Name Claude Chabrol Occupation Director
Birthdate and birthplace
24 June 1930. Paris. Background Chabrol was a Les Cahiers du Cinema critic and author of a book on Hitchcock. before becoming one of the first New Wave filmmakers with his 1958 debut Le Beau Serge. which he swiftly followed with Les Cousins. In the late sixties and early seventies Chabrol made a series of acclaimed films starring his second wife Stephane Audran known as the “Helene cycle‘, including Le Boucher. Les Biches and La Femme Infide/e. which earned him the reputation of a continental Hitchcock. He has in total made more than 50 features. which typically are thrillers set within a bourgeois milieu, his biggest commercial success was the 1995 Ruth Rendell adaptation La Ceremonie.
What’s he up to now Having completed The Bridesmaid, based on another Ruth Rendell novel and featuring Benoit Magimel and Laura Smet, he is about to start a shooting an untitled new film starring Isabelle Huppen.
What he says about making The Bridesmaid, love and having a long career ‘I wanted to delve into the world of those who had just left adolescence. I realised Ruth Rendell had written four books on that topic. and The Bridesmaid was the most straightforward to transpose to France.’ ‘Love can be something extraordinary and you have to be careful who is entrusted with it. It doesn’t necessarily mean happiness. and it’s not safe to put love in everybody's hands.’ “When you have a passion to tell stories in film. it never disappears. I think in America you're a cog in the machine as a director - in France it's a less industrial system and you can do more what you want.’ Interesting Fact The first film that Chabrol reviewed as a critic was Singing in the Rain, which he described as ‘magnifique.’
I The Bridesmaid is at Fi/mhouse, Edinburgh from Fri 13 May. See preview and review.
54 THE LIST 12—20 May 2005)
Danny Deckchair ( 12A ) (Jeff Balsmeyer. Australia. 2003) Rhys lfans. .Miranda Otto. Justine (‘larke. 100min. (‘omedy drama about a nerdy cement truck driver named Danny. who escapes his grim life in suburban Australia by blasting into the skies in a chair tied to helium-filled balloons. He lands in a rural outback town. where he finds love and a new lease of life. Part of the Australian Film Festival. Film/rouse. Edinburgh.
Dawn of the Dead ( l8) coco Synder. [TS 2004) Sarah Polley. Ving Rhames. Jake Weber.Remake of (ieorgc Romeo‘s 1978 zombie classic. scripted by James (iunn (who graduated from trash film factory 'l’roma to also write Smoby Don and its sequel). The plot remains the same: when North America is overrun by a plague of zombies. a group of survivors hole up in a shopping maul where they're besieged by the flesh eaters. The original was a wry commentary on the perils of modern day consumerism. Part of An Introduction to Filtn Studies course. I-ilmhouse. Edinlnogh. Downfall ( 15) .0. (Oliver Hirschbiegel. (iermany/ltaly. 2004) Bruno (ianz. Alexandra Maria Lara. (‘orinna Harfouch. lSomin. Dramatisation of the filial days of Hitler's Third Reich. It's a sober and sobering and (largely) accurate historical account of the last l2 days of the Reich. holed up with their leader inside the bunker as the Rtissians storm Berlin. (ianz gives a career best performance as the Reich's leader. managing to capture both the physical. emotional and mental wreck that was Hitler in his final days as well as suggesting the awe and blind loyalty the (’hancellor commanded of his followers. both soldiers and civilians. Assisting (ianz with the latter is a solid supporting cast. including Juliane Kohler as iiva Braun. the vapid glamour puss who resisted reality with Hitler until they executed their suicide pact. Selected release.
=11 Duck Season (Temporada de Patos) ( 15) 0... (Fernando liimbcke. Mexico. 2004) linrique Arrcola. Diego (‘atano. Daniel Miranda. Danny Perea. 87min. With mum away the kids can play and l4-year—old friends Flama (Miranda) and .\1oko((‘alai‘io) get the (‘oke bottle out. the PlayStation set up. the pizza ordered. and prepare for their moment of utopia. Only problem is they're invaded by a 16-year-old neighbour Rita (Perea). the power keeps cutting out. and the pizza guy l'lises (Arreola) delivers the pizza. they believe. 30 seconds late. and there's a consequent stand- off. Very funny low key farce which brings to mind the films ofJarmusch and Kaurismaki. Glasgow Film Theatre. Glasgow.
The Edukators ( l5) 0.. (Hans Weinganner. (iermany/Austria. 2004) Daniel Bruhl. Julia Jentsch. Stipe lirceg. 127mm. Interesting (ierman political drama about a bunch of anarchists who are forced to rethink their values when they kidnap a liberal businessman. Seleeted release. Elephant Heart (Elefantenherz) (12A) (Zuli Aladag. (iermany. 2002) Daniel Bruhl. Manfred Zapatka. Jochen Nickel. Angelika Bartsch. 100mm. Born in a city of no-hopers. Marco‘s only escape is stepping into the boxing ring. Wild and irrepressible. he signs a professional boxing deal and embarks on a rollercoaster of violence and crime. which changes his world forever. Part of Zeitgeist Season. Glasgow Ei/m Theatre. Glasgow; Film/rouse. Edinlmrgh.
Ella Enchanted (PG) .0 ('l'ommy ()‘Haver. l.'S.»\/lreland/l.'K . 2004) Anne Hathaway. Hugh Dancy. Joanna LumIcy. Minnie Driver. Vivacia A Fox. 95min. lilla (Hathaway) lives in a magical medieval village. When she was young she received a visit from her deranged fairy godmother Lucinda (Fox) and now she can‘t help being
Save Money
(Zack
see page 9 for details
overly obedient to whoever orders her. All of which causes problems when a new stepmother (Lumley) and a couple of nasty stepsisters turn up with the express intention of meeting pretty boy Prince (‘har (Dancy). Likeable Pythonesque humour comedy musical which ultimately turns into a gurning farce. Hathaway is very good however. Glasgow Ell/n Theatre. Glasgow Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (15) 0.... (Michel (iondry. US. 2004) Kate Winslet. Jim Carey. Tom Wilkinson. Kirstin Dunst. l08min. (‘harlie Kaufman‘s second collaboration with director Michel (iondry (after Human Nature) is his best filtn yet. Like Being John Malkovieh. Eternal Sunshine is a wildly imaginative flight of fantasy. This film's gloriously balmy conceit sees (‘arrey‘s lovelorn loser. Joel Barish. having the painful memories of his ex-girlfriend surgically removed. She's (‘lementine Kruc'zynski (Winslet). a loveably wild. impetuous girl who. an increasingly miserable Barish discovers. had the procedure performed upon her after she got bored with their relationship and ended it. Part of An Introduction to Film Studies course. Ei/mhouse. Edinburgh.
50 Years of DEFA Animation Studio ( 15) (Various) 90min. Based in Dresden (1955» 1992). the DliFA Animation Studio was conveniently placed to avoid censorship. allowing filmmakers to tackle taboo subjects and compare socialist idealism with what life was really like in the (iDR. Both children's and adult films feature in this collection of satirical fairy tales. where the charm comes just beneath the surface. Part of Dresden Shorts. Film/rouse. Edinburgh.
Friday Night Lights ( 12A) .0.
(Peter Berg. 2004) Billy Bob Thornton. Lucas Black. (iarrett Hedlund. Derek Luke. 1 17min. See review. page 48. (/(K' Renfreii' Street. Glasgow, Glasgow; (/(‘I Edinbiajigh. Edinburgh.
Friday the 13th Part III: SD ( 18) 0.. (Steve Miner. L'S. 1982) Dana Kitnmelll. Paul Kratka. Richard Brooker. Nick Savage. 95min. Pan 3 presents another chapter in the life of Jason. a boy who drowned in the waters of (‘rystal Lake. (‘amp staff have proven to be no match for Jason in the earlier films of this series. but this time he encounters more formidable opponents in the form of members of a motorcycle gang. The action takes place on a farm that provides both the serene setting and the privacy Jason desires when stalking his prey. Presented in the film‘s original 31) fortnat. ('ameo, Edinlnujuh.
A Good Woman (PG) 000 (Mike Barker. Spain/Italy/L'K/lTS. 2005) Helen Hunt. Scarlett Johansson. Mark L'nbers. Stephen ('ampbell Moore. 93min. See review. page 5 l. Selected release.
Last Year in Marienbad
Guess Who? ( IZA) 0 (Kevin Rodney Sullivan. CS. 2005) Bernie Mac. Ashton Kutcher. Zoe Saldana. Judith Scott. 105mm. Purile and pathetic version of Stanley Kramer‘s 1967 issue drama in which the interracial dynamic is reversed. Kutcher is as entrancing as ever (not. dude). (ieneral release.
Helen’s War: Portrait of a Dissident ( 15) (Anna Broinowski. Australia. 2004) 52min. A year in the life of Helen (‘aldicotL Broinowski creates a unique portrait of her aunt. who. as Nobel Peace Prize nominee and veteran anti-nuclear campaigner. passionately opposed Bush's ‘War on Terror‘. Willi post- 80s scepticism. Broinowski makes this a dynamic and engrossing dtx‘umentary. Part of the Australian Film Festival. Film/louse. Edinburgh.
1 Hi8 Glfl Friday (L') 0.... (Howard
Hawks. LS 1940) (‘ary (irant. Rosalind RUssell. Ralph Bellamy. 92min. Hawks' dynamic comedy is one of the best Hollywood ever made. (irant and Rtissell are
simply fantastic as the sparring newspaper editor and top reporter drawing battlelines in their professional and personal lives. lfecht
and MacArthur's script from their original play The Eran! Page. spits out a series of
i rapid-fire quips and cross-cutting gags. but
allows the supporting characters to have their
scene-stealing moments too. Don't miss it.
Part of Media Season. I-‘ilmhouse. Edinbiujgh. Hitch ( 12A) 0. (Andy Tennent. 2004) Will Smith. Kevin James. Amber Valletta. liva Mendes. 1 15min. Smith plays Alex ‘Hitch' Hitchens. a New York ‘date doctor‘ whose job it is to school the city's guileless men in the ways of covert wooing. His latest challenge is Albert ( James). a rotund accountant who wants nothing more
' than an evening out with his client. party girl
Allegra (Valletta). Albert's tutelage ensues. as does Hitch's. who does his best to overcotne his own fear of commitment. Fatuous comedy about the tuores of dating in an implaUsibly picture postcard New York. Selected release.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (PG) 0.. ((iarth Jennings. L'S/L'K. 2005) Martin Freeman. Mos Def. Sam Rockwell. Zooey Deschanel. Bill Nighy. 1 10min. First time feature director Jennings has moulded Adam's screenplay (written shortly before his premature death in 2001 ) into an incredibly good looking film. Arthur Dent (Freeman) escapes liarth's demolition with his alien friend Ford Prefect (Def) by hitching a ride with the Vogons. only to be rescued by joyriding (ialaetic President Zaphod Beeblebrox (Rockwell) on dream ship the Heart of (iold. They head for mythical planet Magrathea. Minor niggles aside (mostly about characterisations and new characters) don't detract from the fact that this film is well worth the wait. (ieneral release.
Alan Resnais’ 1961 bizarre and brilliantly cryptic tale of memory and
regret is one of the most austerer beautiful and poetic things ever to be committed to celluloid (alongside \figo’s L’Atalante). Don’t miss this chance to see it on the big screen. The film will be introduced by Eddie Harrison as part of the Obscure Objects of Desire course.
I GFI', Glasgow (Mon 16 May).