The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 25, 1985, Page 4, Image 4
Spotlight J
^ M W&r Monday, November 25, 1905
iHE GAMECOCK
I * I y
Secret Service agents make an arrest in To Live and Di$ in
Adventure film
By PATRICK JEAN
Staff writer
In To Live and Die in L.A., director William
Fricdkin makes an effort to return to the slick,
thrill-a-minute chase film he so craftfully created in
The French Connection.
It does not work, to say the least. There is some
great action, but the generic cast is poor; the script
is cold and emotionless, and the gratuitous sex and
gore arc tar trom entertaining.
Richard Chance, played by William Petersen, is a
Secret Service agent on the trail of a murderous
counterfeiter. He is willing to bend or break the
rules to get his man. He even endangers his young
partner, John Vukovich, played by John Pankow,
who wants to follow proper procedures.
Chance's first partner is killed a few days before
his scheduled retirement. He is investigating Eric
Masters, the young counterfeiter, played by Willem
Dafoe. Unfortunately, he discovers Masters' print
shop at the wrong time and gets blown away.
Masters has a knack for double-crossing his
criminal cohorts, then violently executing them as
they try to strike back. He's smart enough to stay
. one step ahead of the agents who have him at the
top of their most-wanted list.
Chance treads a fine line between rightful justice
and outright vengeance. When he poses as a
businessman interested in the counterfeit money, he
needs more money than his agency is willing to give.
He resorts to unscrupulous methods to raise the
rest. Whenever, when the agency tells him not to do
something, he does it anyway.
I he glut of sex and violence adds no value to tne
film. Although there are numerous nudity scenes,
their presentation is neither emotional nor entertaining.
Suggestions of lesbianism were unnecessary
and should have been left out.
Ruth Lanier, played by Darlanne Fluegel, is an
informant and ex-convict. Chance and Lanier talk
New theater conf
disturbing rape th
By MARY JO MILLER ? ro .
menacing rapis
Staff writer .. .. u
? pathetic bully.
The production of William accent seems ii
Mastrosiinone's Extremities at Lorre and weak
Trustus portrays a real-life situa- Trustus is tc
tion, giving Columbians a distur- f deliverina a
bing glimpse of a crime many a subjJ, ,
people would like to ignore. taboo
in commi
From the play's onset, the au- The producti
dience is presented with conflic- uec 7 ancj tjc|
ting but effective moods. Mar- at the box offic
jorie (Libby Campbell), an attractive,
scantily-clad blond, is
relaxing in her house. She is at
ease in her aloneness, but the :
menacing backgroud music cues f __
the audience to expect danger. t - _ '
The audience immediately
recognizes danger when Raul J : / : :
((..name Peterson), a lower-class j /
Hispanic, barges in to use Mar- J:\ ;;V _
jorie's phone.
In the ensuing powerful scene, I
Raul begins to assault and jl
degrade the hysterical Marjorie. _
However, before he can rape her, |
she blinds him with a bottle of
household insecticide, knocks
him out with a poker and im- 1
prisons him in the fireplace. J
When Marjorie's two roommates,
Terry (Jane Turner) and ^
Patricia (Jeanette Arvay), return
from work, they are embroiled in .
Marjorie's determination to get * 111
revenge. \ \
Campbell delivers a convincing /! J
performance as the victim/vic- "nxI
timizer, Marjorie. When she
overpowers her rapist, her
delicate tear-streaked face
becomes a mask of harsh j
Peterson's Raul also makes an ~
effective transformation from a
^ftyi I P^'
rannHA^ >
L.A. after a man tries to hide in an airport restroom.
dies in L.A.
like partners instead of lovers, although they have
sex regularly. Either she provides him with information,
or she goes back to prison. Outside of this
agreement, they can't seem to stand each other.
There is not much to like about Chance.
Although he is on the right side of the law, he is
ruthless and headstrong and has no concern for
anyone who gets in his way. He is not much different
from Masters, and they seem to understand
each other very well. Chance is so bent on catching
Masters he does not care if he breaks the law or if he
hurts or endangers fellow agents.
every cnaracier in me mm acts street tougn,
double-crossing each other and adding to a theme of
corruption. It is a rough and reprehensible theme,
which fails to leave the audience feeling good by the
film's climax.
There are plenty of chases, shootings and bloodsplattered
bodies.
There is one phenomenal 10-minute chase scene
that starts under a bridge and ends up going the
wrong way down the Los Angeles Freeway. This
white-knuckle ride is one of the best chase sequences
ever put on film. Other than that, the movie's supposed
visual style never exists.
very utue can oe saia tor trie acting, uaioe is the
best of the bunch, stealing the show as the nearpsychopathic
Masters. His rough face enhances his
interna! turmoil. Petersen holds his own as Chance,
but his character consists of little more than angry,
rugged middle-age looks. Pankow has a few good
moments as the troubled Vukovich. The rest of the
cast is forgettable.
To Live and Die in L.A. is a big disappointment.
It can be exciting, emotional and even surprising,
but those moments are few and far between. The
film is too busy focusing on sex and violence to
worry about credibility or quality. Therefore, To
Live and Die in L.A. is already dead.
rnnfc n
? Kamo sm
ieme From staff reports
WUSC-FM's first black-j
black-oriented radio production
t to a whining, 6 p.m. Wednesdays beginning t
However, Raul's "Upbeat" is designed as an
nspired by Peter informative voice for US(
ens the character. students, according to producer
be commended Fleming.
i fine production The show will consist of five f<
that shouldn't be segments covering issues of the
unity theater.
on runs through HAPPY
kets are available tlnrr ?
e 254 9732 THANKSGIVING
THIS WEEK S CATCH L
tegular Shrimp Dinner
'?d with French Frtet, Huth Puppie* and Cole Slaw
Special $3.99
Cmnlfl * QT I* vlmn ninnA?
# ? dPIIfl III!QF WII1IVI
red with French Friti, Hmh Pupplei and Cole Slaw tj
Sptclal $3.29 J
Expire* 11-30-85 I
1726 Broad River Rd. 1208 Knox Abbott Dr . I
Ph 798 3032 Cayce, Ph 798-1664
3200 Two Notch Rd.
Ph. 786 0180
^^FRE^ce<^e?^vittwnMUvltMJ8^f^| i Sj
J Phone ahead for quick carry out service. _ - - ; .
USC corned]
iy RONI BEA KAYNE
Spotlight editor
A Midsummer Night's Dream
oegins ana enas as a aream,
heating up with the entangled affairs
of young lovers in Athens.
The USC theater production of
Shakespeare's finest comedy
opened Friday at Drayton Hall,
incorporating a magical undertone
with the grace of dancing
fairies.
The play opens with a
mysterious aura. As the fog rises
toward the moon, dancers prance
across the stage, adding to the
grace and beauty of the
presentation.
Susan Anderson's
choreography is superb,
dominating much of the play and
uicaiuug iiuiu uic ui ct 111 ct ai
various points. The USC Dance
Company does a fine job, but at
the start the dancing may be too
much for a drama.
Once the dancing finally gives
way to storyline, however, the
plot unfolds rapidly. King
Theseus and Queen of the
Amazons, Hippolyta, sit in judgment,
deciding the fate of the
young Hermia.
Natalie Picow is not very convincing
as Hermia, pleading her
case before the royal family. She
lacks the emotional strength of a
woman who loves one man and is
forced to deal with two men falling
at her feet.
John Emerson is wonderful as
Demetrius, the rejected youth.
He seems to have mastered the
Elizabethan language, making up
for other characters' speaking
deficiencies.
The most outstanding
characters are Fuck and
Pyramus, played by Harold
Odom and Reid Davis, respectively.
Veteran actor and dancer
Harold Odom has a unique style.
As in most of his previous perfor
mances, Odom plays a
Nothing fum
By ROBERT O'CONNOR ~
Staff writer
A Funny Thing Happened on
Fnrum is the tvne of nlav that has t
for an early intermission and pray
Lavish musical arrangements, c
humor that hits you over the head
bimbos are all akin to theatrical
latest extravaganza directed by Be
Playing at Workshop Theatre th
tried and rarely true play is at
pleasing clunker. The ticket prices,
$10, make each laugh count, liter;
The large cast is headed by I
Quick as Pseudolus, a slave in ar
wants to procure his freedom. Ho
master, Hero (Weldon Home), {
JUV to voii
news and events, r<
produced, book reviews and In
will air at Fleming said the i:
his week. controversial theme
insightful, black student audiei
:'s black Black news will
Katherine national and campu
meetings, speakers
3ur-minute awards may be incc
day, black ment, Fleming said
T' HANKSG
Share the fe
Thanksgivi
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Maria Katibah and John Emorson star as
mysterious character with a unparalleled
wicked laugh.
Puck is instructed to play
Cupid, but he mismatches young
lovers and then must fix his
mistakes. The characters become
entangled in four plots and many
subplots, which confuse the audience
at times, but follow
Shakespeare's intentions.
Davis is extremely funny as
Pyramus, the lead character in a
performance for the royal family.
Unsatisfied with his part, he tries
to be every character but his own.
ny happens <
courtesan Philia l
add to his troublt
the Way to the 14 lengthy Steph
he viewer hoping father (Steve Sti
ing for the end. Philia himself,
lancing Romans, Other charactei
and scantily-clad sized cast. Lycus
bondage in this Hysterium (Gera
tte Herring. who evoke laughi
rough Dec. 8, the Hero's mother
:tually a crowd- seems to be the i
at an outrageous tress in the play,
illy. enough to rescue
he pleasant Jim
icient Rome who A funny thing
wever, he has his the forum, but
ilong with virgin Workshop Theat
ce black c
;ggae, black film and focus on c
/e interviews. South Afri
ssues of the day will be The "E
is of concern to the coverage o
ice. history of
explore international, formers an
is issues; USC parties, Other topic
, special events and Motown sc
>rporated into the seg- Each epi
I "I Inhpaf" also uuill
?, wuii a live;
IVING IS A TIME OFS
?elings and excitement of tk
tig card from American Cin
uIniversity|
BOOKSIOKE I
"Your Partner WEW In Education
? i
AMERICAN GREETINGS
ove, grace
hBP !
1 -
HHHH
l^HI
lovers in A Midsummer Might's Dream.
He initiates the play's humor as
he attempts to be a woman, a lion
and ultimately ends up an ass,
one of Puck's magical creations.
Under the direction of Richard
Jennings, assistant professor of
acting, the play, in itself, is a successful
interpretation of
Shakespeare's comic work.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
will run Dec. 3-7 at 8 p.m. and
Dec. 8 at 3 p.m. Tickets for the
production are $3.50 for
students, available through the
Longstreet Theatre box office.
it Forum
i
[Debra Hall), to contend with. To A
:s, Pseudolus has to wade through
icn Sondheim songs, and Hero's
ickland) has a few ideas about
rs add to the mayhem in this over(Randall
Browning) and the slave
Id Floyd) are the resident wimps,
ter through their weaknesses.
, Uomina (blena Martinez-Vidal),
nost interesting character and acbut
she never sticks around long
bored members of the audience.
may have happened on the way to
nothing funny is happening at
re.
oncerns
urrent events affecting blacks in
ca and other countries, she said.
ye On" segment will feature ^
f entertainment news, such as a
reggae including the chief perd
the music itself, Fleming said.
:s will include blues, jazz and the
)und, she said.
sode of "Upbeat" will wrap up
ly interview, Fleming said. j
HARING... I m
ye holiday with a
i>e tings.
, \\
Hop* you have a l \
Happy Thanfcagiving \ \
from tha time yon \ \
itutt your x?> \ \
bird... ( \ \ ^
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