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Jerky Boys
shake up
Chicago with
their telephone
by John Hafher
Assiumi EnUrlammutt Editor
For those of you who are
unfamiliar with the Jerky Boys,
let me give you a brief
description of them. They are
two oversized, low-life pranksters
named "Johnny" and "Kamal"
who would rather sit around and
make crank calls all day than get
a job.
Although they're not exactly
what you could call the "all
American, boy-next-door" type,
the Jerky Boys have used their
telephone talent to carve out a
name for themselves in America's
entertainment industry. Using
their profane and often gross gift
of gab, Johnny and Kamal have
sold countless tapes and CD's,
touching the hearts of all those
with sick senses of humor along
the way.
Does this quick summary
sound like the makings of a full
length feature film? Of course
not! But this is America, and if
Bette Midler can star in movies,
then so can the Jerky Boys.
Their self-titled film is
Answer's to last week's puzzle.
“If you’re going to draw
on the wall, the least you
could do is be original!"
SPC MOVIE OF THE WEEK...
surprisingly entertaining, as it
tells the story of how Johnny and
Kamal began their life's
ambition, tracing their
development as America's
beloved telephone trouble
makers.
The majority of the movie's
plot focuses on one specific
prank. Using the made-up name
"Frank Rizzo," Johnny calls a
local businessman known to have
mafia connections and tells him
that his "boys" are in town and
have just "pulled off a big job."
Rizzo demands that his men are
given a night on the town at the
expense of the city's ruling mafia
family.
Pretending to be Rizzo's thugs,
Johnny and Kamal convince the
city's mafia king pin that Rizzo
is indeed a powerful figure in
Chicago's organized crime ring.
Their prank gets out of control,
though, as the Jerky Boys turn
the entire city upside down and
find themselves under the
watchful eye of the police force,
not to mention the suspicions of
the mob.
After discovering that the mafia
Entertainment
controls almost all areas of the
city and its operations, including
the police, Johnny and Kamal are
determined to nail the mob and
uncover the city's corrupt
institutions. Realizing they can't
accomplish this by themselves,
they call on the assistance of
Frank Rizzo, their make-believe
mafia boss.
The fictional Rizzo is credited
with shattering the mob's control
over the city and putting its
members behind ban. As for
Johnny and Kamal, they are
appointed to high-level city
positions and given their own
office complete with a speaker
phone. Who'd have thought?
America seems to cheer for the
rude and crude elements of
popular culture, and Johnny and
Kamal definitely provide us with
their fair share. What they lack
in acting ability they make up for
with their wide array of voices
and crank calls. They use their
wit, sarcasm, obvious lack of
manners, and, of course, their
touch-tone phone to make their
film a unique and welcomed
addition to this winter's movie
menu.
Showing the “bonds
of womenhood.”
by Danette Parrett
Collegian Staff
From its title and promotions,
you would expect "Boys on the
Side” to become the "Thelma and
Louise" of 1995. Instead, it
takes a very different approach at
exploring the "bonds of
womanhood.”
"Boys on the Side" is a story
that examines the fight against
AIDS, the facets of
homosexuality, domestic
violence, and the support network
of three women.
The story begins in New York
when Jane (Whoopi Goldberg), a
lesbian with a very harsh attitwfr
decides to leave for a music
audition in Los Angeles. When
her band decides to stay behind,
she answers an ad fcv a driver to
the West Coast
She meets Robin (Mary-Louise
Parker), a prim and proper real
estate agent who offers a couple
hundred dollars to drive with her
to LA. Down on her luck, Jane
accepts, and the two begin their
journey across the United States.
On the way, the women stop
Check out these
New Releases
Airheads - Brendan Fraser, Adam Sandler
The Mask - Jim Carrey
It Could Happen to You - Bridget Fonda
Clear and Present Danger - Harrison Ford
Blankman - Damon Wayans
Corrina, Corrina - Whoppi Goldberg
Color of Night - Bruce Willis
Little Giants - Rick Moranis
Or check out these
Upcoming
Video
Releases
In the Army Now February 14
Natural Born Killers February 14
The Scout February 15
Andre February 21
Time Cop February 21
‘Boys on the Side’
in Pittsburgh to see Jane's friend,
Holly (Drew Barrymore). Things
on the homefront leave much to
be desired for Holly, as Jane and
Robin get to see when they end
up in a brawl with Holly's
strung-out boyfriend, Nick. The
end result? Jane's bloody nose.
Holly's bloody baseball bat, and
Nick's bloody forehead. The
women leave to let Nick sleep off
his high. Unfortunately, the next
morning the police find Nick
Haul
Fearing for her freedom. Holly,
eight weeks pregnant and
nowhere to run, decides to make
the trip with Jane and Robin.
The good times roll on their
way to California. Filled with
fun, laughter, and humor, the
women begin to create’ an
everlasting friendship.
Their trip ends abrupUy in
Tucson when Robin is admitted
to the hospital. It is in the
hospital that Jane and Holly
finally find out that Robin is
HIV positive.
Not wanting to leave their
friend, Jane and Holly decide to
stay in Tucson to care for Robin.
Thursday, February 9,1995
After an intense argument
between Jane and Robin, Jane
moves out.
Holly meets a Tucson police
officer and falls hopelessly in
love. Love must cure all because
he has her arrested for Nick's
murder, and not long after asks
her to marry him. During the
fight for Holly's freedom, Robin
and Jane make peace. It is also
during this time that Robin's
health begins to deteriorate. It's
not long before she is confined to
a wheelchair with only several
months to live.
Jane finally confesses her love
to Robin and stays by her for the
last few months rtf her life. She
finally decides to continue her
journey to California after
Robin's death. Holly stays
behind in Tucson with her baby
and new husband.
"Boys on the Side" is an
enlightening tale about tragedy
and the strength to overcome. In
the spirit of love, friendship and
sisterhood, the movie allows an
intimate look into the lives of
three women with one mission
tolove.