Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The Game Friday, March 5,1999 Critics sa _j lights, [ : Camera, : Reaction f " i n i I Out of four stars Private investigator Tom Welles (Nicolas Cage), sent to investigate a porno- KM graphic snuff film, becomes involved in a seedy underworld, guided by Max (Joaquin Phoenix), an adult bookstore Kg clerk. Jl * Starring Cage, Phoenix, James Gan- fl dolfini, Peter Stormare, Catherine Keen- fl er and Myra Carter. Written by An- vj drew Kevin Walker. Directed by Joel Schumacher. by Kevin Langston Gamecock Critic Nice This movie took the viewer to the dete dark side of the porno industry. First, I was shocked to learn that even porno was' had standards and actually considered "iac something taboo. Second, I was a bit rer skeptical of the finished product direc- P tor Joel Schumacher and writer Andrew Kevin Walker would create. y^as' I walked into the theater expecting Jrc a valiant crime story with a twisted e, u plot, as only Walker can deliver. I had ^.0 seen his masterpiece, "Seven," and 1S expected nothing short of brilliance. I w at* New CDs fn if: Cr albi Sound j - , Advice J rf ers 1 and Ont of toor stars que WW* w by Marcus Amaker moi Gamecock Critic SOIlj VOC Silers Bald "Stj Nothing Else Beside 1/2 ing SOU] Silers Bald Baz already had a bass reputation around town for their eclec- the tic and moving live shows. Climbing 1 helped to broaden their fan base, while Spii giving the band some recognition in the shii press. Soon after climbing came a live js c album, Live at the Town Theatre, which ate. captured all that is good about a Silers Bald show. Gre Now comes their new album, Nothing Else Beside. The 10 tracks on this CD continue the mood set on their first album and have the same appeal that sjv made climbing well known within the m0? Christian community. gajj Seconds7^ i xL-MI good thriller for the VCR by Chris Wchter The Richter Scale John Frankenheimer seems to suf- beg fer from filmmaking bipolar disorder: bud When he's good, he's very good, but lem when he's bad, he's awful yea On the one hand, he directed the w^( 1962 masterpiece "The Manchurian Candidate" and the recent white-knuekk actioner "Konin." On the other hand, he has the distinction of directing the re 1996 bomb ''The Island of Dr. More- ^ au." Despite the inconsistency on the inci big screen, he has been successful on Aft the small screen, winning three Em- go i my awards. The video pick this week is Frankenheimer's 1966 film, "Seconds," hig a psychological thriller in the truest new sense of the genre. John Randolph plays . , Arthur Hamilton, a middle-aged banker / who has lost bis passion for everything f1 in life, from his marriage to his job. He ^ J woe ei iceek We y 'Eight j llP 3^?- * 2 ^i* <r^H ilas Cage (left) and Joaquin Phoenix si ictive swept into the bizarre subculture c however, a bit worried with Schu- sight i tier's interpretation. This is, might vestig nind you, the guy who put the nip- Th on the bat suit. throu^ had high expectations, and this ing wl perhaps, the reason I was let down, upon t ilas Cage failed to deliver a pow- little ] 1 role as the private investigator Schur was delving into the depths of smut, recrej more memorable moments were M; :hing him shuffle and cringe at the the in om two loc Nothing Else Beside is a calming 1m that features mid-tempo rocklike "Got Me Smiling," the title track I "Slow Me Down," and thought-proing ballads like "Home" and "Masrade." Singer and guitarist Warren Baze- MMH ... ?. i L?' l e sings lead on the majonty ot the I ||pj ?s, with Holly Anderson adding her al talents to the tracks "Home," local c irry Host" and "Hymn." Alternat- ifest 1 lead singers has made many albums H rid uneven, but Silers Bald balances strate emore and Anderson's talents sim- writir to Fleetwood Mac's use of Stevie with ] ks and Lindsey Buckingham. fessio Each of the band members had a D< id in putting the songs together, ented sist and pianist Laura Story wrote disap i of the songs that Anderson sings ^ve- J while guitarist Shane Williams, perfoi sist Alan Read and Bazemore share ft-1' so writing credits on the other tracks, niore. The result is an impressive disc of 0' itual music that ultimately out- "thirt les climbing. Nothing Else Beside whict hristian music at its most passion- sm?e Meig: with tchen Meigs ow 'nchanted 1/2 ^ effort Another local act with an impres- nse'' ! live show is Gretchen Meigs. Her ?ai^ >tly all-acoustic performances are , , A.x- m i herb uiiK a reputation in coneenouses _ _ ?}p! \ pj^L J alap asbp eobai ms to get calls from an old college * Idy named Charlie. The only prob- 6 f31 t is that Charlie has been dead for J? 5 rs. Charlie gives Arthur an address |~e c ?re he finds a mysterious under- "j; and corporation. T While at the corporation, he is of- ^ms' d the opportunity to change his life. s change involves a makeover more edible than the one in "Face/Off." audie E>r being pressured, he agrees to <*emP mder the knife. ner J( The corporation fakes his death, tial,"' ich severs all of Arthur's ties to forth* old life. Armed with a completely the ct ' identity, Tony Wilson (nowplayed tiona Sock Hudson), he moves to Cali- blurn lia and begins his new, predeter- er. Al] ed life as an artist, despite being ry, me folly out of place. perier nco aksid & 1 All Aboard For Fun Ti Vlillimetc jmm % mm ?. - mm ph V 4 ^jh| tar in Columbia Pictures' "Eight Millimel >f pornographic "snuff films." of the infamous film he was in- previous ating. er had re iere was an immense lack of light sinister f jhout the film. I remember squint- "Seven," ten the first bright scene flashed edly blev ;he screen. I knew there would be man" seq lighting, but I fear Walker and Robin." ? nacher were pushing too hard to cautious ite the atmosphere of "Seven." tious. y main problem with this film is "Eigb lpact Walker and Schumacher's the grues al artists W around the by p I area. Meigs re- Assoc leased a tape I last year, and NEW I one of her most key fi VVHPpH recognizable visior songs, "Six Feet on th Under," was Cj featured on a toons :ompilation disc released by Man- using Discs and Tapes. for ai er first CD, disenchanted, demon- toons is Meigs' storytelling style of song- click < ig that has garnered comparisons uploE Natalie Merchant and other con- V nal singers. (wwv isenchanted is more band-ori- week than her five shows, which might Donk point those who have seen her f[rst j However, the intimacy of those che imances is captured on a beauti- cient ng called "I can't hear you anyonyo ther songs, such as "chains" and ;y days," highlight Meigs' voice, Tooni 1 at times mirrors another local twist: r, Robins Cradle's Robin Brooks. can c s is definitely a talented singer reach a voice that can carry a song on tant 1 ^ py,a Itimately, disenchanted is a solid nast} from a local songwriter on the ^ggj She will be having a CD release ^line this weekend at Courtyard Cofuse. This is a chance to see her at face 0 sst in a live setting. but Q ter a while, he loosens up and beo adjust to his new life with the I ?f his girlfriend. UC Dwever, after drinking too much . arty, he learns of other "reborns" hu jalizes the magnitude of the cor- \ ion's shadowy operations. He be3 long for his old life, going as far Sp iting his (Arthur's) "widow" and ' g where he went wrong. . ^ ler talking to her, he decides to , -k to the corporation and ask if dd start a new life, but this time D 5 own terms. He has no idea of doing irrific fete that awaits him at the w ! of the corporation. ?: lis is one of the most unsettling ^ c [ have ever seen, mainly because me' ison's spine-tinging performance , end. Prankenheimer teases the nee with the possibility of redon. The music, by Oscar-win- I :rry Goldsmith ("L.A. Confiden- ( Alien") could be easily mistaken : soundtrack of a horror film, and imerawork is far from conven1, using unusual angles and , id images to disorient the viewi of this, combined with the sto- r{ ikes for a frightening viewing ex- show ice. re! Entertalm me . ? -i -a i sr aisturD] ers boasted. The f have sufficiently i ticular scene wa darkened house i of The Lambs." 01 fell short of the g The bright spc performaces of J street-smart smi Stormare as a vi - ?, fortunately, they Cage's wispy vo nance. by Jamie Bow Bf ^p6;: Gamecock Critic & y.r ' Haunting, c ^ would've-just-s movie. B nitely not an evei H| heart or a first-d 1 to you and remaii the theatre. The movie beg maintains that d Special to The Gamecock mately 20 minut( ter," the story of a private hold onto your s to embark on a joi films had on this project. Walk- Eight Millin iceived much accolade for his ance on ^ study of the human psyche in detective Tom \V < and Schumacher single-hand- ^ra(J down a mis: v any chance of another "Bat- J11 of a uel with his flop, "Batman and ?en e -v a r Schumacher was perhaps too ^aPe among h and Walker was too ambi- sessions. Welles event it Millimeter" fell well short of ^fa* 'doaquin P some crime story that its trail- a who knows mdustry. Togeth WW proving ? razier Moore iated Press "If yOU YORK ? Can a little pink don- yOlM* C< nd success and happiness on tele- and ha i? That depends on how she fares e World Wide Web. artoon Network, which unspools nonstop for cable TV viewers, is its Web site as a proving ground ^lve entertaini limated shorts. New online car- ^r' creative i that click with the point-and- wor^ Valine. "I :rowd could soon find themselves a cartoon' s^u1 ided to the television big time. ^urn on ^ isit Cartoon Network Online Pushed at you. r.cartoonnetwork.comi), and this ^an Whir you'll find two episodes of "Pink challenge? A b ey and the Fly," as well as the w^? should dr nstallment of "B. Happy." Each arrived last Fr ;eky, riotously colorful and suffi- first original \ ly animated to be a reasonable prospect, of cc lile of cartoons as you'd view them spinoff, ur TV set. "Some mon "hat's more, these "Web Premiere take a look at i 3" come with a computer-centric velop it as a te : interactivity. Mouse ready? You [cable] networ] hoose how Pink Donkey might live action," si l the apple dangling from a dis- time's senior1 jranch. You can decide if B. Hap- media. ... "bluebird of happiness" with a The camp} j streak, should succeed in-his of "Wonder on to keep the bully cat from gob- Headroom," pit Pity Kitty's fish. dex-clad cham] Ne're just scratching the sur- vilest media r f interactivity in these first ones, said the netwc ur goal is to make good interac- two-year-old ( __ t our girl in your uJJ ring break /.* ??? /Joooo alerle Byrcl ?URL * [ HI | t .I. i i- on't have a clue what you're tions and pictu for snrinsr break. or do vou have what to do. It'f hole thing planned out? most done. ither way, the World Wide an help you make it better. Trust httO-//it amer ltp://www.bobsokol Roadsic .com/bus.html Youdohave How to convert a spring break? c school bus into a motor home. to your destins site. in't go anywhere for break and In the map have anything to do? Build a state you are g out of a school bus. taken to a list ol s easy if you get Bob Sokol to do there, you how. Step-by-step instruc c neat Section Page 3 ing, stylized >lotdragged and could determined quest to locate the girl's ended twice. One par- whereabouts, or at least figure out what s a near ripoff of the happened to her aiong the way. scene m The Silence L, . . , . , , , iviously, this exchange ^ movie emphasizes the dark urtenuine article. derbelly of the porn industry and its exits of the film were the ploitation of minors. It's a sick world, oaquin Phoenix as a not one characterized solely by dirty at peddler and Peter ,, , , , ,, , .. , T old perverts who hang around topless pinns nnrn kincr In- r or were second stage to bars' buy nude magazines, and call ice and stiff counte- phone sex numbers. "Eight Millimeter" definitely does /man its part to remind the audience of **** this: there are a lot of people who participate in the business, both mainlisturbing, wish-I- stream and illegally, tayed-home kind of This film takes the idea of ex>t Millimeter" is defi- treme P0 teing somethinethat ling with your sweet- happens in "other" places and harshly ate flick. It clings on- drops it in our own backyard. is long after you leave This movie stresses how circum, , , stances change people - how someone pns rather slowly and , J .,. fnr- onnwrvi. 0311 be 011 t0P ?f the WOrld One HIO" X/UXViUlV/1 1V1 up^/i WAJ . 3S. But be prepared to ment and descending into a hellish oul, for you're about nightmare the next. Welles goes from lrney into earthly hell, living a rather "normal" and routine life leter takes its audi- to Q f gripping images and hauntifid trip with private 5 6 , , -lies (Nicolas Cage) to m6 events not s00n t0 be forgotten, sing girl who was used Through the viewing of the film, it's snuff film. Welles has obvious that there are some things betich widow who found ter left in the vault of a disturbed iner late husband's pos- mind ually teams up with This movie is a j?int effort on the hoenix), a porn store part of screenwriter Andrew Kevin 5 his way around the Walker ("Seven") and.director Joel Schue,r they embark on a macher (?A Time to Kill"). 'round for 'toons i want to watch a cartoon, shut omputer off and turn on the TV ive a cartoon pushed at you." Sam Register creative director, Cartoon Network nent," said Sam Regis- ordered 28 animated episodes. A fiveirector of Cartoon Net- minute chapter will be posted each Frif you want to just watch jay (www.showtimeonline.com) to ac; your computer oft and ,, , . , . ~, , , c ,T , , , company that evenings sci-h block 01 V and have a cartoon r J ? ? Showtime cable fare. lGirl rise to such a Even before Cartoon Network and odacious super-heroine Showtime took the plunge, dozens of ess more warmly, she Web sites were embracing animation, iday on Showtime in its gnd n0 wonder can look ,Vph cpripc With thP iurse, of a "WhirlGirl" *?? great, on the Web. Simple shapes, fat lines, bold colors and limths down the road, well ited motion can comfortably conform -A. -J.1 .XT , , . . 1 . 1 It - vneuiei we want w ue- to tfte web s current tecnnicai nmiilevision project on our tations k ? either animated or ? ' , ,. ,? aid Jeff Morris, Show- By contrast, live-action streamvice president for new available on many Web sites looks as fuzzy and jumpy as your Aunt r "WhirlGirl," a hybrid Harriet's 8 mm home movies. Woman and Max As it has for other mavericks, the s its raven-haired, span- Web hag enabled inventive animators pion against the world s , , , ,, negalomaniac. Morris t0 b?ass Bl? Medla and take their irk, which acquired the work straight to the Internet's global mline comic strip, has audience. Perfect for day-trip planning if you ^ J plan to stay here. 225*<| There are six things listed for ^ South Carolina (plus whatever is in "RLY i the "tip list" submitted by site visiJ ' tors). Youll never want spring break to \ "" J http://www.eathere.com res show you exactly /?Stab/f V_IffdeX.htm ! so easy, mine is al- Eat Here* A Guide to Road Food fww.roadside '/CO. COtJ]/ So now you know where you're gole America iag> but what are you going to eat on your way and once you get there? somewhere togp this At this site, you pick by food (Barbehsat. cue, Diners & Coffee Shops, Pub Grub, ite to help plan your ete) and then by state. ition. TUslsa^St Attheendofeach statelistin^ there are general food links. Get section, ciicK on tne mentis or directions or ada your ting to, and you'll be own favorite spot (and much, much [interesting tilings to more!) Have a fun and safe spring break!