Showcase offers video buffs premiere viewing

Press, 14 May 1985, Page 17

Showcase offers video buffs premiere viewing

By

GRAHAM PARKER

and

AVENE FLANNERY

Watch out for the release of the movie “City Limits” being distributed by Showcase Video.

Billed as an epic advanture, “City Limits” is set in the early days of the next century and tells the story of a group of young people who learn to survive after the adult population has been wiped out by plague. Showcase Video, Ltd, bought all the Australasian rights to this movie and the company will not release the film to cinemas or television for at least 12 months.

The cast includes Darrell Larson (“Brainstorm” and “Frances”), John Stockwell (“Christine”), Kim Cattrall (“Porky’s” and “Police Academy) and Rae Dawn Chong (“The Corsican Brothers” and “Beat

Street”). There are also special appearances by Robby Benson and James Earl Jones.

Video libraries stocking the title should be easy to spot as Showcase has made available some rather eyecatching promotional material.

“SUGARLAND EXPRESS” CIC-Taft 104 min M 1974

Based on an actual event in Texas in 1969 this com-edy-drama was Steven Spielberg’s first film and the direction shows.

Lou Polin (Goldie Hawn) helps her husband, Clovis (William Atherton), to escape from an open prison so that the pair of them can reclaim their son who is

about to be adopted out by the authorities.

The couple hijack a police car and its driver (a super cameo role from Michael Sacks) and head for Sugarland where their son is being cared for by foster parents. Chased by an ever-grow-ing number of police vehicles (led in grand manner by Ben Johnson), they threaten to kill their hostage if stopped and their determination soon wins them public support. This is a good movie which won the best screenplay of the year at Cannes in 1974. “Sugarland Express” has stood the test of time and is still great entertainment. The quality throughout is very good. “SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES” Walt Disney 108 min PG 1983 Adapted from a Ray Bradbury novel, this rather chilling tale is quite different from the usual Disney fare.

The setting is a small mid-western American town where life is good and the living is easy. A mysterious stranger appears on the scene and, although he appears good-natured, it becomes apparent that he is a

bit odd and more than a little scary.

Two small boys soon realise that he has been sent by the devil to steal their souls and there is only one man who can help them. This is great entertainment for the whole family and there are some superb performances from the cast headed by Jonathan Pryce and Jason Robards. The quality is very good. “METALSTORM” K.O.A.V.S. 85min PG 1983 Dogen, a warrior of great courage and known as “The Finder,” seeks to find and destroy Jared-Syn, leader and mastermind of the sinister “Renegades.” To get to Jared-Syn, Dogen must pit his strength and cunning against Urok, the Cyclopean warlord of the “one eyes” and an assassin called Bal, half man and half machine.

The word is out to get Dogen and the Renegades use their cruellest weapons and their mysterious powers in an action-packed adventure set in the future.

The movie stars Jeffrey Byron, Mike Preston, Tim Thomerson, Kelly Preston and Richard Moll who all put in good performances. The picture and audio quality is very good, a must for all science fiction fans.