8 -- The Michigan Daily - Friday, November 19, 1999
Lolly Polley
leads indie film
Guinevere'
Ann Arbor's Sugar
Pill opens Blind Pig
By Erin Podolsky
Daily Arts Writer
Small and slow but rarely plod-
ding, "Guinevere" often strikes just
the right note of need, change and
longing with its protagonists. And
somehow, it emerges with everyone's
individuality intact, despite attempts
at molding certain members of the
cast into unformed, Protean beings,
into a Guinevere.
Harper Sloane (Sarah Polley) is
about to ship off for law school, but
she doesn't know why. Rather, she
knows why she
doesn't want to
go: She doesn't
want to go
because it is not
Guinevere her decision. It
is family tradi-
tion, but nobody
A: the Michigan ever bothered to
Theater ask her what she
wanted to do.
For her entire
life, Harper has
been along for
the ride, a pas-
senger in the
backseat of her parents' cars, claw-
ing at the windows but pretending to
be perfectly happy when asked if she
likes the scenery.
Watching Harper sit quietly at the
dinner table while her older sister,
brother-in-law and parents banter
and argue among themselves, unable
to speak up and offer an opinion - if
sie even has an opinion - explains
better than any exposition why
Harper does what she does when she
meets engaging (and alcoholic) pho-
tographer Connie Fitzpatrick
(Stephen Rea). Connie is middle-
aged, but with his eye for detail he
spies in Harper something wonderful
begging to get out. He takes her
under his wing, teaches her about
art, about feeling, about being, about
seduction. Their relationship is tem-
pestuous, bringing out the best and
the worst in both of them.
In a way, Connie sucks out
Harper's youth like a vampire. In the
beginning stages of their relation-
ship, she falls into the trap of seeing
herself as others want to see her. But
under Connie's tutelage, the greatest
gift she receives is to see herself as
she wants to, not as others do.
Harper gains a measure of immortal-
ity, or at least life she didn't have
before. She finds herself. She learns
to speak up, to offer an opinion, to
have a "self" instead of a "you." It's
horrible to observe Harper early in
the film, unsure of herself, cowed by
life. It's horrible to watch her at the
end as she squarely breaks Connie's
heart - and he hers. But life is noth-
ing if not transient, as is the particu-
lar body in which Connie's current
Guinevere resides. Guinevere is not
corporeal, but a soul that skips from
body to body, like a dozen candles lit
from a match with the same fire.
"Guinevere" marks the first time
that Sarah Polley has owned a movie
so completely that it's impossible to
By GaaBaksi
Daily Arts Writer
If you're ever walking home late near
the Medical School. you might be lucky
enough to hear music emanating from
the 800 block of Catherine St. If you're
lucky enough to walk up to the house
and check out what's goin' on, you're in
for a real treat. Sugar Pill is practicing.
Their first EP release, "Hope
Remote;' released on Ann Arbor inde-
pendent . label.
Ghostinodern
Records is a toe-
tappin', well-writ-
Sugar Pill ten record.
Lyrically far supe-
Blind Pig nor to most mod-
Tonight at 9:30 ern rock bands,
Sugar Pill writes
passionately from
the heart. Liner
notes read more
like poems, telling
tales of lost loved
ones, ambitious
dreams, and "the
other side of paradise.
Sugar Pill is comprised of 5 musi-
cians, spanning 20 to 23-years-old, all
calling Ann Arbor home. A quick glance
over their past gigs include shows all
over southeast Michigan and surround-
ing areas.
Each band member brings unique cre-
dentials to the group. Guitarist Myque
Peters was playing in a band before most
of us ever learned to turn on the radio.
Both Dwayne Stange (drums) and Greg
Baker (guitars) are self-taught musi-
cians. Bassist Andy Danielson is a con-
verted guitarist with a passiontor music
theorv. With musician and writer Greg
Epstein on lead vocals, he completes the
group and achieves their harmony.
After playing their first show with
their present line-up at the Blind Pig, tlh
band is eager to return. "Everything 4
do all week, every single minute of nay
month works up to the moment we're on
stage. If I don't enjoy that show, my life
is meaningless," says Epstein. "It's
gonna be really good."
Writing, rehearsing and practicing
songs for their upcoming full-length
release, the band carries a vibrant energy
with them. When asked to describe the
tracks, Epstein said, "The heart and soul
of what we've written is in the song"
From slow ballads to peppy pop-ro
favorites, the tracks are filled with mean-
ingful lyrics and clever musical arrange-
ments.
Sugar Pill's music may be a fair
reflection of Ann Arbor. Songs are
inspired from the city itself, it's atmos-
phere and it's residents. "We're trying
to put out what we see and what we
feel." With early influences ranging
from AC/DC to The Who and Conte,
porary influences from Dave Matthew
to Tribe Called Quest, the five mem-
bers of Sugar Pill unite their diverse
backgrounds to create a their own
brand of rock 'n' roll.
Given the chance to see the talented
Sugar Pill at a cozy venue, don't be
surprised to hear of the band's rise in
upcoming years. As for tonight, just
expect a great bunch of rock 'n' rollers
ready to put on a great show.
Bli . j.
Courtesv o Mramax
Beauty Sarah Polley continues her rise to actress stardom in "Guinevere,"
imagine it without her. Rea does fine
work here, but he lacks the definition
and the range that Polley brings to
her performance. Her indelible work
in such films as "The Sweet
Hereafter" and here, her staunch
refusal to appear on the cover of
"Seventeen" or "Maxim" and her
pure glow of talent prove that she's
no one hit wonder. Polley may never
have a bona fide hit (her first studio
film, "Go," was a far cry from box
office bonanza but did decent busi-
ness), but she'll have something bet-
ter: A career.
Harper explains her relationship
with Connie with the wisdom gained
only through necessary experience.
"He was my most spectacular and
cherished fuck-up -- and I was his
Guinevere, whatever that means,"
she tells us, and I suspect that ten
years down the road, writer/director
Audrey Wells will be saying much
the same about the film itself.
"Guinevere" is not perfect by any
means, but it has elements of great
promise.
Some elements have made good on
their individual promise (Polley).
Others will soon (Wells). Still others
have seen their promise come and go
(Rea), though there's plenty of time
left to recapture it. The only promise
I myself will make is this: Watching
"Guinevere" won't be as fulfilling an
experience as what Harper gains
with Connie, but it tries. And that's
about the best anyone can promise
these days.
The University of Michigan
SCHOOL OF Music
THEATRE DEPARTMENT:
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Thursday-Saturday, November 18th-20th; 8:00pm
Sunday, November 21, 2:00pm
Mendelssohn Theatre, Michigan League
Tickets are $18, $14 and $7 for students with I.D. For informa-
tion and tickets call (734) 764-0450.
GUEST LECTURE:
PAUL CHIHARA, FILM MUSIC COMPOSER
Friday, November l9, 3:30pm
Britton Recital Hai, E.V. Moore Bldg.
Composer-in-Residence at Princeton University, Duquesne
University and irrently works as composer/music supervisor
on Japanese -flated Disney films for theatrical release in the
United States. Has written music for many films and numerous
episodes of the Chinia Beach series.
FACULTY RECITAL:
ANDREW JENNINGS, VIOLIN
ANTON NEL, PIANO
Read Daily Arts.
Courtesy aUMS
String soloists Gidon Kremer, Ula Zebriunalte and Marta Sudraba highlight the occhestra.
BALTICA soloists
perform at Rachham'
CERT
ch; Wrenchophone by
n by Blue Gene Tyranny
- Vaughan Williams.
are $12,10, 7, and
1764.1448 for tickets.
ANSSON
ubler concerto for 4
Fiderio for 3 horns
By ROSOM ry M ROU
Daily Arts Writer
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are far
away places often shrouded in mystery,
or names in a study of Baltic states.
Through the presentation of musical val-
ues by the KREMERata BALTICA
chamber orchestra, some of the mystery
will be torn away.
The KREMERata BALTICA cham-
ber orchestra is composed of 26 mem-
KREMERata
BALTICA
Rackham Auditorium
Sunday at 4 p.m.
has performed
bers. The orches-
tra's mission is
twofold - to
develop its own
artistry and to
become ambas-
sadors to the
world for the cul-
ture of the Baltic
states.
Gidon Kremer
leads the orchestra.
as its founder.
During his 25-
year career as a
violinist, Kremer
for the University
classical and Romantic works, Kremer
has become a champion for the work#
living Russian and East European com-
posers. His activism has led to a growing
awareness of the musical contributions
of the Baltic States.
With this mind, the founding of the
KREMERata BALTICA is a testimony
to the his efforts. Through their interna-
tional travels, the group presents Balic
music in diverse venues. Kremer and ihe
orchestra have performed, successfu ,
at numerous music festivals, inclu
Gstaad, Salzburg, Dubrovnik and
Moscow's North-West Festival. -
Within their vast repertoire, -the
Sunday program will feature 20th
Century chamber music. Highlighting
the program will be the solo perfbr-
mances of Kremer on violin, Ula
Zebriunaite on viola and cellist Matta
Sudraba.
The program consists of Baltic com-
posers and their works. Peteris Vas '
"Book for Cello," will open the progr.
Also featured is a work by Afr d
Schnittke, "Trio for Strings."
Music's universal appeal helps toir
down walls, bridges, even mystertiyis
shrouds between countries. The Baic
States, with their own unique contrijp-
tion, is no exception, as e
KREMERata BALTICA will den i-
strate.
Monday, November 22, 7:00pm
Hill Auditorium
Presenting an evening of choral, band and orchestra music with
the Michigan high school's finest musicians:
Michigan Youth Women's Choral: Sandra Snow, conductor
Michigan Youth Chamber Singers: Jerry Blackstone, conductor
Michigan Youth Band: J. Eric Wilson, conductor
Performing works by Bernstein, Chichy and Ticheli
Michigan Youth Orchestra: James R. Tapia, conductor
Performing Symphony No.3, Op.78, Camille Saint-Saens
CHAMBER RECITAL: Graduate String Quartet
Musical Society 6 times. Born in Riga,-
Latvia, he began the study of violin at
age 4. He entered the Riga Music School
at age 7. During his teen years, he
apprenticed with David Oistrakh.
In addition to his knowledge of the
'-9-
The University of Michigan
Department of Dermatology
is currently offering a new investigational
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