An Phoblacht/Republican News  ·  Thursday November 30 1995

The Santa Clause
Murder in the First
Irish Film Festival in France

A genuine Christmas cracker

Forget all that codswallop about Christmas being just for the children. This is one big kid who had a ball at this year's major US Yuletide release, The Santa Clause, featuring funny man Tim Allen (who you may know as Home Improvement's DIY `expert', Tim Taylor).

There may have been almost 23 years between your reviewer and his junior sidekick (six going on 60) but as we settled into our seats in the luxurious surroundings of Dublin's new Virgin cinema complex, myself (cappucino) and Aoife (cheesy popcorn) were relaxed and ready for some serious happytime. And we got it.

The secret of this film, apart from Allen, is the clever plot. Allen plays Scott Calvin, a divorced dad who is too preoccupied to have much time for his son, Charlie (Eric Lloyd), who has just been dropped off to spend Christmas Eve with him by his mother and new stepfather (Judge Reinhold).

Anyway, Charlie does not believe in Santa, but in the middle of the night guess who lands on the roof? Give up? Well Santa, of course, dummy, but unfortunately when Scott challenges him, expecting to meet a burglar, Mr Claus falls off the roof. And then he disappears, leaving just his Santa suit and a mysterious note asking the finder to put it on and the reindeer will know what to do.

This sets the scene for an original, enchanting and very amusing picture which lives up to the `one for all the family' tag. It manages to avoid much of the packaged irksome schmaltz which is often churned out to take advantage of the Christmas market. It retains the magic for children, while Allen's trademark wisecracks entertain the adults.

Aífe gave it ten out of ten and is looking forward to seeing it again while this comparatively elderly cynic, still happily ensconsed in the warm afterglow, is inclined to agree.

BY LIAM O COILEAIN

PS: The interests of the child plus the first and second families were taken into account during the making of this feature film.

Kevin Bacon provides an interesting aside to Christian Slater's boyish zeal in Murder in the First, a courtroom drama imprisoned in an Alcatraz movie. Slater is a first-time lawyer trying to save Bacon from a death sentence for killing a fellow inmate with a canteen spoon. The accused is as much a weapon as the spoon is though, and the real killers lurk elsewhere. Gary Oldman is one of these, and although this is not his best performance, he always gives it good. Altogether this film doesn't quite hang; its separate parts attempt too much and the themes of betrayal, the power of the establishment, justice, and male friendship all compete for space already given up to an overall `Nothing to say, your honour'. For lovers of prison movies and courtroom dramas though, it's not the worst - the kind you'd want RTE to show on a Saturday night so you could head off to bed saying `Now, that was a good film' and wake up the next morning having forgotten it.

BY RITA O'REILLY

The prosperous French town of Tours in the Loire valley was the setting for an impressive festival of Irish cinema from eight to 21 November. Some 13 films, ranging from the 1930s classic Man of Aran to Ken Loach's Hidden Agenda, played to packed houses. There were also concerts, exhibitions, discussions, and a ``tres chic'' whiskey tasting session, sponsored by Jameson's. Visiting speakers included painter Louis Le Brocquy, poet Derek Mahon and writer Liz Curtis.

The voluntary committee who had laboured over the last six months to organise the event were delighted with the result. ``It was almost embarrassingly successful,'' said Mike Murphy, who teaches English in Tours and dreamed up the idea of the festival. ``We hope to hold another one in two years' time, and make it a regional festival, bringing in other towns.'' Next year the French foreign ministry is organising a major national festival, L'Imaginaire Irlandais, bringing over a wide variety of cultural events.

Hervé Gosselin is a keen member of Inis Cara, the local Irish association, which was the backbone of the festival committee. ``We are now setting up a Federation of Irish Societies in France,'' he says. ``We will be able to do lots of things. For instance, we could organise tours of musicians, Gaelic sports events, and trips to Ireland, and promote exchanges of students between Ireland and France.''

People wanting information about the proposed Federation can write to: Hervé Gosselin, 108 rue Jeanne Wedells, 37100 Tours, France.