page 6 THE OTHER PRESS January 2nd, 1985 ~The year in pictures This is not a true top ten list, as we haven’t seen all the films of 1984 (unlike real critics like ae cruid i n by the HAGENS movies should disappoint, and there’s something for everyone here. The list is alphabetical, as it is very difficult to rate films that are so different. All of Me: Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin, after a series of disasters, finally got together and got their careers on track with this one. All of Me, although relying on a simple idea and lots of sight gags, is exceptionally funny. The interplay between Tomlin and Martin, who are cast into the same body by a twist of fate is marvellous. | had no- difficulty; suspending my disbelief, and laughed a great deal ‘during All of Me. The Ballad of Narayama: A former Cannes Prizewinner, this Japanese: feature contrasts the cruelty and beauty of daily life in a tiny Japanese mountain village. The drama focuses on the custom of ‘going to the mountain’’, whereby elderly villagers of a certain age are carried on the backs of their eldest sons to die amidst the snow on a nearby peak. ; Initially brutalizing to western sen- sibilities, this tradition assumes its own significance in the context of this visually «stunning and well acted drama, and forces some reflection on the treatment of the elderly in our own society. . The Clinic: This Australian movie was made in 1982, but it first surfaced in B.C. at this year’s Vancouver International Film Festival. The Clinic is about a day in the life of a V.D. Clinic, and it combines subtle humour with realistic drama. In tandem, this makes for a very believable and enlightening film. It pops up now and again, so watch for it. Comfort and Joy: This delightful fourth feature from Scottish director Bill Forsyth (Local Hero, Gregory's Girl) is a must-see. Set in Glasgow, Comfort and Joy is about a radio D.J. whose humdrum life is shattered by two feuding ice cream companies. A plot so implausible would have created a disaster under the hand of any other director, but Forsyth pulls it off with considerable aplomb. L’Etoile du Nord: Unfortunately only presented at the Vancouver International Film Festival, this little drama is an absolute gem, featuring splendid performances by two of France’s most seasoned actors, ‘Phillipe Noiret and Simone Signoret. Virtually unknown in English Canada, these two veterans play off marvel- ously against each other in this taut and moving tale. Signoret is an aging and unsuspect- ing landlady whose interest in living is resuscitated by the arrival of the exotic Noiret, who brings suitcases of Egyp- tian souvenirs and a dark secret. It may not sound like much from this abbreviated description, but this is one of the best French films I’ve ever seen. Ghostbusters: A love it or leave it movie, but | loved it. Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver are personal fav- ourites of mine, and they put in sterling performances here. Ghostbusters combines tongue-in- cheek suspense with the zany irrever- ance of the old Saturday Night Live crowd and rightfully heads this year’s list of box office breadwinners. Heart of the Stag: | saw this movie in San Francisco, and | don’t think it has played in our corner of the Great White North yet. Films from New Zealand don’t usually stray far from home, but if this one is indicative of their quality, we should soon be seeing more from Australia’s neighbour. The Heart of the Stag tackles a difficult subject, incest; but the excit- ing plot prevents the film from falling into the trap of heavy-handed moraliz- ing. Other pluses and good acting and marvelous cinematography. This film, if it ever makes it to Vancouver, probably won’t stick a- Ley too long, so keep on the lookout or it. Heatwave: Another Australian entry, this movie had its Canadian premiere at the Film Festival this year. A gripping thriller based on a true event, Heatwave exposes the dark forces at work behind a Sydney housing development. Murder, passion, greed and corrup- tion are all accentuated by a torpid Australian heatwave, and the film races from its tense beginning to an explosive climax. The acting of Judy Davis (My Brilliant Career) is tough and lean and should enhance her reputation as one of the stars of Australia’s vibrant film industry. Repo Man: This truly off-the-wall effort takes a peek at two worlds most of us know little about: the punk culture, and automobile repossession. Otto; played by Martin Sheen’s son, is torn between his ‘‘repo’’ career and his punk roots, and finally discovers that the answer lies with three dead aliens in the trunk of a Chevy Malibu. Repo Man also has a great sound- track and some classic low budget special effects, and is a refreshing change from the ‘‘formula’’ films of Hollywood. Splash: A movie about a mermaid? Come on, get serious! Well, | am serious. This is a really funny film. A cast of up-and-coming stars, including Darryl Hannah (who is almost as good here as she was in Blade Runner), Tom Hanks, and John Candy keep Splash perking along nicely. Thanks to a good script with good jokes (a rarity these days), Splash turns an old concept into something fresh and new. Cotton Club jazzy movie The Cotton Club is Francis Ford Coppola's $47 million dollar attempt to bring the Jazz Age to the 80’s and on the_whole he succeeds. The original by DAVE WATSON Cotton Club was a Harlem nightclub of the Prohibition era that featured black entertainers for an all-white audience. Celebrities, including gangsters, were frequently in the crowd. Dixie Dwyer (Richard Gere) is a cornet player who saves the life of Dutch Shultz (James Remar), an act which draws him deep into the criminal underworld, where he _ be- comes involved with Shultz’s girlfriend (diana Lane). This is the main plot, but it is embellished by as many other plots as supporting cast members. Now they know how many sub-plots it takes to fill the Albert Hall. Fortunately they are presented clearly enough to avoid confusion, but I’m not going to tackle them here. The - plots are secondary, anyway; the aim of the movie is to portray the Jazz Age and this part of the film is excellent. The lavish’ sets and costumes ex- plain the high cost of this film. The entire club was recreated in every detail on a soundstage and the exceptional cinematography reveals it superbly. The entertainment at the club is a mixture of original, but true-to-life characters and historically true ones who went on to fame and fortune like Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway. The actor playing Calloway performs Min- nie the Moocher with a ferocity that rivals Little Richard. The music in this film is great, and the roots of rock and roll show through in the energetic performances of many numbers. Richard Gere plays all his character’s horn solos, and is very good, over-shadowing his limited act- ing skills. Despite Gere’s lack of talent he does have a presence that suits the charac- ter he plays, who becomes a movie star later in the film. The rest of the cast turns in excellent performances, espe- cially Diana Lane who has to portray -an amoral part without losing audience sympathy. Bob Hoskins as the club owner Owney Madden and Fred (Munsters) Gwynne as_ his __ pal Frenchie play good supporting roles, but Remar’s Dutchman steals the show with a savage portrayal that'll give you nightmares. | Although I really liked this movie, it has several flaws, mostly some unreal- istic dialogue and inconsistent actions. Part of this may be due to the genesis of the screenplay which was based on a story by Mario (Godfather) Puzo but underwent substantial rewriting by Coppola and William Kennedy. In spite of this the whole presentation is breathtaking and very entertaining, so much so that I didn’t notice the flaws until the film ended and | had a moment to think. The detail and complexity of the film just carries one along. This depth is amazing, since the film is only two hours long. The Cotton Club is well worth seeing, if for no other reason than the nonstop entertainment it provides (although some of the tapdancing is gratuitous). Bring your grandparents to impress them with how hep the 80’s can be Get flexible with Dale If student life is leaving you frustrat- ed and stressed out, a good way to relieve tension is to attend Dale Elexman’s Dance Energy Movement by RHONDA JESCHKE in the dance studio on the 3rd floor next to the Music Department at Douglas College. | started going to the classes last semester. Feeling shy, silly and reluc- tant at first, | loosened up as the night wore on. Dale employs improvisational movement through various — tech- niques. \ The first part of the class is warm-up exercises, sometimes specific, some- times not. Some of the exercises are done in pairs so you can get to know the other participants on a more personal level. A large portion of the class involves attaining greater flexibility through stretching. You'll stretch and strengthen parts of you body many of us usually neglect. Participants are reminded at this point not to over- exert themselves, body alignment being the important factor. My favourite part of the evening is when Dale teaches us some. chor- eography. Even though it seems as if | have 2 left feet, after a few practices the figure in the mirror appears to be less laughable. Another plus of the class is the relaxation achieved through a massage employed by a fellow participant with the guidance of Dale. The massages are usually accompanied by tranquil music. Dale Flexman has a Senior Second- ary Degree in Education with a major in Physical Education and English. While attending UBC, she trained and skated for 3 years with the UBC Figure Skating Team. Flexman has danced for 7 years with Synergy Movement Workshops under Linda Rubin and has performed with Mary Craig. Her warmth and depth as a human being is conveyed in her attitude towards the class. So, if you’ve got to release some pent-up energy or just want to spend an enjoyable 2 hours getting to know more about your \body and how it works, get into some comfortable, loose-fitting clothes and attend a class on Tuesday evening or Thursday morning and have a comparatively inexpensive lesson in body movement. This means men too!! See the advertisement in this issue for more information.