RETRIEVER Features

PAGE 10 JANUARY 29, 1991 The year in review '90: The Good, The Bad and The Silly Teddy Durgin famous role was one the best comic looking for a hot performance by Retriever Edilorial Staff performances of the year. 4) Mem- , check out Internal phis Belle, an exciting World War Affairs. This film made a shocking Okay, so it's a bit late to give my II adventure featuring a fine ensem- $175 million. 5) Teenage Mutant totally inconsequential 10 Best and ble cast. 5) A Shock to the System, Ninja Turtles, parents should have 10 Worst Films lists for 1990. Michael Caine's strange and quiet dropped their kids off at the theater Dances With Wolves and GoodFel- tale of deceit and revenge in the and gone shopping rather than las were clearly the two best films world of big business. boost this film's $120 million gross. of last year, but, as always, Hol- lywood can be a very interesting 5 MOVIES THAT TOO MANY 5 MOVIES THAT NOBODY place to write about. Here's a review PEOPLE HAVE SEEN: 1) SHOULD HAVE SEEN: 1) Ernest of the past year: Another 48 Hours, a lifeless, Goes to Jail, Who keeps giving this unfunny imitation of the first film, guy film contracts? 2) Graffiti 5 MOVIES THAT MORE PEO- hence the title. 2) Days of Thunder, Bridge, 's feature-length ego PLE SHOULD HAVE SEEN: 1) this Top Gun on wheels rip-off trip that should have been titled Akira Kurosawa's Dreams, a mas- earned a disappointing $80 million When Doves Die. 3) Loose Can- terwork by the master himself. 2) for Paramount, but it should have nons. Gene Hackman and Dan III, William Peter been kept in the shop for script Aykroyd hot on the trail of a porno Blatty's literate and surprisingly repairs. 3) Home Alone, was a film starring Hitler? Come on! 4) humorous sequel to the horror funny and likeable holiday film, but My Blue Heaven should have been classic. 3) The Freshman, Marlon does it really deserve to make $200 titled My Blue Hell. 5) Wild Orchid, Brando lampooning his most million? 4) . If you're supposedly an erotic thriller star- ring Filthy, I mean, Mickey Rourke (Who else?), was perhaps the long- est exhibition of foreplay ever. He and co-star Carrie Otis didn't jump into bed until the end of the movie. Copyright c 1990 Warner Bros. Inc. All Rights Reserved. Steve Martin, winning the award for Worst Wig and Most Annoyingly Fake Italian Accent, and Rick BEST ACTION FILM: , Moranis offered audiences a view of cinematic Hell in "My Blue Heaven" an innovative and thrilling adven- ture, featuring a stand-out perfor- mance by Irish actor Liam Neeson in the title role.

WORST ACTION FILM: Death Warrant, a routine prison movie starring Jean-Claude Van Dumb, I mean Damme, with a surprisingly small amount of fight scenes. Wham! Bam! No thank you, Van Damme!

BEST NEWS FOR HORROR FANS: No new Nightmare on Elm Street films were released in 1990.

WORST NEWS FOR HORROR FILM FANS: Part VI went into production for an October, 1991 release. Roseanne Barr has a cameo role. Copyright c 1990 Warner Bros: Inc. All Rights Reserved STRANGEST SCREEN "Dances With Wolves" (left) and "GoodFellas" were clearly the two (see MOVIES, page 11) best films of last year. "Wolves" won the Golden Globe Award for Best Drama, while "GoodFellas" took Best Picture honors from the New York and L.A. Film Critics Associations.

photo by Ben Glass c 1990 Orion Pictures Corporation Take a whiff of Toxic Armpit photo by Greg Gorman g xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxkxxxx Mickey Rourke's "Wild Orchid" flopped. Do you ever wonder what 20854) Bushmaster," we were hooked by SOLOMON GRUNUV (JNew this guy would look like after a shave, a shower and a shampoo? swrm, This compilation features "ten the menacing sounds growling and Alliance/Box 1389/Lawndale, CA //•M//Si\n\ Pi examples of texture, experimenta- howling from deep within the 90260) tion and intuition." Electronic colliding effects-drenched mix. "' TOXIC ARMPIT: "Slash" (TOG/ musical aspects are utilized as well Strange and amazing! enters the world of Solomon Box 4542/Arlington, VA 22204) Shaw's play: An as other forms to create original, I.V. LEAGUE: Songs of the North Grundy" reads a sticker on the This tape of studio experimenta- harmonic developments and expan- American Anglo (M.D./1422 21st album cover. Loping or plunkety- sive textural moods. Each of the tion and rambly rumbling comes Ave/Seattle, WA 98122) plunk rhythms shift to smooth courtesy of Dr. Boris Oivatka and artists represented are masterful At times the drum machine composers of "modern" or, more groovin' throughout this 11 song escape from life Mr. Anus, of Happy Flowers. aspect of some of the 16 songs disc that reflects sixties rock and likely, futuristic soundscapes, femininity and grace. Her self- This is "Western-avant garde" as becomes annoying, but if properly tripping pop heavily. The Jack which are equally suited for the Aimee Thomas assurance and open-mindedness they incorporate themes from "the ignored, Seattle's atypical I.V. Endino/Solomon Grundy produc- Retriever Staff Writer audio experience of this record, and extend her ability to envision actual translation of natural noise," League (no ) comes across tion almost feels like pop or Top- real "'industrial' concepts." The as integral elements of performance In the midst of these horrible, another, poetic life-style, outside as something grand, and fresh. The 40 psychedelia?!? Maybe I'm just production is perfect and the art, theatre or other multi-media confusing days of international the comfort and security of her experimentation with sound is high. cozy, domestic marriage. Her intui- sounds mesmerizing. Mainstream realizations. "Charmed" is a must twisted and the lyrics, inspired. "I turmoil and destruction, there addition for the collection of any CHRISTIAN LUNCH: "Unrelia- tive wisdom allows her sharp focus listeners probably won't be able to got Satan in my pants" is a classic, ble Sources" (Alternative Tenta- exists a calm and peaceful escape take it, but those of you looking challenging "new" music listener. in the atmosphere of the theater. on the true nature of her situation as is "This is Charlie Manson street/ cles/Box 11458/San Francisco, CA and the extent of her control. for something truly progressive will Chemical plants produce the heat." Immerse yourself in a comedy of PIGFACE: "Spoon Breakfast" 94101) As Shaw's version of the New find it here. The only vocals are love and marriage, politics, and (Invisible/Box 16008/Chicago, IL Reality leaps an urgent step Part of the album cover art work Woman, Candida gently amuses usually spewed forth and seem at religion which encompasses a story 60616) forward. reads, "WARNING! This product herself, with complete absence of times to be backwards tape loops of intellectually charismatic, elo- RIDE: "Nowhere" (Sire/Reprise) questions the ethics & motives of cruelty, with the child-like insecur- (hopefully full of Satanic messages). Pigface presents a grand slam of quently expressive and honestly The percussive attack throughout is haunting sounds on this four song Lazy swirling guitar psychedelics industry, law enforcement and the passionate people of Victorian ities of her devotees. She keeps her come courtesy of the British quartet judiciary." And it does. And the manipulative powers in check, her varied and intriguing, as are the EP of remixes from Invisible England. other found sounds, and the guitar Records, part of the growing family Ride. Surreal production invokes lyric content is important as aii intellect acting as mediator, and images of floating on a lily pad alternative document of a reality 's Candida delicately stirs the situation up only occasionally lets loose. Though the of Touch n' Go. I initially played is a play about a strong-willed, mood doesn't really shift from song this at 33 RPMs (it's supposed to possibly in a wooded marsh as the underexposed in mainstream press. as much as she deems necessary. dark grows over everything. The But musically, the band's synthes- frank, self-assured woman and the The male characters, on the other to song, the entire tape sustains a be played at 45). My friends and two men devoted to and enraptured wholly unique frenzied quality. I agreed that it was unique and title track is particularly textured ized drums leave me cold, though hand, seemingly regress, in ironic as an eerie trip into sound oceans, occasionally guitars wail in and ou|t by her. The developing conflict pits fashion. Marchbanks becomes pro- interesting, but when we pushed it Candida's socialistic-clergyman CHARMED: (Poison Plant/7 to the correct tempo, especially the and "Vapour Trail" closes with of the words. I imagine progressive gressively more and more sappy, tasty violins. dance hounds will howl over this. > husband against an overwrought, overflowing with ardent, unrealistic Woodsend Pl/Rockville, MD duo drum barrage on "Bushmaster young poet; both vying for the love romantic delusions, gushing prose of the beautiful Candida. of praise and desire about his The love triangle premise has patron saint Candida. Encouraging become a cliche but the Shavian the pastor's wrath, he dreamily version refreshes the situation with contrives Candida's perfection: witty insights and clever twists. "Oh, Morell, let us both give her Surrounded by characters of fewer up. Why should she have to choose dimensions but none-the-less inter- between a wretched little nervous esting in their unique styles and disease like me, and a pig-headed opinions, Candida, pastor Morell parson like you? Let us go on a and young Marchbanks exchange pilgrimage, you to the east and I taunts, threats, ideals, poetry, and to the west, in search of a worthy passions with etiquette and lover for her: some beautiful eloquence. archangel with purple wings!". Matriarch of the household and Morell, striving to maintain his of the sentiments, Can- clerical strength of value and dida holds the power over the less- masculine sense of dignity, is dominant-than-they-think-they-are pushed to the limits of his reserve men. Her devoted admirers respect and unnerved to the point of her unquestionably and offer their breakdown. Unwittingly threatened respective bids from which Candida in manhood and conviction by the must choose. Confrontations arise, likes of Marchbanks, his passionate bringing characters to a develop- fervor climaxes along with the mental climax of self-discovery and poet's as he loses his intellectual and humorous re-examinations of emotional grip. As Morell's security values. falters he approaches physical The character of Candida embo- violence against the "sniveling dies the essence of Shaw's ideal whelp" but maintains enough sen- woman. For Shaw, women possess sibility to cool his fuming anger. a "force of strength", which Can- dida controls with the utmost (see CANDIDA page 11) Solomon Grundy offers adventurous listeners an escape from the mainstream.

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