Film

Film critic Owen Gleiberman (gly-ber-man) reviews the new comedy, "Pretty Woman," starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.

Fresh Air producer Amy Salit interviews producer Noel Pearson and director Jim Sheridan of the film "My Left Foot." The film tells the story of Christy Brown, who became a painter and writer in spite of having cerebral palsy. Pearson, who produced the film, knew Christy and his family and Sheridan co-wrote as well as directed it. "My Left Foot," a first film for both, has been nominated for Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Picture.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews a couple of new movies: "House Party" by first time black director, Reginald Hudlin, and "Love at Large," directed by Alan Rudolph, who also directed "Trouble in Mind," and "Choose Me." Schiff says the movies are improbable, but likable.

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis. She stars in the new thriller, "Blue Steel," as a rookie cop tracking down a serial killer, who turns out to be her lover. Her earlier film roles include "Halloween," "The Fog," "Trading Places," and "A Fish Called Wanda." She also co-stars on the ABC TV series, "Anything But Love."

Film director Kathryn Bigelow. Her new film, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Ron Silver, is called "Blue Steel." Bigelow also directed "The Loveless," in which a motorcycle gang faces off against small-town rednecks. It starred Willem Dafoe. And she gained a cult-following with the film "Near Dark," a film which mixed vampire and western genres.

Actor Peter Riegert. In "Local Hero" he co-starred with Burt Lancaster, playing a young oil executive who goes to Scotland with the intent of buying a Scottish village. And in the romantic comedy "Crossing Delancey," he played a Lower East Side pickle merchant smitten by an ambitious and literary single Manhattan woman. He's also acted in "Animal House," and "Chilly Scenes of Winter." He'll soon be appearing in the film, "A Shock to the System," with Michael Caine and Elizabeth McGovern.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new comedy, "Joe Versus the Volcano." It stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. John Patrick Shanley is the writer/director. He also wrote "Moonstruck."

Film historian Leonard Leff. His new book is "The Dame in the Kimono: Hollywood, Censorship and the Production Code from the 1920's to the 1960's. It's a history of the Motion Picture Production Code and its impact on American life. The Production Code was a set of Hollywood guidelines to help regulate morals in the movies. (The Dame in the Kimono is published by Grove Weidenfeld).

Film director John Frankenheimer. His films include The Manchurian Candidate, French Connection 2, and The Birdman of Alcatraz. Frankenheimer's latest film, The Fourth War, stars Roy Scheider and Harry Dean Stanton.

Singer and actress Annie Ross. Ross is best-known as a member of the jazz vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. She also wrote "Twisted," which was recorded by both Joni Mitchell and Bette Midler. She made her acting debut in the 1974 play "Kennedy's Children," and has appeared in such films as The Homecoming, Yanks, and Superman III. Her latest role is in the film "Basket Case 2."

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews, "Mountains of the Moon," the movie about the expedition in the late 1800's to the source of the Nile. It's directed by Bob Rafelson. Rafelson's other movies include "Five Easy Pieces," and "Black Widow."

German film director Volker Schlöndorff. He just finished the film adaptation of Margaret Atwood's best-selling novel, "The Handmaid's Tale." It stars Natasha Richardson, Faye Dunaway, Elizabeth McGovern, and Robert Duval. Schlondorf's other films include "The Tin Drum," which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, "The Lost Honor of Katherina Blum," and "Swann in Love."

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews John Boorman's new movie, "Where the Heart Is." It's a farce about three rich kids forced by their father to make it on their own. It stars Dabney Coleman, Uma Thurman, Joanna Cassidy, Crispin Glover, and Christopher Plummer. Boorman's earlier films include "Deliverance," "The Emerald Forest," and "Hope and Glory."

Record producer and folklorist Chris Strachwitz (rhymes with "crock-witz"). In 1960, Strachwitz started Arhoolie records as a leading outlet for many types of music that were disappearing our outside the mainstream. Today, the label has hundreds of titles, featuring blues, cajun, country and bluegrass, Tex-Mex, and many other styles.

Film maker Peter Wang (it's spelled "wang," but it's pronounced "Wong"). Wang wrote, produced, directed, and acts in his new movie, "The Laser Man." It's a suspense-comedy about a Chinese-American physicist who discovers his laser research is being used for evil purposes. Much the same thing happened to Wang himself. He holds a PhD. in laser technology but left the field after deciding he could no longer use his skills to help create new weapons systems. After a stint teaching, Wang migrated into acting and film.

Filmmaker Michael Roemer. In 1969, Roemer wrote, directed, and co-produced (with Robert Young) a movie called "The Plot Against Harry," about a small-time New York gangster trying to go straight. Now, 20 years later, the film is finally being released, and to huge critical acclaim. Roemer and Young also worked together on a number of documentaries and "Nothing But A Man," a 1964 film about blacks in the South. Since the 60s, Roemer has taught at Yale University and worked on several projects for public television.

A double interview today....first, Terry talks by telephone with South African musician Abdullah Ibrahim. Long an exile in this country, we find out how Ibrahim thinks this weekend's release of Nelson Mandela will change the artistic climate in South Africa.

Cinematographer Ernest Dickerson. He's been director of photography for all of Spike Lee's films, starting when they were students together in New York University's graduate film program. Dickerson has also been cinematographer for John Sayles' "Brother From Another Planet" and "Raw: Eddy Murphy Live."

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Revenge," starring Kevin Costner and Anthony Quinn.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Men Don't Leave," starring Jessica Lange as a recently widowed mother trying to make it on her own.