The Battalion' LIFE Thursday • Julyl 1 M—MWHII'HWiyiEWm^ W—M Retro craze won’t let mus N memories s if it wasn’t bad enough the first Live Oak Nudist Ranch offers relaxation Atime around, the Amy music of the ’80s is making a come Uptmor back before any and recreation without all the clothes one even had a Columnist chance to forget By Sterling Hayman Debra Peterson, director of public it. This ’80s nos- The Battalion affairs for the American Association talgia trip is known as “retro,” and itisc for Nude Recreation, said people taking over radio stations, clubs andev ast weekend, a group of people have many misconceptions about try dance halls. at Live Oak Ranch took advan nudist resorts. The retro craze was described as “anu tage of the gorgeous weather. “Many people just have a total lack ble memory trip” by Brett Vance, operate LThe adults played volleyball, sunof understanding, ” she said. “A lot of manager of 103.9 KCRM-FM, the station bathed and swam while the children times people tend to confuse nudity sponsors “trash disco” and “retro” nights;, ran around and frolicked under the and sex. Once they visit a nude resort im and Diamonds. cool stream of a squirting water hose. or beach, they realize that that’s not “People hear these songs and think,li ... and they all were naked. the case.” her, I was doing this when I first heardt Live Oak Ranch, located 35 min Fredericksen said many people are song,’” he said. “It brings back memories'S Vance said that although the station j utes south of College Station on Hwy. apprehensive about visiting nudist alogs of '80s music to find its “retro cuts,’! 105 between Navasota and Brenham, resorts because they are worried ers provide the majority of ideas. is a family nudist resort that allows about how others will react. ‘“Come on Eileen’ by Dexy’s MidnightE members and guests to relax and “It’s not like they’re going to come out and everyone is going to be staring gets requested at least as much as curretJ recreate on its 25 lush acres without at them,” she said. “Once they get here songs,” he said. “It’s more popular nowtti the restraints of clothing. and they see how everyone acts, then when it first came out.” Although nudism is frowned upon their fears are going to be relaxed.” Music fans have to wonder why a decal by many people, Kay, who has been a Cooper said people feel more com ended only five years ago is already beicjl member of Live Oak for more than fortable visiting the resort once they ad nauseam by a generation that shouldf three years, insists that there’s noth set their mind to it. remember the good ol’ days. ing wrong with it. “Half the battle is making the deci It could be that the music patrol isde: “It’s a growing trend,” Kay said. sion to come,” Cooper said. to keep us from forgeting all the fine rad “More and more people are finding More and more people are making heard when growing up. Or maybe wed out that it is a very wholesome envi that decision to expose it all. keep the music of our youth around inacfc ronment for families and couples.” Peterson said the AANR has more tempt to convince ourselves that we aren| The Fourth of July Weekend kicked than doubled its membership in the ting older. off the 20th annual National Nude past 10 years. The national organiza The ’80s weren’t that long ago or that! Week, and dozens of people kicked off tion now boasts a membership of so there must be some other explanation] their clothes at Live Oak Ranch. 46,000 people. fascination with the music. For our trips “People discover that nudism is re cent-memory lane we most likely owethai "Many people just have a laxing,” she said. “Some equate drop retro-crazed disc jockeys who have mana|l ping their clothes with dropping all of cut most of the garbage and stick to sonpfc total lack of understand their stress.” spark fond memories — or at least songs:i|| ing. ... people tend to con The resort offers many forms of so cheesy that they’re still good foralaup fun and frolicking for resort members And so we flock to the flashback night; ' fuse nudity and sex." and visitors. They can sport their cal clubs. Places like Denim and Diamor ^gie tailback L Debra Peterson skills on two volleyball courts, give coming to expect our nostalgia. is season and -Director of public affairs for the basketball a shot on a half-court, “We weren’t sure what the response w;. American Association for Nude Recreation make a few waves in the swimming to retro night,” Vance said, “but peoplepa;^ pool, or try their chances at a game of place.” pool or ping pong in the clubhouse. Revisiting the ’80s makes us realiaewb Kathy Fredericksen, an A&M civil But the entertainment doesn’t stop few years can do to the mind. People thoc s pi esc as engineering graduate student, and when the sun goes down. For night ’80s were the crappiest decade ever while' Pete Cooper, a junior A&M philoso owls. Live Oak Ranch also holds were living in them — except for the 70s, Magazine phy student, decided to scout out dances, cookouts and campfires in a has also come back with a vengeance in th Live Oak Ranch last weekend for the covered pavilion. of trash disco. And when disco came back, first time. One group that is noticeably ab brought the clothes with it. That’s onethi'kexas Footbal Both Fredericksen and Cooper had sent from the population is that of the retro craze has yet to embrace, and lei been to other nudist camps before but A&M students. our luck doesn’t run out. fhe Sporting said Live Oak was different. But Kay said that Live Oak Ranch The good news is that time apparently ’ “Most of the places we have been provides the perfect environment for all wounds. Growing pains and thelrant . , , F , have been beach oriented,” Cooper college students. affair alike have been thrown to the ways^ on 00 )c said. “This place is more like a recre “It’s a great place to just relax in the name of “the good times” and “retrod ational park.” the shade and study,” she said. “Sev So someday — in about 10 years - weu 'qotball Actic In fact, the recreational image of eral students that we have grown to back on the ’90s with utter fondness that fun and games is one that Live Oak know that have come out in the sum- Stew Milne, The Battalion the bad memories. Thank goodness, becat Ranch and other nudist resorts Maggie Lesnik and Ken Veseleny, both from Houston, frequent Live Oak Nud there’s a lot of music (the Offspring) we r See Nudity, Page 5 proudly tout. ist Ranch on weekends. like to forget. • Holography exhibit adds new dimension to traditional art By Amy Collier of special films that appear to be Hastedt said the technology of The Battalion three-dimensional, with the tra holography has attracted an ditional art subjects of nature non-traditional audience to the rt is not defined by just and landscapes. gallery — men. paintings and sculptures. Catherine Hastedt, registrar “Men think it’s cool,” she said. And it doesn’t have to be and curator of the Stark “This is more like science. Men Aone-dimensional. gallery, said the unusual com who won’t come to see bluebon The Office of University Art bination is attracting a large, net paintings will come to see Collections and Exhibitions is varied audience. this. Their response is over presenting “New Directions in “I knew it would have tremen whelmingly positive.” Holography: The Landscape dous popular appeal,” Hastedt Holography was invented in Reinvented” in the J. Wayne said. “The traditional audiences 1949 but was not considered an Stark University Center Gal are coming simply because they art form until the late ’60s. Holo leries until August 20. The ex love art. We’re trying to get non- grams are produced with lasers, Predictable comedy nothing worth toasting hibit features 15 works by seven traditional audiences in here. and unlike photographs, they international artists that com We want to show them that vis are three-dimensional. Because bine holography, the utilization iting an art museum is fun.” holography is not widely prac Nine Months fails to deliwp ticed by artists, the only place it or is permanently displayed is the By Libe Goad to devour him after sex. Act ' Museum of Holography in New The Battalion Movie Review weak moment comes with a ■ "Vo you York City. ridiculously frantic trip toil I llieve i Rene Paul Barilleaux, chief With Robin Williams’ comic ge Nine Months livery room. Magic curator of the Mississippi Muse- nius and Hugh Grant’s good Starring Hugh Grant and However, out of one of the Los Angeles um of Art and coordinator of the looks, Nine Months had half a Julianne Moore weakest scenes comes a solid ers sure do. traveling exhibit, said hologra chance of being entertaining. Directed by Chris Columbus formance. Robin Williams’wf Despite t phy has technically changed art. But unfortunately, director Rated PG-13 seasoned improvisational-styNBA work s “This medium allows artists Chris Columbus turns a potential Playing at Hollywood 16 comedy is one of the few higtpage, rumor to record three-dimensional re ly charming love story into a pre ★ ★ 1/2 (out of five) lights. He plays a nervousRcflying fast a ality on a two-dimensional sur dictable slapstick comedy. obstetrician with faulty Engi-riously that face rather than merely create Samuel Faulkner (Grant) and and no experience delivering Earvin “Ma| its illusion through pictorial Rebecca Taylor (Julianne Moore) live a perfectly man babies, just other animals. Fortunatelj greatest poi techniques such as perspec happy five-year relationship complete with bloom Columbus, Williams is able to run with this history, will tive,” Barilleaux said. “Holo ing careers and the freedom to jet off on romantic and break the pattern of forced comedy four.Tn the fall aj grams question the nature of weekends without leaving too much behind. the rest of the film. od of not ph what we see and how we per Chaos disrupts their perfect world with Rebec Grant is also fascinating to watch withhb In Noven ceive it. They have the ability ca’s unexpected pregnancy and desire to start a British charm. However, this role seems tobshocked the to simultaneously create move family. more than he can handle. He stammers his "he announc ment in space and time.” Suddenly, Samuel faces his worst fear — com through the film and tries too hard to be fun'HlV-positiv Hastedt said people find a mitment. Moore outshines Grant’s mediocre perforrfo the court different kind of entertainment The film launches into a forced romantic come and provides a strong dramatic role amidst flp start for 1 in looking at three-dimensional dy where Samuel, a successful psychiatrist, deals slapstick humor. ence in the images. with his fear, and the couple meets a few surprises Samuel and Rebecca are joined by an over Johnson the “It’s like going to Disneyland along the way. friendly couple, Marty (Arnold) and Gail (Jo: harclly rust; and riding on the haunted house However, the surprises often fail to be humor sack). They compliment each other well, the lnclu