The Michigan Daily - Weekend etc. - October 8, 1992- Page 5 Cyrano's a winner by a nose by John R. Rybock Gerard Depardieu will return to American theaters tomorrow in Rid- ley Scott's "1492: Conquest of Para- dise." Depardieu has earned an in- ternational reputation as the French version of Al Pacino or Dustin Hoffman; however, his first Ameri- __ __ _ q i f .>. ' ,; ° - 1 -, ; .. For Poets, the writing is on the wall can fihn, "Green Card," failed at the box office, and many Americans were leftwith the impression that his reputation waspurehype. ButGerard Depardieu's talents are formidable, as evidenced by the 1990 French film "Cyrano De Bergerac". The tale of Cyrano has been told countless times in various forms over the years, from bad "USA Up All Night" features to Steve Martin's "Roxanne." Rappeneau keeps his version true to the original play. Cyrano, a cap- tain in the French army, is an elo- Vepardieu quent poet in love with Roxanne. However, his large nose convinces him that he is too ugly for anyone to love. Roxanne falls for Christian, a soldier under Cyrano's command, who is attractive but awkward with women, everything Cyrano is not. The two combine forces to woo Roxanne with Cyrano's romantic prose and Christian's princely looks. As Cyrano, Depardieu fleshes out all the complexities of the character. In his heart, Cyrano is a sensitive, romantic man. He has the ability to impress anyone with an eloquence many only dream of. But on the other side of the coin, he is violent and quick-tempered. He is as deft with swords as he is with words, and uses both to strike at his enemies, espe- cially those who mention his nose. A perfect example of this is a duel in which Cyrano not only embarrasses See CYRANO, Page 8 by Skot Beal For the Restroom Poets, playing rock & roll is about songs. Not tech- nically astounding masturbational nonsense, not finely crafted pop cheeseballs,just fuckin' songs. Songs thatmake you happy, songs thatmake you sad, and songs that make you W...L .Pd want to smash things. "Oddfellow's Rest," their recently released six-song cassette, gives a sample of each type. There isn't anything complicated about this tape; the chord progres- sions are straightforward, the riffs are fairly simple, the drums, bass, and guitars are all less than flashy. But there's something about the way ev- erything is put together that is cre- ative and appealing. In "Electricity," for instance, the bass and the guitars areplaying parts that don't fitas neatly as they do in other songs, almost op- posing each other in places, giving the work a confrontational energy. The Poets also throw in a few surprising twists to spice things up, like a distorted, wah-drenched guitar playing a very dissonant solo in the middle of the otherwise clean and melodic "We Are." And it's easy to be caught off guard by the quick- paced funky section and drum solo towards the end of the tape's heaviest tune, "The Song." "The Song" is easily the longest trackhere,atover eightminutes. When the grinding main riff comes in, it rocks, but after five or six minutes, it's godlike, and you can't help shak- ing your fists and slamming your head in approval. "The Cemetery Song" has a similar effect with its simple chord movement hooking you more and more as the song progresses, making you feel oddly melancholy. The only real shortcoming to "Oddfellow's Rest" is that it doesn't quite live up to the intensity that the Restroom Poets have when playing the songs live. "We Are" and "Lin- coln Continental" especially seem a bit toned down from the intensity they should have. However, the most important as- pect of any song is undoubtedly the singing. Fortunately for the Restroom Poets, lead vocalist Jason Magee is one of the most talented and energetic vocalists alive. In songs like "Angelique," the vocals are more re- served during the verses, and espe- cially intense during the chorus, when he wails and roars with a heavy blues influence. Throughout most of "The Song," the vocals are quietly intense; he sounds pissed-off, but he's not shouting about it. That is until the end, when all of the tune's anger and inten- sity are expressed in one final, beau- tiful, mind-racking scream. "Oddfellow's Rest" isn't lacking for anything lyrical, either. "We Are" opens the tape with an affirmation of what the Poets' music is about: "We are the fools who fool the fools, we are the murderers that heal." The tape progresses with a wide variety of top- ics, from how the masses are con- trolled in "Electricity" and reflections on hope and death in "The Cemetery Song," to how cool you feel driving a big car in "Lincoln Continental". All in all, if it's really true what people have been saying about Ann Arbor being the next Seattle, then this tape seems to indicate that this band is destined for greater things. Plan to attend... LAW DAY The Universitvot Michgan Career Planning Placement 1992 Monday, 11:00 am Michigan October - 3:00 Union 12, pm -Meet with admissions officers from US law schools -Investigate employment options available to graduating seniors -Gather information on law related campus organizations and services Special Presentation... Hey Wolverines! .5O0 COME CLEAN O UP I Each wash U YOUR ACT I(limit 3 washers 1 WITH US!! _ u i Each coupon cannot LAJNDR combined with any other offer. Expi res Law School Admissions following the Law Day forum Panel se y Monday, October 12, 1992 3:10 - 4:00 pm Kuenzel Room, Michigan Union -Increase your understanding of law school' admissions -Gather tips to enhance the quality of your application -Ask your questions about the decision making process 2750 Jackson Ave. A2 Hours: 7am-11pm Daily 761-1889 Nov. 8, 1992 .-A'm I . ' DEPARTMENT OF RECREATIONAL SPORTS INTRAMURAL SPORTS PROGRAM WANTED!!! Flag Football Officials Clinic Begins: Monday 10/12 7:00 p.m. IMSB For Additional Information Contact IMSB 763-3562 patagonia' SYNCHILLAO CLASSICS The Synchilla@ Snap T-Neck has seen most of the known world. It could well be the ultimate multi-purpose utility garment. Now available in prints or solids. PWP 3600 ,P: ATAA i immmmmoppp- fIMP .. or- fl