Thursday, September 20,1990
The Battalion
Page 5
Photo by Phelan M. Ebenhack
V1SC Town
t* available at il
l at the door.
Members of the Chinese Youth Goodwill Mission perform in “I
came, I saw, I conquered.” The piece tell the story of a king who be
comes a strong warrior.
Students’ performances
share Chinese culture
By RUDY CORDOVA JR
The 1990 Chinese Youth Good
will Mission recieved a standing
ovation from a near-capacity crowd
in Rudder Theater, Tuesday night
as they gave the audience a glimpse
of Chinese culture and tradition.
The evening began with a tradi
tional Aggie welcome and an ex
change of gifts between Dr. Emily
Ashworth, assistant provost for in
ternational programs, and Dr. C. C.
Weng, director of the Chinese
Youth Goodwill Mission. The flags
of the United States and Taiwan
were positioned at each end of the
stage as a sign of trust and
friendship.
Depicting the life and culture of
Taiwan through the use of song and
dance, 18 students from universities
and colleges in Taiwan gave well-
prepared performances full of en
ergy. Each section of the program
had a purpose and kept tne audi
ence eagerly waiting for the next
move.
With nine sections in the total pro
gram, the Youth Goodwill Mission’s
performances included opera,
dances, folk art and kung fu. The
section titled Karate Kids” was an
audience-pleaser and served “as a
mosaic of Chinese martial arts and
traditional sports.” The performers
amazed the audience with different
forms of sports like jump roping and
sword fighting. The audience per
ched on their seats during this sec
tion which rounded out the First half
of the show.
Other well-received sections in
cluded “The Colorful Dancing
Fans,” “Fabulous Chinese Opera,”
“A Love Song of Tea-Pickers” and
“A Chorus Line.”
The bare stage gave way to an im-
mence potential for creativity. The
empty void was Filled with the style
and grace of a culture that millions
of people experience daily. The cos
tumes radiated brilliant hues which
were specifically positioned on stage
to create a colorf ul picture.
The fluid movements gave way to
remarkable display of body lan
guage. Powerful depictions of the
people of Taiwan, including royalty
and farm workers, transferred thou
sands of years of tradition into an
hour and a half of fantasy.
The final section of the program,
titled “A Chorus Line,” was a
Chinese rendition of Broadway. The
Chinese Youth Goodwill Mission
highlighted the youth of China with
cheerful dance and a joyous collabo
ration of friendship. One by one,
five of the students gave a thankful
goodbye, displaying their apprecia
tion for a peaceful exchange of cul
ture. They were excited to have the
opportunity to perform, and the au
dience appreciated their perfor
mance.
The Youth Goodwill Mission is
making its 17th annual international
tour with three different units which
will travel in the United State, Mid
dle East, and Africa. These young
and aspiring students have a wide
variety of interests in their studies
ranging from Oceanography and
Civil Engineering to Martial Arts
and Gymnastics.
The Chinese Cultural Arts Per
formance was presented by the MSC
Jordan Institute for International
Awareness, the Chinese Student As
sociation and International Student
Services.
Jungle Brothers' leap
into current rap issues
By JOHN RICHTER
The interesting thing about
rap is that it seems divided not as
much along different scenes as it
is along geographic boundaries.
Certainly, major divisions exist
between American (the more mil
itant) and European (the more
polished) interpretations of rap,
and between East Coast and West
Coast.
Before the West Coast Rap All
Stars and “We’re All In The Same
Gang” (Young M.C., M.C. Ham
mer, Tone Loc, Ice-T and oth
ers), the East Coast equivalents
kicked it with their “Stop The Vi
olence.”
Like the early ’80s hardcore
scene, the East Coast rappers
have proven to be more focused
and outspoken than their West
Coast counterparts. D.C. became
famous for spawning straight
edge music and then, subse
quently, clubbed with fascist ste
reotypes. The East Coast rappers
also have been wrongly criticized
for their communal focus on
Black Power.
After Public Enemy, already
bona fide rap (and music) leg
ends, a string of groups and art
ists, including De La Soul, Digital
Underground (a both-coast
band), A Tribe Called Quest,
Jungle Brothers, Paris and
Queen Latifah, have fought to
make East Coast the time zone of
real rap.
Jungle Brothers’ Done By The
Forces Of Nature is a wonderful
fusion of rap, soul and funk. Not,
as rhythmically radical as Public
Enemy, Jungle Brothers’ is as to
pically concerned, especially with
African-American issues.
The treatment of African-
American women (“Black Wo
man”), the doctoring or neglect
of African-American history,
(“Acknowledge Your Own Histo
ry”) and the Jungle Brothers’ idea
of racial conciliation (“In Days 2
Come”) are peripherial views of
the East Coast message, as the
Brothers interpret them.
Split between upbeat hip ho-
p/rap sermons and soulish bal
lads, Done retains a level of spon
taneity and silliness remindful of
De La Soul’s 3 Feet Hi and Rising.
Campy song intros and verbal in
terpolation interject comic relief,
using humor with honesty to con
vey the group’s direction.
The funky, get off ya butt
“What U Waitin 4,” the tempting
“Black Woman” (with the beauti
ful help of Caron Wheeler) and
the the cheeky “Sunshine” are
standout tracks that display the
Brothers stylistic diversity.
Done also features an incredi
ble line-up of cameos and guest
contributions. De La Soul, Queen
Latifah, Biz Markie, A Tribe
Called Quest, Sister Monie,
Wheeler and KRS-1 appear
throughout Done, adding to the
Brothers’ infectious chaos.
Jungle Brothers fuse together
what I enjoy most about Public
Enemy and De La Soul. They re
tain the commitment of P.E., but
at the same time ease on assault
with well-placed slices of humor
and gadgetry a la De La Soul.
They also utilize funk and
R&B sampling, as well as vocal
contributors (especially Sister
Monie), extremely well. The tire
some argument that rap groups
all play along the same decibel
and rhythm scale (while really
never working), definitely does
not work here.
Music listeners turned on by
De La Soul definitely need to
check out the Jungle Brothers.
But even if you aren’t a De La
Souler, the word here is up.
Hi
■■fi
Hackman, Archer thrill by wide ‘Margin’
By CAROL GLENN
“Narrow Margin” is one of the best action-sus
pense thrillers to hit the silver-screen so far this
vear.
Written and directed by Peter Hyams (director
of many films including “2010,” “The Presidio”
and “Running Scared”), “Narrow Margin” is in
dicative of the superb talent and cinematogra
pher skills that lurk in his body and mind.
Even though the plot closely resembles “The
Orient Express,” Hyams manages to keep the
uspense and thrill flowing without being predic
table.
“Narrow Margin” stars Gene Hackman,
known for his roles in “Mississippi Burning,”
The French Connection,” and “The Poseidon
dventure” among others), who portrays Robert
aulfield, a Los Angles deputy district attorney.
Also starring is Anne Archer, (known for her
oles in “Fatal Attraction,” and “The Naked
ace”), who portrays Carol Hunnicut, a witness
:o a top-level mob killing.
The movie begins with Carol going on a blind
ate arranged by a friend. After having a cocktail
in the lounge, Carol’s date asks her to accompany
im back up to his hotel room so that he can
ake an important phone call.
While he makes the call, Carol goes freshens
pin the bathroom. On her way back out to join
erdate she hears voices in the living room. She
Carol realizes that something is extremely
wrong. Her heart begins to pound as she watches
the rest of the conversation through the crack in
the door jam. She overhears the name of the man
that is causing her date so much grief, Leo Watts.
The conversation ends abruptly as the two
men begin to leave. Just before exiting, one of
the men pulls out a gun and shoots her date.
Stricken with fear, Carol slouches behind the
door and sits there for over an hour. Finally, she
regains her composure and quickly leaves the ho
tel room.
Next, Carol leaves the country for a while and
heads for a remote cabin in Canada where she
thinks she will be safe*
After a few days, Deputy District Attorney
Caulfield tracks her down and tries to convince
her to come back to the United States and testify
against mobster Watts.
While trying to persuade Carol to testify, hit
men in a helicopter destroy the cabin with bullet
holes.
Carol and Caulfield race to her Bronco and
drive until they reach a train headed for Vancou
ver. They hop the train, but not before being no
ticed by the hit-men. The hitmen.
“Narrow Margin” will have the audience on
the edge of their seats the entire time. Danger
lurks in every corner of the train, and you don’t
know what’s going to happen next, or who is
going to be the next victim.
Archer and Hackman work exceptionally well
together as two characters on the run in the con
fined compartments of the locomotive. They are
both seasoned movie professionals who know
what it takes to make a great movie, and they do
it.
Hyams has perfected the art of suspense and
thrill, but he also knows when to break the ten
sion with humor. You’re sitting with your finger
nails clenched and on the verge of screaming
when all of the sudden there’s a funny part. This
combination of humor and suspense makes this
film work.
The music by Bruce Broughton, completes the
eerie tension with the perfect blending of low
base tones that are synonymous with scary mov-
“Narrow Margin” is rated “R” for profanity
and begins showing on Friday at the Manor East
Theater located in the Manor East Mall.
This is definitely a must-see film. The only bad
part about “Narrow Margin” is that you don’t
want it to end.
•PAS opens new season with Concert Royal, dance company
Battalion File Photo
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Battalion File Photo
By CAROL GLENN
The Opera and Performing Arts Society
(OPAS) will present Concert Royal in joint
appearance with the New York Baroque
Dance Company at 8 p.m. Friday in Rudder
Auditorium.
This concert, directed by James Richman,
will feature music from the composer Wolf-
ang Mozart Amadeus commemorating the
00th anniversary of his death.
Richman founded the Concert Royal in
1974. He is a seasoned conductor directing
works from Purcell, Handel, Bach and Ra
meau. He has also worked extensively with
Baroque music-theater productions, and is
considered to be at the forefront of the Ba
roque and classic revival in the United States.
Accompanying the 21-piece orchestra of
original period instruments will be eight
dancers in full Mozart period costume from
the New York Baroque Dance Company, di
rected by Catherine Turocy and Ann Jacoby
who founded the company in 1976.
The dancers will combine movements of
90 degree turnout of the legs, expressive
hand and body gestures and the music to
create a Mozart period ambience.
The Baroque dancers will bring to life Mo
zart’s music from the 18th century with bal
lets and operas authentic to the period.
In addition, for those who come to the
concert at 6:45 p.m. there will be a lagniappe
lecture held in room 701 of Rudder Tower.
This lecture conducted by Franz Anton
Krager, music director and conductor of the
Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, is enti
tled “The Miraculous Mozart.”
Krager will explain Mozart’s life, person
ality and musical style. He will also describe
the Mozart time period and how it impacted
music during that era. This lecture will give
the audience some historical information in
prepartion of the Concert Royal.
“The marriage of music and dramatic ex
pression is as near perfect as one could imag
ine,” the Times of London says.
Tickets are on sale at the MSC Box Office
and range from $12 -$19.50.
For more information call 845-1234.