the biggest task of her life, which was to sec. The nonstop appearance of the songs out of the sound- track at not very suitable moments (for example the brilliant “Calling All Angles” by Jane Siberry and k.d lang during a day time chase scene ) not only doesn’t complement the content but also makes you not want to listen to the soundtrack ever again. Also, the insertion of big corporate names such as Coca-Cola, Sony and some German home appliances company (which sometimes dominate the whole screen) made me suspicious of how much power the sponsors and the producers had over the structure and the compo- sition of the film. Like Wings Of Desire, the film was.too long and could have been edited by at least another half an hour . I also can't figure out why the film had to be shot in almost twenty different countries, I didn’t see any reason for that except for the guaranteed media hoopla. The sequences shot in Asia lacked a sincere understanding and depiction of the unknown cultures and were more confirming of the myth of the blond- loving, violent oriental man than anything else. All together I don’t think that ...Until The End Of The World” is artistically successful, although I think that the idea behind the film and some parts of the story could have been made into a great film by Wenders or perhaps another filmmaker. This is the danger of making a below-average film; you not only make a bad film but also kill the ideas so that for at least half a decade no other filmmaker can even think about the same subject. Anyway, | was happy at the end because the film proved to me that a big budget “American” movie, even if it’s foreign and made by a good filmmaker is nothing but another attempt to make money. Before seeing Wings of Desire it was hard for me to write about the latest Wim Wenders film :(...Until The End Of The World) Thanks to the Pacific Cinematheque and its retrospectives on various filmmakers like the one on Wenders that let you focus onan artist's works ina wider range. For the people whoare interested , it’s important to mention the screenings of films by Tarkovsky, one of the most influential Russian film- makers since Eisenstien. He will be featured in a special program that runs in March and April. “a ..-Until The End Of The World Planet of the Arts Volume 7 -Europa Europa a film by Agnieszka Holland by Andrew Robulack Solomon Perel is a 16-year old Jew, born in 1925, and living with his family in Danzig, Germany during the - rise of the Third Reich. His birthday is April 20— coincidentally the same as Germany’ s beloved Fuehrer’s. Also coincidence is the date of his Bar Mitzvah, November 10, 1938, which happens also to be Kristalnacht , the violent, physical initiation of the Nazi quest for racial purification. Thirty thousand arrests are made and 280 synagogues, along with over 7000 busi- nesses, are destroyed; young Solomon’s family is as- saulted and his sister is savagely murdered. This event sets the tone of Europa Europa , a tone of not so much anger or hatred as outright confusion. The Perel family flee Germany to their homeland, Poland, and then Solomon and his brother continue their escape eastward with the advent of World War II. Solomon, over the course of the film, becomes a Komsomol (Russian Communist Youth), then a German was hero, then a Hitler Youth, an adoptee of a Gestapo Captain, a German deserter, and, ultimately, a pilgrim to Israel. Throughout the film the only thing that prevents the youth from abandoning his Jewish heritage outright is his circumcised penis. Hard to swallow? Yes, but it’s 100% German-war-story true. In fact, the real-life Solomon Perel, upon whose autobiography Europa Europa is based, appears previous to the end credits and sings a short hymn. Director Agnieszka Holland has taken what might have been, in such dire condensation, an unbelievable epic tale of war and made it convincing. The confusing continuum of events has been given fors by the Polish director and the plot carries a cognizance which never looses from the gripping tale of self-exploration which Solomon is forced into. Holland asks: “Does a Jew placed in circumstances = different from those of a conventional Jewish experi- ence behave himself as a Jew? Where is that fragile line Issue 6 page 13 between different cultures, different religions, different national or personal identities?” Solomon goes through fire during his youthful self-examination. At the Hitler Youth school he is taught to hate and be prepared to slaughter his own kind. The young German girl he falls in love with explains: “If | ever met a Jew I’d slit its throat.” In the Soviet Komsomol school Solomon re- cites: “Religion isthe opium of the masses,” and receives an ovation. Through everything the only link to his true heritage, at times also being the greatest threat to his survival, is his foreskin. Solomon befriends a homosexual German soldier trained as an actor and asks him "Is it hard to play someone else?” The soldier's reply is consummate of Europa Europa's theme; “It is much easier to play someone else that it is to be yourself.” Europa Europa is a thrilling if somewhat over-dra- matic conflagration of the Second World War. The young Marco Hofschneider is brilliantly convincing in his portrayal of Solomon Perel in that he doesn't seem to believe what is happening to his character any more than the audience can. Hofschneider grows with Solomon, carrying the tension and confusion of his being Jewish in an anti-Semitic world subtly in his face or in his actions. It.is a stunning moment when all of the hatred directed towards his Jewish heritage suddenly crystallizes for the boy: he learns the girl he loves has chosen to be made pregnant by a more pure member of the Aryan race who also happens to be his best friend at the Hitler Youth school. @ -Highway 61 a film by Bruce Macdonald. by Andrew Robulack Pokey Jones (Brian McKellar) is a small town barber with typical small town Canadian ambi- tions of musical greatness (he owns a trumpet which he is afraid to play). Jackie Bangs (Valerie Buhagiar) is an ex-roadic for a heavy metal band who happens to be in possession of a sizeable amount of a certain white powdery substance. One fine northern Ontario morning Pokey finds the frozen body of a heavy metal youth in a bathtub in his backyard. He immediately sets out to thaw the corpse with a hairdryer. To no avail, of course. For one reason or another (details aren’t impor- tant in this movie) Jackie has to deliver her drugs to New Orleans. Reading about Pokey and his dead body in a small town paper, Jackie recog- nizes a good over-the-border smuggling device when she sees one (weekend shoppers take note): she claims the frozen corpse as her brother, stuff- ing the cocaine down its throat. Using her feminine wiles (she lets Pokey dye her hair) Jackieconvinces the barber-with-dreams- of-Miles-Davis to drive her and her coffined corpse from his town near Thunder Bay to New Orleans via Highway 61. Once past border guard Jello Biafra (“Welcome to America” he gleams into the camera) Pokey and Jackie are truly on the road. This introductory sequence of events is a set-up for what might have been a typical American-style rock and roll road movie. What makes Highway 61 unique is the blatant gender-reversal of the roles. Jackie is the one taking charge and dragging Pokey along for the ride. She also fuels the sexuality of the pair: “Do you want to fuck me, Pokey?” she demands of her side-kick. “No, I’m fine thanks,” he replies. Thus, in whatis an inevitable act (in the true spirit of American filmmaking), Jackie forces Pokey to have sex with her in a graveyard at gunpoint. Don’t try and tell me he didn’t want it, though. Unbeknownst to the diplomatic duo is that right from the start Satan (Earl Pastko) has been on their collective tail. Why? Because the body that they have strapped to the roof of their 1963 Galaxy 500, when it was living, sold its soul to the devil for a pair of concert tickets. Satan wants to collect—and he’s one evil and mean bingo-playing machine. Director Bruce Macdonald is playing hardball with Highway 61 andhe beats American filmmak- ers at their own game. This narrative style of filmmaking that has gone so stale of late Macdonald re-energizes with his own dark and quirky sense of humour. Throughout the film he has the camera react to all sorts of roadside American kitsch and poverty, granting no mercy to the Land of the Free with a stark portrayal of their highway-side cul- ture. ; Highway 61 is fun and funky and neat and is probably destined for some sort of cult status. Macdonald is never “Canadian” in his style of filmmaking (you know that funny feeling you get when you watch a film made up here?) for High- way 61 is, fundamentally, a film which he hopes - will reach some level of popularity. And I think it will, if the mere fact that it is Canadian doesn’t defeat it. Mes the biggest ask of he life, which was tose. ‘Te nonstop appearance ofthe songs ot ofthe sound- track at not very suitable momens (for example the teiliat “Calling AU Angles” by Jane Siberr and k.d lang during a day time chase scene) not only doesn’ complement te content but also makes you not want o listen to the soundtrack ever again. ‘Also, the insertion of big corporate names such as Coca-Cola, Sony and some German home appliances company (which sometimes dominate the whole screen) made me suspicious of how much power the sponsors andthe producers had over the structure andthe compo- sition ofthe film. Like Wings Of Desire, the film was to long and could have been edited by atleast anther haf an hour 1 also cant figure out why the fl had wo be shot in almosttweay different counties, Ididn'tsee any reason for that except forthe guranteed media hoopla. The Sequences shot in Asa lacked a sincere understanding and depiction ofthe unknown cares and were more confirming of the myth ofthe blond: loving, violent rintl man than anything else. ‘Alltogetier I don't think hat. Unt The End Of The Worl’ is anisically sucessful, although [think that ‘eidea behind the fim and some pars ofthe story could havebeen made into a great im by Wenders or pehaps another fimmaker. This is the danger of making a below-average film; you nt only make aba film bt lsokill the ideas sothat for atleasthalfadecadeno other filmmaker can even think abou the same subject. Anyway, {was happy atthe end because the fim ‘rovedto me that big budget “American” movie, ven ii’ forign and made by a good filmmakers nothing ‘but another tempt io make mone. Before seeing. Wings of Desire i was hard for me to rite about the latest Wim Wenders fim Until The End OfThe Word) Thankstothe Pacifi Cinematheque ‘and is retrospectiveson various flakes like the one on Wenders that let you focus onanartist's works inawierrange.Forthe people whoare indereted, it's importans to mention the screenings of films by Tarkorsky, one of the most influential Russian fl Imalers since Eisensten. He wil be featured ina special program that ru in March and April @ Planet of the Arts Volune 7 -Europa Europa a film by Agnieszka Holland bby Andrew Robulagk Solomon Peel isa 16yearo Jew, borin 1925, and Living with his family in Danzig, Germany during the rise of the Third Reich. His binhday is Apil20— coincident sameas Genmany'sbelved Fuhr Also coincidence isthe date of his Bar Mitzvah November 10, 1938, which happens also 10 be K,ristalnact,the violet, pysicalintation ofthe Nai quest frail purification. Tiny thousand ass are mace and 20 synagogues, lng with over 700 bus nesses, are dered; young Solomon's fail iss saulted an his sister is savagely murdered ‘This event sesthe tne of Europa Europa a tone of not somuch anger or hatred as ought confusion. The Perel family le Germany to their bomeand, Poland, and hen Solomon and hs brother coninve their escape castward with the advent of World War I. Solomon, ‘over the couse of the film, becomes a Konsomol (Russian Communist Youth, then a Geman washer, thena Hier Youth, an adopc ofa Gestapo Captain a German deserter, and, ultimately, a pilgrim to sal ‘Throughout the film the only thing that prevents the youth rom abandoning his Jewish heritage outright is hiscircumcised penis. Hardto swallow? Yes, but it's 100% German-war-story tre. In fact, the realife Solomon Perel, upon whose auobiography Europa Europaisbesed, appears previoastothe endcreitsand sings a sor hymn. Director Agniescka Holland has taken what might bave ben, in such dre condersation, an unbelievable «pictaleof war and madeitconvincing, The confusing continuum of events as been given os by the Polish rector andthe plot cae a cognizance which never looses rom the ripping ine of sel-