No Subject

Shly retiring British pop diva Kate Bush, 35, steps behind the lens with
mixed artistic results in "The Line, the Cross and the Curve", a music
promo flick high on whimsy and low on content.  Cinematic values (and
demo-quality Dolby digital sound) make this a solid bet for special
events, however, with eight numbers sure to please Bush afficionados.

Written and directed by Bush herself to promote her new album, "The Red
Shoes," th epic (played at ear-splitting volume) got a warm welcome at
its SRO London Festival screening at a large downtown theater.  It goes
out on UK homevideo later this year.  Story is a snappy variation on the
1948 Michael Powell-Emeric Pressburger classic "The Red Shoes", with Bush 
as a dancer who's given a pair of red ballet shoes that won't stop
dancing by a mysterious woman (Miranda Richardson) in exchange for
three magical symbols (pic's title).

Richardson, reprising her "Crying Game" Irish accent, steals the acting
stakes as a kind of wicked witch.  When not warbling, Bush is colorless.
Mime artist Lindsay Kemp, under whom Bush studied, is reliable.  Pic's
visual style is relatively conservative, far from the usual musicvid
fare.  Aspect ratio is also a conservative 1.33.  Derek Elley.