MAGAZINE

“possibly Britain’s most beautiful cinema...” (BBC)

BOOKINGS & 01442 877759 INFORMATION Mon-Sat 10.30-6pm Sun 4.30-6.30pm To advertise email [email protected] Introduction

April Films 11-23 Gallery 5, 7 Coming Soon 23 April Films at a glance 23 Dear Mrs Trellis 27, 28,29 SEAT PRICES: Circle £7.00 Members & Concessions £5.50 At Table £9.00 Members & Concessions £7.50 Royal Box (seats 6) £11.00 or for the Box £60.00 Box Office: 01442 877759 Mon to Sat 10.30am – 6.00pm Mr Rees makes a reluctant appearance to great applause 3.3.07 Sun 4.30pm – 6.30pm (Credit/Debit card booking fee 50p) lun Rees arrived here on his motor-bike in 1975. He stayed till the Disabled and flat access: by gate on High Aend. The ‘Old Rex’ showed its last film (Witches Of Eastwick) on 28 Street. Tel: 01442 877999 February 1988.

Some of the girls and boys you see at the Box He is the only one with full and vivid memories of the place. If you think a Office and Bar: queue into the High Street once a month is something; with tea, biscuits and ten staff…Imagine, in 1982 for ET of all things, he had to fight his Emily Doyle Linda Moss Christine Olivia Palmer way in, to open the doors, through a queue “around the block” for eleven Fressineau Julian Paredes weeks, with only two staff and bugger-all tea! A queue day and night for Jemma Gask Jeremy Read eleven weeks for one film is almost impossible to imagine now. Holly Gilbert Amberley Rose As it is Duran Duran in the charts! Perhaps that was why. Rosa Gilbert Charlotte Stephens Olivia Glasser Tina Thorpe He steered The Rex’s heyday into the new two-screen ‘multiplex Beth Hannaway Alex Tucker phenomenon’. Sarah Holloway Olivia Wilson Sorry, I still think of the 80s as a year or so ago! Blousons (a blouse as a Eva Jaurena Marie-Francoise Jo Littlejohn Wolff jacket, with the sleeves rolled up – worse, a real proper suit jacket with pushed-up sleeves!), mullets, and Kajagoogoo now sound like rations, Sally Thorpe In charge rickets and steam. In 1988, the CD was the new great-white-hope and the Alun Rees Chief projectionist (Original) Jon Waugh 1st assistant projectionist car-phone, the size of a small shed, was derided as something from Martin Coffill Part-time assistant “Dallas” which would never catch on. projectionist As chief projectionist, he ‘closed’ it, only to re-open it sixteen years later. Jacquie Rose Chief Box Office & Bar Greg Tomkins Film director Now at 75 he has trained, and oversees, a hardcore of juniors to do the donkey work, while he looks after the precision. Jane Clucas & Lynn Hendry PR/Marketing/FoH I don’t get too excited or feel too proud, but with Mr Rees, the excitement on hearing his “Splendid” in answer to my nervous ‘invitation’ to return to Laurence Wiper Bar supervisor Ian Muirhead Accountant the projection box, still rings.We sealed it with a wee dram in his living room, only six weeks before we re-opened. Now, a mere two years on, he Alan Lambourne Caretaker has licked a sharp team into shape and remains in charge. Resident creative builders Watch the curtains opening, see the first tweek of focus, the sound set and Darren Flindall Michael Glasheen sub-titles sharpened-ish (this is the tiniest, narrowest balance set against the Artists delicate sharpness of the action, through the same lense). Not to mention Andrew Dixon the ventilation – keeping the top rows as comfortable as our fresh air Paul Rowbottom system allows. Then watch the curtains close perfectly across the last Advisors and Investors trailer, in time to bring up the introduction lights. This all happens by Paul Fullagar magic. The magicians: Mr Alun Rees and his junior apprentices – Jon Alan Clooney Waugh and Martin Coffill. Ed Mauger Genius Demiurge Design Designers 01582 791996 Perhaps more behind-the-scenes; next month - the box office! Perhaps not. Allison Nunn Publisher 07786 540418 In anticipation, I sympathise with you trying to book tickets, and am James Hannaway CEO 01442 877999 embarrassed by the queues. Nevertheless, no matter how frustrating the Betty Patterson Company Secretary and phone lines and queues, do not shout at my staff. They are instintively THE ORIGINAL VISIONARY of The Rex. polite, surprisingly, if accidentally, enthusiastic and irritatingly cheerful, The Rex High Street (Three Close Lane) Berkhamsted HP4 2FG and I love them. Please take a deep breath. It’s not bread and toilet rolls on www.therexcinema.com Christmas Eve. It’s ‘The Pictures’. You’ll get in. GALLERY www.therexcinema.com 5 ST ALBANS…

n going to press we can’t predict the The Rex has built a following of every age group outcome, but at the Planning Referrals without pandering or targetting any. Omeeting at 7.00pm on 14th March, in the Our ethos is simple. Come and see it all in a clean, Council chambers (free and open to the public - caring environment, where profit is at bottom of the come) the fate of the City centre cinema and housing list, no group is targeted and the audience is not development will be decided. ransomed. The result is simple: everybody warms to respect regardless of age. We have become so used to The Rex’s actions to date: the opposite, it is all we have come to expect and it is 1. Opposed the demolition of the Odeon, London all Henry Davidson Ltd has on offer. See film on: myspace/savestalbansodeon. Road. (Closed and derelict for 11 years, as was the Rex for sixteen). Made a clear statement to Wattsdown Developers Herts Advertiser, Thursday March 01, 2007 (the site’s potential developer, currently seeking demolition and permission for fourteen flats) of our willingness to take on the site as it stands and restore to its original use. Awaiting outcome of appeal to demolish.

2. Opposed development by Henry Davidson to build a seven-screen multiplex, 174 high-rise flats and four strorey underground car park on City council land behind Alban Arena

3. In partnership with St Albans Civic Society, appointed architect (Dec 06) to draw up preliminary plans for a two screen design, with limited supporting development, inkeeping with the city’s architecture and skyline. Main Planning councillors have received this proposal.

4. Whatever the outcome, we will submit a formal planning application for the two screen project as soon as were happy with finished designs.

In a survey published by St Albans Review & Obs (7.3.07) Henry Davidson Ltd, polled 329 locals aged between 16 and 25. 79% agreed with “the benefits” of a 7-screen multi. This is totally inkeeping with the American ethos of multiplexes. They were built solely for this age group. Based on late 70s market/demographic research, major studios/ distributors and junk-sweet merchants (‘concessions’) colluded to make the most from high grossing figures on the first Friday of a blockbuster release. Together they showed formula movies to a popcorn, cola, captive audience (16-25 yr olds). Then, this was the perceived free-spending age group to target. Not so now. GALLERY www.therexcinema.com 7

ur trompe l’oeil (trick-of-the-eye) posters have caused quite a stir. OWhat started as a little nonsense to brighten up the loos has spilled into the foyer, generating some small interest. So here’s some forbidden ‘pics from the other cubicle’. (Gents see p28)

First, one for the ‘Ladies’...

(left) Pouch Man (c 1953 American girlie mags). Feeling frisky girls? Meat, fruit and veg man (c same era) (below)

Marilyn… caught in a draught (far left) APRIL FILMS 12 Box Office: 01442 877759 APRIL FILMS

Notes on a Scandal Charlotte’s Web Sun 1 6.00 Mon 2 2.00 Matinee Warning: May contain babies Tue 3 7.30 Director: Gary Winick Wed 4 2.00, 7.30 Starring: Julia Roberts, Dakota Matinee Warning: May contain babies Fanning, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Buscemi, Robert Redford, John Back by great demand. Judi Dench Cleese should have won all the prizes for Certificate: U what must be one of the most Duration: 97 mins complex and complete on-screen Origin: USA 2006 performance of all time - the lonely, By: Paramount International Pictures manipulative, treacherous, vulnerable, pitiable but very scary, You’ve only got to scan the cast list Barbara… to feel sticky. What is Robert The acclaimed Richard Eyre teamed Redford doing here?... With Oprah up with screenwriter Patrick Marber ...Winfrey. (who must never be forgiven for “E. B. White’s much-loved children’s CLOSER) to adapt Zoe Heller’s classic reaches the big screen in novel. When the new art teacher director Gary Winick’s charming (Kate) enters into a torrid affair with combination of live action and one of the boys, the ageing History animation. Wilbur the pig is scared of teacher (Judi), who senses a kindred the end of the season, because he spirit in the beautiful younger knows that is when he will end up on woman, uses her knowledge of the the dinner table. He hatches a plan transgression to wield an obsessive with Charlotte, a kindly spider who power which soon threatens tragedy lives in his pen, to ensure that this for everyone. will never happen. Enlisting an all- Brilliantly performed, the tension star cast of vocal talents (including between Dench and Blanchett is Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi and palpable. John Cleese) alongside Dakota A gripping thriller. Fanning, Winick brings a classic “It is her refusal to play some kind of children’s story to life for a whole latterday Lady Macbeth that makes new generation…” (City Screen) this portrait so subtle and so Ho-hum. powerful…She is not just an ordinary Suffer your children to such gloop if villain. you must, I’m off stalking pigs and We see her vulnerability, her thwacking spiders… According to the loneliness and her desperation to be children in the box-office, who are loved…” sadly able to name, and describe, all (Derek Malcolm 29 Jan). the Ninja Turtles, you’ll love it! Over-shadowed, therefore over- We’ll see… looked, Cate Blanchett is fantastic and more than a match for Judi’s brilliance. The makings of a great double-act.

Director: Richard Eyre Starring: Dame Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Bill Nighy, Alice Bird Certificate: 15 Duration: 92 mins Origin: UK 2006 By: Twentieth Century Fox APRIL FILMS www.therexcinema.com 13

Blood Diamond Venus Charlotte’s Web Mon 2 7.30 Thu 5 7.30 Fri 6 2.00 Tue 10 2.00 Director: Roger Michell Matinee Warning: May contain babies Starring: Peter O’Toole, Jodie Whittaker, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Griffiths, Leslie Phillips Certificate: 15 Duration: 94 mins Origin: UK 2006 By: Buena Vista International

The plenty O’Toole of beautiful English, perfectly timed, teams up “… a comparatively honest effort You’ve only got to scan the cast list with the ultimate smoothie: the from Hollywood, but one fatally to feel sticky. What is Robert “Well Hellaire” Carry-On letch weakened by compromise. The plus Redford doing here?... With Oprah king - Leslie Phillips. Together, they point is that it has caused those who ...Winfrey. make an unexpectedly rich match. might be thought guilty of the blood “E. B. White’s much-loved children’s In Venus they eke out a living diamond trade to issue disclaimers… classic reaches the big screen in ‘playing dead’. Leslie’s young niece ” director Gary Winick’s charming arrives to ‘nurse’ them, played in In return for the treasure, Leo combination of live action and perfect pitch by Jodie Whittaker. promises to get Djimon back to his animation. Wilbur the pig is scared of She is the new world visiting the very family; a journey which will offer the end of the season, because he old. As her part demands, she shows many unplanned chances of knows that is when he will end up on a complete absence of respect for the redemption for Leo’s hard-hearted the dinner table. He hatches a plan old (and status of her co-stars). mercenary. with Charlotte, a kindly spider who Maurice (Peter) shows her the sights Forced into labour (twice) in the lives in his pen, to ensure that this and sounds of London while trying sweltering diamond fields, Solomon will never happen. Enlisting an all- to teach the ‘chav-child’ a thing or Vandy (Hounsou) finds the pink stone. star cast of vocal talents (including two about life. All does not go Danny Archer (DiCaprio) is a hired Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi and according to plan… gun who specialises in so-called John Cleese) alongside Dakota “O’Toole and Phillips know exactly ‘blood diamonds’ used to finance Fanning, Winick brings a classic how to make the most of good lines uprisings, etc. children’s story to life for a whole and how to mask lesser dialogue… A disillusioned American journalist new generation…” (City Screen) But even performances as good as (the improbably beautiful Jennifer Ho-hum. these can’t totally transcend material Connelly), tags along. That’s all you Suffer your children to such gloop if that hovers between mere farce and need to know. you must, I’m off stalking pigs and tragi-comedy without ever landing on “A brave one for Hollywood, it depicts thwacking spiders… According to the a convincing level...” Sierra Leone as a beautiful country in children in the box-office, who are Or “Sharply scripted by Hanif the process of being destroyed by a sadly able to name, and describe, all Kureishi, this is a funny and civil war of appalling ferocity in which the Ninja Turtles, you’ll love it! perceptive take on responsibility and children are forced to play their part, We’ll see… growing old disgracefully…” civilians are slaughtered without (Standard 25 Jan) mercy and limbs are lopped off As ever, you will choose. without a second thought…” (Standard 25 Jan) Come to see perfect teeth in action. Director: Gary Winick Director: Edward Zwick Starring: Julia Roberts, Dakota Starring: Jennifer Connelly, Fanning, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Leonardo Di Caprio, Buscemi, Robert Redford, John Djimon Hounsou Cleese Certificate: 15 Certificate: U Duration: 144 mins Duration: 97 mins Origin: USA 2006 Origin: USA 2006 By: Warner Brothers By: Paramount International Pictures 14 Box Office: 01442 877759 APRIL FILMS

Hot Fuzz Night at the Fri 6 7.30, Sat 7 7.00 Museum

Director: Edgar Wright Sat 7 2.00 Starring: Bill Bailey, Timothy Matinee Warning: May contain babies Dalton, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent Certificate: 15 Duration: 121 mins Origin: UK 2007 By: Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd

“HOT FUZZ confirms that Wright and Pegg are two of British cinema’s finest and funniest Apart from Gervais and Coogan, talents” (NC). So expect the worst. this is great fun from start to While the rest of the world is making finish. Things begin to take a turn for exceptional films; warm, detailed, the unlikely on night shift at the caring, moving and funny, the British, Museum. like school boys in a toilet, tamper Bumbling Ben Stiller at New York’s with light entertainment and usually Museum of Natural History fail at both. It is often heavy-handed inadvertently unleashes havoc when and never entertaining, except as a he triggers a dormant curse that fully three second saucy-seaside postcard. animates the historical displays in Short-lived gags and in-jokes are this wild fantasy comedy. knitted throughout to disguise talent Under the ancient spell of the as look-at-us-being-funny. pharaoh’s tablet, Attila the Hun This, alongside last year’s Little begins carving a swathe of Britain caper, Winterbottom’s Cock & destruction through the marbled Bull Story, Severance and anything hallways and the once-still gladiators with Johnny Vegas, is made with an and Neanderthals spring to life. audience and age-group in mind. Now faced with the daunting task of Great story-tellers don’t care who restoring order before daylight, he their audience might be, or what turns to a wax replica of former ‘looks good’. These boys are stuck president Teddy Roosevelt (Robin with TV minds. They’ve come up the Williams O.T.T) to reverse the curse wrong way, from adverts and pop- before exhibits scare the pants off promos, each about ‘looks’ and modern-day museum goers. nothing else. They’re good at it. Think Jumanji, its just as silly. It is where they should stay. PCAngel (Pegg), too good at the Met, is relocated to a sleepy West Country village. Fetes and neighbourhood-watch replace the action of the city. Partnered by an oafish PC Butterman (Frost), he is convinced there’s foul play in the idyllic village. (Sunday BBC1 anyone?) “It’s charming and quintessentially British – but Pegg’s cop caper never Director: Shawn Levy quite matches up to Shaun of the Starring: Robin Williams, Ricky Dead. Still, some great gags and Gervais, Ben Stiller classic one-liners – even if the plot Certificate: PG comes apart at the seams.” (Nick Duration: 109 mins Curtis, Londonwide) Case rested. Origin: USA 2006 By: Twentieth Century Fox APRIL FILMS www.therexcinema.com 15

The Good Climates Last King of Shepherd Mon 9 7.30 Scotland Sun 8 5.00 Tue 10 7.30 Wed 11 2.00, 7.30 Director: Robert De Niro Starring: Matt Damon, Angelina Thu 12 7.30 Jolie, Alec Baldwin, Robert De Niro Certificate: 15 Director: Kevin Macdonald Duration: 167 mins Starring: Gillian Anderson, James Origin: USA 2006 McAvoy, Forest Whitaker, Kerry By: Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd Washington Certificate: 15 Though “all cloak and very little Duration: 123 mins dagger” De Niro (first time?) did Fans of Ceylan’s remarkable Origin: UK 2006 well to keep most critics on the UZAK will welcome his latest By: Twentieth Century Fox edge of their seats for most of its work, a pared-down tale of what it 165 minutes, and applauding. means to be living and loving in Back by extraordinary demand. Told largely in flashback, it is Ceylan’s home city of Istanbul. It is rooted in the reality of Idi ‘inspired’ by the true story of the Climates presents the break-up of a Amin’s brutal 1970’s Uganda. C.I.A. In 1939, Edward Wilson middle-class metropolitan couple, Isa Wooed by the president’s generosity, (Damon), a bright, but principled, and Bahar played by Ceylan and his charm and apparent populist appeal, student, is initiated into Yale’s Skull wife Ebru (how very odd). We first young Scottish doctor (McAvoy) and Bones Society - Ivy League blue- see them on a beach not long before agrees to be Amin’s personal bloods, singing the Whiffenpoof Isa suggests that they separate. physician. Soon he is appointed Song - naked. (Freemasons: eat the Ceylan then explores with acute number-one advisor on all manner of other trouser-leg). Once in, he observation Isa’s mixed, complex and things, from architecture to foreign innocently ‘grasses’ on a professor utterly recognisable reaction to the policy. Hugely flattered, he blocks out thought to be attached to Nazi split. what is going on around him. By the Intelligence. Thus, without seeing the His stories are small, his films time he catches up, it is too late. blood on his hands, accepts De Niro’s modest - their impact, devastating. “A bold combination of uneasy offer to join his ‘new world order’. If their prevailing mood is comedy and mind-numbing horror, From flashback to near-now, he finds specifically male disappointment, it is balancing psychological insight and himself walking a tightrope between because Ceylan is a storyteller who historical fact…” desperate honesty and a miserable investigates the great potential for “Forest Whitaker gives a barnstorming double life. Damon is good as the loneliness and self-destruction within performance in a bitter, juicy plum of no-hero, patriot carrying terrible, us all. a role… while McAvoy’s “white lonely secrets. “Fine film-making from the director monkey” best performance yet, lifts As for De Niro. He is an instinctive of ‘Distant’ and good acting too…” the film from some unsteady early magician. He terrifies us with (Derek Malcolm). moments.” (Guardian/Time Out). gripping yarns where everything feels Faint praise indeed, Derek. Its worst feature and downfall – it is like it could happen to us, and makes “The best film of the year so far by a not true! It is a complete fiction set sure it does. long stretch… it proves Ceylan is inside real events in real (recent) Now he tells us there are no heroes in now one of world cinema’s most history, with real characters (okay, the CIA – only Nazis. Best believe confident and impressive young(ish) one!). Great performances wasted on a him. filmmakers’. (Time Out) non-event. And it’s mercifully short. So come and see.

Director: Nuri Ceylan Starring: Nazan Kirilmis, Ebru Ceylan Certificate: 15 Duration: 102 mins Origin: France, Turkey 2007 By: Artificial Eye 16 Box Office: 01442 877759 APRIL FILMS Dreamgirls Muppets Take Manhatten Fri 13 7.30 Sat 14 2.00 Sat 14 7.00 Matinee Warning: May contain babies Sun 15 6.00 Director: Frank Oz Set in the turbulent era from the Starring: Jim Henson’s muppets early Sixties to the mid-Seventies, Certificate: U DREAMGIRLS follows the rise of Duration: 94 mins Effie (Jennifer), Deena (Beyonce) Origin: USA 1984 and Lorrell (Anika). By: Sony Pictures Releasing As you already know they form a thinly disguised Supremes - The From the dreadful 80s comes Jim Dreamettes. Henson’s heroes. The Muppets are At a talent show they are discovered here in a full-length musical by big-shot Curtis Taylor (Jamie comedy! Foxx; another thin disguise - After graduating, they travel to Motown’s Berry Gordy) who ‘gifts’ Manhattan with their musical them their big break, backing James “Manhattan Melodies”. ‘Thunder’ Early (Murphy – James When it doesn’t happen, the gang Brown by some slim chance? more splits up. Kermit makes friends with like Little Richard!). Curtis gradually Jenny (Juliana Donald). takes control of the girls’ look and Miss Piggy is jealous. Rowlf is a vet, sound, turning them into the spotlight Fozzie’s living in a cave and Miss - as The Dreams. Piggy is working at a hotel. “It is a sparkling music-drama She gets fired and comes to live next boasting a stellar cast, a dazzling door to Kermit’s workplace at Pete’s array of set-pieces, enough toe- with Jenny. tapping to keep you glued to the When Jenny and Kermit find screen throughout.” producer-in-training Ronny Coleman “Showing a rare maturity and depth (Lonny Price), he promises to of feeling, Eddie Murphy’s ‘Thunder’ produce their show. is the best thing he has done for over The gang returns to Manhattan, and 20 years, Beyonce is an entrancing after several mishaps, much presence (does that mean – she just confusion and silly antics, things turned up?). begin to come together for them… The movie’s big discovery is Jennifer Great for kids who missed them… Hudson as the honest, Even better for kids who remember uncompromising Effie.” (Philip them first time round! French, Observer) “An appealing, touching and spectacularly over-the-top tribute to one of the most sensational stories in pop music” (Channel 4) You don’t have to like Motown or The Supremes, but it will help.

Director: William Condon Starring: Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Rose Certificate: 12A Duration: 131 mins Origin: USA 2006 By: Paramount International Pictures APRIL FILMS www.therexcinema.com 17

Pan’s Labyrinth Miss Potter The History Boys Mon 16 7.30 Tue 17 7.30 Thu 19 7.30 Wed 18 2.00, 7.30 Director: Guillermo Toro Matinee Warning: May contain babies Director: Nicholas Hytner Starring: Doug Jones, Ivana Starring: Stephen Campbell-Moore, Baquero, Ariadna Gil, Maribel Verdu, Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour, Sergi Lopez Clive Merrison Certificate: 15 Certificate: 15 Duration: 119 mins Duration: 109 mins Origin: Spain 2006 Origin: UK 2006 By: Optimum Releasing By: Twentieth Century Fox

This is one of the most unusual and It doesn’t matter anymore what this exciting films of the year. How did it story is about, everybody is still miss an Oscar for Best Foreign Film? talking about it – play or film. A fairytale for adults inspired by the Unerringly beautifully from the first It tells of a group of bright History paintings of Francisco Goya and frame to the last, it will be in the students being pushed through rooted in war. This is del Toro’s most programme for the rest of the year. entrance exams for undergraduate accomplished work even by his own It is a magical tale following Beatrix places at Oxbridge. There’s a young standards. It is 1940s Franco’s Spain. Potter’s rise to being the most history teacher, a squirming Finding her new life terrifying, amid successful children’s author of all time. headmaster, a huge Richard Griffiths, the cruel excesses of fascist inquisitors, Despite delighting generations of having fun as the all-groping, Ofelia seeks refuge in a labyrinth she children with her books, she kept her irreverently, queer ‘General Studies’ discovers by the house. The guardian own story carefully locked away. professor. The cast is extremely well of the labyrinth, reveals that Ofelia is The film reveals how she developed marshalled, albeit by a lightweight a lost princess. To discover the truth, storytelling from a young age and director, Nicholas Hytner. Wouldn’t she will have to complete three rebelled against convention by refusing you be after two years in the West perilous tasks armed only with a to marry. Her first book, Tales of Peter End, playing the same parts? piece of chalk! “Del Toro’s startling Rabbit, was a publishing phenomenon The teenage boys – horrible, faceless vision rests on a profoundly moving and led to a forbidden romance with and pubescent at first - start to grow story.” Definitely not for children. her publisher Norman Warne (a most on you. Inevitably, the grown-ups are It’s not the ‘monsters’ who are irritating Ewan Mc). fab throughout, with the brilliant Ms frightening, as always, it’s the men in “ MISS POTTER wrenches the de la Tour shining. You can’t wait for uniform. heart…Sure it’s shamelessly fatty Griffiths to be back on the “The special effects are breathtaking, sentimental, but strangely moving” screen with Clive Merrison’s and the ghastly portrait of Franco’s (Channel 4). Headmaster peeking over his shoulder Spain, equally repulsive”. Or… “barely scratches the Dickensian for great comic moments. “A major achievement, beautifully surface of true female repression. “The real strength of this appealing, acted and shot with almost unerring Zellweger tries to make up for this intelligent and enjoyable film is certainty” (mixed crits). with coy mannerisms, squinty-eyed Bennett’s writing…” (City Screen). Cancel everything. grimaces and precision in studied So it is ‘the words’ after all…? It is better than they say. ‘period’ gestures.” (Hollywood Reporter) Most comments on leaving refer to Renee as Brigid Jones - in costume. But all agree on its unaffected enchantment and charm. It is as her tales, a truly perfect escape. Come for this and the countryside.

Director: Chris Noonan Starring: Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Bill Paterson, Emily Watson Certificate: PG Duration: 93 mins Origin: UK 2006 By: Momentum Pictures 18 Box Office: 01442 877759 APRIL FILMS

Happy Feet Sat 21 2.00 Music & Lyrics Matinee Warning: May contain babies

Fri 20 7.30, Sat 21 7.00 Director: Marc Lawrence Apparently and luckily this film is Starring: Hugh Grant, Drew not, as first thought, an Barrymore, Brad Garrett, Kristen embarrassment. On the contrary, it is Johnston both a romantic comedy and a spot-on Certificate: PG send-up of the shallow world of pop Duration: 104 mins music. Washed-up ‘80s pop star Alex Origin: USA 2007 Fletcher (Grant) gets a chance of a By: Warner Brothers comeback when diva Cora Corman (newcomer Haley Bennett) invites him to record a duet with her. But he hasn’t written a tune in years and he has never written lyrics. Enter Sophie Fisher (Barrymore), Alex’s beguiling In the world of the Emperor plant lady. On the rebound from a bad Penguin, a simple song can mean relationship, Sophie is reluctant to the difference between a lifetime of collaborate with anyone, especially happiness and loneliness. commitment-phobic Alex. As their When a penguin named Mumble chemistry heats up at the piano and (Wood) is born without the ability to under it (exit Jemima), Alex and sing the romantic song that will Sophie will have to face their fears if attract his soul mate, he has to resort they want to find love and success. to some fancy footwork by tap Oh dear, and just when it was dancing his way into her heart. beginning to sound safe. A brilliantly animated romantic “Their banter is fitfully enjoyable, and comedy from the writer of BABE, Grant’s dark asides still amuse” this affecting and hilarious tale of one (Time Out) penguin’s quest for love, features an “The pair are troupers at sustaining the all-star cast of vocal talents, all charm. Grant does especially well out singing their hearts out. of the partnership, his Brit-out-of- Oh no – this means terrible karaoke water act still disarmingly sprung with from Williams, Kidman, Jackman and self-deprecation” (The Independent) Brittany. “If music be the food of love, this is a However, Williams’ Mexican rock- recipe for indigestion” (Channel 4) hopper penguin is very funny. As always, your choice. Happy Feet tells the proper story of emperor’s migration, mating and dependency upon each other – fish. Very clever, very funny, a little sad – with a strong environmental message. The animation is breathtaking… Children, don’t letter your parents miss it.

Director: George Miller Starring: Robin Williams, Nicole Kidman, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Elijah Wood Certificate: U Duration: 108 mins Origin: USA 2006 By: Warner Brothers APRIL FILMS www.therexcinema.com 19

Jean de Florette Iraq in Fragments The Illusionist and Manon Des Mon 23 7.30 Tue 24 7.30

Sources Director: Neil Burger Sun 22 4.00 Starring: Jessica Biel, Rufus Sewell, Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti Certificate: PG Film: Jean de Florette Duration: 109 mins Director: Claude Berri Origin: Czech Republic, USA 2007 Starring: Yves Montand, Gérard By: Momentum Pictures Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil Certificate: PG “As we have seen, Edward Norton Duration: 121 mins can do a lot with a part. But he’s Origin: France 1986 curiously muted in Neil Burger’s Iraq in Fragments was nominated By: Pathe Distribution costume drama. Perhaps he’s meant for Best Documentary Oscar. to be, since we aren’t supposed to Fat chance! You have to feel sorry Film: Manon des Sources know whether he’s a clever conman or for the Academy’s ‘great and good’. Director: Claude Berri has genuine supernatural powers What could they do? Down to two Starring: Yves Montand, until… the end”. Taken from a dangerous choices – Barrabas Al Emmanuelle Béart, Daniel Auteuil Pulitzer-prize-winning short story by Gore’s diatribe of America’s Certificate: PG Steven Millhauser, it tells the tale of environmental woe or this Holyland Duration: 114 mins childhood sweethearts from different saga of modern-day biblical tribes Origin: France 1986 sides of the tracks. The ill-fated love fighting over an occupied, un- By: Pathe Distribution between a cabinetmaker’s son, promised land. They washed their Eisenheim (Norton), and aristocratic hands and chose Barrabas… It’s an A heartbreaking double bill telling Sophie von Teschen (Biel) results in old story – unplugged and crucified. of a hunchback and halfwit, water, the heartbroken young man leaving Nevertheless, pushing beyond the stolen land, red carnations, an Austria with his dreams of one day form and frame of conventional impossibly beautiful daughter and finding her again, never to fade. documentary, Longley creates a view unrequited love. Fifteen years later he returns of modern-day Iraq which, while The good are very good and the trimphant with reputation and familiar, couldn’t be further from the baddies very nasty. renown. However… News. This is filmmaking rather than Only the French know how to tell “Beautifully shot by British reporting. stories like these. cinematographer Dick Pope… Three chapters take us through Sunni, A Hardy-esque story of greed, It is intelligent but a little ponderous. Shia and Kurdish territory. passion and retribution, beautifully It is odd, and irritating, that Burger During two years of filming, the performed by Depardieu, Montand, allows half his cast to talk in broken immediate and personal stories take Auteuil and Emmanuelle Béart. English and the rest to speak their on a poetic life of their own. Her Manon’s aching beauty, made lines normally. All the same, it looks Images and edits jolt and surprise. terrible in revenge, haunts the hillside good…” (Derek Malcolm) as does Nearly every sequence provides a above the farm stolen from her Jessica Biel. new way of looking at this invaded, father… Tragedy inevitable. “A spine-tingling Philip Glass occupied and divided country. Don’t miss. (First seen here 6.2.05) score… an elegant political parable With its collage-like form and bold where reality is more mystifying than use of camera and sound, it sets out illusion”. (Independent & Guardian) to tell us what’s going on - but worse, makes us feel it… Cancel everything.

Director: James Longley Certificate: PG Duration: 94 mins Origin: USA 2006 By: Institute of Contemporary Arts 20 Box Office: 01442 877759 APRIL FILMS Wed 25 2.00, 7.30, Thu 26 7.30 Matinee Warning: May contain babies This is not war movie. In his Flags of Our Fathers, Eastwood told the story of the boy-soldiers who planted that empty flag on an island nobody has cared about since. Letters From Iwo Jima is told from the other side. It doesn’t matter which side. Watanabe, the only professional actor in the film, portrays General Kuribayashi as an honourable soldier who knows he will die but worries about leaving his wife without finishing the kitchen floor. He devises a strategy of tunnels and deep foxholes to give his outnumbered troops an uncertain chance against the enemy (an eerie prophesy of the tactic used by the Viet-Cong against the same enemy twenty years later…) The superior American forces believed the island would be won in five days (echoes of “home by Christmas”in Oct 1914 and Iraq 2003). It took five weeks and 27,876 lives, including those not accounted for, but not counting civilians. Nearly 800 kids a day! Why don’t we know by now? Bastard war-mongers pretend heartbreak as none of their business. Perhaps we are governed by the offspring of dregs left alive from all wars. The Japanese were outnumbered five to one. Out of 22,000 troops 20,703 were killed. 216 were captured. The rest were ‘missing presumed dead’. Of the 110,000 American soldiers, 5598 were killed. 494 were reported ‘missing presumed dead’. A terrible waste of young lives on both sides. The echo of endless future life- wasting, clangs in our ears still. The difference between American and Japanese values is underlined throughout, but the only truth is that soldiers are soldiers and that war is hell. Their story is told from letters ‘sent home’ to loved ones, partly gathered from the many found buried on the island and left undiscovered for many years. It is said Director: veterans and relatives scour the tunnels to this day, ensuring letters reach home Starring: , sixty two years later... heartbreaking. Tsuyoshi Ihara, Ryo Kase, Clint has been loved or forgiven for over 47 years… From Rowdy Yates in Rawhide, Certificate: 15 through the Spaghetti to the monkey, while playing Misty, the Sondra Locke stuff to Duration: 140 mins Dirty Harry and serious jazz in Bird. From the Outlaw Josie Wales came The Origin: USA 2007 Unforgiven and eventually a Million Dollar Baby. Somewhere in between he played By: Warner Brothers Mayor in a fashionable one-horse town on the Big Sur. Now to this: an anti-war, anti all-American heroics, double bill right under the dripping nose of the World’s worst George. At 76 he has sidestepped the ridicule earned by his juniors: Willis, Gibson and Cruise. Better, like Redford, he watched how to make a film and listened, while waiting for his cue. APRIL FILMS www.therexcinema.com 21

Director: Julian Jarrold Starring: Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Maggie Smith, James Becoming Jane Cromwell, Julie Walters Certificate: PG Fri 27 7.30, Sat 28 7.00, Sun 29 6.00 Duration: 120 mins “A tale of love, class and the struggle to defy convention in the name of Origin: UK 2007 artistic endeavour (wasn’t that Miss Potter???), Becoming Jane tells the By: Buena Vista International story of the real-life love affair (didn’t happen?) which inspired the young Jane Austen to become a writer.

When the 20-year-old Austen (pretty good for the American - Anne Hathaway) meets the brilliant, roguish Irishman, Tom Lefroy (McAvoy), she falls madly in love. This little-known story is said to be the turning point in Jane’s life; from which she would emerge as the greatest romantic writer in English Literature (until Barbara Cartland). Nicely directed, it presents a fresh and surprising view of Austen’s early years to intimate how her romantic adventure with Tom would later inspire many of the male characters in her celebrated novels.” (City Screen)

Jane Austen students will know what to believe. It makes no difference, you’ll come anyway. With all respect to the perfectly formed Ms Hathaway (do her parents still have a cottage in the West Midlands?), might not Rebecca Hall, Emily Blunt even Kiera or Helen McCrory (who is here as the ‘plain’ friend/sis/coz. On second thoughts – she’s too much all-woman!), have done just as well, perhaps better, without having to learn a new language to boot? As for the young McEvoy, he needs a day off. If he turns up in one more film, even middle-aged women will line up to punch him in the face. Mr Tumnus was okay, but it could all turn into that Cliff Richards overnight. Come to see who you would have cast. Better still, come for the gorgeous English (Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Manx) countryside and the language. They are, after all, the best reasons for a costume, period-piece on the big screen.

If twenty minutes of this film is anything like the truth, it turns Pride and Prejudice into autobiography. Perhaps “believe only half of what you see (the scenery) but none of what you hear”? 22 Box Office: 01442 877759 APRIL FILMS

Thomas and the Magic Railroad Sat 28 2.00 Babel

Director: Britt Allcroft Mon 30 7.30 Starring: Alec Baldwin, Mara Wilson, Peter Fonda, Didi Conn Babel deserved more than a Best Certificate: U Soundtrack Oscar. Put simply, it Duration: 83 mins was Scorcese’s turn and that’s that. Origin: USA 2000 Still it could have been worse - Best By: Icon Film Distribution Ltd Film could have gone to an aeroplane. Thomas the Tank’ was one of first- This, the third collaboration between born’s favourites and ours. Second- González Iñárritu and writer born has not forgiven us for Guillermo Arriaga. Alongside missing it. As narrator, on children’s Amores Perros and 21 Grams, it TV, it was Ringo Starr’s greatest gig. continues the duo’s interest in the His voice was so warm and consequences of random acts. beautifully deadpan, it let the engines When two boys fire a rifle at a tourist come to life all by themselves. bus in Morocco, the ‘butterfly’ In this big film, little Lily (Mara) sets consequences collide across three off to visit her lonely Grandpa (Peter continents. Brad and Cate are an Fonda – what???) but gets the wrong American couple on the bus; Amelia train. She meets the magical Mr (Barraza) is their Mexican nanny who (Fat?) Conductor (Baldwin), who decides to take their kids across the takes her on an adventure to the border for her her son’s wedding; island of Sodor to meet the World’s and Chieko is a rebellious ‘deaf- favourite steam engine - Thomas the mute’ student in Tokyo grappling Tank Engine! In the ensemble are with adolescence and the loss of her Didi Conn and Russell Means mother. (‘Grease’ and ‘Pocahontas’ “A film of great immediacy and respectively). Who cares? They’re authenticity in which the global silly American actors playing setting highlights the difficulties of innocent, little English railway communication and trust across all engines! Will they ever learn? borders…but even if it edges towards Don’t answer. Ringo did ALL the the pretentious, the film-making is voices of all the engines, and the superb and so is the cast…” kindly but gruff ‘Fat Controller’ (Standard). Director: Alejandro Inarritu (neither allowed in pc world!). This is one you should see for Starring: Koji Yakusho, Gael Garcia I hope its okay and better than we yourself and disregard the rest. Bernal, Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett think. But listen carefully for shades Certificate: 15 of Ringo and imagine no other voice. Duration: 143 mins Origin: USA 2007 By: Paramount International Pictures APRIL FILMS www.therexcinema.com 23

Coming Soon APRIL FILMS AT A GLANCE Please check times carefully and watch out for early shows.

New releases SUN 1 NOTES ON A SCANDAL 6.00 Inland Empire The Science of Sleep MON 2 CHARLOTTE'S WEB 2.00 Days of Glory MON 2 BLOOD DIAMOND 7.30 The Lives of Others TUE 3 NOTES ON A SCANDAL 7.30 Bamako WED 4 NOTES ON A SCANDAL 2.00, 7.30 Back by demand THU 5 VENUS 7.30 Little Miss Sunshine FRI 6 CHARLOTTE'S WEB 2.00 Babel Miss Potter FRI 6 HOT FUZZ 7.30 SAT 7 NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 2.00 SAT 7 HOT FUZZ 7.00 SUN 8 THE GOOD SHEPHERD 5.00 MON 9 CLIMATES 7.30 TUE 10 CHARLOTTE'S WEB 2.00 TUE 10 THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND 7.30 Inland Empire WED 11 THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND 2.00, 7.30 THU 12 THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND 7.30 FRI 13 DREAMGIRLS 7.30 SAT 14 MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN 2.00 SAT 14 DREAMGIRLS 7.00 SUN 15 DREAMGIRLS 6.00 MON 16 PAN'S LABYRINTH 7.30 TUE 17 MISS POTTER 7.30 WED 18 MISS POTTER 2.00, 7.30 The Lives of Others THU 19 HISTORY BOYS 7.30 FRI 20 MUSIC & LYRICS 7.30 SAT 21 HAPPY FEET 2.00 SAT 21 MUSIC & LYRICS 7.00 SUN 22 JEAN DE FLORETTE AND MANON DES SOURCES 4.00 MON 23 IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS 7.30 Days of Glory TUE 24 THE ILLUSIONIST 7.30 WED 25 LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA 2.00, 7.30 THU 26 LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA 7.30 FRI 27 BECOMING JANE 7.30 SAT 28 THOMAS AND THE MAGIC RAILROAD 2.00 SAT 28 BECOMING JANE 7.00 SUN 29 BECOMING JANE 6.00 Bamako MON 30 BABEL 7.30 DEAR MRS TRELLIS... www.therexcinema.com 27

ow, one for the ‘Gents’ N(Ladies see p7) Bond in among the bondage, with no small trapping of his own.

‘Exotique’ (top left) is actually in the Ladies loo – for that special woman. Thought the boys might like it.

The threesome (top) is for that special gent who enjoys a little pleasure from a lot of pain.

To Bond himself (left) in the shallow end, sporting his own rubber range.

(This wonderful mischief is created by Andrew Dixon. “You can’t believe its not sellotape”. He’s not cheap. He’s the very best. Ask at the box office). 28 Box Offfice: 01442 877759 DEAR MRS TRELLIS... Rants and Pants

dress. A slack vest always does it for me. As a pillar of the community though, (nee “local treasure”) it is my duty to warn you of the pitfulls of such hedonistic and carnal desires. In the meantime, Come sexy, come gorgeous, outrageous or cool, poured almost-in to some little this or that. Yours, disgracefully…

Dear all We have been to see Happy Feet this afternoon at your cinema and BRING SEXY BACK TO BERKHAMSTED…! So James, what is your part in this had to say that it was a brilliant Dear James, mutiny against mediocrity? afternoon out – granted the film I am a regular visitor to your Would it be possible to arrange a was good but for us adults we loved cinema and therefore an avid monthly event dedicated to giving the décor, ambience, fantastic leg reader of the Rex magazine. a reason to look fabulously sexy? room, chance to bring our cup of Having read the letters and Some suggestions: hosting a tea to our seat – the kids loved the comments (R&P) section for a casino evening, red carpet Oscar chance to dance in the aisle (after while, I must say that this is where evenings, independent British and the film!!) + the sweets – we’ll be the life and soul of Berkhamsted is French premieres… back, if you’re not booked solid! discussed, argued and exposed. It From the Harris and Almond has become a lively public Kind Regards, families (Harpenden) posted debating forum for issues Kuben Edwards, Sweet Rebellion. 28.2.07 concerning not only the Rex, but also for the entire community. Kuben, thank you, Well done, those happy feet of the For this, I must congratulate you. Special casino, red carpet, Harris’s and the Almonds. Owning a boutique gives me the evenings are not anticipated in our occasion to talk to many women in programme. COMMENTS BOOK out community. Many of them A full and diverse catalogue of Cinema like it should be! have complained that they don’t films takes top priority, seven days Found the Rex by chance and had a have many occasions to dress up a week. However it is easy to plan- thoroughly enjoyable evening. and look fabulously sexy, to glam in glam films to create an Excellent! up and to escape the humdrum of Occasion: Red Hot Ballroom, Frank and Mrs Kelly from West the “school-run-shopping-laundry- Breakfast at Tiffanys, Moulin London (3.3.07). cooking” cycle. Like myself –a Rouge, Phantom of the Opera, mum, a wife, a business woman – even Rocky Horror and Dirty Thank you Frank. everyone is always in a mad rush, Dancing again, etc. Please suggest They missed the raffle but were there is just never enough time in some and ask friends. happy to wait. We managed to the day to dedicate to ourselves. As for premieres, we will take squeeze them in for Little Miss As we are the backbone, the them when they are offered. Sunshine. They had moored their lifeline, of an efficient household, narrowboat near the Crystal and the “je ne sais quoi” factor is Women looking fabulously sexy, casually asked someone on the always the last thing on our list. now there’s a thing. It is of course towpath if there might be a cinema Are we all resigned to accepting something of which we know little near by. Not knowing what to this mediocrity of middle-age? I in this cloistered, meditative, pure expect, they couldn’t have chanced say no! I say rebel! Ferment environment. However, far be it upon a better film, nor being rebellion in…! from us to tell women how to overwhelmed by the hospitality of DEAR MRS TRELLIS... www.therexcinema.com 29 Rants and Pants our boys and girls in the box-office notion of gorgeous, pouting and with this – until now. As soon as and bars. almost-nude. contracts are up, all further Estate I know it worries some that The Agents advertising will stop. Rex’s popularity might bring in TO ALL SWEET, SHY, CARING, Whatever revenue we have ‘strangers’ but I love their faces as ESTATE AGENTS accrued by that date will be they see it for the first time. Nobody Once again I see and hear The Rex calculated, withdrawn from our is taking over and we will always is being cited in your understated funds and put into a separate fund. try to make room on the door – for ‘literature’. In due course, we will decide upon everyone. By all means use your an appropriate Cause to endow. Best wishes, James. considerable guile to boast of “I don’t mind what a man does for natural assets, hills and a living you understand, as long as From; Posy Clarke 06.03.07 woodlands; of transport links and his interests don’t conflict with Location: - illegible M25s, but leave us out. mine…” (guess). Conflict is the Is it the Rex who has asked for the The Rex was not rescued to bump- word. The whole estate agent ethos Berkhamsted Film Society (BFS) up house prices or line pockets. conflicts with everything The Rex events not to be published in Therefore, where The Rex is stands for. Berkhamsted Living? You are the mentioned, you will be sent a bill, This is not high and mighty moral only commercial cinema here & and a further charge for every ground. We just want our money. BFS did continue showing films house (sorry, ‘property’) sold. It is simple, if you use our name to during the dark years. Some got under the wire by your advantage with, or without If so, unfair. If not who did? advertising on our screen through permission in a commercial and/or Pearl and Dean. profitable transaction, you pay. Sorry, can’t help you Posy Clarke. I have had no direct involvement Start counting. The Davies’ are good friends. Ian has run the BFS for many How to get to Sanuk (Little Heath) from The Rex. Look for secret footpaths threaded through woods and across meadows. (map by years. His wife, Anne was Mary-Mary Casserley) Conservation Officer at Dacorum BC. She did an extraordinary job, overseeing the restoration of the Rex. It was she who ensured Nicholas King Homes completed proper restoration works, and was nothing but fully supportive in everything I tried to do. The BFS have manned a membership stand in our foyer. They are always welcome, as are their flyers and programmes on our bars and tables. As for ‘Berkhamsted Living’, I can’t understand a word. ‘Estate and agent, gym and interiors’ perhaps, as for ‘eternal and youth’…? If it were more ‘coarse’ and tried ‘bad language’ instead of mediocre typing, or even have a ‘gorgeous, pouting, inappropriate almost- nude’ on the cover, then in my own dyslexic way, I might understand better. For now, I am happy to be occupied, appropriately, by the