THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, April 11, 1995 TAG: 9504110047
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Craig Shapiro
LENGTH: Long : 139 lines
MOVIES SET in prison share a formula that goes like this: A man is falsely jailed, but through an unlikely friendship, often with the con who really runs the joint, beats the corrupt system as he withstands the abuse of savage guards and brutal inmates.
The best films, though, give their characters dignity, a sense of self-respect so strong it won't allow them to lose sight of what matters: Even in the bleakest of circumstances, there is hope.
``The Shawshank Redemption'' (Columbia TriStar, 1994), arriving today on video, is one of the best. It's 10 minutes too long to be a great film - the ending ties up too neatly - but that takes nothing from its emotional impact.
Tim Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, a banker convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. Morgan Freeman received an Oscar nomination as Red, the lifer with whom Andy forges a true friendship. There's a superb supporting cast includes Clancy Brown, Bob Gunton and James Whitmore. Writer/director Frank Darabont based his screenplay on a Stephen King novella. The cinematography, with its sweeping vistas and claustrophobic close-ups, is exceptional.
As prison movies go, the plot holds few surprises. Justice will be served, it's just a matter of how. But Robbins and Freeman bring such an obvious commitment that viewers won't mind being swept along. Because ``Shawshank'' (R for language, violence, implied rape) is an intimate story, it's well-served by the small screen. A
One of its many nice touches is a reference to ``Birdman of Alcatraz,'' which would be a good choice if ``Shawshank'' isn't in. Here are a few others:
``Breaker Morant'' (1980). Based on a true incident during the Boer wars of 1901, three Australian soldiers are tried for murdering their prisoners. The final scene with Edward Woodward and Bryan Brown is wrenching.
``Kiss of the Spider Woman'' (1985). William Hurt won an Oscar as a homosexual who shares a cell in a South American prison with a revolutionary, played by the late Raul Julia. Literate and haunting.
``A Man Escaped'' (1957). This French film, re-released last year, follows a member of the Resistance as he escapes a Gestapo prison just before his execution. The tension is real. Based on a true story.
``Midnight Express'' (1978). A gripping drama, also based on a true story, about a young American (Brad Davis) sentenced to life in a Turkish prison for smuggling hash. John Hurt is excellent as a fellow prisoner. Oliver Stone's screenplay won an Oscar.
``Papillon'' (1973). A Videomatic fave starring Steve McQueen as a criminal sent to Devil's Island in the 1930s. Dustin Hoffman is the swindler he befriends. McQueen's nightmare about being guilty of leading a wasted life is memorable.
Flashback
The Quentin Tarantino generation is catching on to something that has been apparent for two decades: Harvey Keitel belongs on that short list of actors and actresses who make a film worth seeing.
``Taxi Driver,'' ``The Piano,'' ``The Last Temptation of Christ,'' ``Thelma & Louise.'' Even ``Monkey Trouble.'' And on those rare times when he lands short, the important thing is he's not afraid to take the leap.
Keitel made one of his biggest stretches for Ridley Scott 18 years ago in ``The Duellists,'' playing a French officer whose feud with another officer (Keith Carradine) courses through the Napoleonic wars. It's a gorgeous, finely acted film that still challenges viewers with its pace and mood as much as its subject.
DEJA VIEW: FoxVideo has added ``Titanic,'' starring Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb, to its Studio Classics series ($19.98) and Shirley Temple's ``Just Around the Corner,'' in color, to its Family Features line ($14.98).
SUCH A DEAL: Republic kicks off its ``Martin Scorsese Presents'' collection with restored versions of ``Force of Evil,'' ``Johnny Guitar,'' ``A Double Life'' and ``Pursued'' ($14.98)
Columbia TriStar: ``20 Million Miles to Earth,'' ``The Guyver 2: Dark Hero,'' ``Three Ninjas Kick Back'' ($19.95), ``Sidekicks'' ($14.95) and a three-pack with ``Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger,'' ``The 7th Voyage of Sinbad'' and ``The Golden Voyage of Sinbad'' ($34.95)
LIVE: ``The Field,'' ``King of New York,'' ``Air America'' and ``The Dark Wind'' ($9.98)
FUNNY LADY: Ask any Carol Burnett fan: Variety shows have never been the same. Good thing CBS Video is releasing ``The Carol Burnett Show - A Reunion'' and ``Men, Movies & Carol'' ($14.98).
TOP TAPES (in Billboard):
Sales: ``The Lion King,'' ``The Mask,'' ``Angels in the Outfield,'' ``The Little Rascals,'' ``Snoop Doggy Dogg: Murder was the Case''
Rentals: ``Stargate,'' ``The River Wild,'' ``Timecop,'' ``Clear and Present Danger,'' ``Natural Born Killers''
The Couch Report
``Imaginary Crimes'' (Warner Bros., 1994). Unforgettable only begins to describe Harvey Keitel in this powerful drama. He's a widower raising two daughters, a con man or dreamer - the film dares to just raise the question - whose big score is always a technicality away. Fairuza Balk is solid as the older daughter who won't be taken in. Set in Oregon in the '40s and '50s, the look befits the story: inviting, yet risky. Don't miss it. A+
(CAST: Harvey Keitel, Fairuza Balk, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent D'Onofrio. RATED: PG for language; 105 minutes)
``D.R.O.P. Squad'' (MCA/Universal, 1994). African-Americans who have sold out are abducted and ``dropped'': deprogrammed until they rejoin the brotherhood. While this thriller has something important to say about racial integrity, its aim is so broad that the message loses any depth. Mumblin' Jack malt liquor and code names like X, Garvey and Huey seem a little forced. B-
(CAST: Eriq LaSalle, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Ving Rhames. RATED: R for language, violence; 88 minutes)
``Cosmic Slop'' (HBO, 1994). Reginald and Warrington Hudlin (``House Party'') have created a near-brilliant trilogy that puts a '90s twist on the ``Twilight Zone.'' In going for the funny bone, their stories, themed around racism, faith and violence, make incisive statements about timely issues. Having George Clinton as host is the icing. B+
(CAST: Robert Guillaume, Nicholas Turturro, Paula Jai Parker, Chi McBride. RATED: R for language, violence; 87 minutes)
``The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' (PolyGram, 1994). How will a comic romp about a troupe of cross-dressing Australians play on Main Street? Take a chance and see. Truly outrageous, it's also undeniably touching, thanks to a marvelous performance by Terence Stamp. He holds up a mirror, then dares us to look. B+
(CAST: Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, Bill Hunter. RATED: R for language, mild violence; 103 minutes)
``Silent Fall'' (Warner Bros., 1994). There are some fine moments between Richard Dreyfuss, a brilliant psychologist with a tortured past, and Ben Faulkner as an autistic child who witnesses a double murder. The film loses steam, though, when it dissolves into a standard thriller. John Lithgow and Linda Hamilton are wasted. C+
(CAST: Richard Dreyfuss, Ben Faulkner, Liv Tyler, Linda Hamilton, John Lithgow. RATED: R for language, violence; 100 minutes)
Also: Chuck Norris kicking guess-what in ``Hellbound'' (R); ``The Road Killers,'' a psycho-thriller with Christopher Lambert (R); Shannon Tweed in the steamy ``Illicit Dreams'' (unrated); and ``Big Foot: The Unforgettable Encounter,'' a family adventure (unrated)
NEXT TUESDAY: ``Blue Sky,'' ``Quiz Show,'' ``Ed Wood,'' ``The Advocate,'' ``Double Dragon,'' ``I Like It Like That'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Morgan Freeman, left, and Tim Robbins as convicts.
GRAMMERCY PICTURES
From left, Adam/Felicia (Guy Pearce), Bernadette (Terence Stamp) and
Tick/Mitzi (Hugo Weaving) are in awe of the vastness of the
Australian outback in ``The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the
Desert.''
by CNB