Boxoffice-August.1989

est foreign film, and has won a myriad of international
awards.
The story explores the complex relationship between student
and teacher. During a rousing curtain call, Joachim Dallayrac
(Jose van Dam) announces that he shall never sing
again. The only one happy about his retirement is Prince Scotti
(Patrick Bauchau), a wealthy patron of the arts with a longstanding
grudge against Dallayrac.
Hiding an illness, Dallayrac retreats to a country mansion
with his companion and accompanist, Estelle (Sylvie Fennec),
to open a music school for one: 18-year-old and ethereally
beautiful Sophie (Anne Roussel, with the voice of Dinah
Bryant).
The school's enrollment doubles when Dallayrac invites
John (Philippe Volter, with the voice of Jerome Pruett), a
rogue with a Mick Jagger-like sneer, to stay in his villa as a
pupil Artistic and sexual tension builds between all of the
characters. Their exacting training sessions are quite exciting
in themselves, but the denouement is yet to come.
Ultimately the students are invited to a competition being
held by Prince Scotti, but Dallayrac tricks his protegees into
attending without him. As the students go on to wage a contest
that keeps the audience riveted, their music teacher faces his
own death.
"The Music Teacher" is equally a feast for the eyes and for
the ears. Every moment of the expansive, well-paced screenplay
is richly woven with exquisite tum-of-the-century detail
and romantic cinematography. And we're talking about more
than merely colorful costumes; the carefully produced historical
realism gives this drama far more credibility — and mass
appeal — than a filmed opera. The balance between the music,
the action and the characters is easy to take.
While "The Music Teacher" should appeal to a broad
audience, it won't disappoint opera aficionados either. The
musical extracts — mostly Mahler, along with Verdi, Bellini,
Mozart, Offenbach, Schubert, Schumann and Puccini — are
more sophisticated selections than one might expect had this
been an American production.
The film is rated PG for sexual situations. Karen Kreps
—
REVIEW DIGEST
Story type key: (Ac) Action: (Ad) Adventure: (An) Animated: (B)
Biography: (C) Comedy: (Cr) Crime. (D) Drama: (DM) Drama with
Music: (Doc) Documentary: (F) Fantasy: (H) Horror: (M) Musical:
(My) Mystery: (OD) Outdoor: (Pol) Political. (R) Romantic: (SF)
Science Fiction. (Sus) Suspense: (W) Western.
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LOVERBOY
Stamng Patrick Dempsey, Kate Jackson, Carrie Fisher, Kirstie
Alky and Nancy Valan.
Produced by Gary Foster and Willie Hunt. Directed by Joan
Mwkiin Silver Written by Robin Schiff and Tom Ropelewski &
Leslie Dixon
A Tri-Star release. Comedy, rated PG-13 Runnmg twK: 108
min Screening date: 5/18/89
"Loverboy" could be subtitled "American Gigolo Lite." This
utterly improbable film stars Patrick Dempsey as the title
character, aka Randy Bodek. Flunking out of college, he is
whisked home by his disenchanted parents (Kate Jackson and
Robert Ginty) who, wisely enough, have decided not to foot
the bill for another semester of partying.
Unbeknownst to his parents, Randy has been sharing his
room with his cute girlfriend Jenny (Nancy Valan), who's fed
up with his immaturity. Determined to earn a sufficient
amount of cash to pay for his tuition and win Jenny back.
Randy takes a job as a pizza delivery boy. But simple mathematics
indicate that minimum wage isn't going to net the
$10,000 that he needs. What's a young man to do?
Fate intervenes in the attractive form of Alex (Barbara Carrera),
a wealthy businesswoman who orders a pizza with extra
anchovies and initiates Randy into the joys of Dom Perignon,
designer clothing, and making love for cash. Alex gives Randy's
phone number to one of her girlfriends, and the next
thing you know he's delivering lots more than pizza to a bevy
of frustrated women. ..and is well on his way to earning his
tuition.
"Loverboy" is unbelievably infantile, from its animated cartoon
opening to its cheery sex farce finale. Why would women
pay 200 clams for a visit from a skinny kid who looks like
Jughead (son^, Patrick). Why would Randy's girlfriend forgive
him? And, one wonders, have the makers of the film been
lobotomized — or have they simply not heard of safe sex?
Boy, this is one unpalatable mishmash of ingredients. We'd
have sent it back.
Rated PG-13 for sexual situations.— Lcsa Sawahata
K-55 BoxohUd