Choice: Film

David Benedict
Tuesday 07 April 1998 00:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Blue in the Face & Smoke, Riverside Studios (0181-237 1111) 6.45pm

Whatever you do, don't confuse Stockard and Carol Channing. Regardless of how she was cast, Carol has only ever given two performances: the gold-digging Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and the title role in Hello, Dolly. Stockard (nee Susan) on the other hand has been too versatile for her own good. On stage, she has majored in drama, but she's also got a strong line in screen comedy which famously surfaced in Grease but also provided laughs in such vehicles as the spoof disaster movie The Big Bus and the aliens-in-suburbia joke Meet the Applegates. In Smoke, she camps it up no end as Harvey Keitel's ex-wife who returns wearing an eye-patch and wafting about in nicotine. The campest thing since Bette Davies pulled the same stunt in The Anniversary. Wayne Wang's delightful movie is being shown with the follow-up, which was improvised in the eight days left over from the first film's shooting schedule.

David Benedict

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in