0 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 :":. . ---.--..---..----- .S, rrwu $EPTEMBRZ% 19 -a-a------a-a BOOKS Continued from page 9 ing important information to the reader without being overly obtru- ................ .. .................. ............ . . ....... 4% ................... W .................. ... . ....... . ON- ......... ..... .. .... ..................... ......... . ........ ... X X..X. ...... .... . . . . .. ..... ................ ........... % ....... ..... ............ ................. ............. .............. ......................... ....................... .................. ...................... ................. ...................... .... ........................ .......................... . ................ ......................... .......... ............... ..................... ...................... .. ....... ................ . .......... x. 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.