The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, April 23, 1986 - Page iI
Murphy's Law gone awry
By Mark Landsman
MURPHY'S LAW states: "If
anything can go wrong, in-
variably it will." Fortunately for the
makers of the new Charles Bronson
film, Murphy's Law, this theorem
does not apply. Does this make the
film absent of faults, though? Hardly.
One would think that after making
God only knows how many Death
Wish films Bronson is sick of playing
the burnt-out, hard-nosed city cop.
Well once again he's back to beat the
system, this time as Jack Murphy.
Except now, our hero seems more like
a tired, old horse that's waiting to be
shot. But let's give Bronson some
credit; his character does go through
living hell.
The story behind Murphy's Law is
actually very intriguing and suspen-
seful. Jack Murphy is an old, worn out
cop barely existing on the LAPD. Still
in love with his ex-wife, who is now a
kinky stripper, old Murph drowns his
sorrows in a bottle. He constantly tor-
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tures himself by going to see his ex-
wife "dance." As if that's not bad
enough, some hoodlum steals his car.
Sound like he's got troubles? That's
nothing.
Enter this psychopathic killer
(Carrie Snodgress) who makes Nor-
man Bates look like Mother Theresa.
Mysteriously linked to Murphy, she
notifies him anonymously that she
will soon be making his life miserable.
Being a woman of her word, she does
just that.
In the course of one evening, this
charming lady murders Murphy's ex-
wife and her boyfriend, and manages
to frame Jack for the whole thing. All
evidence pointing to him, Murphy
goes to the slammer. Things take a
turn for the bizarre when, in the
holding cell of the city jail, he is
chained to none other than the
hoodlum who stole his car.
Miraculously (and unrealistically)
they escape from jail. Forced to work
together as fugitives from the law,
Murphy and Arabella (Kathleen
Wilhoite) must stand each other long
enough to track down this killer. t
the meantime, our psycho is roaming
around killing off people who ate
mysteriously linked to her past, arid
Murphy's.
Violent, action-packed, and suspen-
seful films are great. I'll admit, I was
on the edge of my seat at certain
times during this film. But after two
blown off heads, electrocutions,
strangulations, and about ten shooting
sprees, the novelty began to wear off.
Murphy's Law is not a bad film. $n
fact, there were some aspects thit
were actually very good. Newcomer
Wilhoite's performance as Murphy's
smart-alec sidekick is very energetic,
and very funny. I'd also have to say If
you love excessive violence, a litte
suspense, and some good action, 4o
see it. However, if you're the kind of
person who thinks that Charles Bron-
son should be put to sleep, I'd really
advise avoiding this film. One more
tip. For those of you who are a little
weak of stomach, do yourself a favor,
take a pass on heaving your Ju-Ju-
Bees.
Summer
Fall
Spring
Singer, songwriter, guitarist Deidre McCalla will be appearing at The Ark tonight. McCalla has toured all
across the United States as part of the duo Gypsy, Milwaukee's female jazz/rock band Breakwater, and as a
solo act - which is how Ann Arbor will have a chance to see her tonight. Performance time is set for 8:00 p.m.,
tickets are $6.50 at the door.
Records
Tommy Keene -Songs
from the Film (Geffen)
Tommy Keene will not have to
make beer commercials. He's created
a well-formed guitar pop record with
integrity, that rare commodity the
army of so-called Great American
Bands try so hard to cultivate. It's the
record all the gung-ho guys in the
Miller commercials have been trying
to make, but without the lame grit-
tiness that trips them up.
Songs from the Film does have a
very charmingly domestic sound to it,
though, relying on intelligence and
craftsmanship - both of which the
beer guys seem to be lacking. This is
the kind of record that simply begs for
radio airplay. It really deserves it.
It's got vast potential but never even
comes close to being label-able as
Irecord-company Product, stuff that's
;manufactured for radio on the
assumption that Midwestern
high school kids'll buy it, not knowing
better. Washington-based Keene has
slicked-up his sound somewhat from
his previous two indie-label releases,
Places that are Gone and Back Again,
which were mighty cool as-is, but it's
hardly detrimental. His songs are so
economically constructed that no
matter what you did to them hey 'd
still come out sounding wonderfully
!understated.
Songs' revision of "Places That Are
Gone" is one of the tracks with clear
hit potential. It's classic the minute
the needle hits the groove. "In Our
Lives" boasts a killer chorus, zeroing
in on Keene's wonderfully clear,
reedy tenor. "Kill Your Sons" borders
on (gasp!) anthemic; calling up over
tones of Jim Carroll's "People Who
Died," only it's the parents that are
doing the killing. "Underworld" spor.r
ats vaguely Mitch Easter-esque guitar
flourishes, as does the all-too-brief
"Astronomy." Other winners are "As
Life Goes By," and (where's Freud
when we need him?) "My Mother
Looked Like Marilyn Monroe.'
Songs from the Film is not without
its vague flaws - side two's a bit
;weaker than side one, lacking its fiery
finish - but not so weak as to make it
;worth skipping over in your forays
through the record bins. It's very
;clear Keene's been doing his
;homework and taking in all the best
;elements of '60s, '70s and contem-
porary pop, as well as devoting con-
siderable time to developing lyrical
integrity in conjunction with his
musicianship. The result is a wonder
fully articulated, imminently
listenable record.
BLUE FRONT
Packard at State
WASHINGTON
OR LONDON
INTERNSHIPS
SUMMER
OXFORD 1986
Full Academic Years In
'Oxford University
London School of Economics
*St. Andrews, Scotland
U.S. credits will be transferred through Hampden-Sydney College,
founded in Virginia by James Madison in 1776. Graduate work is an option.
The Director of Studies for the Center for Quality Education Abroad (in
Britain) is the Rt. Hon. The Lord Beloff, D.Litt. (Oxon.), Fellow
of the British Academy, Professor Emeritus of Government and Fellow of
All Souls, Oxford.
INQUIRIES TO: JANET KOLLEK, J.D., Admissions Director
CQEA/WISC, Rm 53, 158 W. 81 St., NY,NY, 10024.
(212-724-08041724-0136).
(EO/AA)
$1psosIt
8 pack-
/ liter bottles
MARSHALL'S PACKAGE LIQUOR
S. Stet e rty$9
Mim
6 pack -
12 oz. cans
35ยข single 12 oz. can
plus deposit
LOWEST KEG PRICES IN TOWN!
w e-nt-- a-'- _,
A
Apl~ste flinbackinto student
demonsstmlions.
What's
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SEMESTER BREAK HOURS
Mciy 3 b l, 19b
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COLISEUM
sa-Tlu
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Sa (May 3)
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CONTRA TULA TIONS
1986 COLLEGE GRADUATES
YOU'RE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT
AT VARSITY FO14
Dick Cervi and Pat Maurer are handling the 1986 Graduates
Program. and Ford Credit is offering qualified graduates
pre-appovedca edit on selected new Fords. Choose from
Escort, EXP, l'ernpo, Mustang, Thunderbird, Aerostor, Bronco
1I, Ranger, and selected F-Series trucks. Plus, Ford Motor Com-
pany will give you a $400.00 check which you may use toward
1a
All you have to do is march
yourself down to your campus
microcomputer center before May
15th and spend five fun-packed
minutes letting us demonstrate how
a Macintosh" computer can make
life much more pleasant for you.
In return, well enter your name
into a drawing where one very
lucky person on campus will win the
8i
spend on your education, or some-
thing really worthwhile.
And, for those of you with the
average amount of luck, there are
free Apple painter's caps for every-
one who comes in and learns how
a Macintosh can help
you work better, fasterfl
and smarter.
w
a
a
s
r
i
-Julie Jurrjens
It's one demonstra-
r i
I t 1 a -T