arts
The year of the hero:
1985's movie
By JILL S. KOSKO
and ANN SKOMRA
Collegian Arts Writers
If you were looking for one charac
teristic feature of the movies of 1985,
it'd be the reemergence of the Ameri
can hero.
The most influential type of hero in
films last year was "the tough guy"
Clint Eastwood in Pale Rider,
Sylvester Stallone in Rambo and
Rocky IV and Arnold Schwarzeneg
ger in Commando, to name a few.
While each of these Men have their
own distinct style, they all have in
common a intangible"bad-ass" qual
ity that makes movie-goers worship
them.
Other types of heroes appeared in
1985 that were a little softer and more
down-to-earth. These are the heros of
everyday life, whose problems we
can relate to and whose triumphs we
can rejoice in. For example, in Back
to the Future, Michael J. Fox was
totally endearing in his role as an
ordinary adolescent whose talents got
him through a very unusual situation.
Sally Fields in Places of the Heart
played a poor ordinary woman whose
admirable faculties of endurance
proved extraordinary.
Last year's films were no better or
worse than in any other year. But we
did see more movies that tried to be
good thankfully, we saw fewer
shoddily-made teenage sex comedies
and budget horror flicks. Instead,
Silverado and Pale Rider marked a
revival of the western.
The music business pushed its way
into the movies more aggressively
than ever in 1985. Movie soundtracks
from Beverly Hills Cop and White
Nights were big. sellers. It seems
every movie now must have a sound
track. Often, films today are forsaken
when background music is forced into
scenes where it doesn't belong, de
tracting our attention from the
screen.
Movies exert a force that extends
beyond their two hours on the screen
by creating new trends. Thanks to
Rambo and Commando our country
has millions of little boys running
around in fatigues, brandishing toy
machine guns and muttering the lead
characters' words. And after Am
adeus, it has almost become "cool" to
listen to Mozart.
But more importantly, as was espe
cially apparent last year. movies
reflect the trends in our society, re
vealing the attitudes that create our
national consciousness. The return to
macho male heroes mirrors the coun
try's recent conservative attitudes.
Unfortunately, these portrayals of
violent, rock-hard men perpetuate
male stereotypes and defeat progres
sive plans to implement more liberal
attitudes.
But movies are also taking sensi
tive looks at more human and social
issues. Although Witness is a murder
thriller, thematically it reveals the,
violence and mistrust of modern so
ciety by comparing it to the peace
and friendship of the Amish commu
nity. Cocoon opened many eyes to the
problems of the elderly.
When deciding which movies to
pick as the year's 10 best, we only
considered movies which opened here
in State College between January and
December, 1985. Here, in no partic
ular order, are our choices:
Mask A touching movie of a de
formed adolescent's struggle with a
rare disease, Mask received much
praise last year. Although Cher
Sam Elliott and Cher starred in what many critics thought was one of the most compassionate movies of the year, Peter
Bogdanovlch's Mask. The film is about the true story of Rocky Denis, who suffered from an disfiguring Illness. As his
mother in the film, Cher got much praise and Is an early favorite for an Academy Award for Best Actress. The best
performance, though, was by Eric Stoltz as the courageous lead character. He succeeds in making Rocky humane rather
than pathetic.
earned plenty of well-deserved atten
tion for her role as a tough, but well
meaning biker, the real star is Eric
Stoltz, whose sensitive performance
brings grandeur and compassion to
the movie. You can't easily forget his
romance with a beautiful blind girl or
his courageous speech in front of his
apprehensive classmates. His Rusty
is so likable, you leave the theater
wishing he had been a friend of yours
and feeling sincere sorrow for his
death. Mask didn't martyr or patron
ize its characters, but revealed in
equal measure their assets and flaws,
their doubts and triumphs. But the
movie was successful primarily be
cause it brought a simple message
home with zinging accuracy —what's
inside people counts more than how
they look.
Cocoon One of this year's most
optimistic movies, Cocoon was Ron
Howard's third directing effort. Por
traying the needs of the 'forgotten'
generation, the film focuses on a
group of retirement home residents.
The 'experienced' ensemble cast —'
Wilford Brimley, Don Ameche, Hume
Cronyn, Jack Guilford, Maureen Sta
pleton, and Jessica Tandy proves
that "you're not getting old, you're
just getting better."
Cocoon's plotline is reminiscent of
a Walt Disney production four
elderly couples discover the fountain
of youth, literally, in the next door
swimming pool. Their rejuvenation is
due a pool filled with cocoons con
taining aliens that were left behind by
their fellow extraterrestial explorers
when the city of Atlantis fell into the
sea.
Subplots, such as the alien Kitty's
(Tahnee Welch) romance with Jack
(Steve Guttenburg) and Ben's (Wil
ford Brimley) relationship with his
grandson, do not detract from the
depiction of the old people's empty
lifestyles. Perfiaps the irony of ne
glected veteran actors portraying the
abandoned elderly was intentional on
Howard's part, because it strength
ens his message that ability does not
decrease with age. The movie is a
documentary on the social hazards of
being old that can be enjoyed by the
entire family.
Places in the Heart A wonderful
movie about love, courage and deter
mination directed by Robert Benton.
Sally Field turns in a fine, Oscar
winning performance as Edna
Spaulding, a widow trying to save her
farm during the depression. What
really holds this movie together and
makes it the best of the last year's
save-the-farm movies is the side plots
involving a black farmhand (Danny
Glover) and a blind hostile boarder
(John Malkovich). Although its
sweetness sometimes borders on ho
kiness, the movie succeeds in captur
ing a place in audiences' hearts.
Back to the Future A box office
smash this summer that made Mi
chael J. Fox a star, Back to the
Future is a delicate mixture of ro
mance, suspense, and comedy is a
work of art and warrants recognition.
Fox plays a high school student
who, with the help of his insanely
genius professor, travels back in time
and has to divert his mother's amo
rous attentions. Not only must he
unite his future mother and father,
but he is faced with defending his
timid father-to-be from the ha
rassment of the school bully and
convincing his professor, now 30
ranged from 'bad-ass' hunks to humanitarians
idols
years younger, that they are friends.
Although these ideas alone induce
laughter, the film takes it further by
focusing on the differences between
life in the 1950 s and contemporary
society. Fox introduces the town to
skateboards, Calvin Klein and rock
'n' roll. Of course he must return to
the future but he does it in style in a
DeLorean.
It is this unrelenting lighthearted
ness that makes Back to the Future
so great. Not once does the plot line
lose its drive, nor does the audience
members lose the smiles on their
faces. Spielberg wisely used the act
ing talents that were available in
Fox, Lea Thompson, and Christopher
Lloyd, placing the characters' per
sonalities well within their acting
realms.
Jagged Edge Many critics thought
this movie was a pile of unbelievable
hogwash. Maybe so. But movies must
entertain audiences, and this one
certainly does. Jeff Bridges stars as a
newspaper publisher accused of the
brutal murder of his wife and maid.
Teddy Barnes, a lawyer played by
Glenn Close, reluctantly agrees to'
defend him. Doubting his innocence,
she nevertheless falls in love with
him.. The unpredictable plot reveals
at every turn hidden information,
surprise witnesses and new suspects.
In many , ways, Jagged Edge re
sembles the old mystery movies of
yesteryear, the kind that keeps audi
ences grabbing their armrests as
they wonder, who-done-it? Yet doses
of sex and violence mark this as a
picture of the 'Bos and amplify its
intensity. Bridges and Close give
compelling performances and create
an intriguing sensuality between
them. Especially good is Bridges,
who produces a character so icy
slick, no one can see below his sur
face to determine innocence or guilt.
But the real winner of this movie is
Director Richard Marquand who con
trols the suspense with fine-tuned
precision.
The Killing Fields Although audi
ences' tastes are becoming more
whimsical, one of the most critically
acclaimed movies of the year dealt
with an American journalist's strug
gle to find his Asian colleague. The
Killing Fields, a reference to the
Cambodian work camps, depicts the
life of Cambodian photojournalist
Dith Pran (Haing S. Ngor) after his
friend, New York Time's reporter
Sydney Schanberg (Sam Waterson),
is forced to flee the country. •
Both Waterson and Ngor perform
excellently, showing the many emo
tions that the two encounter as they
struggle to remain alive in a warring
country. Schanberg chooses to re
main in Cambodia when the Ameri
can embassy is evacuated, even
though it will endanger his assistant's
life. With the approach of the army,
the two are forced, along with several
hundred Cambodians to seek sanctio
nary in the French embassy.
However, unable to obtain or forge
a passport, Pran is removed from the
embassy and taken to a work camp.
Schanberg returns to the United
States where he receives an award
for his coverage of the conflict and,
unable to ignore his guilt, begins
searching for Pran. After several
years, Schanberg is able to locate
Pran in a refugee camp, and the two
are reunited.
This movie is outstanding in its
graphic detail. The stark, muddy
scenery of the work camps is unbelie-
• ..: .
•::
The title of Witness refers to this young Amish boy, peeking out a bathroom door at a brutal murder. This very popular
thriller starring Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis, gained widespread critical acclaim.
vably harsh. When Pran escapes the
camp, the torturous route that he
must follow takes him past mass
graves and Cambodian soldiers; both
of these encounters are shown so
vividly that Pran's tension is almost
tangible. It was this realistic por
trayal of the Cambodian's struggle
that won Ngor his Oscar as Best
Supporting Actor. Similarities be
tween. The Killing Fields and other
war/drama movies is inevitable,
since violence is a common factor,
but there is more meaning behind this
script and the characters. Despite its
lack of suspense, the movie is still
worthwhile.
Year of the Dragon Complaints of
racism and unrealistic violence made
it difficult for this vastly underrated
film to find public and critical accep-,
tance. But whether you hate Dragon
or love it, no one can leave the theater
feeling indifferent its energy and
vibrant atmosphere create deep, dis
turbing impressions that don't fade
easily. The movie's suspense, attrib
uted to Michael Cimino (award-win
ning director of The Deer Hunter),
keeps audiences taut in their seats for
over two hours, and leaves them
feeling vaguely exhausted when it's
over.
The story focuses on Stanley White,
a policeman fighting against the cor
ruption of Manhattan's Chinatown.
As his job becomes an obsession, he
alienates and hurts those closest to
him. Ultimately, the movie is not a
look at Chinatown but a look at a
flawed "hero" who must decide if
winning is worth the price. As White,
Mickey Rourke turns in one of the
year's most believable perfor
mances. Although his actions are
often deplorable, he's a likable char
acter that we sympathize with when
his vulnerable, lonely side is exposed.
Witness One film not lacking in
suspense is Witness, starring Harri
son Ford and Kelly McGillis. Di
rected by Peter Weir, the film is a
thriller that is set in the disarming
and picturesque world of the Amish.
Filmed in Lancaster, the scenery is a
refreshing change from the dark and
dismal murder settings of other such
movies. Also unuktal are Harrison
Ford and Kelly McGillis in their
inspiring depictions of two people in
love who are separated by religious
beliefs.
McGillis, an Amish widow, takes
her young son, Lukas Haas, to Phila
delphia where he witnesses a brutal
murder. Discovering that the killer is
an influential colleague, and wounded
by a murder attempt, police investi
gator Ford seeks refuge within the
Amish community. During his conva
lescence, the gentle widow and harsh
cop develop a forbidden fascination
with each other, one that is scorned
by the community and McGillis' suit
or, Alexander Gudunov.
As the murderer discovers and
traps the family on their farm, the
film comes to its dramatic and shock
ing end. However, it is not the graphic
violence that make this movie so
important, but the raw energy dis
played by every actor. McGillis por
trays her Amish character with ease,
and Haas and Godunov are accurate
and believable in their film debuts.
However, it is the chemistry that
develops between Ford and McGillis
that should be studied and remem
bered. Not since Tracy and Hepburn
has so much emotion been shown so
tastefully. The result is a sensual love
story that doesn't rely on blatant sex.
The fast-paced plotline and the vola
tile acting fill the viewer with tense
anticipation for the conclusion.
Amadeus Tom Hulce has come a
long way since his Animal House
days. In Amadeus, he portrays the
eccentric genius Mozart with admira
ble style. (Anyone who has seen the
movie can't forget that. . . uh, dis
tinctive laugh). Everything is won
derful in this film performances,
music, costumes and cinematogra
phy.
Although Mozart's life may sound
dull to the average movie goer today
(in other words, the high school pu
bescent crowd), be assured that there
is nothing dull about this wild and
crazy guy. You don't have to be a
lover of classical music or even se
rious movies to enjoy Amadeus. The
beauty of this best-picture winner lies
in the fascinating and humourous
insights we gain about Mozart, as we
watch the soaring peaks and disasta
rous pitfalls of his life.
A Chorus Line Although the film is
a disappointment to anyone who has
seen the stage play, the problems of
doing a film adaptation of this musi
cal makes any success a small mira
cle.
Centering on a New York 'cattle
call,' the story line revolves around 16
dancers who are auditioning for an
unknown number of positions in a
musical. Each dancer is called upon
by Zach, the director, to give his or
her life story. From this basic idea we
are given glimpses into the dancers
troubled lives. Monologues are given
on broken homes, homosexuality, the
inability to act and physical inade
quacies. Although the songs run the
range of emotions from anxiety to joy
to anguish, it is the director, Richard
_Attenborough, and not the dancers
who brings out the feeling in the
movie.
Michael J. Fox broke out of his Family Ties' television character with two movie
roles In 1985. Though Teen Wolf was savaged by critics, Fox got kudos as well
as mass exposure for his role as a smart•ass teenager In Back to the Future.'
The Daily Collegian
Monday, Jan. 27, 1986
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Where Witness relies on the actors
for the , emotional impetus, Chorus
Line uses camera angles, lighting,
and placement of characters. Atten
borough skillfully uses camera
sweeps by raising or lowering the
audienA's visual angle to fit the
mood of the song. From a technologi
cal point of view, this movie was the
greatest of the year, mainly because
all the credit belongs to one man and
not an entire special effects depart
ment.
A Chorus Line was not meant to be
filmed: it was written for the nearly
limitless three dimensional stage,
and designed so that the audience
became a part of the auditions. (Dur
ing a live performance the 'director'
sits in the audience). So when Atten
borough brings forth emotion from a
desensitizing, one dimensional
screen, the movie becomes the work
of a master.
All these movies were significant,
not because they were financial suc
cesses, but because they brought new
respect to the film industry. New
trends are evolving in movies. Teen
agers are being portrayed more intel-.
lectually, a step up from last year's
shallow sex romps. No longer trying
to make the audience forget' their
troubles, movies are raising their
viewers' levels of consciousness by
presenting more serious topics. The
elderly, the deformed and the minori
ties are becoming proper subject
matter. Gone are they days in which
every film was a fantasy today's
audiences are rediscovering moral
issues that we thought were put to
rest.
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Centre Stage brings Broadway to region
By JEFF BLISS
oolleglan Arts Writer
Last Saturday in the Pavilion
Theatre, the University became part
of a' growing trend towards the re
gionalization of professional theater.
The formation of Pennsylvania
Centre Stage, a theater company
made up of University personnel,
professionals and State College resi
dents, was introduced to an audience
of local theater people and press by
Alan W. Mianulli, its producing direc
tor.
The new organization replaces the
Pennsylvania Festival Theatre,
which put on plays in the area for 28
seasons. Accompanying the an
nouncement was a shortened version
of The Belle of Amherst by Oscar
winning actress, Kim Hunter.
In speeches made before Hunter's
performance, University President
Bryce Jordan, State College business
man James R. Palmer and director
Ellis Rabb emphasized the
movement of theater from Broadway
to regional outlets. Problems such as
high ticket prices, dwindling audi
ence support and high production
costs have led to the demise of New
York's most famous theater district,
said Palmer, president of Centre
Stage. "(Broadway has) never been
worse off financially or creatively,"
he said, noting that "The Great White
Way" supports only 17 theaters now
as opposed to 50 a half-century ago. In
contrast, Palmer pointed out, the
number of theaters across the coun
try has grown.
Rabb, who won a Tony Award for
his direction of The Royal Family,
also mentioned the loss of Broad
way's vitality. "(Broadway) has be
come a receptacle for what has
NOTICE
General Stores will be
closed for annual
inventory from 3:00 p.m.
on January 31, 1986 thru
February 7, 1986.
Reopen February
10, 1986.
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Mornings
are brighter
with
The Daily
Collegian
Expose yourself . . .
. . . to Penn State.
The next great news photos to appear in The Daily
Collegian could be yours.
The Collegian, one of the highest rated college
dailies in the country, is looking for some news
photographers. We are looking for those students
with both an interest and skill at capturing news,
sports and features on campus ' and in the
community.
No matter what your major or career goals, the
Collegian can offer valuable experience and training
as a newspaper photographer. The Collegian covers
Penn State like no other source and you can be a
valuable part of that coverage.
All interested students who are knowledgeable in
black and white photography should attend a
screening night at 7 p.m. Jan. 29 in 101 Carnegie.
Bring a pen and five samples of your work as a
photographer. The samples should represent your
best efforts.
If you have any questions, contact the photo
editor at 865-1828.
daily Collegian
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developed around the country and in Winter) Pielmeier will also help with
Europe. Most of the things that you productions.
see in New York now are the result of Along with this professional aspect,
something that happened someplace Centre Stage will have a connection
else." with the University's theater depart-
Such an atmosphere, he said, en- ment by using the same equipment
couraged him to move from New and facilities. Students will also have
York to San Diego Calif." The theater a chance to meet actor and directors,
I wanted to belong to had always
belonged all over the country."
Calling a cooperative theatrical Hunter reflects on long career
effort between the academic and pro
fessional communities "a very sound By JEFF BLISS include Deadline: USA, Stairway to
marriage," Rabb said he believed Collegian Arts Writer Heaven and Storm Center as well as
that universities and the arts "have a
very similiar moral objective in their Portraying the diversity of such the Apes series, in which she played
community." characters as Stella Kowalski and the benevolent psychiatrist, Dr. Zira.
In his remarks, Jordan said that Emily Dickinson would be a major Her early roles in television were
the University was joining such insti- challenge for most actresses. Yet
tutions as Yale, Harvard and Prince- Kim Hunter seems to have no trouble also noteworthy, as she was part of
the cast of the amous Playhouse 90
ton in having an association with with transformation. After appearing
production, Requiem for a Heavy
professional repertory companies. as the introverted 19th-century poet weight. Most recently, she's been
The group's first production, a revi- in Belle of Amherst last Saturday at involved in Private Sessions and Mar
val of James M. Barrie's Peter Pan, the Pavilion Theatre, she answered tin Luther King, Jr.: the Dream and
which will be directed by Rabb, will reporters' questions with the confi- the Drum.
run from June 28 to July 27. dente in public of a veteran perform-
Centre Stage's 1986 calendar also er. Theater, however, seems to be
includes Tenessee William's classic Hunter began her career on Broad- Hunter's real love and she has partic
play A Streetcar Named Desire, way in 1947 as Stella Kowalski in ipated in numerous regional and
which begins Sept. 13 and continues Streetcar Named Desire. At the time, Broadway productions, such as The
through Oct. 5. In the future, as many she was part of Elia Kazan's Actor's Tender Trap, The Children's Hour
as seven productions will be included Studio, which was divided into two and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
in Centre Stage's season, which lasts sections one for young profession- For her current role as Emily Dickin
from June to October. All Centre als and one for veteran players. Since son in Belle, she has gone across the
Stage performances will be held in her co-star in Streetcar, Marlon country performing an abridged ver
the Playhouse Theatre. Brando, was part of the more experi- sion of the play. "I've done it here and
Up to 70 percent of the casts for enced group, Hunter didn't meet him there," she said, adding that she will
Centre Stage's plays will be made up until they started rehearsing toge- do the whole production this March at
of professionals picked by Mianulli ther."He had already been in a cou-
the Theatre by the Sea in Ports
and a casting director in New York. ple of shows: That was my first mouth, New Hampshire. "I'm
An advisory board made up of Hunter Streetcar. Can you believe it?" looking forward to that."
and Rabb as well as Academy Award- Hunter did well, though, and re- As of now, Hunter has no plans of
winning actresses Celeste Holm and created her stage role for Kazan's retiring. She talked about an English
Patricia Neal, actor Don Correia film version of the Tennessee Wil- actress she once worked with who
(star of the current Broadway play, hams' play, winning the Academy was 84 years old. "I think she finally
Singing in the Rain) and playwright Award and a Golden Globe for her died at 96 on stage," Hunter said. "I'd
John (Agnes of God, The Boys of performance. Her other film credits settle for that."
FORT LAUDERDALE FOR
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Become eligible if you sign a lease for a semester
or more at one of our available one and two
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CALL NOW! KAPLAN VENTURES 237.1564.
go on backstage tours and participate
in internships with the company.
As the main theater outlet for the
3000-square-mile area between Phila
delphia and Pittsburgh, Centre Stage
has the potential to be one of the 20
largest regional companies in Ameri
ca, Mianulli said.
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Actress Kim Hunter meets the press at this weekend's opening of the
Pennsylvania Centre Stage. The highlight of Saturday's festivities was an
abridged version of the actress' one•woman play The Belle of Amherst. Hunter
said that projects such as Centre Stage are promoting the survival of American
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The Daily Collegian Monday, Jan. 27, 1986-15
Colloglan Photo /Julie McCulloch