0 ~Jfje 3Daf~ t Director Billy Wilder's 1960 film, "The Apartment," screens this afternoon at the Michigan Theater. Starring Jack Lemmon, the film follows the adventures of a junior executive who tries to get ahead by loaning his apartment to his superiors. This classic won an Oscar for Best Picture. Don't miss the chance to see it on the big screen. The screening begins at 4:10 p.m. Admission is $5. Monday November 17, 1997 U Metheny jan vibe, experic By Henry Roberson For the Daily xperienced listeners know good music when they hear it. past Wednesday night, The Michigan Theater audience was full of those "experienced" music listeners. They knew what they were there for. The few inex- perienced people who came waited anx- iously, not knowing what to expect. It all RE happened so suddenly, when Pat. P Metheny made his entrance. No words were spoken. Only one of five guitars rested on a stand, waiting to help MiC Metheny create the magic with which all hi ongtime followers are familiar. r the unprepared, there was no time to anticipate what was to come. Metheny commenced the show with a guitar solo, displaying that he definitely can hold his own without the talents of his surrounding cast. The solo led to an ener- getic performance of "Have You Heard" from the '93 release, "The Road To You." The tone was set, as The Pat Metheny Group controlled the audience right from the start. There was a response by the crowd to everything done on stage. Some just sat motionless, hypnotized by the talents of the seven individuals creating a chemistry like no other. Others were inspired to jam along, suing their heads while tapping open palms on already bouncing knees. The Group continued, not missing a beat with "A Story Within The Story," from its new release, "Imaginary Day." This song was definitely an early illustration of what the night would later bring. Every note mirrored the sound of the stu- dio-engineered version, showing that these guys don't need to hide behind fancy technology to deliver a superior sound. Breaking into "Follow Me," the Group gave the audience yet Updated, meandc By Michael Zilberman ruthlessness freed Daily Arts Writer responsibility or re If nothing else, "Tpe Jackal" joins necessity to actual] the ranks of several recent films with a But to relate to title sequence so great, it makes the fol- key: a glimpse of t lowing two hours unnecessary. A at least a minor hu grainy, distorted vis- of a red flag REVIEW b ks on and off to the strains of a Russian chorale - The Jackal which dissolves into ** a furious techno stomp as a barrage At Briarwood and Showcase of snapshot images briefs us on the rise and demise of the that look like an ac Soviet Union. Call it the shortest atten- He speaks decen tion-span theater yet. Canadian and Cal Why the history lesson? Well, the bet- convincingly hits o ter to understand the motives of a - and nobody's g wigged-out Russian mafioso who hires Directed by Mic an international assassin to avenge the man behind the su shooting of his brother. Exactly why he film practically exu decides to wreak vengeance on a promi- the time we give u nent yet completely irrelevant out Jackal, the filmn Washington figure (instead of, oh, on to a new mai someone directly responsible?), we shall Mulqueen (Richar never know, since the movie happily IRA terrorist with a shifts focus on the assassin himself. ta against the guy. is name is Jackal, and he is played FBI as a possible le Bruce Willis in a succession of takes over the ma toupees. The main hook of the movie is "don't make it pers supposed to be the spooky plasticity of ish international Jackal's identity: He might be an obese winds up as a w simpleton this moment, a suave gay contest, as homoe businessman the next. A great game, movie. Every time and pretend-identifying with this guy each other, the fil would be tons of fun - it's as if his with the strings sv s with good 'nce in A2 )at another taste of what the new release has to offer. This num- ber was also aided by an intense light show that enhanced the group's stage presence. The use of a real railroad crossing sign (flashing red lights and all) made the moment even more exciting. Metheny and company decided to slow the pace a tad, soothing the audi- V I E W ence with their rendition of "My Funny t Metheny Valentine." This song added the use of Group blue lighting, creating a mellow atmos- gan Theater phere. Viewing this song's performance gave more support to the claim that The Nov. 12, 1997 Metheny Group is one of the best jazz groups out right now. The septet was able to take a music classic in "My Funny Valentine" and per- form it in a way that is unique to its sound, showing not only the group's versatility, but also its creativity. The Group went right into a crowd favorite. "First Circle," an older release that was immediately recognized, set the crowd on fire. People applauded in excitement as soon as they heard the first hand clap sound. This definitely can be targeted as the highlight of the evening, as it was the point when the crowd reached its peak of excitement. "First Circle" closed out an intense first hour of music, with Metheny taking time to introduce the other members of the group. Metheny was set on keeping his words short and sweet, as he let the group's musical talents speak for them- selves. The next hour gave the audience a chance to hear more of the musical gems that "Imaginary Day" holds captive. He started with the title track, introducing the audience to what has been keeping him from any major tours - the Group took much more than its usual amount of time off the road and in the studio recording the new album. At this point, the Group really seemed to be enjoying the energetic The Pat Metheny Group brought an inspirational performance to the Michigan Theater last week. Michigan Theater atmosphere. This vibe continued as the band rolled through "The Heart of the Day" and "Across the Sky" The continual lighting effects were especially promi- nent during the performance of "Across the Sky." "The Roots of Coincidence" was also a crowd favorite, as it showcased Metheny, Lyle Mays and bass player, Steve Rodby, creating the aura of a heavy-metal concert, with hard guitar notes complemented by violent changes in the lighting effects. This energetic display yet again showed the versatili- ty of the group, as it switched gears from hard rock to smooth and mellow tempos within the song. "Too Soon Tomorrow" followed, creating more of the good vibe that was present all night. Metheny capped the show with four more songs, including an acoustic solo and a sentimental performance of "September 15th," from the album "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls." Metheny explained that the song and perfor- mance were dedicated to the late Bill Evan, whose writing was an instrumental part of that album. Metheny added that this is the first tour where the Group has included "September 15th" in its performances. Throughout the 2 1/2 hours of musical genius, a few obser- vations could be made. Each member was able to, at one point or another, display some individual talent. Vocalists Mark Ledford and Phillip Hamilton showed true singing tal- ent, duplicating notes with CD-quality sound. Percussionist Jeff Haynes got his chance to shine along with drummer Paul Wertico, holding the crowd's attention with ease. At one point, Haynes played the bongos with his elbows, making the crowd even more excited. Mays, Metheny and Rodby each had similar spotlight opportunities, yielding similar results. The Group had no problems making transitions between songs, creating a smooth-running concert. Metheny had this concept perfected, as he shifted gears many times during the show, changing instruments and guitar effects midway through songs while keeping the Group on pace. ring 'Jackal' hides true focus .1 d him not only of ason, but also of the ]y be anybody. a killer, we need a the inner demons, or umanizing quirk like Jeremy Irons' split- ting headache in "Die Hard With A Vengeance." "The Jackal" provides nothing of the sort. We're stuck watch- ing Willis in a vari- ety of situations ctor's versatility test: t Russian, puts on ifornian inflections, n a guy in a D.C. bar giving a damn. bael Caton-Jones (the perb "Rob Roy"), the udes indifference. By p on trying to figure m has already moved n character: Declan d Gem), a convicted n outstanding vendet- Approached by the ad, Declan eventually nhunt amid cries of onal!" - and a styl- thriller gracelessly who-has-a-bigger-gun rotic as any Rambo Willis and Gere see m goes into slo-mo welling in the back- ground (no kidding). The most disturbing part of Jackal,' however, is how entir arbitrary its good-guy-bad-gu characterizations seem. Richar Gere plays an IRA assassin, and he could have been the movie's villain without changing a single note of his performance. Likewise, Bruce Willis, in his parade of guises, may as well be a version of "The Saint"'s Simon Templar, a J t or tur e d could have fact, they could have wandered off to their separate films. Halfway through "The Jackal' you real . ize that the only reason to root for Declan is because he's the only one into whose personal life we're allowed a sem- blance of an insight. In the end, most of the film belongs to ... its women. Both Isabella "The -(Mathilda May), Declan's ely K past lover, and Valentina ay (Diane Venora), a d Russian officer joining the investigation, hold 's more mystery and interest than anyone else around. Valentina, a w o m a n scarred emo- { C tionally and K\ literally, in fact marks off a new era in portrayals of foreigners by H olly w ood: Neither a vil- lain nor a curio, not a representa- tion of the behind her shoulders, just someone singular and real. Well, as real as Hollywood per- mits a gun-tot- ing, globe-trot- ting, scar-tis- sue-brandish- mg Russian Bruce Willis in "The Jackal." to be. Attention Senior History Concentrators Colloquium sign-up for Winter Term 1998 is Monday, November 17, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in 1014 Tisch Hall. No preference given to early arrivals. STAY OUT LATE. SEE MOVIES. GET PAID. Working at a Star Theatre is no ordinary job. You'll enjoy ,, io &1 a great work environment and work with good people. Every Star Theatre offers advancement opportunity, flexible hours, health benefits, 401K and college tuition reimbursement. Now hiring full/part-time, and seasonal cast members. Apply in person at any Star Theatre or online at www.star-theatres.com. Star Theamr Locations: ii If1 I -, E"Ma I -" I