ARTS
* The Michigan Daily
Page 9
Indy 3 goes through motions
BY MARK SHAIMAN
AND JOHN SHEA
Producer George Lucas, in keeping
with the maxim that all good things
come in threes, has said in interviews
that the third installment of the 4
Indiana Jones series will be the last.a
In truth, it's the first.-
Indiana Jones and the Last Cru-
sade is more a remake of Raiders
than a sequel. Screenwriter Jeffrey
Boam seems to lift several sequences
from Lawrence Kasdan's storyboard
and placed them directly on his own.' "
Did you like the Nazis in the first
movie? The desert chase scenes? The.
beautiful women and doting youngt1
girls in Jones' archeology class? The
breathless pursuit of a priceless rei- .
gious artifact? Good. Because they're«
all here, again, for a second time. As;
if to avoid charges of plagarism,
Boam replaces snakes with rats, the
Ark of the Covenant with the Holy
Grail, and a beautiful brunette with a
beautiful blonde (Alison Doody).
The only significant difference
between the two films (and the only
real justification for making the lat-
ter) is the introduction of Sean
Connery as Indiana Jones' father. As Although Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade joins our hero (Harrison
a stuffy, bookworm-ish professor Ford) with his father, Dr. Henry Jones (Sean Connery), the series's
whose lifelong search for the grail thrid installment pays more attention to its cinematic forebearer.
nas been conducted from Utah, the
elder Jones is the antithesis of his
son. While Junior fights off those
damn Nazis, Dad worries about the
safety of his umbrella.
Aside from that, Last Crusade
pretty routinely parallels its fore-
bearer. The opening chase scene in
Last Crusade pales in comparison
io the wie in Raiders. Its comic-
book action, punctuated by cheap
laughs, sets the tone for the rest of
movie. We see, for the first time,
Indy as a young child (played by
River Phoenix). In watching his first
attempt to save a precious relic from The Annual Michiganensian P[
the hands of evil, we learn how he
developed his fear of snakes, love of7
whips, that manly scar on his chin,r
and his trademark fedora. The effect is.
much like seeing how Billy Batson
learned to become Captain Marvel by'
saying "Shazaam!" It's cute, but
hardly exciting. b
The real excitement doesn't starty
See Indy, p. 10
t Iiw.
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Blues Riffs uncorks
night to remember
BY MARISA ANAYA AND
MICHAEL PAUL FISCHER
ON this visit to Ann Arbor's
intimate Performance Network, it
will seem that you're entering a
strange "bar" indeed. You'll sit off
in the inclined gallery overlooking
it all as the locals saunter in to yuk
it up and take turns at some electric
blues on the rock-and-roll platform.
In a little while, as the simple
realism of it all sets in and you
enjoy the tunes - which ulti-
mately constitute about three-fifths
of the show - you may begin to
wonder why you've paid nine dol-
lars' admission to a theater, when
you could have actually taken in a
real bar for three!
In the process, though, Riffs
has set you up for a revelation
you'll not find in any bar.
For as the conversation unfolds,
troubled characters suddenly address
the audience in engaging confes-
sional monologues, their cohorts
halting statue-like in freeze-frame.
And through the exquisite, arrest-
ing performances which carry these
ambitious scenes, Director Nina
Moore's marvelous theoretical in-
tegration of live music and impro-
visational stage acting - subtitled
"A Theatre and Blues Cabaret" -
serves up a great night of
unpretentious summer enter-
tainment. But Riffs nonetheless
promises to amaze you artistically
- and perhaps shake the demons
nagging at your own spirits.
Riffs is really a full evening
out: the three-and-a-half hour pro-
gram invites the audience to the
stage bar for drinks at intermission
(bring your ID) as well as a post-
show dance party. The music itself
- quite a value for money on its
own - is skillful, fun and lively
blues. It offers a remarkable chance
to sample local groups such as
Rockfish and the Uthah Band as
well as guest stars Tracy Lee Ko-
marmy of Tracy Lee and the
Leonards and guitarist Steve
Nardella jamming out in various
line-ups. The sharp ebb-and-flow
attack of Nardella's punchy licks as
well as a plenty of hot harmonica
playing and Jakson Spires' groovy
snare drum are but a few highlights
see Riffs. . 10
y i" 7 . t. a aaau7 Y"
iotography Competition Is Back!
All entrants: must be current enrolled at the
University of Michigan, Ann Arbr, for the Spring/Summer
term and/or Fall Termn 1989.
Subject Mattr: Impressions and expressions of the people,
places and themes of the University and AnnArbor area.
Entries: Black & White or Color photographs. 5x7 to 8x10
glossy prints In a protective wrapping. Entry#form(bkout
when you hand In photo). Name and phone # on back of
photo. "'Ailof this must be done or photo will not be
accepted!
Judging: Photographs will be judged by Michiganensian
and Michigan Daily photo editors, U of M School of Art Faculty
members, and local professionals.
Drop off: The Michiganenslan office In the Student Publications
Bullding- 420 Maynard, Ann Arbor.
Deadline: November 17th,1989. Photos will not be returned.