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WHAT’S INSIDE?

GFF BOX OFFICEOrder tickets from the box office at

www.glasgowfilmfestival.org.uk

or call 0141 332 6535

or visitGlasgow Film Theatre

12 Rose Street, Glasgow, G3 6RB

info@glasgowfilmfestival.org.uk

2>> FEATURE: CARY GRANT

We admire the subject of this year’s retrospective

3>> REVIEWSAmerican: The Bill Hicks Story Bomber Bluebeard

4>> LISTINGSComprehensive guide to what’s going on at the Festival

4>>WHAT’S NEW ONLINE?Follow us online on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr.

4>> PRIZESWin 2 tickets to Crazy Heart starring Oscar nominee Jeff Bridges.

THE CINESKINNY

Produced by The Skinny magazine in association with the Glasgow Film Festival.

EDITOR Gail TolleyEDITORIAL Becky BartlettASSISTANTDESIGNER Emma Faulkner

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Text: Becky Bartlett

THE STORY goes that when a fire marshall saw the basement setting of short filmmaker Benjamin Harold Zeitlin’s stop motion film, Egg, he declared it the worst fire hazard he’d ever seen. And from these potential, but avoided, flames rose the ambitious and determined film-making collective known as Court 13. A little while later, Ray Tintori, another member of the group, enlisted the help of his friends to realise his idea for Death to the Tin-man, which required the building of a to-scale flying machine. It crashed.

Three years later, the members of this self-proclaimed ‘army’ built a ram-shackle, hobbled-together sailing device from the wreckage and remnants of Hurricane Katrina. The Louisiana Coast Guard stated, “this is not a boat, this is the least seaworthy vessel I’ve ever seen floating”. But float it did, and the proof can finally be witnessed in the UK for the first time. Glory at Sea is the collective’s most ambitious project; the culmination of trial and error, several unwanted breaks due to funding issues, five month’s work and the generosity of a ruined city. It is evidence that Court 13 have a vision, and while many would stumble at the first impossible hurdle, this collective have a way of achieving their goals.

This perseverance is more than sim-ply a means to an end – it is the ethos

of the Court, which proudly declares that it “values ‘Do It Yourself’ not as a matter of financial circumstance, but as a spiritual requirement”. Just as Werner Herzog famously dragged a real ship over a mountain to create Fitzcarraldo (1982), the actions of Court 13 echo the actions of their characters in Glory at Sea, adding layers of meaning and strength to this already powerful and resonant short.

Winning six awards, Zeitlin’s film may be only twenty-five minutes long, but it speaks volumes, and has provided the Court with deserved acclaim. Its members are making their mark on the film industry, directing music videos for bands such as MGMT and Chairlift while Tintori will soon be embarking on his first feature film, produced by none other than Spike Jonze. In the meantime, Court 13 is expanding its army. It encourages the development of artists and margin-alised groups and runs after-school children’s filmmaking workshops. Ignoring the incredulity of those who witnessed the madness, Court 13 has proven there has been a method all along, as they defiantly face their next adventure, “where life and limb are risked for the sake of community, culture, and everlasting glory”

Ray Tintori will be introducing This is not a Boat: The Improbable Story of the Court 13 Collective, CCA, Sat 20 Feb, 19.00

COURT (13) IN SESSION

2 THE CINESKINNY MONDAY 20 FEBRUARY WWW.THESKINNY.CO.UK

THAT OLD CHARMERText: Zaineb Al Hassani

WHO doesn’t love Cary Grant? With his ever-so-slightly off-kilter accent (paro-died so wonderfully by Tony Curtis in Some Like It Hot), his uncanny ability to look smoulderingly sexy in a suit while hanging precariously off Mount Rush-more, and all round suaveness, it’s no wonder that for over thirty years, the whole world fell hopelessly in love with the man formerly known as Archibald Alexander Leach, and continues to proffer that love to this very day.

It should also come as no surprise that Ian Fleming had Grant partly in mind when creating the character of super spy James Bond, or that Alfred Hitchcock – notorious in his dislike of actors – was quoted as saying that Grant was “the only actor I ever loved in my whole life.” But, despite spending the best part of his life being adored by millions, his childhood was noticeably different.

From his humble beginnings – an only child, he grew up in a relatively unhappy household in the not so dizzy heights of Horfield, Bristol – Grant spent his early teenage years being expelled from school, before joining a UK stage troupe, aged 14, as a stilt walker. When, at the tender age of 16, the troupe traveled oversees to the States for what was meant to be a short visit, Grant found the place he was to spend the next 60 odd years of his life, with half of that time spent commandeering a film career that few others have yet to come anywhere close to.

Grant slowly perfected his craft over the next decade, cutting his teeth in several light Broadway shows, before making the move to the bright lights and hedonistic allure of Hollywood in 1931. Having by now changed his name to the slightly more appealing Cary Lockwood (in homage to a character he had portrayed on stage) he was soon forced by Paramount Pictures to make further changes. This time he chose Grant and, in the process, a star was born.

After a slew of box-office hits (his name drew cinema-goers by the bucket load for several decades) Grant was the first actor to buck the industry trend by choosing to go independent, thus being in sole control of his career. A worthy move of someone of his calibre, and one which paved the way for the actors of today, it undoubtedly cost him any chance of an Oscar, with the exception of the Lifetime Achievement Award he received in 1970, which we all know is a poor way of lauding someone’s highly impressive career.

Given the nonchalant, slightly arrogant air associated with most of Grant’s characters, it’s sometimes easy to forget what a versatile and broad

actor he was, turning his hand with ease to more serious ventures such as Suspicion, Notorious, and, lest we forget, North by Northwest - all classic Hitchcock, and all delivered without the merest of nods towards his more naturally comedic persona.  But it is for these comedy roles that he will be remembered and revered for most of all – and rightly so.

Overshadowed by later, bigger hits is Topper, Grant’s first box-office coup, and one which should be watched by any fan of his work. The story is a simple one – a young couple are haunted by a newly dead couple who had previously lived in the house – and Grant’s charm and wit is evident even at this early stage in his screen career.

Perhaps one of his finest roles, and probably one of the best comic films of the last 80 years, Bringing Up Baby saw Grant team up with Katherine Hepburn in the first of several successful out-ings. Playing the awkward palaeontolo-gist to Hepburn’s dizzy socialite, the film was a complete and utter failure upon its initial release.  Instead it steadily garnered a positive reputation over the years, with many critics now widely regarding it as a classic piece, decades ahead of its time.

Next came roles in His Girl Friday (as a career hungry journalist out to get the

story and, of course, the girl) and Arsenic and Old Lace – a macabre but laugh out loud yarn involving a host of seriously dysfunctional family mem-bers and some not-so-natural deaths.

In 1940 came The Philadelphia Story, a movie which firmly cemented Grant’s stature as leading man material. The story centres around a divorced couple (Grant and Hepburn) who – through a series of planned mishaps on Grant’s part – are reunited before Hepburn’s impending second marriage. Also star-ring in the movie is an on-form James Stewart who earned himself a Best Actor gong for his portrayal of tabloid hack Mike.

Unlike several movie legends of recent years who should be tucked up in nursing homes instead of churning out turgid movie after movie (take note De Niro) Grant opted for retirement from the screen in 1966, passing away almost 20 years later, taking with him a piece of Hollywood that has long since faded away.

Now? Well, we have to make do with easily forgettable actors whose main draw is that they look, for lack of a bet-ter word, ‘hot’, a term that could never - would never - be used to describe the divine, the delectable, the debonair Mr Grant. We continue to idolise these identikit, pre-pubescent, actors, all the

while forgetting what real Hollywood is, or indeed, was. Can you imagine Zac Efron being able to hide from a secret government organization, clear his name, romance Eva Marie Saint and all the while keep his suits looking brand new? I didn’t think so.

And while part of me aches for the return of the glitz and glamour of an era long gone, the other part of me treasures the fact that Cary Grant, and other actors like him, will forever remain just that: much sought-after, much missed stars of the silver screen.In a story that just about sums up Grant, upon supposedly receiving a telegram from a magazine editor in 1962 asking “HOW OLD CARY GRANT?”, Grant was reported to have responded with “OLD CARY GRANT FINE. HOW YOU?”. He may have lived to a ripe old age, but fine? Never fine. Cary Grant was always so much more.

The Cary Grant retrospective is showing as part of Glasgow Film Festival 2010.

www.glasgowfilmfestival.org.uk

This year’s festival retrospective is dedicated to the suave and charming Cary Grant. We take a look at the extraordinary actor’s life.

First to know what’s on www.seeglasgow.com

2 THE CINESKINNY SATURDAY 20 FEBRUARY

CATHERINE BREILLAT’S filmmaking career has been defined predominantly by her explicit exploration of sex, as seen in films like Romance, Anatomie de l’enfer and A Ma Soeur! (Which has led, unsurprisingly, to a volatile relation-ship with cinema censors.) However in Bluebeard, the French director defies expectation my making a film with not one sex scene. Her adaptation of the dark fairytale tells the story of two young sisters, one of whom is married off to the mysterious and wealthy aristocrat Bluebeard. Within this narrative, Breillat explores familiar themes, namely the relationship between

sisters and the ambivalent feelings between the sexes. What stands out is how elegant and intelligent a filmmaker Breillat is (something which is often forgotten in the furore that builds up around the graphic content), here you’ll find sumptuous cinematography, vibrant use of colour and intriguing and complexly drawn characters.[Gail Tolley]

MONDAY 20 FEBRUARY THE CINESKINNY 3 WWW.THESKINNY.CO.UK

ReviewsAMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORYDirector: Matt Harlock, Paul ThomasStarring: Kevin Booth, John Farneti, Bill Hicks

WHEN HE died at 32, Bill Hicks had been performing stand-up comedy for almost twenty years. In Ameri-can: The Bill Hicks Story, family and friends trace his trajectory to fame, accompanied by old photos brought to life with animation: from the early days, when he sneaked out of his bedroom window to do his first gig, through his self-destructive alcohol use and eventual recovery. Hicks had just started to get the acclaim he deserved when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer – but he was still censored by the US media, and found that audiences in the UK were quicker to

appreciate his humour and bullshit-free perspective. As the tale unfolds, we witness the increased urgency in his final shows, and the dignity with which he conducted himself even in tragic circum-stances, aiming to speak the truth right till the end. Directors Harlock and Thomas have clearly made their documentary with love, and it is engaging both for long-term fans and for newcomers to Hicks’ talent.[Trevor Mawhinney]

GFT, Sat 20 Feb, 20.15

BOMBERDirector: Paul CotterStarring: Shane Taylor, Benjamin Whitrow, Eileen Nicholas

IN THIS didactic, minimalist drama a family drives to Germany so the patriarch may confront his demons. Paul Cotter’s first full-length feature, Bomber betrays the writer-director’s roots working in a shorter format, spreading a charming concept too thinly. While well composed, its language seems televisual: like the over-extended pilot for a quirky sitcom with the irony turned down. The script affords a simplistic perspective on its characters’ emotional lives: the father, Alastair (Benjamin Whitrow), reduced to stubborn misanthropy; the mother, Valerie (Eileen Nicho-las), to dumbfounded naïveté; and

their son Ross (Shane Taylor) to raging tantrums. Slightly confused structurally and lacking vital expo-sition, Ross’s woes never quite make sense; his histrionics detract from the otherwise persuasive depiction of an ageing couple labouring under the weight of regret. This would all seem quite unconvincing if not for the crafted performances of its ac-tors. Between them they carry the film, along with a jaunty indie score by Stephen Coates which makes this a charmingly unpretentious piece of work.[James P Campbell]

GFT, Sat 20 Feb, 20.45

BLUEBEARDDirector: Catherine BreillatStarring: Dominique Thomas, Lola Creton, Daphne Baiwir

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YOUTUBE

Everyone loves Youtube – it’s an easy way to waste countless hours. So keep an eye on GFF’s channel at www.youtube.com/user/GlasgowFilmFestival, which will soon have a whole host of wonderful behind-the-scenes clips, trailers and much more for your viewing pleasure.

LATEST NEWS

Find out about the latest guests attending the Festival at www.glasgowfilmfestival.org.uk including the filmmakers behind American: The Bill Hicks Story, the director and cast of Bomber and the director of A Congregation of Ghosts.

TWITTER

Tweets on this weekend’s Glasgow Shorts Film Festival.

@TheMutual Join us to enjoy our artist film showcase for the Glasgow Short Film Festival with a glass of wine tomorrow [20 Feb] at the CCA from 6 until 9

@ScottishScreen Glasgow Shorts Film Festival presented by Magic Lantern opens tonight - take your pick from what’s on this weekend

@CenSta One more reminder about our Art Roc Doc screening on Sun 21st. The drinks are on us.

COMPETITIONThe Oscars are nearly upon us, so grab the chance to watch one of this year’s Best Actor nominees, Jeff Bridges, in what may be his greatest role yet: drunk, destructive Country and Western genius Bad Blake in Crazy Heart. Now showing as part of the GFF programme (Cineworld, Sun 21 Feb, 20.45), here is your opportunity to see whether he de-serves that gong. To win two tickets, simply tell us:

Bill Django, played by Jeff Bridges, is a Jedi knight in what film?

Email your details with the answer as subject line to: gail@theskinny.co.uk by 10am Sunday.

4 THE CINESKINNY MONDAY 20 FEBRUARY WWW.THESKINNY.CO.UK

First to know what’s on www.seeglasgow.com

WHAT’S NEW ONLINE?

4 THE CINESKINNY SATURDAY 20 FEBRUARY

Comprehensive film and event listings for each day of the festival

SAT 20 FEB

THE STORY ROOM: DISCOVERING CHARACTER @ NOVOTEL (PITT STREET)10:00AM HOLIDAY @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE11:00AM STANDSTILL - GSFF @ CCA12:00PM

HOW’S THE GHOST? PRESENT: THE MOVIE TRAILER @ MOBILE PICTURE SALON (GARNETHILL PARK)12:30PM FILM ROCKS @ THE SHED01:00PM SAVAGE @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE01:15PM ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE01:30PM INTRODUCING THE RED @ CCA01:45PM WHISKY AND VODKA @ CINEWORLD (RENFREW STREET)01:45PM

THE APE @ CINEWORLD (RENFREW STREET)02:00PM

WORLDS COLLIDE - GSFF @ CCA02:00PM BIG FAN @ CINEWORLD (REN-FREW STREET)02:15PM

KNICKERBOCKER GLORY @ CCA03:30PM CON ARTIST @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE03:30PM GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE04:00PM SHE, A CHINESE @ CINEWORLD (RENFREW STREET)04:15PM HOW’S THE GHOST? PRESENT: THE MOVIE TRAILER @ MOBILE PICTURE SALON (GARNETHILL PARK)04:30PM THE CRAZIES @ CINEWORLD (RENFREW STREET)04:30PM NO YESTERDAYS - GSFF @ CCA04:45PM

ECCENTRICITIES OF A BLONDE-HAIRED GIRL @ CINEWORLD04:45PM

SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM CASE STUDY: THE INNER SHAPE BY JOHANNA WAGNER @ CCA04:45PM A CONGREGATION OF GHOSTS @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE06:00PM THE BOYS: THE SHERMAN BROTHERS’ STORY @ THE GROS-VENOR06:00PM ALL AROUND US @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE06:00PM APPLAUSE @ CINEWORLD (RENFREW STREET)06:30PM

VINCERE @ CINEWORLD (REN-FREW STREET)06:45PM

THE FRENCH KISSERS @ CINE-WORLD (RENFREW STREET)07:00PM THIS IS NOT A BOAT’: THE IM-PROBABLE STORY OF THE COURT 13 COLLECTIVE @ CCA07:00PM

PERE UBU - LONG LIVE PERE UBU! THE SPECTACLE @ THE CLASSIC GRAND08:00PM

AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STO-RY @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE08:15PM AUTUMN @ CINEWORLD (RENFREW STREET)08:30PM BOMBER @ GLASGOW FILM THEATRE08:45PM RADIO MAGNETIC PRESENT: IMAGES FROM THE INDEPEN-DENT MUSIC SCENE IN GLASGOW @ CCA09:00PM HIDDEN DIARY @ CINEWORLD (RENFREW STREET)09:00PM BLUEBEARD @ CINEWORLD (REN-FREW STREET)09:15PM RADIO MAGNETIC GSFF PARTY @ CCA10:30PM