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Entertainment
"Big" Cute Comedy
Darrell J. White
Collegian Staff Writer
In this age; technology
dominates society. So much so
that all the media now revolve
around it: television, radio, print,
and even the subject matter of
that print. The number of VCRs
present in the dorm rooms of
Behrend College has steadily
increased over the past few
semesters. I believe it is high
time that this newspaper's
entertainment section join its
peers across the country in a new
form: the video cassette reviews.
(the previous paragraph was a
glitzy way of stating that I, the
author, did not get beyond the
confines of my home to see a
film to review this week.)
BIG Directed by Penny
Marshall. Starring Tom Hanks,
Elizabeth Perkins, Robert
Loggia. Released in 1988. Rated
PG
Over the past few years, film
makers have stumbled upon a
genre that has produced large
amounts of money, yet few
worthwhile films.. This :is the
story of the little boy's mind in
the adult body, and vice-versa.
(Films like the horrid "Like
Father, Like Son" make me wish
that all the movie theaters would
be the first places to fall in a
Communist takeover.)
Only two movies in this vein
have even been given any serious
consideration. These are "Vice
versa" and "Big." The main stars
of these films, Judge Reinhold
and Tom Hanks, have shown
themselves equals in the fact that
their comic ability springs
directly from childhood. In both
films, they have displayed an
ability to literally regress and,
low _ and 'behold,- transform
theniServis into" Children (in
mind, if not body) right before
our eyes, whereas Dudley Moore,
in the aforementioned horrid film,
only succeeded in looking
pathetically stupid.
Enough comparison. On to
"Big." The story springs from a
problem every thirteen-year-old
has faced: competing against
parents who demand chores, best
friends with big mouths, and
sixteen-year-olds who know how
to drive.
Director Penny Marshall (yes,
CONCIE 3 11 - CON! NIE - ClFlllOkl
April 17 - Escape Club, Mike and
the Mechanics Palace Theater
April 18 - Living Color Fantasy Theater
•
April 18,19- Cats Warner Theater
April 19 . - The Fixx Metro Agora
a.k.a. Laverne DeFazio from
"Happy Days" and "Laverne and
Shirley") intelligently moves the
story rapidly to Josh's problem,
not wasting any time, saving it
for the gimmick that makes this
film work.
That gimmick is when Josh
finds a game at a carnival called
"Zoltar", a wizard that grants
wishes. Josh naturally wishes he
was big. Foreshadowing the
outcome of Josh's wish are the
weather, which is threatening to
storm, and the fact that the
machine, while working, was
unplugged.
When Josh wakes up the next
morning, he's in the thirty-year
old body of Tom Hanks. Hanks
is believable right from the
instant, when he's dangling his
legs over the side of his bunk
bed. He shows genuine fear and
amazement when he sees himself
in the mirror for the first time
and realizes what happened.
He presents himself to his
mother, and she screams in
horror. "What have you done
with my son?"
"I am your son, mom!" Hanks
whimpers in mounting fear. This
increasing_ fe_ar of "what in the
.world-is. happening. to the . and
how can I make it stop" is what
hooks the audience's heart. Hanks
flees in terror, and is forced to
spend the night in a hotel in a
disreputable neighborhood, being
that's all he can afford. •
Things turn a little hokey
when he applies for a job at a toy
company, unknowingly listing
incredibly outrageous references
on his resume. ( He's had a home
computer for the past four years,.
so he lists four years experience
with computers.) He gets the job
(how is beyond the knowledge of
any thinking person), and when
the boss, MacMillan (Robert
Loggia) sees his enthusiasm,
automatically takes a fatherly
attitude towards him:
This is culminated In a chance
Saturday morning meeting in a
toy store. MacMillan sees Josh's
enthusiasm for toys, and like him
all the more. The creme de la
creme occurs when the . ) , stumble
upon a segment of floor designed
like a piano keyboard: step on the
right keys and play music. I
won't divulge this scene, it's too
well-done and heartwarming. Just
rent the tape and enjoy it.
In the midst of all Josh's good
fortune, there is something bad.
As he gets promoted to vice
president in charge of testing new
toys (naturally), he becomes less
and less like a child. This is
director Marshall's analogy to the
"lost youth" concept. He
becomes involved with
MacMillan's secretary (played by
the lovely Elizabeth Perkins),
and, after his first sexual
experience, he seems to even
want to be older.
The little things that remind
us he's really thirteen are still
there, though, such as the bounce
in his step, his lack of knowledge
of marketing skills that he's
constantly picked on about, and
that sexual encounter. (He kisses
her, she begins to undress. His
eyes are transfixed,...you know
where. She coolly reaches past
him to shut off the light, and he,
his eyes never moving, reaches
back to flip the light back on.)
In spite of his new world, he
is constantly drawn back to his
childhood days. This is
exemplified in the decor of his
new apartment, his sense of
responsibility to his mother (who
still believes that Josh has been
kidnapped), and his
view
other children at play.. .
He's happy in his new world,
but Penny Marshall expertly
keeps the story so that there is
some constant reminder that he is
First and foremost a thirteen-year
old.
In resolving this conflict,
Marshall keeps the story from
bogging down in too much
sentiment. (Let's face it. In a film
like this, the audience will be
forced to "look back" upon those
days. Sentiment is all Marshall
has got to work on.) The main
point she is trying to make is
that once you're an adult, you
can't go home again. Josh was an
exception. "Big" is a reminder
that it never hurts to have a little
childishness in your heart.
With any luck, my schedule
next week will be clear enough
for me to go out and see some
real films. As for now, I thank
you for bearing with me, and I
urge you once more: if you have
a. VCR, rent this movie. When
you talk about it, you'll sound
like Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer when you say, "I think
it's cute!"
The Collegian Wednesday, April 12
Live Show
With Bohemians
by Robb Frederick
Collegian Staff Writer
The lights dimmed, the
anxious crowd produced an ear
splitting roar of approval, and six
silhouettes moved into view,
backed by the familiar chords
of....the Peanut's theme? That's
right- the Peanut's theme, and
Schroeder should feel privileged.
This light-hearted introduction
served as a perfectly suitable
beginning for the night's
entertainment - the Pittsburgh
debut of Edie Brickell and New
Bohemians. Utilizing the
moderate success of their debut
release, "Shooting Rubberbands
at the Stars," Brickell and the
Bohemians have launched a tour
of small venues emphasizing
sound quality, not seating
capacity. And if Thursday's
performance at the Syria Mosque
is an indicator of the tour's other
stops, this band will soon be
playing in much larger halls.
Beginning with the song
"Beat the Time," the Bohemians
led fans through their debut
recording, omitting only the
ballad "I Do." The swift beats and
catchy choruses of "The Wheel"
and "Love Like We Do" brought
fans to their feet, as the aisles
filled with dancing ticket buyers,
and- elidn- a: feW• acing ushers:
. The slower,
_more
Bohemianesque songs like "She,"
"Nothing" and "Little Miss S"
showcased the fresh, care-free
style of Edie and the Boys. -
Percussionists John Bush and
Matt Chamberlain combined their
talents for an overwhelming drum
solo which hinted at the
Bohemians' slight reggae
influence. This solo smoothly
began the song "Keep Coming
Back," which was performed with
a level of intensity not often
reached by this usually laid-back
group.
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The familiar "What I Am,"
and "Circle," the latest single by
the Bohemians, brought the
Mosque to life as the surprisingly
small crowd compensated for the
hall's empty seats by singing
loud enough to almost obscure
Brickell's airy vocals.
The Bohemians also gave the
crowd a sampling of new
material. Interspersed between the
more recognizable tracks, these
new songs were well received by
the eager crowd, giving the band's
future a promising outlook. The
success of this new material lies
in the continuation of the
Bohemian's current musical
success - catchy beats
supplementing the dreamy vocals
of Edie Brickell.
Brickell is unquestionably the
driving force behind the
Bohemian's commercial success.
The appeal of this twenty-two
year-old Texan songstress can not
be pinpointed, but it was
obviously felt by a majority of
the fans representing Pittsburgh.
Dressed in a button-down shirt
and jeans, Brickell received
screams of adoration for the
slightest wave of her hand. As
her impressive vocal range
challenged the musicianship of
her bandmates, Edie would slink
against the microphone, stand
with her bandsin_her pockets, or
-cross Iler legs . in an absent
minded fashion, all to the
approval of her newfound musical
following.
The performance of Brickell
and the Bohemians focused on
their respectable musical ability,
not the elaborate effects of an
expensive light show. The
Bohemians' visual effects
consisted of a few pieces of cloth
draped from the ceiling and an
occasional pattern of moving
lights projected onto the stage's
backdrop.