Thursday, October 11,1990
The Battalion
Page 5
Segal’s ‘Death’ marks him
as unconvincing character
By CAROL GLENN
Well President Bush, here’s one more feather to put
in your cap. “Marked For Death” is yet another mun
dane movie highlighting the nation’s war on drugs with
the one-man vigilante police force from Krypton bat
tling the devil-possessed drug lords.
Directed by Dwight H. Little and written by Michael
Grais and Mark Victor, “Marked For Death” makes you
want to ask, “How many more drug movies are going to
be made?”
Steven Seagal (unpopularly known for his roles in
“Above the Law” and “Hard to Kill”) stars as retired
Drug Enforcement Agent John Hatcher, the vigilante
who thinks he is above the law. Basil Wallace is
Screwface, the Jamaican drug lord, who thinks he is
some sort of supreme ruler over the universe.
The story begins with Hatcher returning home for
some rest and relaxation after seeing a close friend die
during an undercover assignment. Hatcher visits with
old friends, his sister Kate and gets reacquainted with
the old neighborhood and the number one problem
eroding the fabrics of the community, drugs.
He sees the drugs dealers, but thinks that there isn’t
anything one man can do, or for that matter, what the
entire judicial system can do to combat the growing nar
cotics problem in the United States. Hatcher compares
himself to a man who is sticking his Finger in a breaking
dam.
After walking through his old stomping grounds and
poking his nose in places where it doesn’t belong,
Hatcher discovers how far the drug problem has
spread. Hatcher becomes angry and frustrated so he
begins his one-man crusade to rid the community of
Screwface and his drug dealing groupies.
As you can guess, Screwface isn’t at all tolerant of
Hatcher’s vision quest to create a drug-free community
so he sends some men to shoot up Kate’s house. But,
Hatcher won’t stop and Screwface goes to the house
himself to mark the family for death by painting cult
symbols in the entry way and on the front door and by
attacking Kate.
You’ve seen the old drug genre dealt with a thousand
times over the past 10 years and really there is only so
far writers and directors can go with it until the public
gets disgustingly bored. I think nearly every possible
avenue the drug plots could go has already been heavily
traveled.
If action is what you’re looking for, though, this is the
movie to see. “Marked For Death” is chunked full of ac
tion, although I’m not too sure how much of it is realis
tic looking.
Seagal is a master of Oriental martial arts and he
implements this talent in “Marked for Death” as he
breaks peoples arms, legs and backs, among other body
parts, without breaking a sweat. Seagal needs to put the
martial arts on the back burner for now and start work
ing on being a convincing character. He’s got the action
part down; he just needs immense help in the way he
delivers his lines.
“Marked For Death” is rated R for frontal nudity and
intense action and violence.
Maybe if the drug dealers get as tired as the public is
with these mundane drug movies, they’ll turn to some
other occupation for American writers and directors to
exploit in their movies.
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By CAROL GLENN
Too bad Duffy Bergman’s bi-
Ralph lit logical clock isn’t a Timex,
the sympl therwise it could take a licking
nd keep on ticking no matter
gerwhoi iowold he got in the semi-enter-
A'haluin» aining movie “Funny About
Portrait
al group,: Written by Norman Steinberj
ock, raf nd David Frankel and directec
iy Leonard Nimoy, “Funny
that basin ibout Love” exploits the tradi-
ional boy-meets-girl genre. This
ime they work with a child-bear-
:g, biological clock twist.
“Funny About Love" stars the
lilarious Gene Wilder as Dully, a
lolitical cartoonist; Christine
ahtias Meg Lloyd, Duffy’s wife;
So what comes next,
rou guessed it, is
heir separation and
forty’s affair with
he younger, fertile
woman. Maybe
Ourty’s desires of
troving his manhood
and having a child
'end to cloud his
vision of what love
really is.
nd Mary Stuart Masterson as
iaphine, Duffy’s younger
roman and middle-age fling
#hen he and Meg are separated.
The story begins as most boy-
meets-girl movies do, w ith the un-
icquainted couple meeting in a
(range place and something
magical happening when their
yes meet.
In this case they meet at a
Kiokstore where Duffy is pro
noting his new book of contro-
ersial political comic strips and
leg is catering the event. After
tome discrepancies over the taste
ifcappacino, one thing leads to
mother and the couple falls in
ove,moves in together, gets mar-
bed and decides to start fulfilling
heir marriage vows of being
ruitful.
This part of the movie went by
fast, it’s only after the couple at
tempts to conceive that the plot
tends to drag.
After trying on their own for a
long time (“Work, work, work.
It’s a messy job, but someone has
to do it,” as Duffy puts it.), they
decide to seek professional help
to diagnose their problem with
conception.
Next, they go through test af
ter test after test to discover that
Meg is infertile.
Duffy accepts this for a while
but he eventually brings up the
subject of adoption — a subject
which he was originally against.
His obsession to have a child soon
drives Meg into a frenzy and
leads the couple into heart-
wrenching fights.
So what comes next, you
guessed it, is their separation and
Duffy’s affair with the younger,
fertile woman. Maybe Duffy’s de
sires of proving his manhood and
having a child tend to cloud his
vision of what love really is.
Despite the very talented cast,
as you watch “Funny About
Love” you will notice some short
comings in the plot.
For example, you may be of
fended by Duffy’s rude treatment
of his mother’s accidental death.
You may also Find it slightly un
believable to see Duffy, who is
about 50, having an affair with a
girl who is about 20. I didn’t think
Wilder and Masterson pulled this
part of the movie off successfully.
It’s hard to give “Funny About
Love” either a thumbs up or a
thumbs down. It really wasn’t
great or bad. The story is fairly
ordinary, but praise goes to
Wilder for making several parts
of the movie really funny.
There isn’t anything unique in
this movie. You’ve seen it all be
fore, but somehow the old boy-
meets-girl genre still attracts a
crowd. I guess we all have a soft
spot for true love.
Rated PG-13 for profanity,
“Funny About Love” makes the
constant ticking of everyone’s bi
ological clocks not so alarming.
Instead, it takes a humorous look
at the reality of being fruitful in
the ’90s.
Sue Foley
HIGHLIGHTS
Sprawlplays tonight
The Front Porch Cafe will
house one of Texas’ hottest funk
bands tonight as part of its weekly
funkjam.
Houston’s Sprawl, recipients of
Best Urban-Contemporary Band
and Funk Band in the Public
News readers poll this spring, is
supporting its second release.
The King of Parking, on its own
Rastaman Work Ethic label.
Sprawl, making their first ap
pearance in Bryan-College Sta
tion, is a hard drivin’ funk and
ska band buoyed by its killer horn
section.
The horn trio: Bo Morris on
trumpet, Clay Embry on sax and
Reverend Dave Dove on trom
bone, is a spastic mess live, stomp
ing around between parts, while
singer Matt Kelly adds the speed
spiels. Drummer Nick Cooper,
guitarist Dan Robinson and bas
sist Jeff Nunnally round out the
seven-piece’s raw, original sound.
Sprawl recently finished a na
tionwide tour, playing to all types
of audiences and on all kinds of
stages, according to Cooper. The
group is also producing several
funk and rock acts around the
state, including Joe Rockhead
and Fleshmop. Most likely the
next big funk craze in Texas, do
yourself a favor and see tonight’s
crazed show.
Foley sings Saturday
Blues is no longer strictly a
man’s world. Twenty-two-year
old guitarist Sue Foley, originaly
from Canada, signed on to Aus
tin’s Antones label last year and
instantly attracted great interest
for her tough brand of blues.
Bringing a traditional, old-
blues guitar-pickin’ style to
Texas, she has incorporated an
Austin blues sound into a style all
her own. Supported by a three-
E iece band, Foley is finishing up a
ighly-anticipated first release
for Antones.
Foley convinced the local
blues-hounds with her perfor
mance this summer at the Front
Porch Cafe. Saturday night’s per
formance at the Front Porch
should be another good one.
wA.
- ■* t
pi J.. *
iformation is provided by the indi-
dual nightclubs and is subject to
tange.
FLYING TOMATO
At Northgate at 303 University
rive. All ages admitted. For more
formation, call 846-1616.
hursday — Rock-a-fellas. Rock,
arts at 8:30 p.m. $1 cover,
ednesday — Sneaky Pete. Sing-
ong. Starts at 8:30 p.m. $2 cover.
GALLERY BAR
In the College Station Hilton at
)1 E. University Drive. Only ages
and older admitted. Call 693-
00 for more information,
mrsday — Carla Lack. Easy listen-
g. Starts at 5:30. No cover,
iday, Saturday — Mark Bendik-
Jazz pianist. Starts at 5:30 p.m.
Friday, 7 p.m. on Saturday. No
ver.
KAY’S CABARET
At Post Oak Mall. Ages 18 and
older admitted. Alcohol served. For
more information, call 696-9191.
Thursday — Don Overby and Scott
Eddy. Light rock. Starts at 9:30 p.m.
No cover.
Friday — Road Kings. Rockabilly.
Starts at 9:30 p.m. $3 cover.
Saturday — Live music - TBA.
Starts at 9:30 p.m. Cover charge.
MAMA’S PIZZA
At 1601 S. Texas Ave. in College
Station. All ages admitted. For more
information, call 696-0032.
Sunday — Mama’s Boys. Rock.
Starts at 9 p.m. No cover.
Wednesday — Lippman Jam. Open
stage. Starts at 8:30 p.m. No cover.
TEXAS HALL OF FAME
On FM 2818 in Bryan. Alcohol
served. For more information, call
822-2222.
Thursday — Special F/X. Country.
Starts at 8 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.
$3 cover ($1 off with A&M ID).
Friday — Johnny Lyon and the
Country Nu-Notes. Country. Starts
at 9 p.m., doors open at 8 p.m. $5
cover.
Saturday — Cookin’. Country. Starts
at 9:00 p.m., doors open at 8 p.m. $4
cover. ($2 off with A&M ID).
FRONT PORCH CAFE
In Bryan at 4410 College Main.
All ages admitted. Alcohol served.
For more information, call 846-
LIVE.
Thursday — The Sprawl. Funk.
Starts at 9:00 p.m. $5 cover.
Friday — Champ Hood. Texas
acoustic music. Starts at 9 p.m. $3
cover.
Saturday — Sue Foley. Blues. Starts
at 9 p.m. $6 cover.
Tuesday — Acoustic Stage. Starts at
8:00 p.m. $1 cover.
Wednesday — The Vincents. Rock.
Starts at 9 p.m. $3 cover.
TIPPY’S
At 1803 Greenfield Plaza in
Bryan. Ages 21 and older admitted.
For more information, call 846-
7203.
Thursday — Road Kings. Rocka
billy. Starts at 9:00 p.m. No cover.
Friday, Saturday — The Rounders.
Rockabilly. Starts at 9 p.m. $2 cover.
Information is subject to change.
Showtimes are for Friday. Admis
sion restrictions may apply.
CINEMA THREE
Located at 315 College Ave. Call
693-2796 for more information
about showtimes. Matinee shows Sat
urday and Sunday only.
Desperate Hours. Rated R. Show-
times are 2, 4:15, 7:15 and 9:15.
Hardware. Rated R. Showtimes are
2:15,4:45, 7 and 9.
Post Cards From the Edge. Rated R.
Showtimes are 2:30, 4:30, 7:30 and
9:30.
POST OAK THREE
Located in Post Oak Mall. Call
693-2796 for more information
about showtimes. Matinee shows Sat
urday and Sunday only.
GoodFellas. Rated R. Showtimes are
2, 5 and 8.
Marked For Death. Rated R. Show-
times are 2:20, 4:45, 7 and 9:15.
Ghost. Rated PG-13. Showtimes are
2:10, 4:30, 7:10 and 9:30.
SCHULMAN SIX
In Bryan at 2000 E. 29th Street.
Call 775-2463 for more information
about showtimes.
Flatliners. Rated R. Showtimes are
2:20,4:30, 7:10 and 9:30.
Pretty Woman. Rated R. Showtimes
are 2, 4:25, 7 and 9:35.
Young Guns II. Rated PG-13. “Dol
lar movie”. Showtimes are 2:15,
4:40, 7:15 and 9:40.
Die Harder. “Dollar movie”. Rated
R. Showtimes are 2:05, 4:35, 7:05
and 9:45.
Jungle Book. “Dollar movie”. Rated
G. Showtimes are 2, 4:35, 7:10 and
9:30.
Problem Child. “Dollar movie”.
Rated PG-13. Showtimes are 2:15,
4:45, 7:25 and 9:50.
MANOR EAST THREE
In Bryan in Manor East Mall. Call
823-8300 for more information
about showtimes.
Funny About Love. Rated PG-13.
Showtimes are 2:20, 4:50, 7:20 and
9:50.
Pacific Heights. Rated R. Show-
times are 2:10, 4:40, 7:10 and 9:40.
I Come in Peace. Rated R. Show-
times are 2:15, 4:45, 7:15 and 9:30.
AGGIE CINEMA
For more information, call the
MSC Box Office at 845-1234. Ad
mission is $2 for adults and $1 for
children. All shows will be shown in
the Rudder Theater.
Dead Poets Society. Rated PG.
Showtimes are 7:30 and 9:45 Friday
and Saturday.
Strange Brew. Rated PG. Showtimes
are midnight Friday and Saturday.
Dracula (1931). Rated G. Showtime
is 3:00 p.m. Saturday.
Ghandi. Rated PG. Showtime is 7:30
p.m. on Tuesday.
Aggie Players
For ticket information call 845-
1234.
My Children! My Africa! Show-
times are 8 p.m. tonight, Friday and
Saturday.