The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 20, 1991 - Page 9 Large, in charge, but still blaxploitational All in all, Livin' Large is just another brick in the big white wall Livin' Large dir. Michael Schultz by Mike Kuniavsky M ichael Schultz has spent the last 15 years presenting nice, under- standable, nonthreatening Blacks to a Caucasian audience. With such films as Krush Groove and Richard Pryor's Car Wash, Greased Lightning and Which Was Is Up (Mr. Pryor himself being a nice, under- standable, nonthreatening Black), Schultz has made himself an ex- ample to which white Hollywood execs point and say, "See, we have plenty of Black directors." Schultz's latest film, Livin' abandons more and more of his cul- ture and becomes more and more "white," to the point of dancing like John Travolta. Finally, he is faced with a situation where he must confront his "real" self and his newly-created "white" self. This being a comedy, Dexter triumphs, of course. There are two fundamental prob- lems: the first is that after all of the tribulations in the film, after all of the hardships that Dexter Jackson goes through to retain his Blackness, he gives in: he wears the hair that the system wants him to wear, he speaks like the system wants him to speak and - worst of all - he enjoys it. Sure, the "bad white people" have gotten their RECORDS Continued from page 8 new release. Oh, I don't think I'll be trading it in - it takes more than one lackluster recording to make me drop a group. Besides, the music is still catchy, for the most part; the tunes are still listenable, usually; they're still loud; and they're still funny (the album is dedicated to Badfinger). But something's miss- ing. The lyrics aren't as clever as in past releases, and in some cases are embarrassingly trite ("Looking around for the answer/ I just can't find it anywhere/ It's hard to care/ anymore.") Before, YFF usually achieved a perfect balance of the hard and soft. Here there is just plain too much thrash-trash. Many of the songs also seem unfulfilling, as if they came up with half a good idea and just left it at that ("Hillbilly Drummer Girl," "The Teen Thing"). Don't get me wrong - this is still a pretty good album. But only pretty good. Over the past year or so I've come to expect more from the Young Fresh Fellows. If you've never heard this band before, I recommend you start with Ladies, or The Men Who Loved Music. Then decide if you want to add Digest to your collection. -Alan Glenn Stevie Nicks Time Space Atlantic Just as Stevie Nicks is not your ordinary musician, Time Space, the "best of" Stevie Nicks album, is not your ordinary greatest hits collec- tion, either. Nicks presents her fans with a compilation of rock greats that is not simply an offering of music, but also an exposd on herself. While most performers hide the in- spiration for their songs, Nicks boldly enlightens the liner-note reader by candidly explaining the thoughts behind each track. Nicks' music itself is universal. "Love's A Hard Game To Play," "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," "Talk To Me," "Rooms On Fire" - what lover cannot relate to these songs? Yet the music is also dis- tinctly woman. On "Stand Back," she declares, "First he took my heart, then he ran/ No one knows how I feel." Other tracks, such as "Edge Of Seventeen" and "I Can't Wait," are overpowering adrenaline rushes. Nicks has also become an expert in the art of duet, perhaps nerfectin2 it in "Leather and I ace." After all of the hardships that Dexter Jackson goes through to retain his Blackness, he gives in: he wears the hair that the system wants him to wear, he speaks like the system wants him to speak and - worst of all - he enjoys it. Sure, the 'bad white people' have gotten their comeuppance and Dexter is a Black in a position of power, but has anything changed? Large, is theoretically more adven- turous and really better than the worst of the blaxploitation films with which he started out. The film is supposed to be about the struggles of a Black man trying to assert his cultural identity in a white man's world, but it's really a mockery of that identity, a mockery that's designed to please both Black and white audiences alike (though for different reasons), without teaching either side anything about the other. Dexter Jackson (T.C. Carson) Wants to be a newsman on TV, but bie can't 'cause he's a lower class Black (he delivers dry cleaning for his sister's place, simultaneously skimming the good-looking stuff.) Then, while Dexter is gawking at his favorite reporter during a hostage-taking scene, the newsman is shot. Thinking quickly, he picks up the microphone and starts a play- by-play of the hostage scene, but be- ing who he is, it's in his own "down-home" style. Kate Penn- dragin (Blanche Baker), the un- scrupulous news producer at the show (she later tells Dexter, "Next * time, if someone wants to shoot himself on camera, let him"), al- lows him to continue. Dexter is hired as a reporter, but, as a reporter, he has to conform to what Kate tells him is proper - like a white man. Gradually, Dexter comeuppance and Dexter is a Black in a position of power, but has any- thing changed? The second problem is the gratu- itous product placement. Coca Cola paid for the free campus preview, and it's obvious why: not a scene goes by without someone drinking a Coke, or a sign blazing in the back- ground, or a vending machine con- spicuously looming within the shot. See LARGE, Page 10 Nicks When tremendous talents like Don Henley, Tom Petty and Prince delight us by collaborating with Nicks, it only affirms her greatness. Nicks, grateful for the contributions of these musicians, has returned the favor by including on Time Space the Jon Bon Jovi penned "Sometimes It's A Bitch" and Bret Michaels' (Poison) "Love's A Hard Game To Play." These two tracks, along with "Desert Angel," a collaboration be- tween Nicks and Michael Campbell of the Heartbreakers, are the only new tracks on the album. Of course, this material fails to have the im- pact of the other ten songs, as they have yet to reach "classic" status. -Kim Yaged Nice day for a white wedding, isn't it? Dexter Jackson (T.C. Carson) is having second thoughts at the altar, where he's supposed to marry Missy the weathergirl (Julia Campbell) in Livin'Large. i bernhard TONIGHT!- p.m. Power Center * Ac ~ niversity 6:30gpM ,r'.NORTH ..CAMPUS..COMMONS. EL ctivties September 23 Ce "'e Boulevard Rm . TO..........O.NS. ........ MAYNARD PARTY STORE 326 MAYNARD OPEN 7 DAYS 9am-11pm Fresh Fresh Fresh Salads Subs Fruit "Coldest Beer in Town!" 995-1888 FREE INSTANT 1 LOTTERY TICKET I with any salad or sub Coupon expires 9-27-91 gold bond cleaners Amazin' Blue This is a co-ed a capella singing ensemble at the U of M. They perform music ranging in style from upbeat rock, jazz, and blues to Michigan Favorites. Comedy Company This is a student-directed and written comedy troupe. Comedy Company performs once a term in the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre and has taken its show to other Big-10 schools. Impact Dance This is for U of M's non-dance majors who have extensive training in all areas of dance. Auditions are in the early fall, and the company performs in the spring. M-Flicks This is the largest film group on campus (formerly called Mediatrics), presenting at least three films each week. M-Flicks also sponsors film festivals and sneak previews. Soph Show A fall musical, Soph Show restricts its cast to first-year students and sophomores, often giving students their first collegiate theatrical experience. Laughtrack Laughtrack features student comedians and a professional headliner each Wednesday night in the U-Club. Soundstage Soundstage provides musical entertainment each Thursday night in the U-Club. Established bands, both local and student, are featured each week. Special Events Special Promotions brings exciting activities to the U of M. Past events have included: Rolling Stone -The Photo- graphs and a performance of Pink Floyd's The Wall. Starbound A campus-wide talent competition, Starbound provides students with the opportunity to perform, win prizes, and gain experience and recognition. College Bowl A competitive quiz-trivia contest, College Bowl begins with an intramural tournament whose champions travel to contests during the winter term. Mini-Courses Each term, Mini-Courses offers over 30 non-credit courses ranging from aerobic dance to sign language. Vie wpoin t Viewpoint sponsors a variety of lectures and forums for discussion, including Student Soapbox. Accountants The accountants handle all disburse- ments, transactions with other University units, and assist the committees with budget management. Advertising and Publicity This is comprised of a staff of graphic artists headed by the Publicity V.P. They prepare all posters, flyers, programs, and other forms of advertising for UAC's committees. Tech Crew Homecoming As official University coordinators of Homecoming, UAC plans the parade, float contest, pep rally, and many other AV mANi1