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mour fou
Romance, love and obsession - that's what it's really all about. But, asks Paul Dale, where are all the real Valentine's Day films?
i you want to go and see a film with your
beloved this Valentine‘s Day you cart chose
between Michael Powell and limeric l’ressburger's loy’ely I‘HS llighland lilit I Know Where I'm (ioing. a couple of Audrey Hepburn lilms (l’anny‘ I’aee and Sabrina) and tour yet to he released romancers gleaned from the (ilasgow liilm Festivals 2()()‘) line up which includes .loaquim Phoenix‘s alleged acting sw'ansong 'I'ii'o Lovers (pictured). You can also expect to find Pretty Woman. ('asah/ani‘a and Brief lini‘ounter at a cinema or screening room near you. All ol~ which is line it you buy into the embossed paper lace and red satin presumptions ol‘ listher llowland and lili/abelh (iaskell. the ladies who kick started the mass marketing of St Valentine‘s Day in the latter hall of the l‘)th century. Roses. chocolates and liligree jewellery are all very good but I like them served on a raw heating heart torn out ol‘ the chest of the Belarusian Saint Valentine in a lit ol pique and passion.
The truth about Saint Valentine's Day is that it‘s a muddle ol' (‘hristian (ireco and Roman heritage industry tinkery' and licentious mediey'alisnt that has been appropriated to peddle tat. That's OK. eyery'one does it. there‘s not a country in the world that does not honour love and the ownership or responsibilities it brings. But like all myths that have been commandeered in the name ol~ regrettable commerce. there‘s night time whisperings between its walls. There are screams of the schi/oty'pal; those rhythms ol‘ mad love and misplaced affection that the great
‘ROSES AND CHOCOLATES SERVED ON A RAW BEATING HEART'
lirench theatre maestro Antonin Artaud spent a lil'etime trying to bottle. ln lilm. as in art. theatre and literature. the works
that l‘ollow these blood trails into the realms of
delusion. obsession and occasional admirable endeayour are l‘ew and liar between. They include Jacques Roche‘s I‘lol) portrait ol‘ marital dissolution L'Amour /-'ou. l.eos (’ara\‘s insane .‘ylelyille adaptation l’o/a X (or any film starring the late (iuillaume l)epardieu written and directed by a
curmudgeonly' l-‘rench l'ilmmaker). ls'r/ys/tol
Kieslowski's .-\ .S'ltort [Vt/n1 About l.(ll'('. ('laude l.elt)llc‘llc‘\ I.rll'(' Life Lore ll‘)(i‘)l. .lcall l'.tlsltlcllL“\ pontler'ous tale ol~ narcissism. misogyny and promiscuity The Mother (HH/ t/ie ll'lrare. Rene (‘lement's I’lein .S'o/ei/ (an early adaptation ol' l’atricia llighsmith‘s 'Iilie Ill/('Ilh’ll .llr Rip/er). Vincente Minnelli‘s l‘M‘) adaptation ol .llai/arne lioi'ary' (the mother lode) and ol course \agisa ()shima‘s se\' marathon as political semantics In the Realm of the Senses (showing soon as part ol another e\cellent ll'i/il .Ia/ian season. this time focusing on Japanese sex lilms from the l‘)5l)s-l‘)7()s see listings). They are all showing this l-‘ebruary in my imaginary L‘lllc‘tllil. [here are no t'osc‘s or Chocolates. just pills and popcorn. Join me.
Valentine Day Romantic Movies (part of GFF www.9lasgowfilmfestival.org.uk) at GFT and Cineworld, Glasgow. I Know Where I’m Going, Sat 14 Feb, Filmhouse, Edinburgh. Wild Japan season, Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Tue 10 Feb.
THE BEST FILM & DVD RELEASES
>l<
* The Good, The Bad, The Weird Arch South Korean genre stylist Kim Ji—woon transplants Leone's epic western to Manchuria in the 19308 with winning results (pictured). See revrew. page 44. Selected release from Fri 6 Feb.
* Glasgow Film Festival Now entering its fifth year and bigger and better than ever. See feature. page 18 and listings. page 53 and 54. GFT. Cineworld Rentrew Street, CCA and other venues from Thu t2 Feb.
* Doubt Catholic guilt 19603 style. played out in the corridors of a Bronx school in this sublime adaptation of John Patrick Shanley‘s play. See review, page 45. General release from Fri 6 Feb.
* Bolt Disney‘s new feature animation is a doggone treat. Best seen in 30. See review. page 46. General release from Fri 6 Feb.
=l< Revolutionary Road Titanic marital dissolution drama. Out now, selected release.
3|: Milk Gay rights activist legend gets the nod in Gus Van Sant's new biopic. Out now, selected release.
* The Wrestler Mickey Rourke wrestles his way back to form. Out now, selected release. 3|: Wild Japan Second season of insane Japanese films from yesteryear. This one focuses on sex in Japanese cinema from the 19503 to the 70s. See listings. Fi/mhouse, Edinburgh from Tue 70 Feb.
3|! Che: Part One A real revolutionary's road. Out now, selected release.
3|: Cinema 16: World Short Films Sixteen short films from gifted filmmakers from around the world. Includes films by Guillermo Del Toro and Andrea Arnold. See review, page 58. Out now (Warp). '
’1 F vi, 700’: THE LIST 43