FANTASY THE SCORPION KING (cert tbc) Mins tbc
Mummy spin-off
This prequel to and spin-off from The Mummy Returns. is a much less star- studded affair than the Indiana Jones-style adventures of Rachel Weisz and Brendan Fraser. That said it does have World Wrestling Federation sensation The Rock in the lead. reprising his largely villainous role in the earlier film. although here playing the hero all the way.
The Scorpion King remains firmly in ancient Egypt (as opposed to The i‘c/i‘umnw films 19308 setting) where the evil ruler of the notorious City of Gomorrah is busying himself laying waste to the various nomadic tribes of the surrounding desert. On the verge of extinction. the few remaining tribes pooi their resources and hire an assassin. Mathayus lThe Rock). to infiltrate the enemy camp and kill a sorcerer whose visions give the Gomorrah's ruler with the upper hand. Said sorcerer turns Out to be a beautiful women. so being all-man Matt‘iztyus kidnaps rather than kills her. providing the film with a little love interest light relief from the carnage.
And that's all you get on this film. Once again. the film's distributor has chosen not to screen the film before this magazine's press deadlines. Often that signals a crap film. but. hey. maybe it's a modern masterpiece. Or not. (Miles Fielder)
I General release from Fri 79 Apr.
HORROR QUEEN OF THE DAMNED (15) 101 min 0
These days, in the age of the video- promo, being a vampire is not as hard as it used to be. No more the existential angst, the threat of garlic, wooden stakes and sunlight. The biggest challenges nowadays would appear to be the mastering of your variable East European accent and keeping up your sizeable wardrobe of Marilyn Manson cast-offs. Vampire hunters too, here a secret sect named the Talamasca, have taken a very modern approach with their remit, ‘record and observe, but don’t interfere.’ The usual healthy sexual threat is also sadly lacking. An through his songs (yes, really). attempt is made, albeit a very limp None of the actors get off the 006- hook, with Vincent Perez rating 8 Based on Anne ‘Interview With special mention for his camp turn The Vampire’ Rice’s novels, The as Marius, an ancient vampire with Vampire Chronicles, Lestat (Stuart a set of choppers which, like most Townsend, reprising Tom Cruise’s of the script, he finds it impossible role in Interview as not much more to get his lips round. (Rod White) than a series of daft facial I General release from Fri 12 Apr:
Healthy sexual threat is sadly lacking
expressions) attempts to wake the ‘biggest, baddest mother of them all’ of the title, by joining a bad rock band and spreading the word
Film
An original sfageplay by Lil Lochhead
erfect days
With Elaine Collins and Una Mclean
and Steven Duffy, Grace Glover, lawrie McNicol and Stewart Porter
"A perfect play”- Daily Record
"Alive with canny observations, beautifully judged language, and deep human truths. You reach the final scene and it feels absolutely perfect”- The Herald
"Lethally observant - pebble-dashed with brilliant unforgettable one-liners” -The Scotsman
Howden Park Centre, livingston Fri 3 May 0 7.30pm Box Office: 01506 433634
Citilens’ Theatre, Glasgow
Tues 9 - Sat 20 April (not Mon 15) 0 7.30pm Box Office: 0141 429 0022
or www.cit1.co.ulc
Matherwell Theatre Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh Civic Centre, Motherwell Mon 22 - Tues 23 Apri l 0 7.30pm Mon 6 May 0 7.30pm
Box Office: 0131 665 2240 Advance Booking: 01698 267515 Tickets also available from any Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy North lanai/(shire library Wed 24 April 0 7.30pm
Box Office: 01592 412929 Village Theatre, East Kilbride Tues 7 May 0 7.30pm
Gaiety Theatre Ayr Box Office: 01355 248 669 Fri 26 April 0 7.30pm
Box Office: 01292 611222 Perth Theatre, Perth
Wed 8 - Sat 11 May 0 7.30pm Matinee Sat 11 May 0 2.30pm
Box Office: 01738 621031
Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline Sat 27 April 0 7.30pm
Box Office: 01383 314000 Byre Theatre, St. Andrews Tues 14 ~ Sat 18 May 0 8pm Box Office: 01334 475000
Eden Court Theatre
Bishop’s Road, lnverness
Tues 30 April - Wed l May 0 8pm Box Office: 01463 234234
l 1 ~73) Apr 2002 THE LIST 31