GOSSIPING WITH PEREZ PAGE 5B. DISSECTING N64'S BEST GAME EVER PAGE 3B. THE MICHIGAN DB T HU R S D A , N EM D A IL Y T HURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2006 FILM C( 1 Retro flicks: Notjust for kids S o maybe they're hard to discuss with a straight face. So maybe they don't receive cinephiles' critical analysis or any sort of industry award. Who cares? The live-action kids movies of the late '80s/early'90s are still an arguable pinnacle of the fam- ily-film genre, and not just for their current kitsch value. Admit it: If you happen to channel-surf past the first five minutes of 1992's "The Mighty Ducks," you'll drop whatev- er you're doing to watch the rest. The KRISTIN current MACDONALD of live- action kids' films simply can't compete. While I hate to be one of those snobs who yammers on about how "they just don't make 'em like they used to," I still can't help but observe when the sad truth of the situation rears its ugly head. In terms of live-action kids movies, the present knee-high generation is getting utterly gypped by the likes of the Cheetah Girls, Hilary Duff and recycled Tim Allen, and anyone with young siblings, nieces or nephews must heed the call to cultural duty and start stocking their adolescent film libraries with the right stuff. Please note: The phrase "live- action" should indicate that I don't mean to shortchange the high- quality alternative of today's CGI; films like "Toy Story," "The Incred- ibles" and "Shrek" are all top-notch entertainment even for older age brackets. I'm talking about last summer's kids-saving-owls "Hoot" here. And before you throw down this column in disgust at my over- sight of the "Harry Potter" series, let me remind you that modern kids fantasy is so effects-heavy that it's half-cartoon and therefore disqual- ified from consideration. Fantastical kids-on-a-magic- quest epics of the '80s, however, feature puppets and claymation to a decidedly live-action effect. "The Neverending Story" (1984), "The Goonies" (1985) and "Labyrinth" (1986) each boastvisual innovation that can still surprise a modern audience - after all, muppet-magi- cian Jim Henson directed "Laby- rinth." He makes even the stone walls of a deep well come to life. More importantly, these films aren't so sanitized. The rag-tag crew of "The Goonies" curses constantly and roughhouses even more, and for my money better ful- fills the fantasies of its adolescent audience by actually acting like them. Today's girls-aimed drama is especially squeaky-clean, sticking to sterile fables of princesses (or the American equivalent, presi- dents' daughters): "A Cinderella Story," "First Daughter," "The Princess Diaries," "Chasing Lib- erty," "The Princess Diaries 2." These probably have some set of mildly redeeming qualities. But no one can tell me they compete in any way with the old-school sim- plicity of honest stuff like 1995's "Now and Then" or 1991's "My Girl." Such simplicity still rings true in favorites like "The Sandlot" (1993). When was the last time a decent sports movie came out about a team at the Pee Wee level, anyway? Sports provided the primary cate- gory for kids' movies before cheesy superspy spin-offs like "Storm- breaker," "Agent Cody Banks" and "Spy Kids" starting dominating the screen, but today's entries are slim See MACDONALD, page 2B Tom Watts, senior stage technician from the Royal Shakespeare Company, smoothes a screen curtain on the set of "The Tempest" while IATSE member Jon Michelson inspects the sets suspended in the rafters. S 'But take a closer look, and you'll see that it takes more than the actors to put together an impressive production. Crew members, engineers and designers for the RSC have made themselves at home at the University, working with local stage professionals as they put together every show, making sure that each is as perfectly dramatic as the last. syPhoto esyb etrShtefels For the past three weeks, the focus of both the University and Ann Arbor arts communites has been on the Royal Shakespeare Company. The RSC will have performed a total of 21 times at the Power Center by the end of their stay Sunday, and many have regarded this rare event as one of the most culturally enriching opportuni- ties to have come to Ann Arbor in some time. The residency has been devoted to participation with the community. The RSC has taken part in 140 educational seminars providing insight into all fac- ets of their work. But the most concen- trated and continuous relationship has been between the RSC and local stage crew workers, who have spent the past weeks changing the sets between each of the three works performed. The com- pany here includes 73 members, from actors to educators; 12 are crew techni- cians. The backstage and technical opera- tions have been a joint force of labor between these 12 RSC members and IATSE Local 395, the Ann Arbor chap- ter of the International Alliance of Stage Employees. These union members set up and operate the majority of the shows and concerts that come to town. The nature of the RSC's residency is unorthdox. Whereas most theater per- formances have one set for one stage, the RSC has brought three, for "Antony and Cleopatra," "The Tempest" and "Julius Caesar." This peculiarity is unique to the company not only while on tour but also in Stratford-upon-Avon where each of the stages in the complex plays host to three shows. Although this allows the company to perform a wider range of shows on a regular basis, the operat- ing system is much more labor-inten- sive than most theaters. Throughout the residency, the IATSE and RSC members have switched sets for each of the three works daily. The sets, curtains, screens, lighting, props and costumes not only had to be changed but they also needed to fit into the limited space available in the Power Center. For those doing the job, this has been a massive amount of work. Because of the pressure of running the three performances, the Royal Shakespeare Company has forged the strongest relationship with these par- ticular members of Ann Arbor, the professional stagehands. After spend- ing countless hours together over the past weeks, the RSC and the IATSE Local 395 have become close partners. Although "Julius Caesar" and "Antony and Cleopatra" use many of the same sets, "The Tempest" requires a much more complicated stage fitting. With shows alternating daily, the res- idency has demanded fast and efficient work from the crew members. The labor necessary for the shows built a rap- port between the trans-Atlantic stage crew almost immediately. They imitate accents, joke together and explain the finesses of each others' culture. The gathering of eccentric personalities behind the scenes of some of the great- est works written in the English lan- guage has lead to a harmonious working relationship between the two groups. Sitting in the backstage office of the Power Center with "Antony and Cleopa- tra" muffled to an extended stage left, company manager Richard Clayton proudly acknowledged that this new friendship has been a major factor in the success of the residency. While Shake- speare's great tragedies and comedies are performed on the stage at the Power Center, the plot behind the scenes has been the backbone of this momentous cultural occasion. MORE ABOUT THE RSC Quick facts about everybody's favorite company Key Productions - The University's own Arthur Miller's "The Cru- cible" (2006). - "Othello" (1989) with Willard White as Othello and Ian McKellen as lags. - "Richard III" (1984) with Sir Antony Sher as Richard Ill. - "Hamlet" (1976) with Sir Ben Kingsley as Hamlet. - "Hamlet" (1992) with Kenneth Branaugh as Hamlet. Noteworthy tours - More than 120 different British towns and cities in the past 25 years alone. - Residencies in Michigan and Washington state. - Over the past few years, the RSC has entertained audiences in China, Japan and Kuala Lumpur. This year at the University - "Antony and Cleopatra" - "The Tempest" - "Julius Caesar" TURN TO PAGE 6B FOR COMPLETE PHOTO ESSAY ~LIST Nov. 9 to 12 The Daily Arts guide to the best upcoming events - everywhere you should be this week and why. TheAssociationforPsychoanalytic Thought will screen "Transamerica" 11 a.m. Sunday in 4448 East Hall. The story of a pre-operative transsexual, starring Felicity Huffman, the film will be followed by a panel discus- sion. The panel will include Peter Hegarty from the University of Sur- rey, England, psychoanalyst Kathy Moore and the University's own Ira Konigsberg, film theorist. It's $5 for students, $10 for APT members and $15 for general public. Humorists will get their funny on at the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase Sunday night at 8 p.m. Twelve of the top stand-up comics from Michigan, Ohio and Indiana will compete for spots on the brand-new Comedy Cen- tral show "Live at the Gotham." It's just like regular auditions - except with an audience. The event is taking place at the old VFW Hall on314 East Liberty St., and will include Dave Bell and Ben Konstantin, among oth- ers. Admission is $5. Basement Arts kicks off their pro- duction of "The Exonerated" today, 7 p.m. at the Walgreen Drama Center on North Campus. Written by Erik Jensen and Jessica Blank, "The Exon- erated" tells the stories of six people wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to death, freed after years of imprisonment. Directed by Ryan Pearson in conjunction with So You Say Productions, it runs tonight and Friday at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., and Sat- urday at 7 p.m. Admission is free. The Brooklyn-based indie quar- tet French Kicks will perform Sun- day night at the Blind Pig. The band kicked off its tour early October in support of its critically acclaimed latest album, "Two Thousand," released this past July. Opening for them is Canada, a local septet featur- ing two cellists that play seductively experimental pop-folk.Doorsopenat 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance at the Michigan Union Ticket Office and $12 at the door.