SNEAKS ’91 : A USER’S...

SNEAKS HIGHLIGHTS

The people you see on this page are featured in some of the movies we think will be the year’s highlights. You’ll find more throughout Sneaks ’91.

Opening soon (see pages 4-6) are Steve Martin’s “L.A. Story” and “King Ralph,” with John Goodman. Come spring, (page 7-10) we’ll see a restored version of Stanley Kubrick’s 1960 epic “Spartacus” and “Defending Your Life,” with Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep. Robert DeNiro stars with Annette Bening in “Guilty By Suspicion.” And get ready for “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.” Robert Townsend’s second film is “The Five Heartbeats.”

Summer (pages 11-14) brings Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis in “Terminator 2” and “Hudson Hawk.” “Jungle Love” is director Spike Lee’s take on interracial love. Dustin Hoffman plays gangster Dutch Schultz in “Billy Bathgate,” and Barbra Streisand directs and stars in “The Prince of Tides.” Harrison Ford reteams with director Mike Nichols in “Regarding Henry,” and Kathleen Turner turns private eye in “Warshawski.” Ron Howard directs Kurt Russell and DeNiro in “Backdraft.” And Richard Dreyfuss and Bill Murray team up in “What About Bob?”

By fall and Christmas, (pages 15-18) the Coen Brothers take on Hollywood with “Barton Fink.” Britisher Kenneth Branagh stars in the L.A. detective thriller “Dead Again.” Warren Beatty will be “Bugsy Siegel.” “Hook,” Steven Spielberg’s modern-day “Peter Pan” features Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams and Julia Roberts. DeNiro rejoins director Martin Scorcese in a remake of “Cape Fear.” Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia play the pillars of “The Addams Family,” Jodie Foster director and acts in “Little Man Tate” and Michele Pfeiffer and Dennis Haysbert fall in love in “Love Field.”

About Sneaks

Sneaks ’91 was compiled from information obtained by contacting studios, distribution companies and other film production sources. The movies listed here are, at this time, expected to open sometime during the year. Remember, this release schedule is tentative and some titles may open in different seasons.

OPENING SOON

For moviegoers, the first two months of each year are usually devoted to catching up with the Christmas releases or taking a few weeks off to relax before the spring onslaught. This is, by tradition, the fallow season, the period when the studios dump their seconds on the market and hope for the best. (The retail analogy ends at the box office, of course; in the movie business, prices do not reflect quality.)

But for the savvy shopper, there are often little pleasures--if not bargains--to be found in the pre-Oscar weeks, and this year, there are several interesting prospects. Most notable, perhaps, is Jonathan Demme’s “Silence of the Lambs,” adapted from Thomas Harris’ gruesome best-seller about an institutionalized psychotic murderer who is called upon to help in the investigation of a serial killer. The film stars Anthony Hopkins as the psychopath and Jodie Foster as the investigator asked to tap into his dysfunctional mind.

Others that seem to merit at least faint hope: “L.A. Story,” a spoof of life in these parts written by and starring Steve Martin; Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead,” the Venice Film Festival grand prize winner based on Stoppard’s play about two characters out of “Hamlet”; and two films starring the always-interesting John Malkovich, “Object of Beauty” (with Andie MacDowell) and “Queen’s Logic” (with Kevin Bacon and Linda Fiorentino).

“Across the Tracks”--Rick Schroder (was Ricky of TV’s “Silver Spoons”) is sent off to reform school for grand theft auto and, upon his return, must cope with a wary mother and older brother. Co-stars Carrie Snodgress and Brad Pitt; directed by Sandy Tung. (Rosenbloom Ent.)

“The Ambulance”--Eric Roberts and James Earl Jones star in this story of a man who loses his dream woman to a “phantom” ambulance. After some investigating, he traces a rash of mysterious disappearances to a ring of doctors trafficking in human guinea pigs. Larry Cohen (“The Wicked Stepmother”) writes and directs. Red Buttons co-stars. (Triumph)

“The Arena”--In a foreign, futuristic world with one government, language and sport, a tough gladiator ascends to the championship. Things are great till he’s forced to battle a non-human behemoth. Peter Manoogian directs Paul Satterfield, Hamilton Camp and Claudia Christian. (Triumph)

“Book of Love”--A successful but disillusioned ad writer takes a peek back at the ‘50s to see the dreams, ideals--and the girl--that got away. Chris Young and Keith Coogan star; New Line Cinema President Robert Shaye directs. (New Line)

“Cadence”--Martin Sheen directs two of his sons, Charlie Sheen and Ramon Estevez, in a tale of a rebellious Army private who must decide whether to side with the bigoted stockade commander or answer to the all-black “soul patrol” of the prisoners. Co-stars Larry Fishburne. (New Line)

“The Closer”--Danny Aiello plays a manipulative, highly aggressive salesman who’s suddenly informed by his doctor that he must retire or croak. He does, but soon feels that this unwelcome change of habit may be more detrimental than his previous situation. Michael Pare, Justine Bateman and Rick Aiello co-star; Dimitri Logothetis directs. (Distribution Pending)

“Crackdown”--Cliff De Young plays a DEA agent from the streets of New York who’s suddenly saddled with an unlikely partner in order to extradite a powerful drug kingpin to the United States. Robert Beltran plays the annoying partner; Louis Morneau directs. (Concorde)

“Dead Space”--Marc Singer is a futuristic space mercenary who answers a research colony’s cry for help and is greeted by a genetic horror. Fred Gallo directs; Judith Chapman co-stars. (Concorde)

“Fire on the Amazon”--When an American reporter checks into the death of a South American rain-forest martyr, he falls into a maze of love, intrigue and, of course, murder. It’s based on a true story and stars Craig Sheffer and Sandra Bullock. Roger Corman produces, Luis Llosa directs. (Concorde)

“Futurekick”--Low-budget fare starring real-life kick-boxing machine Don (The Dragon) Wilson, Meg Foster and Christopher Penn. In the future, the rich live comfortably on the lunar surface while the hoi polloi swelter on the ecologically deteriorating Earth. This situation stimulates a black market in which human body parts become a commodity! Damian Klaus directs; ex-Wall of Voodoo vocalist Stan Ridgway writes the score. (Concorde)

“He Said, She Said”--A romantic comedy out to double your pleasure by presenting two points of view. Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Perkins fall in love despite never agreeing about anything. Ken Kwapis directs the male viewpoint; Marisa Silver directs the woman’s. However, the script is by a male--Brian Hohlfeld. (Paramount)

“Meet the Applegates”--A family of insects journeys to SmallTown, U.S.A., disguised as the lovable, suburban Applegates. What these inquisitive bugs find out is that their species has grave conflicts with America’s obsession with sex and money. “Heathers’ ” Michael Lehmann directs Stockard Channing, Ed Begley Jr. and Dabney Coleman. (Triton)

“Mortal Thoughts”--In Alan Rudolph’s new film, two longtime friends, Demi Moore and Glenne Headly, find one of their husbands murdered and, during the subsequent investigation, confront the darker side of friendship and morality. Bruce Willis, John Pankow and Harvey Keitel also appear. (Columbia)

“Naked Obsession”--William Katt stars as a city councilman with eyes on the mayor’s office who suffers from a vicious attack that sends his life on a different course. Special appearance by San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig. (Concorde)

“Nothing But Trouble”--Dan Aykroyd makes his directing debut with his script about well-heeled travelers who stumble into a remote backwoods town and find themselves at the mercy of a 106-year-old justice of the peace. For their minor traffic infraction the penalty is--death! Chevy Chase, John Candy, Demi Moore and Taylor Negron star with Aykroyd. (Warners)

“Object of Beauty”--John Malkovich and Andie MacDowell are a high-rolling commodities broker and his girlfriend who find themselves penniless and stranded in a posh London hotel. Peter Riegert, Lolita Davidovich (“Blaze”), Joss Ackland and Rudi Davies co-star for director/writer Michael Lindsay-Hogg. (Avenue)

“Original Intent”--An affluent lawyer’s fight to save a homeless shelter from a land-hungry power broker becomes a battle that tears into his own family. Martin Sheen, Kris Kristofferson and Candy Clark star; produced and directed by Robert Marcarelli. (Studio Three)

“Popcorn”--When a group of film students decide to stage a fright-night film festival at a derelict theater, they haven’t the faintest idea of the nightmare ahead. Stars Tony Roberts, Dee Wallace Stone, Ray Walston and Jill Schoelen. (Studio Three)

“Queens Logic”--This “serious comedy” depicts five friends from a Queens, N.Y., neighborhood, who reunite and share an emotionally explosive and cathartic weekend. Kevin Bacon, Linda Fiorentino, John Malkovich, Joe Mantegna, Ken Olin, Tom Waits, Chloe Webb, Jamie Lee Curtis and Tony Spiridakis star for director Steve Rash. (New Line)

“Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead”--An exhausted Sean Connery pulled out at the last minute so Richard Dreyfuss stepped in on this Tom Stoppard project. Two peripheral characters from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” (Gary Oldman and Tim Roth) had been the prince’s friends in happier days but now see things in a dimmer light. Stoppard directs (his debut) from his award-winning play. (Cinecom)

“Run”--Patrick Dempsey portrays a Harvard Law School student who finds himself presumed accountable for a murder he did not commit. The victim was the son of a mob boss, so Dempsey must, well, do what the title commands. Kelly Preston co-stars; Geoff Burrowes directs. (Buena Vista)

“Scenes From a Mall”--Paul Mazursky directs Bette Midler and Woody Allen (in a rare acting- only capacity) in this comedy-drama. It’s the story of marriage and infidelity and takes place on a couple’s 15th wedding anniversary. (Buena Vista)

“Shipwrecked”--A Norwegian teen-ager sets out to sea in 1849 but a thrashing storm maroons him on a deserted island. He discovers a cave full of pirated treasures but cutthroats return for their spoils and the boy must fight for his life. Directed by Nils Gaup. Stian Smestad and “Miller’s Crossing’s” Gabriel Byrne star. (Buena Vista)

“The Silence of the Lambs”--The Thomas Harris bestseller comes to the screen directed by Jonathan Demme. Jodie Foster has the role of an FBI trainee who must seek the help of Dr. Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a hideous killer-psychiatrist who can help her track a serial murderer. Scott Glenn also stars. (Orion)

“Sleeping With the Enemy”--Julia Roberts must extricate herself from a destructive and horrifying relationship. Patrick Bergin plays the jerk, and Kevin Anderson (“Orphans”) co-stars for director Joseph Ruben. (Fox)

“Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol”--The late master of pop and media manipulator is put under a microscope in this documentary from writer/director/producer/Academy-Award winner Chuck Workman. The film offers previously filmed material along with several exclusive interviews with Warhol. (Aries)

“The Terror Within II”--Andrew Stevens directs and stars alongside mom Stella and Chick Vennera in this sci-fi chiller in which the final human colony struggles to survive in a land of environmental mutants. Andrew also wrote the screenplay with the help of creative consultant T. L. Lankford. (Concorde)

“Too Much Sun”--A brother and sister must produce an heir within one year in order to reap a vast inheritance and . . . they’re both gay. Robert Downey directs Robert Downey Jr., Howard Duff, Eric Idle, Ralph Macchio, Andrea Martin and Leo Rossi. (New Line)

“Flight of the Intruder”--When Willem Dafoe and Brad Johnson pilot an A-6 Intruder on a clandestine (and illegal) bombing mission over Hanoi in 1972, they return to catch the wrath of squadron leader Danny Glover. John Milius directs; Rosanna Arquette co-stars. (Paramount)

“Eve of Destruction”--Renee Soutendijk portrays an indestructible android who’s built in the precise image of the female scientist who designed it. When the unit malfunctions, Gregory Hines must track it down. Duncan Gibbons directs; Kevin McCarthy is a supporting player. (Orion)

“Men of Respect”--A modern-day retelling of “Macbeth” against a backdrop of organized crime. Low-ranking mobster John Turturro listens to the speculations of a mysterious fortune teller, coupled with the urging of his ambitious wife, and decides to kill his way to the top of the Mafia in New York City. Directed by William Reilly, co-starring Katherine Borowitz, Dennis Farina, Peter Boyle, Stanley Tucci, Steven Wright and Rod Steiger. (Columbia)

“Once Around”--Lasse Hallstrom’s first American film, and his first since the acclaimed “My Life as a Dog,” features Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, Danny Aiello, Gena Rowlands, Laura San Giacomo and Griffin Dunne. Fast-talking entrepreneur Dreyfuss woos Hunter but becomes an obtrusive presence in her close-knit Italian family. (Universal)

“White Fang”--Based on the classic Jack London novel, this purports to be the first feature-length motion picture shot entirely in Alaska. Klaus Maria Brandauer plays the elder partner to a 19-year-old gold miner (“Dead Poets Society’s” Ethan Hawke) as they endure the chilly climes of the north with their trusty wolf-dog White Fang. The weather turns out to be a picnic compared to the villainous exploits of James Remar as the vicious gambler. Randal Kleiser directs. With Seymour Cassel and Susan Hogan. (Buena Vista)