Friday, September 26, 1997
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 5
'L.A. Confidential' opens file on justice in crime-ridden city
By Scott Eric Travers s-travers.ukans.edu Kansan Movie Guy
Russell Crowel stars in LA Confidential
A deeply involved story of deceit and corruption lights up the big screen this week, courtesy of director Curtis Hanson ("The Hand That Rocks the Cradle")
1950s Los Angeles, a crime-riden town hiding in a media-hyped myth of paradise, is the setting of "L.A. Confidential."
The Los Angeles Police Department, in the throes of a struggle to maintain a clean image, embraces swift and decisive justice. But swift justice is not thorough, and when a massacre is pawned off on innocent suspects and swept under the carpet, only a few are willing to dig for the truth.
At first, the story drags on in agonizing characterization; getting to know the major players is a no-blinking-allowed whiteknuckle ride that starts in the first frame of the movie. But the story soon blossoms into that of an idealistic detective and a strong-arm-for-hire who team up to solve a closed murder case. Conflicts within the department begin to present obstacles that unveil more and more devastating secrets.
"L.A. Confidential" sports an outstanding cast, including Kevin Spacey ("Seven," "The Usual Suspects"), James Cromwell ("Babe"), David Strathairn
("Sneakers"), Kim Basinger ("Batman") and Danny DeVito ("Get Shorty").
Australian up-and-comers Guy Pearce ("The Adventures of Priscila, Queen of the Desert"), and Russell Crowe ("Virtuosity") lead the pack in a dire struggle to come to terms with their own sense of justice.
The film is at times hard to follow, with a multitude of names to keep track of, but Hanson uses a series of well-placed flashbacks and none-too-subtle hints to keep the audience informed. With hints given in dialogue in the first third of the movie, predictions of the conclusion can be attempted,
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
**Movie:** L.A. Confidential
**District:** Warner Bros.
**Rated:** R
**Director:** Curtis Hanson
**Starring:** Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, David Strathairn, Kim Basinger, and Danny DeVito
but not with much certainty.
"L.A. Confidential" is the first real thinker of the fall season, and for those who have the requisite attention span to make it through the first dismal expository hour, a wonderful piece of filmmaking awaits.
T-Shirt to rock in Lawrence again on Oct.10
By Tom Winter twinter@kansan.com kansan stuff writer
ure into an evening's success.
There was a blackout at T-Shirt's show the last time the band played in Boston.
The show was prematurely canceled by the club owner, who sent the sound guy home.
However, with amps turned low and Jeremy Moeller playing drums with wire brushes, the Lawrence-based T-Shirt turned a possible fail-
Leslie Sink, vocalist for the band, sat on the edge of the stage and sang to the hushed crowd without a microphone.
"The fact that we could go from being really loud to being really quiet was great," said Cotten Seiler, guitarist for the band. "The songs still held up."
In 1994, Seiler and guitarist Mike Elliott, both graduate students at the Kansas, met and began playing guitar. At the time, Sink and Brandon
At the time, Sink and Brandon
Burke, now bassist for the band, were playing with the band Shower Trick
Sink grew tried of being the band's front-woman and dissolved the band. She and Burke began playing with Seiler and Elliott. They also picked up drummer Debbie Vanderwahl
That was 1994 and the beginning of T-Shirt.
Since then, the band has changed drummers twice, and now has Moeller hitting the skins.
See T-SHIRT on page 8B
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