The Salt Lake Tribune from Salt Lake City, Utah • 69

I E3 The Salt Lake Tribune CALENDAR Friday October 7 1994 Brilliant as Lugosi But-QuirkT 'Ed Wood' Is Mostly an Uneven Drag kih Ed Wood One oddball director profiles another with uneven results Andy (Tim Robbins left) learns about prison from Red (Morgan Freeman) in "Shawshank Redemption" Johnny Depp as 'Shawshank Redemption' a Wise Look at Brutality Humanity Behind Bars By Sean Means THE SALT tAKE TRIBUNE What happens when a good filmmaker tries to make a great film about a terrible filmmaker? In the case of Tim Burton's "Ed Wood" you get an odd and oddly unsatisfying film with occasional flourishes of brilliance Burton details part of the lessthan-illustrious career of Edward Wood Jr the '50s writer-director whose specialty was making quick exploitation films that often lapsed into the abysmal Eddie (Johnny Depp) is a dreamer making big plans to become a creative force in Hollywood like his idol Orson Welles Eddie is also a schemer who has to beg borrow lie cheat and occasionally steal to get his quirky visions on screen The film chronicles the creation of Wood's most famous movies and how Wood fought to get them made It begins in 1953 when Eddie offers to make a film about a sex-change operation Eddie has an affinity for the subject he tells the B-movie producer because he often wears women's clothing even donning an angora sweater on the set So Eddie sets to write direct and star in "Glenn or Glenda" casting his girlfriend Dolores (Sarah Jessica Parker) and persuading the great Bela Lugosi to appear as God Alas Bela (Martin Landau) isn't so great anymore It's been years since he's made a movie addictions to morphine and Demerol have sapped his strength and most people in Hollywood think he's dead As Burton tells it even the worst of Wood's films served a noble purpose they gave Lugosi a sliver of dignity and a reason to live Landau's sensitively decrepit portrayal of Lugosi is heartbreaking and will be remembered when all else in the movie is forgotten Burton proceeds from "Glen or Glenda?" to "Bride of the Atom" in which Wood cast a talentless leading lady because he thought she would front him the money to make the movie Then there's the legendary "Plan 9 from Outer 1 lh The Shawshank Redemption An involving tale of life and lifers filmmaker Edward Wood Jr in "Ed Wood's cadre of regulars: the boIng gus psychic Criswell (Jeffrey Jones) fellow transvestite Bunt)? Breckinridge (a scene-stealing Bill Murray) and wrestler Tor Johnson (played by wrestler George "The Animal" Steele) Alas much of Depp's perfdr mance is unintentionally comic a shame considering Depp's last collaboration with Burton "Ed)f ward Scissorhands" could move a person to tears Burton seems ea'erence ger to show Wood as a glorious iconoclast but Depp's bug-eyed grinning leer is fixed like Jack Nicholson's Joker grin in "Bat-le man" Except for his scenes with Landau Depp gives an oddly un7 modulated performance a gle note that should waver more "Ed Wood" (rated for strong language and drug use) has moe meats of greatness Anyone look ing for more is as deluded as die himself and just as likely to be disappointed Space" in which Lugosi died after two days of filming and a chiropractor with a cape pulled over his face doubled for the former Dracula Burton's approach to "Ed Wood" mirrors Francis Coppola's take in using another dreamer's struggles to illustrate his own When Wood rails against blinkered producers (in the case of "Plan 9" a pair of Baptist ministers) it's as if Burton is recounting the on-set interference he suffered while making the two "Batman" movies Burton playfully borrows Wood's grade-Z style The movie is shot in glorious black-andwhite with the opening credits chiseled on gravestones (a la "Plan Only in one scene a carnival spookhouse where Eddie woos his future wife (Patricia Arquette) do Burton's "Beetle-juice" flounces emerge Much humor is provided by ugosi died af- and a chi- pe pulled over Dr the former Dach to "Ed ncis Coppola's using another to illustrate Id rails against (in the case Baptist min- ton is recount- he suf- ing the two Ily borrows The movie Is black-and- )ening credits (a la one scene a where Eddie (Patricia Ar- Dn'S "Beetle- provided by Hudsucker And while Darabont's storytelling is slow in places he packs a wallop with the clever finale (If you have read the Stephen King short story on which the film is based be quiet Don't go spoiling things for everyone else) Robbins gives a skillfully understated performance playing a quietly intelligent man who is a mirror opposite of his dumb cluck in "The Hudsucker Proxy" Freeman as the film's narrator and moral constant is smooth grace and dignity As the increasingly venal warden Gunton (last seen as the bald police chief in "Demolition is a gold mine of hypocrisy and deceit "The Shawshank Redemption" (rated for language and prison violence) tells us that as Richard Lovelace said in the 17th century "stone walls do not a prison make" and that hope can set a trapped spirit free easing his time at Shawshank The film spans 20 years in its 2- hour 20-minute running time spending much of it meditating on what a lifetime in prison does to a man The chief victim of being "institutionalized" is the prison librarian Brooks (tenderly played by James Whitmore) who becomes scared on the outside when he is paroled after 50 years in prison "These walls are funny" Red muses "First you hate 'em then you get used to 'em Enough time passes you depend on 'em" But Andrew tries to improve things for his fellow inmates expanding the prison library launching educational programs introducing the men to music "There's something inside that they can't get to that they can't reach: hope" Andrew says Writer Frank Darabont whose script credits include such dreck as "The Fly II" and "The Blob" makes an impressive debut as director He depicts the prison's violence with a dark efficiency augmented by moody cinematography by Roger Deakins 7-1)-11 By Sean Means THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Part character study part sur: vival drama and part con game "The Shawshank Redemption" is all absorbing and compelling When banker Andrew Du! fresne (Tim Robbins) is convicted of killing his wife and her lover in 1947 he is sentenced to back-to back life sentences at Maine's Shawshank State Prison Brutal' ity comes in many forms: the Scripture-spouting warden (Bob Gunton) the bullying captain of the guard (Clancy Brown) or the sadistic rapists known as The Sisters But Andrew finds an ally in Red (Morgan Freeman) a lifer who has already spent 20 years in Shawshank when he meets An: drew Red is the prison entrepre neur "the guy who can get it for you a regular Sears Roebuck" Soon Andrew is learning from Red and becomes adept at using his financial talents to help the guards and the warden thus i 1' WO 11 I UP FOR WOOD: UP Io WOOD DIG THUMBS I UNIQUE 'ED on tos film and is film on the movies 1110 546-3400 Kaysville 21 Main Kaysvl It 150 Shawl lotort 4pm $200 Atio Cloud Sunday 3605 So OPEN AT 3M STATE Closed 266-0258 Sunday AVM Ms a lie ear I Bur on as ade one the et 1 ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD (PG) 12:25 225 6:55 BLACK BEAUTY (G) 12:40 2:30 7:05 THE LIME RASCALS IPG) 1245 135 7:15 THE CLIENT (PG-13) 920 MAVERICK (PG) 4:15 935 SPEED (PG) 4:20 915 oil aug or 1 en eatize 11 all no Int MOW I MI revocative movie FREE! JURASSIC PARK SOUVENIR WITH EACH ADMISSIONI JuiBu' I I mos persona an Good Movies Uke Good So Oks Never Grow Old Mkt FarrowJoan Nova light "WIDOWS PEAK" (PG) 7:15 9:00 Sot Mat at 3:15 5:15 7:15 Late Show Fri at 11:30 Halloween Special In 3-0 Vincent Price In "MAD MAGICIAN All seats are $400 S3rd Wield (vjuldettilacide Europe's Fastest HYPNOTIST 9 1 Every Sat Night at :30 IN ADV of Al THE DOOR ON-STAGE FUNNIEST SHOW EVER Our Public A ANAL CHANCE TO SEE IT ON THE NO SCREEN! date rageously entertaining llepp er it Isom Sandcastle' Bountif 1645 500 W192-5220 ALI SEATS $200 "ANGELS IN TR 11THE OUTFIELD I cuENr (PG) (PG-13) 7:15 9:30 It Sot Rd cd US TA a "JURASSIC PARK" 1 0 0 "JURASSIC PARK" (PG-13) 2:30 5:00 7:30 10:00 Today Shotstimes Onlytnn 's 0118 0 ear's les Conn orations a SA taggEr -Trrrt--Tr-ry' 1350 aliSFIEnspm NO PASSES OR DISCOUNTS HOW TIMER-FOR-1-00AiI-ONL-00 THE SPECIALIST (R) On 2 Screens: ONLY YOU (PG) RIVER WILD (PG13) On 2 Screens: THE SCOUT (P013) TIME COP (R) TERMINAL VELOCITY (P013) CLEAR A PRESENT DANGER (PG13) In Dolby: FORREST GUMP (P013) the a arm( on th picture imifamIsKE YID 'MELD ICID I 411- 1m Burton's 1 mous acto THE ALWAYSTWO HITS FOR ONLY $200 ADMISSION BEFORE greefu Ed Wood is ha all inci all funny mio tarok an out THg MASK (PG-13) 3:00 7:00 COULD HAPPEN TO YOU (PG) 1:00 5:00 9:00 11E01 Se IBI OAYADVARCEOICKUWAVAtLABL a ow nu ouch og reall0 511 An At WSW QUEE10 PitRAINY To wiciSM EXCLUSIVE SALT LAKE ENGAGEMENT! 1:25 3:35 7:10 9:30 1 (DOLBY) ii V' I EM iTrfi LI 1 0 -4111111L-MIN The Netherlands: universal health care legal prostitution teenage sex education gay rights state-sponsored abortion and euthanasia decriminalized marijuana and public nudity SEX DRUGS AND DEMOCRACY is an uncensored look at the Dutch political and social agenda No one under 18 admitted 1:00 5:15 9:15 mix ft Lina 'Wertmullers (R) 3:00 7:10 ends Thurs The hilari- wirmlp9 ous adventure of an outrageous class aito 4tig I 1 and the professor who inspired them "A DELIGHTFUL COMEDY!" NEW YORK TIMES 's 4 1 '1 -F' 1E440cl-or rt non Midni ht cultiest movie of all! 10ii'VERITHIEATRE11761E1900 SOWSLC12974040 i 6 INDICATES NO PASSES 1 DIGITAL STEREO $325 BARGAIN MATINEES DAILY BEFORE 6 PM ooLtusavERsst 112'0finol'- QWZ SHOW (PG-13) (Caen 4:30 4:16 7:20 1003 THE SPECIALMT (R) MOM tie 4:00 7:00 9:30 TIME COO (11) (STEREO' 145 340 530 110 945 SM N000t 15f SOuNO 1410d TIME COP (R) (STEREO) 1:00 3:00 5:11 7:05 9:20 THE MR WILD (9013) (STEREO) 4:20 440 700 9:30 140 430 7:20 950 THE SPECIALIST 430 4:20 710 910 (00401) 4:50 440 7:30 4010 (17451 ONLY YOU POI (DOM) JASON'S 11111C(11) (DOLBY) 1:15 3:40 7:20 940 ADVENTURES OP PRISCILLA (DOW) 348 7:10 930 ONLY YOU (90) 1101091 146 4:15 740 945 SNAWSHANK REDEMPTION Un 10011191 100 410 713 9:50 510 0013 140 4:40 70 015 1411t! was 1113111 oi il I jj 1 11' ti 1 1091111641144 110N11 11111' ID WOOD 00 (DWI 130 410 1:00 946 111 SCOW 190-131 (DOM) 1:48 710 TRU LDS (R) (DOOM 4:20 9:30 PRINCESS CARABOO (PG) (D0121) 2:16 4:40 1:30 910 11111i 1111111ilIlliV rinrv tp: 11 I i 7411'1b I MI COP On (STEREO) 4:30 3:30 6:30 7:30 930 THI SPeCIALIST )DO(BY) 200 4:46 7:20 946 2:30 616 746 1006 INI RIVIR WILD p6-13) (ITEM) 216 4:30 746 t36 tHi SCOUT IPG-13) (DOLBY) 4:30 7:40 TRU' UES CM tie 103 tee COMMA COMMA (PG) Marl 6:00 940 1' I I firnai ()o 3bl-1Si 'CN0110iom 717-41ii Nona 516174A ()Hot 9C1747 OULIZOONIAll MIMI $011141400104111 51 Soth rib tool koMJt Sm tit 166 Sottli FlUwood lid ml SPECIALIST HI 2:00 4:30 700 920 (00111Y) 1 130 5:00 7:30 9:50 (03) IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU (PG) 2:20 480 7:20 t36 IN NI ARMY NOVI IPOI 1:20 120 520 7:25 0:25 ONLY YOU (PG) (00151) 1:06 310 110 2:45 930 135 140 840 745 1000 TIME COP (t) (STERFO) 4:10 326 130 7:40 948 TH1 MASK (12-13) 140 4:40 710 t40 DWI LIES (DOttY) 1:00 4:00 7:06 t86 TERMINAL VELOCITY (10-43) (DOUIY) TIS 4006 Orl 'M1117113131 a THE RMR WILD (90-13) ISIEREO) 130 4:00 EA EIME COP (I) 100 111 130 741 1000 THE SPECIALIST (t) 4A0 NO 130 flAILL111q11T we 41060 $1 44 DA CLIENT 19043) 200 4:20 7:00 9:21 ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD (PM) Wall 210 430 741 9A0 THE LITTLE RASCALS (PG) iA8 330 111 720 141 SPEED IM 2:20 440720930 STARTS TODAY AT MEE MEMEL" 1:45 3:40 5:30 730 9:45 (TEREO) 1:10 3:25 5:30 7:40 9:45 (STEREO) too 3:00 5:00 7:05 920 (swami 1:30 3:30 8:30 7:30 9:30 (STEREO) 7q7441 Carmike Cinemark Cineplex Odeon CREEKSIDE 547 SANDY MOVIES 9 TROLLEY SQ CINEMAS 4890 Highland Dr 27841111 9539 South 11h East 5110601 sth South ith East 3611183 mo Oi P0111414 be Willi VALIVAllell THI RIVER WILD (PO-13) (STEREO) 445 430 TOO 910 2:00 150 7:20 40:80 CORINNA COMMA (PG) (COSY) 215 810 2:15 980 AT 7:00 TRUE LIES 12:00 2:30 4:45 7:20 9:45 1:10 3:15 7:25 9:30 1:00 3:15 530 7:45 10:00 0 mos nom A A 2240 emb 0-01 --A 11k VA ANL eNL It ----W01644-ackeowNoMm.