Wednesday, December 12, 1990 - North Shore News - 34

Misery movie mixes Play examines materialism
terror and humor

OPULAR ROMANCE

author Paul Sheldon

(Yiames Caan) is about
to find out that sometimes
your fans want more than
an autograph. After all, fan
is short for fanatic and Annie
Wilkes (Kathy Bates) is
defintely his number one
fanatic.

Which is lucky in a way. She is
following him (stalking is such an
ugly word) when his car flips off
an icy mountain road during a
snowstorm, After tumbling down
the incline, the only piece of him
that remains intact ts his new
manuscript,

Drifting beck to Conse lousness,
Paul finds that he and his book
were rescued by Annie. Not only
is the stout woman a capable
nurse, but she lives tor Misery
Chastain, the 18th-century heroine
of his eight novels.

But what she doesn't know is
that in the about-to-he-released
ninth volume, Paul has killed off
Misery. And what the helpless
writer doesn’t know is real misery.
Yet.

This psychological tale of terror
has a surprising amount of humor.
Annie has named ber pet hog
Misery and, when they aren’t
curled up in front at lhe Love
Connection, she chases it around,
snorting pig-like. However, neither
her hair-trigger temper nor her
shattered mental state is something
to laugh at. Kathy Bates (primarily
a stage actor) gives the character
depth with sadness, a schoolgiel
ciddiness and a terrifying brutat
insane logic.

James Caan as the imprisoned
writer has to mute his emotions to
stay alive. This type of straight man
role is usually overlooked but is
actually the vital focus of our con-
cern, He succeeds with admirabie
restraint.

Equally admirable ete Rub
Reiner's direction and William
Go!ldman’s adaptation of the

Tundra Swans
Frint 5329 reg. $485

TIM
BELL

film review

Stephen King novel. The suspense
and nervous laughter are well
balanced, both pushing the story
to the inevitable violent crescen-
do.

That basic storyline, however,
has unpleasant connotations abaut
the mentally ill. But, let's face is,
this is a Stephen King story. Don’t
expect a delicate treatment.
Rocky Horror Picture Show ***
(CBS/Fox Home Video) Rated
Mature

Dream it in your living room. Be
itin the theatre. That's the prome-
tional liree theyre using to sell this
video.

What... Recky Horroc a study
tool? Do they really expect people
to throw toast and rice at their
T.V. for homework?

It doesn’t matter because Rocky
survives rather nicely. After 15
years, the Saturday night ritual
comes to the small screen. The
surprising thing is tt holds up quite
well. Besides solid rock tunes,
there’s a wondedully flamboyant
performance by Tim Curry as Dr.
Frank N. Furter, the mad scientist
from the planet Transylvania in the
Gistant galaxy Transsexual,

NORTH SHORE VIEWS
West Van Odeon: Henry & June,
Avalon, Predator 2, Nutcracker
Prince
Park Royal: Rocky V, Ghost,
Rescuers Down Under, Good
Fellas
Park & Tilford: Dances with
Wolves, Misery, Sibling Rivalry,
Predator 2, Nutcracker Prince,
Home Alone
Showtime Hotline: Famous
Players 681-4255, Cineplex Odeon
687-1515

Robert Bateman
Order deadline Dec. 31/90

4 QY--—

Closed Sunday

Westview Shopping Centre 983-3734

from pare 29
that both of thear tathers personal:
ty hoew the Canadian comedy in-
stitution, Wayne and Schuster.

In tact the O02 Credit their ta-
thers with introducing them to the

theatre: Wikbernos rather was a
Canadian pop singer who eniceed
vaudevitie acts tor years ain Win:
mpes Astey’s father wrote music
and shits tor Wayne and Schuster
but gave rtup to become an ac

Countant a job he grow to hate
Before Far Game had even
opened, Wikberg and Astley were
atready Charting their rise to tame.
Says Wikberg: “We're going to
be a hot duo in this town.’

EXVERIENCE THE FUN-ANP
VELICIOUS Foon AT-ANATOLIS

THIS NEW YEARS EVE!

GOOP FOOP FUN & FRIENVS

ALL TICKETS FRE SOL IN ADVANCE,

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MUSIC CENTRES

INFORMATION

J LONSPALE Avs.
NORA Va

5~ $853

Oakridge Centre

263-1822

435-1010

at Aayal Oak

Piano Showroom

5172 Kingsway

beside Granada TV