Thursday, October 25,1990
Memphis Belle
takes to the air
d J. Csir
The Collegian
It's 1943. The air war rages in
Western Europe between Allied
forces and Nazi Germany. B-17s
fly bombing runs daily,
attempting to cut off Germany's
wartime manufacturing plants.
The Memphis Belle and her
crew have completed 24
consecutive missions and they
only need one more before they
can go home. And of course the
last mission is a thrilling, hair
raising roller coaster flight.
Matthew Moline plays the
Belle's captain, Eric Stoltz is the
radio operator and John Lithgow
makes an appearance as a Public
Relations ringleader. Modine and
Stoltz are just two of the Belle's
ten airmen.
Producer David Puttnarn was
inspired by Top Gun, but he saw
a need for something more
substantial. "I wanted to have the
technical skills of a Top Gun
and have people caring, the
human element."
"Memphis Belle" doesn't barrage the audience
with American war propaganda, as did most
war movies from the 19505.
In addition to Puttnam's
creativity, the ten actors on the
Belle's crew trained in a simulated
boot camp for two weeks prior to
the film's production.
Stoltz said it was Puttnam's
way of getting the guys together,
to have them learn each other's
reactions and to create a realistic
environment for the movie. This
is evident as the crew horses
around like fraternity brothers and
relies on an obsessive need for
good luck charms as the specter
of death lurks in the background.
Memphis Belle doesn't
barrage the audience with
American war propaganda, as had
been the case with most
American war movies from the
1940'5. Today's audience isn't
embroiled in a war (not yet) and
society is more of a
conglomeration of special interest
groups rather than a unified
nation.
Instead of typical propaganda
(bombs dropping while
symphonic music plays on), the
film delicately defies any over
glorification of death. Regardless
of nationality, a dead soldier is a
dead human who leaves family
and friends behind.
John Lithgow's character, a
PR man from the Army, is
The Collegian
oblivious to the dirty side of war
and wants the Belle's crew to be
shining examples for America,
just because they would be the
first bomber crew to complete
their tour of duty.
Yet, toward the film's end,
Lithgow appreciates the sacrifice
so many airmen have made. After
reading a letter from a deceased
serviceman's mother, he
understands this sacrifice.
"I hope when this war is all
over, there will be a better way to
solve the world's problems," she
writes.
More intriguing than the anti
propaganda stance of Belle is the
last mission. Blazing machine
guns, burning engines and falling
airmen are just a few of the many
exciting scenes in this film.
Matthew Modine looks like
the next Burt Lancaster, and
although he doesn't have Burt's
commanding, biblical voice, he's
quietly effective.
The rest of the gang represents
the usual society-in-a-nutshell
stereotypes: the geek (Courtney
Gains), the hard-ass (Neil
Giuntoli), the hotshot (Tate
Donovan), the virgin (Reed
Diamond), and the singer (Harry
Connick, Jr.).
Despite the obvious
limitation in trying to identify
with so many characters, the
audience can still enjoy the highs
and lows of the Memphis Belle
and her crew.
In addition, the film's humor
relieves some of the dramatic
tension, thus entertaining the
audience on a balanced scale.
When one of the' rookie
airmen asks Gunner Neil
Giuntoli what advice he would
give him for his first mission,
Giuntoli replies, "Pull out your
gun, shoot your foot and go
home!"
The gracefully eloquent script
pales in comparison to the
somewhat predictable plot.
There are plenty of surprises,
however, for even the most
callous action addict. Just
watching these awesome flying
machines sail through white
clouds is almost a religious
event. If you're in need of good
thrill, some humor and a cast full
of future Hollywood stars, catch a
ride on the Memphis Belle. It's a
direct hit.
worth the wait.
The Collegian
Entertainment
Indigo Girls get depressed
New release serves up more of the same
b Robb Frederick
The Collegian
"...May we be found honest
about the darkness, more
perceptive of the light."
This quote, lifted from the
mysterious Dr. Jack Boozer,
serves as a cornerstone for
Nomads • Indians • Saints, the
third LP from the Georgia-based
Indigo Girls.
Darkness plays an integral
part in this release, and the
versatile duo of Emily Saliers and
Amy Ray are quite honest about
what they find in the black depths
of their lyrical repertoires.
The subjects raised on
Nomads • Indians • Saints cover
the spectrum of depression,
detailing the hardships of life on
the road, drug addiction, public
apathy, and a craving for
acceptance.
This despressing subject
matter is easily masked, however,
by the energetic, upbeat style of
the Indigo Girls' performance.
Saliers and Ray clearly strive
for the light as they exchange
powerful, emotional lyrics and
combine their voices to create the
flowing harmonies which appear
so rarely in today's mainstream
music.
The focused beat of the pair's
acoustic guitars, rooted in the
folk tradition, forcefully propels
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some tracks while delicately
restraining others.
Nomads • Indians • Saints
begins with the upbeat "Hammer
and a Nail," an inspiring
commentary against apathy. The
track is remeniscent of the single
"Closer to Fine," which landed
the duo's self-titled second LP on
the charts. The song also
provides an example of the Indigo
The Indigo Girls'
style has lost some
of its novelty after
three albums.
Girls' environmental beliefs
"Now I know a refuge never
grows / From a chin in a hand
and a thoughtful pose / Gotta
tend the earth if you want a rose,"
Saliers repeats in the chorus.
Other highlights include the
soothing "Southland in the
Springtime," and the simple but
effective "1 2 3."
"Southland: a vivid depiction
of life on the road, illustrates the
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wear and frustration that
accompanies constant touring.
The tone becomes positive,
however, as Saliers fondly
anticipates her return home.
On "1 2 3," Ray extends the
group's vocal reach and plows
into a deep, raspy lead. The
chorus may be primitive, but
when a pounding guitar kicks in
support, the track becomes
irrisistable.
The technique is a surprising
change from the duo's
characteristic airy harmonies, and
the switch is quite effective.
Nomads • Indians • Saints
would benefit from more of
these artistic experimentations.
Although the Indigo Girls' style
has provided a refreshing break
from the current formulaic radio
fare, the sound has lost some of
its novelty after three albums.
After the first few tracks, the
music on Nomads • Indians •
Saints tends to flow together too
smoothly. The sparse
instrumental accompaniment
further restricts the range of
Saliers and Ray, isolating the
pair in their unplugged guitar
jacks.
To keep listeners interested,
the Indigo Girls need to expand
their style and vary from their
folk-heavy sound. After all, even
Bob Dylan plugged his amplifier
in and went electric.
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