The Michigan Daily - Weekend etc. - February 4, 1993 - Page 5 Classics in escapism Give my regards to Broadway by Jon Altshul The phenomenon of "spring break" as a recurrent motif in the films of the mid-'80s is undeniable. Beginning in 1983 with the inane comedy "Spring Break" and the classic teen flick "Risky Business," Hollywood had stumbled upon a goldmine of opportunity. The classic spring break films de- veloped their own identity - their own "genre," shall we say. Complete with leather jeans, feathered hair, and Duran Duran tank tops, the pictures transcended pedantic political squabbles and silly philosophical theories, blossoming only in a cesspool of semen and Clearasil. They are invariably escapism com- edies, held together by tireless road trips and countless bikini straps. Always anti- authoritarian they did for our genera- tion as the beatniks did for our parents'. These were the pictures that helped gel and mold our own childhoods. Ouradolescentassociations with this genre are often as powerful as the films themselves. How vividly I remember standing awkwardly in the Deny Cin- ema ticket line with my first date, Marcy Allen, as the Vermont winds delved into the snow banks outside. The film was "The Sure Thing," directed by some meathead named Rob Reiner. How I loved this girl. Perhaps I would never love another. Perhaps I would do well on my next Pre-Algebra quiz. Silently, I bought the tickets, bearing the sight of elders who smiled at my apprehension. We strolled into the theater arm-in-arm as the coming attractions rolled. Mid-way through the movie, Marcy began togetpeevish, telling me she was bored. I told her to shut up. I was too engrossed in John Cusack's quest to tend to her selfish worries. She slapped me across the cheek and ran off crying while TimRobbins and LisaJanePersky sang show tunes. I stayed in the theater. It was a wonderful picture. Younger generations might point to 1985 as the watershed year for spring break movies. Indeed, with the release ofboth "The Sure Thing"and "Gotcha!," the industry was revolutionized. But true connoisseurs of the genre know that its origins lie as far back as 1960 with Henry Levin's "Where the Boys Are." Moralistic, yet not without a naive sense of charm, the picture charts the vernal vacation of four college women in desperate pursuit of men. And though by all contemporary gauges "Boys" is dated and perhaps a bit styl- ized, its significance as aground-break- ing epic cannot be disputed. In the film, for example, we see the origins of the quintessential staples of the movement- under-aged drinking, fornication, butt jokes, and unsanitized bathrooms. Sure, unlike its successors, the film is refreshingly bereft of gratu- itous profanities and token nudity, but with its abundant bikini close-ups and body gags, Levin's story seems to be announcing the arrival of a new genre. Yet the seeds that the film fertilized did not begin to germinate until much later. Twenty-three years later in fact. The early spring break films of the 1980's struggled to distinguish them- selves. Often hidden behind the blanket epithet of "teenage exploitation," and unfairly linked with "Porky's" and the so-called "brat pack," their candor was further threatened by poor reviews. One after another bombed at the box office, and their extinction seemed imminent. But two years later the genre was resuscitated by the almost simultaneous release of "The Sure Thing" and "Gotcha!". They became timeless clas- sics, as gripping and honest as they were beautifully photographed. "The Sure Thing" was something of a slap in the face to previous spring break films. Filled with five and dime philosophies and sincere moment of self-mockery, Rob Reiner achieved the unthinkable: a warm, inoffensive film about a horny, beer-swilling freshman. "Gotcha!", meanwhile, was the "The Sure Thing's" action-packed counter- part. Fast-paced and intense, the picture charted the European vacation of two collegekids from innocentpick-up lines to the CIA and espionage. Both films marked the arrival of two of the most innovative "spring break" actors in American cinematic history- THEATER Continued from page 3 new musical, pulsating with "sin, sex and self-deception" in a Havana night- club; Duo Theater; 598-4320. "Coed Prison Sluts: The Musical" I don't want to touch this one; Trocadero Cabaret; 239-2594. "Cute Boys in their Underpants Go to France"A group of tine healthy young men (stars of an "all-male skin flick") go cavorting around gay Paris; Sanford Meisner Theater; 206-1764. So there are my recommendations - pick and chose according to your own taste, schedule and budget. As much as I hate to contribute to the commercialization of the theater, I rec- ommend stopping by One Shubert Al- ley, the complete Broadway memora- bilia store to, as they say, "take home a bit of Broadway." For all of the Broadway shows, call 239-6200 for ticket info/reservations (all phone numbers listed are area code 212). Irecommend that you wait to buy tickets until you get to New York -- possibly with the exception of "Guys andDolls," the toughest ticketonBroad- way. There is a famous ticket booth on Broadway called"TKTS" thatsells tick- ets for half-price the day of a perfor- mance. Also, check with the respective box offices; many people return tickets, and you may stumble upon some great seats. Enjoy yourself-and when you're there, don't forget to give my regards to Broadway. Cusack John Cusack and Anthony Edwards. Indeed, Cusack and Edwards are the DeNiro and Pacino of their generation. Cusack, who had found moderate suc- cess as a requisite geek in such early treasures as "Class," and "Better Off Dead," had no trouble adapting himself to the dramatic demands of spring vaca- tion. Always tettering on the edge of over-acting and never without of his signature middle part or anemic com- plexion, he reminded audiences of a young Mickey Rooney. After striking gold with "The Sure Thing." Cusack went on to star in another spring break epic "Hot Pursuit." Though jumbled and more complex than earlier vacation pictures - the Caribbean replaced Florida/California, for example, and boats replaced cars - "Pursuit" marked the last great installment in the genre. The spring break genre of film ex- ploded into our society like nothing before it. Often confused with sexist trash, the movies ultimately transcended the disgusting muck from which they originated. Though now resting in dor- mancy, they are as inexplicably linked to our lives as our friends and families. 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