The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, July 19, 1989, Page 3, Image 3
"Shag ?The Movie
Film cap By
CAREN CAMPBELL
Features editor
It was the best of times; it was the worst of
times. It was 1963.
In Spartanburg, S.C., it was the final chance
for four young women to enjoy one last wild fling
together before being split apart by college
and marriage.
Shag ?The Movie is a comedy based on that
weekend of fun, surf and love starring Phoebe
Cates, Scott Coffey, Bridget Fonda, Annabeth
Gish, Page Hannah and Robert Rusler.
The Summer nf 'fit was a time of transition in
America.
Getting ready to let go of their last bits of innocence,
America's youth had just survived the
Cuban Missile Crisis and John F. Kennedy was
still president.
Little did they know what lie ahead of them.
"The American youth hadn't really felt the
disillusionment with the previous generation
and yet the '50s were over," said actor Scott
C offey who plays the part of Chip in the movie.
"It was a pivotal year in the '60s, and the
characters sort of metaphor that in a way," he
said. "They're really changing, and they start to
talk about different things. In particular,
Robert's character starts talking about free
love, changes in the generation and the questioning
of values."
The movie, named after the 25-year-old S.C.
dance phenomenon, begins when the three girls
kidnap Phoebe's character because she is about
to be married. "They take her away to the
beach on the pretense of going to Charleston to
Retiree ac
for summ<
More than 40 years after he attend- youngesi
ed USC, Paul McMahon is back tended 5:
starring in three plays this summer. and got
With his snowy beard and gentle there as
wit, McMahon is charming au- dressed
diences as churchgoer Jonas church
Mabray in "The Moving of Lilla audience
Barton" and Dr. John Buchanon, In the
an elderly doctar in "Summer and first chi]
Smoke." McMahon is equally at Theatre
ease changing his Southern accent istenca.
to Jewish an<l his gentle nature to a hoped tc
garrulous oj$e asyi 98-year-old ar- , "But t
tist in "Social Se&tfjty." major r
Although the lasMime McMahon tenors ai
did suifmer theater \|as iback i# always a
1952, f|e active 68-ypar-old ha| World
managed to fearn three roles a| McMahc
once, attend rehearsals apd pejf from 194
form sho% nearly every day jit bombing
Longstreet Theatre, just as though was shot
he'd been in |he businessTor years. was cart<
"I feel great. " McMahon said. Uife fi
"People who retire and do nothing, and frig
why, they're just missing oppor- coped b>
tunity for additional life. I'ft tell liked to
you my secret: I walk a lot, I dd|'t guards b
have a remote-controlled TV, aftd top of h
I'll never walk by a penny without .petr to\f
reaching down to pick it up. Yo|| but notfr
just have to stay in motion." Afte^
Since taking up his theat^ channel 1
career, McMahon has had a set%, enrolled...;
back or two such as a huge tree fall- ^^?ice l|p
ing and crushing his car in June. j^ecTti
The prize car, a 1978 Mercury at the i
Cougar with only 7,000 miles on it, Theatre*^
meant a great deal to him. "I was by top te
just devastated, but you have to of Music
block that stuff out," he said. "I Then i
couldn't afford to dwell on that mont sun
with three plays to learn." and at C
McMahon is a survivor. He lived After se
through World War II bombing needed n
missions and imprisonment in a so he beg
German POW camp. He's traveled conventi
the world by working for the Spanish
airlines and tourism industry. He the lounj
took time off to backpack around said.
Europe. Now, he has come home. Always
Born in Columbia where the left the a
Roost now stands, he was the Services
1
?@(|
OUR 1/4-LB. ALL-BEEF HOT DOG
^ MUSTARD, ONIONS AND OUR DE
^ RECIPE CHILI!!
yj A
14
I'"
I -each with coupoi
I -limit 1 par coopo
| SSS3US,
i" opens
tures era o
%
look at the colonial homes, and they sort of
have a last wild weekend together before she
gets married," Coffey said.
The characters in the movie are uncategorizable,
but this only lends to the film
because you can't really categorize anyone in
real life, he said.
Instead of a bunch of wisecracking kids
regurgitating one-liners, the movie has a bunch
of real kids you can get to know and maybe see
a little of yourself in.
"The story is propelled through character,"
Coffey said.
Coffey's character, Chip, grew up in Myrtle
Beach, and it's his last weekend before he goes
to the Naval Academy. He wants to meet a girl
and fall in love. He meets one, but he doesn't
really know how to deal with her because he has
never been in love before. So he pretends he
doesn't like her at all and it kind of backfires.
But, how does an '80s kind of guy play a '60s
kind of kid?
"I did a lot of research. I read a lot Life
magazines from 1963 and '64 to see what was
going on politically and what was happening. I
also listened to a lot of music and saw a lot of
films," Coffey said.
The film cuts back and forth between six different
story lines, and all of the characters'
friendships are tested during the movie, Coffey
said.
Choreographer Kenny Ortega of "Dirty Dancing,"
"Salsa" and "Xanadu" fame blended
two shag styles and added his own dramatic
touches for the movie.
its tin
J.
t son of eight boys. He atit.
Peter's Catholic School
his first acting experience
an altar boy. "I had to get
up and go on stage. The I
members were my first H
1920s, he was among the
Idren to act at the Town
in its first decade of exHe
took voice lessons and
? be an opera singer.
:hen 1 realized most of the Br , ^
omantic roles were for ? i?:
id, alas, I was a baritone, w W
baritone," he said. f f
War II came along, and
>n served in the Air Force ^ * J
11-1945. He was on his last 'K.*,
mission when his plane *
down in Germany, and he *M
:d off to a prison camp,
i' the caj$p was difficult
;htening,J| but McMahon |^H
r forming a glee club. He
antagonize the German fflmF
iy singing *.tpixie" at the W
is fungs. "i%ey stayed in *
er and pointed |uns at me,
ing happened.'!
war, hejflecided to
lis energy in#theater and
at USC, where he took
raiis fifir a ?year. He then
o New Yqf k and enrolled
lewly formed American Columbia resident P
Ving, where he was taught
achers from the Academy booked meetings
and the Juilliard School. These weren't ore
t was off to act: in Ver- one of the assignn
lmer stock, on cruise ships conference fo
olumbia's Town Theatre. engineers had M<
iveral vears. McMahon in a diving bell in
lore gainful employment, between Tasmani,
an promoting tourism and Australia,
ions for British and In 1985, he re
airlines. "My office was home to Columl
>e of a 707," McMahon wasn't the best. 1
and walked with a
; one to seek variety, he his friend, Ann
irlines to work for Ebasco teaches in the
in New York, were he department.
(?' : i fi
mi I
7 | If
; TOPPED WITH W g
LICIOUS SECRET A K Hvl
9g MON. WEDl
W g n/?S. <5
p Call toe
I * *
Y0??*? K f?5WJ5,
T^yvAvr^ ?voooooooo(
fchange
"The film climaxes at a dance competition,
and I enter with Pudge," Coffey said." With a
lot of different camera angles, it looks like we
can dance."
Coffey, who claims he is not a dancer, said fg
practicing six hours a day five days a week was a
lot of work, but it was fun too.
The filmmakers filmed entirely on location in
and around Myrtle Beach and because the shag
is still as popular as it ever was with national
competitions and everything, they didn't have
to teach any of the extras how to shag.
Shooting on location was like living on Venus ^
for Coffey who had to endure one of those
sweltering Myrtle Beach summers along with
the rest of the cast. "Obviously, we were in
Myrtle Beach in the summer, so it helped our
work a little bit," he said looking on the bright
side.
Coffey, who filmed "Satisfaction" in
Charleston, has had a lot of exposure to South
Carolina, and he said he has gained a lot from g;
it. "Just being here is a great experience. 1 feel p
like I really know what living in the South is ||
like."
Strangely enough, the cast consists of a unique
bunch of second generation stars: Bridget
Fonda is the daughter of Peter and niece of '
Jane; Page Hannah's sister is Darryl; Carrie
Hamilton is Carol Burnett's daughter; Phoebe
Cate's father is producer Joseph; and in the role
of Cate's fiance, Tyrone Power Jr.'s relation is
self explanatory. <
"Shag?The Movie" opens July 21. si
||||^
"jmI
%tl!^ i
vSKL?
'lyi^^HH
I y jpi jSK ifmr
B i!f
aul McMahon stars in three USC plays this summer.
LMisa^^iiKUUii^^^J
_ _ wctlUCU 10
iinary meetings; theater classes at USC and aud
lents to set up a for plays. After a while, the
r underwater disappeared. "Paul looks woi
:Mahon floating ful now," Dreher said. "H<
the Bass Straits, delight to work with; alway
a and southern terested, always wanting to
something new."
tired and came
aia. His health He plans to audit more th
He seemed tired classes in the fall, and th
cane, remembers always an audition for a new ]
Dreher, who "1 can't think of anything els
USC theater rather be doing. I feel better
I've felt in a long time."
i
.AT
OKE??? #
WThTT
first time donor, earn
with this coupon.
and Plasma Center
1620 Gervais Street
Appointments
I & THURS. 7am-4pm
available but
5 FRI. 8:30am-6pm not necessary
iay for information 2 ^4~2 2 SC>
$$$$$$$S$S$SiSSSSSS5fSSSSSSSSS?t$S$S$^^
This Coupon is Worth S
5$20.00 DOLLARSSS
~ for first time donors i
ycott Coffey stars as Chip, and Annabeth Gish play
ummer movie Shag, set in Myrtle Beach.
I Program e:
mysteries c
From staff reports
Gifted high school students will
r spend two weeks exploring the realm
of the human mind.
Models of the Mind is a challenging
USC summer program sponsored
by South Carolina College from July
P* a 9-22, said Jim Stiver who is the acting
J associate master of South Carolina
college.
S00m "This is our second year of the
I program, but this is the first residential
camp we've had," Stiver said.'.
"These kids just never want to
sleep!" he said, acknowledging the
fact that it is definitely a challenge
planning the kids' evenings as well as
their days.
The interdisciplinary program
focuses on the fundamental theme
that the mind is a marvelous and
mysterious phenomenon that has
been the subject of extensive study
throughout the ages.
After an introduction to the
various capacities and historical
philosophies of the mind, students
will then be introduced to the basic
principle underlying the program
through models which attempt to explain
the nature of the mind.
There are seven models used which
focus on the interrelated topics of artificial
intelligence, theology,
neuroanatomy, cognitive science,
behavioral psychology,
psychoanalytic theory and
take Philosophy.
lition Each presentation involves the
cane students in hands-on activites such as
lcjer demonstrations or experiments.
?>s In the mornings, students hear
" university faculty in medicine,
s in- ... .Iearn
science and the humanities discuss
theories about what the mind is and
* some of the amazing products of the
eater mind.
ere's Then after lunch, they spend two
Play.
e I'd
than
"'1 I
3 V I S I ON C
Bring this ad to H. Rubin Vision Centei
values for U.S.C. students and faculi
f| 3 July 31, 1989.
^ ? PAIR
Ij PAIR FREE* I ^ 1
3) Bring this coupon by H Rubin's 1338 1
Main Street location and when you buy
o< a complete pair of glasses choose your
o< second pair from the 1989 fashion
collection free *
H $119 DAILY OR EX
?j BAUSCH &
gj SOFT CONTAC1
gj What a price to write home about1 This special off
gj and follow up visits Tinted, astigmatic and bifoca
\ cS Rubin do it'
I g S15 OFF ALL SI
t: ''.ii C-.iirt'i-i H Hubili s yot t
c?0 i jIv 51 1H8y for $15 otf you
Eye Exams Are Performed
gj 1338 Main Streel
I t,, i uiitrii ts 111 glasses will inr.iii >i slight additional chaiyi
Ot I Mid these s|)t!cial offeis are gaud only at the 1338 Main
(I II I.-'j I lull are mil good with any uthei iiiiinintiuiial offer
S I ? I i m "
M m #
BP*** iB 1
Fa pp^ JP
/ nc i>non>
s Pudge in (he climactic scene of the
xnkffes
JL
)f mind
hours a day at the Center for
Machine Intelligence at the Swearingen
Engineering Center where they
will learn a computer language of artificial
intelligence and create computerized
models of the mind.
Stiver said one of the things
students are having trouble with is
that various faculty members'
theories on the mind often contradict
one another. "There are more
answers than you can shake a stick
at." . ,?
Students also get a taste of the
cultural diversity in Columbia by
visiting the State Museum, Riverbanks
Zoo, the Koger Center for the
Arts, Longstreet Theatre, the Congaree
Swamp National Monument
and several other places.
This year's program is being funded
in part by E.A. "Perk" Bailey,
operator of the South Carolina
Bookstore. Bailey, who was born and
raised in Alabama, got his start when
he worked at a bookstore at Georgia
State.
He has been in Columbia since
1961 when he opened a small book
exchange that pioneered the way for
tut sait ui uscu uuuKb ai ^aruiina.
Although he did not attend I 'SC
he is completely involved. "About 12
years ago they made me an honorary
alumnus and I was very proud,"
Perk said
All three of his children have
atended USC, one of which
graduated from the honors college.
Bailey also funds a Carolina Scholar,
and he said is grateful to be able to
do so. He considers SCC to be "one
of the greatest things to happen in
this state in a long time."
An awards ceremony will take
place on July 22 and students will
receive plaques to commemorate
their completion of the program.
if? 1
ENTER
's Main Street location for special
ty. But hurry, these offers expire
-
IF
TENDED
LOMB
r LENSES*
er includes contact lens, eye examination
I lens are slightly higher How can H.
JNGLASSES |
in ill Come to 1338 Main Street be tore
ir new pair ot sunglasses
By Dr Mark Taylor
7nn onon
133-LUCU
on lenses Bifocals and othei special piesciiptmns I
: Ihis ad must be presented at the time of puchase I
Street location These offers expire July 31 '989 I