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ARTS
Friday, August 2, 1985
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Page 8
The Michigan Daily
'Silverado' refreshes as western epic
who always meets mass interpersonal
By Chris Lauer difficulties with either "deal me in"
or "deal me out," usually the latter.
SILVERADO is a western; Pale Klein ropes some fine subtleties of
Rider only tries. Not only is performance, always keeping the
Silverado a western but it is an audience off balance with his supple
ingenious one - not the same old one see-me-now characterization and
man, one gun, six soon-to-be-dead "Hangin' around with you is no pic-
trench-coated bad guys. Direc- nic" humor. Such a central character
tor/producer/co-writer Lawrence who is always full of surprises makes
Kasdan brings together two handfuls the plot lively as well. Compliments to
of characters - more than in all of the craftsman.
Clint Eastwood's films combined, a Emmett, played by Scott Glen, is
myriad of carefully followed up plot the kind of staid, pragmatic cowboy
details - involving a hat, a dog, and a you can really believe in, a down-to-
woman among other things, an edged, earth counterpart to the sophisticated
self-mocking humor - the kind mix of humor and earnestness in
everyone remembers from Kasdan's Paden, and a welcome relief from
The Big Chill, and an all-out gun- Clint Eastwood's lamely proffered
fighting war for home, family, decen- mean 'n' mystical nauseatingly ap-
cy, etc. - that makes Rambo look like pellationless too-market-tested-to-be-
the most anti-patriotic, egotistical,' true gunfighter. Just when you're
homicidal maniac that ever existed _ starting to think that Emmett has the
all of which meshes together in right stuff, you realize that Scott Glen
beautifully epic proportions. played the icy commander Alan
Whereas other filmmakers (and Shepard in the 1983 film. Here, cold
storytellers of all kinds) are confident pragmatism is tempered by the
with only a few characters, it's for a comraderie that develops between the
very good reason that Kasdan juggles four main good guys and by theh
a veritable multitude of characters at honest, unwavering family-mannish The good guy
risk of celluloid mush - he has mien that becomes Glen so well.
enough variety of characters to Kevin Costner plays Emmett's due to gunshot wounds well - Jake's
deliver any kind of line, act out any brother Jake, a reckless hot dog of a goofy laugh is tastefully confined to
type of relationship, create any kind. gunfighter with a "fancy two-gun rig" pre-gunfight action, barroom scenes,
of a story his imagination can con- and more than enough youthful and other acceptable whoop 'n' holler
ceive. This isn't hard to see, only hard energy to keep him in constant circumstances; never does it appear
to do. Ten minutes into Pale Rider trouble. Between the efforts of Cost- after someone is blasted away, which
Clint Eastwood is steaming along a ner and Kasdan the role comes out all would of course lend a psychotic
predictable, junctureless rail toward in good fun - pure mind candy of a element to the movie, as well as be
the end; Kasdan has the creative character - and carried off well tasteless.
resourcefulness to avoid this from the enough that the sexual side of Jake
foundation.- the characters - on up. never becomes obtrusive. With Jake it Danny Glover as Mal, with an
Kevin Klein plays Paden, a quirky becomes especially obvious that unrelentlessly emotional performan-
hearted, happy-go-lucky ex-bandit Kasdan is handling the many deaths ce, achieves an intense embodiment
ys ride hard and shoot straight in 'Silverado.'
of a plighted man's quest for what's beard for his role as the main villain,
right. The powerful emotions Glover Sheriff Cobb, was pure inspiration.
elicits through his character also, not Dennehy, a character actor who has
by accident, makes the comraderie appeared in countless films and TV
between the four good guys work sim- movies, is a natural at being plain
ply because it's contagious to the ugly mean, but his face is just too
other characters and the audience. recognizable; something that always
Sure Mal speaks with his gun - but leads to a stereotype cardboard
unlike that devoid-of-all-that's-human character. Beardless, I would've held
marketing ploy Rambo - Mal has it against him for being in the original
soul. First Blood. As it is, Dennehy's
vividly real character stinks of evil in
Making Brian Dennehy grow a the very best sense.
I.
EATS
AND
DRINKS
FORBIDDEN CITY
(3535 Plymouth Rd.; 665-3591;
4905 WashtenawAve.; 434-7978)
Excellent in the ancient tradition of Man-
darin, Sze Chuan, and Hunan specialties.
Attentive service, a full service bar-with a
complete wine menu and exotic cocktails.
Open 7 days a week.
PIZZA BOB'S
(814 S. State St.; 665-4517)
Ann Arbor's best milkshakes, ,
great subs, and
pizza. We practically invented chipatis!
Pizza pasties. FREE DELIVERY. 1i a.m.-
2 p.m., 4 p.m.-1:30 a.m. EVERY DAY.
0-4
lb I'\
TACO BOB'S
(810 S. State St.; 996-TACO)
New ideas in Mexican food including:
Salads, Chimichangas, Buritos. Hours: 11
a.m.-2 a.m. Mon.-Sat., Noon-Midnight
Sunday.
LUNCH DELIVERY and
NIGHT DELIVERY
Steve (342 S. State; 662-2663)
Homemade ice cream, hot fudge and whip-
ped cream. Specializes in The Mixin
cookies, candies, nuts and fruit - skillfully
blended by hand into your favorite large
scoop.
Open 12 - 12 daily.
KANA
Fine Korean cuisine - family restaurant
Some hot-spicy Korean foods available.
hours: M-F 11a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sat. 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.
1133 E. Huron,
Ann Arbor 662-9303
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