STURDY on FILM

"THE HUNGER"

by

Jack Sturdy

America, always a visually stimulated society, is in the throes of visualmania: big homes, flashy autos, designer clothing and the quest for personal beauty are optimum optics at the basest level. We constantly demand more and more complex and sophisticated visual treats.

M-TV, the cable station that satiates both aural and optic senses with creative and novel vidio versions of our favorite tunes, is proof of our need for increased visual intensity. The stalk and slash genre of film that capitalizes on graphic gratuitous bloodshed beckons to that need. Hitchcock implied murder; Carpenter plunges the knife in, twists it, then yanks it out with a few pieces of bloody organs clinging to the blade. The thrill is the gore the visual stimulus.

What this has meant to filmmakers is an increased pressure to please viewers' jaded optical senses. Storylines take a back seat to "the look" of a film. "The Year Of Living Dangerously", "The Outsiders", and "Flashdance" are all cinematically gorgeous, yet each fails from a thematic standpoint. Can anyoune you know tell you what the middle. of "Flashdance" is all about? No, because the film lacks substance. Everyone will tell you how wonderful the film is, describing the flashdancing, the stunning finale, or the hot music. But there is no mention of the romance that is central to the story, or to Lilia Skala, Alex's mentor. Why? Because there is no development of those themes. "The look" overwhelms all.

Does this mean that Directors of the 80's are willing to sacrifice the story for the senses? If "The Hunger" is indicative of the trend, then the answer is yes. Director Tony Scott's movie is so highly stylized and glossy, consumed by its own beauty, that it fails to resolve simple questions or pred-

icate action. The viewer is forced to fill a multitude of holes in an already confusing plot.

Stephan Goldblatt's brilliant cinematography, supported by Pamela Powers' exciting crosscut editing and Brian Morris's film noir sets place "The Hunger" on the same visual plane as "Blade Runner". The movie is so beauriful that if the script were not a colander, the movie could have been a major success. It is, instead, just a goodlooking Vampire movie.

Catherine Deneuve is Miriam, a woman of great beauty and wealth -perhaps a bit too beautiful and too wealthy, too perfect. Her lover is John Blaylock (David Bowie), an aristocratic counterpart for her ice-cold beauty. Together, they comb the haunts of drifting souls, throw-aways and runaways who would not be missed if the Blaylocks chose to use them to satisfy the hunger. Periodically, the duo develops a craving for human blood, you see. Ironically, the instrument of death is sheathed in an ankh pendant, the Egyptian symbol for life.

Miriam has outlived the dynasties of ancient Egypt. She possesses the secret of eternal life, but that immortality is dependent on the demise of men. Still, she is a being alone, and looks for love among mortals; her problem is that she is unable to bestow everlasting life on her chosen mates. In time, each ages, although the process is slowed by the presence of Miriam's blood in their veins.

John, after nearly 300 years as Miriam's lover, is facing the fate of every human, old age. The distraught Miriam seeks a cure for him, or, failing that, a new mate. Dr. Sarah Roberts (Susan Sarandon) is researching the aging process and is on the brink of a breakthrough. Miriam and Sarah are mutually attracted to one another after a chance meeting. The film's conclusion is interesting.

"The Hunger" features a sensual and very erotic love scene between Deneuve and Sarandon, reason enough to see the film. If you are a devotee of "Blade Runner", or are a .visualist, see "The Hunger". All others risk boredom. "The Hunger" rates **.

"COUP DE TORCHON"

"Coup de Torchon" is an exceptional film about the most controversial of human frailties-morality. Too many filmgoers pass over this foreign language film as being too difficult to understand or too obtuse to suit American tastes. Their loss is incalculable. Foreign films that are reeled in America are proven hits in their home countries, the top product from filmmakers as talented and creative as their American counterparts.

"Coup de Torchon" is French for "Clean Slate". Director Bertrand Tavernier has cleverly woven a complex mortality tale from an ineffective police chief's innocence.. The film cannot be precisely classified; it is diabolical black comedy, a suspenseful comic tragedy, and a disturbing parable.

In 1938, on the eve of WWII, Lucien Cordier (Phillip Noiret) is the police chief of Bourkassa a small village in Frence occupied Africa. He was awarded the post because he is weak and ineffectual. A humanist surrounded by white racists, Cordier allows the natives to be beaten and cheated by the Anglo community. The whites flaunt flagrant humanist violations in front of Cordier because they know he will not arrest them; he was never arrested anyone.

The lack of respect the community pays him is mirrored in his home life. Cordier's wife Huguette, played superbly by Stephane Audran, is just as contemptuous of him as all the other Anglos. She takes all of his paycheck, verbally belittles him in public, and openly carries on with Nono (Eddy Mitchell), who may or may not be Huguette's brother.

Little wonder then, that Lucien seeks the comfort of Rose's (Isabelle Huppert) bed. She, too, is a victim of periodic beatings by her brutish husband. Cordier's dilemma reaches the point of intolerance. He travels to the next town to seek advice from its police chief.

The chief administers a couple of hard kicks to Lucien's derriere and says, "When they hit you, hit them back twice as hard." Cordier takes this advice to heart. He reasons that both good and evil get rusty when they are not used.

Pent-up anxiety translates to cold-blooded murder. Lucien, knowing he will not be suspect, rids the world of some of the village "trash", starting with two pestering pimps who have robbed him of his dignity. Rose's husband is next. It certainly would be good to be rid of the bitching Huguette and Nono; and Rose, who knows too much, has become a threat to his security: The film's final scene is as psychologically thrilling as any you'll see.

Based on Jim Thompson's novel, "Pop. 1280", this faithful screen adaptation is due in part to Director Tavernier's co-authoring the script. Phillippe Sarde's music perfectly matches the mood.

Noiret is quite good as Lucien in his fifth collaboration with Tavernier. The chemistry is evident in Noiret's style. But for me, the star is Stephane Audran, one of France's greatest actresses. She brings great clarity to the role of the slovenly, unfaithful wife.

Don't be put off by subtitles. "Coup de Torchon", the French Oscar nominee, is a solid, well-made.film. Go see it. It's worth ***.

Fun Fact

Two recent and sensational biographies tell us that former Beatle John Lennon had a homosexual affair with Brian Epstein, and that Vladimir Horowitz enjoyed five-finger exercizes with a number of young partners.