Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 12, 1994 TAG: 9403120057
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Mike Mayo
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Writer-director-editor Steven Soderbergh has turned A.E. Hotchner's memoir of growing up in the 1930s into a film that's nostalgic, but never sentimental. His polished evocation of the time is first-rate, but the real spark is young Jesse Bradford, who does masterful work in the lead.
He's 12-year-old Aaron Kurlander, who's doing all he can to hold his family together during the dark days of Depression-era St. Louis. His father (Jeroen Krabbe) is something of a dreamer who has trouble holding onto a job. His mother's (Lisa Eichhorn) illness has put more strains on the family, so they've had to send his younger brother Sullivan (Cameron Boyd) to live with relatives.
After some other odd turns, Aaron finds himself essentially on his own at a residential hotel. He's an imaginative, resourceful young man, and he's got his hero Lester (Adrien Brody), a bold Jewish radical, to look after him. Across the hall there's Mr. Mungo (Spalding Gray), whose liaisons with Lydia (Elizabeth McGovern) introduce Aaron to the mysteries of sex.
The plot is so unconventional that surprise is an important if understated element, and it would spoil things to give much away. But a few individual moments really stand out. Don't miss Aaron's introductory essay, the marbles game, the bellboy's (Joseph Chrest) routine with a match, and a wonderful scene when Lester and Aaron save a car. Cliff Martinez's terrific score brings it all together.
Comparisons to "A Home of Our Own" - another fine, underrated family movie - aren't out of place. Both are serious, big-hearted films that are going to find appreciative audiences on cassette. So, don't miss "King of the Hill." It's one of the best bets in the video store these days.
"The Fox and the Hound" is meant for a slightly younger audience.
This 1980 film doesn't have the reputation of the great Disney features of the distant past or those of more recent years. Because of that, it may come as a surprise to many audiences.
This is first-rate animation. It has a simple, involving story about a young fox and a hound-dog pup. At first, they're natural, playful friends, but their relationship changes as they grow up and become "natural" enemies. (OK, the plot may not sit well with animal behaviorists or with hunters.) For adults, the songs are a little weak and, compared to "Beauty and the Beast" or "The Little Mermaid," the pace is slow, but so what? Disney animators are the best in the world at this kind entertainment and the big finish is a corker.
"The Fox and the Hound" is a movie that kids will watch a hundred times.
Two other pieces of news have just come from the Disney organization: The studio will release its first "video original" soon. "The Return of Jafar," a sequel to "Aladdin," is scheduled to hit video stores on May 20. Robin Williams will not be returning as the genie; Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer Simpson, will take over that role. All the other voices will be back. To judge by a short preview of the work in progress, the animation and music are equal to the original.
Then later this year, probably October, one of Disney's most important films will hit home video, almost 60 years after its first theatrical release- "Snow White." It was the first animated feature and remains one of the best. In terms of sales, it probably won't top "Aladdin," the best-selling cassette in the short history of home video. But you can count on seeing it everywhere.
Next week: Tennessee Williams, "Mr. Wonderful" and more!
THE ESSENTIALS: King of the Hill ***
MCA/Universal. 103 min. Rated PG-13 for strong language, some violence.
The Fox and the Hound ****
(for kids; only **1/2 for grown ups) Walt Disney. 85 min. Rated G.
New Releases This Week:
Gettysburg: ***
Starring Jeff Daniels, Tom Berenger, Martin Sheen, Sam Elliot. Directed by Ronald Maxwell. Turner. 248 min. Rated PG for violence.
This Civil War epic, trimmed to four hours from a longer mini-series due on cable TV later this year, is seriously flawed but still recommended. As popular entertainment it does a good job of telling a complex, important piece of American history. Tom Berenger and Jeff Daniels are outstanding as opposing officers who represent the two sides. Martin Sheen does all he can as Robert E. Lee but the man himself eludes the filmmakers. Based on Michael Shaara's "The Killer Angels."
We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story: ***
Starring the voices of John Goodman, Jay Leno, Walter Cronkite, Julia Child. MCA/Universal. 66 min. Rated G.
Here's a surefire winner for kids who were a little too young for that "other" Stephen Spielberg dinosaur movie. It's a short, fast, G-rated, animated feature that's a little preachy at times, but just a little. For the most part, this is a rousing cartoon adventure that knows exactly what its audience wants to see.
Airborne: **
Starring Shane McDermott, Brittney Powell, Seth Green. Directed by Rob Bowman. Warner. 87 min. Rated PG for mild violence.
This low budget no-brainer is aimed at a teen-age audience. As these things go, there's nothing particularly wrong with the movie, and there's precious little to recommend it, either. The loosely knit plot involving a California surfer/skater dude in Cincinnati is purely an excuse to string together some fair footage of surfing and Rollerblade skating.
by CNB