28 - Wednesday, May 22, 1991 - North Shore News

4

A studio-era epic

Spartacus ***¥2 (Universal) Rated Mature (at the Cakridge

Cinema)

o you like movies with gladiators in them, Billy?
Sure you do, and here’s one of the best, made in
1960, all polished up and sporting never-before-seen

bits.

stand in contrast to these light
moments. The reason is that
Ustinov rewrote the scenes at
Laughton’s request. to upstage
rival Olivier.

But all the backstage shenani-
gans shrivel next to the spectacle.

An enormous cast in the quad-
tuple digits, fabulous sets and sev-

Tim Bell

FILM REVIEW

The story concerns Spartacus
(Kirk Douglas), a gladiator leading
a revolt of slaves against Roman
tyranny. Naturally, there’s a lot of
action, newly restored hacking
ana gouging, and hints of kinky
sexual practices as befits any tale
of pagan Rome.

But there’s also a lot of humor,
especially when Peter Ustinov is
on screen. Batiatus, the crafty
owner of a gladiator training
school, measures his generosity
according to the importance of his
visitors. Upon hearing that Gener-
al Crassus (Laurence Olivier) is
due, he instructs his servant to
“get the second best wine — no,
the best, but small goblets.”

The wittiest exchanges are be-
tween Ustinov and Charles
Laughton (as Gracchus, that polit-
ical rarity, a good Senator), plot-
ting the downfall of the power-
mad Crassus.

Screenwriter Dafton Trumbo’s
heavy drama of Kirk soap-boxing
about freedom or the shy romance
with fellow slave, Jean Simmons,

Gallery
looking
for WV

artists

THE FERRY Building Gallery is in-
viting past and present West Van-
couver artists to enter its juried art
show.

Drawings, paintings and
sculpture is eligible for entry, with
a limit of three entries per person.
All work must have been produc-
ed within the last two years.

Entry forms are available from
the Ferry Building. the North Van-
couver and West Vancouver
Community Arts Councils, and
from the North Shore Arts Com-
nission.

The deadline tor submissions is
Saturday. June 15, 1991, Appli-
cants may deliver their work to
Klee Wyck. 200° Keith Road in
West Vancouver between 9 and
11:30 a.m, jurying, bv artist Mona
Goldman, takes place on June 16.

The show ovicially opeas July

returns to the big screen

eral astounding battle scenes make
this a film that couldn't even be
financed today.

And while the film’s personal
story of a man’s crusade for libera-
tion will transfer satisfactorily to
video, this 3%-hour epic demands
the big screen to be fully appreci-
ated in all its mammoth glory.

And besides, just hearing Kirk
Douglas relish the word ‘‘Rome”
is worth the price of admission.
Apartment Zero *** ¥2 (LIVE
Tape/Image Laserdisc) Rated 8

Taik about severe stress. Adrian
LeDuc (Colin Firth), an over-
wrought movie buff in Buenos

MERCHANTS: To participate in the Centennial
dollar program contact your nearest Royal Bank or
the Nerth Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. For
the benefice of your customers and the communiry

hecome a part of this celebration.

23. . RESIDENTS & VISITORS: The Centennial dollar
For more information. phone
WE is new available ar the Royal Bank, the North

Aires, is watching both his institu-
tionalized mother and his rep
movie theatre slip rapidly away.
And now his roomie, a mysterious
American (Hart Bochner), may be
linked to several recent murders.

Superb acting highlights this
clever and eerie thriller.
White Hunter, Black Heart ***
(Warner Home Video) Rated
Mature

Clint Eastwood left his action
fans in the dust with this intriguing
fictional look at the making of The
African Queen. He plays an
obsessive, vitriolic director (based
on John Huston) far more inter-

THE NORTH VANCOUVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
& THE CORPORATION OF THE DISTRICT OF NORTH VANCOUVER PRESENTS

CELEBRATION 100

A hundred Years
in 100 Cents

ested in shooting an elephant than
a mavie.

And, no, Clyde the Orangutan
does not co-star.
NORTH SHORE VIEWS
Park Royal: Paris Trout, The Field,
Toy Soldiers. Park & Tilford: A
Kiss Before Dying, Dances with
Wolves, FX 2, Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles 1, Silence of the
Lambs, Martal Thoughts, Madon-
na - Truth or Care. Esplanade 6:
One Good Cop, L.A. Story, Out
for Justice, Oscar, Toy Soldiers,
Switch. Showtime Hotline:
Famous Players 687-4255,
Cineplex Odeon 687-1515.

Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and participating
merchants. This coin is legal tender in the City and

District of North
Vancouver, and an
excellent souvenir of this

centennial celebration.

FOR INFORMATION CALL 987-4488