The Michigan Daily -Friday, October 1,1993-9
Quiet Keaton
The Ann Arbor Silent Film Soci-
ety will convene for the 173rd time
this Sunday at 3:00 at the Sheraton
Inn. Two features and two shorts
will be shown. The screenings will
kick off with two Buster Keaton
offerings, "Mabel At The Wheel"
and "Sherlock Jr." The latter film,
released in 1924, is Keaton at his
best. He plays a custodial artist/
projectionist at a small cinema who
is thrust into the role of amateur
detective in order to win-over his
sweetheart. Next, the society will
show the short "You're Darn
Tootin'," followed by "Speedy,"
Harold Lloyd's last silent film. Set
in Manhattan, "Speedy" focuses on
Pop Dillon, the proprietor of one of
the last horse-drawn carriage opera-
tions in New York. Admission is $3.
Chamber Music
This weekend is a great oppor-
tunity to see some of U of M's most
outstanding music faculty perform
in a concert of chamber music. Cel-
listErling Bengtsson, violinists Paul
Kantor and Stephen Shipps, pia-
nists Martin Katz and Anton Nel,
clarinetist Fred Ormand and violist
Yizhak Schotten will play chamber
works by Johannes Brahms, Johann
Peter and Ern Dohnanyi. Faculty
concerts are a unique music-mak-
ing environment, as explained by
Martin Katz, "Performing with other
faculty is very comfortable, it's like
putting on a pair of old jeans." The
concert will be held at Rackham
Auditorium on Sunday October 3 at
4 p.m. Admission is free, informa-
tion is available from the UMS Box
Office (764-2538).
Truth or Fiction?
Futurist David Brin, author of
"Startide Rising" and "Earth," will
be at Border's tonight at 7:30 p.m.
fromhislatest science fiction novel,
"Glory Season." The story is of
Maia, a 16-year-old girl who lives
in an age of new sexual politics and
the world is run by women.
Dead Planet
Flapjack Productions and the
Performance Network present "Car-
nival for aDying Planet," an evening
of improvisational sound and vi-
siononOct. 2at9 p.m. Featuredare
Blue Sun Quintet, Messengers of
Zuma and Scheme. Tickets are $5.
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Continued from page 8
is reasonably effective. However, if it
is insight into favorite folkies' stage
mannerisms or enlightening group
performances that are sought, seek
elsewhere.
Dirk Schulze
Reigndance
Problem Factory
Interscope
First MTV's "The Real World,"
now a record deal. It seems suspi-
ciously' sudden. But actually, local
rocker Andre Comeau and his band
Reigndance have been playing De-
troit clubs for years. And, from the
sounds of "Problem Factory," they're
improving.
What could have been mere ear
candy for a Joey Lawrence-like le-
gion of Andre followers amounts to
much more. Thanks to a group of
tonally-steady songs requiring little
vocal stress, Andre's somewhat lim-
ited singing range works; his voice
comes off as smooth and even strong.
Guitarist Dean Fertita is much of the
talent behind Reigndance. In addition
to writing or cowriting all but one
song, Fertita's unadorned guitar play-
ing and subtle hooks give these
midtempo rock songs an honest and
gritty feel and places Reigndance on
the cutting edge of '90s music.
"Problem Factory" is at its best
when Fertita's melodies find them-
selves in the forefront, as on the rhyth-
mically building "No Room," the Vio-
lent Femmes-ish "I'd Tell You," and
"Luxury," which slows down for a
ponderous, relaxing effect. Though
not noteworthy or memorable, even
the filler songs are pleasant - the
kind of stuff you might subconsciously
sway to.
Don't let those mediocre club clips
from "The Real World" fool you. Here,
off camera, Andre can drop his rock-
star image long enough to really act
like one.
-Kristen Knudsen
The Offspring
Ignition
Zygote Music
"Ignition" presents a plausible an-
swer to the question that seems to be
on the minds of all the die-hard punk
listeners who have followed the turn
of events punk music has taken over
the past few years; is there life after
Seattle? The Offspring, a Californian
punk foursome, turns the clock back a
decade to the time when the Dead
Kennedys and Black Flag were thrash-
ing up the underground music scene.
The Offspring's expeditious
rhythm and Kennedy-esque buzz-saw
guitar effects scream California.
Dexter Holland's strong lead vocals
bring a slightly squeakier, yet much
clearer Kurt Cobain to mind. The lyr-
ics themselves, violent and rebellious,
bring to mind the early (very early!)
days of the Replacements. Songs like
"We Are One" and "Kick Him When
He's Down" exemplify the arrogance
emanating from the album. "Get It
Right," one of the more esoteric tracks,
refers to J.D. Salinger's "A Catcher in
the Rye," among other things.
"L.A.P.D." is yet another offering
along the lines of tracks by Living
Colour or Body Count (another fel-
low Cali slam-band), referring to the
vigilante behavior now associated with
LA cops.
On the downside, "Ignition" has
little to offer to the perpetually chang-
ing punk movement. At times the al-
bum, specifically guitar tracks, sounds
over-produced (a punk album's worst
nightmare). It also tends to approach
the dangerously generic side of ga-
rage punk. However, the ferocious
playing style and forceful vocals pull
the album out of the ranks of the
ordinary. "Ignition" thumbs its nose
stoically at the new onslaught of mod-
ern flannel-punk, holding on to the
jarring cacophony of the '80s. It will
certainly entertain those nostalgic of
noise, while giving the next genera-
tionof club-goers a wonderful excuse
to happily slam themselves to oblivion.
Josh Herrington
By MICHAEL BARNES
It could be cool. A bunch of Rastamen firing up some
spliffs and sledding ass down an ice shoot, while shards of
ice bite into their dreads. Not a chance, mon, remember-
this is Walt Disney... too light of fare.
"Cool Runnings" is a comedy starring John Candy
about four Jamaican runners who, with the help of one fat
white guy, compete as bobsled racers at the 1988 Winter
Cool Runnings
Directed by Jon Turteltaub; screenplay by Lynn Seifert,
Tommy Swerdlow and Michael Goldberg; with John
Candy and Leon.
Olympics in Calgary.
Essentially the film is a mix of wackiness blunted with
a not-so-apparent political edge. It's Lani Guinier divided
by Barney the purple dinosaur.
Most of the acting is a step above sitcom frivolity. John
Candy is an actor that refuses to take a chance. He again
plays the fat, lovable guy that you could see yourself with
at a baseball game. Leon, who plays Derice the captain of
the team, should take a hint and lay off the single moniker
Prince and Madonna shit. His intentions are so earnest and
inspirational throughout the movie that you feel like
pissing in a needle and giving him a homespun steroid
shot.
The film surprisingly deals effectively with the sport
of bobsledding. Any ESPN junkie who actually likes
bobsledding will drool over the camera work. When the
lens fixes our eye to the sled, we fly down the ice
Disney gets Marley spirit
mountain, recklessly appreciating the fast exhilaration
and inherent danger of the sport.
"Cool Runnings" exploits cultural differences in order
to be funny. The past Olympian, now burned-out Irv,
played by Candy, takes on the challenge of coaching the
Jamaicans in the finer points of bobsledding. The gags are
obvious. The rhythm of the Rastafarians stumbles into the
cold, stoic Canadian tundra to produce many a laugh. The
humor is utter zaniness intended to coddle the knee-biters.
But it's fun.
Watch the movie closely and you'll see some political
aggression puncturing the cute Disney bubble. Jon
Turteltaub directs the film and midway through it, he cuts
from a shot of a Jamaican hovel that serves as a bar for the
locals to the hulking modern skyline of Calgary, with its
city lights flashing in the frigid expanse of the horizon.
The implication is clear: there are greater differences than
Fahrenheit between the First and the Third World.
Poverty is bright and spontaneous though. The film-
effectively uses color to differentiate the loose Jamaicans
from the tight-ass, rigid Europeans. Derice and his crew
splash down the ice in acool Technicolor breeze of vibrant
oranges and reds. The Swedish guys huddle around their
sleds in muted blues and grays. These wacky differences
offer some easy chuckles, but the film is at its strongest in
its thematic indictment against global economic disparity.
Cool Runnings is Jamaican slang for "peaceful jour-
ney." No argument here- the film is by no means a call
to arms. Disney has taken the spirit of Marley and softened
it with a tame bag of zany antics. If you prefer real Rasta
anger, save "Cool Runnings" for a silly cable night of
bake-it fun.
COOL RUNNINGS is playing at Showcase Cinema.
How does a man the size of John Candy coach a bobsled team when he couldn't fit down the shute himself? Disney magic.
an (m am i:.: sian r-r
The University of Michigan
School of Music
Sun. October 3
Michigan Chamber Players
Brahms: Clarinet Trio with Fred Ormand, clarinet; Erling Blondal
Bengtsson, cello; and Martin Katz, piano
Johan Peter: Viola Quintet in Bb Major with Paul Kantor, violin;
Stephen Shipps, violin; Yizhak Schotten, viola; Jerome Jelinek, cello;
and Robert Culver, violin
Dohnanyi: Piano Quintet, op.I in C Minor with Stephen Shipps,
violin; Paul Kantor, violin; Yizhak Schotten, viola; Erling Blondal
Bengtsson, cello; and Anton Nel, piano
Rackham Auditorium, 4 p.m.
Mon. October 4
Composers' Forum
School of Music Recital Hall, 8 p.m.
Tue. October 5
.University Symphony Orchestra
Gustav Meier, conductor
Brahms: "Tragic" Overture
Albright: Chasm
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra
Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m.
Wed. October 6
University Philharmonia Orchestra
Donald Schleicher, conductor
Beethoven: Symphony No. 2
Stravinsky: The Fairy's Kiss
Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m.
Thu. October 7
Faculty Recital by Arthur Greene, piano
All Rachmaninoff Program:
Sonata No. 1 (First Ann Arbor performance)
Variation on a theme by Corelli
Etude in E-flat minor
Prelude in D-Major
"Liebesleit" (transcription of a work by Kreisler)
School of Music Recital Hall, 8 p.m.
Fri. October 8
Symphony and Concert Bands
H. Robert Reynolds, Gary Lewis and Dennis Glocke, conductors
Hill Auditorium, 8 p.m.
Sun. October 10
Stearns Collection:
Virginia Martin Howard Lecture Series
"The Magic of Japanese Drums"
Sayonara Lecture by Professor William Malm
School of Music Recital Hall, 2 p.m.
Sun.-Wed. October 10-13
33rd Annual Conference on Organ Music:
The Centennial of the Hill Auditorium Organ
(For a listing of eventston the 11th, 12th, and 13th,
see next Sunday's ad)
Sun. October 10
Autumn Festival Of Choirs
Thank You."
Ulrich's Bookstore
thanks you for your
continued patronage.
We realize that our not
being allowed to accept the
Entree Plus Card is an
inconvenience to you.
In our efforts to improve our
customer service we will continue
to request that the University
change its current policy.
313 S.State
Ph. 996-2644
Go Blue!
Main Bookstore
Go Ulrich's!
.. rQ YEARS Ia.
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