ARTS
The Michigan Daily Saturday, February 16, 1985 Page 5
Hutton shines
but the film is a
Turkey
By Sarah Rosenberg
T he Christmas cascade of comedy
and sci-fi films is now over. Of this
we are painfully aware. With February
comes a different genre of film-the
drama. I guess what filmmakers mean
by drama is anything not comedy or
science-fiction with some element of
suspense or romance or something.
Turk 182! is one such drama - in a
word, maudlin.
If you really like the kind of film in
which the underdog faces almost im-
possible odds and takes on "the
system" in order to prove something,
then this is a good film for you to see;
otherwise, don't bother. Now don't get
me wrong. I like these kinds of films as
much as the next person, but there is
something about this film that just isn't
believable. There are a few moments of
suspense (drama?) and a laugh here
and there, but on the whole this film is
inconsistent in its presentation. It
seems (on more than one occasion) that
whoever wrote the script couldn't
really decide whether or not he wanted
viewers to take this film seriously. I
spent too much time trying to figure out
where the humor was, thinking that is
had somehow eluded me, until I
realized that some of this stuff isn't
supposed to be funny. It is just so in-
credible that it becomes ridiculous,
What's worse is that roughly only one in
every four attempts at humor succeeds
(success being anything more than
someone in the audience
simultaneously nodding and exhaling).
But I suppose the script bears most of
the responsibility for the weakness of
this film.
Timothy Hutton is the bright spot of
this film in his convincing and effective
portrayal of Jimmy Lynch, a street
smart, 20 year old nobody with a
messed up family background who,
when his older brother is cheated by
"the system," rebels against the
society that has repressed him. This
role is slightly reminiscent of his role in
Ordinary People, only not quite as
gripping, with several allusions to the
"Rocky"-type character we all learned
to like. Robert Urich ("Vega$") is okay
as Terry Lynch, the older brother, who
is pathetic in his repeated suicide at-
tempts and indifference to life. Even
Robert Culp ("The Greatest American
Hero") is entertaining as the mayor of
New York-the cliche, slightly corrupt
representative of the governmental
"system" against whom all of Jimmy's
dissatisfactions are vented. Unfor-
tunately for the rest of the actors, the
other characters are wafer thin with lit-
tle support from the script. Too bad.
One of the biggest problems with this
film is that is pushes the viewer's
"willing suspension of disbelief" just a
little too far. Everything happens either
too slowly or too quickly or too easily or
not easily enough to render the action
credible. One moment Jimmy is just a
crazy-mixed-up kid; the next moment
he's the mastermind and sole executor
of what is mistaken to be a city-wide
conspiracy. The Mayor and all his un-
derlings are portrayed as Keystone
Cops who couldn't even catch a cold if
they had to. It takes a detective-turned
psychoanalyst to uncover the mystery
of the Turk, and boy does he make those
ordinary policemen look ridiculous.
Danny turns down Jimmy's offer to "go
back to his apartment, take off their
clothes, and see what happens"
because she's already "involved." Ugh.
But no more than fifteen minutes later
they've become a "thing," and they're
talking about making babies. A-
mazing. (Disappointingly, Danny is the
only female character in this film, and
she's a ditzy, stereotypical bombshell.)
Although the film is based on many
sound and commonly felt ideals such as
courage and bravery and standing up
for what you believe in, much of the
time the real action of the film (the
drama, if you will) is shadowed by the
filmmaker's efforts to pander to his
viewers.
But... for all you Tim Hutton fans, his
performance is the highlight of this
film. He's great at playing a kid who's
not sure which end is up and who can't
match his clothes. But for the rest of
you, there isn't really much here to ap-
preciate. This isn't exactly light-
hearted entertainment nor is it
anything you can really sink your teeth
into. Turk 182! just leaves you hanging.
SAT. SUN FIRST SHOW ONLY $2.00
5 NEW TWILIGHT SHOWS "
MON. THRU FRI.
S o with this entire ad $1.00 0
- . O off any $4.00 admission. 0
OFF 1 r2 tickets Good al
resthru 2121185.
_ r
Timothy Hutton stars in Bob Clark's new film, 'Turk 182.' Despite appearan-
ces by the likes of Robert Urich and Peter Boyle, the movie remains flawed
and less-than-spectacular.
McFerrin brings sweet songs toArk
By Marc Taras
n hen Bobby McFerrin brings his
solo vocal recital to the new Ark
this Saturday he won't be alone. He'll
be the only performer, true; but he will
be backed up by the breadth of... Trans-
African and western vocal traditions.
In two shows at 8:00 and 10:30 Bobby
McFerrin will share the magic that has
catapulted him to the top of the critics'
and fans' music polls and delighted
audiences aroud the world.
McFerrin's star is still rising on the
jazz vocal horizon but has already
gathered the wise men to witness a new
birth. To say that he sings with
scatalogical-acrobatic daring and ver-
ve is insufficient; to speak of his
amazing facility is racking the butter-
fly, reducing an affair to the heart and
spirit to the realm of the academic. He
is perhaps...a brujo. There is
STARbound contest
tonight at
By Karen Josefsberg
You've seen the posters... they,
are catchy! You can be a part
of the glamour, bright lights, and
stars at the Talent Search Finals of
STARbound. See Hollywood's future
Michael Jackson and Tina Turners
right in our very own' Mendelssohn
Theatre at the infamous Michigan
League. The festivities take place
today at8 p.m.
STARbound hosts this unique
event with dancers, signers, bands,
etc. who will let their stuff loose
right before your eyes: the action of
the select 16 acts, including four
from last year's Talent Search, and
some fresh, new faces like "The
Friars." See for yourself what kind
of remarkable talent we have in
good old Ann Arbor. Maybe the girl
who sits behind you in Economics,
the one with the black-rimmed
glasses, has a -whole new face when
she sings her heart out tonight.
The grand finale will be
videotaped and sent to the Big Ap-
ple, .where the employees and staff
of Creative Targets decide what lies
League
in store in the contestants' futures.
The qualified, energetic, and in-
credible contestants have been
planning and preparing for their
"big break" since their interviews.
MTV, one of the sponsors for
STARbound, has added a new
element of this event. The proceeds
of which will go to a fundraiser for
Multiple Schlerosis. David."Bowie,
Madonna, Boy George, and Cindy
Lauper look-alikes, or Rock-Alikes,
to name only a few, will be there,
and with your vote, you can make
the decision as to which Rock-Alike
receives an internship with MTV.
STARbound is also largely spon-
sored by American Express. Since it
is in its second year, this production
is quite special. What makes STAR-
bound so unique? Through the
University Activity Center is gives
marvelous opportunities to those
who want to perform in theater.
Because you deserve a break
today, you can experience it all for
only $3. All proceeds go to charity.
With each ticket you purchase, you
are entitled to vote for your favorite
Look-Alike/Rock-Alike Star.
something magical at play here. Thank
goodness.
It seems like magic that McFerrin
has realized his art so vividly in only
eight years of singing. The magic spark
was kindled at an early age. He was
born in the Big Apple in 1950 to Robert
McFerrin, who sang with the Met in the
50's, and Sara McFerrin, a classical
soprano who currently chairs the voice
department at Fullerton College in
Southern California.
McFerrin began his formal training
at the age of six. Two years later his
family moved to Los Angeles, and Bob-
by began to focus his study on the piano.
He formed a band in high school that
favored 'mellow jazz,' like Sergio Men-
des and Henry Mancini.
McFerrin recalls a major turning
point in 1970 when he first heard Miles
Davis' magnum opus Bitches Brew.
Making a point to see the band the
following year Bobby was especially in-
trigued with the keyboard voicings of
the youth Keith Jarrett. In fact, Jarret-
t's improvised piano recitals were the
inspiration for McFerrin's similar
vocal performances.
McFerrin's formal education con-
tinued at Sacramento State University
and Cerritos College and was put to
practice in the middle seventies as a
road performer with the Ice Follies and
keyboard gigs in a series of lounge ban-
ds. Years of this sort of work led Mc-
Ferrin to a fateful job with a dance
company in Salt Lake City where, one
night in 1977, suddenly, magically, a
voice came to see him and told him.he
should sing. Thank goodness he heard it.
He successfully procured a local gig,
began touring the country with his wife
Debbie, settled in New Orleans in 1978,
and finally moved to San Francisco in
1979. There he sat in with numerous
west coast artists before forming his
own trio and landing a regular gig at a
club called Cadell Place.
It was in San Francisco that Mc-
Ferrin was "discovered" by one of the
greatest jazz singers ever, Jon Hen-
dricks. A month after jamming with
McFerrin, in early 1980, Hendricks
asked him to come to New York for a
series of gigs which successfully
showcased McFerrin's skills for the
east coast crowd. Comedian Bill Cosby
heard the gig at Sweet Basil and was so
impressed with McFerrin that he
arranged shows for him in Las Vegas
and at the 1980 Playboy Jazz Festival in
Hollywood.
McFerrin has since entertained at
several of the Kool Jazz Fests and
knocked down walls across Europe.
Last year he eclipsed Al Jarreau as
Male Vocalist of the Year in the Down-
beat Readers' Poll. Jarreau had won
seven yeais running. This victory
represents the extent of the magic that
McFerrin has woven on his two
Elektra/Musician LP's as well as his
warm-hearted live appearances.
He performs mostly original im-
provisational music with an incredibly
wide range of vocal sounds. The Eclipse
poster features an image of McFerrin's
open mouth containing the instruments
of a jazz quartet. Well, it is said that the
first instruments were the human voice
and the hand clap. All else is derivative.
In jazz, where the saxophone comes to
imitate the human voice, which in turn
comes to imitate the horn, McFerrin
has incorporated and transcended this
tradition. He pays his respects to the
history of jazz vocalise while extending
the range of possibilities heavenward.
When the man who joyously proclaims
"I'm My Own Walkman" sings a stan-
dard such as "Take the 'A' Train," or
takes off with his magical bird-flap
rendition of the Beatles' "Blackbird"
you'll hear vision.
McFerrin has stated that he wants
"... to restore the vocal instrument to it
status as the first, original instrument.
I've heard people say that the dream of
all vocalists is to imitate a horn. Well,
that's not my dream. I want to be a
good vocalist." It's true. If we pay at-
tention such magical dreams as this
come to be. Arise! Wake up in wonder!
Share this dream and come sing along
with Bobby Saturday night at the Ark.
If we pay attention we may hear the
music of the stars.
Learn to live with someone
who's living with cancer.
Call us.
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY'
4:
THIS WEEK
at
GUILD HOUSE
802 MONROE
ANN ARBOR, MI
48104
Feb. 18, 8 p.m.: GUILD HOUSE READING SERIES
CHARLES BAXTER a EDWARD HIRSCH
Reading from their works.
FEBRUARY 20 6-7:30 P.M.
RICE & DEANS NIGHT
$2 Requested. Proceeds for material aid to Central America.
Q 13 Michigras
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