Wednesday, February 20, 1985
Pago 10
Daily Nebraskan
!-,J''1
Wry,
71 V A
"e
By Bnrbira Cointto
trr Reporter
down in the big leather chsir, munching
on shortbread cookies or snoozing under
the open covers of a book of adventure
or folklore. At any rate, I'm sure
Tolkien's "Hobbit" characters would
have liked the place.
Located in the Haymarket district,
the store has a teal blue front with light
blue trim and a big rust door. Inside,
the walls of three rooms are lined with
Candy dishes are placed In str&iegic
locations to sustain the serious reader
from one room to another.
Owners Pat and Scott Wendt said
they wanted to create an atmosphere
On my first visit toEluestem Books, I which would invite people to wander
half expected to find Frodo and Bilbo around and enjoy themselves.
Baffdns there little hebbits nestled "rwvdn u riv mmiihomi
4A J VT Si ttj 1? tlVV Wilt J VUVVUtUUUf
it's the only way to lock at the books,"
Pat Wendt said.
Hence, Elueslem Books offers the
ceffee and cookies, the comfortable
chairs, the quiet location.
Opening the bookstore was partly
the fulfillment of a longtime dream and
partly a matter of necessity, she said.
She had been a book collector her
whole life, and when she married, it
usedbooksrangingfromal508copyof became aJoiRt hftbby two.st0ry
letters from a Flemish philosopher to
recent editions of ' Doctor Zhiva
and other classics.
Under the viaduct at 712 "0" St.,
Bluestem Books could be overlooked.
About 10 to 15 people come in on an
average day, so at any one time a
browser might have the place to himself,
an owner said.
And certainly that browser would
find something to his interest. One
room is filled with non-fiction: hunting,
fishing, architecture, history, medicine,
philosophy and more. The second room
house was filled with books, she said.
The Wendts found the vacant ware
house location in July, 1934, but it took
four months of cleaning, painting and
construction before they could open in
early December.
After being open for about two
months, Pat said she is "cautiously
optimistic."
"Considering that we've been almost
a secret, it's a good beginning, I think."
The store is open from 11 a.m. to 6
p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and
J
V
il
1 1
is largely devoted to Nebraska authors while the prices range from 50 cents to
and the third holds a wide variety of $750 for a first edition of "Uncle Tom's
fiction from Hardy to Hemingway. Cabin," the average price is $5.
Silent sci-fi film starts today
Color.
music successiuny revive
'fmi VcnirS$2U&iiiy' Nebraskan
Antiques such m this old printing press decorate the Bluestem Eocistcre. The Ilaymerket
section bookstore enters to a variety of interests, with on room devoted mainly to Nebraska
authors.
Metropolis
By Bill Allen
Senior Reporter
Whether or not you've seen "Metropolis"
before, I urge you to see Giorgio Moroder's
reconstruction of "perhaps the most famous
silent film ever made."
Moroder reconstructed Fritz Lang's classic
1926 German film, added a little color, a few
recently rediscovered scenes, and more appeal
ingly, a 1984 rock soundtrack, including songs by
Pat Benatar, Billy Squier, Adam Ant, Loverboy
and Bonnie Tyler.
What results is a surprisingly tasty blend of
classic cinematography with some modern rock
sounds that emphasize the theme of the film.
Undeniably, Moroder, the Oscar-winning
composer of "Flashdance," is going after a
younger audience with this reconstruction
because, unfortunately, most of the younger set
would rather go see Bo Derek's breasts in an
awful movie than try to comprehend a great film.
With the rock music the film caters to many
tastes, but "Metropolis" the movie could stand
alone as worth seeing,
"The year is 2026. . . where total oppression
and manipulation of the masses is wielded by
the unquestionable power of the few. Far below
the city of Metropolis is the Underground City
where machines are operated by the workers
who live even further below. Day after day, in
mechanical routine, they are forced to the limits
of human endurance."
It is a film of good versus evil, of oppression
and rebellion and love and understanding.
It is also history, a science-fiction film, com
plete with unprecedented special effects, made
fifty years ago that still has intellectual and
dramatic appeal. It is interesting to note that
you wiil be viewing it almost exactly in between
the time it was made and the time the movie
represents.
Like most silent films I've seen, "Metropolis"
is grossly overdramatized, a style of the times,
but with Moroder's soundtrack, the drama and
passion are emphasized and played upon with
exhilarating results.
A good example of this is the scene where
Rotwang, the evil scientist, chases Maria, the
heroine, through the ancient catacombs. The
musical score behind this scene gives it an
excitement that is almost breathtaking.
Moroder's soundtrack captured the fright and
intenseness in Maria and at the same time the
stalking patience of Rotwang.
The best use of the rock music was Bonnie
Tyler's "Here She Comes" which underscores the
arrival of Hel, a female evil robot created by
Rotwang. The song is heavy, like the robot, and
imposing.
There are no speaking roles. All conversation
is carried on in subtitles, but viewers will be
talking aloud about this reconstruction of a
classic film.
"Metropolis" plays today through Saturday,
except Thursday, at the Sheldon Film Gallery.
Times are 7 and 9 p.m. with matinees today at 1
p.m, and Saturday at 3 p.m. Admission is $3.
Unusual, fiery Del Fuegos
aim to set Drumstick ablaze
By Kyis Foster
StsI? Reporter
The Del Fuegos, a critically acclaimed rock
and roll band frcm Boston, Mass., currently is
touring America and will perform at the Drum
stick tonight.
Del Fuegos is a gramatically incorrect Span
ish term meaning "from the fires." If the critics
are right, this band just might set your dancing
shoes ablaze tonight at the "stick." The cover
charge is $5.
Stop. Are they really worth $8? Many critics
claim they are.
The Los Angeles Weekly called The Longest
Day, their debut album, "fun disk of the year"
in 1834. The Los Angeles Times called the album
a "great rock 'n' roll record." The St. Petersburg
Times called the album the "best new group
rock record of the year," etc., etc., etc. You get
the point. The Del Fuegos are currently one of
the hottest new bands in America.
The quartet formed in Eoston in 1S2, quickly
developed a cult Mowing, signed with Slash
Warner Eros, records and recorded it3 debut
album in 1834.
The tir.i has opened shews for several well-
known bands, including X, The Blasters and The
Plimsouls.
The Del Fuegos sound is most often compared
to early Rolling Stones and Buddy Kolly. An
unusual combination at best but one that has
propelled the band from obscurity to the brink of
national recognition in two short years.
Speaking on the band's sound, Dan Zanes,
lead guitar and vocals for the band, told a Boston
newspaper, "Not too drunk. Not too sober. Just
drunk enough."
In reality this might be close to the truth
because the band has been criticized for drunken
performances. However the band claims that it
has cleaned up its act and is ready to take on
America.
Zanes said to a Boston rock publication,
"We're going to play ail over the U.S. to support
our record. It can only be to cur advantage to put
on massively entertaining live shows. And to get
people to dance because we're really just a
dance band."
The quartet from Boston may not be inter
ested in Spanish grammar, but it is interested in
creating its own style of reck and. roil music.
And just in esse, bring a pair of fire-resistant
dance sneakers.
-1
At the Kimball
ssacie I, wmcn
Tfcs UNL Jasa Ens
was recently the featured college jazz band at
the Nebraska Music Educator's Association
annual convention, will present a concert of big
band jazz at 8 tonight in Kimball Hall.
Those who have enjoyed the band's concerts
in the past will again be treated to music never
before performed by the ensemble. Among the
works to be performed in the concert are several
arrangements by Rob McConnell of the Boss
Brass. The bend's commitment to traditional big
band music will be reflected in its performance
of "Pressure Cocker," originally written for the
Count Basic Eand.
The concert is open to the public without
charge.
At Westbiock
O Cellist Eichsrd Skvkli and pianist
Alice Ejbad: Slsvich, a performing duo for
the past six years that has been featured in
concerts throughout the Midwest and Rocky
Mountain region as well as cn both coasts, wiil
play tonight at 8 in Westbrock Music Hall.
Slavich is soloist, recitalist and teacher at the
University of Denver's Lament School cf Music.
Alice Slavich has made solo appearances with
the Denver Symphony, the Denver Chamber and
the Colorado Philharmonic Orchestras.
The concert is open to the public without
charge.
Telev&kra '
Liv ftou Unccln Center tonight at
7:30 on NSTV Channel 12 will femurs works by
Scarlatti, Schubert, Cfiepin, Gershwin, Debussy
and Ravel performed by master pianist Andre
Watts.
The program will be stereo simulcast by Lin
coln and Omaha public radio stations KUCV80.9
FM and KIOS 91.5 FM for viewers in their broad
cast area.
O The current pay-equity issue is discussed,
both pro aid con, on this week's Dateline
Nebnska, airteg tonight at 6:30 on NEW
Channel 12. Pay equity proposes that jobs of the
same value should be compensated the same
equal pay for eqaal value, not necessarily
equal psy for equal work.
O Elcrwithlllxrcraprfniieirestoright
at 8 on Channel 6, starring Helen Eiyes and
Bette Davis. Amateur sleauth Miss M&rple inves
tigates murder at an elderly friend's ancestral
home, an ancient castle that new serves as a
rehabilitation center for juvenile delinquents.
O The Wild One, a 1 S54 film starring Mar
lon Brands and Mary Murphy, airs tonight at 11
p.m. cn Channel 2. The movie is about a motorcy
cle gang that stirs up trouble when it invades a
quiet town.