Film explores view of American life by Andrea Zaffino editor in chief The misconception many Europeans have about traditional American so ciety is often tragically inaccurate. Stroszek, one of the earlier cinematic efforts of German director Werner Herzog and shown as a part of Behrend's International Film Series last Monday night, gives an honorable representation of these mistaken no tions. The 1977 movie is titled after the main character, Bruno Strozsek. There were a few mechanical setbacks in the Reed Hall presentation, and the sound was somewhat muffled, how ever these minor setbacks were not a hindrance to the films message. Herzog's use of symbolism is very prominent all throughout the picture. The first half of the movie takes place in Germany where Bruno's life has its fill of problems. He has just been re leased from a reformatory and has taken in a battered prostitute, Eva, and therefore all the burdens she faces. Brownie Mary Friday, Nlo4.mber 7 in the Reed Commons; 4pepkgl guek Windfall ACROSS Narrated Carried Variety of cheese fixe Pertaining to bees Interpret Yarn fuzz Sheriff's star Rim Set of clothes Think logically --de-sac Mild oath Tell on In seventh heaven See eye-to-eye Touch in passing Australian bird Servant Correspond out (jump from a plane) Brooch Potato state Pink color A liqueur Vessels for liquor War god Furrow Rankle Penna. players .Jai Was fond of Miscellaneous mixture Fruitless Mountain nymph Org.'s cousin Friend of Amos Awkward Poor grades 35 36 37 38 DOWN Floor covering Norse god Monocle Discovered Meaningless sounds A gem Midway attraction Eva, together with Bruno's neighbor, convince Bruno to start over in America where they believe there is opportunity for everyone. It is there, specifically in Wisconsin, where the remainder of the film takes place. Once settled in the United States, both Bruno and Eva go to work and pur chase a mobile home which Herzog uses as a representation of America's almost synthetic culture. Even though they have begun their new life together, the couple still faces similar troubles as they had in Ger many. Bruno especially is let down by the overall mentalities of the American people he deals with. As it turns out, Bruno's image of America as a great prosperous fron tier is completely off the mark. Things in many ways are worse than they were in Germany, although for Eva, things seem to get better, which re flects how her morals as a prostitute blend better with American culture than do Bruno's who is just interested in a prosperous life with Eva. ®1997 Tribune Media All rights reserved. Pester Give power to Covers with crumbs Ohio players Villain in Shakespeare "East of —" Beast of burden Facilitate Make happy City in Florida Another time Mr. Lopez Sea water Phobias Kayak relative Times of calm Ground hominy Saturate with liquid Quantity of cargo Nothing but 8 9 10 a German's =Ea 41 Hint 43 Smooth and shiny 44 Masculine nick- name 47 bean 48 Ardor 49 Uttered Bruno points out, during a heated discussion with Eva, that in America greed and humiliation is the same as in Germany, only in America, "it comes with a smile." Bruno bases this phrase on his experience with a bank representative who periodically drops by the couple's motorhome to politely threaten the repossession of their be longings if their payments don't be come more consistent. The film ends with Bruno's life on a note similar if not worse than it was in the beginning. He is much more frustrated as a result of his failed ef forts to succeed in a country where he'd always thought success was in evitable. German is the main language spo ken in the film, accompanied by En glish subtitles. However, familiar with the German language or not, the irony and symbolism used in project ing the director's message makes it worth seeing if ever given the oppor tunity. 50 Distort 51 Wood for shipbuilding 52 If not 53 Small hill 54 Children 57 Levin or Gershwin Features Film review: Boogie Nights Documenting the adult film indus try from 1977 to 1984, Boogie Nights is the most exhilarating, fastest-paced drama since Casino. Mark Wahlberg stars as Eddie Adams, a shy and less than-brilliant busboy working at a San Fernando nightclub. After being dis covered by adult film maker Jack Homer (Burt Reynolds), Adams be comes Dirk Diggler, the porno super star. Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson seduces the audience with the glamourous life led by late 70's porn stars. The characters develop quickly, because the action moves so fast. Anderson is brilliant with char acter development. Early in the movie, the audience will become comfortable with the characters as if they had known them all of their lives. Boogie Nights is hard to classify into a specific genre because it is as humorous as it is dramatic. Porn films are, by nature, very funny and Ander son takes advantage of this. The size of Diggler's genitals becomes a run ning gag in the film. Anderson fo by Jon Stubbs staff writer Thursday, November 6, 1997 The Behrend College Collegian - Page cuses on the reactions of the filming crew whenever Diggler reveals him self during a shoot. This becomes, in its own little perverse way, hilarious. Director of photography Robert Elswit moves the action along so quickly that the only way it could be Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson seduces the audience with the glamourous life led by late 70's porn stars more thrilling is if the audience was snorting the same cocaine that the characters are. Boogie Nights has extreme close-ups galore. It has close-ups on coffee pouring, close ups on camera lenses, close-ups on, well, close-ups on things that a movie about adult films is likely to have. However, it is disappointing to see that Anderson uses the same standard cocaine-sniffing sequence: shot of the lines of coke, shot of the character snorting the coke, and a shot of their eyes lighting up as it takes effect. This seems to take away some of the poi gnancy from the drug use, and makes it just another interesting thing to film. Michael DeLuca, President and Chief Operating Officer of New Line Cinema says, "Boogie Nights takes on the adult entertainment industry the way Goodfellas explored organized crime." However, Boogie Nights seems much more comparable to Ca sino, another Martin Scorsese/Nicolas Pileggi venture. Much like Casino, the music of the film is amazing. It is continuous, and responsible for a large part of the movie's speedy pace. Both Casino and Boogie Nights fol low an individual's rise to the top and their fall back down. Both films are also extremely long; about 190 min utes. Despite the length, Boogie Nights will not bore the audience, the three and-a-half hours fly by in a dizzying, electrifying array of drugs, sex and partying. Boogie Nights provides the perfect fantasy for someone who is looking for an incredible escape.
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