■K''
mm
Page 3
Tuesday • December 3, 1996
ickson. The BahJ
ve You" cards
)le were fatalM
escaped fromaj
:arbide subsn
irly, mistakes]
sh defended!
th Iran, ando
'ersion off*
anon releasee 1 !
d been held;!
is 66. Singerij
Dsbourne is<
Anna Chlumsli
UNr
3NJI
W
>remier provi
try for the p;
our Software
eniors who
varive, and
d College Sts’
lals to analyzt
ssionalism aw
istomer servict
tors will beco:
about the 0*
, Inc.
-3031
m
a competitive
posit, 401KanJ
by sponsoring a
iMUSSEN, ClTi Ef
'oris Editor
, Visual Arts Elf
, Web Editor
■’hoto Editor
er, Cartoon EDf :
nfluck, Melissa NunKO
L John LeBas.Aaionl*'
ny Furtick, Colby Gail* 5
)ldt, Bryan Goodwin,
on, Stephen Llano, S'
e Rodgers
: James, Rachel Red*?
nists: Michael Depot®
le Division of Stude#
Id Building. Newsroom
ittp://bat-web.taitni.eif
attalion. For campus,® 3
9. Advertising offices a*
845-2678.
o a single copyofflieB*
ar.To charge by Visa, M* 5
and spring semestersai* 1
im periods) at Texas AS* 1
idress changes to Die
1-1111.
ew Generation
tays fresh with
Icharacters, plot
Star Trek: First Contact
Starring: Patrick Stewart
and Jonathan brakes
Directed by: Jonathan
brakes
Rated: PG-1 3
Playing at Hollywood
16
Once again we are taken
on a voyage where no one
has gone before, into the far
boundaries of space and
beyond.
It is the 24th century and
mankind's worst enemy has
resurfaced to claim a new
stronghold on earth.
As a collective, the adver
saries are known as The
Borg and the only man who
has the will and knowledge
to destroy them is none
other than Captain Jean-
Luc Picard.
In this second installment
of the new generation of star
— The Borg has a queen.
This new plot twist in the
existence of The Borg is just
enough to draw audiences
into a storyline complete
with action, intrigue and
character insight.
What’s also refreshing is
the depth of characteriza
tion the audience is al
lowed to see; no longer is
the ship crew just a bunch
of ensigns, lieutenants and
commanders.
As director, Jonathan
Frakes (Commander Ryker)
takes each character and al
lows the actors to invest real
personalities in them.
The audience will see
Counselor Troy in a drunken
state, Commander Data in a
surge of sexual tension and
Lieutenant Warf in an ani
malistic rage, as always.
But the true definition of
character is seen in Captain
Picard's performance.
Connick’s Choice
Harry Con nick Jr. ’s switch from big band jazz to funk may
not be popular with critics, but the bayou minstrel says musicians
should not cater to other’s wishes.
Columnist
Alex Walters
Senior journalism and
theater arts major
Rumor has it that Harry Connick Jr. could
keep perfect musicaJ time with a spoon on his
high chair when he was two years old.
When he was six, young Harry
played at his father’s swear
ing-in as district attorney
of New Orleans.
Yet, his fans are not
necessarily impressed.
Considering the
critical flak sur
rounding the release
of Connick’s 1994 al
bum, She, it seems as
life.
Patrick Stewart appears on the Enterprise-E as Captain Jean-
Luc Picard in Star Trek: First Contact. The latest Star Trek
installment is showing at the Hollywood 16 Theater.
charters, the crew of The En-
terprise-E have once more
come into contact with The
Borg, but this time the
group of assimilators are
targeting earth.
Their grand plan is to go
back in time and assimilate
all humans to form an earth
inhabited by their collective
family.
Although this may sound
like a rehashing of one of the
Star Trek: Next Generation
episodes, there is one major
addition to the film version
Patrick Stewart is more
personable than before, al
most in tears in a pivotal mo
ment of the film in which Al-
fre Woodard convinces him
to perform what he feels is
an act of cowardice.
While the film may seem a
trite bit short, fans of the se
ries and its cast of characters
will be thoroughly satisfied.
Star Trek: First Contact is a
fast-paced, interstellar battle
grounds of fine acting, mov
ing plot and witty direction. A
James Francis
; : ; :
though music reviewers would
be more satisfied if Connick
and his big band were chained to
the studio floor, ceaselessly churn
ing out hit after traditional hit.
Connick answers his critics in a
Dallas Morning News article.
“I can’t cater what I do to people’s ex
pectations,” he said. “Art wouldn’t exist if
that happened.”
Unfortunately for his critics, Harry Connick
Jr. has a mind of his own.
Instead, Connick feels comfortable enough to
take advantage of his youth and claim the world
as his oyster (or “erster” according to Crescent
City natives).
Connick has recently dipped his toes
into the realms of a big marriage, big-
screen film and big-city funk. The only
thing missing is big band.
Well, more power to him.
It is common knowledge that the
repression of those wanderlust
urges lead to an uppity attitude
and general stuffiness. Everyone
who is anyone knows people
who do not explore life end up as
anxiety-prone accountants, Wall
Street wallflowers and (worst of all)
melancholy music critics.
Public pleasing is the job of mar
keting gurus, door-to-door salesmen
and MTV — not artists.
One would assume that Connick,
like most talented musicians, writes mu-
sic that pleases him, not what he assumes mm
will please the public.
Sure, Connick has fans to think about, but %
the rapid sellout of tonight’s show at Rudder
Auditorium proves his fans are still there.
It is not a matter of constantly turning out
quality material because Connick has done that.
Connick’s
tried-and-
true fans
picked up
She think
ing it
I fell in
love with
Connick’s
music be
cause he was the best original jazz artist this side of
the Marsalis family (most of whom have played with
Connick), and I would like to hear more of
that music.
As far as I am concerned, I would pre
fer Connick to play the jazz trio tunes
he started his career with.
But I am not Harry Connick Jr.
His new music is not a random
hodgepodge of radio-ready hits,
but carefully crafted tunes that
are as rich as New Orleans
tradition.
It would be sad if artists
like Harry Connick Jr. let mu
sic critics dictate their art.
Then he would turn into an
other Alanis Morissette,
Michael Bolton and Kenny G.
When & Where:
Harry Connick Jr. and his Funk Band
Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.
Rudder Auditorium
Study Abroad in ITTexicQ Ctiy
Summer ST
International Studies and Public
Relations
Informational meetings will be held:
Wednesday Nov. 13, 10:00-10:30am
Thursday Dec. 5, 10:00-10:30am
All meetings will be held in Bizzell West,
Room 358
For more information contact:
Study Abroad Programs
161 Bizzell Hall West
(409)845-0544
Hurry!!! Space is limited!
9 MORE DAYS
CLASS OF '97
CLASS OF '98
Senior and junior pictures are being
taken until Friday, December 1 3,
for Texas A&M's 1 997 Aggieland.
Don't miss out on this opportunity
to be in the nation's largest yearbook.
Class pictures will be taken
9 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m.
Monday - Friday
at A ft Photography
707 Texas Ave. (next to Taco Cabana)
Call 693-8183 for more details
The Battalion
Applications for Spring Staff are now available
in Room 013 Reed McDonald Building.
There will be an informational meeting Wednesday,
Dec. 5 at 8:30 p.m. in Room 003 Reed McDonald.
Applications are due Sunday, Dec. 8 in
Room 013 Reed McDonald by 7 p.m.
All major welcome. Experience not required.
For more information, call 845-331 3.