Section B · Page 8
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, June 17, 1998
Movie Review
When his cargo plane is forced down in a storm, Quinn Harris (Harrison Ford) and passenger Robin Monroe (Anne Heche) find themselves stranded on an island in the South Pacific. Danger and romance ensue as the two castaways are thrown into a series of adventures in the Touchstone Pictures film "Six Days, Seven Nights." Contributed Photo
Unoriginal Days offers no escape from cliche
By Jeremy M. Doherty
Kansan movie critic
Director Ivan Reitman reportedly got cold feet after hiring Anne Heche, girlfriend of Ellen DeGeneres, to star opposite Harrison Ford in the romantic comedy Six Days, Seven Nights.
Too bad for him. Instead of worrying about whether she could pass for a heterosexual (and she can), Reitman should have been hopping mad about the script's mishmash of cliches.
But let's give the director the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he never saw Romancing the Stone, or he would have realized that Six Days cribs its every working element (grizzled hero, neurotic heroine, exotic locale). Let's assume that he never sat through any Katharine Hepburn comedies. Otherwise, he would have known that this movie's bawdy dialogue has already been heard — albeit in tamer terms — many times before.
Aside from that, Six Days is nothing short of a masterpiece. Heche is Robin Monroe, a fast-talking career gal slaving away at a New York fashion magazine. Her beau, Frank (David Schwimmer), convinces her to drop everything for a sun-drenched week at a oceanside resort in the South Pacific. While sipping
daiquiris, the home office summons Robin for a quick photo shoot in Tahiti. Even though Frank had just popped the question, Robin books a flight on a local cargo plane. Bad weather brings the plane down onto an unsettled island. After emerging from the damaged craft, Robin asks the pilot, Quinn Harris (Harrison Ford), if he's able to fix the plane's crushed wheel.
"Sure," he snarls. "We'll just glue it back on."
David Schwimmer stars as Robin's (Heche) fiance Frank, and Jacqueline Obradors stars as Angelica, Quinn's (Ford) co-pilot and unofficial paramour. Contributed Photo
SIX DAYS. SEVEN NIGHTS
Kansas Rating: ** out of ******
Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Rated PG-13 for strong sexuality and related language
What begins as a sort of exotic Woody Allen comedy quickly turns into a Woody Allen adventure movie. There are some funny scenes, such as the one in which Robin fires their only flare at a palm tree or where Quinn removes a snake from her shorts with his bare hands. Yet many of these Cruseo-type shenanigans feel like a PG-13 version of the Hawaiian episode from The Brady Bunch.
If there is a reason to endure Six Days, it is the stars' good-natured performances. They appear to be enjoying themselves, and their enthusiasm nearly extends to the audience. Ford strikes an interesting note between bravado and goofiness, and Quinn comes across as a 50-something version of Han Solo. Heche also manages to make her rough-edged character sympathetic.
The biggest eyesore has to be David Schwimmer, whose annoying aw-shucks demeanor has this critic wishing he were the one trapped on a deserted island.
CONCERT CALENDAR
Juzzhaus: 926 1/2 Massachusetts St. 749-3320
6/18: Kate Shrock
6/19: Joanna Connor
6/20: Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band
Jesters' : 1105 Massachusetts St.
6/17: Zippo Moment
6/18: Student Union/Ruskabank
6/20: The Late Show
6/22: Electron Volts/ The Time Outs
6/23: Confessing Sala
Replay Lounge: 946 Massachusetts St. 749-7676
6/17: Free Verse/Lucid Nation
6/18: Season To Risk
6/20: BeNon/Sunday Puncher
The Bottleneck: 737 New Hampshire St. 841-LIVE
6/18: Poop Fest-Link 80/Eight Degrees/One Concern/Brand New Unit/Derciler/Free Verse
6/19: The Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers (featuring Victoria Williams and Mark Olsen of the Jayhawks plus Razz Russell)/Lullaby for the Working Class
6/20 The Band That Saved the World
6/21 Swing Set
6/22 Open mike
6/23 Reckless Kelly/The Big Rigs
Feminist trio to play
KU graduates come back to Lawrence for shows
By Robocca Ulanoff Kansan staff writer
A band has aspirations of leaving town, getting signed to a record label and relocating to a thriving metropolis. It's a rock 'n' roll dream that has come true — Free Verse style.
Lawrence's Free Verse, a female trio includes Jenni Black, guitar and vocals, Tuesday Harper, guitar and vocals and M. Collier, drum and vocals.
Collier describes Free Verse as a highenergy, in-your-face, feminist, definitely political, hardcore, kind-of-punk band. Collier said that the band has grown since its humble beginnings playing house parties and participating in open-mike night at The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St.
Free Verse formed in January 1995. Black had just begun playing acoustic guitar and wanted to start a band. She spread the word around Gertrude Sellards Pearson-Corbin Hall and met Tuesday Harper, who had just taken up bass guitar. By word of mouth, they met Collier, a novice drummer, and the rest is history. All three women graduated in May.
The band's outspoken nature is what initially attracted its record label, Brain Floss Records and touring band Lucid
"We don't intend to scare people. However, when some people are confronted with the issues and images we present, they tend to become threatened, nervous, even angry," the band said in a press release. "We did not create these problems, we just try to make people aware that the world isn't a nice place for many of us. People cannot claim blissful ignorance anymore."
As an all-female band, Free Verse said that they encounter a lot of gender discrimination and that they try to confront the issue through their music.
The band does benefit shows for such organizations as the Feminist Union, Pro-Choice, Children with AIDS, Food Not Bombs, National Day Against Police Brutality and Environs.
"People get caught up on whether you are male or female, rather than what type of music you play or how well you play the music," Collier said.
Free Verse rocks 'n' rolls into town tonight with Lucid Nation. From left to right: Tuesday Harper, M. Collier and Jenni Black. Contributed art
Nation.
Something did. Brain Floss helped Free Verse produce "Access Denied," the band's first CD.
Collier was co-host of "Beyond the Valley Of The Dolls" on KAW 88.9 FM. The show is devoted to rockin' out women's music, KU graduate Jenel Farrell, cofounder and assistant program director of the station, said. Lucid Nation, Los Angeles-based band and owners of Brain Floss, sent a tape to the radio show and Collier loved it. Collier sent Free Verse's demo to Lucid Nation hoping that something would happen.
Ronnie Hogart, vocals, guitar and bass for Lucid Nation and co-founder of Brain Floss, said he wanted to help get bands signed.
The band moved to Seattle after graduation and has been touring with Lucid Nation since.
"Free Verse knocked us out. Their point of view of abuse was exactly what we've been looking for," Hogart said. "Musically they're astounding, lyrically it's all poetry. They're talking about the kind of subjects we feel aren't discussed enough."
Free Verse will play two shows in Lawrence, tonight at the Replay Lounge, 946 Massachusetts St. and tomorrow at The Bottleneck.
Crowds ignited by Heat's music
Kansan staff writer
By Tiffany Harrington
The heat was on when The Reverend Horton Heat gave a sold-out show at The Bottleneck Saturday. The crowd was pumped and ready for the full-body slam sound of The Rev, and his crew.
has produced such artists as U2, John Lennon and Rocket from The Crypt. Panunzio was a different type of producer than the band was used to. The group's previous producers have been musicians themselves.
"We thought we'd try somebody who wasn't a rock star for once," jokes The Rev.
"I drove all the way from St. Louis to hear this show," said Max Turner. "My friends and I wouldn't have missed this for anything, not even a few hours of driving."
"My friends and I wouldn't have missed this for anything, not even a few hours of driving."
The Texas-based trio is led by former pool shark and Eastern Texas Juvenile Correction Facility alumnus The Rev. With hair shined up a mile high
Max Turner
Fan
and modeling a fresh pair of cutoffs, vocalist/guitarist The Rev., along with bassist Jimbo and drummer Scott Churilla, took center stage and jammed out a sound that was unmistakably their own.
It's Martini Time also introduces Heat fans to new musical ground.
"Thom's just a normal guy with a wife and kid. This session was kind of calm compared to what we're used to, but that's good because we had the freedom to do our thing."
The Heat's second and latest CD It's 'Martini Time', features a wide variety of lyrics about booze, women and hard living. The CD was produced by Thom Panunzio, who
"We used horns, piano, accordion steel guitar and even sound loops," The Rev. said.
However, the Heat's new musical trail is not far from its traditional Texas country, swamp-stomp and noise sound.
"It doesn't matter what guitar you play," the Rev said. "It's what comes out of your heart."
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University Theatre Series All performances are in the Crafton-Preyer Theatre
The Batting Cage by Joan Ackermann Directed by Jack B. Wright October 16,17,18,22,23,24,1998
Oklahoma! by Rodgers and Hammerstein Directed by John Staniunas Musical direction by Mark Ferrell November 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 1998
The Way of the World by William Congreve Directed by Ronald A. Willis March 5,6,7,11,12,13,1999
Gut Girls by Sarah Daniels Directed by Delores Ringer April 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, May 1, 1999
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