University of South Carolina Libraries
PHOTO COURTESY OF MGM Jonathon Cross, far left, played by Chris Klein, rallies his team in “Rollerball.” Rollerball CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 like an accident, and, of course, the whole incident is covered up and the ratings skyrocket. It’s a tough game outside the ring too. The players are enslaved to Petrovich. He gives them cars and an enormous paycheck, and they give him their blood and service to the game. The staged acts of violence become greater and greater. The final game is so corrupted that the green light is given to kill the star of rollerball, Jonathon, played by Chris Klein. One by one the players quit the game. Urged on by the fans, Jonathon starts a riot, and the executives are killed inside the stadium. The ending is unrealistically violent and unnecessary. What’s the No. 1 reason to see this movie? Klein. I honestly think his acting will win him some prestigious awards one day. LL Cool J as Jonathon’s best friend, Marcus Ridley, has a good part in the uproar against the executives, but the character could have been played by anyone. LL Cool J does nothing to hurt the movie. If anything, he sells the movie with his presence, but not by his acting. Rebecca Romijn-Stamos’ character, Aurora, slowly adds heart to the movie without the viewer even noticing. By the end of the movie, the little things she did get inside of you and hurt you a little until the final uproar against authority, when she had the entire theater cheering at more than one occasion. Klein, the young star of movies such as “Here on Earth” and “American Pie,” adds more to this movie than can be written in the script. If you have to see this movie, I’d suggest putting it off for a couple of months and saving a couple of bucks by renting it. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com Handpicked CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 much more evolved then the normal excuse for rock ‘n’ roll. It’s hard to highlight specific entertainers off of an album like this because it’s impossible to give justice to all of them. However, some of the other standouts include Lapdog, the new project from former Toad the Wet Sprocket guitarist/songwriter Todd Nichols, performing “Perfect You” in a near-perfect example of underground rhythm and rock. Also, “Fake ID” by Tom’s House is a great mixture of a post-80s influence with the guitar licks and a lyrical involvement that we see today. And finally, for a great change of pace, there are few better then Chapel Hill’s Sankofa, a band that seems to constantly reinvent its hip-hop origins and is wonderfully showcased in their single “Would You Still.” All in all, this is a CD that is begging to be explored. With a price tag under $5 and an eclectic mix of some of this state’s hottest talent, there should be few reasons to skip Handpicked’s initial release. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com Letters CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 is still prevalent in the public schools. These are all much bigger issues than a flag on a State House. However, by me pointing out these problems, that probably makes me a “racist” in the mind of Sutton. The NAACP and Sutton apparently aren’t happy with the desired result taking down the flag has had. So what is their solution? Boycotting the travel industry and setting up informational booths along the state’s highway welcome centers. Brilliant. Deny tax revenue to the state so there will be less money to donate to the social ills of the state’s citizens. Not all African-Americans think alike, just like no one group thinks alike. Some are better able to see what the real problems are, while others look tor the simple solution, such as boycotting a BBQ sauce in a school newspaper. DOUG SKLENKA 1991 ECONOMICS ALUMNUS Doubts abound about group’s legitimacy After reading the latest editorial on the newly formed League for Alternative Minorities, I feel that it’s my responsibility, as the Student Senate’s liaison for BGLA, to set the record straight. First, Rod Scott-Padilla, one of the founders of LAM, used to be a member of BGLA. During his membership, he never brought his concerns of minority affairs to the group. This is the main reason why no changes were made within the BGLA and why the organization was caught totally off guard by the formation of this “league.” Likewise, I am not surprised that Scott-Padilla, or anyone in LAM, has yet to come to BGLA and explain to the group their intentions as they said they would. Scott-Padilla has consistently said the LAM is not a student group affiliated with USC, but he continues to use The Gamecock, a student publication, as a media outlet. ^ If Scott-Padilla wants to be an independent group, as he so claims, then his media alternative is The State newspaper. Scott-Padilla also assured me that his organization was backed by several outside organizations, but has yet to show anyone actual documentation of this. The only document I have seen is a sheet of paper signed by “Senior Advisor, Rod Scott,” a position he appointed himself to in an organization he created. Because of this, I have serious doubts regarding the ' LAM’s legitimacy and validity. While I have always strongly advocated the importance of minority issues within any community, Scott Padilla could have better served his purpose by working with BGLA instead of silently keeping his concerns bottled up and then getting frustrated when no action was taken. It is important in every organization that each member understands that they have a right and responsibility to bring their concerns to the group. It is this way, and only this way, that progress can truly be made. ZACHERY SCOTT FIRST-YEAR POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENT Ticket distribution not new problem Tripp Hopper hit the nail on the head in his letter about basketball ticket distribution and seating. This problem has existed for a very long time. Sometime during 1988-92, as a student, I met with George Felton, King Dixon and the ticket manager at the time about this exact issue. No changes. Ticket distribution has long been a farce. It should be general admission for students. That way, those who want the lower seats can simply get to the arena when the gates open. It will be interesting to see if anyone listens now. STEVE THOMPSON 1992 MARKETING ALUMNUS - * Submission Policy Letters to the editor should be less than 300 words and include name, phone number, professional title or year and major, if a student. Bring letters to Russell House 333 or e-mail ’ gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com. The Gamecock reserves the right to edit for libel, style and space. Anonymous letters will not be published. Outside submissions supporting or opposing a candidate or a party in any election will not be run the day before or the day of an election. Call the newsroom at 777 7726 for more information. McClendon CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 woman doesn’t even tell a friend, much less a police officer. However, society can change the way it treats violence against women. We can start by examining women’s experiences. On Feb. 16,17 or 18, go see “The Vagina Monologues” in the Russell House Theatre. You’ll see more than 30 passionate women (including myself) perform an amazing play that explores what happens to women’s vaginas all over the world and how women fee!about their vaginas. You’ll never think of vaginas in the same way. Regardless of whether you have a vagina, I hope you’11 help end violence against women. Then someday, Feb. 14 can be V-Day: Victory over Violence Day. McClendon is a third-year pharmacy student. Statistics courtesy of the V-Day organization and the S.C. Coalition against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. BRIEFLY “Collateral Damage” tops box office LOS ANGELES (AP) — Arnold | Schwarzenegger as an avenging firefighter hunting terrorists proved a solid attraction, though not quite a must-see movie. Schwarzenegger’s "Collateral Damage,” delayed four months because of the Sept. 11 terrorist at tacks, opened as the top weekend movie with $15.2 million in ticket sales, according to studio esti mates Sunday. It was Schwarzenegger’s first No. 1 opening since "Batman & Robin” in 1997, but the receipts were so-so compared with that film’s $42.9 mil lion debut or the $31.8 million pre miere of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day” in 1991. The family flick "Big Fat Liar,” starring Frankie Muniz of "Malcolm in the Middle” as a teen out to prove a Hollywood produc er stole his movie idea, debuted in second place with $11.7 million. A m/1 fhn (•nwinlm ‘’DnilAy'Bol 1 ” starring Chris Klein, LL Cool J and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, opened at No. 3 with $9 million. The box office was down over all, with the top 12 movies gross ing $83.8 million, a 22 percent drop from the same weekend last year. But that was the weekend “’Hannibal” debuted with a whop ping $58 million. “Zoolander” banned in Singapore SINGAPORE (AP) - Censors on Friday banned the movie ‘’Zoolander,” an American come dy about a self-absorbed male model who’s brainwashed into as , sassinating the prime minister of Malaysia. The action comedy, which co median Ben Stiller stars in, di rected and co-wrote, was banned for “’controversial elements,” Singapore’s Board of Film Censors said in a news release. In the film, which opened in the United States in September and was scheduled to open here next week, vapid male model Derek Zoolander is brainwashed into killing the prime minister of Malaysia for threatening the fash ion industry with a plan to raise the minimum wage for labor in his country. The decision to block the film’ release was made in view of "cor troversial elements gathered fron feedback,” the news release sail without elaborating. The board r( voked the film’s certificate for re lease it had issued earlier. In neighboring Malaysia, m theater has even attempted ti bring in "Zoolander,” so there’ been no need for a censors’ re view. But a bootleg version of th film is available there, and a ju nior party in the governing coali tion has urged police to cracl down and seize all copies. Producer to be honored for 9/11 LOS ANGELES (AP) - The pro ducer of last fall’s star-studdei telethon to benefit Sept. 11 victim will be honored at the Producer; Guild of America awards March 2 The guild announce! Thursday it will present it Visionary Award to Joel Gallen who oversaw "America: t Tribute to Heroes” on Sept. 21, tin telethon that featured Juli: Roberts, Tom Hanks, Georgi Clooney, Muhammad Ali am dozens more celebrities. Thi award goes to producers whosi work demonstrates a "unique o: uplifting quality.” The event was the "most im portant, exhilarating and ex hausting producing experience o my career,” Gallen said. "It wa also the ultimate in teamworl from the talent to the crew to thi networks involved.” Gallen is a past vice presiden of production for MTV and madi his directing debut last year witl "Not Another Teen Movie.” Garden raises public safety concerns PHILADELPHIA (AP) - When i opened to rave reviews it December, one of the new Kimme Center for the Performing Arts most talked-about features was it: rooftop garden. But now the garden is usual ly off-limits because of security concerns. "Throngs of people are diffi cult to control,” said Leslie Ann: Miller, interim president of th< Regional Performing Arts Center the group that runs the Kimme s Center. "We are letting people up as part of tours. We are renting it 1 for private parties. We’re learn 1 ing how to operate the building and we’re being cautious.” The garden, which is sur rounded by a glass railing, sits ) atop a theater inside the Kimmel ) Center, 85 feet above an indoor > plaza. "It’s a matter of public safety,” ; said Willard G. Rouse III, devel oper and Kimmel Center chair man. i ‘ ’The cost of having guards up there is prohibitive,” Rouse said. "You cannot put children up there without supervision.” Besides concerns about the rooftop garden, some patrons have complained that railings in the center’s orchestra hall, I Verizon Hall, are too short and s make them nervous. ; Project architect Sandra McKee said the railings meet nec t essary code requirements. On the s rooftop, the railings are 42 inches , high. In Verizon Hall, they are 26 . inches high. Soul Train nominees i announced LOS ANGELES (AP)-Alicia Keys had a leading four nomina tions for the 16th annual Soul Train Music Awards, while fellow soul songstresses India.Arie and ' Aaliyah had three each. ; Veteran R&B singers the Isley ; Brothers, making a comeback i more than 42 years after their first hit single "Shout,” also gathered three nominations Thursday, f Keys is up for six Grammys i for the album "Songs in A Minor,” while India.Arie has seven Grammy nominations for her de but album "Acoustic Soul.” Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash last August at age 22, has one nom ination. The Grammy Awards will be given out Feb. 27. Keys and Aaliyah each had two wins at last month’s American Music Awards. ; The Soul Train awards honor rhythm & blues, soul, hip-hop, rap and gospel performances. Winners will be announced March 20 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, and will be taped for syndicated television broadcast. Nominees were an nounced at the Paramount Pictures lot in Hollywood. -I- I