Dawson gets
by Deanna Symoski
staff writer
Yep, Dawson has another ease of the
blues and to those of you that follow
Dawson's Creek like it's the new reli
gion, that probably isn't news. But
this time, it's James Van Der Beek (or
as a guy in my elass put it: 'James
Van Der Whatever His Name Is') and
he’s got Varsity Blues. Now, before
you stop reading, let me just say that
the ability to name every poster in
Dawson’s room is NOT a prerequi-
site for seeing this movie.
In fact, forget everything you think
you know about James Van Der Beek:
“Teen Beat’’ cover boy. and let me
introduce you to James Van Der Beek:
Actor. Starring in Varsity Blues as
John Moxon (a.k.a. Mox). Van Der
Beek plays a skilled second-string
quarterback and professional bench
warmer who prefers to hide Vonnegut
in his playbook and ignore the coach.
But in this small Texas town where
football is the breath of life itself (they
erect giant billboards on the star play
ers' front lawns), that’s not the behav
ior proud fathers expect from their
Behrend
mons with
Sarah Edwards
Staff Writer
Last Saturday night the Reed Com
mons was transformed into a happen
ing swingers’ club with Big lubba
Mista as the hep eat performers. Over
400 people came prepared to jump
and jive with the 7-piece band ol
swingers from Harrisburg. Free les
sons were given from 8-9 p.m. and
then the band began their f irst set of
swinging tunes.
The name Big Tubba Mista is taken
from a legendary mobster that was
known as a fast-living
these hustlers took the stage at Penn
State they not only moved fast but also
used their style and slick sounds to
win over the crowd. With songs like
'j: jj* '
ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLENGE?? ?
' In honor of Black History Month, the Association of Black Collegians is sponsoring a
writing contest. In a hundred (100) words or less, describe how an African American person
fjn :■■(living of dead, famous or not) has impacted your life.
Deadline for submissions is Monday, February 22,1999. Submissions can be turned into
f T the Division of Undergraduate Studies office, located in the Reed Union Building. All
' ' ' submissions must be typed and include name, semester standing and major.
The winning author will receive a gift certficate to the Behrend bookstore and their
work will appear in the February 25,1999 issue of the Behrend Beacon.
sons. They have to play and they have
to win. So when the starting quarter
back sustains a crippling injury five
games before the Coyotes' twenty
third championship title, Mox is
called in to save the day.
But the journey from zero to hero
isn't till it’s cracked up to be. Sure,
the whole school loves him. the head
cheerleader wants him and the guy at
the corner store keeps giving him free
beer. Sounds great, except ignoring
the coach is no longer an option.
Treating his team of boys more like
an infantry of soldiers, Bud Kilmer
(Jon Voight) could make Stone Cold
cry. From banging on their helmets
with his whistle to dragging them
around by the face masks, the name
of Kilmer's game is humiliation. And
it's only now as the team's leader that
Mox discovers the lengths Kilmer will
go to for a win.
This film, however, is about more
than football, drinking and whipped
creme bikinis, although that might be
enough for some. Somehow the in
nocence of little league is stolen away
by the politics of scholarships and
bragging rights in a town with noth
ing to hold on to but its own warped
swings
Big Tubba Mista
"Killer on 37th Street " and ”'lhese
.Are The Days" the band made the
Commons rattle with rhythm and
stomping feet. Most of the songs they
performed can be found on their new
CD entitled "The Sting That's
Swing." Linda Kaleta, RUB Desk
stall assistant said "It was a great
swing band. They w ere really ener
getic and made you feel like dancing.'
Big lubba Mista takes on a mob
ster appeal with some ol the band
members having nicknames like " I he
Godfather" Suavely who plays alto
sax. and clarinet and Johnny V who
capture*.the sna/./y sounds of the
band with his voice. "Big" Bob
Breech hill is phenomenal on the
drums and "Dr. Vegas" Gadd knows
how to strum his bass. The entire
the Blues
obsession. And it’s up to Mox and
the rest of the team to put a little dig
nity back in the game and in them-
Watching Mox struggle between his
own version of life and that which is
dictated by Kilmer is like watching
someone you might actually know.
He wrestles w ith his sense of duty and
honor in a way most of us do when
uncomfortable expectations are set.
Van Der Beek does an exceptional job
creating a character that is likable
without being soft, and admirable
without being perfect. In a sense, he's
the all-American kid, but with all the
imperfections American kids possess.
Mox, quite simply, is one of us. and
at the same time the kind ol person
we would all like to be. Van Der
Beek's talent for subtlety gives Mox
the emotion this character (and the
audience) demand.
Although some of the characters are
cliche, others are molded with care
ful precision. Ron Lester’s "Billy
Bob" does more than serve as the
film’s sight gag; his pitiful obedience
to Kilmer implies a deeper inner tur
moil. And Voight's militaristic
Kilmer is so contemptible you can't
in Reed Com-
band depended on each other and
worked together so well that it was
fun watching them groove.
People were grooving as well on the
dance Boor: either teaching moves,
learning new swing techniques, or
creating dance steps ol their own.
From 8 until midnight the music never
stopped and neither did the Penn State
Erie Swing Club. Ol course if people
needed a break from dancing there
were plenty ol refreshments and
friendly people to talk with or watch
dance. I believe Lee Erieson, 04,
Communications summed up the
evening best when he said that "Swing
Dancing is the best thing to come
along since... SPAM."
Features
help hut find yourself cursing al him
under your hrealh. As lor the lathers,
you want to hale them, too, for push
ing so hard, but when you realize
memories of old glory days are all
they have left, hate turns to pitv.
Varsity Blues is both extremely en
tertaining and smart - think of it as
The Walerboy meets The Breakfast
Club. Director Brian Robbins cap
tures the intensity of football as he
intermingles professional play ers with
the actors, creating a spectacle worth
watchini! all on its own.
In addition, the soundtrack is one
of ihe best alterna- metal compilations
to date —it should be, this is an MTV
Production, after till —and worth
cheeking out even if you don't see the
film. The song "My Hero" by the Foo
Fighters especially helps to make true
movie moments out of ordinary
scenes,
Still. I know some of you may
choose to pass because Daw son is in
it, but don't. Varstity Blues is simply
a great film and coming off the chaos
that is Super Sunday, no other movie
could be more appropriate. And to
that guy in my class, pay attention:
it's James Van Dcr Beck: hero.
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Show your sweetheart
much you care.
Place a classified in The Beacon
Behrcoll4@aol.com
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Thursday. February 4. 1998 - The Behrend College Beacon -Page 7
James Van Der Beek stars as John Moxon, a skilled second-string
quarterback whose team is relying on to bring home the twenty-third
championship title tor his small-town Texas high school.
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