See Ann Arbor poets battle it out at the
Heidelberg, 215 N. Main St. The fun Wednesda
begins June 3 at 7:30 p.m. Cover is $3. y
DINOSAUR ATTACK!
Lost World presents weaker plot, more hungry raptors
creatures and testering
holes that provide
' more excite-
ment, but
are ulti-
h x just nau-
seating.
extinct the wide-
eyed innocence
and almost magi-
cal spectacle that
drew everyone to
"Jurassic Park" in
the first place,
this new "World"
places its central
narrative empha-
sis less on char-
acter develop-
ment than on
character diges-
tion - not that
there's anything
wrong with that.
The all-too-
mechanical, non-dino
plot mechanics adapted here
- actually quite intriguing,
since Michael Crichton's novel "The
Lost World" was the literary equivalent
of acid reflux - involve a certain Site
B, a backup to the ill-fated theme park,
which was conveniently kept a secret in
the first film. This "lost world" has been ism, capitalism and genetic engineering
living for four years in perfect harmony, along the way, "Lost" remains just that
leading eccentric billionnaire John until those big, bad dinosaurs come and
Hammond (Richard Attenborough) to devour those little, boring humans, rip-
send a team of scientists to study this ping them and their harebrained morals
undisturbed paradise. to individually wrapped, bite-size
W h e n pieces.
H a m m o n d Depicting nearly every
sends spunky R E V I E WV snarl, bite and clhew of
paleontologist The Lost World: the predators, the film's
Sarah Harding Jurassic Park body count escalates to
( J u l i a n n e startlingly non-PG-13
Moore) into n heights, not even sparing
harm's way, At Briarwosd and Showcase animal-run-amok-film
now washed- taboos like little girls and
up and wisecracking "Park" survivor puppies.
Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) leads the That no-holds-barred approach to the
expedition to save his cuddly girlfriend. depiction of human suffering may be a
Along with photographer Nick Van bit much, but it is a much-needed alter-
Owen (Vince Vaughn) and stowaway native to the tedious fat-chewing of the
daughter Kelly Malcolm (Vanessa Lee homo sapiens, courtesy of David
Chester), the good guys must fend off Koepp's brisk and nearly wordless
both angry, territorial dinosaurs and screenplay.
bureaucratic poachers led by Mr. Clean With not much to do, the actors
lookalike Roland (Pete Postlethwaite) strangely make their roles fascinating
and corporate weasel Ludlow (Arliss - Moore injects Sarah with plenty of
Howard), who are looking to create a sass, becoming nobody's doormat;
mainland Jurassic Park franchise in San Vaughn's Nick is a smirky, cocky mess
Diego. of gum-snapping and name-dropping;.
Of course, everything goes awry and and Goldblum's Malcolm is engagingly
initial awe turns to running and scream- quirky, though all too familiar.
ing as the naturalists and capitalists join With its graphic nature, improved
forces to get the hell off the island. visual effects, numerous creatures,
Attempting some heavy-handed mor- faster pace and more ingenious action
alizing about parenting, environmental- sequences (check out that trailer scene
Jeff Goldblum saves the world again in
"The Lost World: Jurassic Park."
and the raptor-village chase), Spielberg
makes "The Lost World" more enjoy-
able, though more dizzily preposterous,
than its predecessor.
Regardless of new attractions or
thrills or even the campy Godzilla-
esque climax in San Diego, "The Lost
World" is just a "Jurassic" redux: a
meaty, sometimes engaging and scary
"Jaws" remake that provides a ride well
worth the seven dollars, 2 1/4 hours and
gratuitous gore.
And that's something summer movie
audiences, alongside the T-Rexes, can
really sink their teeth into - even
though it's a little hard to swallow.
Morris discusses Washington, avoids scandal in 'Oval Office'
3ehind the Oval Office
)ick Morris
andom House
No White House adviser has been so
ontroversial as Dick Morris. As an
unelected civilian, he dictated a radical
sew strategy to President Clinton and
instituted new campaigning techniques
- before his fall from grace, when the
>ress discovered his yearlong affair
with a prostitute. Whatever personal
>pa ions readers hold about Morris, his
>o "Behind the Oval Office" reveals
:hat he was as important to the Clinton
>residency as he was controversial.
Morris first describes his career as a
:ampaign consultant - a job descrip-
ion that he pioneered - before a fate-
ful phone call from Clinton. Morris
ended up joining Clinton's staff in
1994, after the Republicans' landslide
victories in the '94 congressional elec-
tio. His mission was to reinvent
ClIn's threadbare public persona,
and to ensure Democratic victories in
1996.
Morris cmployed a variety of strate-
gies in this task. The buzzword "thian- he offers an insider perspective on - although, ironically, the book would simply about one of 1996's major scan-
gulation,' which Morris invented, is each. Some of this information - never have sold as well without the dals, will find it worthwhile reading.
finally explained in the such as the revelation that notoriety Morris gained from the scan- - Elizabeth Lucas
book: it means taking Clinton is a detail- dal.
a centrist position, oriented person - On the whole, "Behind the Oval
on a moral high is not exactly Office" provides an intriguing look at
ground between new, but it adds the Clinton presidency, and in particu-
warriing partiesto the book's lar the 1996 election. Those curious
Surpisinly oparties .:.::~ '
or ideologies. first-person about government tactics and policy, or E L
Morris also authenticity.
polled citizens fre- ft- Surprisingly
quently, and used enough, one piece
their viewpoints as a of gossip that's not t C p S25Cmmre nnbr,413
guide in shaping policies and included in the book is the
running Clinton's campaign. He credits inside story of Morris' affair. It is only
this technique as a major reason for mentioned in passing, although Morris Callfor. a quo
Clinton's reelection. Perhaps one tactic devotes an entire chapter to the other "
that was not as successful was Clinton's events surrounding his resignation. The hg saving on newsletters L sad wf"
focus on small issues like school uni- reader has the impression that Morris : for
forms and seatbelt laws. While Morris wanted his book to be entirely serious gI s pusfnesses, and
states that these issues are important to organizarcmp
people, many commentators have said
that Clinton should focus on more sub- Need A Sum Cut -
stantive problems.
These more political sections of the Dascol . arber24 ouTv
book will appeal to serious readers, but
some will be more interested in the 61 E. ety Off StateP G
White House gossip Morris provides. -F , =52Opm
Morris dealt with most of the key fig- S til 420pm4 E. Huron St. (walking distance
ures in Clinton's cabinet and staff, and N oitments Needed from campus) ' 769-0 560