Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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f I 1ill^lP i lEII^SR ; L flm^^?HSHfH < Bi* jmSmml ! ,- Hffigra T ^ ^|pl ^ /7/1/YOr ^>o> rH7^7rTFn7UrCTJ3i70777C mBBI I 1 raBSuHBra { \jjjHp | M9 f :&. fgB& ?y\r!;\ .' .'v v^;;fi'*\/,7' ^ x :>^::::^ ^w8s&A 'f'' >; <* - -? \ /, " ^ ^ _^X < V, v*. .-7;1'^-''"7;-:.^\\*'^Vl'f * '' ' . lw>.?J Fantastic qadqet make 'Moonral By David Baker Entertainment Editor Since I began reviewing films in 1973, every James Bond movie has made my yearly "10 Best" list. The 1 O f nof rtrli f /> C Urt AAn ? * ^ "it A ? micai cumuli ui Hie ITU/ StfriCS, IjCWIS UUDen S Moonraker, appears to be headed for the same fate. Like the 10 Bond pictures that preceded it, Moonraker is the kind of film that can get away with anything, and well deserves to. In it, sex, violence and the character of Bond himself take on a cartoonlike quality and the result is an action-fantasy beyond one's wildest dreams. The film maintains such a tongue-in-cheek attitude toward these staples of the series that it seems to come right off the screen, winking at you and defying you to tell if you're not having a good time. ?L r- ' wi tuuisc, me iiiuviu is penecuy saie in maKing such a dare, for anyone who would see a Bond film in the first, place will definitely be having a ball with all the fantastic gadgetry and exotic settings Moonraker has to offer. Director Gilbert (whose prevous credits include You Only Live Twice and The Spy Who Loved Me) unrvars r?nnfirlf?nt r?f film'c nKilitti fn mln W V??v u UI/IUVJ tv/ VY III I I?_ tl I to, so he isn't afraid to include references to some of the films that severed as inspirations to the story's main plot angles. Since much of Moonraker takes place in outer space, Gilbert has placed within the film musical references to both 2001: A Space Odyssey and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as well as a laser-gun battle which is straight out of Star Wars. Such obvious reeferences in a film of lesser calibre would serve as reasons to yell "Hip-off!" But in Moonraker, it's quite obvious that the references were intended to honor, not insult, the films from which they were stolen. As is always the case with the Bond films, Moonraker begins with a death-defying stunt, fej 1 i ;:r-v^. < I vSKSSSSSI? pP^B, - \ I L%?^ i w^liP? vky^ 4iHs%i rtv ^:? m jH i#,'? \:4 - ?6 Bondin 'Moonrater" ' ' r -'/ If- * -vV^|H|H|H^M^K?' ' :s, exotic femmes 9 4 r?i <er excinng mm followed by yet another of those now-famous title sequences, during which several bosomy silhouettes twist and twirl across the screen in a state of seemingly permanent oriastic bliss. Likewise, it should come as no surprise that Moonraker's final shot is of Bond carousing with a live bosomy beauty. To give away anything that happens in between, however, would be to deprive you of the joy of finding it out for vourself. So what is left for me to report on? The performances? But, aside from Roger Moore's elegant portrayal of 007, are there ever any performances in a Bond film? There is only the chemistry that can be generated between Moore and whichever beautiful lady the producers choose to pair him with. Strangely enough, that chemistry is never apparent between Moore and his Moonraker co-star, ? nu:i01 i-- 2- s 1 *?* ijuis vomit's, one uerutuuy is ouauuiui, dui sne seems totally out of place amongst the film's gargantuan sets and its bigger-than-life-size action. Instead of reprising Richard Kiel's Jaws character from The Spy Who Loved Me, the producers should have brought back luscious Barbara Bach, who provided Moore with the best foil he's ever had. In Spy, Bach made the character of Russian agent Anya Amassova strong enough to permeate the screen without actually taking it over. Her sensual looks and sexy accent are sorely missed in Moonraker, for Chiles' Holly Goodhead character consistently fades into the background like any other cardboard prop. Chiles' presence (or lack of it) can be overlooked, though, as the remainder of the film is eniovable enough to offset whatever distraction she may cause. Moonraker isn't the best of the Bond's (Live and Let Die still holds that title), but it's easily the best film of the summer and one of the classiest movies of the year. .. ?i ?<? i Ollllg UII UUIULKM iz: Ol/U/IC o assured; By Mark Chevalier Gamecock Staff Writer The foundation of David Bowie's newest collection, Lodger, is built upon ground broken back in 1977 with an album entitled Low Although seemingly ill-fated from the start, Low was panned by the established rock journals and in many ways seemed to be the last straw for Bowie's chic following, a following that had been nurtured on drivine rhythms, glittering make-up and eccentric stage antics. There is no debate that Low was indeed an about-face for Bowie, both musically and stylistically. The alienation it J 1 ? I it- 1 < causeu in lhhii cnucs ana ians alike in many ways seemed justifiable, expectations were established and Low just didn't fit the bill. With Low there was less. When one exoected something it wasn't there. When one finally adjusted to its slow methodical pace, it broke into feverish runs or Brian Eno's strange synthesizers descended iir\An if lit#-** 1 rvotir?f upvn iv nrvv; iVA^uot. Gone also were the intriguing lyrics and thus the seductive vocals; distinctions were hard to make, songs blended together on bridges of odd and t seemingly spontaneous sounds. Yet for all of this, Low worked, and in mv estimation it was his finest album since the classic Ziggy Stardust. Heroes followed Low in the early part of 1978 and seemed two-fold in purpose. In one respect, it attempted to extend Low in concept, with one side almost entirely instrumental and with Eno returning as a more evident performer and rnmnnspr On the other hand, the flipside makes clear that Bowie's true intention is to combine the earlier vocal rock base for Kimjyu.i. JUL 20 Kinks 1 1 i rxiriKS 21 Dr. Hook 22 Crystal Gayle 24 Ian Hunter Band with Mick Ronsor 24 Journey, Thin Lizzy 27 Bay City Rollers 27 Devo (two shows) 28 Waylon Jennings 28 Blondie 28 The Squeeze 29 Bay City Rollers 29 Atlanta Rhythm Section 30 Harry Chapin AUGl 4 Peaches & Herb t; i I-till \JtJI I oil 8 Gato Barbieri 8 Peter Frampton 10 Wet Willie 11 Wet Willie 1 1 Jimmy Buffett 1 2 Jimmy Buffett 1 3 Shaun Cassidy 1 8 Dolly Parton 1 9 Dolly Parton 22 Suzi Quatro 27 Steve Martin Inriapr' success which he is known, with his new-found instrumental-electronical sensibility. This is the essence of his newest work, Lodger. Yet Lodger is vastly more successful than any of the blending ! attempts on Heroes. What seemed forced or contrived on the former, almost magically merges here. Back again are the perplexing poetry and wailing vocals, not since Young j American or Station to Station has the dominance of singing and harmonizing been in such evidence. Musically the album is tight. The function of Eno's electronic work has expanded to include an array 01 sirange instruments like the ambient drone, cricket menance and prepared piano, all of which add depth and a sense of spontaneity amidst order. Bowie has moved in on the synthesizers and standard keyboards though, perhaps suggesting a new concentration j in tnis area, a switch for someone who has mainly worked on guitar and saxophone for more than a dozen albums. With all things considered, Lodger is probably Bowie's most appealing recording since Station to Station. In a general sense, it is assuredly the most ! lifitpnahlp anH Hinc ??? i UitU lUUO VMt assumes, eventually the more popular of the recent albums. Yet, for all of its assets, for all of the apparent advancement in combining the old Bowie with the new, I cannot help feeling Hi?mau at fho cimnln font uv niv/ oiinpic iaci< mat fi the old is still there. It reminds ji me of a headline I once saw for a story on Paul McCartney ; it read, "He could have been a contender, but he settled for success." Low was a break for Bowie the artist; Lodger is a break for Bowie the star. ! snsRVsnsv SkntfUSUIk^LaiUH Fox Theatre, Atlanta Fox Theatre, Atlanta Carowinds Carowinds 1 Aanra Ballrnnm Atlanta Fox Theatre, Atlanta . . . . Greenville Memorial Auditorium Agora Ballroom, Atlanta Carowinds Fox Theatre, Atlanta Agora Ballroom, Atlanta rnrnwinflii Charlotte Coliseum Asheville Civic Center JST ! Carowinds Carowinds Capri Ballroom, Atlanta Greensboro ColiseumAnorn Doll ? r^yuici LJUIII uui 11, Mlltinid Agora Ballroom, Atlanta Carowinds Carowinds Greensboro Coliseum Carowinds uarowinas Agora Ballroom, Atlanta Carowinds