The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 03, 2000, Page 6, Image 6
iLhe ©ametocR
‘Bagger Vance’ swings, misses
by Tug Baker
The Gamecock
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USC students got the opportunity
this past Tuesday to catch a sneak pre
view of Robert Redford’s newest film,
“The Legend of Bagger Vance.” With
big names in the cast, like Will Smith,
Matt Damon and Charlize Theron, the
movie was met with a packed house. The
audience, however, was met with a
heavy-handed sentimental film with great
cinematography.
Set in Depression-era Savannah, “Bag
ger Vance” tells the story of Rannulph
Junuh (Matt Damon), a hometown-golf
legend who has simply vanished after
fighting in World War I.
When Junuh’s old flame Adele In
veigordon (Charlize Theron) must save
her late father’s million-dollar golf re
sort, she decides to hold a tournament.
Naturally, the people of Savannah
want a city representative to compete,
so Junuh is found and convinced to play.
The only problem is, he’s lost his
c\i/inrr
-O'
Enter Bagger Vance (Will
Smith), a caddy with the ex
pertise of Tiger Woods and a
mysticism the movie hints at
too often. Vance teaches
Junuh how to get his swing
back, and it just so happens
all or his lessons can be applied to Junuh s
personal life as well.
This movie’s saving grace is the act
ing. Damon never delivers a bad per
formance, and while Smith won’t win
any Oscars, he pulls off his character.
Theron does an admirable job with a flat
character, but her attempt at a Southern
accent is terrible, like most characters
in the movie.
Redford is one of the greatest living
American movie stars, and his efforts
with the Sundance Film Festival have
changed the film industry itself. How
evei, lie lias yei iu inane a
great film himself. Redford is
not wholly to blame for this.
7 He simply likes to make trite
movies.
, Cinematographer
Michael Ballhaus (Goodfel
las) can’t be blamed for the
movie’s shortcomings either. His work
has always been nothing short of perfect.
Instead, the film editor is to blame.
The movie’s scenes were so shoddily as
sembled that it was sometimes hard to
tell exactly what was going on.
Also to blame is the story’s pre
dictability and lack of depth. Why did
Junuh disappear after the war? More
importantly, why would a black caddy
in 1930s Savannah be able to hang out
in the white locker room? These would
have been the interesting issues of the
movie, but they were ignored.
Although beautifully shot and well
acted, “The Legend of Bagger Vance”
lacked real substance.
“The Legend of Bagger Vance” opens
nationwide today.
Carolina Productions, which held
the “Bagger Vance” sneak preview, will
hold its next preview of “You Can Count
on Me,” the 2000 Sundance Film Fes
tival best picture winner, on Nov. 7 at
8:30 p.m.
Tickets will be available at the Rus
sell House Information Desk on the day
of the show.
The spotlight desk can be reached at
gamecockspotlight@hotman.com.
Special to The Gamecock
Will Smith and Matt Damon star in “The Legend of Bagger Vance,”
which opens nationwide today. Robert Redford directs.
PlayStation
from page 1
This seems to hold true for the
PlayStation 2. The hardware and design
are so complex that designers are hav
ing many problems and complaining
about the difficulty of programming for
it.
Right now the consumer market has
been captured by Sega’s Dreamcast.
The true test will come when the
hype surrounding Sony’s new release of
the PlayStation 2 dies down.
The addition of Microsoft’s X-box
and Nintendo’s Gamecube will make the
foray for consumers even more frenzied.
Ultimately it should create a better
market of games, but just remember that
good hype doesn’t necessarily make a
good game or a good console.
The spotlight desk can be reached at
gamecockspotlight@hotmail.coin.
>
I
i_:_
_November 3-9
The Official Bookstore of USC 1400 Greene St. • Russell House • (803) 777-4160
Teen
from page 1
playing and the camivalesque beat that
Lessemann maintains throughout the
haunting tune, “Betwixt or Between.”
The fun house style of the two songs
leaves an eerie feeling with their easy,
repetitive melodies.
Fans finally saw Lopez in action with
the piano during the tune “Please
Don’t Go Downtown Tonight.” The song
sounded profoundly different from the
others since background singers, Hugh
i
es and bassist William Joiner were
more prominently vocal with their low
er-pitched voices than Lopez.
“Car and Driver” again features Lopez
on the piano, with his calm high-toned
voice making the song the closest to heavy
rock for the band from their selection.
One of the more impounding im
pressions from the band’s performance
was the wide scope they infiltrate with
their music. Whether leaning toward the
pop rock culture or heavier rock, The
Rock*A*Teens will be enjoyable for their
meandering style and guarantee of orig
inal music.
“I think it’s different because we all
put something in, and we all like our own
brand of music,” Lopez said. “I much
rather prefer Henry Mancini to most
rock, and some may say there’s an in
fluence. but we really don’t purposely
put influences into the music.”
Lopez said the band will continue
their tour, moving out West to hit Texas.
California, Washington and Oregon be
fore returning to Georgia. “We’re pret- !
ty much promoting the CD and trying to
give audiences something besides what
you hear on the radio,” Lopez said.
The spotlight desk can be reached at
gamecockspotlight@hotmail.com.
-1
Movie Times
Car-mike Wynnsong 10
5320 Forest Drive,
782-8100
Bring It On (PG-13) 2:00, 7:30
The Cell (R) 4:30,9:30
The Contender (PG-13) 1:30,4:15,7:00,
9:45
Dr. T&the Women (R) 1:30,4:00,7:00,
9:45
The Exorcist (R) 1:15,4:15,7:00,9:45
Get Carter (R) 2:00,4:30, 7:00, 9:15,
11:30
Ladies Man (R) 2:00,4:30,7:00,9:15,
11:30
Legend of Drunken (R) 2:00,4:30,7:15,
9:30,11:45
Lost Souls (R) 1:00,4:00, 7:00,9:30,
11:45
Pay it Forward (PG) 1:00,4:00, 7:00,
9:30
Whatlies Beneath (PG-13) 1:30,4:00,
7:30,10:15
Columbiana Grande
Stadium Cinemas
1250 Bower Parkway,
407-9898
Almost Famous (R) 2:05,4:50, 7:20,
10:05
Bedazzled (PG-13) 1:05,2:10,3:30,
5:00,5:40,7:05,7:55,9:35,10:15,11:30
Best in Show (PG-13) 1:00,3:10,5:20,
7:15,9:20,11:15
IBook of Shadows (R) 4:30, 7:25,9:30,
11:45
Bring It On (PG-13) 1:05, 3:20,5:30,
7:45,10:20
Ihe Exorcist 00 1:00,3:45,6:30,9:10,
11:50
Legend of Bagger Vance (PG-13) 1:15,
1:45,4:00,4:30,6:50,7:30,9:25,10:15,
12:15
Legend of Drunken (R) 1:05,3:25,5:45,
7:50,10:00,12:10
Lost Souls (R) 1:40,4:00, 7:45, 9:55,
12:05
Lucky Numbers (R) 1:20,4:35, 7:00,
9:35,12:00
ftiy it Forward (PG-13) 1:25,2:00,4:10,
4:45,6:55,7:35,9:45,10:20
Dutch Square 14
800 Bush River Road,
750-3576
Bedazzled (PG-13) 1:50,4:50, 7:45,
10:10
Blair Witch Project 2 (R) 1:00, 3:00,
5:00,7:40,10:00,12:00
Charlie’s Angels (PG-13) 1:00,2:00,
3:05,4:10,5:15,7:05,7:45,9:20,10:00,
11:45
The Contender (R) 7:10
The Exorcist (R) 1:30,4:15,7:00,9:45
Ladies Man (R) 2:30,5:00,10:05
Little Vampire (PG) 1:10, 3:15,5:20,
7:25,9:40
Legend of Bagger Vance (PG-13) 1:10,
4:20,7:15,10:05
Legend of Drunken (R) 2:00,4:40,7:15,
9:20
Lost Souls (R) 2:20,5:10, 7:30,9:40,
11:50
Lucky Numbers (R) 1:40,4:10, 7:30,
10:10
Meet the Parents (PG-13) 1:50,4:30, :
7:20,9:45,12:10
PayitForward(PG-13) 1:15,4:00,7:10, I
9:50
Remember the Titans (PG) 1:40,4:90,
7:00,9:30,11:50 <£>
Regal Cinema 7
Richland Mall Rooftop^ ;
748-9044
x
Book of Shadows (R) 2:10,4:40,7:4d,’~
10:10
Charlie’s Angels (PG-13) 1:40,4:
7:20,9:50
Legend of Bagger Vance (PG-13) 1:30?;
4:20,7:10,10:00
Little Vampire (PG) 1:55,4:50, 7:15,
9:40
Lucky Numbers (R) 1:35,4:35, 7:3'G;
10:05 l.i V
Meet the Parents (PG-13) 2:00,4:30,
7:05,9:45
Remember the Titans (G) 1:50,4:25,
7:00,9:55
Iff *
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Main at Pendleton,
254-3433
t
Alice et Martin 7:00,9:15; 3:00 mati
nee on Saturday and Sunday
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