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The Michigan Daily - Friday, May 18, 1984 - Page 9
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By Larry Dean
P OOR STEPHEN King! In his
ambition to become the Mc-
Donald's of modern literature, he's had
to suffer the slings and arrows of
outrageous fortune by being the most-
filmed author of the last year. With the
recently-released Children of the Corn,
culled from his short-story collection
Night Shift, the grand total celluloid
adaptations of King efforts for the last
year tallies up at five, and the deluge is
only beginning.
Of that flood, the second-most recent
is Firestarter, King's 1980 opus about a
little girl with pyrokinetic powers.
Featuring an all-star cast that includes
David Keith, George C. Scott, Martin
Sheen, Moses Gunn, Art Carney, Louise
Fletcher, and Drew Barrymore as the
hot-tot star-and produced by
Hollywood huckster Dino DeLauren-
tils-Firestarter stands as one of the
best adaptations of King's work to date.
Like the other two exceptional films
of King's novels, Cujo and The Dead
Zone, Firestarter is not so much a
horror as a suspense story.
Given that filmdom's tries at King's
more supernatural tales have been
near-to-total washouts (Christine,
Salem's Lot, The Shining), it stands to
reason that the simplicity of the former
efforts might account for this. So far,
only Carrie, the first and best shot at
translating an out-and-out horrific
premise onto the silver screen, has
made any ripples across the serious
readership of King's novels, who are
the best critics of those attempts.
Plot-wise, Firestarter mimmicks
both Carrie and The Fury. In Firestar-
ter, Carrie, and The Fury, there is
telekinesis, pyrokinesis, and elements
of horror; the other connection would
be government intervention, which is
missing from Carrie.
'beef
Andy and Vicky McGee (Keith and
TV temptress Heather Locklear) meet
in college, where they have volunteered
themselves as guinea pigs in
testing a new drug known as
Lot Six. What they don't know-but
later realize-is that Lot Six is the
product of a government agency called
The Shop, purportedly created to in-
crease psychic ability in its users. But
Lot Six has some adverse side-effects,
as in the case of the male experimentee
who plucks his eyes out while under its
influence.
Years pass, Andy and-Vicky marry,
and between them, they foster a child,
Charlene (Barrymore), or Charlie for
short, who has been born with the un-
canny ability to kindle fires with her
mind. Quick to recognize the dangers of
this talent, her parents teach Charlie
how to temper her pyrokinetic strength,
hoping that someday she can live like a
normal human being.
However, The Shop wants the
McGees' child for its own malevolent
ends. They kill Vicky and only
'through exercising her powers that Lot
Six bequeathed to him does Andy rescue
Charlie. They begin fleeing across the
country to save her from unscrupulous
evil.
This is the point at which Firestarter
opens, with previous information swif-
tly parlayed through a series of flash-
backs. Neither King nor his movie-
making counterparts hesitate in putting
the audience smack-dab in the heart of
the action; through this technique, it is
apparent that Firestarter in an ac-
tion/suspense film foremost, and
"monster" movie second.
While the actors are given little to
work with, a few shine out. Martin
Sheen, fresh from his maniacally-
happy portrayal of psycho politician
Greg Stilison in David Cronenberg's
Dead Zone, returns as another Uncle
See KING, Page 10
Bars and Clubs
The Ark - All the weekend long it's
the semi-annual pub sing featuring
The Friends of Fiddlers Green, Owen
McBride and Guinness Stout on tap.
The Blind Pig - The Scott Morgan
Band does it up both Friday and
Te list
Saturday nights with Style 200 and
Mike Katon taking turns as the
opening.acts.
Joe's Star Lounge - The Blue Front
Persuaders look to be completely
convincing Friday and Saturday
nights.
Rick's American Cafe - Friday
night is The Influence and Saturday
features those karmic musical chair
players, Changing Bodies.
Theater
The Prodigals - This musical look
at the foibles and quirks of a middle
class working family from the '70s is
the latest offering from the Perfor-
mance Network. Written by local
playwright Jay Steilstra, the produc-
tion features a host of local talent.
Showtimes are 8 p.m. Friday and
Saturday evenings and Saturday af-
ternoon at 2 p.m.
Junkie: Portraits of Women and
Transition - Common Ground's
study into the nature and types of ad-
diction is directed by Elise Bryant.
The show is well put together and
should not be missed. Showtimes are 8
p.m. both Friday and Saturday nights
at the Trueblood Theater in the Frieze
Building.
Concerts
Joseph Garlington - Sponsored by
the Michigan Christian Association,
this Mobile, Alabama minister sings
original religious songs. 8 p.m. Friday
at the Power Center. Admission is $2.
For more information call 994-3286.
Carolyn Bybee and Robert Calkins
- Respectively, this trumpeter and
tubist present solo and ensemble
works. Friday at 8 p.m. in the First
Unitarian Church (1917 Washtenaw).
Admission is $2. For more infor-
mation call 971-9158.