop suffering bouts ofguilt. His wife is dying in hospital. his partner has been paralysed during a stakeout and he's so far in debt to the Yakuza that he‘s contemplating robbing a bank. A more subdued atmosphere floats over a work that skilfully draws together its visual and emotional plains. Glasgow: (iFl‘. (irosvenor. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith.
Hidden Hollywood: Jews, Movies And The American Dream (PU) i L'K. (9%) 50 mins. Documentary about the founding of the Hollywood studio system by liastem European Jewish immigrants and their role in the creation of the American Dream. Followed by a screening of Mr Smith Goes To ll'asln'ngron. Frank C apra's take on that Dream with James Stewart in the lead. Glasgow: GET.
Hill 24 Doesn't Answer (PG) t'l‘horold Dickinson. L'S/ Israel. I954) )0) mins. 'lhree tales told by three sets of soldiers assigned to capture on the hilltops en route to Jerusalem during the Israeli War of Independence. Authentic. exciting and with fine charactersiation and room for romantic melodrama. Hill 34 is a classic war story. Glasgow: GI’T.
The Horse Whisperer (Robert Redford. LS. (998) Robert redford. Kristin Scott Thomas. Sma Neil. lb8 mins. Redford indulges several of his favourite passions at once in British author Nicholas livans' best-selling tale of an equine shrink. As w ith Redford's previous direCIorial efforts this is a fine looking and intelligent film. pitting the yuppie values of east coast magazine editor Scott Thomas against the virtuous all-American qualities of Midwesterner Redford. Glasgow: ()deon Quay. Fdinburgh: ABC Multiplex. Kirckcaldy: Adatii Smith. Irvine: Magnum. Paisley: Showcase.
It's Tough To Be A Kid ( I5) 69 mins. Three short films about alienated children who overcome the tribulations ofchildhoixl with a little imagination. Programme includes: Pete Travis' Bill‘s A'eiv I’rotl. Damien ()‘Donnell‘s 'I'hirli -l-‘ii'e Asit/e and fill) Ina/lei l)(lll(‘t’[.1'llt’DtIIlt't’. Iidinburgh: Filmhouse.
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32 THE LIST 8—22 Oct 1998
Kazablan (U) (Menahem Golan. Israeli. I973) Il4 mins. Ftill scale musical based on the popular Israeli stage production. This tale of ethnic tension revolves around a petty criminal. a Moroccan- Jewish immigrant and gang leader named Kazablan. Glasgow: GFT.
Knockin' On Heaven's Door ( I 8) (Thomas Jahn. Germany. I997) Til Schweiger. Jan Josef Liefers. l00 mins. Two young men. both tenninally ill. escape from hospital and steal and car. determined to live their last days to the full. Glasgow: GFT. Kurt And Courtney (18) (Nick Broomfield. UKfUS. I997) 93 mins. Was Nirvana mainman Kurt Cobain's death suicide or something more sinister? Courtney Love’s father reckons Courtney herself had a hand in her husband's untimely demise - and that allegation was enough to get Broomfield‘s documentary into a lot of hot water on both sides of the Atlantic. However. the interviewees are too drug-addled to be coherent. let alone convincing and Broomfield seems too keen to get his own tanned mug into the shot. Stirling: MacRobert.
The land Girls ( l2) (David Leland. UK. I998) Anna Friel. Rachel Weisz. Catherine McCormack. III mins. Down on the farm comes a film that reminds us of times passed. Not necessarily good times. of course. as it is set during the confusion of World War II. btit against this dramatic backdrop the human story it describes proves curiously affecting. Three contrasting young women join the land Anny. only to find themselves knee-deep in rustic accents and bad weather on a remote Dorset farm. Glasgow: ()deon Quay. Edinburgh: .ABC Multiplex. Dominion. Paisley: Showcase.
The last Days Of Disco ( )5) (Whit Stillman. L'S. I998) Chloe Sevigny. Kate Beckinsale. Chris Eigeman. I 12 mins. Vl'riter-director Stillman has carved out a cinematic niche for himself with his urbane comedies of manners .‘ift’lro/m/ilan and Barcelona. and his latest is no exception. Sevigny and Beckinsale play publishing assistants who frequent a trendy club in early 8.0: New York. where they and their male yuppie friends worry about relationships. careers and the reactionary subtext of Disney 's [xii/V And The Titan/v. It's glorious sttiff. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
Lethal Weapon 4 ( l5) (Richard Donner. L'S. l998) Mel Gibson. Danny Glover. Joe Pesci. 138 mins. A series of films that started so darkly has undergone sortie drastic changes in recent years. The suicidal cop-hero who purposefully lived his life on the edge. has found a reason to live so has lost that lethal edge. As the violence has been downplayed. the humour has come more to the fore. especially the bickering relationship between Riggs and his long-suffering partner Murtaugh. who are coming to the realisation that they (and the series) are past their prime. General release.
Life Is All You Get ( l8) (Wolfgang Becker. Germany. l998) ll5 mins. Life‘s a not for Jan. who accidentally decks two undercover cops whilst coming to the rescue of lovely \‘era one night. It's a chance meeting that changes his life. He gets a night in the cells and a trip to the dole queue. while the possibility he might have contracted AIDS from a one-night stand helps him keep his distance from Vera. Except it‘s not as bleak as it sounds: it‘s leavened by a w ry humour and a happy ending. See review. Glasgow: Gl-T.
The Little Mermaid (C) (John Muskcr/Ron Clements. L'S. I989) 83 mitts. Disney's ailing fortunes quickly reversed when this delightful animated feature first came out in I989, There's the universal appealling story of the mennaid Ariel's love for handsome Prince lii‘ic. Oscar-winning songs. humanised animal sidekicks and some colourful set-pieces. Now with electronically
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cleaned-up colours and digital sound. Irvine: Magnum.
lock. Stock And Two Smoking Barrels (Guy Ritchie. UK. l997) Nick Moran. Jason Statham. Vinnie Jones. l07 mins. A cocky young bunch of ‘entrepreneurs' set up a card game with east end London criminal Hatchet Harry. Of course. things don‘t work out in their favour and they find themselves owing the gangster plenty of dosh. Witty homage to the British crime thrillers of the 19605. with appropriately seedy. underworld locations and streetwise dialogue. General release.
lost In Space (PG) (Stephen Hopkins. US. l998) William Hurt. Gary Oldman. Matt Le Blane. l09 mins. The cult TV series for the 60s gets a 90s make-over and. despite the state-of-the-art special effects. it’s every bit as cheesy as the original. Professor John Robinson (Hurt) and his family are sent to colonise the distant planet of Alpha Prime. btit an act of sabotage causes them to spin into the stratosphere. Certain performances are so irritating that most viewers will sympathise with Oldman's craven villain. Edinburgh: Cameo. L’Cl. Irvine: Magnum. Kilmarnock: Odeon. Kirkcaldy: Adam Smith.
Love Is The Devil (l8) (John Maybury. UK. 1998) Derek Jacobi. Daniel Craig. Tilda Swinton. 90 mins. By no means a documentary-ster portrait of the artist. Love Is The Devil is concerned with the destructive relationship between Bacon and his lover George Dyer. Far more visual and experimental than most of what passes for British cinema these days. Jacobi has an uncanny physical resemblance to Bacon. but the real acting revelation is Craig (Geordie in Our Friends In The North) who superbly gives life to this human tragedy waiting to happen. Edinburgh: Cameo.
The Magic Sword (L') (Frederik Du Chan. L’S. l998) With the voices of Gary Oldman. Jessalyn Gilsig. Cary iilwes. 88 mins. All is happy under King Arthur's rule until evil Lord Ruber tries to steal Excalibur. When the wondrous weapon becomes lost in the Forbidden Forest. plucky young Kayley reckons she‘s brave enough to save the day. This animated feature sticks to the Disney formula - action. bawled-out ballads. kooky sidekicks - but the animation itself lacks Wall's g'ace. Glasgow: Virgin. Largs: Barrfields. Stirling: MacRobert. Matilda (PG) (Danny De Vito. US. I996) Mara Wilson. Dany De Vito. limbeth Davidtz. 98 mins. Capturing the delicious wickedness of Roald Dahl's writing. director De Vio fully exploits exaggerayion and playful camera work to tell the tale of a gifted child who uses her super brain to outwit her neglectfiil parents. ()ffsetting the lovable Matilda against a series of horribly inflated bad characters. the film's empowering message for children will appeal to the mischevious kid in everyone. lidinburgh: Filmhouse.
Men With Guns ( l8) (John Sayles. US. l998) Federico Luppi. I28 mins. ()ne of the few true mavericks of American cinema. writer-director John Sayles has never been afraid of dabbling in political themes; and Men llirh Guns. for all its magic realist trappings. is no different. Set in an unnamed latin American country. it follows Dr Fuentes (Federico Luppi) on a joumey from political naiveté to a despairing state of knowledge about his homeland. By not identifying the setting he manages to universalise the horror. This tragedy is not about casting the blame on identifiable groups. Rather. as the title says. simply pttt it down to men with guns. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
Mercury Rising ( (5) (Harold Becker. US. (998) Bruce Willis. Miko Hughes. Alec Baldwin. lll mins. That this potentially routine thriller could
\lll'\ ive its risible premise is remarkable in itself: a nine-year-old autistic child inadvertently cracks the world's most sophisticated military encryption code.
Dial R for remake: Gwyneth Patrow in A Perfect Murder
That it could then reprise the bog-standard. 'alienated cop and vulnerable boy on the rttn from just about everyone' plot - and still hold our interest — is little short of miraculous. General release. Midnight Express (I8) (Alan Parker. UK. I978) Brad Davis. John Hurt. Mike Kellin. I21 mins. Dealing economically with the truth this is still a riveting story of the nightmare that befell American Billy Hayes when he was incarcerated in a hellish Turkishjail on a charge of drug-smuggling. Brutal. viscerally powerful filmmaking that won an Oscar for Oliver Stone‘s script. Stirling: Allanpark. MouseHunt (U) (Gore Verbinski. US. 1997) Nathan Lane. Lee Evans. Christopher Walken. 98 mins. Lane and Evans play hapless brothers who inherit a decripit mansion. but when they decide to renovate auction it. a resident rodent is am willing to be evicted. An excellent blend of Laurel and Hardy slapstick and black humour. .llousellitnr is sheer entertainment and has some real belly laughs. The tone and the pacing are spot-on throughout. and the sets and special effects are the icing on the cake. Edinburgh: Odeon. Ayr: Odeon.
Mulan (U) (Barry Cook. Tony Bancroft. US. l998) Voices of: Ming-(Na Wen. Donny Osmond. Eddie Murphy. 89 mins. After Disney's tastin designed venture into Greek mythology with Hercules. the studio has brought its lens to bear on the rich and colourful possibilities of Chinese legend. The most striking aspect of this romantic epic is its magnificent animation. Details of character. movement and expression are as fine as should be expected from the world's best known cartoon studio. but the stunning large-scale set pieces are truly astonishing. while the design team stirs in an authentic flavour of China. See review. General release.
Now Voyager (PG) (Irving Rapper. CS. (942) Bette Davis. Claude Rains. Paul Henreid. I I7 mins. Classically cast. this archetypal tragic love story of the period is unadventurous and even bland. but its stars are more than charismatic enough to overcome its problems. Glasgow: GFT.
101 Dalmatians (U) (Stephen Herek. L'S. 1996) Glenn Close. Joely Richardson. Jeff Daniels. I03 mins. Disney tums one of its favourite animated films into a live action pantomime with spodges of Home Alone buffoonery. making sure there are plenty of dogs to make the kids go iaaahhh'. The story remains pretty much untouched - vile villainess Cruella De Vil (Close) kidnaps enough spotty pups to make a stunning coat. but the animal world gets the better of her - btit so does the old- fashioned morality. which stresses the sanctity of marriage and that a woman's place is by her man's side. Kilmamock: ()deon.
Pandora's Box ( I5) (G. W. Pabst. Germany. I939) Louise Brooks. Fritz Kortner. Franz Lederer. Gustav Diessi. 98 mins. Jolly Teutonic monochrome. in which a woman kills her boyfriend and goes on the game. only to ma into an unfonunate scrape with Jack the Ripper. Surprisingly enjoyable piece. with terrific perfomiance from Ms Brooks. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.
Paulie (PG) (John Roberts. US. l998) Jay Mohr. Tony Shalhoub. Gena Rowlands. 9l mins. Caged in a research institute. Paulie the parrot relates his life- story: from helping a little girl with a stutter to a series of adventures with various adults. Neither as immediater cute nor as bizarrely inspired as Babe. Paulie nevertheless marks a step in the right direction for the DreamWorks studio. Jay Mohr‘s vocal talents give the parrot a streetwise sense. wile the mix of live action and animatronics is always realistic. Glasgow: L’CI Clydebank. Fast Kilbride: UCl.
Paws (PG) (Karl Zwicky. Australia/UK. l997) Nathan Cavaleri. Emilie Francois. voice of Billy Connolly. 83 mins. Clever doggie PC is on a