Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, August 20, 1994                   TAG: 9408250074
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By MIKE MAYO CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

`COLOR OF NIGHT' IS SO GOOFY YOU'LL GIGGLE

In recent weeks, the film's producers and the MPAA have been involved in another of those please-don't-throw-me-in-the-briarpatch spats over the rating. The sexual content is fairly strong, but the context is so goofy that even the love scenes generate giggles.

Though the story is about psychiatrists and patients, the psychological aspects could have come from a cartoon. Early on, our hero Dr. Bill Capa (Bruce Willis), a practicing therapist, diagnoses one patient as "a genuine nutcase." That's about as deep as the pop psychological insights get.

The film begins with the suicide of one of Dr. Bill's patients. It's a completely contrived, scenery-chewing bit of business, and it establishes a level of overacting that the rest of the cast gamely tries to top. Driven by guilt and now unable to see the color red (that's supposed to be really important), Dr. Bill goes from New York to Los Angeles for a visit with his pal Dr. Bob Moore (Scott Bak ula), another therapist.

Even before he has recovered from jet lag, Dr. Bill has been introduced to Dr. Bob's group therapy session. Among them are Brad Dourif as an obsessive-compulsive lawyer, Lance Henriksen as a grizzled loner with a tragic secret and Leslie Anne Warren as a giggling ditz obsessed with sex.

It's not revealing too much to say that before long, Dr. Bob is killed, probably by one of them, and Dr. Bill takes over the group. At the same time, he becomes involved with an actress named Rose (Jane March) who has a tattoo of same on her butt. Also on hand is LAPD detective Martinez (Ruben Blades) who thinks the whole lot of them are "a bunch of daffodils," and easily steals the whole movie.

Most viewers will probably stay one step of the script by Matthew Chapman and Billy Ray. But at the end, they come up with one shameless twist that beggars description. For those who have been laughing all along, it's a fitting punchline. To those looking for a decent thriller, it's the crowning insult to a senseless mess.

It's difficult to say how fully director Richard Rush understood the nature of the material. The opening scenes suggest that his tongue is firmly in cheek. So do the bizarre performances by Dourif, Henriksen and Warren. But Bruce Willis seems to be taking it all seriously, and at other times, so does Rush.

In any case, "Color of Night" is much closer to Rush's early work - "Hell's Angels on Wheels," "Psych-Out" - than to his best, "The Stunt Man." It's still one of Hollywood's best comic action pictures.

Finally, the ratings squabble has been settled with an "unrated director's cut" slated for home video. That's where this sort of alternative schlock will find its true home.

Color of Night

** 1/2

A Hollywood Pictures release playing at the Salem Valley 8. 120 min. Rated R for graphic violence, sexual activity, nudity, strong language.