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Review 'Dancer' a By PATRICK JEAN Assistant Spotlight editor The well-known black comedian destroys bottles and belong ings in his cluttered living room. He rambles through his fireplace for cocaine, finds some and places it next to a lighter. The next scene shows his badly burned body being rushed into a hospital emergency room. Sound familiar? Yes, it' Richard Pryor. However, he's only playing a role in the comedydrama "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling." The film is a funny, personal and riveting portrait of an entertainer. Pryor has insisted this film is Village City fl Five $ 1 ALBUMSIT APES) ACCESSORIES on n i ou. rapa jan 95 Peaches ALTERATIONS 69. Elegance Unlimited ANTIQUES 64. Ali's Antiques 78 Ali's Alley 79. Aiken's Americana Antiques ART SUPPLIES 50. Dutch Door AUOIO COMPONENTS! ACCESSORIES 96 Radio Shack AUDIO/VISUAL EQUIPMENT 37 Jackson Camera 76 Palmetto Pictures 96 Radio Shack AUTOMOTIVE SERVICESISUPPLIES 41 Kenny's Auto Supply 59. Enon Gas Station BACKPACKINGICAMPINGICANOES 1 The Backpacker tSS i? ?I [yu 16 15^ + {&>. Up-SOMEyy / / BRIDAL & WEDDING ACCES 81 Gibson s On Saluda 36 Papers 55 Sharpe's CAMERASl ACCESSORIES 76 Palmetto Pictures 37 Jackson Camera CARDSfSTATIONERYIPARTY 81. Gibson's on Saluda 36 Papers 83 Joyful Alternative 56 Sharpe's Hallmark 58 Ashley's 97 Tons 0' Toys CLEANERS 69 Master Dry Cleaners COMEDY CLUBS 23 The Punchline COMPUTERS 96 Radio Shack Computer Si DRUG STORES 3. Eckcrd's 98 Revco EATERIES 52 Goalfeathers EXERCISE STORESIEQUIPMENT 9 Strictly Running 8 Cyclist FLORISTIFLORAl SUPPLIES 45 The Blossom Shop FRAME SHOPS 35 Frameland GAS STATIONS 59 fuon 19 7 Eleven 94 Fill em F>-st GIFTS 36. Papers 34 House ol Glass 78 All's Alley m LiiDson s un saiuda 58 Ashley's GROCERY STORES 99 Food lion HAIRSTYIING 61 Command Perlotmance 40. Hair Designs 54 Carolina Barber Shop 15 Hair Performers 87 Papilion (in Place on the Green) 25 King's Row 4 Larry Marshall HEARING AIDS 28 Keaton's Hearing Aid Center realistic vie not autobiographical. Everything in the film, however, is strongly related to his own past experiences. It's not all pretty or flinni/ Kilt it a n > ?'! iisiiujr, isui ii uuti Altaic a viviu charactcr who gains popularity and loses self-esteem. As Dancer's burned, bloodied body lies on a hospital bed, his soul separates from him. He looks down on his critically injured self and begins a trip into the past, hoping to find something to give him the will to live. Dancer goes back four decades to his early childhood, in a family-owned brothel in a small black Ohio town. His parents, 'IP* Jri\ flavor. ? ? lair. - !e ?N| Points. r-~cvj BANKING co 67. South Carolina National 14. C&S BEER & WINE % 62. The Gourmet Shop 65. That Place 31. D. Xanthakis ABC Store BICYCLES ? E 8. Cyclist a/, ions u toys 7. Outjpokin' , BOOKS I ^ 83. Joyful Alternative 32. Volume I 1 o BRASS STORES j ** 20 Baldwin Brass Center 82. Heritage House 30. Hiller Hardware BREAKFAST RESTAURANTS 5. Frank's Ho! Dogs I ! I ' /CONDOMINIUMS / 89. Place on the Green / 87 Plaza Centre / OANCE STUDIOS 57 Columbia Ballet School 16 Fred Astaire Oance Studio OELICATESSENS 84. Sub Station II f 18 Subway SORIES 33. Groucho's DIME STORES 1 ^ 38. Oodd's DINNER RESTAURANTS j- , 18. Subway 'jl 10. Parthenon Pi//a 12. China Garden GOODS 84 Substation II 43 Monterrey Jacks r~? 44. Yesterday's j 33 Groucho's . 2 93. The Villa | 21. Swiss Chalet 22. Pug s oj 68 Piz/a Inn 1 88 Andy's Deli 80. Timothy's 49 Bones 48 The Loft lore 13 0 Liles *?aqr 3 ?M HOME VIDEO EQUIPMENTI VIDEO TAPES 76 Palmetto Pictures 91 Video library ICE CREAM SHOPS 74 Adnana's Gelatena r 85 Shannon's Ice Cream 33 Groucho's 53. Rossini's INTERIOR/EXTERIOR DECORATING 71 Agnes Macauley 78 All's Alley 39 Eilenors JEWELRY 77 A A Harrell 69 Oeia Vu (in Shandon's Alley) 70. Guamundson and Buyck ' 76 Sylvan and OuBose 83 Joyful Alternative 72 Rita's House of Fashions 29 Happy Oashery i KITCHEN ACCESSORIES 81 Gibson's On Saluda 34 House ol Glass p 30 Hilltr Hardware j ' 82 Hentaae House '? t)OWlJ \ w of self-d portrayed by Scoey Mitchlll and Diahnne Abbott, are too trapped in their existence to pay proper attention, only nis grandmother, played by Carmen McRae, understands and cares for him as he would like. As a young adult, he leaves his temperamental father and timid wife to become a stand-up comic in Cleveland. The bar owner who promised him a job throws him out, however, and he struggles to make a living shining shoes. The bar's exotic strip dancer, Satin Doll (Paula Kelly), befriends him and lands him the opportunity to do his routine. Dancer's first routine is a suere Point ir?r <* ~^ -,1 f'k .f " ' -?i!S?!M,H4?sj ' ^ 'v'5'- ifi ? ? *i-U t B m i . (P I I?ft j a~! ~ P $ ^ if ? r-f - H ? ! = i $ o ^ m ^ p?;t .*?'? 1 - ^ X A. ^i.%'- rrpr>^ ^ j:- ? Ml ? If ^ / i "3-* ^ ^ m ? tf ? ^ \ , 8:1 |," j 1 &: 38 -4ot \ f //A ? w\ l.'.. ^ I / ,4<^ V ^ B^ & ' \ tf> * < %$ ,'d < h *\:<J ? t f ?;:n?' & U Ok. "4. _ fl w J <oN * i a: V" ' / -I?i /*/// r^//? .?? ^/ <y <i _ / TT ? / t 0 5^ K . ft 5 \ |^a \ I la s? ?neam ~~n n~=r? %*> ?|. !j J ' & : ' gfc . 1*8. . ' , ? . -^*??^.7' I I ,3 | a f(: _ J' - ^ <^i j - J\ M*i 94 -IT P JiL fiJll estruction 11,33, ctiiu Hid caiwvi is iaunwiivu. His imitation of Doll's strip routine, complete with G-string, is an absolute howl. But after a run-in with the bar's Italian mob managers, he is forced to flee west. In between flashbacks, Dancer's soul checks back with his body, completely entombed in bandages. He looks at the monitors and life-support systems and tells him to recover because "this is expensive." While seeing his mother, who ran out on the family, he asks, "Do you ever forgive her, Jo Jo?" The eyes peer through the bandages but don't respond. s Wish, ^)\ 47 ;A/i 7&iy ' fi $ y " 86 wT.,ii:.!.,...,)W).ljpy.iyi l? *?Tr*wii'n EST H?\nk I 89 II". MUFFLERS/TRAILER HITCHES 41. Kenny's Auto Supplies MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 60. Pecknel Music Store OFFICE SUPPLIES 73. five Points Office Supply Company, Inc. PAINTINGS 47. Portfolio Art Gallery 9 35. Frameland 95 PINBALL & VIDEO GAMES 5. Frank's Ho! f)nai I PIZZA DELIVERY " 96 66 Spwdy Rsedy's PUBS/LOUNGES 43 Monterrey Jack's 6. Group Therapy 97 44 Yesterday's 11. Lillls Oscar's SEWING MACHINESfVACUUI 2. While Sewing Center Cx#WtJ 99 Jo Jo Dancer (Richard Pryor) kicks off h A fast-talking, sleazy social climbcr named Cliff (Wings Hauser) convinces Dancer and his second wife to come to a party. It is there that he is introduced >s USC ' V\. \ ?-N \ V ? \V> \ y ^:\ A ^ /iir / 6 6\ L/C?nl fy^f $ LUNCH RESTAURANTS 84. Sub Station II 10. Paithenon 18. Subway 12. China Garden 43. Monterrey Jack's 5. Frank's Hot Dogs 13. D'lites 80. Timothy's 93 The Villa 44 Yesterday s 33 Groucho's 62. The Gourmet Shop 21 Swiss Chalet 22. Pug's 68. Pu/a Inn 88. Andy's Deli MATERNITY 75 lady Madonna Maternity Boutique MENS CLOTHING j 51 Benetton's Ii. me oecupacKe' , 83. Joyful Alternative }55 Sharpe's yhn 24. Floyd Matthews l?/r?V u*e } SHOE REPAIRS 46. Gerald's Shoe Shop TELEPHONES) ACCESSORIES 96. Radio Shack TOYS & GAMES 97. Tons 0' Toys 38 Oodd'i TRAVEL AGENCIES 92. Travel Masters WEDDING GOWNS & TUXEDOS 55. Sharpe's WOMEN'S CLOTHING 51. Benetton's 83. Joyful Alternative 82 Heritage House 72. Rita's House of Fashions 29. The Happy Dashery 55 Sharpe's 1. The Backpacker KS TUUUHI 42. This Country's Beit Yogurt |i|L is comedy career in a small nightclub to the demons that nearly destroy him ? free-flowing booze, cocaine and sex. See 'Dancer,' page 9 TT T' Happy ! * T v SL > \' i: ? ^ -a i 3 I i U A