18—The Daily Collegian Wednesday, April 28,1980
'Laughing': just gags and mix-ups
By JOHN WARD killed in Benson’s cab, and through an mother hen; Charles Durning is her son,
Daily Collegian Staff Writer improbable mix-up, Benson is tabbed as the head of Benson’s cab company. t* ollege Community
Robby Benson doesn’t have an ac- the murderer and runs off with the box. When Durning steps in front of Theatre will be holding auditions tor
ting style; he has charisma. With his In the box is a monkey with a fantastic MacArthur and Patton posters to ad- this seasons productions from 7to 10
baby blue eyes, perfect teeth and bashful memory; it seems the scientist taught dress his men, it’s a wonderful comic bit. P;™ 1, today through Saturday at tne
smile, he sets off unabashed ear- him a formula for turning nuclear waste But the most surprising cast member rh h e L in • , s K P lS ,^ O P^‘
thquakes in the hearts of teenyboppers into high-grade plutonium. Now all the is Bud Cort, known for his performances Church. Musical auditions will he
everywhere. He’s the movie industry’s bad guys are chasing Benson to get the in “Harold and Maude” and Robert a ™ t °P l in theme tor
answer to Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, monkey. Altman’s “Brewster McCloud.” Cort the company s 1980 Boal Barn season
Andy Gibb and all the other singing if this plot sounds the slightest bit seemingly does a film every three or is Silver Summer,
idols. That might be the most frightening inane, I suspect it was unintentional, four years; he’s a selective soul. So why i“ e company intends to present
thing about his new film, “Die Benson, who wrote the script with his the hell did he pick “Die Laughing”, to Cabaret, George Washington Slept
Laughing;” he’s trying to hit the music father Jerry Segal, just can’t write stage a comeback? Here, Charley s Aunt, The Prime ot
market. plausible conflicts. (Benson and Segal Cort has an offbeat manner, but it’s J“iss Jean Brodie, and KoDDer
As Dan Pinsky, the movie’s also wrote “One on One,” a clear-cut not suited for this film’s obvious Bridegroom. I hose intending to try
beleaguered hero, Benson plays with a “Rockyesque” tale in which the shenanigans. At times he waggles his '
soft-rock group called Rush Hour. The good/bad lines were drawn for us.) tongue in a leering, disgusting manner
group is trying to win a contest in which in “Die Laughing,” the characters are that reminds one of Gene Simmons with
the winner receives a recording con- caricatures, and hence the conflict is a acne. Just when we’ve got him pegged as
tract. Benson sings several songs with punchless farce. The story is laced with an effeminate wimp, he comes out for
smarmy lyrics and melodies that lilt so moments when Benson goes out of his the finale dressed as an ugly punk rocker
much they’re half-asleep. The first time way to show the repulsiveness of the (Johnny Rotten hair-do and all) and
we see Benson, he’s wailing one of these villains. There’s a moment when a tall, ruins it for us.
cotton-candy specials; something called spindly guy, looking like a cross between' But the blame should lie with Robby
“Mr. Weinstein’s Barber Shop.” Wyatt jSarp and the Phantom of the Benson. I left the theater feeling
But this is only a small side of the Opera, is knocked to the ground. When a cheated, as if the film was a long series
film’s real content. “Die Laughing” isn’t boy scout helps him to his feet, he shoves of gags and mix-ups built around Ben
a musical; it’s a frenzied, slapped- the kid in the face. The scene is so son’s three song performances. I didn’t
together chase comedy with Benson ludicrous it provides one of the film’s go to see Benson the singer, I went to see
being pursued by a bunch of the sorriest- few genuine laughs. Benson the actor. It turned out I didn’t
looking villains you ever saw. It starts Some good character actors are get to see much of anything. Maybe
when cabbie Benson picks up a scientist stranded in this general morass. Elsa Robby Benson’s just too cute for his own
carrying a strange box. The man is Lanchester has a small bit as Benson’s good.
Pennsylvanian painter
Horace Pippin was born in 1888, in West Chester, Pa., where he spent much of his life. Injured in World War I, he painted by supporting his right hand
with his left. Discovcreed at the age of 49, Pippin had a short-lived career as a recognized artist, for he died in 1946 at the age of 58. His work, “Dom
ino Players,” dates from 1940 and is among a collection on display in the HUB Gallery through May 10.
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I Pick a Hick, i
l Reviews to help you choos
• ads define the times.
Collegian
Community Theatre to hold auditions
Depiction of the artist's feelings
By DIANNE GARYANTES
Daily Collegian Staff Write!*
The art of turn-of-the-century Vienna indicates a shift of
emphasis from depiction of the outward appearance of the era
to representation of the inner-most feelings of the artist,
Alessandra Comini said Thursday night.
Comini, professor of art history at Southern Methodist
University, emphasized and compared the works of Gustav
Klimt and Egon Schiele to demonstrate this transition.
Klimt’s works, in the style of Art Nouveau, portray facade
and decoration, while Schiele’s paintings stress subject
matter and isolation, as in the Expressionistic style, Comini
said.
GRE (fall exam)
MCAT (fall exam) June 22
LSAT (fall exam)
contact Eleanor Coburn
444 East College Ave.
State College, Pa. 16801
(814) 238-1423
out for Cabaret or Robber
Bridegroom should prepare a chorus
from either a ballad or an up-beat
song. A rehearsal pianist will be
provided and a wide range of parts is
available.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,
which requires a number of teenage
girls, will be cast on Friday and
Saturday. Charley’s Aunt calls for
people in their twenties as well as
older people, and George Washington
Slept Here requires characters of all
'ages.
Melodies and memories
By COLLEEN MORRIS
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
A calypso carnival atmosphere
created by a steel drum band brought
calls from people eager to dance to such
infectiously cheerful music Sunday night
at the Paul Robeson Cultural Center.
Helping to celebrate Caribbean Night,
the Trinidad Stars Steel Band from
Philadelphia combined limbo feats with
well-executed drumming.
Fellow band members and an en
thusiastic crowd spurred one lithe
musician to do the limbo to bend the
upper body and head backwards under a
bar set close to the ground. The syn
copated rhythm grew faster and the
musician-dancer limbered up for an
even more daring limbo. He threw off his
jacket and shirt, lowered the bar one
more notch and placed a bottle in his
mouth. Bending his legs and curving his
back, he slipped under the bar with
deceiving ease and emerged with the
bottle in his mouth.
Each melody that accompanied these
gymnastics sounded crisp and had a
ringing metallic sound. Musicians
played on the tops of steel drums that
have tempered and indented surfaces.
' GOLD AND SILVER ]
Leland Enterprises will be buying gold and silver at 1
the Penn State Sheraton Inn on Wednesday, April 23, B
between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. We are |
a local business located 15 miles from State College, 1
but have noted the difficulty some students have had ,1
obtaining transportation, so we have decided for 9
mutual convenience to buy “in town” this Thursday. B
We guarantee nothing but the fairness of our prices B
and cash settlement. Please compare. For information B
. call Leland Enterprises 355-1642 any time.
-r
June 29
BRIARWMDBASH
SATURDAY, APRIL 26, NOON TO 11:00 P.M.
LIVE BANDS LIVE KEGS GOOD TIMES
TICKETS $3.00
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CALL 234-9079 FOR MORE INFORMATION
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
NOT SERVED TO MINORS
A TOWNHOUSE TAVERN PRODUCTION 1
EDUCATION
IS AN END IN ITSELF
Schlow Memorial Library should
have copies of comedies on reserve
for those interested in trying out.
The State Community Theatre
encourages everyone in the com
munity to audition. Those who have
appeared in previous SCCT
productions are required to join SCCT
before they tryout.
Anyone not interested in acting but
who would like to work backstage is
invited to sign up for crew assign
ments at the same time as the
corresponding tryout.
There are many self-portraits of Expressionistic artists in
which “their central core of psyche is exposed,” said Gomini.
The Art Nouveau style is a “last nostalgic expression of
facade, while Expressionism shows self-concern and anxiety
of the 20th century,” she said. i>
Comini has published five books on the subject of art in
Vienna. Her book “Schiele in Prison” was nominated for the
National Book Award in 1975. She has organized exhibitions on
Klimt and Schiele for the Guggenheim Museum and the Ar
mold Schoenberg Centennial Exhibition for the combined
museums of Vienna.
An exhibit of “The Fantastic Art in Vienna” is on display in
the Main Lobby of Pattee through Monday.
The many indentations give a variety of
notes and the height of each drum
determines its pitch. Musicians use '
rubber and copper mallets to hit each
note.
Singing by the Caribbean Student
Association Choir brought back
memories to some audience members
who joined in the familiar tunes.
choir members sang a haunting song,
“Sitting Here in Limbo,” with much
sensitivity. Other songs played by the
master of ceremonies added a more
comic touch to the evening.
Many audience members laughed and
sympathised with Sonny a Caribbean
student from Mosquito Creek who comes
to Penn State from his departure to
his return home. No one at home
believes him when he says that white
snow can turn black and Sonny finds that
hamburgers taste better than peas and
rice. Written by Caribbean students, the
skit describes the differences between
two cultures.
With such variety and high spirits,
Caribbean Night recaptured a more
carefree and melodious culture for an
evening and must have brought back
fond memories for many audience
members.
Iran's
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By MARGIE MARRON *
Daily Collegian Staff Writer
Now that the Iranian crisis has
dragged on for months, it seems like
everyone has an idea on how to handle
the situation including two State
College board game makers.
Samuel Rockwell and Michael Mc-
Crery have invented “Operation:
Jihad,” a game that lets players
recreate the hostage situation and work
out simulated military solutions for the
conflict. Rockwell and McCrery are co
owners of the Stardragon game com
pany, which they operate from Mc-
Crery’s home in Park Forest Village.
Jihad is an Islamic term for a holy
war.
“The game came about because both
of us felt that nothing was happening in
the Iranian situation,” Rockwell said.
“One day Mike went to Pattee and got a
copy of a map of Tehran, and we started
fooling around and came up with the
idea that it might make a good war
game.”
The two-player game, which Rockwell
calls a “simulated, mercenary strike to
free the American hostages,” sells for
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$6.95 and consists of a black-and-white
street map of Tehran and a rule book.
Percentile dice and counters for the
game must be bought separately.
Rockwell said he believes the game
can help a lot of people relieve some of
their frustrations about Iran while the
crisis is going on.
“When I play the game I get a feeling
of releasing inner frustrations, like I’ve
done something others haven’t done in
regards to the hostage situation,” he
said. “Even though it’s only a game, it is
a worthwhile feeling.”
Rockwell said that he and McCrery
are defensive about comments they have
heard about the game being exploitive.
“At times, I’ve wondered if the game
is exploitive, but I don’t believe it will
have much effect on the actual situation,
and it might be helpful to people who buy
it,” he said. “Personally, I’ve done
nothing to help the hostages, and I felt
the game was something I could work
at.”
Rockwell said that six trial games are
now available, but he is not sure how
well they are selling. However, the State
College merchant who is carrying the
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la. y&^
(!,-
The Daily Collegian Wednesday, April 23,1980 —19
games said that none have been sold as “I’m actually glad to see that somebody
yet, mainly because most people are not in the area tried to make a war game
aware of them. The merchant did not because it takes an incredible amountof
wish to be identified. time to make one.”
Rockwell said that an improved
second edition of the game; including a
colored map and counters, would be
available beginning last week.
Rockwell said he thinks the game
might sell better after the Iranian
situation is resolved because feelings
against Iran will still be very strong.
“After the conflict is over, people will
still be mad at Iran, and might buy the
game to see how they could have ended
the conflict, or as a collector’s item he
said. “Also, many stores are reluctant to
hold the game while the situation is still
current, but will take it when the conflict
is resolved.”
Stephen Kenney, a representative
from University’s War Game Club, said
he does not think the game will be ex
ploitive, provided it accurately reflects
the Iranian situation.
“I suppose that if the game is ac
curate, well done and well researched,
then it is just as valuable as any other
war game or military study,” he said.
Creative excellence is an American tradition
*Penn State tßoolfetore
oia campus
McAllister and Hetzel Union Buildings
' Owned and operated by the Pennsylvania State University
Kenney added that the price of
“Operation: Jihad” is low for a war
game, saying that most games sell for
$l2 to $2O.
Rockwell said that any profit from the
game will be reinvested in the Star
dragon company for production of future
games.
“We are considering putting out war
games on the Afghanistan crisis or on
the takeover of the Colombian em
bassy,” he said. “We also want to put out
a line of computer games.”
Rockwell said that he and McCrery
are not encouraging military action in
Iran by creating “Operation: Jihad.”
“One thing I want to make clear is that
we do not espouse to tell the American
government how they should act
militarily,” he said. “We don’t want to
see any unnecessary military action. We
just think the game could help relieve a
lot of frustrations.”
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