The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 22, 1989, Page 4, Image 4
'Bent' at Ti
By TOMMY JOYNER
Assistant features editor
Bent, by Martin Sherman, opened at Trustus Theatre I
Friday with more than the usual controversy.
Bent is a play about homosexuality in World War 11
Nazi Germany. Apparently, some people took offense at
the volatile script and determined that the best way to express
themselves carefully and concisely would be to festoon
the warehouse theatre with swastikas during the
night.
While writing a letter to the editor of some widely read
newspaper would have served the purpose much more
directly, and undoubtedly our sweet vandals did consider
this option; but maybe being short on time or perhaps out
of stamps, they took the more underhanded route of
spray paint. Their opinionated action simply draws more
attention to exactly what they are attempting to. suppress
? a perfect example of the Last Temptation/Satanic
Verses syndrome.
Bring smelling salts
'The Fly IP
adventure in
By SCOTT PRUDEN
Staff writer
Come on, gang. You knew it was inevitable. A remake
of a cheesy 1950s horror flick turns out to be one of the
biggest things on celluloid for the late '80s, so why not
make a sequel to rake in even more bucks with even less of
a plot? Funny, but that's probably exactly what the studio
guys were thinking when they rubber-stamped The Fly //
and unleashed it on the unsuspecting public.
Presented for your consideration is a portrait of a
genetic mutant. The film opens with Seth Brundle's
girlfriend from The Fly giving birth to the child they procreated
during a fit of post-transportational lust. As
you'll remember, that particular transportation involved
a lil' bitty fly as well as Seth, and the befuddled computer
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than assembling them separately like it was supposed to.
Seth's little wrigglers were thusly transformed into little
buzzers, and the union of man and woman created
maggot.
Bartok Industries (the obligatory evil multinational corporation)
begins observing Martin the Brundle baby as he
. grows at a kudzu-like rate, reaching his twenties intellectually
and physically after only five years. Martin is then
introduced to his daddy's toys, the transporter pods, and
is given the task of figuring out how the darn things work,
since everything the company boys put through gets
pureed.
Enter Beth', the obligatory beautiful love interest, who
eventually makes a man (in a purely sexual sense) out of
the five-year-old Martin while also serving as his lab assistant.
The two work together to try to discover the secret
of the transporter pods and of Martin's rapidly developing
fly-itis.
And kids, that's about it for the plot department. Pretty
sparse at best, but what's lacking in plot, director Chris
Walas makes up for with spewipg innards. As make-up
designer for David Cronenberg's The Fly, Walas knows
how to sling the body fluid, and he doesn't have a bad eye
for the camera, but the script is devoid of anything so
frivilous as character development or emotion.
Not that The Fly II is particularly bad, but it manages
to completely prostitute the ideas and intentions behind
its predecessor. In The Fly, Cronenberg was exploring the
limits to which a person can love someone who is changing
into something unpleasant. It just so happened that
the certain someone was changing into a very big bug.
Parallels could be drawn with victims of Alzheimer's
disease, cancer or any other degenerative disease and Seth
Brundle's decline into fly-ness, giving the film's script a
bit of legitimacy.
The Fly II presents a much more cynical picture, focus
ing on revenge ana numan extortion ratner man emotional
bonds and strained relationships. Even the dark
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Trustus' Bent is a classic example of a weak-beginning /
strong-ending play. The first act does have its strong
moments, such as a light scene between Max and his Uncle
Freddie, played by Jerry Jewler, but over all the second
half is superior to the first.
The play stars George Hughes as Max, a free-wheeling
homosexual who becomes imprisoned at Dachau. Untold
multitudes of homosexuals were persecuted in concentration
camps during the rise and reign of Adolf Hitler.
The curtain opens on the interior of Max's and his lover
Rudy's apartment. Here the audience gets a glimpse first
of Max's whimsical lifestyle and then of the brutality of
the Gestapo, who bursts in mid-scene with guns and fast
just another
\ gross-outs
[ Movie Review
black humor of The Fly is missing save for one scene,
ironically featuring the only character held over from the
first film. Bitter and boozy, the former science magazine
editor complains to Martin and Beth about Seth Brundle
stealing his girl and melting his arm and leg with "fly
vomit." For those who have seen The Fly, this scene provides
a laugh and a welcome break from all the
melodrama.
Still another problem with The Fly II is the liberal (nay,
excessive) use of spectacular and bloody shock effects.
When it conies to gore effects, these folks play it to the
hilt. Not only do appendages go squish, they insist on exploding
or melting first. The make-up is admirable, but
only those with the strongest of stomachs will be able to
watch long enough to critique how realistic that exploding
head was.
The actors themselves do a fine job considering what
they have to work with. Eric Stoltz emerges from Mask to
don even more gruesome features for his performance as
the niave Martin. Stoltz doesn't do a bad job, but the
script makes his character seem much too with-it at the
age of five, even taking into account the fly baby's
superior intelligence. Daphne Zuniga, who was great in
The Sure Thing, merely serves as window dressing for The
Fly II. Little attempts to actually give her character some
depth don't work very well, and it's a shame to see such a
good actress go to waste just standing around looking
concerned.
(The Fly II is no great cinematic achievement, and it's
certainly not going to win any awards, but if you're looking
for something to make the babe grab your arm in terror,
this is the movie for you. Just remember, she might
also retch on your shirt in disgust. But then again, you
might too, so take the buddy barf bag and enjoy.
SUMMER
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tile, but go
disappearing German accents. The two soldiers, who play
a major, yet relatively silent part of the action, are equally
mean and nasty and therefore fitting in their roles.
Rudy, played by Bill Cooke, was whiney and basically
very flat. His attempt to portray a warm, lovable, personable
character left too much to the collective audience
imagination. Hughes rolls over Cooke's flatness,
however, and rides the first scenes out with his emotive
expressions.
Once on the way to Dachau, Max and the audience
meet Horst, played by Firdous Bamji. The rapport Bamji
and Hughes establish is the saving grace of Bent. Horst is a
Pink Triangle, as opposed to the Jewish Yellow Star,
which means he is earmarked by the S.S. as a homosexual.
Not wanting to be identified as a homosexual, Max
tells the authorities he is Jewish and thereby gains a yellow
star. The two befriend each other, work together and, of
course, become clandestine lovers.
The problem with Bent is relevance. The atrocities com<a
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Important handout
Jenny Huguley gives tickets to sophomore English n
major Karen Silverstein Tuesday for the USC basketba
Antique mall c
By KYM SMITH cluttered "antiqi
Staff writer of-junk" store.
Columbia has a new attraction for discouraged, for
those of us who are consumed with and varied treasi
an indescribable passion when the inside,
word "antique" slips into our ears. I This mall is c<
am referring to a new antique/art like booths displ
mall which is soon to be in full opera- collections. Man
tion at the corner of Blossom and intricate layers <
Gladston. glass, furniture ar
the articles are ?
The Thieves' Market is a creative just interesting ar
effort on the part of local antique, this earth,
art and craft dealers to introduce to
Columbia a mall that goes beyond Indeed, all whc
the mundane repetitiveness of the the unusual wil
"fashion" malls in the area. satisfied. There is
This new adventure in antique tion of teacups frc
hunting is located at 500 Gladston ed ones to daily si
Avenue. At first glance, the barn-like In addition to tf
structure appears to be just another tiques, there are b(
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mitted by the Third Reich are, though tragic and gross,
behind us, with very little chance of returning. And
though the play was more a love story than about World
War II, a play's value lies in making the audience think.
Bent is a diary-type account of Max's life. Staying home
and reading The Diary of Anne Frank would have served
the purpose just as completely, and the story line is better.
Bent runs tonight through Feb. 24th and March 1-4.
Call 254-9732 for reservations and information.
t v ^X^IPI
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JULIE BOUCHILLON/The Gamecock
lajor Ellyn Schwartz and junior interdisciplinary studies
ill game against The Citadel.
tffers diversion
ues-hidden-in-a-lot- new and creative works. You can also
But do not be find help and advice for interior
many a marvelous decorating,
ire is to be found
The most intriguing "newamposed
of room- antique" booth was a Kimono colleclaying
the dealers' tion. These Japanese robes are handy
booths consist of made from old material. Each one is
af china, pottery, different and a personal expression
id jewlery. Some of of the designer,
intiques, some are The Thieves' Market is still in the
id some are not of completion stages. It is open daily for
dealers to set up their displays, but all
are welcome to browse. After Easter,
) enjoy a hunt for the mall will be open Wednesday
1 be more than through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6
an amazing collec- P-m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 6
im delicately detail- p m- So after that last class, take a
toneware. walk down Blossom and lose yourselt
le collections of an- in an explosion of 19th and 20th cenaoths
which exhibit tury antiques.
JDENT GOVERNMENT
RUN-OFF ELECTION
IRSDAY, FEBRUARY 23,1989
,LS WILL BE OPEN 10:00 am - 6:00 pin
vote at the following locations according to your major.
Please present your valid I.D. card.
>ELL HOUSE - 2nd Floor Lobby
Continuing Education
Criminal Justice
Education
Health
Interdisciplinary Studies
Library and Information Science
Pharmacy
Science and Math
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NESS ADMINISTRATION - 1st Floor Lobby
Business Administration
nnn v \Iaaw Lntni Fill
i)i\Ll>L - ntfli - aiive
Honors College Baccalaureate
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Nursing
- Main Lobby
Engineering School
Law School
SEHM - Blossom Street Lobby
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CAL SCHOOL - Business Offi??
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UN-OFF ELECTION WILL BE HELD
FEBRUARY 2JJL282HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS CALL 777-2654