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Page 10-The Chronicle, Thursday, February 3, l1983

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... '4 r. & arts am1 leisure *> wmmmmmkm..mm-m.mmm=Sm=S=SSSSB===BBm Movie Review ' Dustin Hoffirtan As 'Tootsie'

Is Both And I Spunl H / ky Funny H j I By JOHN SLADE replies, "How about Cleveland?" H Critic-At-Large The effect here is as if the audience participates in an elaborate joke being played upon the rest of the The last time 1 can remember laughing at a man , cast, for the audience knows who Dorothy Michaels a woman dressed as was-when Flip Wilson created . reany is, but the supporting cast can only feel that IKm^£E» v <*one of my favorite comic creations of all times . the something is amiss. irrepressible Geraldine Jones. Though Dustin And for most of the film, the supporting cast may " ~ J ic o W . ' iiuu u uui a wuiiiivi 111 m^u uarcu 10 pui on a dressHoffman as well subordinate themselves and take the joke and make people laugh/For Hoffman, this was a big graciously, for the wnole show belongs to Hoffman. gamble that paid off, and the result is another He is in top form inv'Tootsie" and is even Hb^..; hit, "Tootsie." r fl 1l \ ; Hoffman as a woman. Apparently, he has observedconvincingwomen v "Tootsie" must rank as Hoffman's most daring very well, for he does everything just right . the film to date, and ^he plot is enough to justify this walk is right, the hair is right, ^md even the claim. In this comedy hit, he plays an unemployed characteristics are right. In one scene, unwomanlyfor actor, Michael Dorsey, who, out of desperation, ..instance, Dorothy hails a cab only to have some rude i changes his name to Dorothy Michaels, puts on a gentleman jump ahead of her when the cab stops. skirt and blouse, and auditions for a role in a leading But in the manner of a man, she jumps in after him tf daytime soap opera. Before the dust settles, Michael and throws him out on the sidewalk. Dorsey . as Dorothy Michaels . becomes the Though the supporting cast definitely doesn't IIfcr :^,>',n flfc';~ on the since Luke and Laura. thing soaps hottest the star, there are a coupe of performancesoutshine« HL %J*4mm9Ri As you might expect, as a woman Hoffman is one worth mentioning. Terri Garr as a wacky, insecure I1^**. of the most unattractive soap stars you will ever see. friend of Dorsey's is fun to watch, and Bill Murray But one of the good things about "Tootsie" is that ("Stripes" and "Meatballs"), who is not listed in the you won't have to wonder why this rather credits, is okay. The one bad performance comes woman doesn't arouse the curiositiesbizarrelookingof the from Jessica Lange, who brings a dullness to her role supporting characters in the film because she that doesn't belong in any film, especially a comedy. ly does. certain. All in all, "Tootsie" is a fine film and a suprisingly In fact, the production crew of the soap notices funny film. 1 didn't expect much from a movie with that isn't about right away "something quite right such a farfetched plot, but Dustin Hoffman .as $£ her/' which becomes clear when a production Michael Dorsey as Dorothy Michaels pulls it off with asks the cameraman how far back can heassistanttake some to spare. the camera in order to make Dorothy seem more at-. On a scale of 1-10, 1 give it an 8. tractive. In a half-serious tone, the cameraman*. Next time . One Down And Two To Go.

« Black History MManhattan Borough President an Television celebrates Black History Month with Percy Sutton and Detroit Mavor Coleman Young . array of programs recognizing the' contributions "The Black Eagles" chronicles the struggles and black Americans have made to the nation. triumphs of these airmen. The series documents the one kicks off with Black a Week i4The Eagles,'^ resistance the men met when they tried to enter the series on America's first and only black Air Force, Army Air after their at the and 14Palmer Memorial Institute: Corps training Tuskegee, The Mission and the - -Alabama Afmy- Pitld, shows the patriotisnf and Legacy/* an account of the first black preparatory courage they displayed during the 200 missions the school in the country that aired Wednesday, Feb. 2. 99th and 332nd flew as heavy bomber escorts without "The Black Eagles," a four-part special on "Tony losing a single bomber to enemy planes and illustrates JJrown's Journal," begins Sunday, Feb. 6, at 6:30 the frustrations they experienced in defending a . p.m. on WUNkr Channel 26. The series turns back that discriminated against them. nation of our the pages nation's military history four In one of the programs, Ronald Reagan narrates decades and recalls the impressive efforts of some classic World War II film detailing the sacrifices of . Not Exa[ctly G-Rated heroes: the airmen of the all-black . nearly forgotten the "Black Eagles" and other black Americans his bold of entert 99th Fighter Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group. the mobilization effort. Displaying daringly style lining, famed star Prince woos his audiences in more during ways then one. Prince will bring his act tothe1 Greensboro Coliseum tomorrow with Using actual combat film footage and interviews Week one also focused on a Daae of North night along 6, his female counterparts, and Tinae with former members of the 99th Fighter Squadron See Page 12 Vanity (photo by Joe Daniels). Musical Notes I I Teena Mariie AndJVlotown: ! A Lack Of 'Square Business?' In a major setback for CBS Records and recording You may wonder why Vanity, lead singer of artist Tina Marie Brockert (professionally known as ty 6 (who will appear Friday in the GreensboroVanii "Teena Marie"), Los Angeles Superior Court Ju< iseum),goes onstage in little more than black leatherColige Leon Savitch has enjoined the singer from recording boots and a silk camisole. or releasing any product to any company other tllan "It's an extension of my personality,'' says the Motown, or publishing it through any comptiny 19-year-old singersongwriter, "and of the other girls other than Jobete Music Company Inc. in the group. I don't like clothes that much . 1 don't Teena Marie signed a recording contract v*ith feel comfortable in them. To me, what 1 wear and a contract with fj Motown, publishing Jobete, in onstage is like walking on the beach in a bathing suit, early 1976, when she was unknown. But Motown If I felt at all uncomfortable, I wouldn't do it. I alleges that, in early 1982, while Teena Marie was sstill mean, I cover up all the private essentials while still a negotiating with Motown, CBS Records also bejjan . - showing the best of me!" secret talks with the artist. Motown's original aon- it seems that distaste for " ' Indeed, ** Vanity's * "1 » «/* r i»t»U * * iiavia mill 1 CCIId IViai IC TUH UIllH April OI 1^ ® x... ^fl| ting clothes is a lifelong condition. "Even whenconstric83.I'm However, in late May 1982, Marie repudiated her in my room," she adds, "1 strip. Clothes tie up my with Motown a new "The Lords Oif agreements and signed agi ee- body! Even when I was a little girl growing up, I'd Discipline* ment with CBS. love to run around half-naked. And, then, you In the latest Motown was David Keith and Mark Breland team in development, granted an know, when I started sprouting, my mother had to (right) up i Paramount Pictures' "The Lords of Teena scheduled to be released later this month. Breland Discipline/' injunction prohibiting Marie from rendering admonish me to put clothes on: 'You can't walk I, the top amateur welterweight boxer in the world, to anyone else the publishing, recording and related all the time!' " made his acting debut in this movie as the militai first around in your underwear a/-Kr»«i ».li«l. aiIt's black cadet. But controversy surrounded[ services which her 1976 agreements required to be the from the movie when thi> rit»Hol1 fKoVVIIWI Ull WHICH II Could anything keep long-legged beauty lie movie is based, refused to allow Paramount the> to Motown and Jobete. use of its campus in the filming of the movie. given exclusively going onstage in her lingerie? "Yes," says Vanity, "I A Matter Of Comfort wouldn't do it if I weighed 500 pounds."

0 Topping *Let It WhipDazz Leader Says New LP 'Tour Times Better Your first Harris is question upon meeting Bobby It's been tiring and rewarding at the same time," four albums for. It's clear as to be on the order "What's a less-than-popular where the band got its start as a locally-popular likely something of, he says, relaxing for a moment in a recording booth sips coffee and fields questions in the eerie silence *he man in a like this?" piece jazz combo. As word of the band's skill spread,four°f nice jazz like you doing place at Motown's studios. "All the Harris has his shot now. ] Hollywood the booth. Bobby He so did its musical horizons, until the group . then "This," by the way, is the peak of the pop and travel...we've had to work and get our new material intend to waste it. doesn't . funk music worlds. leader of the Dazz Known as Ben leiepnunk was playing much more Harris, Band, together while we were on the road. We worked from "The whole thing with me," he says, "is to striike was airlifted to that the commercial music and garnered recognition as one of rather, lofty position by May to October, we came home, rested a week, went when the iron is hot and I don't want to cc streamlined, futuristic of "Let It really x)l the top bands in the region. rhythms Whip," to the studio, then we went back on the road, came out now. I want to go while we have t one of the few true monster hits of 1982. right he Bell Telephunk sfcnt a tape of its work to 20th back, finished up the album, then went on the road momentum. Then, when we to a certain pe* what Harris is answer get tury Records which was impressed enoughCenik,to As for doing there, the is went came to again and the guys home and I L. A. for can kind of start your stuff a little 1 one of its executives to see the band pretty simple. The man is working, and working you planning !>et dispatch live, the mix and the and the rest of the stuff." . strings better picking and choosing where you might wiint The upshot of all that is that th^ band, by now hard. Thanks to "Whip," 1982 was a mighty long It sounds to think of it. But tiring just again, to work. These 80 dates we did found us in soime known as Kinsman Dazz (Kinsman for a street and a for the Dazz but won't hear u*- » year Band, you . i i i.c : Bobby has no gripes. This is what he has worked hisHarris 1 i iflu ncvci ncdiu ui uciurc in inc. Harris complaining. my bar in Bobby's neighborhood, Dazz for "danceable # adult life and endured the disappointment entireof Bobby and the Dazz Band hail from Clevelar id, See Page 12