The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 18, 2005, Page 8, Image 8
‘Goblet’ gang not shy ofPG-13 rating
Fourth installment of‘Harry Potter’ series conjures darker brew
Daniel Pienberg
ZAP2IT.COM
LOS ANGELES — Fearsome
dragons. Evil wizards. A first
school dance. Unexpected
death. Slowly gestating terror.
“Harry Potter and the Goblet
of Fire” may be the family film
of the winter, but only if
certain members of your
family don’t mind covering
their eyes at the scariest parts.
Through its first three
cinematic installments, the
“Harry Potter” franchise have
generated more than $2.6
billion in worldwide theatrical
revenue, but the fourth film
enters theaters this Friday
with some new caveats.
“Goblet of Fire,” which brings
director Mike Newell into the
fold, has earned a PG-13
11 Ml IB n*> T aKUHIBVK
rating in the United States
and a “12” certification in the
United Kingdom. All arpund
the world, in fact, parents are
being warned that the latest
adventures of Harry (Daniel
Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma
Watson) and Ron (Rupert
Grint) may not be suitable for
the smallest of children.
David Heyman, producer
on all of the J.K. Rowling
adaptations, isn’t concerned.
“For me, the books are not
children’s books, I think that’s
a misconception,” he insists.
“I think the books are books
that appeal to, maybe you
could say children of all ages,
but I think they appeal to
people of all ages. I think that
there’s something for
everybody in them. Each of
the books is more mature than
tfie one that precedes it
because it’s also dealing with a
different age, a different year
in Harry’s life.”
Tlje film’s director observes
that simply to maintain an
escalating dramatic tension
through the books and films,
the obstacles facing Harry
and his friends must mature
in the same way. From the
very beginning, the series has
been pushing toward an
ultimate confrontation
between Harry and the
fearsome Lord Voldemort
(Ralph Fiennes), but in order
to accommodate the wizard’s
nascent skills, the early
installments had to
concentrate on simpler goals.
“I think in the previous
films, because of the age of
people, what’s been
happening is that the scale of
challenge to the leading
character has been limited,”
Newell says. “He’s had a battle
to deal with, he’s had this
problem and that problem,
but he’s never actually been
challenged in himself. He’s
never had to put up or shut
up.
Very early on in “Goblet of
Fire,” it becomes clear that
Voldemort’s plans to regain
his physical form and
terrifying strength are coming
close to fruition, forcing the
filmmaking team to either
find a PG-friendly
embodiment of all evil, or
trust that the audience has
been well prepared for the
darkness to come.
Murray Close /ASSOCIATED PRESS
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) finds himself selected as an
underage competitor in a dangerous multi-wizardary school
competition in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."
IMTERMATIOI/IAL
Edmcatioia
Week :( j ?
l/I.S. Dept, of State
l/I.S. Dept, of Ednc^tion
http:// lew. state. o v /
At USC,
1,002 International Students
come from 102 countries.
410 USC students
studied abroad last year
" Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness,
and many of our people need it solely on these accounts.
Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things
cannot be acquired by vegetating in one corner of the earth
all one's lifetime."
-Mark Twain
iBBI
nHHHBVT
cicmson • connnuED froid i
event in hopes of attracting
more fans.
“Normally we have a
turnout of "1,200 or so
student, faculty, staff, and
community members,” said
Amanda Alpert, CP
traditional events
commissioner and third-year
broadcast journalism student.
“This year we are shooting for
about 3,500.”
To build a better tiger and
have a more impressive burn,
Carolina Productions teamed
up with mechanical
engineering students and
produced a 25-foot tiger.
“Students who have never
attended are in for a treat,”
Alpert said. “Our massive
tiger, national recording artist,
energy-pumping performances
and many student leader
appearances will be a great
way to start this fun-packed
weekend.”
Bryan Barley, a third-year
—-!-'-'
history student who calls
himself “a bit of a football
psycho,” is pumped. “I grew
up a Virginia Tech fan,” Barley
said. “But after being at USC
for a fetv years, my blood now
runs garnet and black.”
Barley’s pre-game plans
include the Tiger Burn and
tailgating with friends. “I
know that for a lot of the
people I’ll be going with this
Saturday, this game won’t just
be their last Carolina-Clemson
game, but also their last home
game as a student,” Barley
said. “I’m looking forward to
having one last time at
Williams-Brice with a lot of
good friends.”
When it comes to tickets,
many students said they would
be willing to pay about $60 to
$70 for one.
Mill said she would wait in
line for hours for a ticket and
pay around $60, if she didn’t
already have one. “But no
sleeping bags for me,” Mill
said. “I heard some people
slept overnight to get a ticket.
(That’s) too hardcore for me. I
like my bed.”
Preston was surprised at how
much some students shelled
out for tickets. ”1 heard of a
student paying as much as
$300 for a ticket,” Preston
said. “I didn’t even realize
college students had that much
money in their pockets.”
Many students said they
would not miss this game for
the world. With coach Steve
Spurrier and the advantage of
a home game, students seem
positive that the Gamecocks
will pull off a victory. And the
fans have promised to be there
the whole way, screaming,
cheering and above all, having
a good time together.
“There is nothing better
than giving and receiving
high-fives from people around
you that you’ve never met
before,” Mill said.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu
DERAILED'•COnTinUGD PRODI1
hotel for an intended steamy
affair. Unfortunately, they pick
a seedy establishment and are
robbed before anything occurs.
Lucinda is raped after Charles is
knocked out cold.
They decide against going to
the authorities so their spouses
won’t find out about their
original intentions. Thinking
the experience is behind them,
Charles receives a call from the
robber, who blackmails Charles
into giving him more money to
keep quiet about their hotel
rendezvous.
Charles begins giving the
blackmailer money saved for
his sick daughter’s medical
costs, but the man won’t go
away. When Lucinda, his wife
and daughter’s lives are all put
in jeopardy, Charles’
desperation builds, pushing
him to extremes to get rid of
the deranged criminal.
“Derailed” offers a genuinely
original ending that solidifies
the film. Audiences likely won’t
expect it, and it quickens the
pace of the slightly slow film.
Unlike some thrillers whose
endings ruin the overall plot,
the ending redeems the movie.
Appearing in such films as
“King Arthur,” “Closer” and
“Sin City,” Owen is one of the
hot new actors in Hollywood
and delivers a solid and
smoldering performance as
Charles. The British actor
shows no trace of his British
accent, successfully playing the
American executive. His
character begins pathetic and
builds strength as his family
and his life are threatened,
subtly showcasing Owen’s
acting range.
Aniston is finally shedding
her “good girl” image as Rachel
Green. Not bubbly, not naive
but smart and sharp-witted,
Lucinda is not so “Friend”ly,
and the dramatic role fits
Aniston well.
Perhaps “Derailed” is
successful in its ability to keep
viewers guessing because it is
Swedish director Mikael
Hafstrom’s American film
debut. He adds a much-needed
freshness to the overdone
dramatic-thriller genre. The
film feels vaguely like “The
Bourne Identity” but with a
better and more intense
conclusion.
“Derailed” could have used
more action or suspense in the
first half of the film because
even the dramatic scenes seem
sluggish. But the onset feeling
of predictability is eventually
and thankfully expelled.
The graphic images of
“Derailed” are slighdy
overdone. While the
robbery/rape scene is supposed
to be brutal, several other scenes
reach the brink of unnecessary
grossness. The amount of blood
in the film begins to take away
from its credibility, making it
feel more like a gangster, “shoot
’em-up” film instead.
Ultimately, in spite of the
overstated moral that adultery
leads to turmoil, “Derailed”
uses emotion and the ever
rising talents of Owen and
Aniston to provide a
suspenseful and entertaining
film.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc. edu
ciTon • connnucD froim
The album tracks were inspired
by Southern culture. “Porch
Swing in Tupelo” was written
about Elvis Presleys historic
home in Mississippi, and two of
the songs, “Answer in the Sky”
and “All That I’m Allowed,”
had obvious gospel influences.
While the “Peachtree Road”
set was tantalizing and
demonstrated the timelessness
of John’s musical ability, the
second part of the concert was
the reason loyal fans held on to
their tickets since March. He
began the second set with an
instrumental blend of “Funeral
for a Friend” and “Love Lies
Bleeding.” John then
transitioned into “Bennie and
the Jets,” causing fens to jump
to their feet.
The second half of the
concert was a large sing-and
dance-along, as John jumped
up and down from his pianists
bench to interact with the
audience and pose on top of his
piano like a sultry songstress!
He quenched fans’ thirst for
classics such as “Daniel,” “I
Guess That’s Why They Call it
the Blues,” “Tiny Dancer” and
a nearly 15-minute rendition of
“Rocket Man.”
Near the end of the second
set, John told the audience
about his recording session with
the late Ray Charles for the
album “Genius Loves
Company,” the last studio
recording Charles made before
he died in June 2004. John
then performed “Sorry Seems
to Be the Hardest Word,” the
song he recorded with Charles.
After ending his second set,
John left the stage, but fans still
wanted more. To thunderous
applause, John returned to the
stage and signed autographs as
the band and singers got back
into place. Sitting back down at
his piano, he delivered an
encore of “Crocodile Rock.”
John then left for a quick
costume change and returned
to the stage donned in a black
track suit. He thanked the
audience for their support and
told them how America always
supported him.
“Through all my ups and
downs, you’ve stood by me,”
John said.
He finished the show with
“Your Song,” the song that many
fans had anticipated all night.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecockfeaturesGPgwm. sc. edu
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