Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Entient Statk By Danny Powell Staff Writer Comedy ruled the scene as the Grammy-winning Statler Brothers performed at the Carolina Coliseum Friday night. The country-singing quartet spent more of their time clowning around on the stage than they did performing songs, which added greatly to the show. Most of the comedy routines involved brothers Harold and Don Statler. While Don played the role of the straight man. Harold played the comic with superb accuracy. For every straight remark'nadebvDon, brother Harold had a witty ruspwiiM.*, c-uiiiT inrougn a verbal or facial expression. Between the jokes, the Statler Brothers proved why they have been the Country Music Association's Vocal Group of the Year for several years. Their sound is smooth and harmonic, and it lacks the blaring crudeness of most concerts held in the V. UI IM'UI I I Statler Brother songs are very easy to pick out 'Elepha By uavicl baker F ilm Ctidc The year is 18H4. the set ting a circus sideshow outside London. A group ol people are huddled around a tent, trying to sneak a peek at the hideously deformed John Merrick, whom the circus posters refer to as "The Terrible Klephant Man Merrick ') I h:i v Kiwm stricken with an incurable disease known as neurol ihromatosis. As a result, his head ;s swollen to almost twice the normal size, his right arm and hand so disfigured that they appeared club-like, his spine twisted into an "S," and his skin thick, wrinkled and covered with tumors. Because of his deformity; MpITW'U fill 1 v motinu supporting himself is by exhibiting himself to Victorian thrill-seekers.who are willing to pay for their p e r v e r t e d p1e a s u res. Policemen, however, are milling around his tent, trying to keep the people flllMHf Tllit' At/UiUil ?**? f/x" l? \\ 11J . 1 111A ^'AIIIUll, JWU MX', ^jjp J 51||| Wk Showcase '81 waspreser by Susan Earle. Venus Flit by USC dancers and other Ballet. (Photo by Mike Got lainmer ?r Bros because, for the most part, they involve a listing of things. "Whatever Hap peueu 10 i ne uiass ol T>7" tells about the graduates of a high school class several years later, including those who got married, divorced, became successful, failed in business, and even the one who took his life. Other songs depict things from movies past and present, nostalgia, everything you want to know about a certain young lady (except where she is) and so on. The Stat lor Brothers have been very successful with these types of songs, which arc.) cross between a country ballad and The Book Of List's. The other side of the Statler Brothers involves the type of music that has launched many country careers ? gospel music. The best song of the evening was the gospel song "How Great Thou Art " in which lh<> Statlers did a superb job. bringing everyone in the coliseum to their feet. The ovation was so strong that ntMan' I. L -? ? - % IU1> IHTIl COIUK'miH'd. II s just too horrible. David Lynch's "The Klephant Man" tells the stor\ ot how .John Merrick was rescued Irom lite as a circus treak and how he went on to become the toast ol London society just prior to Ins death at age 27. The story is based on truth, but liberties have been taken to ensure dramatic impact Kor example. Merrick's real-life business partner is. in the film, Merrick's sell proclaimed "owner." The change in status results in Merrick's story having a flesh-and-blood villain, whereas Mother Nature was originally the only person to fur Mprriclf predicament The dramatic liseense taken with the story does exactly what it was meant to do, as the picture packs quite an emotional wallop. This is due, in no short measure, to the wonderful performances of John Hurt as Merrick and Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Frederick Treves, the man who saves Merrick from BBiMJW ited this weekend by the US *s ? Trapped, a scene from s from the Columbia Dance f) HBnBnHraMHHHnn ^4* I ' * Sfefei? .V. i iV. ri rn^^Wfl i.enjo me (jliai lei uiu another chorus before moving on. It was such a powerful tune that one would wonder who was more tired at the end. the performers or the audience. The Statlers did three encore numbers, the best being "I'll Go To My Grave Loving You," before taking a short rest. After their break, they came back to sign autographs and "meet the people," which is traditional among country performers, who say they enjoy getting close to their fans. The special guest of the evening was Brenda Lee. a star of the late T>()s and early '(iOs who is on the comeback trail. Besides doing some of her recent country successes. Lee did some of her ruiiy iuiii's. including ner number one hit "I'm Sorry." She also did a fine medley ot country songs done by top female vocalists in the industry from the late Patsy ('line to Loretta Lynn and an emot exploitation only to wind up exploiting him, however inadvordently. to further lus own career as a surgeon Anne Bancroft. Wendy Miller. John (iiclgud and especially Freddie .Jones who portrays Merrick's "owner." are excellent in the supporting roles Lynch. whose only previous directorial eliort is the cult hit "Kraserhead." directs the film's opening scenes as it they belonged in i;I? x i!.. ..i (i ihm i wi 111111 lie mmjw.S u> people's reactions to the monster, rather than the monster himself, and his playfulness with light and shadow only heightens the viewer's feeling that he's about to be frightened out of his wits. By starting the film this way. Lynch sets us up to be knocked down by the revelation that the title character is. in reality, the most gentle, compassionate iiurl Invintf nf m<?n I vrw>li '"h " 4V llvu makes the viewer recoil in horror at his own Ivav; lessness. He makes one I'eel like a sadist who's been C Dance Company, directed the first act, was performed > Theatre and Columbia City HHHHNBBmnMMBBHnil yable Tammy Wynette. Lee also got into the comedy act by making jokes about her body (a Dolly Parton she ain't) and her age. She joked about her band and how young they were compared to her. She also carried on a running, spontaneous comedy routine between herself and a member of the audience named Barbara. Barbara, it seemed, had a sister who went to the same school in Georgia where Lee went. The show was opened by a comedian named Lee who provided the right material to loosen up the audience. He also served as emcee, introducing Brenda Lee and. alter another short routine. theStatler Brothers. Some of his material, funny as it was. was not very original, as he borrowed things from other comics. most notably Cieorge Carlin. All together. it was a good way to spend a Halloween night. ional ex kicking a little puppy that came up to him onl\ wanting to play The director also makes ellectivc use <>| llasliU. ks depicting Merrick's mother being struck down by elephants while tour-months pregnant, an occurrence which Merrick heliewd h<> Because of hit deformity, Merri ck 's only means o supporting himse! is by exhibiting himself to thrill seekers willing tc pay for theit perverted pleasures the cause of his illness Lynch's only serious mistake in direction comes iti the film's final scene which is rife wit! overnpened symbolism, tin moaning of which is either s( simple that it's insulting 01 so obscure .that it's mad dcning. From a technical stand point. "The Klephant Man" could have been blessed with black and white c i nema t ogra phy more professional-looking than that supplied by Freddie Francis The picture olteii h;ts a murky look that detracts more f rom the story I than it adds to tlie sotting Christ opher Tucker's make-up, however. is nothing short of ex tinordinary. Hurt is totalis unrecognizable under the layers ot latex, which, according to the lilm's press ki!. took more than six hours to appl\ At first. Hurt looks monstrous, but soon alter, his face takes on the simple air ol sadness. InltM ' iwwviw* | ?/ Wl ill 4> M 'I I l.-v DV.V'11', VN IIIUI often sounds like a cross ' between carnival music and ( a funeral dirge, adds immensely to a movie that would have been exemplary even without such an evocative backdrop. 4JAH ^ ^^^^HKB<;HB^B|^HS| lBp | i^jE^ttcdB j| '^ ?: : - ijft: j : J^| J: {;;.-^: I ^ jl| jag ?#$WHMb The Statler Brothers performed at the Carolina Coliseum Friday. They provided the audience with music and comedy. (Photo by Chip Lowell) 0 id ice i mm > LJgi 1 -- ifk K ' t 1 ^ ' c 1 ' r ''*2nC ^"''"xT'""31 V'-',T' ' *Vi -,i-rjf?--r?+*-' . , / " ' ^ :>'~_'vv l"s'" " ~ y---;-'%v:-: " x1 -, --V r--L? -T-"----"'- t ' ... . i ; ^mm > ^B^H^^^SBB|ffljUmHHMgB^H8j|^^B|^H|^^^fcD. |p|f * j?;:" m % H: flil^Kl5[l^ByiBP?BI?fiHMM Wn^ iiTi'i 11 Trirnnfnri^^Hp* ^ HI - V -- '- . <.' ' " -" " >r" - - -1'- ??oi John Hurt, starring as the pathetically disfigured sideshow attraction, manages to escape his sadistic master in the 'Elephant Man.' #