10 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 15, 1996 Poor screenplay makes 'Ghost' invisible [ By Prashant Tamaskar Daiy Arts writer Set in late 19th century Africa, "The Ghost and the Darkness" seeks to doc- ument the terror and chaos that ensue when forces seemingly within man's control assert themselves. Based on actual events, the film does fea- ture moments of true fear and sus- pense. However, these instances are overshadowed by the murky RE The 1 the At Briar African and Indian workers and their employers, everything proceeds as planned upon Patterson's arrival in the Tsazo River region. That is, until a pair of hungry lions begins wreaking havoc by attacking and devouring workers. Rapidly, the predators' v I E W appetite for human flesh increases, Ghost and and the death toll Darkness escalates. Stricken * * by fear, the work- wood & Showcase ers refuse to com- plete the bridge until the lions are killed. Enter famed wild game hunter Remington (Michael Douglas), who is brought in by the British government to take care of the situation. However, when the two lions present a far greater challenge than the hunter expects, he enlists the help of Patterson to defeat the menaces. The rest of the film deals with the resolution of the central con- flict. The primary reason why "The Ghost and the Darkness" does not engross the viewer is due to probable lack of con- cern for the main characters. The British Empire is in the midst of colo- nizing the majority of Africa. The gov- ernment is exploiting African labor to reap the benefits of the ivory trade, and the bridge serves as the ultimate symbol of the Europeans' preposterous imperi- alism. Consequently, the bridge takes prece- dence over human life. The lions are causing the greatest damage by delay- ing the completion of the connector, not by killing faceless workers. And, Remington is hired to prevent further postponement instead of preventing further bloodshed. With the focus on the problems the lions are causing in construction, why should we care if these animals are killed? What would we want to see the bridge completed for? Moreover, although Patterson is presented as a fair, somewhat idealistic individual, why would we want to see him, as the representative of oppression, suc- ceed? Interestingly enough, the film is at its most intriguing during the rare instances when it addresses the afore- mentioned issues. That is, early on, a key issue is the relationship between the colonial workers and the English employers. However, this conflict quickly dissolves (with a feeble resolu- tion) as the lions move to the forefront. Once this happens the film loses its steam. Although the lion attacks are a bit frightening in their unpredictability, their timing is offset by poor camera- work. In addition, the various hunts for the animals fail to stimulate. Yet, to its credit, the film uses the set- ting to its advantage. Shot on location in South Africa, cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond beautifully captures the essence of the savannah. The lush pho- tography augments the magnificence of the landscape, and its enormity dimin- ishes the significance of humans in comparison. This sets the table well for the whole theme of man's lack of con- trol. But in the end, I have to admit that I kind of wanted the lions to be victori- ous, because I love underdogs. And, how can you not root for something that humbles manipulative imperialists? After all, I never cared for the British Empire, and consequently, I don't care for this movie. screenplay and the specifics film, which ultimately lead demise. of the to its The story begins when British engi- neer John Patterson (Val Kilmer) travels to Africa to oversee the construction of a bridge that will connect two parts of an East African railway system. The railroads, which are being built to secure ivory trade and to "save the Africans," will span the entire continent and increase the already immense power of the Empire. Despite the tensions between Michael Douglas is a deranged maniac. Scatterbrained 'Celestial Clockwork' fails to entice its audiences By Neal C. Carruth Daily Arts Wrter Fina Torres has created a visually stimulating, but ultimately disappoint- ing and vacuous urban fantasy that transplants the fairy tale of Cinderella to the hyperaestheticized, intellectually eclectic and multicultural setting of modern Paris. "Celestial Clockwork" bustles with so much energy and possi- bility and so many interesting faces that it comes as no surprise when it fails to sustain its own promise. Sadly, it's a scatterbrained attempt at farce that only manages to drive a wedge between the audience and those characters with whom some empathy might exist. The story begins when a young Venezuelan, Ana Mendoza, leaves her betrothed at the altarW to pursue an opera career in Paris, inspired by her idol Maria Callas. She arrives in France, overwhelmed and exhilarated by her newfound freedom. Initially, Ana lives with a group of Venezuelan aliens and a sinister performance / video artist EVIEW Celestial Clockwork ** At Michigan Theater ancient Russian (Michel Bebrane). named Celeste ( A r i e l I e Dombasle). To develop her heavenly voice and hone her operatic skills, Ana enlists the services of an named Grigorieff In addition, Ana's path crosses with those of a harried and neurotic Lacanian psychoanalyst named Alcanie (Evelyne Didi), and Toutou (Hidegar Barcia Madriz), a Bantu witch doctor. Ana also discovers that the renowned film director Italo Medici (Lluis Homar) is searching for the lead in his slated film version of Rossini's "La Cenerentola." Of course, a comedy of errors ensues as Ana tries to get an audi- tion with Medici and is continually thwarted, either by her cosmic bad luck or by the efforts of the none-too-subtly- named Celeste. Torres does not juggle these volatile elements very well. She clearly has a fine understanding of the various milieus that serve as the objects of her derision: psychoanalytic practice, the film industry and the art world. The problem resides in the fact that her use of social satire cuts inconsistently deep. For example, psychoanalysis is viciously satirized in the person of Alcanie, who consults with her clients over a video screen and balances her checkbook while they yammer on about their hang-ups and insecurities. Then, there are characters, like Grigorieff, Ana and Armand (Frederic Longbois), with whom Torres seems to expect that we will connect on an emo- tional plane. Essentially, to unpack an old cliche, Torres can't have her cake and eat it too. She doesn't succeed in maintaining islands of authenticity in a swirling sea of satire. Some of the satire is pretty good, though. One of the best characters is I In - 1 1 I I B1 ( ) tj p C] c Looking fo, a JOB? Then Jump On Board! During October, CP&P is featuring programs and events designed to help you build job search skills, develop success strategies, and connect on campus with employers from a variety of fields. So what are you waiting for? Jump On Board, and set sail for success! Employers' Expert Advice for Job Search Success October 15/12:10-1:00 pm MI Union Job Fair '96 w Sponsored with Capital One * October 15/1:00-5:00 pm Ml Union Case Study interviewing Sponsored with Boston Consulting Group Job Searching on the Internet The Job Search: Perspectives for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Students Sponsored with LGBPO interview Clinic: Developing Effective Techniques Preregister at CP&P by October23 October 22/6:10-7:30 pm October 28/4:10-5:00 pm October 29/7:10-8:30 pm October 30/4:10-5:30 pm Angell Aud. A CP&P MI Union CP&P --------------------------------------------------------- Coming in November at CP&P... Whether you're a first-year student or a senior, planning to enter graduate or professional school right after graduation or sometime in the future, we invite you to attend this month's featured programs and events. You'll meet experts from a range of disciplines and receive helpful information and advice while exploring Destination: Graduate School! Check our homepage (ww umich.edt /-cpp) for a list of programs. The University oflihia Career Planning Plac ent D *v ""o^ of Student Afairs We've Done 90% of Your Term Paper. Free. No kidding. Find nearly all you need for your next paper at www.policy.com. Policy.com is great for researching dozens of hot issuess - such as environment, education and crime. Policy.com gives you many reliable reports to quote - all original analy- ses from think tank experts, scholars and government officials. Policy.com is interactive, lively and updated daily. Check it out! www.policy.com Celeste, who represents something of an amalgam of Warhol and Madonna. Her hallucinatory, self-indulgent a videos form an amusing visual contra to the dew-fresh and unspoiled images of Ana. Dombasle turns on the sexual charm full throttle and provides an arresting performance. Also amusing is Madriz as Toutou. He brings an authority and ease to his performance. In one of the film's best passages, Toutou and Alcanie swap therapies and methods, discovering that there's not much of a diffrenf between psychoanalysis and voodoo. As for the star, Gil isn't given much of a chance to shine, though she does radiate an appealing and ineffable warmth. All the same, most of my attention was drawn to the vociferous and colorful peripheral characters. One begins to lose interest in Ana's quest to be a great opera star, and we never get a feel her motivation or interior strug- gle. It was recently reported that Dsn*' has bought the English-language remake rights to "Celestial Clockwork.' Apparently, Hollywood will not ,only remake quality films that come out of Europe ("La Femme Nikita" becomes "Point of No Return"), but they will even pick up Europe's refuse. RADIATION Continued from Page 9 effective had it been closer to 30 min- utes. There was a great deal of variety in what was being done with the objects on the stage, but there was a monotony in the movement and.gener- al mood of the piece. The overall show was very in-depth, perhaps too much so. The audience had difficulty understanding the meaning behind all of the events happening ( stage simply because there was much meaning intended. Behind every action there was a reason for that action, which furthered what was being illustrated by the artist, but in one sit- ting it was difficult to comprehend the entire message intended. .. °IsA THE TWO OF YOU ARE ALONE-FINALLY! NOW HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SET THE MOOD? ou've been nervously awaiting this moment for weeks. Now its finally here. The two of vou are a