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January 13, 1987 - Image 7

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Text
Publication:
The Michigan Daily, 1987-01-13

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ARTS
Tuesday, January 13, 1987

he Michigan Daily

Page 7

Autuer Estevez makes unwise move

Iy Geoffrey Riklin
It seems unfair to see Emilio
Estevez, who appears to have no
cinematic ability, make big budget
movies when there are undoubtably
scores of gifted people waiting
tables because they cannot obtain
financial backing for their ideas.
Estevez plays auteur in his new
film,Wisdom, in which he portrays
a young man, named John Wisdom,
who can't get a decent job because
he has a felony conviction on his
record that resulted from a drunken
joyride in a stolen car. Wisdom
committed the act at the age of
nineteen, and that, when combined
with a simple explanation of the
incident and a glance at his college
record, would probably mitigate the
misdeed and land Wisdom a job.
But this isn't the way the plot
goes, and so the entire basis of the
film is open to doubt.
In any case, Wisdom, depressed
at his unemployment and the
tnfairness of it all, wanders (for no
apparent reason) into a bus station,
inserts a quarter into a t.v. monitor,

and thereupon watches (for at least
twenty seconds) a report about
mortgage foreclosures, homeless
people, etc. It is then that John
Wisdom's consciousness is sud -
denly raised! Wisdom vows to
alleviate the suffering of the
oppressed, and embarks on his new
mission, consisting of invading
banks and burning the mortgage
records contained within.
Estevez has starred, written, and
directed this bit of egregiousness,
so its failure is entirely attributable
to him. The most conspicuous
aspect of his acting is its utter lack
of intensity. He explodes with all
the power of a keg of sodden
gunpowder. His writing distin -
guishes itself by its vacuity.
Estevez spent three weeks preparing
the scripts' first draft. Think about
it: in three weeks he couldn't come
up with a single interesting line,
and through its subsequent develop -
ment it retained an amazing number
of statements that are less profound
than the fortunes printed on the
cartoons that accompany Bazooka
bubblegum.
As a director Estevez can't resist

a weakness for cliches and is unable
to include anything else. He can't
obtain decent performances from his
actors and actresses, has rotten taste
in musical scores, neglects to
include a single interesting set,
pollutes his serious scenes with
silly comic asides, and, lastly,
chickens out in a scene added after
the logical climax, which, by the
way, is absurdly melodramatic.
Estevez's co-star is his
girlfriend-soon-to-be-wife, Demi
Moore. Well, doesn't love conquer
all? Moore was passable in About
Last Night, but here she is dreadful.
Moore has tolerated Estevez's brush
with disaster, and vice-versa. Let's
hope their marriage is so mutually
tolerant.
People who have to pay to see
movies can't afford to have as much
patience. Car smashes, superfluous
slow-motion, laughable robberies,
insipid supporting performances-
this one has it all. Perhaps what's
worse is that I saw this thing
shortly after having my faith in
film restored by Platoon and a VCR
viewing of The Road Warrior.
Looks like it's back to cinematic
atheism.

Emilio Estevez and Demi Moore play 'Robin Hood' ina truly stupid 'Wisdom.'

Records
Debbie Harry
Rockbird
. Geffen
Thank Heavens, Debbie Harry is
back. Her new album, Rockbird, is
the expected return of her usual
simpleminded lyrics. "Buckle up
that seat belt baby. It's gonna be a
bumpity bump. Buckle up your
sweet self sugar. Ya make me crazy
and I jumpity jump.".
,These are the lyrics to "Buckle
one of many barely excusable
gems on Rockbird. While this
giddy public service announcement
is remarkaby devoid of any thought
whatsoever, it hoppity hops along
Let a

'

in a riproaring groove. Seth
Justman's production, which
resembles the lightweight R&B of
his later albums with J. Geils, is a
perfect compliment. "Buckle Up" is
a goodtime ditty, as is "You Got
Me in Trouble" and the single
"French Kissin'."
For those who buy the record to
hear Blondie, Harry co-writes with
ex-mate Chris Stein on three songs
that echo that group's new wave
posturings. The best of these is "In
Love with Love," in which she
resurrects the sultry whispersof
1979's "Heart of Glass" to produce
an absolute cotton puff of a dance
number.
Because nobody will expect any -

thing significant to come from "Howie's Teed Off" by the Real
Rockbird, no one will come away Roxanne with Howie T., every cut
unsatisfied. Debbie Harry is on this record is a bona fide hit by a
nothing more than a strikingly bona fide rap giant.
attractive, talented vocalist, backed The line-up is startlingly solid.
with likable musicians and Run-D.M.C.'s now classic "King
production. For a nothing album, of Rock" is here, as is the Fat
though, it is rich with vibrancy and Boys' eponymous debut. The
Boogie Boys rap out "Fly Girl" and
vitality. UTFO's "Roxanne, Roxanne" is
-Mark Schwartz here. One can quibble with the
inclusion of Timex Social Club's
Rap's Greatest Hits "Rumors" on quality grounds, but
Various Artists not on grounds of popularity. And
this record is now the only place
Priority one can find the original mix of
Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh
This one comes up just short of Crew's "The Show," with its nifty
outstanding. With the exception of "Inspector Gadget Theme" lift.

The record would earn an A-plus,
even with the non-hit from Real
Roxanne, were it not for an
extremely gutless choice on the part
of the compilers. The compilers
were wise in their selection of "The
Roof is On Fire" by Rockmaster
Scott & The Dynamic Three, but
they balked at the lyrics of the
chorus, which includes the word
"motherfucker." While this word is
definitely one of the real baddies, it
is wholly appropriate in context
("Burn,motherfucker, burn!") and
their presentation of an edited
version, which is precisely as long
as the original, but never once
includes the title phrase, is api -
neless and indicative of a sus -

piciously loose attitude with regard
to the artistic integrity of the
product.
An album titled "Rap's Greatest
Hits" should not be squeamish
about presenting the music it
celebrates in an uncensored, whole
form. The occasional obscenity is a
part of rap, and slicing and dicing
master tape is both condescending
and deceptive. It may make Tipper
Gore feel better about rap music,
but it cheats those who buy the
record in order to find out what rap
is all about. And if the compilers
just couldn't bring themselves to
include a naughty word, why didn't
See RECORDS-page 8

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