Pago 12
Daily Nebraskan
Wednesday, October 17, 1934
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By Toger Swsuson
Daily Nebraskan Staff Reporter
The enthusiasm of youth, the creeping senility of
old age. This is the Rill Speaking" brings out both in a
small Midwestern town. The Showcase Theater's
presentation of the Landford Wilson play illustrated
these themes aJong with cne cf isolation between characters.
Theater
leview
The play represented a typical day in the life of a
three-generation Midwestern family. Director Tim
Ganser used a multi-tiered stage and sharp lighting to
draw the audience's attention to each segment, as
well as to isolate the characters from each other by
darkness. Numerous lighting fades cut the action into
small glimpses of each life.
The entire cast remained on stage during the pro
duction, motionless until their lines came. The show
attempted not to make a striking point but to paint a
realistic picture of human frailties and faults through
rural Midwestern life. The brevity of the play allowed
little character development. Some characters had
only a few lines but contributing with their presence
on stage.
Ganser used eager actors and actresses from the
UNL theatre department for hi3 second directing
effort. He chose his cast from those who tried out
earlier this falL The month preceding last weekend's
performances involved lengthy practices every night.
The main motivation for these actors and actresses
was the love of theater and a need for experience on
the stage, Ganser said.
The UNL theatre department has few opportuni
ties for freshmen actors and actresses who must
compete for roles with graduate students in UNL
prouuetions. Showcase Theater allows those would
be thespians the chance to develop their acting skills
in a real theater environment.
Totally independent of the university, Ganser
started this program and plans to launch another
production in the spring.
The actors were weary after a month of tiring
rehearsals. With no admission charged for the per
formances, they certainly dont do it for the money.
They want the experience.
Ganser also made a video tape of the short play in
his home town of Albion. He hopes to air this on cable
television in the future. The cast said the trip to
Albion helped them to relate to their characters and
get a feel for small towns. The 13 members of the cast
and crew learned about small Midwestern life and
gained insight in to Landford Wilson's view of it
Film lacks coliesive plot
c
The Wild Life' perpetua
,te sex objec
t mentality
By Mark licit
Daily Nebraskan Staff Reporter
I'm not a good little Husker. Instead of
going to the Missouri game, I spent my
Saturday afternoon in the pleasingly non
red solitude of the Plaza 4 Theatres
watching "The Wild Life."
Consider my plight. I brought with me a
lot of preconceived ideas about the film.
You can expect four things from high
school sex romp flicks: Inane dialogue, 67
references to either pot or beer, approx
imately 1 2 total seconds of female nudity,
and guys treating girls like dirt. With all
that weighing heavily on my judgment,
how could I be objective and fair? I
couldn't, so I didn't bother trying.
if
r
Movie
.eview
Left start with the good points of the
film. I have no choice but to be brief.
Christopher Penn, brother of Sean Penn,
is semi-entertaining as the party-minded
protagonist Tommy. It seems unfair that
Penn should have to make his debut in
what amounts to an imitation of "Fast
Times at Ridgemont High" (made by the
producers of this movie and starring his
brother), but maybe this was his only
chance.
Rick Moranis of "SCTV and "Ghostbus
ters" turns in a good performances as an
obnoxiously stylish department store
supervisor. Note to Rick: In the future,
please refrain from frittering your talents
away on bit parts for dumb movies. Thank
you.
I joined the hordes of satisfied Big Red
fans outside the theater with a very pro
nounced sense of incompleteness. Maybe
it's just me, but it has always been my
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Fhoto Courtesy of Universal City Studios
Tom Drake (Christopher Penn) makes a peace offering to Ms girlfriend, Eileen FMIlfpa (Jsszy Writ) la "Tfce Wild
Life."
understanding that movies need to have
plots. And try as I may, I just cant seem to
figure out what "The Wild Life" was about
There's Tommy's turbulent love life, his
roommate Bill's girlfriend's on-the-sly
dealings with a conniving police officer
whose only intention is to take advantage
of her, and Tommy's brother's obsession
with Vietnam (which goes nowhere). The
only common thread I can see that gives
these any semblance of cohesiveness is
the fact that each involves a guy treating
a girl like a mindless sex object. Of course,
most of the leading ladies' minds are
remarkably uncluttered by brains, but
the sex object mentality doesnt need a
boost to perpetuate itself.
I neglected to mention one element of a
good sexploitation film. A solid score of
hits, both new and classic, is always a
must. Bananarama, with the title song,
and Use Human League add their two
cents here. And to fill the oldies quota,
Jimi Hendrix, Steppenwolf and Buffalo
Springfield are sadly associated with this
pre-formulated garbage.
Each night I pray that movies like "The
Wild Life" will someday stop coming, or at
least choose to infect another planet
Each morning I'm disappointed. - -
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uii. u a na aiimittea tr.it tust he is a loser, only brirs voar
ha b an ccholic, it b a much own ignorance to the. surfa
hir ummmi-mzn any- You obiously dont -know th
thing he could do academfcallv. first. th ru., iAAv.-nM
It ccund: he has .taken the IssttMir.gweneedStodob-Alco-nrst
step. If you giw up on hm, hoi Awareness Week" bp?rpctu-'
youwe the phoney friend. If yea ate myti-is about dechccs. I fcer
cant sea through the surface I am an alcoholic too. IVe been
veneer cfes-and-chett-eno-osh exactly where "Uovd" b noW
to understand what he's going
through, then.'.ms'be it's best i! .. , , Centiscsd ca rc.-2 14
