FILM index

FILM INDEX continued

Don't look Now (18) (Nicolas Roeg. UK. 1973) Donald Sutherland. Julie Christie. 103 mins. Restoration expert with second sight visits Venice. where he meets up with two old sisters who claim spiritual communication with his recently drowned daughter. Splendid supernatural suspense movie. as subtly textured and brilliantly edited as any of Roeg‘s work. with the added advantage that it‘s a rather good yarn. Edinburgh: Cameo. Dr Dolittle (PG) (Betty Thomas. US. 1998) Eddie Murphy. ()ssie Davies. ()liver Platt. 85 tttitts. A turkey with Rex Harrison in its original fornt. and still pretty dire this time round. This wild family adventure offers crude bottom humour for the Babe audience. but the talking animals gimmick battles with cheesy ntorality attd nothing comes together. Overall. the film might have benefitted from a simpler. less snappy and more fatttily orientated tale. while Murphy's comic judgement has again become decidedly questionable. General release. Doctor Strangelove (Or How I Stopped Worrying And learned To Love The Bomb) (PG) (Stanley Kubrick. UK. 1963) Peter Sellers. George C. Scott. Sterling Hayden. 93 tttitts. Devastating black comedy on the lunacy of the nuclear age with Sellers ideally cast itt three roles (US President. jolly Brit captain. and demented teutonic boffin) arid Slittt l’ickens the good ole boy heading for oblivion to a choms of 'We'll Meet Again'. Still alarmingly relevant. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. The Driver ( 15) (Walter Hill. US. 1978) Ryan O‘Neal. Bruce Dem. Isabelle Adjani. 91 mins. Hill's second film can be viewed as either an existential thriller about an ice-cold getaway driver and the obsessive cop trying to nail him. or a car chase movie with chases to rival the ntost famous screeching wheelfest of them all itt Bullitt. Take your pick. Edinburgh: Filttthouse. Elizabeth (15) (Sltekhar Kapur. UK. 1998) Cate Blanchett. Geoffrey Ruslt. Christopher Ecclestone. 120 mins. Not your typical frock flick. Shekhar Kapur's film may be ravishing to look at. bttt it‘s altogether darker and more disturbing than you'd expect. A political thriller front Tudor history. itt which Cate Blanchett‘s performance turns cherished notions abottt England's Virgin Queen on their head. A gripping attd intelligent work. See review. Glasgow: ()deon Quay. Showcase. UCl Clydebank. Edittburglt: ()deott. UCl. East Kilbride: UCI. Paisley: Showcase. Ever After (PG) (Andy 'I‘ennant. US. 1998) Drew Barrymore. Dougray Scott. Angelica Huston. 120 mitts. Wlty film a story synonymous with Walt Disney animatiott‘.’ When it purports to be the definitive one. The filmmakers invest the tale with some PC values. tttost obviously in a heroine who shows ‘girl power' independence attd intellect. Barrymore manages to be both sweet and gutsy. bill the surprise lies itt Dougray Scott's engaging turtt as the Prince. General release. The Exorcist ( 18) (William liriedkin. US. 1973) Linda Blair. Ellett Burstytt. Max Vott Sydow. l l() tttitts. Earttest priest Von Sydow steps in to save poor little possessed girl itt this hugely effective scarefest. Now re- released itt remastered form. with a super stereo soundtrack (so you cart ltear those Obscenities itt full). Dead good. dead scary. dead priest. Falkirk: l-TH. Galasltiels: Pavilion. Eyes Without A Face (Les Yeux Sans Visage) (l8) (Georges Franju. Frattce. 1959) Pierre Brasseur. Alida Valli. Edith Scob. 90 mitts. A plastic surgeon persuades his devoted female assistant to kidnap and nturder beautiful girls whose facial tissue he is using to graft onto his daughter. disfigured iii a car crash. A horror movie that retains a distinctively European poetic quality. Edittbttrglt: Filmhouse. Farinelli ( 15) (Gerard Corbiau. l‘rance/Belgiuttt. 1994) Stefano Dionisi. Enrico 1.o Verso. Jeroen Krabbe. 1 1() tttins. Biographical details. period splendour and a fictionalised narrative combine for art account of the life of 18th century castrato Carlo Brosclti. ()rnate costttntes. arrestittg vocal set pieces attd a strong dramatic undercurrent make this a feast for the eyes

38 THE LIST 22 Oct—S Nov 1998

arid ears that doesn‘t ignore the mind. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.

Fierce Creatures (12) (Robert Young/Fred Schepisi. UK/US. 1996) John Cleese. Jamie Lee Curtis. Kevin Kline. Michael Palin. 93 mins. The teant front A Fislt Called Wanda team tip again for a completely different story. Kline has dual roles as a crude media tycoon and the son he sends to turn the English zoo he‘s jttst bought into a profit- ntaking machine by chucking out the fluffy anintals and filling it only with ‘fterce creatures'. A light farce that doesn't match their earlier effort. Ayr: ()deon.

Fire (15) (Deepa Meltta. Canada. 1996) Shabana Azmi. 10-1 ntins. Sensitive examination of the break tip of a New Dehli family as seen frottt the perspective of devoted wife Radlta. When Radha‘s brother- in-law brings his fiesty. new wife ittto her home. the ties that bind begin to unwind. Glasgow: (3171'.

Funny Games ( 18) (Michael Haneke. Germany. 1996) Susanne l.othar. Ulriclte Miihe. Frank Giering. 103 tttins. A wealthy family are subjected to an increasingly horrific series of ‘games' by two young men. beginning with humiliation and ending itt torture attd murder. The horror-thriller set up seems familiar. btit I-‘toiny Gaines is one the tttost innovative and shocking films to reach ottr screens this decade. Chilling. calculated. cerebral. brilliant. See preview and review. Glasgow: (ll-'1‘. Edinburgh: Filttthouse.

Godzilla (PG) (Roland l-Itttmet'ich. US. 1998) Matthew Broderick. Jean Reno. Maria Pitillo. 140 mins. Nuclear testing causes a lizard to grow to an enormous size. reproduce asexually and head to New York to lay some eggs. When the tttilitary take the offensive. it's tittte for the rampaging reptile to demolish Manhattan. (Jot/:t'lla goes beyond insulting its audience attd ntakes the grave error of forcing ottr sympathy away front the monster attd onto the non-descript humans. Ayr: ()deon.

Good Burger (PG) (Brian Robbins. US. 1997) Kel Mitchell. Kenan 'l’hompson. Sittbad. 95 mitts. A spin-off front US cable cltattttel Nickelodeon‘s daytime series All That. this kids comedy struggles tltrouglt unfamiliarity. 'l‘wo blokes working iii a burger joittt figltt off the advances of the fast-food cltaitt across the road with their new sauce recipe. The nest Big Niall/1’ 1 don't tltittk so. Edinburgh: ABC.

A Goofy Movie (11) (Kevin Lima. US. 1996) With the voices of Bill Farmer. Jason Marsden. Jim Cummings. 74 mins. After a school prank backfires. Goofy decides to take troublesome son Max off on a bortdittg fishing trip. Max is tryittg his best to be cool. btit that isn't easy when your dad's this particular Disney star. Art incident-packed

journey provides plenty of laughs which should keep restless kids and accompanying adults amused. Edinburgh: Odeon.

The Governess (15) (Sandra Goldbacher. UK. 1998) Minnie Driver. Tom Wilkinson. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. 114 mins. Driver excels in this period film as the charismatic Rosina. a Jewish proto-feminist who moves from her London life to presbyterian Scotland. where she passes herself off as a Gentile governess for a dysfunctional family. An underachieving movie. btit Driver‘s star will continue to rise on the back of what is an utterly memorable performance. See preview and review. Edinburgh: Dominion.

Grease (PG) (Randal Kleiser. US. 1978) John 'l‘ravolta. Stockard Channing.01ivia Newton John. 110 tttins. The long-running broadway show arrives on screen dripping with 50s nostalgia. cheery tunes. a high camp value and the wittsottte charms of the plastic Newton-John and the toothy 'l‘ravolta. A ttice collection of old timers enhance the cast. Kirkcaldy: Adattt Smith. Halloween H20 (18) (Steve Miner. US. 1998) Jamie Lee Curtis. Michelle Williams. Josh Hartnett. 89 mins. Forget the tiresome sequels that followed 1981 ‘s Halloween 2. The plot picks tip with Laurie Strode having chattged her idetttity to that of a respected school headmistress. haunted by the masked face of Michael Myers. her insane killer- brotlter. Perhaps the only slasher movie to make any claim to the crown of John Carpenter's original. See feature attd review. General release.

Hamam - The Turkish Bath ( 18) (Ferzan ()zpertek. Turkey. 1997) 9-1 tttins. Ozpertek 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 ltalian professional who discovers he has inherited a run-down ‘hamam' (a Turkish bath) in Istanbul frottt his aunt. He and the viewer are instantly beguiled: by the alien city. by the tales arid letters describing his bohemian aunt. and by the welcoming fantily who look after the property. Edinburgh: Filmhouse. Hamsin (15) (Dan Wachsmann. lsrael. 1982) 88 ntins. Honest. intense and brutal attempt to address contemporary Arab- Jewislt relations itt Galilee. centering on a cattle rancher attd his young Arab hired ltattd. Part of the Israel 50 season. Glasgow: (ll-'1‘.

Hana-Bi (18) ('l'akeshi Kitatto. Japan. 1998) 'l‘akeshi Kitatto. 103 tttitts. Kitatto returns to the director's seat attd also stars as a cop suffering bouts of guilt. 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 batik. A more subdued atmosphere floats

over a work that skilfully draws together its visual and emotional plains. Edinburgh: Filmhouse.

Hard Eight (18) (Paul Thomas Anderson. US. 1996) Philip Baker Hall. John C. Reilly. Gwyneth Paltrow. Samuel 1.. Jackson. 102 mins. Anderson's debut didn't catch the same buzz as its follow-up. Boogie Nights. btit it shouldn't be ignored. Brilliant performances are at the core of this story of an aging gambler who tries to pass on his skills to a hapless newcomer. More a character study than a straight-on modern noir. it's worth checking out. Edinburgh: Cameo.

Harold And Maude ( I 5) (Hal Ashby. US. 1971) Rtitlt Gordon. Btid Cort. Vivian Pickles. 92 tttitts. Arcltetypical 70s sentimental black comedy itt which a rich teenager obsessed with death is finally liberated front his macabre cravings by an 80-year-old woman whose hobby is funerals. Strange. Glasgow: The Fleapit at King Tuts.

The Haunting ( 18) (Robert Wise. US. 1963) Claire Bloom. Julie Harris. 112 mins. A scientist attempts to prove the existence of the afterlife by holing tip iii the ntost haunted house in New England with a group of psychics and misfits itt what is probably the best haunted house movie ever ntade. Wise‘s film. adapted front Shirley Jackson's novel. benefits enortttously front its fine cast and its subtle scare tactics everything is left to the imagination. Part of Glasgayl Glasgow: (il’l‘.

Hello Dolly (U) (Gene Kelly. US. 1969) Barbra Streisand. Walter Mattltau. Michael Crawford. 129 tttitts. New York. 100 years ago. and a widowed matchmaker makes a play. or rather a musical. for a well heeled grain merchant. The extravagant sets and singing make it sumptuous if ttot satisfying. Special Glasgayl fundraiser. shown in 70mm. Glasgow: G 171'.

The Hitcher (18) (Robert Mandel. US. 1986) Rutger Hauer. C. Thomas Howell. Jennifer Jason lcigh. 98 tttins. Drowsy driver Howell gets more than he bargained for when he picks tip psycho-hitcher Hatter itt this genuinely edge-of-the-seat suspense thriller. Edinburgh: Cameo.

It's Tough To Be A Kid (15)(t9 mins. Three short films about alienated children who overcottte the tribulations of cltildltood with a little itttagination. Progratttttte includes: Pete 'l‘ravis' Bill's New I-‘rot‘k. Damien ()‘Donnell's 'l'liirIy-l’it't' Asa/e and Tim l.oanc's~ Dance let/e Dance. Edinburgh: Filmbouse.

Kazablan (U) (Mettahem Golatt. Israeli. 1973) 114 tttitts. Fttll scale musical based on the popular lsraeli stage production. This tale of ethnic tension revolves around a petty criminal. a Moroccan-Jewish