Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 11, 1995 TAG: 9502140008
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
"The Voyeur" is subtitled "an erotic spoof," and, for the most part, it manages to be both sexy and funny.
The story concerns a married couple (Kim Dawson and Al Sapienza) trying to get through their 10-year-itch with a weekend vacation at a wine country inn. Like so many video originals, this one was made on a limited budget. If the production values aren't lavish, they're certainly slick enough, and the cast is really attractive.
Writer Udana Power's script is sharp. She's given the story a real sense of humor, and her dialogue sounds realistic when it ought to be. Deborah Shames tells the story with straightforward direction that doesn't call attention to itself.
Some of the comic bits misfire, and the plot moves too slowly in places. Though the filmmakers are careful with the sexual material, their treatment of the story may seem too racy for some tastes, too tame for others. That's the nature of the genre, particularly when it's meant for both men and women.
The real key to the film is star Kim Dawson, a platinum blonde with Kim Basinger-Sharon Stone looks and a livelier, funnier screen presence than either of them. She's new to the business, and it's obvious that she's got what it takes to be a star on video or on the big screen. Whatever she does next, I want to see.
Overall, "The Voyeur" is a solid step up from the producers' first release, "Cabin Fever." It's going to be extremely popular.
"Avanti!" is an uneven 1971 romantic comedy that starts slowly. Writer I.A.L. Diamond and director Billy Wilder have some trouble freeing the story from its roots on the stage, but once they do, the movie just gets better and better.
Hard-charging, boorish Baltimore businessman Wendell Armbruster (Jack Lemmon) goes to Italy to bring home the body of his father. It appears that Dad was killed in a car wreck at a resort hotel. Pamela Piggott (Juliet Mills), from London, meets him on the way and, curiously, knows a lot about him. Her mother has died at the same hotel.
Wendell is shocked when Carlucci (Clive Revill), the debonair hotel owner, tells him that the recently deceased couple were lovers. Then he's scandalized when he learns that this wasn't a fling; they had been meeting there for years! The free-spirited Pamela thinks it's wonderful and romantic, and doesn't understand why they can't be buried together there in Italy.
There is little suspense to the plot. You know precisely where it's leading, but that's fine. These three characters are easy to like, particularly Pamela. Juliet Mills makes her a complete delight. As Lemmon's Ugly American is seduced by her and by Italy, the film draws you in. Comparisons to more recent films like "Shirley Valentine" and "Enchanted April" are well-taken.
Moving now to the back of the rack, we find an Australian film that went a long way toward making Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver the stars that they are - from 1983, "The Year of Living Dangerously."
There's a strong influence of Graham Greene in this story of love, deceit and politics in the tropics - Indonesia, 1965. Gibson plays Guy Hamilton, a newly arrived journalist who knows nothing about the situation. Sigourney Weaver is Jill Bryant, possibly a spy working out of the British embassy. They're brought together by Billy Kwan (Linda Hunt, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for playing a male character), and then fall in love while the country around them is exploding.
Writer-director Peter Wier uses the shadow play as the central image for the film, and that's the way he casts most of the action. It's impossible to tell exactly what's going on in several important areas. The love story is a notable exception. It's handled in a straightforward manner and provides the chemistry that hooks viewers. Well worth another look for fans who might not have seen it in a decade or so.
New releases this week:
The Scout **
Starring Albert Brooks, Brendan Fraser, Lane Smith, Diane Wiest. Directed by Michael Ritchie. FoxVideo. 100 min. Rated PG-13 for language.
This baseball fantasy has some wonderful moments, all in the first half, but somehow the story never amounts to anything. The big finish has an obligatory quality and it really doesn't have that much to do with the body of the film. Yankees' scout Albert Brooks finds a true "phenom" (Brendan Fraser) in Mexico but runs into problems when he brings him back to the Big Apple.
The Next Karate Kid * 1/2
Starring Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, Hilary Swank, Michael Ironside. Directed by Christopher Caine. Columbia TriStar. 105 min. Rated PG for violence, a little rough language.
This low-octane little martial arts flick is notable for two things: (1) Star Hilary Swank might have a promising film career ahead of her, but it's hard to say because (2) she's working with possibly the worst script ever to come out of the Hollywood formula factory. Fans have seen it all before in the first three minutes.
In the Army Now * 1/2
Starring Pauley Shore, Lori Petty, David Alan Grier. Directed by Daniel Petrie Jr. Buena Vista. 89 min. Rated PG for some strong language, mild violence.
Here's another low-budget vehicle for former VJ Pauley Shore, an increasingly unlikely film star. This time, he's in the Army Reserves. Aside from a couple of stream-of-consciousness monologues, he's upstaged by his co-stars who don't appear to be trying too hard themselves. At least it's short.
Little Rascals ** 1/2
Starring Darryl Hannah as Miss Crabtree, Donald Trump in a cameo, and a cast of child actors who bear an uncanny resemblance to the original ``Our Gang'' members. Directed by Penelope Spheeris, MCA/Universal, 90 minutes. Rated PG.
This film captures some of the innocence and charm of the original ``Our Gang'' comedies, but the modern L.A. backdrop is somewhat jarring. The resulting anachronism is still fun for kids, full of sight gags, potty humor and general silliness.
THE ESSENTIALS:
The Voyeur *** Erotic Escapades. 80 min. Unrated, contains nudity, sexual material.
Avanti! *** MGM/UA. 144 min. Rated R for subject matter, nudity, strong language.
The Year of Living Dangerously *** 1/2 MGM/UA. 115 min. Rated PG for language, violence, subject matter.
by CNB