The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, December 04, 1992, Page 5, Image 5
fl
South Carolina wi
By SEAN MCGUINNESS
Staff Writer
"Between the years when the
oceans drank Atlantis and the rise
of the Sons of Aryas, there was an
you
age undreamed of. Hither came i|||| y(
Conan the Cimmerian?sword in
hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, ^^v^pfvT
with gigantic melancholies and
gigantic mirth to tread the jeweled
thrones of the earth beneath his
sandaled feet."
This quote tops almost every
beginning page of the comic
book, Conan the Barbarian. It is a
testament to the survival of a
swashbuckling icon of strength f^jT
and savagery who celebrates his
60th anniversary in the December
issue.
Writer Robert E. Howard submitted
his first Conan story to the
only minor changes if the idea sold Culkin is i
big the first time. vously aloi
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York movie, but ii
proves this theory. an arrogani
The movie, a sequel to 1990's trouble
Christmas hit, is a sloppily, maker. I,
retouched presentation of every sin- T w o|y
gle sight gag and dumb criminal scenes
joke the first movie contained. The where
only difference is Macaulay Culkin Culkin is "
was allowed to get to their airport supposed m
with his family before he boards 10 aPPear c<
the wrong plane and ends up in ^ ^ ProbI
New York City. " dren ana no
Of course, the gods of coinci- as Precocio
dence see to it that the two thieves widl his 1
Culkin thwarted in the last film just adldts and *
happen to escape from prison, just By the en
happen to go to New York, and 1 found myJ
just happen to pass Culkin on street Sieves woi
mere minutes after he arrives in the and Pour sor
Big Apple. Culkin's hea
As Culkin's character, Kevin, All of th
would say, "Ma'am, I don't think was amusin
so." while I coul
Culkin, apparently blessed by the my disbelief
Hollywood coincidence deities, got battered
avoids the two crooks and digs pnscu uiey
around in his backpack to discover energy to br
his father's credit cards and a large a 10-year-ol(
Professor to do
By WANDA M. JONES later decidt
Staff Writer Roosevelt.
USC history professor Ed "The hnj
Beardsley not only teaches history, thing t0 en'
but he also lives it. said. Beai
Beardsley will perform a 45 Holbrook's
minute monologue portraying Twain and
Franklin Roosevlet Sunday at 2:30 ming 01 tna
p.m. at the South Carolina State 11 wasn'i
Museum. California a
"Roosevelt" will present his a portrayal
views on America at the end of he could als
World War II. The program is h's sh
sponsored in conjunction with the tray Roose1
museum exhibit "The Palmetto modeled af
State Goes to War: South Carolina vacation re
and World War II." Ga. He will
Beardsley started his portrayal of w'll be in a
Teddy Roosevelt 10 years ago, and Beardsle}
science iicuon magazine wtiru > y
Tales in December 1932. His stories
only achieved success after
his suicide, which followed his
mother's death.
His short stoires and novels
were collected by writers L.
Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter Marvel Co
and sold in paperback form. ol brin^in
Conan's "history" birthed the book form
genre which came to be known as Thomas
"heroic fantasy" and left an ^s5
impression on the pulp novel ideas came
world as never seen before. nal Conan
In Oct. 1970, Marvel Comics other non-C
published the first Conan the ieft the coi
Barbarian comic book penciled Conan spin
by Barry Smith and written by hero titles.
South Carolina resident Roy ing for the
Thomas. issue 241,
"I was not a Conan fan, origi- Conan storii
nally," Thomas said. "I started to "We had
read a book and I never got past the Comb
the first chapter. Then I actually becuase it
read the novel and started the idea bloody com
'Home Alone
By CHRIS MULDROW envelope ft
Staff Writer than call 91
There's a theory that Hollywood dren are tau?
would keep turning out the same an upscale I
movie over and over again with Mastercharg<
Carolii
we
The Art Of
oajg
riter traces 60 year
\? f--THAT YOU ME
I COAMAf
/aJA 'Afi'lL-T&S^-'r/^l'iA J
P^j3^
mics has published Conan since 1970.
g Conan into comic got stabbed or their
' Thomas said. off, we usually c
said he wrote for the screen," Thomas said
iues. He said the story "Today's comic
from Howard's origi- more grittier and vi
books and from his can get away with mc
'onan stories. Thomas Conan fits the co
nic book to work on "noble savage," a ph
offs and other super- ated by thinkers
He has resumed writ- Thoreau and writers
: Conan comic since London, mis conce]
and also adapts older man is inherently
ss. nofoe. When he enl
a lot of trouble with tion and acquires ma
cs Code Authority sions, a man becoi
was such a violent, and eviL
ic. So when somebody Throughout the C
2' amusing, ]
ill of money. Rather f"
1 like most iitlle chil>ht,
Culkin checks into v. ? I
hotel and proceeds to V w
; like the wind. *
[io longer the cute, ner- , /"
le child of the first * "fgm
istead, he comes off ;ls joff
lOVIEREVEW Mf
"Home Alone 2" %
^ncerned and troubled 7
lems of orphaned chil- Joe Pesch Macaul;
meless people ends up way through New
us speeches, dripping who|e
m wiser than al you jyj ^ New ,
m only 10 altitude ,0?? as Culkin did is
u ui uie inovie, in iaci, ac^ j_je wenj jnto (
>ell quietly hoping the njght, for heaven's S?
ild drop a few bricks The main probl
ne flaming kerosene on movie, however, w
d. replaying of old joke
e cartoonish violence i See Culkin slap hi
g at first, but after a face and scream onct
dn't "willingly suspend f 11... slap my hands i
" anymore. The crooks scream,
to the point I was sur- The movie featur
could summon enough store that would ha
eathe, much less chase for Culkin's battle w
1 z'.\ over the city. but the writers chos
FDR impressi
;d to attempt Franklin to do his show at
Institute in New
mlse was to do some- College Honorary S
nance my teaching," he al meeting this sum
dsley had seen Hal Neb.
impersonation of Mark Beardsley gradu
Ihoughl doing some- Univefsily of wis
t nature might he fun. degree in chemical t
t until a University of ^ hjs career w0
,t Berkeley scientist did |jc= ,am ^
that Beardsley decided ^ ht, pninvs his
,0 do it. u u ..
ow, Beardsley will por- much bel,er'
velt in an elaborate set "It's a bit more 1
ter the late president's plastics," he said. "I
treat in Warm Springs, because of learning.
1 be in full costume and need for the und
wheelchair. American history *
/ has even been invited share that with youn
"ta!
ekend
Ho
' |TT*t *1 entl
/ By STEP]
K *??>
in Shnnoh
s of Conan history ?v
^ movies.
j [/" Conan expresses his distaste for Whitne
civilization and its alien customs. have beer
Even when he becomes king of much-fear
J Aquilonia, Conan enters civiliza- Syndromt
^ s tion on his own terms without actually
^ / becoming corrupt. beyond si
t 7 "Conan is a very heroic and performan
savage charcter who is easily occasiona
lures into fighting for right. He t ness.
? (/ ? still has an honor code despite The Be
JJl 4 his barbaric nature," Thomas script writ
said. who 1
Hfctx The Conan myth has generated would
a monthly title, two black-and- later pro
^ white magazines, two movies duce
// ^ starring Arnold Sharzenegger and such
a score of spinoffs and graphic notable
There are more than 20 paper- plays as t
backs on the market by other the actic
authors who adapt their own Strikes E
?^^SIEB!|bjr Conan stories. Howard's original Grand Ca
dwffiwPr Conan books have been printed Directo
into paperback volumes. Thomas tice to an
Say said Marvel Comics plans to sentinc a
* adapt more of the spinoff stories a(jver
in toe future. Kevin (
/ lu Ocf 1990, Marvel celebrat- between
ed the 20th anniversary of the masses (/
r?*v\ < /-* 1%/-v r\\r /-\r\nr\ Kn t <11 rl n ' t
cuiiiiv. uuun ^wuaii, uui uiuii i jq pleaSC
make much noise about it. Wolves' J
head lopped "The powers that be just don't The Be
Irew it off see it as an important a book," ,
Thomas said. "But I have no world 0f
s are much qualms saying that it's the best nalist
olent, so we comic out on the market." na1S
>re." As for the future of the Conan weaponr>
ncept of the comic, Thomas said he could start C
ilosophy ere- with more of a horror vein like H. f
like Henry P. Lovecraft's horror stories or over 00
such as Jack intergrate Conan into the story- son when
pt holds that lines of today's superheroes. 316 ^einS
good and "But I don't have any plans for t0 n?hce
:ers civiliza- that. We want to try to keep ^ay love
terial posses- Conan as trues to Howard's writ- grounds, t
mes corrupt ings as we can, yet still introduce viceable.
new and innovative ideas to the ^ ostnei
onan myths, readers," Thomas said. i?k 10 Pr
light has
4- positive a
uui icuuiiuaiii "'pn
musician;
* public fig
^ j ^ y o u
? ? Disney
ay Culkin and Daniel Sterm sleepwalk their ture, Alaa
York in 'Home Alone 2 Lost in New York.' movie, an
by the sa
incept of a kid go to some old house so they could vinced tl
fr\r\r etrAPtc qc Ha a1/1 hnnca iaI'AC
l v/iiv ijuvvvo uo uw v/i\j uvuov |v/avo. crrcatest
, hard to stom- The chance for originality was ^cme to
Central Park at available, but was ignored. animation
ike. The final verdict: if you didn't 1990s hur
em with the see Home Alone, you'll probably Aladdir
as the blatant enjoy the sequel just as much as t^e formi
;s and gags. If the original. But decide if you want cessors,
s hands to his to rent the first one or pay a king's kut ins'te?
1 move, I think ransom to go to the theater to exists as
to my face and watch the new one. perfect
If you saw the original, save expressioi
es a giant toy your money. They'll probably do Gf com:
ive been great Home Alone 3: Confused in imasinaith
the crooks, Canada next year, anyway. lion that
e to have him You won't be missing much. charming]
a niouslv ai
on at museum
tr\ matr*h
i \j i iiaivii
the Chautaqua " tion in tl
mer in Omaha, Lamp," \
ated from the * f k absorbing
consin with a Hk * f
engineering and understan
rking at a plas- ft ?| sort ot
lastics. But he f 1 X ^ oBP Chaplin,
job of teaching J f physical
. ... / i.JWL*. Willian
un than selling # siwffl&h,.*
enjoy teaching p Buckley,
l"peonle "Un ^ more wis!
c 1 Kelly Johnson/The Gamecock 3T1
Professor Ed Beardsley
L
us ton's debut film
srtaining love story
UIi'M RUHWM oc \i/?* 11 oc rocontmprf onH rwarcAnol
11 00 WWII CIO IWOVIIUUVliI OlIU [/VIOUIIOI
ir loneliness.
1 Blue Hawaii. Madonna When Houston's character
ai Surprise. begins to receive threatening mesy
has not set a pretty sages from a crazed groupie, her
>r popular singers who staff hires Costner to be her
er into the realm of omnipresent protector.
The two exchange standard
:y Houston, who could Hollywood greetings, fall in and
i the next, victim of the out of love, and discover the reaed
Pop Star Cross-Over sons why they have become scared
s, bucks the trend and of getting too close,
lifts The Bodyguard No references to the relationship
tandard action fare. Her being interracial are made, leaving
ce is central to the film's the movie with both a strength and
1 charm and distinctive- a weakness. While it lacks the confrontation
of realistic issues, it is a
)dyguard was the first landmark for Houston that she
ten by Lawrence Kasdan, plays a woman whose character is
rTTTTTTr^Tr^wrrm not kullt on stere?tyPes> but on
V10 VIL R L VIEW KaSdan S writing 311(1 her fine
"The Bodyguard" 11 is not necessarily a black role,
a but Houston definitely has the
F sassiness and charisma the character
deserves.
he sentimental Big Chill, -p^e actjon 0f the film is set in
>n-packed The Empire concerts, at a wilderness hideaway,
lack, and the profound at ^7^ Academy Awards
ny?n- ceremony. Houston, whose characr
Mick Jackson does jus- ter js paradoxically nominated for
engaging screenplay, pre- an Oscar in the fictional film
stylish and unusual love "Queen of the Night," finds herself
iture story. jn danger in front of billions of
I!ostner seems to alternate viewers and must rely on Costner's
movies to please the protection in a particularly gripping
lobin Hood) and movies sequence,
the critics (Dances With Houston's music does not domi
FK). nate the movie, but her vocal inter^dyguard
is a bittersweet ludes, including the remake hit "I
' built into die high-tech Will Always Love You," are well
superstardom where jour- placed and parallel the story,
aparazzi and assassin Overall, The Bodyguard is
blend to accentuate the enjoyable. It begins to lag in the
elebrity. final 30 minutes, and occasional
gh it probably will be plot devices are tossed in for unexd
by critics during a sea- plained reasons,
bigger and better movies The film is notable for
released, one cannot fail Houston's debut and well-filmed
the need for a good holi- action scenes. The love story is not
: story. And on those heavily developed, but there are
his film is more than ser- still many strengths in this unusual
screenplay. I am very glad that
plays a cold man whose Kasdan's script, more than 10
otect people in the spot- years old, has finally been filmed,
desensitized him to the Fans of his work will not be
spects of human compan- overwhelmed by anything proHouston
is (surprise!) a foun(j in The Bodyguard, for it is
'actress whose life as a characteristic of standard 1980s
ure has inspired adoration filmmaking.
) C A 1 11' 1 '
ney s maaain is
ific modern comedy
HEN BROWN tied his schizophrenic personality
5r and opened up new realms of comwant
an Oscar-caliber e^y each time he is summoned for
-style instant-classic ani- sequences of anachronistic ecstasy,
ature, you will have to The music by Alan Menken and
Little Mermaid or Beauty the late Howard Ashman, such a
Beast again. Disney's highlight of recent Disney films, is
I of perfection struck not up to the standards set by
1 twice only. Beauty and Mermaid, but it certain's
newest animated fea- ly is appropriate to Aladdin's storyklin,
is a different type of line.
id it should not be judged ^ea Salonga, the Tony-winning
me standards. I am con- actress from Broadway's Miss
lat Aladdin is Disney s Saigon, lends her youthful voice to
comic achievement, a prjncess Jasmine in the musical
be savored lor its lush highlight, "A Whole New World,"
and its modern sense ot a song sung on a magjc carpet ride
nor- around the globe. Not since
i does not try to duplicate Superman and Lois Lane first took
llfl Of itS naSt tWO nrede- _ r-.i r..n..
r a lumaiiuc iiigiu uiu a nun su luiiy
its audience up into the great
-MOVE REV EWunknown
mv/ t it. i ib. * ! animation is hip and groovy
B "Aladdin" as if it were drawn during an
lc Arabian acid trip, almost like
Fantasia with a decent plot.
is The villain Jafar is a chilling,
ly orchestrated and inge- shadowy figure accompanied by
limated. Iago, his hilarious parrot cronie
has finally found a voice with a sarcastic retort for every
its colorful, vivid anima- occasion.
le actor/comedian Robin Aladdin is a street-wise hero
>. As the genie in this who never crosses the fine Disney
"Aladdin and His Magic boundary into cheesiness. He is a
Villiams lends his manic likable amalgam of Tom Cruise,
iveness to a zany and Ralph Macchio and Michael J.
work ot pure fantasy. rox. He is cocky, cunning ana
jmor is fast paced and courageous, and he grows into a
dable by all ages. He is a stronger character as the movie
modern-day Charlie progresses,
delighting in the simplest Princess Jasmine is a woman
humor to make a com- who knows what she wants and
>f a larger scope. . cares deeply about honesty and
as impersonates everyone equality.
: Nicholson to William F. Disney movies are truly magical
poking tun of Disney experiences. Aladdin is pure
lising, and puts to rest the escapism for the 1990s, a perfect
at a person can wish for vehicle for the talent of Robin
ties. Williams, and the product of a film
imators have literally bot- lover's most imaginative wishes.