Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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n E! critic gfives Costner a second look by Chris Richter Gamecock Critic I’m going to make a very contro versial statement. It isn’t going to win me a lot of friends around here and it’ll probably gamerme some enemies. But here it goes. Kevin Costner is an underappreciated actor. Hate me yet? Yes, I saw “Waterworld” (which I didn’t mind too much) and I didn’t see “The Postman.” I know Robin Hood is from England and should have a British accent. And “Message in a Bottle,” an overly sentimental and cliched story, is one of Momca Lewinsky’s favorite books. But films like “Field of Dreams,” “Bull Durham,” “Dances with Wolves,” “The Untouchables” and “JFK” redeem him from the bad movies, the ego trips and the bad hair (“The Bodyguard”). The video picks of the week are two Costner movies that have not gotten their due: “Fandango” (1985) and “A Perfect World” (1993). In case you didn’t know, and I did n’t before I looked it up, a fandango is a fast-paced Spanish dance. Costner’s “Fandango” is one of those “young men who are about to enter the real world go on a last fling” films. Written and di rected by Kevin Reynolds, it was orig inally conceived as a short film. How ever, Steven Spielberg was so intrigued by the idea, he pushed the project, al lowing it to get made as a feature. The film opens in 1971 at the University of Texas. Gardner Barnes (Costner), Phil Hicks (Judd Nelson), Kenneth iVbggen er (Sam Robards), Dorman (Church Bush) and Lester (Brian Cesak) are bud dies who have lived together since ar riving at college. On the night of grad uation, the boys plan a party for Waggoner, who is getting married. How ever, he shows up with draft papers and a canceled wedding. The guys decide to drive to Mexico to find the mysteri ous entity named Dorn. The film fol lows their adventures, from trying to hook their car to a moving train to skydiving with a backpack full of laun dry. All the while, Bames sees visions of The Girl, played by Suzy Amis. “Fandango” is a film rife with clich es. Hicks is the straight arrow, set to fol low his father into the military. Bames is the smooth talker. Waggener is the ordinary guy. Dorman is the brute nvi/^lr \ /ifitnrmn nfMr/sIr <in/l ir nmnnr ing for the priesthood. Lester is the future accountant on a three-day binge. Then you have the mystery girl, the good-natured pothead, and interwoven into all of this is a subplot about Viet nam. But Reynolds, who directed “Wa terworld” and wrote the testos terone-driven “Red Dawn,” writes and directs the film so that we care about the characters and don’t get bogged down by the formulas we’ve seen hundreds of times before. It’s a funny movie with several touching moments, especially in the graveyard scene when Barnes and Waggoner watch a fireworks battle while lying on the grave of a kid killed in Viet nam. They know they will both be see ing something similar soon, only the fire works will be very real. And if you have a quick eye, you can catch a University of South Car olina pennant hanging on the wall of the boys’ house in the opening scene. In “A Perfect World,” Costner plays Butch Haynes, a career criminal on the lam in Texas. He escapes from prison late one night and ends up in a neigh borhood where he takes a hostage. The hostage, Phillip (T.J. Lowther), is an 8-year-old boy who has seen very lit tle of the world. He has been brought up as a Jehovah’s Witness, and Haynes is befuddled by how their practices de ny Phillip all of the joys of an ordinary boy’s life. The two criss-cross the back roads of Texas, and Phillip, who is played perfectly by Lowther, begins to warm up to Haynes, eventually see ing him as a father figure. However, hot on the trail of the two is Red Garnett, a Texas Ranger, played by Clint Eastwood. Eastwood, who directed the film, plays a tougher-than-nails lawman who has crossed paths with Haynes before. He has been saddled with Sally Geiber (Lau ra Dem), a criminologist who has no re al field experience. It is really two films in one. On the one side, we see every thing Garnett does to catch up with Haynes. While experienced, he has short comings and is aware of them. His pur suit is hindered by Gerber’s company as well as by the involvement of an icy fed eral agent. On the other side, we watch as Phillip attaches himself to Haynes, even becoming somewhat of an ac complice. Eventually, the two sides come together in an ending that is rem iniscent of the tragedy that concludes “Chinatown.” The film is not so much about crime and the law as it is about fathers and sons. Phillip grew up in a home with a moth er and two sisters, but no father. Haynes grew up without a capable father. He tells Phillip that one thing they have in common is that neither one has “a dad dy that’s worth a damn.” In Roger Ebert’s review of the film, he says it’s about “how the child is the father to the man.” While not a good role model, Haynes does give Phillip the older male figure that he needs. It’s that part of the father that kids around with the son. It’s the part that gives the boy a sip of beer or lets him do something Mom wouldn’t allow. However, Phillip plays the father to the man in that he provides the moral center that Haynes desperately lacks. Toward the end, in a scene of unfulfilled but no less disturbing violence, Phillip keeps Haynes from committing an act so brutal it would have erased any sym pathy we would have had for the char acter. “A Perfect Wbrld” is a Hollywood film with Hollywood actors that goes in very un-Hollywood directions. Costner’s new picture, “For Love of the Game,” opens Sept. 17. Two of his best films have been baseball relat ed, and he rarely fails with romance, so look for this one to be better than av erage. 1^ Kevin Costner Judd Kelson M&faliSSL KEVIN COSTNER CUNT EASTWOOD | aPterfect., v^rki Vs* *«c Top Video Rentals 1. “Payback,” Paramount Home Video. 2. “Cruel Intentions,” Columbia TriStar. 3. “8mm,” Columbia TriStar. 4. “Shakespeare In Love,” Miramax Home Entertainment. 5. “A Civil Action,” Touchstone Home Video. 6. “Enemy Of The State,” Touchstone Home Compiled by Billboard Magazine Video. 7. “Analyze This,” Warner Home Video. 1 8. “Rushmore,” Touchstone Home Video. • 9. “True Crime,” Warner Home Video. I 10. “The Thin Red Line,” FoxVideo. I Top Video Sales 1. “There’s Something About Mary,” Colum bia TriStar. 2. “Austin Powers—International Man of Mys tery,” New Line Home Video. 3. “Playboy’s Celebrities,” Playboy Home Video. 4. “Blade,” New Line Home Video. 5. “What Dreams May Come,” USA Home En tertainment. 6. “RoninMGM/UA Home Video. 7. “Backstreet Boys: Homecoming—Live in Orlando,” Jive/Zomba Video. (Platinum) 8. “Playboy: 1999 Playmate of the Year,” Play boy Home Video. 9. “America’s Funniest Home Video,” Real En tertainment. 10. “The King And I,” Warner Home Video.