Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 20, 1994 TAG: 9408230023
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Mike Mayo
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Admittedly, that is the opinion of one videophile with a notorious taste for guilty pleasures. But I'm not the only one who thinks so. Two years after its release, Whirry's video debut, "Animal Instincts," is still on the New Releases shelf of at least one Blockbuster store. Why? Because it's still a hot renter. Movies that have such "strong legs" retain their newness.
But why has that one been so popular? After all, there are dozens of "erotic thrillers" out there; films that are much more explicit. What sets this one apart? The answer is a successful combination of star and story which, in the time-honored Hollywood tradition, the producers are trying to repeat with a sequel.
When I first saw Whirry at the recent VSDA convention, I didn't recognize her. She hadn't been listed in the advance publicity, and in person, she's not particularly prepossessing. But when she turns on the charm while signing autographs, she can light up the room. She's also opinionated and articulate about her profession.
"I've wanted to be an actress since I was 13 years old, and I stepped off the stage in my first play," she said. Right after high school, she went to New York and spent eight years going to acting classes and trying to find work wherever she could.
"Then Steven Seagal came to town with 'Out for Justice.' I went to a cattle call and ended up winning the role. I was Terry Malloy, the cocktail waitress. Because the strike was on in New York then, all filming shut down the day I was supposed to start. They took me off to L.A. I filmed there and I never went back."
It was the same cattle-call process with "Animal Instincts." "I liked the script, thought there was a lot I could do with it. I thought it was an interesting character if done the right way. She was a sympathetic character, but she could have played as a slut and that wouldn't have been interesting at all. But I really saw where it could go. I took it and the rest is history."
But what made it work? What made it sexy?
"All I do is my characters. I've made the choices before I do them. I know who they are and I know what's going on, and all I do is live it through them. I don't try to be sexy because that's a trap. As soon as you try to be sexy, you aren't sexy. The times I've tried, it hasn't worked. So I just have a good time and do what I'm supposed to do."
It's paying off. She has more video originals coming up - "an action romance and a black comedy next with no nudity" - and a role in the upcoming ABC mini-series "Texas Junction."
And what of the new film?
"Animal Instincts 2" is about what you'd expect of a sequel. It repeats the key ingredients that made the original a hit in a more coherent story, about a woman who becomes involved with a voyeuristic neighbor. Like the first film, it uses the confessional - to a priest or a psychiatrist or perhaps someone else - as a framing device.
If it lacks the freshness of the original, then writer Daryl Haney and veteran director Gregory Hippolyte understand one important fact about this kind of story. It's not really about sex; it's about sin, and that's an infinitely more interesting subject.
Next week: Two from the heart!
New releases
Like Water For Chocolate: *** 1/2
Starring Lumi Cavazos Regina Torne. Written by Laura Esquivel. Directed by Alfonso Arau. Buena Vista. 113 min. Rated R for sexual content, nudity, strong language.
Combining elements of Latin American "magical realism" with the basics of an old-fashioned romance, this is an openly emotional work that crosses national and cultural borders. Set in 1910, on a ranch in northern Mexico near the Texas border, it's the story of the de la Garza sisters and their domineering mother. The film succeeds because it creates a strong, haunted atmosphere; a softly lit sense of love, desire and dinner. It ends with a conclusion as perfect as any you'll ever see.
Four Weddings and a Funeral *** 1/2
Starring Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell. Directed by Mike Newell. PolyGram. 115 min. Rated R for a little strong language, sexual material, subject matter.
As the title suggests, this romantic comedy manages to combine light flirtatious humor with a serious side. It was a sleeper hit in theaters earlier this year and ought to be even more popular on tape. Anyone with the slightest Anglophilic bent should make a reservation now. Grant and MacDowell lead excellent ensemble cast.
D2: The Mighty Ducks **
Starring Emilio Estevez, Michael Tucker. Directed by Sam Weisman. Buena Vista. 103 min. Rated PG for sports violence, mild cussing.
There's not really anything new in this connect-the-dots sequel. It simply repeats the plot of the original in a slightly different setting. For that reason, young fans of the first movie will probably like this one, too. Emilio Estevez returns as coach of a kid's hockey team representing the U.S. in the Junior Goodwill Games where they must face the evil Icelandic team. Young fans of the first film will probably like it OK.
Blue Chips: **
Starring Nick Nolte, Mary McDonnell, Shaquille O'Neal. Directed by William Friedkin. Paramount. 108 min. Rated PG-13 for strong language.
As an examination of the hypocrisy behind bigtime collegiate athletics, this is about as effective as any feature film could hope to be. And with the presence of so many young pro basketball players (including George Lynch, all too briefly) it's remarkably realistic. But as entertainment, it's poorly paced, unevenly acted and preachy. Nick Nolte does a fair Bobby Knight imitation, though he has to share the screen with the real coach at the end.
The Essentials:
Animal Instincts 2 ***
Academy 92 min. R-rated and unrated for sexual content, nudity, strong language, some violence.
by CNB