Reviews
DVD
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan
Directed by Hugh Hudson, starring Christopher Lambert, Andie MacDowell
Tarzan is a name usually associated with primate pranks and swinging from vines. Rarely though do visions of the oiled up jungle-man inspire tears, or even melancholy. Not so here though, in this fine adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs's text which seeks to mine emotional riches from the wild child's tale. Sure, plenty of screen time is devoted to Tarzan frolicking with his ape buddies but there are also frequent visceral reminders of the kind of cut-throat environment in which our hero was raised.
And if you think that wrestling panthers is tough, wait till you meet the humans. Tarzan's real name, after all, is John Clayton, and the reason that he grew up in the forest is because his real parents died after a shipwreck on the Ivory Coast. However, after an explorer discovers Clayton, he is taken back to England where he meets his grandfather, Earl Greystoke, whose title he will inherit. He also meets Jane (Andie MacDowell) with whom he quickly becomes acquainted.
Despite the luxurious surroundings to which he is received into, Clayton finds it difficult to gain acceptance. A little over two hours, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan is well paced and detailed, particularly in the forest scenes. Christopher Lambert's debut performance in the lead role is still his best to date while James Fox and Sir Ralph Richardson exude Edwardian deportment.
Ben Davey
Papillon
Directed by Franklin Schaffner, starring Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman
Upon viewing this film, you'll see why some critics say it's one of the most underrated films of the 1970s. Its only major fault is its length - 2.5 hours - but every minute is so enticing and well-paced, you just don't feel the time passing.
McQueen (Henri 'Papillon' Charriere) and Hoffman (Louis Dega) work surprisingly well together as French criminals trapped on tropical islands. The film is adapted from a memoir by Henri Charriere, published in 1970 - 25 years after the author's successful escape.
McQueen is the central character, but he leaves room for the other actors to glow. This is an action-adventure, but the relationship that develops between these two men enriches the film's texture and complexity.
One of Schaffner's signatures is the rich coloration of the outdoors, which is conveyed with beautiful cinematography. But an indigenous villager sequence runs too long (although the nudity will no doubt entertain some), and trimming of some earlier scenes may have improved the pace. Still, Papillon remains one of the most gruelling and well-made prison dramas of all time.
Liu Jun
Event
Italy in Beijing
The ruins of Pompeii came to the capital with the first Beijing-Campanian Science and Technology Week, which ended at the Millennium Monument on May 23.
Campania in southern Italy is a region with over 3,000 years history, and is the site of the famed Pompeii city as well as the volcano Vesuvius.
More than 60 enterprises, research institutes and universities of Campania visited Beijing to seek cooperation with more than 230 domestic enterprises in fields of science and technology, economy and culture.
Seminars, exhibitions and forums focused on transports, aeronautics, aerospace, biomedicine, environment, energy, cultural heritage and handicrafts from the region.
Campania lies near the Tyrrhenian Sea, and is centered within the city of Naples. It is the home of Italian tubular pasta, and the birthplace of the pizza, as well as the cradle of technology in planting grapes. With the theme of preserving cultural heritage, experts from the two countries exchanged experience during the event.
He Na
(China Daily 05/30/2007 page20)
