FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15
A comedy from the Czech Republic by Vera Chytilova (Daisies, The Apple Game) about a village drunk who, after the collapse of communism and the restitution of private property, discovers that he suddenly owns a brickyard, a deluxe hotel, and several shops, among other things. (Pipers Alley, 5:00)
*Lillian
Of the spate of new films, some made for television, on Sicilian judges and cops who’ve been murdered for opposing the Mafia, Ricky Tognazzi’s tense drama is by far the best. It doesn’t offer much insight or depth of emotion, but as a briskly paced political thriller it’s highly entertaining. The plot concerns four bodyguards of disparate backgrounds bonding to one another as they risk their lives to protect a magistrate investigating the Mafia assassination of a state attorney. The story of the investigation alternates with subplots about the private lives, of the cops–each racked by guilt, family pressures, and the fear of death. The locations in and around Palermo are rendered with surprising feeling, adding a rich sense of place to a film that’s somewhat generic. (Scharres) (Music Box, 7:00)
*Farewell, My Concubine
A pleasing little film by Thomas Fucci about a despondent man named Frank (Peter Van Norden) who checks into a transient hotel, armed with a gun and a tape of favorite selections from the more than 11,000 records in his collection, with the sole intention of ending his miserable life. Pulling the trigger becomes problematic, however, when his neighbors repeatedly intrude in the most bizarre ways. Stylistically the film resembles some of David Lynch’s earlier work, and the deadpan delivery treads on Jim Jarmusch territory, but Fucci displays little of the contempt Lynch has for his characters. Once the film moves out onto the open road, Fucci establishes his own distinctive style, which, coupled with Van Norden’s charming performance, makes the film a success. Some viewers may have qualms about shelling out seven bucks for a movie that runs barely more than an hour, but it’s likely to be more entertaining than most other American independents showing this year. Besides, any film that can blend such an eclectic sound track–everything from Abbey Lincoln and traditional Indian music to selections from Puccini’s Manon Lacaut–this delightfully and effortlessly is worth seeing. (RP) (Pipers Alley, 9:00)
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Set against the hallucinatory backdrop of postriot Los Angeles, producer Peter McCarthy’s first feature film as a director is a quirky comedy about an out-of-work 30-year-old (James Le Gros) who’s suffering from insomnia and a major existential crisis. When he’s not out looking for work or listening to deadbeat friends explain the meaning of life to him, he’s obsessing about the cause of the riots and fantasizing about bumping off the Daryl Gates-like police chief who seems to taunt him from his television set. The alternately bleak and surreal tones of the film blend more successfully than the characters, who waver between the realistic and the one-dimensional. The film also veers off on some: pretentious tangents at times, particularly during Le Gros’s monologues. Yet on the whole Floundering: is an amusing and engaging piece of work. (RP) (Pipers Alley, 3:15)
