October 7, 1998

Working under a set of self-imposed restrictions that are meant to return filmmaking to a fundamental honesty, the Danish director Thomas Vinterberg shows off dazzling ingenuity. The story of a family reunion that becomes a black-tie psyche-bashing blowout is told with a hand-held camera, without any special lighting or props or sound, and the effect is invigorating rather than austere. Imaginative angles, nimble editing and fluid, agile camera work keep the film spinning as a large Danish cast makes the festivities seem utterly real. The central drama is Shakespeare for the tell-all age, as a patriarch is haunted by past sins and vengeful children. "It is quite a job being toastmaster tonight," says one partygoer, putting it mildly. — Janet Maslin

Museum of Modern Art will celebrate centennial of birth of movie director Alfred Hitchcock in 1999 with complete retrospective; Hitchcock photo; 1998 Nobel Prize season begins on October 8 in Stockholm with announcement of award in literature; Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, led by Wynton Marsalis, will begin 1998 World Tour of 33 cities in Europe on October 7 with performance in Moscow; Riccardo Muti, who abruptly quit as music director of Philadelphia Orchestra five years ago, receives thunderous ovation after returning to lead benefit performance at Academy of Music in Philadelphia; his photo; Chinese officials ban Shanghai Kunqu Opera Company from performing The Peony Pavilion at annual Hong Kong Arts Festival in February 1999 (M)

Peter Marks Critics Notebook column on number of new American plays that revolve around bad parents; photo (M)

Weapons experts say French tests appear to have found traces of chemicals linked to nerve gas VX on Iraqi warheads, finding that would confirm earlier American test results; diplomats charge that France is delaying release of findings to avoid undermining Iraq's push at United Nations to lift economic sanctions; France denies withholding results; says they are expected to be 'consistent' with earlier tests that found no traces of VX (M)

Interview with Richard D Colburn, who for last 18 years has been principal patron for respected music education program for young people in Los Angeles; $28 million home of Colburn School of Performing Arts, which he financed, will be decidated on October 11; photos (M)