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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1984)
Pag o10 Thursday, May 3, 1934 Daily Ncbrcskan 'Icemom ' comeih, bm not saMsjymg Review by Ward W, Triplett III At some point in the making of Splash director Ron Howard figured out that a farce about a mermaid in New. York probably wouldn't wash in the computer age. So, he had his main character play it seriously, thus res training the overall effect of an other wise good movie. Along those same lines, sometime during the filming of Iceman the direc tors decided that a comedy about a caveman in modern society also wouldn't wash very well these days. So, they split it halfway, hoping to make some sort of "serious" film with a light touch. It didn't work. Iceman's problems are mostly in its presentation and self-image. It begins uULjljlIl) Ju UUcljlJu $1.15 Big Horse - 32 oz. Draws Hon.-Tues. & Thurs. Uites 8-1 a.m. Wednesday Nites 8-1 . All Sports Teams - Any Time' 4 Person Minimum-Must be Uniformed casraras U.G.'c with the finding of a frozen creature in an arct ic glacier. With the Russian dis covery of a frozen in-tact Wooly Mam moth, the creature will be America's answer to the new science. But, the creature turns out to be a prehistoric man, with an age estimated at 40,000 years. The plan is to dissect him, remove his organs and see how man has evolved. However, the Iceman comes to life again on the operating table. The Iceman is placed in an experi mentally controlled wildlife center at the base, his existence hidden from the press and an anthropologist and a lin guist are called in to determine the Iceman's background. As the anthropologist, Timothy Hut ton has what should have been a bet ter role. He convinces the scientists not to kill Charlie (the name Hutton derives from the caveman's growling), and attempts to "understand" the former way of life by spending time with the outsider. But Hutton, like the other "civilized" roles in the film, is never really in the picture. The movie reveals little about its supporting cast nor why the Iceman is so important to them. It rarely tips off what, if any, motivations anyone in the film has. That's a picky point, but in the movie it appears they were trying to make, some under standing behind the characters' actions (other than what they just say) is , somewhat important. On the other hand, John Lone, who plays Charlie, is nothing less than fas cinating, particularly in thcMiscovery" stages of the film where he is learning about Shepard (Hutton) and they, in turn, are trying to learn about him! The best part about Lone's charac ter is that he acts and reacts to the changes around him about as you'd expect any person unaware of modern technology would. In other words, he doesn't piny it as a buffoon, although that would have been east to do. In fact, Lone's wild-eyed Charlie saves Iceman by doing just what Tom Hanks did in Splash. Lone, however, succeeds where Hanks failed. By playing his role straight, Lone keeps the film from being unintentionally funny. The whole unbelievable idea lends itself to some laughs by itself, and had Lone been anything less than the enigma he pres ents, Iceman would have been easy to laugh at. As it is, once the plot makes it obvious that one way or another Char lie will have to die by the film's end, the movie dies as well. While Charlie is prancing around looking for his child ren, or singing (?) "Heart of Gold" with Shepard, the film projects a warmth and sincerity. Once the ending is obvious, however, even Lone can't prevent Iceman from getting boring and a little mundane. Iceman would have been more satis fying with deeper characters, some more plot twists and a little more of the Caveman's exposure to the new world. As it is now, it's just a yes for Lone, but a no for the movie. Largest Selection of SC'JLLEE in Lincoln v r - 5r 1 J ; J Super i 11 1 I I U i i u Selection . . . -aL" Ul ' i y j j I ; kaWnk V it I I J l rr?, I . - , m mJ " 5 "" " - " -"- Absolutely "Ttio" GSL02Q7 CJjD in Town All Warm Beer Goal Plua JO 5 or more Mixed Cases Gcci PI113 0 w fa. CUY YOU?, 1ECS FROM . nobody undersells mm We will beat any advertised keg special in town! Check us out before you buy! t 18 GAL. -. - M W J 18 GAL L -n - - -, 'K jf -J' t kJ L , 4 m 4 J . -11 .c:rj (r23. & Lite), ........ .CC1.CD Re3. & 1) .cd.cd GZZTD (P.,-3. & Lite) . ..... . .C27.C3 Circl.33 (Re3.&Lite) p-n r :Z3 Cr.:r.::T3 (Reg-SiUta) .... .CnD.CD L BBS PLEASE RESERVE 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE Prices good only If equipment is returned in 24 hours. Oa Ste The Nebraska Director's Theatre production of Measure for Measure begins tonight at the NDT theatre, 421 S. Ninth St., Suite 112. The play was adapted from the William Shakespeare play by Cha rles Marowitz. The play is directed by UNL MFA student Timothy Mooney. The curtain goes up at 8 p.m. The final performance of Don Winslow's latest theatrical effort, Tlie Struggle for the Vote, will take place tonight at the Lincoln Indian Center, 1100 Military Road. The performance is a historical pers pective on the problems faced by women, blacks and native americans trying to gain the power to vote and be represented in the American electoral pro cess. Winslow obtained his master of arts degree at UNL. The production begins at 7:30 p.m. and is open 1 to tne public. f AROUND TOWN H a mi n i , .... i ne uvs.a aance oana witn a soul teel, will be at Bill's Saloon, 1042 P St.lonight. The cover charge is $1. Jim Jacobi's Crap Detectors will appear tonight at the Drumstick, 547 N. 48th St. The cover charge is $2. Jacobi, incidentally, will be represented in an art exhibit opening Saturday at the Eleventh Street Gallery, 305 S. 11th St. Outstanding films end Sheldon !s semester Sheldon Film Theatre's second semester season is coming to a close, but not before three outstanding films are reeled off. The Mom in the Gutter, a stunning thriller by Jean-Jacques Beniex, the director of Diva, is show ing today through Saturday. Gerard Depardieu and Nasstassia Kinski star. Admission bC3. Academy Award winner Tender Mercies is return ing to the Film Theatre during finab week The film played earlier this semester, and was brought back because of the excellent response it received. The film will be screened at 7 and 9 p.m. Sunday through May 13. There is a 3 p.m. matinee Sunday. There will be no screenings on May 1 1 . Admission is $3. Finally, The New York&ct&ol, a documentary film by Michael Blackwood, is being screened May 12 and 13 in conjunction with the American Abstract -Expressionist Paintings exhibit, which opens May 1 1 and runs through July 29 in the Art Gallery. written and narrated by art critic Barbara Rose, The New York Zctxwl includes contemporary foot age showing artists at work in their studios talking about works in progress. Te 5m features Adolph Gottlieb, Arshila Gorky, Phulip Guston, Al Held, Hans Hofraann, Franz Kline, wmem de Kooning, Lee Krasner, Joan Mitchell, Robert Motherwell, Barnett Newman, Jackson Pol lock, Ad Reinhardt, Mark Rothko, Ciyfihrd Still, Jack rworkovand critics Clement Greenberg and Harold Rosenberg. Hie New York School will be screened at 3 p.m. fuay 12 and 13. There is no admission charge.