6B - The Michigan Daily - Weekend, etc. Magazine -- Thursday, October 28, 1999 0 The Michigan Daily-Weekend, etc. Mag 4 R $ Movies of the Decade - #6 Rent'Hamlet,' perchance to dream I ONLY HAVE "'S" FOR YOU By Ed Sholinsky Daily Film Editor The '90s have seen a resurgence of Shakespeare in cinema, as his life and works have routinely become the stuff of movie magic. At the forefront of this Shakespearean rev- olution is writer-actor-director Kenneth Branagh, who has shown with "Henry V," "Much Ado About Nothing" and "Hamlet" that the tra- ditional formula of editing the bard for the big screen is unnecessary. In contrast to the faux-biography "Shakespeare in Love" and the spate of drastic updates ("Romeo and Juliet," "10 Things I Hate About You"), Branagh found a purer way of taking Shakespeare off the stage and off the page and putting him on the big screen. This is a type of purity that has eluded such fine artists as Laurence Olivier, Orson Welles and Franco Zeffirelli, whose efforts cut corners that stole from the grandiosity and completeness of the work. After many unsuccessful attempts to capture "Hamlet" on the big screen - including the Oscar-win- ning Olivier version - Branagh finally did it right by showing no fear of the play's imposing length and scope. Branagh takes hold of the familiar See HAMLET, Page 16B Tuesday Night NOV 2d RELIN CENTER 2n 7:0 piMichigan State university 4K'4 4 4' i 4'* r.'' 4' T4T ---------' y4'y 4'T 4' 4'4' yyT T T4' 4( 4'4' 4'ere y4'A*f $y 4' 4'. . y $29m4' 4' Me4'men, t oc o oto a 51.$.00,4'88BEa olt rcapa 1.8.6 Fo4'e beactos al51.8.00. Cour tesy of Columbia Pictures Kenneth Branagh puts on his antic disposition for his entrance in "Hamlet." teyOUrar earning extra cash .holidays? Then take a .A I was sitting in the O'Hare American Airlines terminal in Chicago last sum- mer, drumming my fingernails against the armrests. I had come to the end of a chapter in my book, "Skinny Legs and All" by Tom Robbins, so I scanned the room for anything interesting to look at while waiting for my row to be announced. The blonde girl sitting across from me was reading one book and hold- ing another, so, out of curiosity, I peeked at their titles: "The Reader" and "Midwives." I immediately recognized them from the widely read school of lit- erature known as the Oprah Book Club, with the easily identifiable, oval-shaped stickers all aglow. I inwardly groaned to myself. "Sheep!" I thought. "Bet she doesn't even know who Torn Robbins is." But I noticed as I lugged my carry-on toward the boarding line that she seemed absolutely engaged by Mr. Bernhard Schlink's writing. Her eyes were wide with anticipation and captivation, flip- ping through pages of "The Reader," not even glancing up as the final rows were called to board. This blonde girl, after glancing at her ticket, took the seat across the aisle from me. I made small talk with her while waiting for takeoff, discovering that she had grown up in a suburb of Chicago; that she, like me, lived in Los Angeles; and that she was working on receiving an Masters in Psychology at UCLA while still working full-time as a kindergarten teacher. She then excused herself to use the restroom, and I realized these were probably the only leisure books she had read in awhile, as time did not permit her to otherwise. In fact, she could have bought these books at the airport, seeing as how every book blessed with the Oprah touch has also made the New York Times bestseller list. I looked towards the bathrooms, all of which were occupied, and leaned across the aisle, snatching "The Reader." I read the back cover description, which actual- ly didn't sound too bad. Translated from German; cool. Skimming the first page (while checking the bathroom status), I admired his writing style: simple, lovely, Marquez-like descriptions. Interesting. I thrust the book back onto the orange- striped seat when I saw blonde hair exit- ing the bathroom. Thumbing through "Skinny Legs and All" I had a lot to mull over. As an English major during recent years and an avid reader my whole life, I had always frowned upon books intended for the masses. I had opted for Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters rather than VC. Andrews. I had always equated popular books with bad literature. Is it possible that I was hasty in my judgment of Oprah's books? I talked to a few of my classmates about this, trying to get various opinions on these books by people who & had actually ' read them. Most of the students I talked to had good things to say about the Oprah books they had read, complaining 7 only that most of the books Gina carried a similar Hamadey theme: woman as victim. But tat f even this holds true for only the Arts half of the books, if that much. One person even told me that her creative writing teacher at this university had included two of these Oprah books on her list of excel- lent contemporary fiction - before they won entry into the prestigious club. In light of this added credibility, I inquired about the Club at Borders. Meg Amos, a book seller at the information desk, had quite a bit to say on the sub- ject. It is a little-known fact that right after the latest Oprah Book Club book is announced, Borders gets noticeably more crowded, and book-sellers basical- ly point in one direction all day - towards the newly "O"-erested book. Furthermore, she has noticed that whereas women with children, presum- ably housewives, have historically entered the store solely to select from the Romance section, or possibly the latest Mary Higgins Clark, they are now ask- ing for any or all of Oprah's picks. These are not the only people buying Oprah's books. Amos also has spotted men and teenagers poking around the listed books. Some have even been known to bring in the complete Oprah's Book Club list, asking the booksellers which they would recommend. This really is revolutionary. Whether or not Oprah chooses these books from a certain type, and whether or not these authors deserve the almost celebrity-like attention and remuneration they receive in connection with their oval "O" sticker is basically inconsequential. They are being placed above, sometimes even supplanting, the likes of Grisham, King, and Clark. And it is about time, for these formulaic, prolific, Establishment writ- ers have been writing within the para- digm of their respective genres for as long as I can remember. But now they're finally being challenged by lesser- known writers. Thus, housewives and others who, at one point, would only have bought a cer- tain type of hackneyed, predictable book are now reading Toni Morrison. They are challenging their thoughts and often pre- conceived notions on racial and sexual issues. These readers are forced to pon- der provocative themes like control, power and religion. Oprah's Book Club could theoretically be opening their minds, maybe inspiring them to join book clubs or reread "Crime and Punishment" and other core novels they have stashed away from their college days. As for readers like myself, who still cringe at the sight of a permanently emblazoned Oprah insignia, I say be true to your own tastes; do not feel obligated to read every book that this all-influen- tial woman deems worthy. I intend to stick to my Tom Robbins, John Irving, Kurt Vonnegut and other tried-and-trues because I have read enough to know that these authors write in a style that is com- plimentary to my liking. But, I will keep Oprah's opinion in mind when browsing through new releases. I did succumb to my own shameful desire, buying "The Reader" at the airport on my way to Hawaii later on that summer. And I thor- oughly enjoyed it, my own eyes opened wide with captivation. -Gina Haniadev is the books editor fbr Daily Arts. Contact her at ghamiadev wnich.edu ifyou so choose. Five C Stud I .SPAIN - F LOW COST OF 2.FRANCE - LOUVRE, SEX 3. USTRALI ER, KOALAS, 4 4.ENGLAND THEATER, OLI 5.TALY - F) ROME'S GREA -Co look at a, rn some extra cash for the holidays,9 open some possibilities in manage- ' n the road. Read it. Write it. Recycle it. Daily Arts r": EJ, You can ea and maybe ment dowr And right now is a great time to join our team at Domino's. Whether you're looking for a lot of hours or you're just looking for a part-time job, Domino's has an opportunity for you.. XXXXI Our drivers get paid a generous hourly wage, earn great tips and make extra cash for every run. We're currently seeking Delivery Specialists at our Domino's stores located at 342 S. State St. at Williams where delivery is coming soon! We're also offering a $200 sign-on bonus for all new Delivery Specialists. You'll receive $100 cash after your second day of work and another $100 cash after you have worked at Domino's for 30 days. To apply, stop by our store located at: 342 S. State St. at Williams. 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