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Entertainment
"Say Anything" Works
by Darrell J. White
Collegian Staff Writer
Say Anything Directed by
Cameron Crowe. Starring John
Cusack, lone Skye, John
Mahoney. Rated PG-13 for mild
profanity, sexual situations.
rating ***
Well, sports fans, here we are
again in a genre which has
produced many movies over the
past few years, most all of them
mediocre, nothing more , nothing
less. A few years ago, Cameroon
Crowe directed Fast Times at
Ridgemont High, a film of the
teeny-hopper mentality which
achieved a small cult following
for the performance of
Christopher Penn, as a typical
California surf-punk who is not
above ordering pizza for the long
and boring period known as
history class. (This was presented
as a bad thing in high school, but
those of us in college know
better.) In this movie, Crowe
attempted to tackle some serious
issues such as dropout rate in
our high schools, and teenage
pregnancy. He merely touched on
those issues„ doing nothing
more than hinting at them.
Crowe has not fled this genre;
rather, he has done some
cinematic-growing up. Say
Anything is an exploration of a
phenomenon that all of us have
experienced at one time or
another: the first date. Crowe
handles it lovingly, as if he were
looking back fondly in a photo
album. John Cusack plays Lloyd
Dobbler, your average high
school student. He gets good
grades, is athletic, and generally a
Lovers
by Tracy Fenton
Collegian Staff Writer
After the opening night of
Behrend's production of "Lovers",
there were some mixed reviews
around campus. Some students
were claiming it was better than
the previous plays, while others
were complaining of a dragging
and boring show. After seeing the
production second night running, I
would say without a doubt
"Lovers" was a successful piece of
work. The audience of Behrend
students, faculty, and general
public gave a positive reaction
with their laughter and applause. I
was truly enterained, somewhat
educated, and elevated by the play.
"Lovers", by Brian Friel, is a
play taking place in Ireland, year
1966. It consisted of two parts
entitled "Winners" and "Losers".
With only a cast of eight, the
actors did a fine job of keeping the
energy alive and the audience alert
and laughing. Despite the slight
problem of three short power
outages, the play got off to a good
nice guy all around. His problem:
he is hopelessly infatuated with a
"brain trapped in the body of a
game show hostess."
Diane Court is played by the
lovely lone Skye. She ranks
number one academically in high
school, and has won a fellowship
to go to college in England,
outranking all other students in
the United States. She has had
her share of problems, however.
When she was very young, her
parents were divorced, and she
was forced to choose between
both her parents. She has a long
list of rich guys willing to go
out with her, but as Billy Joel's
song said," she's getting tired of
her high-class toys/ She's got her
choice." And she doesn't know
Lloyd; she is forced to look up
his picture in the yearbook.
We fall for Lloyd all the more
at the party he takes Diane to on
their first date. He is responsible,
so he is rendered the "keymaster".
(He holds everyone's car keys and
decides whether or not someone
is able to drive.) The way he
handles an overaffectionate and
very drunk party-goer
consummated the audience's
opinion of him: this kid is a
good guy. Diane should go out
with him.
We are also given a detailed
look at Diane's life, which is
neatly interwoven with the
storyline. Diane really lives her
father and is working as lard as
she is to please him. Mr. Court
(John Mahoney) is somewhat
reminiscent of George C. Scoot
as he runs his retirement home.
Yet he has problems, too. He has
been under investigation for the
past five years from the I.R.S. It
appears that he never wanted to
hurt anyone; he just wanted the
A Winner
start. Tom Barra, as Joseph
Brennan and Jennie Kleskie as
Margaret Enright created an
interesting scene full of imagery
and believability without the
assistance of many props.
To me,the scene portrayed two
young lovers on the brink of
entering a forced marriage with
trepidation and many illusions.
The scene seemed to drag slightly
in the middle, but picked up near
the end. I was impressed with
Jennie Kleskie's ablility to shift
her emotions so drastically in a
matter of moments. Tom Barra
was admirable in his role because
of his realistic and humorous
performace. The characters were
representative of the lack of
communictaion and understanding
between young lovers anywhere.
• Although it was titled
"Winners", the scene ending was a
bit tragic. It seems as if the author
left the interpretation of exactly
how the characters died up to the .
audience. After discussing it with
other members of the audience, it's
best for himself and for his
daughter.
Diane so wants to please her
father thaat, after she and Lloyd
fall into a storybook (yet
realistic) romance that completely
captivates the audience, she is
willing to break it off with
Lloyd because her father calls
him "a distraction".
Here every male in the
audience who has ever been in
love can relate to Lloyd's
situation. (Boy, can they.) At
the same time Lloyd tells Diane
he loves her, she dumps him.
Just like that. You can tell that
she doesn't really want to, but
she does anyway. I don't know
about anybody else, but I felt a
real pain in my heart watching
Lloyd, despondent , talking on a
payphone in the middle of a
pouring rain: "I gave her my
heart and she gave me a pen,....1
feel like I want to cry."
It all seems typical, yet it
isn't. Crowe handles this boy
meets-girl story intelligently,
turning the main characters lives
in to lives of real people, with
real problems. This movie is a
delight to watch. John Cusack
plays his apprehensive male
perfectly, with only the smallest
traces of Machievellian
. egocentricity. lone Skye plays
the female nicely: a wee bit
nervous, but mainly because she
isn't used to hanging around with
any distinct crowd. And Cameron
Crowe has certainly matured,
handling the ritual of boy-meets
girl with such a loving
remembrance that it hints at John
Boorman's Hope and Glory. It's
surprising that an irresistible
heartwarmer as such can come
from such a mediocre genre.
apparent there can be many
different ideas. Some people
thought the lovers committed
suicide togeter, yet others believed
it was a tragic accident. Overall, it
was an entertaining work that left
me with satisfaction of money
well spent and a mixture of
emotions.
The second part of "Lovers"
was entitled "Losers". This was
quick scene full of energy and
laughter. Bill Warner played a
magnificent role as a middle-aged
Irishman about to get into a
marriage along with an annoying
mother-in-law. The scene with
Bill's character, Andrew Tracey,
reciting poetry while 'courting'
Hanna Wilson, portrayed by Laura
Weaver, was hilarious. The scene
with his mother-in-law, played by
Pat Hagenbuck (from "Bette and
Bo"), was laughter filled too. The
audience was defmitely impressed
by the play by evidence of their
enthusistic applause and
conclusively, "Lovers" was a play
worthwhile viewing.
The Collegian Wednesday, April 26
Eriesistable
Summer
by Nanette Quatchak
Entertainment Editor
For those of you that are staying at Behrend for any of the
summer sessions, I've got some good news for you. How can there
be anything good about spending the summer taking classes when all
of your friends have gone home? Well, as a voice of experience, this
summer could prove to be one of your better ones if you are staying.
Although the definite majority of people at Behrend do go home for
the summer, those that stay become very close and have a great time!
Erie, even though it is criticized to no end, can be and is a fun
place in the summer time. It happens to be the third largest city in
Pennsylvania, it is two hours away from Canada, and it is located
right on Lake Erie. These three facts, along with others, make for an
eventful and enjoyable summer.
Let's start with the city of Erie itself. Downtown Erie offers the
same types of entertainment that the two largest cities of
Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh and Philadelphia) do: concerts, musicals,
comedians, an arts festival, operas, and plays. Granted, there are not
as many locations to house these events, but nonetheless, if you
want cultural events to attend, Erie has them.
Now lets discuss the other country that is only two hours away.
For some odd reason there are not too many people that take
advantage of this opportunity. Canada is a beautiful country and we
should take advantage of it's closeness. Toronto, one of Canada's
finest cities is only four hours away and for those of ,you that are
under 21, this city provides a great time along with a drinking age of
19.
Erie also provides summer residents with a Great Lake and beach.
For those of you that have never been to Presque Isle, you're missing
out; from picnicking and partying to swimming, boating, and
fishing, Lake Erie offers many different summertime activities. And
when the sun goes down don't think about leaving the beach. Why?
Because Erie has the second most beautiful sunset in the world. In
the world??!!?? Yes, in the world; it is second only to Japan.
And for those of you that are "of age," Erie has some great
summer hangouts right on the lake. There's nothing lice sitting on a
deck over-looking a boat spotted lake with some friends drinking a
nice cold beer or two (or three.....).
Let me not forget to mention that Erie is also, only two hours
away from Buffalo, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. This is convenient
for those occasional to frequent roadtrips to see concerts and sporting
events.
So, if I haven't given you a better perspective about staying in
Erie for the summer whether you're taking classes or working,
don't know what else to say except, what do you do where you live?