University of South Carolina Libraries
THE GAMECOCK E ntertainment December 7, 1984 ? Page 23 The semes Eleven best CP r* A _J.. tsy Mfiuy uunuaii Rating movies is a very dangerous business. Discussions of film, if they run unchecked, inevitably disintegrate into verbal brawls. One man's favorite movie is, to another, the most noxious drivel ever vomited forth from Hollywood. And so on. Nevertheless, the fact that USC's Cinematic Arts committee is nearing the end of its fall movie schedule presents an irresistable opportunity. Safe from any brickbats or custard pies, far from any vengeful Clint Last wood tans in tne audience, we 01fer this alphabetical list of the 11 best movies shown in the Russell House Theatre this semester. Number One: "The Bridge on the River Kwai." Director David Lean's spectacular 1957 account of life, death and duty in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp during World War II is engrossn i-% \ r nr \ r nno r\ f it r 1^1 minntoc Illg I KJ1 tVWl J \J IIV VJI 11.3 I V7 I UllllUl^O. William Holden is great as a cynical prisoner who escapes only to return to ;he jungle on a suicidal commando Area trave By Andy Duncan I he semester s biggest road t proaching, and area travel agencie: to help USC students become par The Gator Bowl is Dec. 28 in Ja Fla., and Gamecock fans ar mobilizing for the invasion. If your old clunker won't make county line, or if you doubt youi navigate unfamiliar territory, or if rather relax and let someone else d ing, a number of tour packages a you. Robinson Travel Service on T Road is sponsoring a package th; round-trip bus transport, two i comodations at the Hilton on jet Ga., three meals and bowl ticket per person, double occupancy, $1 son, triple occupancy, and SI55 \ quadruple occupancy. The bus 1 umbia the morning of Dec. 27 a Dec. 29. Transportation to and game is also included. Awful traffii jjl ^ I Jacksonville stinks. When I was asked to write a story o city and the fun activities one coi waiting for the "big" game to be laughing ? in hysteria. Look, I live in Florida. The bigges tie between Gainesville and Jacksonvi connection between cities that end w I Towering above this rather u skyscrapers and, of course, the infam countered while traveling over one o bridges. With its lovely glass exterior, the bi skirts of a rather filthy, dirty town, f up his life to look at those pretty gh The only things in the town that a gas stations. Driving five hours from ter's finest 'U movies of ser mission; Sessue Hayakawa is also fine as the camp commander. But the real standout is Alec Guinness as a captured British colonel whose devotion to duty leads him to collaborate with the enemy. The movie's final line, "Madness. Madness," sums up war as astutely as any movie can. NUMBER TWO: "Double Indemnity." This hardboiled 1944 mystery thriller opens with Fred MacMurray dictating a confession into a tape recorder: "Yes, I killed him. 1 killed him for money and for a woman. 1 didn't get the money, and I didn't get the woman. Pretty, isn't it?" Barbara Stanwyck is the woman, and Edward G. Robinson is the suspicious insurance agent in this classic yarn, written by Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler and directed by Wilder. Number Three: "Dumbo." Walt Disney's 1941 cartoon feature gets the sentimental vote hands down. This story of the elephant whose enormous ears bring ridicule and the gift of flight is classic Americana. Admit it...how I agencies rip is ap lights' ac- I ;yll Island, I , s for $175 I ? 65 per per- I gg )er person, I eaves Col- I JBBy tnd returns from the T i i c, discomfort that particular tin food. This may b( And as far as tl "|j Jacksonville at 1 ! - 1 I Ioau game auu i um together. If you've Jacksonville, you' not only have to I s Porto anywhere else thai ainment Editor Fortunately, I'v ; the town. But thei to do so either. It ground. I can only in the air. But foi life, and I have no just suffered thro highway. n the pleasures of the Oh, and bring a lid indulge in while It seems like the c gin, I found myself every turn of the 1 the town, the moi t joke in the state is a ille. Seems to be some Imagine, not c ith "ville." banks that tower i is in Jacksonville nique city are the pleasant attitude ous bank building en- the only thing yo ** ^ "V* o r\\/ aII M \f*(* nlji pp I I lie tliy 3 I1IC4IIJ iv/?. I i.vv Yeah, Jackson through the traffi uilding sits on the out- a nervous breakc viany a bird has given nothing all in oni iss mirrors. It has all the ch ire worthwhile are the outside and all tl West Palm Beach, at It's not exactly w nester selected I many college students cried like | children during this one? Personally, || we like the singing crows. Number Four: "The Grapes of Wrath.'' hew works 01 literature nave survived the transition to film as well i as John Steinbeck's novel about the victims of the Depression-era Dust | Bowl. John Ford directed a fine cast 1 led by Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell in this 1940 movie. Number Five: "It's a Mad, Mad, 1 Mad, Mad World." This 1963 comedy | epic isn't the funniest movie ever made by a long shot, but it is one of the most | joyful. All the performers seem to be enjoying inein;>eives iremciiuuuMy, and the fun is contagious. The plot, f such as it is, concerns a cross-country f chase for a cache of buried money. | Spencer Tracy leads the revelry, with J able support from almost every come- | dian alive in 1963, including Terry- | Thomas and Jonathan Winters to | Ruct^r 1/pofon onH thp Thrp/J QtnnoAC KJ U >11VI iVttUUIl (IIIU ll'V A 111 VV UlVV/gVJ! 1 :f The two and a half hours of car chases, | brawls, stunts, one-liners and sight w See "Movies," page 25 offer tips fi X / I m to be found ii ne you'll need gas. But don't stop for ; dangerous. le traffic, give it up. any time is worse than a Carolina footi hour in both New York and Miami put ; ever had the pleasure of driving through 11 understand. It's almost suicidal. You have eyes in the back of your head, but t sits above your car's dashboard. e never had the experience of flying into 11 again, it's never been a dream of mine 's bad enough when the traffic is on the ' venture to imagine what it would be like * some foolish reason, I've always loved intense need to die anytime soon, so I've ugh the hour it takes to get back to the long a lot of extra change. You'll need it. onsensus in Jacksonville is to put tolls at lighway. But the more you drive through rc u glows un yuu. >nly do you get the lovely view of glass over the city and the stench of whatever it that smells so bad, but you also get the of some toll-taker who yells at you when u have in your wallet is a $20 bill. iville has a lot to offer when you get c. If you're still interested and not having lown by then, the town's everything and e swift move. larm and appeal of New York City on the le new polish of Columbia on the inside, hnt I'H call a hUtorir ritv. Rut tWen aeain. tions atfegfbr three nights in Daytona Beach. Smith said s!|||g thought it was the >4#ignp^ for the trip Is being held on the second floor o? f II.!Kl^'. ?, ?? ,!rk^? will m te * 1 There is no limit large or small on the number of people who can sign up Smith said. "If we have 10 people Sgned Tcntrs/" WkC ' Tbe(tnp " CO"SPOn'0red by 1-3 C0Sm ? or Gator Bowl ?> ^ - -1_ i * mi jjul fai iours, wiin iucauun:> ui ivuuuicuuig Drive and in St. Andrews Square, offers three separate options. The discount package offers only round-trip bus transport the day of the game for $40 per person. A second package includes only two nights at Howard Johnson's in Jacksonville (Dec. 28-29) star ting at $210 per room, double occupancy. The combination package, bus transport and hotel room, is $165 per person, double occupancy. Lesiure Tours on Broad River Road offers round-trip bus fare and one night's accomodations for $75 per person, double occupancy. The bus will leave Columbia 7 a.m. Dec. 28 and leave Jacksonville at 10 a.m. Dec. 29. The rooms are at the Roadway Inn in Jacksonville, ana transport to ana irom the game is included. Space- prohibits listing the packages of every agency in Columbia, but interested students can check the Yellow Pages listings for travel agencies and bureaus. And you rampant individualists who simply must go it alone, drive carefully. We want you oacK nexi semester. n Jacksonville most people go to St. Augustine for history. It's not a commercial town either. The only reason you go to Jacksonville at all is because you need gas, you have friends or relatives there, or better yet, you want to see the Gator Bowl, And that's basically what this is all about, isn't it? I can't imagine Jacksonville without the Gator Bowl. And I'm sure the toll-takers wouldn't exactly enjoy it either. After all, on a regular weekday, the traffic is interesting enough. Must be a whole hell of a lot of fun durinor "hio oamp " ? ??, iuv With all the money they make on their highways, you'd think the city of Jacksonville would spend some of it trying to get rid of the stench that comes from wherever it comes from. Also, as far as traffic is concerned, you'd better be a fantastic driver, and you'd better be fast. The highway through Jacksonville is sheer hell when you drive less then 75 miles an hour. Not too recently, I had the most in teresting experience driving home. A policeman. The man pulls up beside the car as we are cruising along at 85, smiles and drives on. Uniquely Jacksonville. But watch out. It's no place for a nervous driver. The cement walls that line the bridges and highways are unpleasant. If you haven't had the experience of driving on a narrow road with two very deep canals on either side, in the rain no less, I'll make a suggestion right now ? take a taxi. Yes, Jacksonville is a tine town, oooa southern people live there. Good Southern atmosphere ? if you can get through the smell. A few palm trees and if you go out far enough, a beach or two ? but I'm not sure you want to be there long enough to visit those. From what I've told you, you may not want to visit there at all. r?..i J >* 1 a. o ^ ^ aL . n i tm !a a _ r nui uon i oc upsci. ^10 10 inc dowi. i ne cxciiemeni 01 having a winning team should get you over the rough spots and other unfortunate incidents you may encounter. And try not to get a ticket. : ? I