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Thursday, August 2,1990
The Battalion
Pages
4
Theater Focus: (hjijk Cf^dljas
Photos by Sondra Robbins
Burke and De Korne try to woo an airline stewardess played production of “Boeing” continues today through Saturday,
by theater arts major Stephany Tramel. MSC Dinner Theater’s Aggie Players will perform “Sea Horses” next week.
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By Don Atkinson Jr.
^M^he Aggie Players
have done some quality
productions in the past. Most
recently, the performance of “6
Rms Riv Vu” offered an evening
of solid entertainment.
Unfortunately, the same can
not be said for their current
production of “Boeing-Boeing,”
a 1967 French farce written by
Marc Camoletti.
It would be easy to blame the
disappointing presentation on the
actors or the director, but the
problem is more basic than that.
The Aggie Players should have
never even attempted to perform
“Boeing-Boeing.”
Because the play takes place in
Paris, most of the actors are
forced to speak in false accents,
thereby distancing themselves
from not only their characters but
from the play itself.
Although the actors did the
best they could given the source
material, there was no way they
could do more than just speak
their lines. Because they had to
constantly deal with fake speech
patterns, the end result was all of
their characters came across as
little more than weak stereotypes.
Another problem with
“Boeing-Boeing” — it is
hopelessly outdated. The play
was written at a time when the
devil-may-care playboy was still
very much in vogue. By today’s
standards, “Boeing-Boeing” is
remarkably sexist.
The play centers around
Bernard (Jonathon Burke), a
hormone-crazed Frenchman who
has managed a unique
arrangement with his lovelife. He
is engaged to be married to three
women, all airline hostesses
working on three different
airlines.
Through careful planning and a
handy airline schedule, Bernard
rotates the women into his bed
one at a time. Of course the three
women have no idea what’s going
on.
In the midst of this debauchery
comes Robert (Steven DeKome),
an Englishman who is a friend of
Bernard’s and apparently has an
overactive libido of his own.
At first Robert is leary of the
situation but soon finds himself
trying to bed all three of
Bernard’s fiancees.
The first object of his lust is
Janet (Stacey Noessel), an
American stewardess. Since
Noessel had the only role not
requiring a fake accent, she was
able to give her character some
depth.
awkward ‘Boeing
After Janet’s departure, Robert
quickly discovers Jacqueline
(Stephany Tramel), a French
stewardess. She briefly becomes
the object of his affections but is
tossed aside upon the arrival of
Judith (Wendy Young), a
German stewardess.
Of all the characters in
“Boeing-Boeing,” Judith is the
most intriguing. Young
apparently knew that the phony
accent and corny dialogue would
be a burden and instead made it
an asset. She overplays the role
beautifully, making Judith come
across as a homy Col. Klink,
goose-stepping around and
barking all of her dialogue.
As the play continues, Robert
discovers that because of a series
of coincidences, all of Bernard’s
fiancees will be in the house at
one time.
“Boeing-Boeing” concludes
with plenty of slapstick action as
the three women continually just
miss each other. Bernard and
Robert are trapped in the middle
trying to keep the situation under
control.
During these moments,
“Boeing-Boeing” is enjoyable to
watch. Because of the constant
action, the sexist theme and
wooden characters are easily
forgotten.
But, when the play ends, you
are left with an unsatisfied
feeling. Because of Bernard’s
blatant disregard for the women
he uses, you feel no sympathy
towards him. I found myself
wishing desperately that both he
and Robert would get caught,
which of course removed any
Boeing’
suspense elements from the hit-
and-run action between the three
women.
I would like to make it clear
that I think the cast of “Boeing-
Boeing” did the best they could.
However, since they were given a
play with an outdated theme and
impossible phyical demands, I
can only lay blame for this
production on whoever chose the
play in the first place.
“Boeing-Boeing” has its funny
moments and is by no means the
worst play I’ve ever seen. But
because of the constant barrage of
weak accents and sexual
degradation portrayed, I was
never able to lose myself in the
fantasy of the storyline.
For a play not to be able to do
even that, I hardly consider it
worth watching.
: ‘Revenge,’‘Driving Miss Daisy’ cruise into video,
" bring quality entertainment to recent dull releases
By Todd Stone
Driving Miss Daisy
Rated PG
Driving Miss Daisy” is a wonderful
~ilm able to charm even the most die-
ard “Friday The 13th” fan.
“Daisy” received an Oscar nomi-
^ I tation for best picture, and Jessica
Tandy rightfully won an Oscar for
?saS Dest actress as Miss Daisy. Her co
llar Morgan Freeman, received a
best actor nomination for his por-
rayal of Daisy’s driver, Hoke.
There’s a good reason why all
|hese Oscar nominations were
brown at this film — it’s damn
ood. “Daisy” is the kind of movie
hat takes the fear out of guessing
which new video has a chance of be-
ng entertaining.
Miss Daisy is a wealthy Jewish
southerner who can no longer drive
herself safely around town. When
he cannot drive her car out of the
jarage safely, it becomes apparent
hat something must change.
Daisy’s son, played by Dan Ayk-
oyd (He also received an Oscar
omination for best supporting ac-
■or.), hires a chauffeur, Hoke, to
ca!l Idrive for his mother. Hoke is a sim-
leniBjie anc j delightful older black man
ijvith a contagious charm.
■ Miss Daisy has no interest in hav-
-hf ■ng a driver and seems immune to
w°;Ploke’s charm. Fiercely indepen
dent, she resents the fact that she
eeds Hoke at all.
The interplay between Hoke and
aisy is acting at its finest. Daisy is
trong-willed and spiteful. Still, her
tiff, lady-like pretentions have a
ertain sweetness.
A friendship develops between
|ioke and Daisy in spite of their dif-
Iferent social, economical, educatio-
For §pal and racial backgrounds. The
rnt" jifriendship seems natural, not forced
a a* |by overzealous screen writers,
thf If you need a tug at the heart or a
ty’s IgGod laugh, this film will deliver,
igal With strong performances by
i:i; [Tandy and Freeman, “Driving. Miss
aisy” is simply a joy to see. Release
ate — today. Grade: A-
—
mis-
ese
red
3
Revenge
Rated R
|‘Revenge” is a gripping film that de
livers all the tension, anger and vio
lence the title suggests.
That may be the one problem
with this movie. The story predic
tably moves along to set up the moti
vation for ... revenge. No surprises
with this movie.
The plot is simple. One guy gets
another guy mad, because he
wanted to be bad with the mad guy’s
wife. The mad guy gets the other
guy even more mad. Before you
know it, someone wants ... (see the
aforementioned title).
“Revenge” would not be interest
ing if not for the intriguing perfor
mances of stars Kevin Costner, An
thony Quinn and Madeleine Stowe.
Costner stars as Cochran, a hot-
shot fighter pilot who decides to re
tire from the Navy and “find him
self.”
He takes a vacation in Mexico to
visit his friend Tibey, played by An
thony Quinn. Tibey is a Mexican
kingpin and controls the labor and
politics with a Mafia-like style.
He is fond of Cochran and always
respects his wishes. Their friendship
is interesting and fun to watch.
However, Tibey has a beautiful
wife, Miryea, played by Stowe. Mi-
ryea and Cochran fall in love and
have an affair. Now, there is a prob
lem.
Tibey discovers the affair and
catches the lovers in the act. His men
beat Cochran and leave him for
dead, and Tibey forces Miryea to en
dure worse.
Naturally, Cochran is mad and
wants...
Director Tony Scott (“Top Gun”
and “Days Of Thunder”) keeps the
story moving along at a quick pace.
Scott’s work is slick in this film. He
evokes striking images with lighting,
shadows and colors.
Costner brings tension to the
screen as Cochran, but his character
was more interesting before he gets
mad and becomes a one-dimensio
nal, revenge-seeking killer. Quinn
puts forth a dominating and intim
idating presence as Tibey. Stowe is
engaging as Miryea.
Overall, it’s the performances of
Costner, Quinn and Stowe that over
come incomplete character and plot
development, making “Revenge” an
entertaining film. Release date —
Wednesday. Grade: B
Other releases: Flashback, Para
site, After Midnight, Personals,
Sorry, Wrong Number, False Iden
tity — release date is today. Blue
Steel — release date is Wednesday.
Previewed videos and release
dates are courtesy of 2 Day Video.
Loop’s minimalist release
creates only tranquil noise
By John Righter
Loop’s A Gilded Eternity finally
fits that musical niche that fans have
so long desired: music for washing
dishes to.
A Gilded Eternity is a sometimes
arousing, but largely repetitve mess
that predictably chugs along like an
assembly line.
The easiest comparison for Loop,
Londoner’s that had previously re
leased a handful of independent sin
gles and two LPs before its RCA de
but, is to imagine listening to a
scratched version of Jesus and Mary
Chain’s Psycho Candy while on
heavy sedation.
Loop relies on minimalism and
the impression of repetitive
rhythms, vocals and effects laid over
one another. Resembling somewhat
the early effects of the Velvet Un
derground, heavy distortion, raw
bass lines and wailing guitar solos
circum sort, incomprehensible vo
cals, spouted in short bursts.
Although the long, constant repe
tition and fuzzy sounds are dehuma
nizing and barely register in most in
stances, there are a few strong tracks
that actually succeed via its method
of tranquil, reiterated noise.
“The Nail Will Burn” is a moving
track with a quivering guitar that en
ters and exits selectively through the
song. The vocals are slight whispers
punctuated by a tight bass line that
evolves into an epic snare. The repe
titiveness builds to a climax over the
song’s five-minute duration.
The side-one finale, “Blood,” is a
startling track that utilizes voice de
lays and Filters in the same manner
as early Killing Joke. The undeci
pherable chants and groans roll
faithfully through the constant,
peakless song.
Side two’s “Breathe Into Me” most
noticeably resembles the Jesus and
Mary Chain with its straight rockin’
lines funneled through a distortion
wall and reinforced with solid guitar
work.
What A Gilded Eternity needed to
be was an EP that could’ve kept an
intrigue with the stronger tracks
submerged in its vague, repetitive
method. Instead, the album registers
as elevator music, tuned out because
its tiresome, assembly-line rhythms.
Loop has certainly fit the name to
the sound: constant, simple and am-
bigious. I recommend that an ear be
left open for future Loop efforts,
but don’t climb the walls searching
for A Gilded Eternity.
• Video Spotlight »
Maybe the greatest war film
ever made, “Apocalypse Now” is
definitely the most compelling
and arousing of the Vietnam-era
films.
“Apocalypse Now” is actually
less a war film, instead a dark,
psychological drama conceptually
based on Joseph Conrad’s “Heart
Of Darkness" and Dante's “Infer
no.”
The story concerns Lt. Wil
lard’s (Martin Sheen) pursuit
through the jungles and battle
fields of Vietnam after the mys
terious Col. Kurtz (Marlon
Brando in a perfect casting role).
Willard’s orders are solely to find
the renegade Kurtz and “termi
nate his command with extreme
prejudice.”
The horrors that Willard un
veils while slowly progressing to
wards Kurtz and then upon his
armal to Knit/.' savage camp,
evokes interesting complexes as
to the basic, most elemental na
ture of man, both civilized and
savage.
“Apocalypse Now,” was nomi
nated for eight academy awards.
The direction of Francis Ford
Coppola is outstanding, as is the
cinematography and music —
both Oscar winners.
The cast is an ensemble of first-
rate actors, including Sheen,
Brando, Robert Duvall, Dennis
Hopper, Harrison Ford, Frederic
Forrest and Sam Bottoms.
Whether you are a war-flick
fan, or not, “Apocalypse Now” is
an amazing film that goes far be
yond the physical battleground
and into the introspection of two
men’s minds, hopelessly trying to
cope with the war and hell
around them. Grade: A
•JOHN RIGHTER