■CINEMA
TOP TEN FILMS OF 1986
by Lois Wadsworth
et’s get my biases, inadequa
cies, and preferences right out here on the table.
I don’t review many Hollywood movies because
I don’t like exploitation films, gratuitous
violence, mindless car chases, cops as heroes,
Rambo clones, skin flicks, or women as victims.
I prefer films by independent American film
makers or foreign films. I’m interested in the
director’s sensibilities and skill, whether the
screen play tells a good story well, the
cinematic quality and technical level of the pro
duction, and the actors’ believability.
At the Movies and People will review Top Gun
(a military recruitment ad) and An American
Tail (a total-concept marketing strategy) when
they come out, but they probably won’t tell you
anything about the films that the studio keeps in
the can for years like UFOria, Heartbreakers or
Brazil. From the mainstream media you won’t
hear about the more original and creative new
films unless they become smashing successes
like 1985‘s Kiss of the Spider Hitman and make
tons of money.
I feel fairly safe in predicting that none of the
1986-released films on my list will garner a
nomination from the Academy Award establish
ment. I think those industry folks will choose
from some good pictures (which I saw and
liked) including Hannah and Her Sisters,
Crimes of the Heart, Stand by Me, Children of a
Lesser God, Room With a View, and Peggy Sue
Got Married. Or maybe they’ll go for one of the
films we haven’t seen yet here in Eugene: Round
Midnight, Platoon, Sid and Nancy, True Stories.
None of these films appear on my list—I know
that Hollywood will take care of its own.
My many-times-revised-but-now-absolutely
final top ten films seen in Eugene in 1986 are:
#1
Absolute Beginners. Directed by Julian
Temple. Starring Eddie O’Connell, Patsy
Klinsit, David Bowie, James Fox.
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
Angry Harvest. Directed by Agnieska Hol
land. Starring Armin Mueller Stahl, Elisa
beth Trisenaar.
Fool For Love. Directed by Robert
Altman. Screen play by Sam Shepard.
Starring Sam Shepard, Kim Basinger,
Harry Dean Stanton.
Blue Velvet. Directed by David Lynch.
Starring Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella
Rosselini, Dennis Hopper.
UFOria. Directed by John Binder. Starring
Cindy Williams, Fred Ware, Harry Dean
Stanton.
Something Wild. Directed by Jonathon
Demme. Starring Jeff Daniels, Melanie
Griffith, Ray Liotta. With music by David
Byrne, Laurie Anderson, Sister Carole.
The Official Story. Directed by Luis Pen
za. Starring Norma Leandro.
Smooth Talk. Directed by Joyce Chopra.
Starring Laura Dern, Treat Williams.
Men. Directed by Doris Dorrie.
Heartbreakers. Directed by Bobby Roth.
Cinematography by Michael Ballhous.
Starring Peter Coyote, Nick Mancuso.
A group of five film fanatics (a couple of
whom saw over 100 films in 1986) compiled
their weighted choices to come up with this list:
Angry Harvest, Ran, Fool For Love Favorites of
the Moon, Shoah, Horse of Pride, UFOria,
Sheer Madness, Absolute Beginners, Insig
nificance, Blue Velvet, and Mirror.
But don’t leave anything this important to film
junkies. Just for fun sort through thefilms you’ve
seen this year, pick out the ones that impressed
you, analyze why, limit yourself to ten, rank
them, develop your skills as a moviegoer/film
critic. After all, no one knows what you like
better than you. There are no experts, just other
film lovers. See you at the movies!
I Rolfing
JON
CARROLL
KAREN
LACKRITZ
Certified Rolfers
For information and/or
appointment, please call
($03) 343-4157
Larry Weinstein,
LAc.
announces the opening
of his new acupuncture
office at
260 E. 15th Street
Suite A
Eugene, Oregon 97401
344-5882
I
FUTONS & FRAMES
10% OFF SALE
ENDS
Futons & Hardwood Frames JAN 31st!
Example: We have double bed or couch frames with futon
for as low as $195,501 May be seen at our new Elmira Showroom.
935-7348
Open by Appointment Only
VISA, MasterCard
Deliveries Available
940€0 T0A0E0/
Balcony Level
5th St. Public Market
343-3622
Don’t Miss the Last 4 Days
of Winter Clearance Sale
20-50% OFF Fall Clothes 6 Sweaters
Prices Reduced Once More ,
I
Plus Great Selection of Paris Blues and LA Seat Covers for Spring
J
Sam Shepard in Fool For Love, one of Lois Wadsworth’s “Ten Best”
of ’86.
CHINESE NEW
YEAR:
JOIN US FOR CHINESE
NEW YEAR'S DINNER
SPECIALS
I
44 East 7th Avenue
s
B
2
On-Sdl
□
i Restaurant & Lounge
1 BANQUETS - TAKE-OUT
342-6869
□
A , A
OPEN FOR
LUNCH
11:30-5:00
and
DINNER
5:00-10:00
—
□
□
"YEAR OF THE RABBIT"
01
□
SALE
' WOOL and ALPACA
sweaters, vests, ponchos,
Jackets & accessories. . .
and other selected items
20-50%OFF
•762 E. 13th St
next to the Excelsior
343-8667
'•FIFTH ST. MARKETA
downstairs
683-2204
4)
FOLKWAYS IMPORTS
?' 11
. W