A “: if Les Misérables just the ticket @ Les Misérables **&* Starring Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush, Uma Thurman and Claire Danes. Directed by Bille August. Now showing at Park & Tilford Cineplex and Varsity Theatre. IF you're hoping to hear Liam Neeson sing, you'll be disappointed. Bur if it’s a good adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic novel vou're after, Les Misérables js just the ticket. Liam Neeson is well cast as the hulking and pow- erful Jean Valjean. Seasoned after 19 years hard fabor, he reforms himself and becomes a successtil factory owner and big-hearted mayor. Unfortunately, an act of tremendous strength arouses the suspicion of new police inspec- tor Javert, who recognizes Valjean from his chain-gang days. Geoffrey Rush is excellent as the stoic Javert, a man consumed be the cat-and-mouse game he embarks upon with Valjean. B When Javert catches Valjean, his fe alf catching its prey and partly those ofa dog finding its master,” a s body language is as rigid and unfaltering as his character’s resolve. We ache just watchi a. Uma Thurman, in her most unglamorous role yet, goes from haggard factory worker to TB-infected prostitute. She piays Fantine, the victim of very un-Chnristisn values, who sells everything from her long hair to her body to keep her daughter Cosette sate. Claire Danes is good (as always) as Cosette, the girl who vearns for a lite outside the con- vent walls and finds excitement and romance in Manus, a leader in the Revolution. Since Paris doesn’t look like Paris anymore, much of Les Misérables was shot in Prague. The sets caprure the hellish factory conditions and the despair of the peor in carly 19th-cen- tury France to perfection. In mounting yet another screen adaptation of Les Misérables, not to ment on trying to compete with the astronomical success of the musical, director Bille August takes a brave step. It’s a bit like doing Hanslet again: your production had better be great. August’s film falls short of greatness but is a finely acted, well-told, beautifully shot ver- " Photos Rol Konow VALJEAN gives Fantine a solemn promise that he will raise her daughter Cosette (Claire Danes, above) as his own. Inspector Javert (Geoffrey Rush, centre below) leads a group of soldiers through Paris. . sion of Hugo’s classic novel. CINEMA SHOWTIMES - M@ Park & Tilford Cineplex 200 ~ 333 Brooksbank, North Vancouver (985-3911): Black Dog — 7:20, 9:40 p.m. daily. Weekend matinees 2 p.m. The Big Hit — 7:30, 9:45 p.m. daily. Weekend matinces 1:50 p.m. Sliding Doors — 7:10, 9:25 p.m. daily. Weekend matinees 1:40 p.m. The Spanish Prisoner — 7 p.m. daily. Weekend matinees 1:30 p.m. The Object of My Affection — 9:20 p.m. daily. Homegrown — 7:40, 9:50 p.m. daily. Weekend matinees 2:10 p.m. Les Miserables — 9:30 p.m. daily. Weekend matinces 1:15 p.m. ®@ Esplanade 6 Cinemas ~ 200 W. Esplanade, North Vancouver (983- 2762) Titanic — Mon., Wed., Thurs. 8 p.m. Fri, Sat., Sun., Tues. 2:10, 8 p.m. City of Angels -—— Mon., Wed., Thurs. 7:40, 10:10 p.m. Fri, Sat., Sun., Tues. 1:10, 4:20, 7:40, 10:10 p.m. Deep Impact — Mon., Wed., Thurs. 7, 9:50 p.m. Fri, Sat., Sun., Tues. 1:20, 4:10, 7, 9:50 p.m. Good Will Hunting — 9:15 p.m. Paulie — Mon., Wed., Thurs. 7:15 p.m. Fri, Sat., Sun., Tues. 1:30, 3:40, 7:15 He Got Game — Mon. !0 p.m. Wed., Thurs. 7:05, 10 p.m. Fri, Sat., Sun., Tues. 1, 3:45, 7:05, 10 p.m. Deep Impact — Mon., Wed., Thurs. 7:30, 10:15 p.m. Fri, Sat., Sun., 1:40, 4:30, 7:30, 10:15 p.m. @ Caprice Park Royal South West Vancouver (926-6699) At Premiere Prices: Good Will Hunting — 7:05, 9:25 p.m. daily. Characters — 7:10 p.m. daily. zular Prices: Primary Colors — 9:35 p.m. daily. As Good as it Gets — 7, 9:30 p.m. daily. B Island Cinema Bowen Island (947-9495) Mercury Rising — Saturday, May 9, 8 p.m. @ Fifth Avenuc Cinemas 2110 Burrard at 5th, Vancouver (734- 8700) The Spanish Prisoner — 7:05, 9:30 p.m. Sat./Sun. 1:50, 4:15 p.m. and Tues. 4:15 p.m. A Price Above Rubies — 7, 9:20 p.m. Sat./Sun.1:40, 4:10 p.m. Tues. ar 4 p.m. (No 7 p.m, show Thurs., May 14) Wild Man Biues — 7:10, 9:25 p.m. Sat./Sun. 1:45, 4:05 p.m. and Tues. 4:05 p-m. Two Girls and A Guy — 7:20, 9:20 p.m. Sat./Sun. 2, 4 p.m.; Tues. 4 p.m. (No 7:20 p.m. show Mon. May 11) The Butcher Boy -- 7:15, 9:35 p.m. Sat./Sun. 1:55, 4:20 p.m.; Tues. 4:20 p-m. @ Park Theatre 3440 Cambie at 18th, Vancouver (876- 2747) Sliding Doors — 7, 9:15 p.m.; Sat./Sun. 4 p.m. Final week. @ Varsity Theatre 4375 West 10th at Trimbic, Vancouver (222-2235) Les Miserables — 7, 9:35 p.m. Sat./Sun. 4 p.m. Final week. @ Pacific Cinematheque 1131 Howe St., Vancouver (688-3456) A major retrospective of the feature films of Charlie Chaplin runs through May at the cinematheque plus the 10th annual Vancouver Jewish Film Festival is sched- uled for May 20, 21, 25, 26 and 27. For further information phone 266-5852. @ Vancouver Centre 650 W. Georgia, Vancouver (669-4442 ) Gingerbread Man — 2, 4:30. 7, 9:30 p.m.; Robert Alrman’s long-awaited new movie, written by John Grisham, opens Navie Was originally scheduled “ebruary. Wonder who got the final cut? An Expert’s Guipe THe OPeRA ° a 2 > 11 1s SAID THAT ROSSINI WROTE’ THE BARBE y, ” a, OF SEVILLE IN A MERE THIRTEEN DAYS. SPENDING THE ENTIRE TIME UNSHAVEN IN HIS DRESSING GOWN. “HOW TRONICT A FREEND REMARKED, “THAT YOU WROTE ‘THE BARBER’ WITHOUT SHAVING.” “But HAD SHAVED? “HOW I SPENT oo ROSSINI REPLIED, My SUMMER ae “Il SHOULD HAVE GONE OUT. AND IF VACAT I ON?’ : I HAD GONE out, —T SHOULD wot BY GIACCHINO ROSSINI, AGE 24 HAVE COME BACK 3 IN TIME TO FINISH Say ‘Tue BARBER’ In THIRTEEN DaAYsi” AND THE WORLD SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED. PERHAPS, WHAT VERDI LATER CALLED %..THE j MOST BEAUTIFUL OPERA BUFFA IN “EXISTENCE.” FOR IN THOSE THIRTEEN DAYS. ROSSINI’S BURST OF GENIUS CREATED THE MOST FAMOUS AND WELL-LOVED COMIC OPERA THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN. CALL TICKETMASTER oe 7 oy _ : 7 at 280-3311 To OF SEVILLE ; RESERVE YOUR’ — SEATS TODAY. ANCOUVER . iC) DA SIX PERFORMANCES ONLY, Tae yycurven Sis Waal may 2,5,7 9,121.14. cocm AY