University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, August 22. 1990
Reviews
9
'The Freshman' draws laughter
By Linda Deutsch Associated Press writer
Marlon Brando is a brilliant actor, but let's face it, he's not known for making audiences laugh. Heavy dramatic roles are his forte. "The Shadow" and "Acadiasey" Now' weren't exactly big on chuckles.
That's what makes it such a delightful shock to discover in "The Freshman" that Brando can be so intelligent.
In fact, he is the comic heart of "The Prebman who is infuriably crazy that his extension works."
Matthew Broderick plays a New York University freshman film student from Vernon whose misadventures in New York lead to a job with Carmine Satabini. The softly satibani is a Little Italy businessman with an uncanny resemblance to Vito Corleone of "The Godfather."
This is Brando doing a parody of Brandon, and it is so finely crafted that it might discourage impersonators from attempting any future "Godfather" imitations. Brando does it better than any of his imitators could, and he never cracks a smile.
Sabatini has the same husky voice, the gravel-in-the-mouth delivery that makes some of his words incomprehensible, and the trade-jobs he creates that make him the man that made Corleone a part of U.S. film history.
Above all, he has dignity that extends to a scene in which the bulky Sabatini is seen majestically ice skating — a vision that lasts long after the movie.
Brando's plot relationship with Broderick an underset of warmth unexpected in the first season.
Broderick's character, Clark Kellogg, attends film classes where the teacher — a mad professor type played by Paul Benedict — shows her reading of "The Godfather" to his enraged students.
in a new country.
Lest we doubt that parody is going on here,
"You know, the resemblance is incredible." Broderick whispers when he is introduced to Sade.
The story of "The Freshman" is pure fantasy. Broderick can commend to smuggle a giant lizard known as a Komodo dragon an endangered species member — out of airport customs. This lizard (actually another unenangered animal) is a star. Reptile or not, he's enearding. And when he rocks suddenly appears to sing, "There he is, your Komodo dragon," you've got to love this movie.
The Tri-Star picture is rated PG. Running time: 102 minutes.
Wilbury member's solo album flops
The Associated Press
" Δ armchair Theatre" (Reprise) - Jeff Lynne.
With an impressive background as part of the Traveling Wilburys and as leader of the Electric Light Orchestra, Jeff Lyme did little to help on a flop on the order of "Armchair Theatre."
His solo album brings to a disappointing end a string of recorded successes for Wilburrys George Clement. He is also the author of
A wizard in the studio, Lynne tries all sorts of tricks to sweeten his sound. Cascading keyboardes and chirping background vocals recall classic songs from the 1970s. The clarion are solicited to recreate the Wilbur magic.
It doesn't work. Lynne's lyrics are devoid of interesting turns of phrases or ideas. Two of his most promising metodies — "Every Little Thing" and "Milkshake" — go to the ground by a maddening stop-start structure.
Quite simply, Lynne needs to put his songs to the
acoustic guitar test. It's difficult to imagine most of these songs sung alone with just a strummed guitar accompaniment. Take away the layers of studio trickery, and there's nothing left.
Only the charming environmental anthem, "Save Me Now," tellingly performed with just an acoustic guitar and an unobtrusive keyboard, is worth salvaging.
But that's the last song on an 11-song disc. Listeners can be forgiven for having up in the air with it.
'Mo' Better Blues' tops jazz movies
By Bob Thomas
Associated Press writer
The astonishing Spike Lee, surely the most original of new filmmakers, succeeds where others have stumbled. He has made a jazz movie that is both authoritative and entertaining.
Bertand Taverner's "Round Midnight" and Clint Eastwood's "Bird" captured the essence of jazz but were not the only songs they turned off average audiences.
Lee's "Mo' Better Blues" has something for everyone; comedy, sex, violence, drama, as well as some of the most sublime jazz to be captured on film. The rendition of the title tune will haunt us for years.
Gone is the angry attitude of Lee's last film — not that he hallowed out. His situations and his dialogue retain plenty of bite (some may be too much) of the two money-squeezing co-owner brothers as anti-Semitic.
The prologue is a brief vignette of a New York boy whose mother won't let him go out to play until he finishes his trumpet lessons. The boy grows up to become Bleek Gilliam (Denzel Washington), a rising jazz star whose quintet prints the Beneath the Underdog club every night.
Bleek tries to balance his career --with no help from his boyhood friend and manager, Giant (Spike Lee) and romances with a would be singer (Cynda Williams) and a school teacher (Joie Lee). Bleek's juggling act fails, with tragic results.
"Mo ' better Blues" marks Denzel Washington's continued emergence as a first-rank film actor. He is a commanding figure on the bandstand and off. Winner of last year's support, he received "Academy Award for Glory," and was inducted before that, he's likely to be in the running for lead actor this time.
At more than two hours, "Mo Better Blues" could stand trimming, especially of the bickered scenes that may be unintelligible for some ears. But Lee's originality shines through in every scene, and there is even an unexpected sweetness in the way答案 are resolved.
The film is loaded with powerful performances, notably Wesley Snipes as Bleek's sax-playing rival. The almost continuous score by Bill Lee (Spike's father) adds richness, as does Ernest Dickerson's burnished photography. The Brooklyn Bridge never looked so good.
The Universal Pictures release is rated R.
Celebrate your return at The Yacht Club Great Drink Specials Every Day!!
The Yacht Club is glad you're back!!
WON.: $10¢ Draws
TUES.: $1.50 Imports
WES.: $1.25 Bottles, $1 Margaritas
THURS.: 75¢ Draws, $1.75 Wells
FRL: Bucket of Busch/ Busch Light $6
SAT.: $1 Shots
Draws with Cheeseburger & Fries
SUN.: 50¢ Draws with Cheeseburger & Fries
530 WISCONSIN
M-Sat. 11:30am-2am,
Sun. 4pm-2am
WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE BROUGHT YOU THESE GREAT ACTS...
Dream So Real
Living Colour
Paint The Room
Pet Dog Pondering
Moving Muses
Royal Crested Monkey
Godfathers
Lonnie Brooks
Bonnie Beddard
Men Without Hats
Trip Shakespeare
Buckwheat Zydeco
Buckwheat Zydeco
Sons Seals
Halls & Rodeo Radicals
Tommy Keeney
They Might Be Giants
Guadalupe Diary
Dead Milkmen
Flaming Lips
Fishbite
Sugar Blue
Bob Mould
Lucky Dude
The Lemon Lemon Drops
Burning Spear
Peter Case
Joe Bros.
Sound Garden
- Lawrence's Live Music Headquarters
Be sure to get our calendar - so you don't miss the next big show!!
737 New Hampshire * Lawrence * 843-4723
WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF Wr
Zappo!!
Tonight: Ricky Dean Sinatra
Thursday: The Psychowelders
Friday: The Sin City Disciples
Saturday: The Return of Random Aztech
Monday: New Zealand's Ebeling Bros.
Since 1925:
Lawrence's oldest
Live Music Hotspot
The Crossing
WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF
1
Don't Be Stupid. Don't Drink and Drive.
WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOO
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
CONGO BAR
DRINK SPECIALS
SUNDAY:
MONDAY:
THURSDAY:
WEDNESDAY:
TUESDAY:
50¢ Draws
$1 Well Drinks
$1 Cans & Bottles
50¢ Draws
STUDENT PARTIES
Take a RT. a Johnny's & across the tracks
Fridays Live Bands
$2 Pitchers
everyday
9 am-2am
520 N. 3rd St. WELCOME
THE MAD HATTER
LOUISE'S BAR
Welcome Back Students!
$1.00
SCHOONERS
every Wed.
No better way to catch up on the summer than to share a cold frosty Schooner...or 2, or 3, or 4...with your friends.
WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF
THE JAZZHAUS
Daily Drink Specials
Good Music
Great Vibes
749-3320
Live Music Thurs - Sat Otherwise Featuring the Best in Recorded Music.
926 1/2 Massachusetts