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Page 10-The Michigan gaily - Friday, September 27, 1991
Matador £
dir. Pedro Almodovar
Pedro Almodovar is the Prince of the European
film industry: he's consistently innovative, he's very
slick, he's quite hip, he's occasionally successful and
he's obsessed with sex. Most of his films have a ten-
dency to be so self-indulgent that the entertainment
comes through the audacity, not the plot.
Matador is one of the few Almodovar films that is
actually fleshed-out - it doesn't seem like a string of
gags and self-referential symbolism. The film has a
captivating plot and characters that aren't Zig-Zag-
thin, plus all of the other cool stuff (like the clothes,
the sets and the weird characters) that's present in
more typical Almodovar films.
Though Matador's focus is once again on the sexual
tango between men and women (and women and men
and men and women and...), the way that Almodovar
goes about it this time is through a mystery. A string
of ritualized Madrid murders leads a hip young inves-
tigotor to a bullfighting student with a confused view
of sexuality. He immediately admits to the crimes, but
a famous feminist defense attorney doesn't believe him
and decides to take on his case. Meanwhile, the investi-
gator is on a different trail, following the young man's
teacher, a once-famous bullfighter.
As the parallel investigations continue, a different
picture begins to build - a much weirder and much
more demented one. Ultimately, everything builds to a
convoluted conclusion, where all of the murders and
all of the intrigue and all of the cool clothes lose all
meaning, while sexuality and the definition of 'man'
and 'woman' become the most important (though,
frankly, the most disgusting) concerns.
Less wacko than some of Almodovar's other films
(Dark Habits), but much more coherent than the more
famous Women on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown,
Matador is probably the best introduction to the direc-
tor's work, perhaps the most important coming out of
Spain today. Matador is playing tonight at 7 p.m. and
10:15 p.m. in MLB 3. Admission is $3 single and $4
double.
-Mike Kuniavsky
Queens for a
night?
In the mood for watching some
"radical faeries" on the move?
We thought so. Spree Vance, BJ
Adianasio and Mark Weinstein
(featured in the photo, from left
to right) will star in Queens are
Wild this Sunday at Unitarian
Church, 1917 Washtnaw. A
production of the Emma
Goldman Gypsy Players, Queens
begins with a wild canasta game
that eventually grows into an
emotional evening. The show
will be at at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are
$7 at the door, $5 in advance at
Common Language on Fourth
Ave. Call 662-6282 for more info.
THIS EVENT IS FREE
A FILM ON ADULT ILLITERACY STARRING DENNIS WEAVER I.
.... .
Skid Row
Slave to the Grind
Atlantic
"
.RDA
SIPT: ":MBER*",*%
700.P
PANEL FOLLOWING
Some may have wanted to dis-
miss the Bon Jovi discovery Skid
Row after their self-titled debut in
1989. Skid Row yielded a few hit
songs, although only "Youth Gone
Wild" even approached being the
quintessential rock song of our
time. The songs were strong but ra-
dio-friendly, unintentionally send-
ing some heavy metal fans scream-
ing in the other direction.
But with the release of their sec-
ond album, Slave to the Grind, Skid
Row has catapulted head-first into a
powerful frenzy of haunting chords
and brutal honesty. From the open-
ing rumble of "Monkey Business,"
you can feel the attack coming on.
The momentum then builds to ex-
plosive levels, finally knocking you
down with the chilling echo of the
last song.
You won't find any ballads on
this album, only "gothic period
pieces" (as oft labeled by the band)
such as "Quicksand Jesus," "In a
Darkened Room," and "Wasted
Time." On the heavier side, "Get the
Puck Out" is hilarious and unex-
pectedly intelligent, given its title
- a sign that it was written for
more than just the requisite heavy
metal threat to authority. (An
alternate version of the album is
available with "Beggar's Day," for
those who are offended easily.)
sive. Although this method can of-
ten seem forced in the works of
other authors, McCullough's subtle
skill smooths any such unnatural-
ness.
SATURDAY
SEPTEMBER 28, 1991
7:00 AND 9:00 PM
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$EPTEMBRZ% 19
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BOOKS
Continued from page 9
ing important information to the
reader without being overly obtru-
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0 SHOWING AT
The band's writing has matured,
and their once-simmering music
now burns. Singer Sebastian Bach's
raging energy throughout these
songs is almost unbelievable, given
how exhausting it is to merely lis-
ten to them. As heavy as a thrash
metal album, but more coherent and
fluid, Slave to the Grind fits th
needs of not only a hardcore head-
banger, but also anyone who appre7
ciates a catchy tune. This is a band'
you can count on to say what they
mean, and believe me, they say it i
ways you've never heard before.
Need proof? Well, just "Hit me
with a shovel, 'cause I can't believe
that I dug you."
-Kristen Knudsen
McCullough also follows the'
stories of the male characters'
wives, as well as the marriages and
political careers of many minor
characters. These sub-plots give us d'
feel for the culture without drag
ging the reader through the swami
of didactic speeches in which so'
many authors become mired. In fact,'0
the story flows so well that I
would accuse McCullough of cx
tensive invention if her author's
note didn't prove otherwise. "
This novel is the first of its kind
for McCullough; her six previous
novels have been entirely fictitious
And for those who hate getting to
the end of a good book, McCullough
has already publishedra sequel enti-
tled The Grass Crown, set to be re-
leased October 1.
-by Michelle Reen
HILLIER
Continued from page 8
short-term academic appointments
over the years, but he now plans to
make that a full-time career here in
the U.S. His current job at the :
University of California at Davis
allows him to concentrate on choral
conducting, but Hillier also does
some seminar work on contempo
rary music with graduate students.
"I'm not a real scholar,"he said. "A
real scholar is someone who pursues
knowledge for its own sake... For
me, it's always and only associated
with practical music-making. The
analysis... comes out of the peasra
of performing it." Still, Hillier
admitted, "That's bound to change
as I spend more time at a desk."
For some, the accumulation of
knowledge is a worthy pursuit in its
own right. But, said Hillier, "To
me, music is what people do... the
best way to talk about music is to
make it." '
A CHORAL AFTERNOON, con-
ducted by PAUL HILLIER, takes
place tomorrow at 2 p.m. in St.
Andrew's Episcopal Church
Admission is $5, students $3. PAUL
HILLIER IN CONCERT WITH THE
ACADEMY OF EARLY MUSlC
takes place Sunday at 8 p.m., also a
St. Andrew's. Ad-mission is $1S1
students $12. A pass for $25 pro;
vides admission to today's re
hearsal, as well as to both concerts;
For more information call 663:
7962.
CHEMISTRY BUILDING
ROOM 1800
930 NORTH UNIVERSITY
I
-THIS EVENT IS FREE
V
t.
-ONE-DAY-
Sex, Love and Intimacy
Sel o Workshop
What is sex? What is love? What is intimacy?
When you answer these questions, whose voices do you hear inside
your head? Yours? Your parents'? Society's?
Most of us have experienced sex, love and intimacy intertwined with
fear, shame or guilt. This prevents us from experiencing the full joy of
being alive.
For 23 years, Stan Dale, founder of the Human Awareness Institute,
has assisted over 30,000 participants in finding more love in their lives.
This one-day workshop is filled with direct experiences of love. You will
have full choice over your participation. In a caring, supportive, and
confidential environment, you'll expand your capacity for intimacy, go
beyond barriers to love, and release fears surrounding sexuality. You'll
learn how to be more open, close, and safe with others. You'll discover
your beauty, power, and love for self.
Regardless of your relationship status or sexual preference, please join
us for a day that could be a turning point in your life.
Attend either:
or:
Also:
c tobler 5 Octner 6 Theres a narty at/ip.m.