ARTS The Michigan Daily Thursday, January 7, 1988 Page 7 'Broadcast News covers human interest By Lisa Pollak If Broadcast News was a real news broadcast, and not a movie, we'd all know the difference, right?h The handsome, albeit unintellec- tual anchorman Tom Grun ick (William Hurt) wouldn't be pro- moted to the network for his refined .'."' ability to cooly "sell" the news to the viewer. Aaron Altman (Alb ert Brooks) would earn a bundle of h awards and' all the appreciation he ~.2 deserves for his brilliant political re- porting. And as for Jane Craig (Holly Hunter), well, we'd never xeven see this comically neurotic producer's quest to make her lovelife as successful and ethically perfect as her work. Writer-Director James Brooks'£ film is a funny, wise, and insightful look at the codes of ethics that gov- ern the businesses of news and rela- tionships. It takes us into the news- room, but it isn't real news, not in the sense of political campaigns and 4 missile treaties. After al, anne Aaron (Albert Brooks), Jane (Holly Hunter), and Tom (William Hurt) admire their work on a national Four gives tours if all you want to broadcast of the evening news. see is what a Teleprompter and an- chorperson's desk look like. Broad- cast News takes us into the news- room, but it doesn't offer much in the way of a "story;" in fact, the plot is little more than the conflicts of the love triangle and the day-to-day operations of a fictional network newsroom. What makes Broadcast News a great movie (there you have it; like Aaron I "buried the lede") is that it takes us into the newsroom, past the stories, behind the desks, and into the characters' minds - where we end up seeing ourselves, our minds, and our stories in real life. Broadcast News may only be a movie, but the acting, welL-written dialogue, and the characters are in- finitely more real to viewers than the far-away stories on nightly televi- sion news. There are those who say only people intrinsically tied to the news business will find themselves relat- ing to the on-screen characters. The average viewer, unlike Jane Craig, doesn't begin the day with a sched- uled bout of crying before flying to a Central American country to film fighting. But James Brooks, who directed the Oscar-winner Terms of Endearment, is more interested in the subtleties of relationships - that anyone can relate to - than the settings. Besides, you don't have to battle deadline pressure yourself to enjoy watching these characters make their own frenetic attempts. As Tom tells Jane, the rhythm of their broadcast was "like great sex "- an obviously stated but clever metaphor. Brooks sprinkles the elements of the broadcast news business through his film like a secret ingredient. We laugh at haughty anchors and tena- cious reporters. But we also see a film that is cheerful, fast-paced, and concise - the ultimate "happy talk" drama, a true "human interest" fea- ture. Real life or news? Broadcast News offers some of both. And it's the differences between the two that tie the film together. Television news might give us "film at I1." But this time it's Hollywood that delivered the film. . Records Sting ...Nothing Like the Sun A&M Records Those of you who have heard "We'll Be Together" on the radio probably think Sting's new album is more of the same that made his first solo album such an immense hit. Think again. Sting's first album Dream of the Blue Turtles was a jazz-fusion based record with varied tempos and feels. On the n e w album, the jazz feel is gone (with the exception of an occasional sax solo from Branford Marsalis), and has been replaced by a ver y electronic, distinctive pop sound. Just about all the songs on ... Nothing Like the Sun have the same tempo. The album was conceived, written, and recorded while Sting's aging mother lay sick in England. As a result, there are at least a half dozen songs that deal with the heartache of losing a loved one, and the record has a mellow, remorseful tone. Sting includes several songs in which he makes specific political statements and voices his opinions. "They Dance Alone," with Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler on guitar, is a song about the "Gucca Solo," a dance performed by Chilean wives, daughters, and mothers of the "disappeared." The lyrics openly criticize Chile's leader Pinochet for the tortures and murder squads in his, country. "History Will Teach Us Nothing," lists the wrongdoings of kings and queens and says we need to make our judgements based on today's morals, not yesterdays. "Fragile," protests the killing of Ben Linder in Nicaragua and others who have been "mistakenly" killed in the war-torn areas of the world. Sting also includes a timely slam on TV evangelism with the upbeat "Rock Steady." But the m o s t exciting song on the album is a cover of Hendrix's "Little Wing," with the help of Gil Evans and his orchestra. This is Sting's best vocal effort. He displays an impressive range and tone in his voice which has not been heard on previous albums. ...Nothing Like the Sun presents twelve superb songs in styles that are very new for Sting. He seems to be determined to create an innovative sound on each new album - which is an asset when used to provide one of the best pop albums today, -Robert Mittra Game Theory Lolita Nation Enigma Records Trouble with most of these double albums is they always leave the buyer asking that clich6d question "why'd they make a double album outta this?" Not that this new collection from Came Theory is really an exception. Indulgent? Yes. Overblown? Sure. But enjoyable anyway? Absolutely. Lolita Nation showcases every quirky tendency Game Theory have tampered with on past LPs, while highlighting the band's skill for writing really catchy melodies. The solid tunes, heady lyrics, and super hooks are still intact. But on this outing they're mediated by arty, spacey, Mitch Easter manipulated collages of the band's imagination - often mixed with swatches and swipes of their older material. Game Theory continue to be directed primarily by the suburban conscience of Scott Miller - a gifted songwriter who listens to Big Star and thinks too hard. His honest, painful cross examinations of relationships (with females, relatives, and friends) and dizzy perspectives are at the heart of his wordy lyrics, which are juxtaposed with raucous guitars, harmonies, and keyboard noodlings. Miller's wordy songs always shimmy close to the edge of mass appeal, but never seem to bounce off the college charts. One glance at his titles reveals where his thoughts drift, and also displays his earnest studies of pop culture. A computer programmer by day, he toys with ideas and fragments as if he were, well, devising his own political science "game theories." "Plopse See RECORDS Page 8 'ou -A " 1c an '111011 The Michigan Union Bookstore has the books you need, and A _much more...thousands of used textbooks...reference books... books for general reading...notebooks and a complete selection of supplies ...Michigan clothing and gifts. The Union...the center of campus life for Michigan students. ..a 1 i.