Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Floats Parade caps week of hard work, fun CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 gious as the desire to win. “There’s a healthy competi tion.” Bauld said. “Each year, We raise the standards because of the great work of the previous year." She said, “The competition hardly results in any spiteful ac tions. Everybody has respect for each other’s float.” As the float’s builders proudly see their creations start to resemble their intended designs, the fun only increases. “It gets better each year. We are all trying to have everything bigger and better because of the bi centennial,” Bauld said. THURSDAY: Finishing Touches Laborers are entertained as they apply the final touches to their floats, showing their organizations’ hard work and forethought. The float-building party comes at the end of a week of long nights and hard work. Sponsored by WIS, Sprint, Carolina First the Sorority and Fraternity Councils and WNOK, which will broadcast live from the scene, the party is the last chance to work on the floats while I celebrating with food and music. Bauld thinks Thursday night is the most fun. It’s another chance to savor the experience and ap preciate tradition, teamwork and the spirit of Homecoming. FRIDAY: Showtime For those who’ve been con structing floats for nearly a week, the parade is a welcome and well-deserved end. It’s hard not to enjoy yourself when there’s candy to throw and cheers to shout. “It’s an awesome feeling to show all of your hard work and pride in USC. Seeing the judges and everybody who comes for moral support watching and lik ing the finished product is very rewarding. The entire team knows that that was what we were working for,” Bauld said. The Homecoming parade will begin at 3 p.m. today on the Horseshoe. Grand marshal George Rogers will join Miss South Carolina, local high school cheerleaders, other fans and 15 floats designed by USC student organizations on the 1.5-mile cir cuit through campus and Five Points. Homecoming festivities will continue with Cockfest, the offi cial pep rally at 7 p.m. at Williams-Brice Stadium. MOVIE REVIEW Hedwig bends gender, expands genre HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH Directed by Baz Luhrman BY TUG BAKER THE GAMECOCK This summer, Baz Luhrman spent $50 million dollars to make Moulin Rouge, a film many critics, including myself, said would breathe new life into the long-deceased musical genre. None of us knew, however, that a little more than a month later, the musical would be revolutionized again — in a production that does a better job than Moulin Rouge for the paltry sum of $6 million. The culprit? Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Called a “post-punk, neoglam rock musical” by its creator, John Cameron Mitchell, Hedwig and the Angry Inch began as an off Broadway shocker that generated a cult phenomenon much like Rocky Horror Picture Show did in the early ’80s. Soon, Hedwig was being put on by theaters all over the world, including Columbia’s Trustus Theatre, which was one of the first regional theaters to perform the musical. Hedwig tells the story of a young East Berliner named Hansel (Ben Mayer-Goodman) who falls in love with an American Army sergeant (MauriceDeanWint)andsees him as a way to get out of East Berlin. For that to work, the two must get married, and Hansel’s mother (Alberta Watson) and the sergeant insist Hansel get a sex change operation first, saying, “To leave, you must leave something behind.” Unfortunately, the operation doesn’t go as planned, and Hansel is left with an “angry inch.” I dare not explain this pet name any further. Nevertheless, Hansel takes his mother’s name, Hedwig, and moves to the States. The sergeant leaves her shortly after, and Hansel (now played by Mitchell himself) falls for a young Jesus freak named Tommy Gnosis, who abandons Hedwig in disgust after discovering her secret. Not only that, but he also becomes a famous rock star, stealing the songs Hedwig wrote. We learn all of this through flashbacks as Hedwig tours with The Angry Inch, her band of Eastern-bloc musicians. Hedwig’s tour stops at every town where Tommy is playing; the only difference is that Tommy plays stadiums, while Hedwig plays beside salad bars in restaurants. John Cameron Mitchell shines as he writes, directs and stars in Hedwig. He understands how to make the story and its colorful characters come alive, not only on the stage, but also the screen. Miriam Shor is amazingly convincing as Hedwig’s usually silent boyfriend Yitzhak. In fact, Shor’s performance is almost as compelling as Mitchell’s. When I saw the musical on stage, I was convinced any attempt to base a movie on the story would fall horribly short of the live experience. Mitchell, however, has created a freely floating film, much like The Who’s Quadrophenia and Pink Floyd’s The Wall, that mixes drama, music videos, animation and experimental film. (There’s even a bouncing ball for a sing-along.) The film’s music, story and visuals combine to produce a kind of onscreen magic that’s rare in today’s movie industry. , The music blends with the story in a way that’s happened in no other musical in recent memory. Songwriter Stephen Trask completes the story Mitchell tries to tell, giving the skeleton flesh. I don’t know a single , person who’s seen this movie and hasn’t gone out and bought the soundtrack. The film looks as if it would provide answers to humanity’s ♦ HEDWIG, SEE PAGE 7 FREE PALM ■ Congratulations to the following students who won a free Palm Pilot during the last Official Ring f Event for Junior-Class of 2003 Aaron Wilson Allison Freeburn Alyson Drake Amanda Burgess Anthony Stelzner Chander Davis Charlene Martin Gianandrea Maoli Harris Collins Holly Smith Joseph Folsom Joshua Peake Justin Reilly Lon-Eston Lane Mark Ferrell Mary Kate Winn Meredith Hart Reggie Browning Richie Wofford Robby Woodard Robert Wicker Ronald Paul Walker Tiffany Vanover Todd Beasley David Bornemann Kaitlin Bishop Katherine R. Koerner Mary Leigh Dowd Rachel R. Moyle Reshma Changappa 'S fV To receive your Palm Pilot, Please bring your ID by the Art Carved table at Russell House or on Greene St, by October 23 e/^v >:ec- 6, OFFICIAL RING ORDERING IS HAPPENING /I R T (/I R V F I) NOW!! TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23 IS LAST CHANCE • * * ' ■ V/ • V L L/ FOR JUNIORS AND SENIORS TO ORDER AND 1 x College jewelry RECEIVE RING AT THE CEREMONY WE HAVE EVERYTHING FOR THE ULTIMATE GAMECOCK FAN!! '_ • . ■ ' , ■ ■ - , ' SPECIAL SHIPMENT OF HATS ALL JUST ' , ,v ' ; % JEWELRY WAREHOUSE COLLEGE SHOP 2909 Platt Springs Rd. ¥ 7007 Two Notch Rd. ¥ 817 St. Andrews Rd. ¥ Shop online at www.jewelrywarehouse.com %HE MIX Nobody Covers USC Better