Monday, February 22, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 9
Entertainment
Film critic Gene Siskel dies
Reviewer had surgery for growth on brain
By Ezra Sykes
Kansan staff writer
Film critic Gene Siskel, known for the thumbs-up and thumbs-down reviews he and Roger Ebert shared on their popular TV show, died Saturday. He was 53.
Siskel had surgery last May to remove a growth from his brain, but returned to the syndicated television show Siskel & Ebert soon afterward.
He announced earlier this month that he was taking time off from the show to recuperate from surgery.
Siskel died at Evanston Hospital, near Chicago, surrounded by his family.
"Gene was a lifelong friend, and our professional competition only strengthened
that bond," Ehert said in a television interview. "I can't even imagine what it will be like without Siskel."
John Tibbetts, KU assistant professor of
film, met and interviewed Siskel and Ebert several times during his tenure in television broadcast and said the pair had a large impact on film criticism.
Tibbetts said that although Ebert was perhaps a better-qualified film critic, Siskel was responsible for much of the show's fame.
"It was Siskel's idea
"It was Siskel's idea to get the program into the mainstream," he said. "It was Siskel who organized their team concept."
Their show's continuing success was largely attributed to the chemistry between the tall, balding Siskel and the heavyset Ebert. They appeared to practice a one-upmanship that was in the tradition of their rivalry newspapers — Siskel was a critic for the Chicago Tribune and Ebert for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Tibbetts said Siskel and Ebert's much-talked about rivalry was not just an attempt to create controversy.
"He and Ebert did not get along," he said. "That's not press hype. The atmosphere was always pretty chilly. I think that counted for the popularity of the show."
Tibbetts said Siskel took a different approach to film criticism than Ebert that appealed to a lot of people.
"Siskel had more of that common man, 'let's talk to Joe six-pack' attitude," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story — Edited by Juan H. Heath
Fleming & John's second effort falls short
By Chris Fickett
Universal Records had a good concept in mind when it signed Fleming & John.
Here is a husband and wife duo that lives in a brick, bi-level house in Nashville, Tenn., which also doubles as their recording studio.
Wife Fleming McWilliams cooks dinner for husband John Mark Painter as he finishes guitar tracks for their second release, *The Way We Are*.
Kansan campus editor
But Universal didn't just sign a cute little husband and wife band. It also signed a group that is trying to break through the traditional genres of popular music today.
Fleming & John may try to incorporate influences from the past three decades to create a original sound, but it falls into the same overused traps that the majority of the bands use on popular radio stations today.
On Comfortable and the Way We Are,
Fleming & John creates new rhythms and
creative lyrics that flow with the music. It
incorporates a string arrangement success-
fully, unlike cheesy contemporaries like
Green Day.
McWilliams' impressive range of vocals can be effective on tracks such as *The Way*
THE WAY WE ARE
Artist: Fleming & John
Rating: B-
We Are, but her voice also has the power to ruin ground-breaking music writing.
Painter combines sitar-influenced guitar riffs with guest musician JMP's creative selection of clavinet and therein to create an ethno-orchestra on I'm So Small.
their feet and banging to the rhythm with a pencil or other drumstick-like object.
The Way We Are keeps listeners tapping
Sadder Day starts off with an '80s beat-box sound that sounds straight out of Thriller, but the chorus melds into a common sound found on Pure Disco.
Unfortunately, a common theme on the album is that a great song such as The Way We Are is followed by Radiate, a track that makes me think that Fleming & John hired Neil Diamond's backup band for a cameo.
Ugly Girl features an unoriginal bass line, and McWilliams gives another rousing vocal performance with lyrics such as,
"Does she smoke cigars and stay up late, oh she's great," and my personal favorite,
"Ia-la-la-la. la...la." At least McWilliams didn't screech or whine on this song.
The flip side of the album is saved with I Fall For You, which has an Eastern European ethnic groove with JMP on the accordion. I Fall For You also features background vocals by Ben Folds, who co-wrote Ugly Girl.
Overall, Fleming & John's attempt to combine obscure instruments to create breakthrough sounds is admirable, but the attempt falls short. The couple, however, can take comfort in that The Way We Are is only its second album.
Edited by Jon Campbell
Julie Benz, Rebecca Gayheart and Rose McGowan star in *Jawbreaker*, a film written and directed by Darren Stein. Contributed Photo
Jawbreaker fails to satisfy chokes on the big screen
By Brendan Walsh Kanson movie critic
Kansan movie critic
Jawbreaker is a poor attempt to merge the humor of Heathers with the kitsch appeal of Scream. It's neither funny nor campy and is perhaps the worst movie of the year.
The four most popular girls at Reagan High become a threesome after they accidentally kill one of their friends. Liz (former Miss Teen USA Charlotte Roldan), when they try to gag her with a jawbreaker. The evil Courtney (Rose McGowan) and the sheep-like Marcie (Julie Benz) decide to try and cover up the accident, much to the chagrin of Julie (Rebecca Gayheart), their somewhat moral friend. Class dork Fern (Judy Evans Greene) discovers the scheme, and in exchange for her silence the girls transform her into one of their own. Courtyne gains a new member for her clique, Julie gets kicked out, and mayhem ensues.
Jawbreaker is completely without humor. Darren Stein, the 26-year-old writer and director of the movie, is just too macabre to be entertaining, and the key to a black comedy is — well — entertainment. Stein also attempts creative flashbacks, which come off as forced and artificially artsy. This movie fails in almost everything it
JAWBREAKER
Rating: D-
tries to do.
McGowan dates Brian Warner (a.k.a. Marilyn Manson) in the real world (if Manson can be said to inhabit the real world) and fingled her beloved a 30-second cameo in the movie. Manson, sans makeup and in a leisure suit, still looks kind of creepy. That cameo, and Blacksploitation queen Pam Grier's appearance as Detective Vera Cruz, are the highlights of the movie.
Gayheart (better known as the Noxemale Girl) is charming, but has a difficult time looking like a teenager. McGowan is convincingly evil, but Benz adds nothing to her bland character.
The only thing that saves the movie from being a total bust is the ending. In many teen movies, all hell breaks loose at the prom, and Jawbreaker is no exception. The scene is well-crafted and satisfying, and is, therefore, out of place in this painful film. It's a great two minutes, but it's not worth sitting through the previous hour and a half.
Edited by Julie Sachs
Come join us for the grand reopening of the Woodruff Auditorium!
February 23,1999 Free lecture by Gil White author of "Europe & the World on 84c a Day"
February 24,1999 NET Sneak Preview:
"Analyze This" starring Robert DeNiro.8 p.m.
Free admission.
February 25-27,1999 "Slam"(Rated R)7 p.m. "Beloved" (Rated R)9 p.m Plus midnight movies on Friday and Saturday
Free popcorn and 75¢ soda at each event. Questions? Call SUA at 864-3477. www.ukans.edu/-sua
CANDIDATE WORKSHOPS
STUDENT SENATE '99-00'
ALL PROSPECTIVE STUDENT SENATE CANDIDATES MUST ATTEND ONE OF THE FOLLOWING WORKSHOPS.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD TIME: 5:30 - 7:30 PM PLACE: 3140 WESCOE HALL
THURSDAY, MARCH 4TH TIME: 7:30-9:30 PM PLACE: CENTENNIAL ROOM, KANSAS UNION
TUESDAY, MARCH 30TH TIME:7:30-9:30 PM PLACE:TO BE ANNOUNCED