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pbrodite'is full of warmth, wit
NeOl C. Crrut perfected in almost 30 films.
Acts Writer When we first meet these characters, .
oody Allen's new picture "Mighty Amandahasreachedthe decisionthatshe Mighty Aphrodite
,te" is a charming New York fairy wants achild. Therefore,whenthe oppor-
that represents his most interesting and tunity to adopt presents itself, the couple Written and directed by
gngeffortinseveral years. It is a wel- can't resist. Their new child, Max, turns Woody Allen; with Woody
e comeback after the disappointingly out to be highly gifted and intelligent. So, Allen and Mira Sorvino
"Bullets Over Broadway" and the whenthemarriage beginstofalterLenny
erslight"Manhattan Murder Mystery ." is drawn by curiosity to track down the At Showcase
le the film will not draw those who are woman who gave birth to theirwonderful
diehard Allen fans, it does have a great child. of dumb blonde banter with Allen, which
to offer in the way of a clever script, Aftersome detectivework,Lenny finds bring to mind the great Judy Holliday in
performances and genuine warmth. that the mother is Linda Ash, a prostitute "Bom Yesterday." She also manages to
len stars as Lenny, a sports writer andporno film actress(a.k.a. Judy Cum), suggest an emotional depth that makes
se marriage to art gallery manager star of such hard-core gems as "The En- the character all the more interesting.
anda (Helena Bonham Carter) is on chanted Pussy." As it turns out, young This is, without a doubt, the greatest
rocks. There is an interesting and Max was conceived accidentally duringa female role in an Allen film since Diane
aling chemistry between Allen's tryst with one of Linda's clients. Keaton's turn as the title character of
bish bravado and Carter's bitchy re- The heart and soul of "Mighty "Annie Hall."
ent. And it is nice to see the delec- Aphrodite" is Mira Sorvino's extraordi- In Greek and Roman myth Aphrodite
e Carter in a film that is not a period nary performance as Linda. Sorvino was or Venus was the goddess of love, who
. In fact,it is rather jarring to see her previously in Robert Redford's "Quiz managed to charm and captivate all men.
ed in contemporary as opposed to Show"and Whit Stillman's"Barcelona," Allennotonly wryly transplantsthismyth
standard Merchant/Ivory Edwardian as well as the current release "Blue in the to modern times with great irony and
on. Lenny, of course, is the lovable Face." This statuesque and voluptuous verve, but also subtly comments on what
and hapless romantic that Allen has actress absolutely sparkles in her scenes is universal in the human condition be-
and love
tweenantiquityandmodem-day America.
This is highlighted by Allen's use of a
traditional chorus, a common feature of
Greek tragedy, used to provide a com-
mentary on the action.
The masterful and under-used F.
Murray Abraham leads the chorus and is
supported by Olympia Dukakis, Jack
Warden andDavidOgdenStiers. Initially
they areconfinedtoarusticamphitheater,
in scenes that were filmed at the ancient
Teatro Greco in Taormina, Italy. As the
film progresses Abraham shows up, in
theatricalmakeupanddrapery,in Allen's
daily life to provide criticism and advice.
The chorus provides some of the film's
greatest gags and one-liners, aswell as its
most inspired lunacy.
In addition to these echoes of Greek
civilization, Allen employs the oft-used
Pygmalion myth. As Lenny probes Linda
forinformation abouthergenealogy (and
the origin of Max's intelligence), he de-
velops arealaffinityforher,intheshadow
of his crumbling marriage. He attemptsto
turn around Linda's dead end life by
creating a legitimate existence for her, balanced with atouching tale ofloveend
absent ofpimps, pomo and pushers. This redemption. Also intriguing is the way
friendshipis beautifully handledbyAllen Allen alternates the grim realism of
and is not allowed to become maudlin, Linda's situation (her menacing pimp
formulaic or manipulative. and trouble-ridden past) with the highly
"Mighty Aphrodite" is vintage Woody illusionistic, Fellini-esquechorusscenes
Allen in that much ofthe humor is gener- Like a master, Allen brings these myriad
ated by the commingling of high culture elements together for an ending thatcan
with banal concerns. This humor is deftly only be described as sublime.
Cultural review gives glimpse into the 'Mystery of India
By NIkhI Chawla Perhaps the best feature in the cultural segments in the main plot. The fate of a
For the Daily R EVIEW show was the Bharata Natyam dance given film often rests on the popularityof
The month-long Festival of India closed segment.In its truestIndian classical dance these song and dance segments. The song
with abang, with the Indian Cultural Show Mystery of form, the Bharata Natyam is performed "Muqabala," performed here, has very
presented by the Indian American Student India solo to a strict beat. Eye and hand move- difficult dance steps which were adapted
Association. Over the years, the annual cul- ment are a key feature of this dance. A and performed very well,to thedelightof
turalshowhasbeenameanstoshowcasethe Hill Auditorium cymbal-like attachment, the ghungaroo, the crowd.
rich heritage andculture of India. The show November 4, 1995 is put on the ankles such that the dancer An adaptation of the popular Indian
opened with an auspicious dance of lights, can create avery enticing rhythmicframe- game Antakshriwasperformednext.This
whichwasveryappropriateconsideringthat ditional Indian garment wornby women, work. The group of eight women in this game is now a popular game show in
the Indian Festival of Lights, Diwali, was wrapped around the waist and draped dance performed admirably to a very India, where a contestant sings vases
celebratedonlytwo weeksago. Thisyear's over the shoulder). supportiveaccompanimentofmusic,per- from asong,andthenextcontestanthasto
show revolved around the premise that a Folk dances from the states of Tamil formed live, composed in part by noted pick up the last syllable and start a new
thiefstoleararediamondfromamuseum. In Nadu and Gujarat followed. In the Tamil sitar player and composer Ravi Shankar. song. Five singers went through a pre.
order to solve this "Mystery of India," the dance, dancers played off one another to a It was refreshing to watch and listen to a planned potpourri of old songs (no game
audiencefollowedthethieftovariousstates catchy tune from the movie "Bombay." combination of traditional South Indian was played here), but a break between
and regions in India, while glimpsing each Also very fast paced was theGarbi, a tradi- and North Indianclassical dance and mu- songs was not given. The result wasthst
region's culture at each stop. tional folk dance from the region at the sic. the listener could not quite catch thel W
The first dance did not particularly borderofGujarat andthe state ofRajasthan. What followed was a view of the glitz syllable of a given song.
belong to a given state, but depicted an The circular formations in this dance were and glamour in India - the eastern seg- The next segment, a dance from the
ancient Indian custom of marriage, the pleasingtotheeye,butthelighting onstage ment of the fashion show and the Hindi state of Bengal, portrayed the national.
swayamvara. Inoldentimes,whenaprin- dulledthecolorsofthegarments. Film dance. Models in the fashion show istic feeling ofindependencefromBrlt.
cesswasready tobemarried,suitors from A short video divided into three seg- wore very extravagant and expensive- ishrule. In this dance, participants wore
far and wide would come assemble in a meats was shown next. The first two looking Indian clothes. The Hindi film simple red and white clothes.Themood
large hall. The princess would look upon segments, while somewhat humorous, dance consisted of a rendition of what is was more subtle and the movements
those gathered and place a garland or a seemed out of place. The third segment currently one ofthe mostpopular films in more graceful than that seen in previ-
piece of garment, the chunni, around the provided a behind-the-scenes view ofthe India, "Humse H ai Muqabala" (crudely ous dance segments.
chosen one. The participants inthis dance, preparation for the cultural show, which translated, means "The Dispute is with After a brief skit on the life of a
all women, each had a chunni and were might have been more appropriate at the Me"). Unlike most Hollywood films, typical IASA student,the Westernfash-
wearing beautifully coloredsaris(thetra- end of the program. most Hindi films attach song and dance See MYSTERY, page 8
E7777177
a uaggeas or 195: Cnrstina Ricci an
old' doesi
Kristin Long
y Alt Writer
ictire this: Two 13-year old girls,
a reckless tomboy and the other a
histicatedcity girljoining together
reakhvoc in a small town thinking
they have more sense than all their
ers. In "Gold Diggers: The Secret of
r Mountain" we have exactly that
only worse.
e' film begins with Beth Easton
ristina Ricci) and her recently wid-
ed mother, Kate (Polly Draper),
ving into Kate's childhood home in
wnjust beyond nowhere. Beth finds
sniall, northwestern village to lack
fastspeedandfinesseofthebigcity.
isconvincedthatthere is nothingto
communityexcept a bunch of trees
country folk.
atis true,however, until she meets
fearless Jody Salerno (Anna
umsky),knownthroughout the com-
ity as a rugged, rebellious young
an. Having lost her father a few
back,she finds herselfliving any-
re but home for fear of the abuse of
mother's boyfriend Ray (David
th). Her mother (Diana Scarwid)
rs her little support because she is
busy consuming alcohol with her
n man.
ven though Beth would normally
e had nothing to do with this delin-
t, she is so desperate to find some
itement that the two immediately
Sa unique friendship.
ody tells Beth the legend of Molly
rgan: Withinthenearby BearMoun-
lies a golden treasure to whose
tion she holds the map. The defiant
venture into the mountain and en-
nter nothing'but trouble. Beth gets
ped under rocks and cannot move,
Jody fights to help her desperate
nd.Throughoutthestrugglethetwo
ind themselves to "Believe in
ly," the inspiration of their adven-
Jpont arriving at Jody's house one
Beth finds Jody missingandreal-
that Ray has gone on a drunken
ipage. Bethknows that the trouble is
wing again over at Bear Mountain
shesuddenly becomes the all-know-
leader of a rescue mission to save
friend. Shegiveseveryone form her
ther to the sheriff orders on what to
nstead of having audiences on the
e of their seats with tension, this
k has audiences laughing at its dis-
I brushes with reality. "Gold Dig-
a" leaves little that is unexpected.
predictable events only have us
efllywondering when the movieis
ng to end.
d Anna unumsky.
n't gitter
whoepitomizesthespoiled city rat, and
who walks into the countryside expect-
ingeveryonetomeether demands. Anna
Chlumsky, remembered by most as the
flamboyant Vada Sulfenfuss in the"My
Girl" series, takes a step away from her
Geld Diggers:
Bear Mountain
Directed by Kevin James
Dobson; with Christina
Ricci and Anna
Chlumsky
At Showcase
comedicrolesandmakesapoorattempt -
to be adventurous.
Director Kevin James Dobson,
known throughout Australia as one of
the foremost in film, has also directed
Australia films "The Mango Tree" and
"Suizzy Taylor." For the two films, het
has received a total of eight Australian
Academy Award Nominations, but this
movie certainly does not stand up in$
such fine company.
With little else to offer, it is unfo
nate that the weak plot so heavily weighs Everybody and their Little Sister
down this film. Mostpeople would prob- Austin, Texas funksters Little Sister bring their funk-rock-soul combo of great
ably be amused by the way the kids run danceable music to the Blind Pig tonight. with their musical inluences rangingfrom
the lives of the adults. This creates Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt and Elton John to Tool, the band's end product is sure to
more of a parent's worst nightmare be one interesting trip down the roads of music past, present and future. Patrice Pike,
than a film for the whole family. As a Little Sister's little vocalist with a big voice said the band Is like "Aretha Franklin, Led
result, "Gold Diggers" only provides Zeppelin, Elton John and Carlos Santana all having a car crash, and everybody waking
its audience with a faux treasure than up in the '90s." They'll play tracks from their great live debut, "Free Love and Nickel
with something really worth keeping. Beer," and others from their new self-titled release. The band will be playing a19-and-
over show at the Pig tonight, with tickets only $6. Doors open at 9:30 p.m.
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