RTS
'Nosferatu' is king of Draculas
By SCOTT PLAGENHOEF
Saturated by popular culture, rede-
signed and repackaged for our plea-
sure, Dracula is one of many figures
whose image has been altered for easy
consumption. The historical figure on
which the legend is based, Vlad the
Impailer, inspired Bram Stroker's
gothic novel, "Dracula." Since then,
the image of Dracula and of the vam-
pire has been warped from the myste-
rious, erotic count of the novel to the
likes of Luke Perry films and Count
Chocula cereal.
One of the rare artistic triumphs
regarding the Dracula legend is the
1922 F.W. Murnau classic,
"Nosferatu." "Nosferatu" is a true clas-
sic of the era, genre and medium. This
silent, German expressionist master-
piece is amongst the finest horror films
ever created. Murnau's insistence on
using actual sets, rather than the elabo-
rate, futuristic ones many of his Ger-
man colleagues were using at the time
(in works such as "The Cabinet of Dr.
Cagliari" and "Metropolis" for in-
stance) created a tangible and immedi-
ate fear, one which resonated then as it
does now.
This Saturday at 7:30 p.m., the
Michigan Theater will present
"Nosferatu," accompanied by a live
orchestra; the manner in which it was
originally intended to be exhibited. This
is a rare treat indeed, to view and hear
Murnau's classic in a setting in which
it would have been viewed 70 years
ago.
Lost amongst the cardboard multi-
plexes - which today pass as theater's
- is the total environment that is expe-
rienced at amoviehouselike the Michi-
gan. The orchestral accompaniment,
previously done for such works as D.W.
Griffith's "Way Down East" and "In-
tolerance" is an intimate and exquisite
detail well worth the inflated ticket
price.
Since "Nosferatu," the quality of
the Dracula film has plummeted.
Draculaand his image degenerated into
the stuff of quickie exploitation flicks.
Oftentimes, to up the ante, the Dracula
image was paired off against another
monster, whether it be the mummy,
Frankenstein'smonster (though always
incorrectly billed as simply "Franken-
stein"), or whomever.
Yet, the strongest image of Dracula
-onethat has survived throughout the
reign of the exploitation films - has
been that of Bela Lugosi. Lugosi's
exotic, Hungarian accent, pale skin and
long, drawn-out features has become
the prototype for every Dracula since.
1931's "Dracula," Lugosi's original
film as the undead, remains his true
classic. Sadly, Lugosi eventually con-
founded reality with fiction, becoming
obsessed with the role to the point that,
on his insistence, he was buried in his
casket fully-dressed as Dracula.
The more modern Dracula films
have remained skeptical of challeng-
ing the demands of Lugosi's image,
instead attempting to redefine the vam-
pire.
In what is the most recent treatment
of the Dracula legend, producer and
director Francis Ford Coppola's gim-
mick was to return to the original gothic
novel forhis 1992 film, "Brain Stroker's
Dracula." Despite the attempt at au-
thenticity and the presence of Gary
Oldman as the count, by creating a
pretentious, overblown mess, Coppola
merely served to prove that he really
did lose his mind filming "Apocalypse
Now." Coppola's over-stylization and
over-direction (not to mention the un-
speakable "acting" of Keanu Reeves)
drove a stake through the heart of an
otherwise interesting project. Hope-
fully with Kenneth Branagh at the helm
of the upcoming, Coppola-produced
version of "Mary Shelley's Franken-
stein," the same mistakes will not be
repeated.
Outside of Coppola's film, Dracula
films have been more interesting than
intelligent. George Hamilton created a
well-tanned Dracula for the 1979 spoof
"Love at First Bite," in which Dracula
is booted from his castle so the Roma-
nian gymnastics team can use it for
practice. The same year, Frank
Langella, reprising a Broadway role,
Seeing "Nosferatu" with live orchestra accompaniment should rekindle your ta
took a serious turn as the count in the
bland, "Dracula."
Christopher Leeportrayedthecount
in "Dracula & Son" in which Dracula's
brood prefers football to bloodsuck-
ing, much to Pa's dismay.
There is even a blaxploitation vam-
pire film, 1972's "Blacula." William
Marshall portrays an African prince
with an appetite for blood on the L.A.
streets. It was followed by the sequel,
"Scream, Blacula, Scream," co-star-
ring sassy television cop Pam Grier.
The films are fun, but no Dolemite.
Although not a Dracula film per se,
next month, the film version of Anne
Rice's "Interview with the Vampire"
will debut. The first film version of
Vampire Lestalt is already - no mat-
ter what its artistic merit will prove to
|-|| |
ste for blood.
be - a guaranteed financial success.
The combination of Anne Rice, Tom
Cruise and an overwhelming sea of
publicity will not only propel interest
in Rice (even after the atrocity that is
"Exit to Eden"), Neil Jordan, Cruise,
and Brad Pitt, but in vampires and the
myth of Dracula as well.
NOSFERA TUplays at the Michigan
Theater on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Hey man, like, do ya got any Ween? Here it is.
By HEATHER PHARES
Ah, Ween. Envelope-pushers of the
first rank that delight (or annoy) any-
body in earshot with their offbeat, mer-
curial and often chemically-induced
music. Since 1990, they've freaking
1 1
Don't" Panic!!
If you think you're pregnant....
call us-we listen, we care.
Problem Pregnancy Help
769-7283
Any time, any day, 24 hours.
Fully confidential.
We specialize In helping students.
out their audiences with songs like
"She Fucks Me" and
"Reggaejunkiejew." The new album,
"Chocolate and Cheese," is the most
recent and subtle album in their sub-
versive repertoire. Not that Dean and
Gene Ween have curbed their psy-
chotic songwriting tendencies;
EMMAUS
FELLOWSHIP
10 minutes south of t-94 and US-23
"Candi," "I Can't Put My Finger On
It," and "Don't Shit Where You Eat"
are just as perverse as anything they
have recorded.
But the ususally unusual ideas the
Ween brothers are famous for have
been transformed into uncannily catchy
pop songs, which is something that
Dean Ween is really proud of: "I like a
lot of the songs on this one. I can sit
down with a guitar and play along with
it. We don't have to answer the ques-
tion 'How do you intend to pull this off
live?' We can just play it, and people
don't get all freaked out that the vocals
are all pitched up or slowed down."
Still, Ween's idea of a "song" is
miles away from what most people
expect from pop music. Last year's
"Pure Guava" featured the single "Push
Th' Little Daisies," which for all its
helium-squeaky vocals, has strong lyr-
ics and competent playing. Songs like
"Freedom of '76," "Voodoo Lady,"
and "Baby Bitch" are even more acces-
sible, barring the occasional "fuck,"
which earned the group a "Parental
Advisory: Explicit Lyrics" warning -
surely the first step in any group's plan
I I
ANN ARBOR YPSILANTI
l-94
N F
uJ9
CARPENTER
EXIT
HURD
@1nWkn.P~o
424 HURD
MILAN
973-6910
439-2400
Christ-Centered
Contemporary
Music
Sunday
School
& Nursery
Friday, October 28
7:3pir m
Hill Auditorium
University of Michigan
School of Music
Friday, October 28
OctubaFest'94
Students of euphonium/tuba professor Fritz Kaenzig perform
Recital Hall, School of Music, 8 p.m., free
Sunday, October 30
University Symphony and Philharmonia Orchestras
Halloween Concerts
Hill Auditorium; 5:00 and 8:30 p.m.
Tickets for both performances are SOLD OUT
Tuesday, November 1
Guest Electronic Music Recital: Gary Nelson
(Oberlin Conservatory, TIMARA Program)
Original works for MIDI horn and digital synthesizer
Recital Hall, School of Music, 8 p.m., free
Friday, November 4
Contemporary Directions Ensemble
H. Robert Reynolds, director
* David Maki (University of Iowa): Full House
* Kevin March (U-M): The Cremation of Sam McGee
* Donnacha Dennehy (University of Illinois): Agnostic Refrains
* Robert Gross (Oberlin College): Moonbeams
* Stefan Freund (Indiana University): The Flextet
Rackham Auditorium, 8 p.m., free
Faculty Recital: Anthony Elliott, cello, and Anton Nel, piano
Anthony Elliott's debut faculty recital
Sonatas by Locatelli, Martinu, and Rachmaninoff
Recital Hall, School of Music, 8 p.m., free
Friday-Saturday, November 4-5
1994 Midwest Composers Symposium
mommom
I
" "
Get that shower-fresh feeling with Ween.
for world domination. G
Their ideas are strange and plenti- a
ful - "Chocolate and Cheese" has a D
whopping 16 tracks - so where do '
they come from? "You can be inspired h
by anything. I'm inspired mostly by it
things I hear, like cool words. For in- w
stance, we were driving down I-95 and v
we saw 'Joppa Road' as one of the h(
exits, and that's how the song came s
about, because the words looked so u
funny. We were on mushrooms and I ti
kept saying, 'Mr., won't you please
help my pony?' to Gene, who was w
passed out on the couch. A lot comes l
out of your brain when you're fucked r
up," Dean laughed.N
That certainly rings true for Ween. w
The bizarre sound effects on the band's
music is one of the few constants in C
their work. This album is no different. t
To get a particular effect for the song
"Candi," off the new record, "I drove
.q
Gener around in the trunk of my car,
nd we recorded it on a portable phone,"
Dean remembered. "He's going
Buhdadaddadadadah!'- he couldn't
ear anything, and it's really obvious
it's on aphone.That wasjust'cause we*.
were drunk. It didn't really work like
we thought it would, and it was too
horrible in the trunk. It was in a snow-
torm; that's probably the most fucked-
up thing we've done, and it's on that
rack. You can hear it."
He continued,"there's a number of
ways to write songs. you could be
istening to a lot of something and it
eally inspires you to play in a certain
way, you can come up with chords and
write words to them," explained Dean.
'We write together and separately.
Gene might write a song at home and
he two of us will record it, and vice
See WEEN, Page 10
featuring
emcee
headliner
Coach Moeller
The Michigan Dance Team
U of M Cheerleaders
U of M Pep Band
Judd Winnick
of MVs Real World
comedian
Anthony Clark
Honecoming
The spirit of Michigan.
$5 Students, $10 non-students
Available at MUTO or at door
763-110" for more information
Thelma Adams, NYPOST
"One of the
M Summer's
Wisest and
Sexiest
"TWO THUMBS UP"
-SISKEL & EBERT
2E:A GE4
2:00 4:30 7:00
ATTENTION
INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS
Perhaps your future lies in Canada.. .
CANADIAN IMMIGRATION OPPORTUNITIES for graduates
with advanced degrees and work experience in:
Engineering
Computers
A
Sciences
Finance
And other Fields
i
I
s- a"ra wuav a awavsw
11
C