Tuesday April 6, 2004 arts.michigandaily.com artseditor@michigandaily.com RhTtg S 7 ZACH MABEE Rock's way: Man it 's good im confident that most people agree with me when I proclaim that action flicks ought to rouse viewers. A strong fight scene or a well- crafted destructive rampage should have the force to transform an idle, passive moviegoer into a raucous spec- tator, a passionate supporter of the hero and his cause. I suppose that I carry this fanaticism, though, to another level: I derive a sort of youthful, childish bliss from watching the finest big screen, muscle-bound meatheads run amuck. Actually, I don't derive it from watching most meatheads ... I derive it from watching Dwayne Johnson, better known as The Rock. The Rock, to be brutally candid, is contemporary cinema's finest action star, and if he continues the trend he's begun, he will very soon redefine the role of the macho-male lead. Since he's now relegated wrestling on his personal agenda, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to say that his ascen- sion to the throne of action king is soon to materialize. How, though, can I say that after only two movies ("The Scorpion King" will not be considered in this discussion), The Rock is girded for battle with action's greatest leading men? Primarily because his work fills me with a sort of boyish glee that is rare. Boyish glee, eh? Yes, boyish glee. As I sat through "Walking Tall" this past weekend, I was trembling joyously like a child having the time of his life at his favorite amusement park. It was as though I was waiting in a line to ride a roller coaster, eagerly recounting my past thrills and anticipating even more that were yet to come. And this superfluity of youthful joy came, mind you, from nothing more than a finely chiseled hero wielding a two-by-four. The Rock doesn't require an epic, apocalyptic story and the role of mankind's savior's bodyguard to suc- ceed, as Arnold Schwarzenegger did. Nor does he require a shiny M-60 and a bottomless ammunition cache, as Sylvester Stallone did. No, The Rock doesn't require any such buttressing from elaborate plots or gleaming guns; he lays the smack down himself. His violent outbursts are perhaps even more enjoyable because they are so wonderfully uncomplicated. In the first major showdown in "Walking Tall," for instance, The Rock's character, angered by the shady dealings of employees of the local casino, drives purposefully to the house of gambling, brandishes his cedar stick and, in a matter of minutes, reconfigures countless slot machines and at least seven men's jaws. He does- n't, during this havoc-wreaking, beat around the bush: His glare and his stick do the talking. But it's not solely The Rock's dexteri- ty with a piece of wood that makes him a budding star. Without a doubt, his charisma and shining personality rival his figure and physical skills. I've never before watched a man of action who articulates so well and charms so effort- lessly. The Rock is a natural romantic; it's just hard for some to see this, as it's well-hidden by layers of finely tuned muscle fiber. The most pertinent issue now for The Rock is role choice. To sit atop the jew- eled thrown of action stardom, he'll need to be wise with his part selection. From what I've seen thus far, I can offer this simple piece of advice: Only accept roles that don't require signifi- cant alterations of your personality or physical appearance. I said I wouldn't mention "The Scor- pion King," but it's definitely appropri- ate support for my words of wisdom. In short, The Rock has no business playing a mythical king in ancient Egyptian times. He's great not because he can eas- ily transform into another person for the sake of a film. No one in his right mind should want to see The Rock play a part that requires actual character acting; that can be left to clowns like Stallone and Schwarzenegger who need fascinating roles to thrive. The Rock should, rather, accept only roles that allow his untainted self to emerge - roles that let The Rock be The Rock. So it seems that The Rock can sur- vive, nay, succeed, with nothing more than his trademark swagger and a piece of crudely fashioned lumber. His talent as an action superstar speaks loudly and clearly for itself. Hopefully, directors and screenwriters can see his simple brilliance as vividly as I can, so that we can all continue to smell, and genuinely savor, what The Rock is cooking. - Zachs man-love for The Rock is seri- ously scaring us all here at the Daily. Scold him at mabeez@umich.edu. I Invented the Peanuts. Courtesy of University Productions KING ARTHUR LEGENDARY PLAYWRIGHT CELEBRATED IN U' PRODUCTION By Sarah Peterson Daily Fine Arts Editor The scene was set, and every nook and cranny was filled with piles of books and newspapers, suitcases, a baseball bat, a piano in one corner and a bicycle in another. Chandeliers from all different time periods spilled light onto the six-tier stage and the 22 cast members who inhabited it. Then, with an opening monologue spoken by De'Lon Grant playing the An Arthur character of Quentin from the Miller play "After the Fall," the audi- ence was whisked into the Celebration mind of brilliant playwright Thursday - Saturday ArhrMiller. at 8 p.m. and Arthur Mi lerba Sunday at 2 p.m. "An Arthur Miller Celebra- $8 Students tion" is a play put together by $15 Adults Mark Lamos, which com- At the Trueblood memorates the depth and Theater genius of Miller's work throughout the years by tying together different scenes from twelve of his plays, including such works as "All My Sons," "Death of a Salesman" and "The Crucible." The play takes the audience into the playwright's mind and explores how the Great Depression, love and persecution all played a role in influencing Miller's work. Miller offered his own insight on both his work and his life when he spoke at the Mendelssohn Theater on Thursday. "I wanted to write in a vague sort of way," Miller told the sold-out audience Thursday morn- ing when asked if he had come to the University to become a writer. "I wasn't thinking of becom- ing a playwright." Miller explained that as he got into writing, prose seemed too distant to him and that the theatre at that time (in the '30s) was exploding; it was starting to reflect real life and the new radical outcry. Miller's work has always been experimental and somewhat radical, and it has always created a picture of real people in real situations. In the play "The Creation of the World and Other Busi- ness," a scene from which is used in the Love and Romance section of "An Arthur Miller Cele- bration," Miller paints Adam and Eve as an old married couple, bickering about everything, but obviously still in love. In a scene from "The American Clock," we see a man coming home to his prostitute lover and discussing Marxism. In what was perhaps the most powerful scene performed (pulled from "Incident at Vichy," 1964), five men in a holding cell heatedly argue about whether they should try to break out of the jail, while also expounding upon their differing views of the Nazis. Leduc (Brad Fraizer) is a doctor who is the leading voice in trying to con- vince the group to escape. Monceau (Brian Luskey) serves as the loudest dissenting voice. Both men are Jewish, but while Leduc believes he will be murdered, Monceau believes his fame as an actor and his adherence to the law will save him. The scene becomes more and more uncom- fortable as Leduc repeatedly asks how Monceau will feel when he is asked to "open his fly." The power of the scene comes from the truth behind the characters and the reality of the roles. Miller's plays, while all different and special in their own rights, all carry the same basic message. And that message is that we are all in this life together. "An Arthur Miller Celebra- tion" illuminates this fact. It uses many plays, grouping them together under the categories of "The Depression," "Love and Romance" or "Persecution," but all of them deal with the human condition and the relationships that form between people. The play itself expertly weaves the brilliant words of Arthur Miller into a cohesive and interesting batch of snapshots, connected with excerpts from Arthur Miller's autobiography, "Timebends: A Life," 1987. The work of the cast, however, makes the play the powerful pro- duction that it is. The settings may be from the past - costumes are lifted from the different periods represented - but the words spoken and the intense emotions poured out into each line are-what make the production an emotional masterpiece. In a monologue taken from "Death of a Sales- man," a woman playing the role of Linda stands up and pronounces that while her husband may not have been a great man, he was still a human being. And, in a line that seems to sum up not only the entire play, but also the outlook on life of one of the greatest playwrights of our time, sophomore Malaika Nelson, in the role of Linda, proclaims, "Attention, attention must be paid." Roc-a-Fella hopefuls fall short with debut By Evan McGarvey Daily Arts Writer Music REVI EW Something is rotten in the state of Roc-a-Fella. The departed king Jigga has left a sea of MCs striv- ing to fill the void, fellow musi- ____________ cians yearning to become the Young Gunz flagship rapper of the label. Beanie Segal's gripping, bull- Tough Luv dog persona is crippled by Roc-a-Fella seemingly endless trips to the slammer. Memphis Bleek has been a commercial disaster. Cam'Rom is too busy propping up the lack- luster Diplomats and producer/sorcerer Kanye West is off in his own, very successful, universe. Add to this shallow pool the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of rap, the instantly forgettable Young Gunz team of Young Chris and the inexpli- cably named Neef. This duo from Philly, signed to the State Property sub-division of the Roc, end- lessly rep their hometown's peripheral neighbor- hoods like they've got the gangsta quota of Compton and Brooklyn combined. The last time weak rappers tried to represent such obscure town- ships, listeners were told to take their shirts off. and spin them like helicopters. The beats on the album are typical Roc-A-Fella, taut strings and simmering handclaps over the occa- sional gospel chorus. Albums Future of The Roc and Tough Luv both have ceremonial bass lines and horns that herald the Young Gunz as saviors. Just Blaze and Tough Luv's equally kinetic pro- ducers can't redeem these refuse MC's. Young Chris, the stronger of the two, has a weak and chipper flow that sounds like everyone's kid brother trying to rap. Neef, much worse, is about as mush-mouthed and insipid as they come. Combine this appalling lack of skill with Juelz Santana and you've got "$$$ Girlz" as one of the most droning songs of the young year. In the kingdom of the Roc, this poor effort reveals the duo to be nothing more than a set of court jesters. Maybe a rejuvenated panel of rappers can sustain the label, but not these benchwarmers. Muse fuses influences together on LP I hate to tell you this, but you have something in your teeth. By Matt Kivel Daily Arts Writer The amount of Radiohead-derived bands is currently at an all time high. When Thom Yorke and the gang released OK Computer in 1997, the band strove to break away from the conformity that so commonly charac- terizes popular music. They could not have foreseen the wave of captivated teenagers who would one day grow into the mainstream rock acts of the present. Muse makes no effort to hide their influences, and it __...______ is clear from the Muse first note that they Ms are trying to be Absolution Radiohead. Warner The most star- tling realization upon listening to the album is that the band actually suc- ceeds in its impersonation. The songs are well written and the musicianship is impeccable. Opening track, "Apoca- lypse Please," finds lead singer Matthew Bellamy borrowing heavily from Yorke's angst-ridden vocal style while the band pounds away with mili- taristic intensity. "Sing For Absolution" finds Bellamy switching to a Jeff Buckley-inspired vocal. The resem- blance to Buckley is almost uncanny; his passionate vibrato, his smooth lower range and his haunting falsetto all appear in Bellamy's performance. "Stockholm Syndrome" begins with Stiles-led teenage love story lacks originality By Sravya Chirumamiila Daily Weekend Editor MOVIE REVIEW * "Girls Gone Wild" has lured many sex-crazed college guys (and Snoop Dogg) to the beaches of Cancun and Florida. In "The Prince and Me," a I A- Screenprinting End-Of-School T-Shirt SALE! BAR CRAWL SHIRTS NjDORM HALL SHIRTS GRADUATES! \.y 0 Wake up. Get coffee. Change the world. " Spend 10 months (Sept-June) in full-time community service in the metro Detroit area " Receive a $4,725 scholarship, weekly stipend & health benefits " Tutor and mentor children an intense prog riff that gives way to pounding drums and dramatic vocals. Operatic harmonies reminiscent of Queen make the chorus an unforget- table moment in the album. A smooth solo electric guitar opens the next song, "Falling Away With You," conjuring memories of Buckley's "Hallelujah." Bellamy's performance is nothing short of remarkable and while it would be wrong to say that Absolution is a great album, it can be said that Muse's poten- tial seems unlimite;. The band is one step away from producing a master- "Girls of Wiscon- sin" commercial entices Eddie (Luke Mably, "28 Days Later"), the Crown Prince of Denmark, who is sick of the easy The Prince and Me At Quality 16 and Madstone Paramount sports bar (where they have some inti- mate moments using the meat slicer). While Eddie's charm, status and intel- ligence are completely unbelievable, the movie manages to accurately portray some aspects of American college life. Students at the Midwestern university complain about the spoiled, rich East Coast kids who come to throw around their parents' money at their back-up school, and annoying distribution requirements force students like Paige, a pre-medicine major, to enroll in a Shakespeare class, for which she has to take the dreaded blue book exams. Clearly aimed at teenage girls, the movie has no qualms displaying overly simplistic metaphors with butterflies, barnyard make-out sessions and Paige's girl-power attitude. It also offers several prey in his country, to embark on a quest to get American girls to take off their tops.