The Battalion
Inesday • March 25, 1998
irl
, m
Travis
Irby
staff writer
nmaiy
r Colors
offers
audiences a
multihued
view of the
struggles
and sacri
fices re
quired to
make it in
the Ameri
can political
system.
The movie is based on Joe
Klein’s novel of the same name
and is supposedly based on
the 1992 Clinton presidential
campaign. It follows a presi
dential campaign through the
eyes of a idealistic young cam
paign manager named Henry
Burton (Adrian Lester).
The candidate is a portly,
democratic southern governor
named Jack Stanton (John Tra
volta) . His chief loves are junk
food, politics and women in
no particular order. His much
beleaguered wife, Susan
(EmmaThompson), is an edu
cated Midwestern liberal will
ing to put up with her hus
band’s faults, as long as they
don’t impede his (their) path
to the White House.
Burton must battle with
campaign staff like redneck
strategist Richard Jemmons
(Billy Bob Thornton) and gun
toting, lesbian trouble-shooter
Libby Holden (Kathy Bates),
who is appropriately nick
named “The Dust Buster.”
Primary Colors
Starring John Travolta, Emma Thompson
and Adrian Lester
' -I
Directed By Mike Nichols
Playing at Hollywood 16
Rated R
Critique: B+
Throughout the campaign,
Burton learns the ideals,
dreams and candidate he holds
dear are as illusory as the latest
poll numbers.
Primary Colors wins due to
its excellent acting. Thomp
son, Bates, Thornton, Travolta
and Lester create one of the
most engaging casts in movies
this year.
Especially endearing is new
comer Lester. A British stage
actor making his U.S. debut, he
gives Burton a sense of ideal
ism soon tempered by realism,
without letting the character
become cliched.
Thompson is heart wrench
ing as the ambitious, Hillary-
esque Susan Stanton. She en
genders the audience’s
compassion as she weighs her
husband’s infidelity with her
desire to change the country.
Thompson shines in what is a
bright cast.
Travolta does a dead-on
Clinton impersonation, right
down to the raspy southern
drawl and need to touch people.
Bates starts out as a bom
bastic stereotype and ends up
being the film’s moral compass,
and Thornton has all the best
lines in a role that is too short.
Director Mike Nichols han
dles the complicated material
capably. Even though the film
seems to change from comedy
to tragedy rather abruptly, it
keeps the audience’s attention.
Primary Colors is an uneven
mix of satire and drama; it can
be frustrating and exhilarating
at the same time. Such charac
teristics make the film as real as
its subject matter.
CepheM on Parade
Sci-fi, fantasy showcased at AggieCon
Emma Thompson (Susan Stanton) and John Travolta (Jack Stanton) star as the
husband-and-wife team in Stanton’s race for the presidency in Primary Colors.
By Travis Irby
Staff writer
M SC Cepheid Variable is offering Texas
A&M students a variety of science fiction,
fantasy and comic-book related events
when it puts on its 29th annual AggieCon.
The four-day event will run March 26 to 29, and
it will be attended by professionals in the comic
book industry, as well as published authors in the
genres of horror, sci-fi and fantasy.
Daniel Robb, director of public relations for Ag
gieCon and a senior mathematics major, said this
year’s Aggiecon has some unique guest speakers.
“We have Garth Ennis (Preacher) and John
Mcrea (Hitman) coming in; they live in England
and usually only come to the states for major com
ic shows in cities like San Diego and New York,”
Robb said. “These two guys are considered to be
some of the top talent in comics today.”
Robb also said AggieCon will offer fans of sci-fi
and fantasy literature a chance to listen to some of
their favorite authors.
“Richard Aspirin and Joe Lansdale are going to
be in attendance,” Robb said. “Aspirin hasn’t been
at a convention in five years.”
Guest speakers are not the only thing Ag
gieCon is bringing to students. There also will be
special events such as a charity auction and a
masquerade ball.
The main portion of the auction’s proceeds
will go to Scotty’s House, a center for abused chil
dren, with the rest going to the Comic Book Le
gal Defense Fund.
Christie Cooper, director of operations and a se
nior chemical engineering major, said the auction
is for a good cause and many valuable items will be
made available to the public.
“There will be some great stuff made available,”
Cooper said. “We receive donations from dealers,
collectors, comic book companies, writers and
artists. We will have something for everyone.”
The auction occurs Saturday, as does the mas
querade ball, which is held to crown Miss AggieCon.
Cooper said the masquerade ball has become a
favorite fixture at AggieCon.
“People have a lot of fun there, even the guest
speakers participate,” she said. “One year Richard
Biggs of‘Babylon 5’ won the contest.”
Some Aggies, who in past years have helped put
on Aggiecon, are now guests of the event.
John Willis, a junior business major, along with
some fellow students are debuting their new com
ic book imprint Katt Butz Comics.
The book will feature various writers contribut
ing stories to each issue.
Willis said it is a different experience being a
guest at the show.
“For the past two years we’ve worked behind the
scenes, and now we have our table with our own
[comic books],” he said.
AggieCon is offering some students a chance to
succeed in comic books, its appeal not just limit
ed to comic book fans and trekkies.
Troy Tompkins, vice chair of Cepheid Variable
and a senior English major, has worked with Ag
giecon for four years.
He said his main interest is not the comic books
some students might see as being the focal point
of AggieCon.
“I really don’t even read comics,” Tompkins said.
“There are a lot at the event, but there are also
things like toys, sculptures, games and books.”
Please see AggieCon on Page 5.
PROPEIII
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Directed and Choreographed Scenery and Costumes
Dennis Nahat Bob Mackie
Danced to the Original Master Recordings of
Elvis Presley
ALSO ON THE PROGRAM QUICKSILVER (NAHAT/MENDELSOHN)
Elvis and Elvis Presley are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
Original Elvis Presley master recordings used by special arrangements with RCA/BMG Music.
March 31 - April 4
Rudder Auditorium
Cj| 845-1234
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Opera & Performing Arts Society