Thursday, September 20,1990
Liner Notes
New film rating not
the answer
by Robb Frederick
Entertainment Editor
The ratings system devised by the Motion Picture
Association of America will be further tested on Oct. 3, when
filmakers appeal the X rating slapped on Phil Kaufman's
forthcoming film Henry & June. The appeal has heightened tensions
in a year heavy with controversial films.
The MPAA has responded to increasing public pressures by
proposing a new category for the ratings system. Tentatively labeled
RR, the additional rating would ban viewers under 17 unless
accompanied by an adult. To me, that sounds pretty close to the
rules governing R rated movies.
Members of the MPAA argue that the new rating would allow
directors to include rougher material while avoiding the
pornographic association an X rating carries.
A further ratings subdivision is not the answer. If the RR rating
were established, filmakers could incorporate more graphic sex and
violence without fearing the stigma which accompanies the X
rating.
The MPAA needs to become more consistent in its rulings, and
it must accept that some films, like last year's The Cook, the Thief.
His Wife <6 Her Lover, will accept and even strive for an X rating in
the hopes that a public controversy will financially compensate for a
lack of artistic quality.
The MPAA will not escape its problems through the creation of
further ratings brackets. But if Congress can hope to alter the
Constitution because of current trends in public opinion, the film
ratings system may inevitably become a complex system of sub
divided bureaucratic bull.
• A four-CD boxed set documenting the career of John
Lennon will be issued next month to mark what would have been
the ex-Beatles' 30th birthday. Tentatively titled Lennon, the
compilation will feature 73 tracks, including seven which will be
making their CD debut. The set, which was approved by Yoko
Ono, will sell for about $76 and will not be available on vinyl or
cassette format.
• Tesla has pulled the plug and moved toward acoustic music
on the forthcoming Geffen LP Five Man Acoustical Jam. The live
piece will feature IS tracks, including covers of The Beatles' "We
Can Work It Out," the Rolling Stones' "Mother's Little Helper,"
and the Grateful Dead's "Truckin."
• Fusion guitarist Pat Methany has threatened a lawsuit
against Florida Governor Bob Martinez. Martinez, who sparked
the censorship furor over 2 Live Crew, allegedly used Methany's
song "Last Train Home” in TV campaign ads.
• Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer vetoed a bill last week
which would have required additional warning labels on recordings
dealing with certain aspects of sex, violence, or substance abuse.
The governor noted concern for musical content, but supported the
voluntary labels used now used by the Recording Industry
Association of America.
• Several classic episodes of "The Ed Sullivan Show" may soon
be broadcast again. Producer Andrew Solt has purchased the rights
to every episode of the CBS series and is negotiating with
syndicators and the three major networks to get a series and a two
hour special onto the screen again. Selected re-runs may include the
Beatles' first U.S. appearance, a gyrating Elvis Presley filmed
from the waist up, and the infamous Rolling Stones
performance, during which the band was forced to change the lyrics
of "Let’s Spend the Night Together" to "Let's Spend Some Time
Together."
• Geffen Records will no longer distribute releases from Def
American Recordings. The label has been at odds with Def
American's controversial roster, which includes comedian Andrew
-Dice" Clay.
• Pocket Books is set to release The Secret Diary of Laura
Palmer later this month. The trade paperback, written by Jennifer
Lynch, (daughter of co-creator/director David Lynch), will
include "actual" pages from Laura's diary, including information that
has not been disclosed on the cult TV series.
• Yusuf Islam, who used to be known as Cat Stevens,
referred to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as a "congenial fellow"
during a recent visit to Baghdad. Not what you'd expect from the
guy who owes his earlier recording success to the song "Peace
Train."
• George Michael has written and produced a track for
Wham! backing singers Pepsi & Shirlie.
• Producer Bob Rock will, produce Metallica’s next Electra
LP when the band otters the studio early next month.
The Collegian
Entertainment
Lemon Sisters tugs emotions
New film draws heavily from "Beaches"
by Christi Luden
Collegian Staff Writer
"A comedy about one of life's
greatest challenges - staying
friends." Diane Keaton, Carol
Kane, and Kathryn Grody star as
those friends surviving all of
life's hardships in The Lemon
Sisters. Written by Jeremy Piker,
produced by Joe Kelly, and
directed by Joyce Chopra, this
comedy is supposed to resemble
Beaches. Although that goal is
definitely not achieved, the film
isn't a total disaster.
Eloise (Keaton), Frankie
(Kane), and Nola (Grody) are
three nine-year-old girls who
meet in Atlantic City. They go
through the typical secret-telling,
talking about boys, and
developing that all girls go
through. They meet under the
boardwalk (sounds like Beaches
doesn't it?) and make a pact to
meet every Monday for 82000
and some years.
The film then moves into the
present. All three girls are
women with lives of their own
trying to make it after their
parents have died. Eloise is an
eccentric cat-lover trying to keep
her father's TV-show collection
business going in a place where
big hotels and casinos are taking
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Frankie is an aspiring singer
holding on to the dream of her
and her two best friends owning
and singing in a night club.
Nola, the narrator throughout
the film, is a married mother of
three. She and her husband
(Elliott Gould) are still keeping
the family taffy business alive
while struggling through money
problems.
The movie is strictly
geared towards the
advertising slogan
"...staying
friends. "
The three friends of many
years are still very much a part of
each others' lives. They each have
dreams that are somewhat crushed
by realities throughout the
movie. The little girl problems
of boys and growing up have
grown into life's problems of
money, love and trying to hold
on to the past in a changing
Page 7
Although the majority of the
film is about the women's
present lives, flashbacks of them
as children are intermingled
throughout This, along with the
attempt to mesh the three lives
together, makes the movie
choppy. There is a lack of plot to
the extent that you can walk out
of the theater for popcorn without
worrying about missing
anything.
It is evident in a few places
that the film-makers are trying to
do a variation of the extremely
successful Beaches. The attempt
is not a good one. Although there
are some touching scenes, this
film lacks the sad storyline of
Beaches.
The movie is strictly geared
towards part of the advertising
slogan stated earlier: "...-staying
friends.” The thing it wasn't: "A
comedy...."
The acting was good. Each
actress, along with her actor
partner, fits her part well and adds
variety to the film. This is what
saved the movie, along with the
final statement in the narration
by Kathryn Grody which summed
up the main theme: "You need to
know what to let go of and what
to hang to." This can be applied,
not only to friendship, but also
to all aspects of life in general.