Cinefile

After playing a cop in Universal’s “Sea of Love,” Al Pacino follows as a disfigured criminal given a new face in “Johnny Handsome” for Carolco. Walter Hill directs the latter, penned by Ken Friedman (“Heart Like a Wheel”) . . . . Next up for Oscar-nominated Holly Hunter is a repeat of her stage success “The Miss Firecracker Contest” by Beth Henley, at Lorimar. . . . Hemdale has secured rights to the stage revival of “Me and My Girl” (on the boards locally with Tim Curry). Hemdale’s John Daly said “Gal” Tony-winner Robert Lindsay is his choice to re-create the lead on screen. . . . Director Jim Wynorski follows his remake of “Not of This Earth” with “Frankenstein High” in April for Tri-Star, with SCTV’s Joe Flaherty doing scary stuff. . . . “Platoon” producer Arnold Kopelson joins forces with “Ironweed” producer Keith Barish for “Warbirds”--adventure-romance among combat helicopter pilots. John Flynn (“Best Seller”) directs from the script by Sheldon Lettich (“Rambo III”), which starts production at Alabama’s Fort Rucker in July.

Rick Moranis joins the cast of “Grounded,” formerly titled “Teeny Weenies,” as the mad-scientist father of a child shrunk by his prototype reducing ray. . . . Mimi Rogers (Mrs. Tom Cruise) and M. Emmett Walsh join the cast of MGM’s thriller “Finding Maubee,” starring Denzel Washington.