Madagascar Skin

views updated

Madagascar Skin ★★ 1995 (R)

Harry (Hannah) is a young gay man who's disfigured by a large portwine birthmark on one side of his face (in the shape of Madagascar). Suicidally depressed he drives to a deserted beach on the Welsh coast but before making any final decisions, he picks up an overturned bucket lying on the sand. To his shock, it's covering the head of the very much alive middle-aged Flint (Hill), who's been buried up to his neck in sand and left to drown by some fellow crooks. Flint knows of a deserted beach shack, the oddly matched duo move in, and Harry falls in love. Deliberately dreamlike in some respects, the leads provide a bittersweet, adult romance. 95m/C VHS . GB John Hannah, Bernard Hill; D: Chris Newby; W: Chris Newby; C: Oliver Curtis.