CHEESE WHIZ from the Top of the Balcony Stairs to His Position on a Stool VOL
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HUBBADAHUBBADAHUBBADA by Eric Olson Photos by Kim Light accordian player, a seven man brass section and three female back-up vocalists Buster calls the Siamese Triplets. This of course excluded the main man himself. A spotlight followed Buster CHEESE WHIZ from the top of the balcony stairs to his position on a stool VOL. 69, No. 7 in front of the audience. Like most of the audience I didn’t 7 • 27 • 88 know what to expect. From a man who used to play next to Buster Poindexter ► He’s the new messiah of and the Banshees lounge lizards! He’s fast. He’s groovy. He’s a lady’s man; of Blue Sinatra in disguise. In troducing Buster Poindexter. Yeah, he played at the El Paseo a week ago yesterday. If you weren’t there you shoulda been. The action-packed show started on schedule with the Johnny Thunders in the New York Dolls dressed in drag complete with wig, rouge, lipstick and four-inch plat forms, to the star of s alsa- PU Pee-Wee ►2A rumba band ... something smells of the descendent POWAQQUATSI ►2A cheese of Frank Sinatra, (Continued on p.4A) Bruce Pulls Through ►3A Cleese’s Cheese ►4A procession of Buster’s band members entering the courtyard from the above balcony. I haven’t seen such a plentitude of musicians for one band since Lawrence Welk’s Champagne Orchestra. The Banshees of Blue, as they are called, consist of one per cussionist, one drummer, one stand—up bassist, a piano/- BIG FLOP PEE-WEE 2A However, after the beginning of the film something evil took over and made Big Top Pee-Wee fall flat on its face. 7 • 27 • 88 To be safe from a storm, Pee-Wee and his barnyard friends take refuge in the basement only to find when they came out that the circus has taken over his farm in order to recover from the bad weather. When circus manager Mase Montana (Kris Kristofferson) and Pee- Wee team up to put the circus back on its feet. When Pee-Wee falls in love with one of the circus performers played by Valeria Golino, the laughs fall short, even by Dawn Mermer shorter than Montana’s six-inch wife. From this point on, the film becomes tod crowded with not too amusing circus performers and highly unsettling side show freaks. Director Randal Kleiser (Grease, Blue Lagoon, Summer Lovers) and writers Paul Reubens and George McGrath also failed in their heroic attempt to make the audience sympathize with the prejudice that the circus people face in the local town. All this while Pee-Wee Ahh, what happened to those carefree days when Herman is running around like a tiresome, humorless Borsodi's was in business, Jesse Jackson was still in buffoon trying to find an act to perform in the circus the presidential race, and Pee-Wee Herman could be and trying to patch things up with his former and counted on to supply continual laughs? Yep, current lovers (yes, Pee Wee has more lovers than astonishing as it may seem Pee-Wee failed miserably to Eddie Murphy.) keep me laughing throughout his new film Big Top Pee- The ending of Big Top Pee-Wee brought both feelings of Wee. joy and despair to me. Joy that this disappointing Now before anyone accuses me of not appreciating charade was coming to a close and despair that it was this comedian’s hyper-laced sense of humor, I just extremely cheesy. Now I don't mind cheese, in fact I want everyone to know that on several Saturdays I welcome it at times, but when the cheese, as it is here, awoke before 9 am in order to warmly greet my friends is processed cheese whiz that only takes a minute to who would show up at my door with Frosted Flakes microwave instead of being mozzarella (as co-loather under their arms so that we could enjoy “Pee— Wee’s of Big Top Pee-Wee Adam Moss said), then I can do Playhouse” together. I also avidly defended Pee Wee’s without, thank you. The ending, however, did for a first film Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure to those who thought minute bring a smile to my face, but it was only when themselves too sophisticated for this type of humor. I Pee-Wee reincarnated his Tequila dance on the high loved the man-child. I had such high hopes for him. wire. And that’s why I was so disappointed not only in his Aside from the mediocre directing by Kleiser I performance, or lack thereof, but in the film as a suppose where I found fault for this downright bad whole. film was in the writing talents of Reubens and However, Big Top Pee-Wee was not all dull and lifeless, McGrath. This brings pain in my heart to say because in fact I was roaring in my seat for about the first Reubens has splendidly written and created the With Koyaanisqatsi, director Godfri twenty minutes of the film. Pee-Wee Herman was Playhouse and Big Adventure as well as splitting his teresting alternative to convention« hilarious at first as the high-strung farmer who personality in two in order to become Pee-Wee Her movie, Reggio cannily assembled skipped along with his pig/best friend and who ate man. But I found the script, after the beginning, to be United States, from the vast, empl lunch daily with his fiancee Winnie (Susan Tyrell) too chaotic and lacking in freshness and originality, dense cities, to paint his vision of An whom he constantly and without success jumped on and those are the two things which I expect out of balance." There were no words, o top of. His snide and cutting remarks to children, store Reubens/Pee-Wee. With all said and bashed on, I Glass score. Reggio’s attack was ot keepers, and elderly townsfolk kept Paul Reubens in would highly recommend the first twenty minutes of Big for the grandeur of Koyaanisqatsi’s con check with the Pee-Wee Herman character that he Top Pee-Wee, but don’t be surprised if you catch yourself Now, with the release of Powaq created for himself and that people with taste adore. napping when the circus comes to town. alternative may become a calcified sequel of sorts to Koyaanisqatsi, and t BLUE CHEESE in Reggio’s intended “qatsi” trilogy "X. Rarely would we entertain the thought of exploiting for “life.” Where "Koyaanisqatsi” m an industry’s insurmountable ability to create cheese, “powaqqatsi" means life at the e but, hey Buster was in town ... and besides it’s time to obviously thinks his onscreen oeuvi recognize how stinky cheese can be. Ask Eric Olson That’s a problem, because his do Screwy Louies who tracked down Poindexter and waited an hour makes you suspicious of Reggio's vie backstage to find out how funny the man really is. fi- Ini Koyaanisqatsi, the images could More kudos to photographer Kim Light who captured terms. There was a sense that whil the essence of cheese on our cover pliotos. New to the trying to make points, the beauty a Nexus, but ARTS elders (Light founded U C SB 's art film could be appreciated by his ii club), we don’t think they should be allowed to instance, one could just as well be ii graduate. Los Angeles as by the graceful svt presents: On that note, savor the last bits of Michael Singer's Valley, without stopping to consider a grand opening celebration film criticism, for he’s moving back to Berkley to give their arts section a taste of some well needed by Michael Sir medicine. Sometimes promotions are painful. Adam Thursday July 28th Liebowitz has been named the new Friday Magazine editor, but promises (don’t you Adam) to continue with thing to do. Even if you didn't th film writing for ARTS. balanced life, Koyaanisqatsi’s world coi New to this summer's ARTS volume are the words of Powaqqatsi is meant to teach a less« head cheese master Patrick Whalen on fish. As well the images anymore, because they c Dawn Mermer, a film studies major, is finally following of carrying serious messages about in the footsteps of her older brother Brett who was world woman walks slowly towards ARTS edtior not so long ago. And what a big happy stampede of joggers, we see symboli: family it is. There’s no law against Reggio I, Laurie L. McCullough, solemnly swear to never Considering that most filmmakers t use the words C H E E S E again. ideas, it's refreshing to see a film of Better things you should know about to see, hear, Powaqqatsi’s air of self-importance mi and feel ... College of Creative studies is exhibiting unless you agree with Reggio in i some brilliant polaroids by UCSB alumnus Lupe believe that western civilization is a Garza. If you’ve never seen the gallery, this is the resources and culture, then you txf perfect show to see. The all white interior is ideal for confirmations of your opinions. Graza’s small evocative and dramatic pictures. The Whatever you feel about the fil images explore the obscurity of simple architectural probably won’t get beyond the feelii f lines, like doorways and staircases, with rich style is a manipulative twist on tl spotlights of unnatural color. expectations. Some of the shots seei And for your ears, it's the authentic Lousiana example, people all stare into the ct with special guest: musical gumbo of Queen Ida and her Bon Temps of forlorn spiritual purity; Reggio wc Zydeco Band this Friday at the Lobero.