ARTS
Monday, January 12, 1987
The Michigan Daily
'Assassination' plot fizzles out
By Benita Jo Green
In Assassination, an action-
packed movie set in the very near
future, Charles Bronson stars as
chief of security for the new First
Lady of the United States. Played
by Jill Ireland (Mrs. Bronson in real
life), the First Lady starts off as an
air-headed, stiletto-tempered brat
with a snobby British accent that
comes and goes like the many
attempts on her life. When
Bronson asks an associate about her
disposition, he is told: "Let's just
say that you're going to miss the
hell out of Nancy Reagan."
It seems that director Peter Hunt
will miss Nancy the most. He
makes a regular Fourth of July out
of the movie, using plenty of
stuntmen and a nice array of glass-
shattering, flame-rolling explosives
for the assassination attempts.
After three or four of these beauties,
the First Lady still doesn't think
anyone is trying to kill her.
Doesn't she hear the scary music?
Didn't she see that classic moment
when Bronson's double soars
through the air on a motorcycle, an
M-22 casually slung over one
shoulder, and chases the bad assas -
sin? At last, after many innocent
people have been blown up and the
lead actors have been spared from so
much as a scratch, Ireland decides to
go incognito for a spell, which to
her means putting on designer
stone-washed jeans. Bronson soon
catches up with her, and together
they wait out the rest of the
plotless story.
The lack of acting in this film is
amazing. How do they do it? Jan
Gan Boyd, who plays Charlotte
"Charlie" Chang, Bronson's co-
worker and love interest, has one
voice for every mood and a smile or
frown to go with it. Even Bronson
himself seems to have lost some -
thing vital in his deliveries. He
consistently looks puffy and acts
senile.
Perhaps much of this is due to
the embarrassing screenplay by
Richard Sale. Sale spells out
everything for the audience at least
twice, while tossing in dead one-
liners to keep them smirking. His
characters are stuck in the embry -
onic stage of development; their
relationships consist of setting each
other up for punchlines. More
pathetic than anything else, Sale
tries to inject a profound political
statement into the drama by
indicating that no one likes the
new, Post-Reagan president and that
his spokesmen lie to cover up
messy situations.
All in all, Assassination is a fun
film if you're not expecting much.
For those who enjoy seeing stunts
that would make the Duke boys of
Hazard blush, this movie is a sure
bet. But admirers of Bronson may
want to refrain from watching a
usually well-rounded actor deflate
into a mindless cartoon.
Page 7
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Dance Theatre Studio
Richard :II simply a success
By Noelle Brower the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, one audience to confront the text head-
was struck by the raised curtain and on. One never felt cheated by the
Last weekend's production of the people milling nonchalantly lack of stage business;
Shakespeare's The Tragedy of King about on stage before the action Shakespeare's beauty lies within
Richard the Second, was an exercise commenced. The backdrop consisted his language and this was aptly
in how to perform Shakespeare on a of two mobile clothes racks placed exposed.
shoe-string. Pared down for touring symmetrically on either side of the The acting was powerfully
reasons, the production by the stage forming an appropriate subtle and, for the most part,
National Theatre of Great Britain entrance in the middle. Chairs were consistent throughout. Though
waispaseotritsGraiatin set up on either side of the stage as Richard and Henry are definitely the
was sparse both i its manipulation well for the actors who were not two 'stars' of the play, the small,
of Shakespeare's text and its performing to sit in until their cues seven-member cast was an example
minimal use of setting. However, came - all in view of the audience. of fine ensemble acting. Because
this sparseness only served to Thus the characters were themelves the size of the cast was so small,
heighten the central conflict of the alternately spectators of and several members of the cast had to
drama-the usurpation of Richard participants in the action on stage. play dual, even triple, roles. This
II's throne by Henry Bolingbroke The costumes were equally tricky bit of staging was successful
-allowing the characters to emerge simple and modern in dress; only because of the tightness of the
like two lone adversaries on a field character deliniations were subtle as cast. They never missed a beat in
of battle. when Richard wore a stylish purple, switching from role to role, though
Jointly sponsored by the depart - (get it), short jacket when presiding the obviousness of this required a
ients of English and Theatre at over functions at court. This overall bit of imagination on the part of
this University, the production simplicity drew out the characters. the audience.
part of an educational program Nothing was on stage to distract
begun four years ago at the from the action at hand, forcing the Performances will continue
National Theatre in London.
Initiated to bring Shakespeare and
other worthwhile playwrights to
various parts of Great Britain, last *
weekend's production of Richard II * Annual Winter Sale! *
was the American premiere of what
could very well become a winter
tradition in Ann Arbor. John
Russell Brown, Chairman of the
Department of Theatre and Drama SAVE
here and an Associate Director of*
the National Theatre, directed the * 0/O to A 0Q%
company that will be in residence*
in Ann Arbor until January 17. O W E O
No curtain rose to reveal a ON ALL WOMEN'S BOOTS
display of royal pagentry in this *plus
production; instead, upon entering *ELCT s A
SELECT SHOES, ALL SOCKS, *
WINTER KNITWEAR AND
Join the Daifly * LEGGINGS.
Arsstaff **' -~----
Look for 0
aboutoments1208 S. University 769-2088
general meeting. *****************************:
The University of Michigan presents:
The Honorable
William H. Gray III
United States
House of Representatives
The keynote address for a commemorative symposium
"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Unfinished Agenda"
Tuesday, January 13, 1987
8:00 p.m.
Hill Auditorium
This free address is sponsored by the Office of the President, The University of Michigan
throughout this week on Tuesday
and Thursday at 2 p.m. at the
Trueblood Theatre and this Firday
and Saturday at 8p.m. at the Lydia
Mendelssohn Theatre in the
Michigan League. There is one
intermission in the production, not
announced in the program, and a
discuccion afterwards between the
audience and cast membersfor those
who are interested. All are
encouraged to attend. For more
information call: 764-0450.
Light Cleaning
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To Individual Preferences
Insured - Licensed - Bonded
FREE ESTIMATES
662-3223
Classes in ballet,
modern, jazz, tap,
and ballroom.
New Classes
beginning January 12
For current class
schedule and
more information
call 995-4242.
JAZZ DANCE THEATRE IN RESIDENCE
711 N. University (near State Street) * Ann Arbor
BIVOUAC'S~-
PRE-INVENTORY CLEARANCE
ALL
FALL & WINTER
MERCHANDISE
15
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ESPIRIT '
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THE NORTH FACE
CP SHADES
SALE ENDS SAT., JAN. 17th
Open Sun.
330 S. State St. 761-6207 12-4:30