The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 13, 2000, Page 8, Image 8

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This Week in USC History Nov. 13, 1996 - Smashing Pumpkins performed in the Carolina Colliseum. The highlight of the perfomance was a recently added member, Jimmy Chamberlain. Exhibit educates about AIDS _ Walt Hanclosky Special to The Gamecock One of Hanclosky’s photographs in the “Friends in AID: Portrait of an Epidemic” depicts Leslie, a pediatric nurse, caring for a yot ng AIDS patient. by Meredith Key The Gamecock The South Carolina State Museum is of fering Columbia residents and USC students a look at a new perspective on the AIDS virus in its new exhibit, “Friends in AID: Portrait of an Epidemic.” The exhibit, funded in part by Edmund Bu jalski and by American Disease Management, offers a fresh look at AIDS in hopes of ridding the virus of its plagued stereotype — the gay man’s disease. The display takes a more upbeat ap proach to the disease by showing that some of its victims haven’t given up hope yet. It also shows that the disease is very serious but not always fatal. The exhibit displays more than 50 pho tographs taken by USC’s media arts professor Dr. Walt Hanclosky. Hanclosky’s photographs show the variety of people who are HIV pos itive or have the AIDS virus. The patients include people who have got ten the disease from unprotected sex, drug use or their parents. The images displayed include AIDS edu cators, fundraisers, health-care workers and practitioners of alternative forms of medicine. Robin Waites, the museum’s Chief Cura tor of Art, said this exhibit can help people better understand the disease. “I think that this can realiy put a face to the disease, which is universal, and in doing that, it can foster a better understanding of it.” Even without a connection to the virus, “this is a really strong body of work. Artisti cally, these images are fantastic black-and white portraits,” Waites said. The CD-ROM part of the exhibit includes quotes and stories from media figures about the effects of this epidemic on the world to day. It also includes interviews with each of the people seen in the Hanclosky’s 50 photographs. The CD-ROM depicts the disease in a non traditional way, hoping to further education about AIDS. Another focus of the exhibit is the effects of AIDS on the community. Instead of turning their noses up at the disease, many people are looking for better ways to raise money for finding a cure. “Now people are more open to alternative forms of medicine. They are more creative about how to raise money to help people in need,” Waites said. This new project reflects South Carolina’s concern for this fatal disease. The photographs and the interactive CD ROM are two of the many ways activists are helping to educate South Carolina residents about the AIDS virus. The exhibit is both uplifting and long over due. It’s located on the fourth floor of the State Museum on Gervais Street. World AIDS Day is observed on the first of December. In recognition, the State Mu seum will offer a wide variety of exhibits on Dec. 2. For more information, visit www.muse um.state.sc.us. The spotlight desk can be reached at gamecockspotlight@hotmaiLcom. ♦ Dezeray s Hammer hits home with CD by Phil Watson The Gamecock •Ct i3r out of Dezeray’s Hammer’s new album, “Mortified,” is a 10-song collection of slightly above average pop. The Upstate band’s new CD is the kind of album that can be listened to the whole way through with out notic ing the music is actually playing. There are no songs that are a tor ture to listen to, but there are also no standout hits. The songs flow smoothly with little difference between styles. “Mortified” is overall pleasant. Aaron Wliisnant sounds a little bit like Jim Creeggan, singer for the Barenaked Ladies. With the pleasant vocals and a steady beat, Dezeray’s Hammer is enjoyable. Most of the songs are easygoing and have fairly deep lyrics. The words in the songs are the most redeeming quality of the album. In many of to day’s pop albums, the lyrics are repet itive and nonsensical. Dezeray’s Hammer strives to im prove upon these lyrical shortcomings by putting actual thought into their lyrics, which is a nice break from most modern day mainstream pop. One of the deepest songs on the al bum is “She Levels Me.” This third track is the kind of song all guys (and some girls) can relate to. This song exemplifies what makes Dezeray’s Hammers’ lyrics better than most bands’. The album has the typical pop sounds, but the lyrics are unique to the band. An assorted sound and varying tem pos add to a few of this band’s merits. Dezeray’s Hammer has undergone many changes since thier debut. The other band members include, Kenny Hogan on drums and Chris Fracisco on base. The 10 songs on “Mortified” are arranged well. The album is pleasing the whole way through. The spotlight desk can be reached at gamecocks potiight@hotmail.com. Lifehouse gives listeners more of the same sounds by Adam McAllister The Gamecock ft ft OUT OF ft ft ft ft As listeners, we have come to expect a certain quality from modem rock and roll. We hear it everyday ' on pop radio with its similar and re hashed melody echoing throughout. Lifehouse and their latest release, “No Name Face,” is no different. Track after track, there is the feeling that we have heard this somewhere before from a band that most likely does it better. The lyrics are a throwback to Matchbox Twenty’s style, whereas Ja son Wade’s vocals, as good as they are, rotate through those of Live, Vertical Horizon and other top 40 flavors. The disc is enjoyable, however the lyrics keep the music on the level of contemporary sounds. Upbeat songs such as “Sick Cycle Carousel,” as well as the slower paced “Trying”, highlight the album. Despite their radio potential sound, the lack of a unique voice hurts the band as a whole. There is an attempt for alternative taste on “Cling and Clatter,” but the experiment falls short into sections of mindless noise. Certain gems shine through and are worth the price of admission but might not deserve your full attention. “No Name Face” is best summed up by Lifehouse’s own sentence from “Only One” — “Everytliing looks quite the same.” The spotlight desk can be reached at gamecockspotlight@hotmail.com. i Phillip V. Caruso Special To The Gamecock Carl Brashear (Cuba Gooding Jr.) stands up to a challenge from Billy Sunday (Robert DeNiro), a Master Chief who is certain the rigorous dive program is no place for Carl. Despite acting, ‘Honor’ not worthy of salute by Adam McAllister The Gamecock OUT OF In “Men of Honor,” the latest release from 20th Cen tury Fox, audiences bear witness to the life and times of real life hero Carl Brashear, played by Cuba Gooding Jr. Brashear grew up working the land of a black sharecrop ping family in Kentucky during the 1940s. He was destined to follow in his father’s footsteps, a fate his hard-working father tried to relieve from his son. Young Brashear was forced to promise to maKe a oeuer me ror rumsen, ultimately making good by joining the U.S. Navy. This better life, however, was quickly halted. Despite newly desegregated aimed forces, Brashear was confined to cooking and clean ing for white sailors. He was bound to dream of what he could be until he broke rank, de fipd order: and comnelled officers to realize his true capability in the water. ' This one act of defiance, which amounted to only a brisk swim off a naval boat, led Brashear down a path that no one of his background or character had ever achieved. Brashear soon had his sights set on his goal to become Master Chief, the Navy’s highest rank. This little known search and rescue job took only the best, known as Navy Divers, and trained them 300 feet underwater, connected solely with a hose for air. Not only was this job for the best, in the Navy’s eyes it wasn’t a job for a black man. Brashear would have to call on every ounce of ambi $ :ion and every drop of inspiration to even be accepted into such a program. His motivation came in the form of the hardheaded, iard-drinking Master Chief Billy Sunday (Robert DeNiro). Sunday, determined to fail Brashear, challenged him it every comer. Director George Tillman Jr. follows up his last hit, ‘Soul Food,” with an ambitious, well-shot film, albeit ladi ng in certain areas. With two Academy Award winners at the top of the fill, “Men of Honor” seems headed for high praise from » critics. ueiwonas spawned muiupie mis m the past year in movies like “Analyze This” with Billy Crystal, and Gooding has shown his talent since his high profile role in “Jerry Maguire.” However, the acting isn’t what fault ed this film. In his first feature script, Scott Mar shall Smith has pulled out all the stops found more in CBS movies of the week than in Hollywood. Unfortunately, this story of inspiration tries too hard for its own good and winds up leaving the viewer be hind, wallowing in grandiose stories of Brashear’s rise and acceptance. Major relationships develop somewhere offscreen, and the passage of time seems almost non-existent. Let’s hope Smith has more to offer in his future pro jects because “Honor” is dead in the water. The spotlight desk can be reached at gamecockspotJight@hotmail.com. 4 V1 ‘Angel’ adaption deserves a look by Kamille Bostick The Gamecock Accord ing to the character Eugene Gant, “You have to feel things to un derstand them,” or you can watch the Ket ti Frings adaptation of the Thomas Wolfe novel, “Look Homeward, An gel,” and achieve a similar result. Directed by Robert Leonard in his last production before his December retirement, Theatre South Carolina’s presentation of “Look Homeward, An gel” is a wonderful mix of entertain ment and heartbreak. The production takes its audi ence through a variety of emotions from amusement to sympathy. Audi ence members will laugh, ciy and some times do both. The opening scene has a lot of action and humor, allowing the per sonalities of all the characters to shine. The play opens with the daughter getting her home’s boarders together, then the audience is introduced to her drunken father and embarassed moth er. bet in the town or Altamont, N.L., in the fall of 1916, “Look Homeward, Angel” presents the trials of the Gant family as they struggle to stay a fami ly, but more importantly as they “try and love one another.” Outwardly, it’s a coming of age sto ry of a Southern family, but the themes and the troubles are universal. The plot centers around Eliza Gant (Sarah Barker), the well-intentioned, business-minded mother who can’t seem to let go as she leads her family. Family members include the drunk en, discontented father, W.O. Gant (Richard Jennings); their restless, star ry-eyed son, Eugene (Stephen Cone); and his detached brother Ben (Drew Bates). They are all pushed to the breaking point where they must de cide to either move on or hold on. “Look Homeward, Angel” fully captures the characters and brings them beautifully and believably to the stage. The cast combines seasoned actors and actresses as well as some fairly new faces. The actors give convincing per formances on a set designed by Anita Tripathi that creatively and master fully resembles the landscape the au thor intended to convey. Leonard researched the set by vis iting 48 Spruce St. in Asheville, N.C. During his visit, he invisioned the char acters and how they would perform. “Our intent is to create a threa trial authenticity that will stimulate your imaginations to experience real life on the stage tonight and hold it for ever incorruptible, perhaps even more real than the real thing,” Leonard said. Lighting designer Charles Pogue orchestrated beautifully arranged scenes. The lighting techniques re n. j *1__»---_r's_•_»i_ Uttltu UlV UVVUIJ VlUVllWUO. 1/UllUg HIV last scene, a spotlight was placed on Eugene Gant (Cone) so that only his face was visible. The light turns into a train light in the end. The delightful and lively group is completed with Margo Regan (Mrs. “Fatty” Pert), Fannie Hungerford (He len Gant Barton), Braxton Williams (Hugh Barton), Larry McMullen (Will Pentland), Richie Gross (Jake Clatt), Ann Dreher (Ms. Clatt), Jillian Owens (Florry Mangle), Julia Johnston (Mrs. Snowden), Tim Donahue (Mr. Farrel), Wendy Mauritz (Miss Brown), Alicia Atkins (Laura James), Jim Patterson (Dr. Maguire), Charles Curra (Tarkin ton), Erica Tobolski (Madame Eliza beth), and Andrew Dewitt (Luke Gant). “Look Homeward, Angel” will be performed at Drayton Hall until Sun day, Nov. 19. Curtain times are 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. For more information, contact the Theater Department ticket office at 777-2551 or 777-2552. Theatre South Carolina will pre sent the South Carolina premiere of the David Lan adaptation of “Ghetto” by Joshua Sobol in Longstreet Theatre Feb. 16-25. The spotlight desk can be reached at gamecockspotlight@hatmail.com.