Price and Scorsese Have Something in Common Professor and Filmmaker Share Interest in Late Author By Kristen Beam One of Edith Wharton’s most widely read books, and a 1921 Pulitzer Prize winner, The Age of Innocence, has recently been made into a major motion picture. Dr. Alan Price, Professor of English and an ex pert on the novel's writer, describes the film as an “attempt to take a serious novel and present it as a ‘crossover,’ something that is serious with popular appeal. Price went on to cite Stephen King as a good example of a writer crossing his books over onto another medium.. By making The Age of Innocence , according to Price, Scorsese is satisfying his personal feelings towards the book while at the same time presenting it to the people in a way which they can understand it. The story takes place in New York in 1870. May Welland, played by Winona Ryder, is engaged to a prominent lawyer, Newland Archer (Daniel Day Lewis). May has a cousin named Ellen Olenska (Michelle Halloween Bash Slated By Virginia Rodino A Halloween Bash is being held on October 28, in the Commons Building at Ilighacres PSU, with a door charge of $3.00. There will be a number of great acts including recording artists Voo Sha Dae and comedian Danny Shcedan. Voo Sha Dae, a local based hip-hop group who writes and produces all their own music, will be performing from 9-1. Voo Sha Dae will be performing with D. J.- XL from 8-9, Comedian Danny Sheehan uti lizes a unique mixture of entertaining ma terial that exceeds the ordinary. Sheehan was the host of ‘ ‘American Hot Trax’ ’ and a featured comedian on the “Geraldo” Show. He has also performed at Dangerfield’s,’’TheComic Strip,’’and the Improv. Wilkes and Bloomsburg Univer sities as well as the Schuykill, Berks, Wilkes-Barre, and Scranton Penn Stale Comedian Danny Sheehan Campuses, have also been invited. Library Extends Hours The Penn Stale Hazleton Campus library hours have been extended for the Fall Semes ter. The library’s hours of operation arc: Monday through Thursday: 8:00 a.m. -11:00 p.m. Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday: 3:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. The campus library has more than 60,000 volumes, 400 periodicals, collections ofmaps, Pfeiffer) whose eccentric ideals do not con form to acceptable behavior of women at that time. Welland’s fiance defends Olenska and in the process becomes fond ofher. The movie is sweetened by the elaborate costumes and well researched attention to detail that seems to immerse the audience into another era. According to Price, the film is up against rough odds. It cost 40 million dollars to make, edit, and distribute, but is estimated to attract only a 30 million dollar audience. Serious movies such as The Age of Innocence one are usually produced on a smaller budget with the same audience response. Other films by Scorsese include Taxi Driver, The Last Temptation of Christ, Dan gerous Liaisons, Goodfellas, and Howards End. The Age of Innocence opened Au gust 31, at the Venice Film Festival, and is in theaters now. The release of Martin Scorccsc’s tapesand CD’s, through its computer system, is linked to the millions of volumes in the Penn State library system as well as to na tional reference libraries and the Library of Congress. Hie library is open to the public, and residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsyl vania may borrow books. For questions about the library, call 450-3170. film, The Age of Innocence, coincides with tire completion of Dr. Alan Price’s biography of Edith Wharton (1862-1937). “This is my life’s project,” ex plained Price, Professor of English. 'Hie biography covers Wharton’s life from 1914- 1919. After fifteen years of research and work that took him to places such as Paris, Florence, New York, Stanford University, Yale, Indiana University, and Princeton, the book is now in its final stages. When asked what sparked his interest in Edith Wharton, Price said, ‘ ‘ She is much smarter than I could ever hope to be. She read, spoke, and under stood five different languages.” Price went on to describe Wharton as a wonderful stylist. “There are certain people who are just gifted with words and she is one of them.” According to Price, the biography will probably be printed by next fall. In 1989, Price served as president of the Edith Wharton Society. His work has also been published in the textbooks used by the Arts 1 class, and he has written chapters for the Oxford Compan ion to Women Writers. Students Evacuate Residence Halls ByR. Scott Rappold Residents of South I lall were evacu ated from the building on Wednesday, Sep tember 22, at about 5:30 due to a gas leak. Shouts of “lire” and “gas teak” Were heard as the students gathered in the cold outside the residence hall. The Fire Department and Police Were called in to handle the situation. According to Charles Redden, Manager of Housing and Food Services, the gas leak occurred at the propane tank behind South Hall. Jeremiah Rouse, a sophomore, notified a member pf Housing and Food Service Staff of the leak, said Redden. “ Ihe person who fills the tank from the company left the bleeder valve open,” explained Redden “ Wejusthad tocloseit.” / South Hall had to be evacuated be cause of the danger of gas collecting in the rooms. According to Redden* “It was not a serious situation because it was external. We were just taking all precautions.’’ The resi dents were allowed back in&ide after an hour, and fire police directed traffic that was backed up several yards up the hill. Page 7
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