BetteBack May 7, 1990: The Big Movies Of Summer, Fall, Winter

The DAILY GLEANER
Sequel mania remains rampant
May 7, 1990

AS we settle Into our theater seat to enjoy the remaining movie releases of 1990, we see that the traditional Hollywood studio releasing pattern still seems firmly In place.

The schedule goes like this:

Dump the expensive duds after the Christmas season, re-group in the late spring, bank on the big summer releases, get serious with the thoughtful film in the fall and hope to kick butt again at Christmas.

After our eyes re-focused following a scan of the more than 400 movies set for release in ’90, several stood out as must-sees for credit and subject reasons.

Sequel mania remains rampant. A few of the high-budget retreads include “The Godfather Part III.” “The Two Jakes,” “Texasville,” “Rocky V,” “Another 48 HRS.,” “Back to the Future Part III.” “Robocop 2,” “Die Hard 2,” “Predator 2,” The Gods Must Be Crazy II,” “Young Guns II,” “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” and “The Exorcist III.”

Also coming back for more are “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure II.” “A Nightmare on Elm Street II,” “The Amityville Curse,” “Delta’ Force II,” “Subhumanoid Meltdown: The Class of Nuke ‘Em High, Part II,” “Puppet Master II,” “Scanners II: The New Order,” “The Gate II,” “The Neverending Story II,” “Basket Case 2,” “Prom Night II: The Last Kiss” and “The Return of Superfly.”

But many quality pictures look to be ready, too, including new films from world-class directors Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Sydney Pollack, David Lynch. John Boorman, Alan J. Pakula, Louis Malle, Bernardo Bertoluccl, Mike Nichols, Barry Levinson, Spike Lee, Francis Coppola and Jonathan Demme.

Behind the camera this year are familiar faces Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson. Clint Eastwood, Alan Alda, Albert Brooks. Sidney Poitier. Kevin Costner, Rob Reiner. Martin Sheen, Sondra Locke and Richard Benjamin.

Mega-stars

Of the mega-stars, Robert Redford returns In “Havana.” Marlon Brando plays in “The Freshman,” and Tom Cruise races
cars In “Days of Thunder.”

An alphabetical listing of the potential cream of the crop for this year follows:

“Awakening* – The inspired pairing of Robert De Niro and Robin Williams leads the Interest in this fact-based story about a physician’s 1969 attempts to revive 10 catatonla victims in a Bronx hospital. Penny Marshall directs (Columbia, fall).

“Cbattahoochee” – A psychologically disturbed Korean War veteran is doubly disturbed by the system at the title mental hospital In this fact-based account Mick Jackson directs; Dennis Hopper and Frances McDormand co-star (Hemdale, fall)

“Come See the Paradise” –The story of a pair of inter-cultural star crossed lovers in a Japanese/American internment camp during World War II. Alan Parker directs Dennis Quaid and Tamlyn Tomita (20th Century Fox, fall/Christmas).

“Convicts” – In a screenplay by Horton Foote, Robert Duvall stars as a cantankerous Texas plantation owner who uses mostly convict labour. Lukas Haas and James Earl Jones co-star. Peter Masterson directs (M.C.E.G., fall)

Dick Tracy

“Dick Tracy” – Warren Beatty directs and stars as the intrepid detective whose exploits are torn from the funny papers. Madonna plays Breathless Mahoney, Dustln Hoffman is Mumbles, and Al Paclno is Big Boy (Buena Vista, summer).

“Good Fellas” – The boys are back in town: Martin Scorsese directs Robert De Niro in a New York City gangster saga based on Nicholas Pileggl’s book. “Wise Guy.” Ray Liotta, Joe Pescl and Paul Sorvlno co-star (Warner, Christmas).

“Havana” – It’s New Year’s Eve 1958 in Cuba’s great resort capital as Fidel Castro lurks in the hills. Robert Redford plays an American gambler. Sydney Pollack directs, and Alan Arkln and Lena Olin co-star (Universal, Christmas).

“Miller’s Crossing” – Joel and Ethan Coen, shepherds of “Raising Arizona.” bring you this tale of romantic deceit and warring racketeers in 1929. Albert Finney stars with Gabriel Byrne and Marcla Gay Harden (Fox. spring).

Mr. and Mrs. Bridge – Mr. and Mrs. Paul Newman (Joanne Woodward) star in this Ruth Prawer Jhabvala adaptation of Evan Council’s novels about life In early 20th-century Kansas City. James Ivory directs (Miramax, summer).

“Postcards from the Edge” – Mike Nichols directs Carrie Fisher’s adaptation of her novel about a mom/daughter relationship in Hollywood. Meryl Streep. Shirley MacLaine, Gene Hackman and Dennis Quaid star (Columbia, summer).

Murder

“Presumed Innocent” – Alan J. Pakula directs the tale of an attorney who is charged with murdering a lawyer with whom he had been having an affair. Harrison Ford stars with Greta Scacchi, Raul Julia and Brian Dennehy (Warner, summer)

“Scenes from a Mall” – Woody Allen and Bette Midler play a couple who Inventory their 15-year marriage on their anniversary. Paul Mazursky directs. Allen’s first film under a director other than himself since 1976’s “The Front” (Buena Vista, Christmas).

“The Sheltering Sky” – Bernardo Bertolucci’s first film since his Oscar-sweeping “The Last Emperor” (1987). Debra Winger and John Malkovlch star as Americans in 1947 North Africa in the adaptation of John Bowies’ novel
(Warner, fall).

“Texasville” – Director Peter Bogdanovich returns to the film that brung him in the Larry McMurtry sequel to “The Last Picture Show* (1971). Reprising their roles are Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd and Cloris Leachman (Columbia, Christmas).

“The Two Jakes” – In the sequel to “Chinatown” (1974), Los Angeles private eye Jake Gittes gets caught up in a 1940s oil scandal. Jack Nicholson directs himself and Harvey Keitel from a Robert Town script (Paramount, summer).

Share A little Divinity

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.