From: Reviews and Criticism of Vietnam War Theatrical and Television Dramas (http://www.lasalle.edu/library/vietnam/FilmIndex/home.htm) compiled by John K. McAskill, La Salle University ([email protected])

S7670 STORYVILLE (USA, 1992)

Credits: director, Mark Frost ; writers, Mark Frost, Lee Reynolds ; novel (Juryman), Frank Galbally. Cast: James Spader, Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, Jason Robards, Charlotte Lewis. Summary: Mystery set in contemporary New Orleans. A rising political star from a powerful Louisiana family finds a moment’s weakness threatening a lifetime’s ambition. Cray Fowler (Spader) is the scion of the family, running in his first election campaign. About to divorce his adulterous wife, Fowler is tempted by the advances of Vietnamese American waitress Lee Tran (Charlotte Lewis) at a fundraiser. Their assignation in the French Quarter is videotaped and when Fowler awakes he finds Lee’s father dead at the foot of the bed. Lee, who has disappeared, is charged with the killing, despite the fact that Fowler’s fingerprints are on the murder weapon. In an attempt to save Lee and keep his own complicity a secret, Fowler comes forward to defend her, pitting himself against an attractive district attorney. Fowler eventually wins the case for Lee, but his real agenda is to get whoever set him up to begin with. These turn out to be his own family patriarch, his political opponent, and a corrupt detective (the latter two being Vietnam veteran buddies).

Bernard, Jamie. [Storyville] New York post (Aug 26, 1992), p. 21. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1993] Boulard, Garry. “Peeking into Southern politics in ‘Storyville’” Los Angeles times (Dec 31, 1991), Calendar, p. 6. Brown, Georgia. “The candidate” Village voice 37 (Sep 8, 1992), p. 57. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1993] Canby, Vincent. “Review/film: Lust, greed, murder, blackmail: Big wrongs in the big easy” New York times 141 (Aug 28, 1992), p. C13+ [2 p.] Carr, Jay. “‘Storyville’ conjures up atmosphere but no depth” Boston globe (Oct 9, 1992), Arts and film, p. 90. Drake, Jason. “Storyville” Sight and sound 3 (Aug 1993), p. 49-50. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1993] Gabarino, Steve. “In his directing debut, he’s out of David Lynch’s shadow: Mark Frost climbs a peak of his own” Newsday (Sep 2, 1992), pt. II, p. 44. Hinckley, Tom. “Storyville” Motion picture guide annual (edited by Jay Robert Nash and Stanley Ralph Ross) Chicago : Cinebooks, 1987-2000. (1993, p. 319-20) Hinson, Hal. “Movies: ‘Storyville’: Stellar southern Gothic” Washington post (Oct 9, 1992), p. B1. Kehr, Dave. “Movie review: ‘Storyville’ marches to the same ‘Peak-ed’ tune” Chicago tribune (Oct 9, 1992), Friday, p. K. Kelleher, Ed. “Storyville” Film journal 95 (Sep 1992), p. 19. McCarthy, Todd. “Storyville” Variety 346 (Jan 27, 1992), p. 52-3. Menza, Magdalena. “Il mistero di Storyville” Film (Italy) 2/11 (1994), p. 61-2. Moss, Marilyn. “Storyville” Boxoffice 128 (Nov 1992), p. R82. Nevers, Camille. “Storyville” Cahiers du cinema n.460 (Oct 1992), p. 65. Rainer, Peter. “Movie review: ‘Storyville’: Southern-fried election tale of sex and slime” Los Angeles times (Aug 28, 1992), Calendar, p. 8. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1993] Rea, Steven. “Down from the ‘Peaks’ to the sweaty, sexy bayou” Philadelphia inquirer (Dec 9, 1992), Weekend, p. 3. Rodriguez, Rene. “Storyville is a muddled mystery” Miami herald (Dec 11, 1992), p. 6G. Ryan, James. “Twin peaks co-creator stirs spicy New Orleans stew” Miami herald (Dec 18, 1992), p. 6G. Schwarz, Hans. “Storyville” Skoop 28 (Dec 1992/Jan 1993), p. 59. “Serious fun in the swamp” Time 140 (Sep 7, 1992), p. 69. Seymour, Gene. “A mix of sex, lies and videotape in ‘Storyville’” Newsday (Aug 26, 1992), pr. II, p. 51. [Reprinted in Film review annual 1993] “Storyville” Film review annual 1993 Englewood, N.J. : J.S. Ozer, 1981- (p. 1383-87) [Storyville] Hollywood reporter 321/4 (Jan 24, 1992), p. 6, 50. “‘Storyville’: A tangle of political intrigue” San Francisco chronicle (Oct 9, 1992), p. C5. Travers, Peter. “Storyville” Rolling stone no.639 (Sep 17, 1992), p. 103. Van Gelder, Lawrence. “At the movies” New York times 140 (Apr 12, 1991), p. C8.

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