Party images in movies
change over two decades
When somebody says “party,” all
sorts of images come to mind, from
someone wrapped in a sheet pouring
180 proof alcohol down the throat /
while howling like a wild animal to /
the intimate moment at the bar with
someone special. In
Party, by dictionary definition, N
means “a social gathering with alt
group of people.” »
In Roger Corman’s film “Wild f
Angels, ’starring Peter Fonda and I
Bruce Dem, partying was the I
character’s main purpose in life. I
The 1966 film is about the West!
Coast lifestyle of a motorcycle I
gang and its pursuit of a good I
time. The characters were heav-1
ily into alcohol and free sex. In a 1
scene near the end, the group of I
bikers destroy a church and Pe- §
ter Fonda makes his statement: I
“We just want to party, get I
loaded!’’The party was means of 1
not only escaping society but also I
destroying it and the standards 1
and rules that govern it. \
A mnrh Hiff(»rAnl IHao li.i.imn 1
a good time is depicted in the 1986 1
release, “About Last Night.” l
The film, directed by Edward
Zwick, deals with the problems of
dating and the singles scene in the
’80s. Singles, played by Rob Lowe
and James Belushi, sweep Mother s
(their favorite watering hole) for single
women to “dale.” The image of the
party is depicted as happening at the
social location of the ’80s, the bar.
Throughout the course of a year the
bar is decorated to holiday themes. It
is the place for wild but controlled
bashes and quiet moments between I
couples at closing time. 1
The film deals with irresponsible I
partners in the dating situation but I
the bar is shown quite differently. I
During one scene the owner finds I
a cab for a man who has had one I
too many. It is responsible. The f
party, under these conditions, is I
seen as the publicly accepted I
method for blowing off steam. I
An image totally different is f
shown in the comedy “Bachelor 1
Party,” directed by Neal Israel I
in 1984. - I
Tom Hanks starred as a man
ready to be married, but not
without one last blowout. Hanks’s
friends give him the never ending
party. During the course of the eve
ning, the partiers lose control under
the influence of drugs, alcohol and
sex.
The boys’s escapades lead them
into trouble with the law. The party
is the place where old pals get to
gether to have fun before one of their
group settles down and starts living
Sic responsible life. This image makes
the world of excess and drugs seem to
be an escape.
The film is a different image than
the party shown in Marek Kanievska’s
“Less Than Zero,” released in 1987,
and James Bridges’ 1988 “Bright
Lights, Big City.”
In each of these films the world of
excessive party is shown as leading
to destruction and death. These films
depict the lives of a younger gen
eration and the problems of drug
addiction in today’s society. The
image is much more realistic about
which way the road of drug addic
tion can lead. The films deal with
me sue idi piuuicms ui me uppci
class especially in “Less Than
Zero.” The party is destructive
and if not controlled leads to death.
Perhaps the most popular
image of a party is shown in John
Landis classic “Animal House.”
The film, released in 1978, made
the word “fraternity” and fear syn
' onymous for university faculty across
the nation. John Bclushi starred as
an obnoxious fraternity member with
a carefree attitude about school and
life in general.
The film produced a now famous
image of a parly when Bclushi finds
the solution for all of life’s troubles
and pronounces the word “Toga!”
This image of wild and reckless party
ing will probably always be stuck on
fraternities across college campuses.
Many memorable party images have
been depicted on the big screen
throughout cinema history. Whether
American culture changes this
image or people copy what they
see, the film’s portrayal of a ‘ ‘parly ’ ’
has definitely changed with the limes.
Party hazard: Will you exist in the morning?
It s dark, it s smoky, and it reeks
of marijuana and incense.
It’s the “alternative” party, and
everyone is moody and depressed.
Except for the loud noise coming
from the stereo speakers and the
general intoxication level of the
people around, it could very well be
a funeral reception.
Things will probably pick up a
little bit later. After all, everyone
knows it isn’t a party until Pierre falls
down and breaks a bone. Everyone
knows Pierre; few have been able to
hold a conversation with him.
If someone digs out a huge stack of
’70s 45s, or a nerf hoop, or starts a
beer fight, things might get fun. Oth
erwise, things will tend more toward
a Woody Allen-ish nightmare. Get a
large group of weird people to
gether, give them pot and LSD, and
they like to talk for hours about real
ity and existence.
The music is so loud now that
conversation, save trading screams
directly into the ear with someone, is
impossible. That’s fine with me,
because I’m feeling a little strange.
I’ve just been convinced that I don’t
exist.
I’ve just been involved in a con
versation with a rather insane-look
ing fellow party-goer, in which he
proceeded to lay out his reasonings
on the idea that nobody exists, and
that reality is just a fantasy.
“Well, I’ve got a pretty active
imagination then, don’t I," I said.
“No. You don’t have anything,”
he replied.
If I could repeat his argument, or
remember it even, I’d be as crazy as
he is, although I’m not sure how the
cause and effect of that goes. Suffice
it to say that, probably aided by my
personal state of mind, he was totally
convincing.
Something occurred to me, so I
yelled it into his ear.
“Why did you come here?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I came here hoping to hang
around with some people, snoot the
breeze and everything, and now I find
out from you that there aren’t any
people. I wish you could have told me
this earlier. I could have stayed home
and watched some TV.”
•• Mark Lage
Hello, Mrs. Robinson; welcome to the bash
“Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to
seduce me.”
Dustin Hoffman’s famous line
from the film “The Graduate” has
become synonymous with David
Greer.
Greer, a junior English major, first
saw the film in 1986 and began
throwing an annual “Graduate”
party.
“I started it for the film’s 20th
anniversary,” Greer said.
Greer, who watches at least part of
the film everyday, says he wants to
offer an alternative to the normal
campus parties.
"I’m sick of those parties where
they cram you in, just so you can pay
two bucks for a beer,” Greer said.
His “Graduate” party consists oi
a small group of friends •• with an
open bar. The guests listen to the
soundtrack, but don’t watch the at
tual film.
The invitations arc covered with
quotes and drawings from “The
Graduate,” and Greer’s home also is
decorated for the event.
“1 use red legs and premiere no
tices from the ’86 anniversary to
cover the walls,” Greer said.
Why “The Graduate?”
“Have you ever seen a film and
thought, whoever made this must
know me?” Greer asked. “That’s
what this film did to me.”
- Sarah Knight
Candlelit theater parties must have a cast
rirst and torcmosi, mere arc cer
tain criterion which must be met in
order to deem a pariv i “theater cast
party." Ye ikre n.i. '*e a cast ol
promising young aciois and -
tresses.
Well, they don’t have to be prom
isrng, as a matter of fact, I once heard
that the worse a show is. the more I un
the cast parties arc . . . imbibe to
forget, the saying goes. The party
therefore consists of, hut is not lim
ited to, the cast.
Cast parties should he held open
ing night, if at all possible. Some
over-zealous casts hold parties before
opening night These arc not to be
confused with official cast parties,
which can only occur after the show
opens.
Parties never start before 11 p.m.
and they usually last until dawn or so.
I ncre is also the slumber-party vari
ety, which is an entirely different
article in itsclt.
Parties occur in sonic cast mem
ber’s modest home or apartment,
hnough people show so that not ev
eryone can use the furniture, but there
is still floor space available to “pull
up.”
An important note here: it must be
durk and candles must be lit. There
arc very few exceptions to this rule.
The rooms, of necessity, arc
smoke-filled. I will leave to your
imagination the numerous varieties
of smoke present. People should be
talking in small groups spread about
the establishment.
Occasionally there is a main at
traction, such as the infamous “laser
light show, ’’ in which case it is proper
for people to congregate in a concen
tlfll
tratcd area.
Dramatic readings of original
scripts and improvisational dia
logues arc acceptable. In the ease of a
musical, distorted renditions of the
show’s hit tunes are always well-re -
ccivcd.
Another important note: it is es
sential to have at least one philo
sophical “meaning of life” conver
sation per party.
BYOB is the name of the game.
Everything is acceptable, and drinks
range from pop (a popular choice) to
wine coolers, beer and yes, even
mixed drinks.
Drinking, however, is not the main
focus of the gathering. These people
don’t need to drink (just inhale),
they’re creative, expressive and,
most of all, fun.
-Shaun Harner
kill.
Blow oil steam dancing with cable television
sometimes everything iust gets to
be too much. Work, school and social
pressures build up with no end in
sight. When that happens, a dance
is in order.
mice parties are easy ways to
relieve a little stress. Aerobic shoes,
chips and dip, and strobe lights r-e
not required. The only necessary
/ a i
things are a stereo, music and space in
which to shiver and shake. And of
course, friends to dance with.
Draw the curtains, push the furni
ture out of the way, and pretend to be
. Janet Jackson. The interesting thing
about home dance parties is the
chance to choose any music no matter
how bizarre, although “Dancing
with Myself’ is a must at solo
grooves.
Homemade dance parties may not
have strawberry smoke, flashing
lights and super-cool people undulat
ing around the sofa, or even Julie
Brown, but the truly enterprising
partier knows what to do.
The best way to really lose inhibi
lions is to turn on the USA Network’s
“Dance Parly USA.” Just five min
utes of big-haired fashion victim
teen-agers bopping around and look
ing silly on national television is
enough to make any homemade
dance party a big hit. After all, Jimmy
Jam could be in your living room.
-- William Rudolph
bhake n bake a booty at the meat market
ror the widest possible choice of
meat around, stay away from the
butcher and head straight for Cele
bration.
Scantily-clad bimbos rub shoul
ders with football players and fuzzy
chested grandpas. Snot-nosed col
lege kids get “wild and crazy.”
Where’s John Travolta? Maybe he’s
in the John.
Flashing red, blue, green and pink
neon lights outline a packed dance
floor of folks shakin’ their rumps to
“Da butt.”
Not a dancing machine? Not to
worry. Bars, pool tables, video games
and television sets are sure to enter- i
tain. I
The dance floor’s at its emptiest <
during the few token metal songs '
played. Cowboy boots and baby blue i
pumps shuffle intensely to AC/DC’s
You Shook Me All Night Long”
ind Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to
he Jungle.’’
The Celebration experience is a
lon’t-miss for anyone curious about
vhat the ’70s disco craze muiated
nto.
-Kelly Anders
Get psyched for greek celebration \
One of the most visible parts of the
University of N'ebraska-Lincoln’s
greek system may be its social gath
erings - parties.
lust by scanning the personal and
greek affairs sections of the Daily
Nebraskan classified ads, everyone
can see the commands to “get psy
ched” for the various theme parties.
And as many fraternity and soror
ity social chairpersons know, there’s
a lot of preparation that goes into
getting psyched.
The celebration of fraternal life
usually takes place at warehouse
type establishments like the Malone
Center, The PlaMoi Ballroom and an
all-time favorite, the Ch ;rry Hut.
What’s amazing about these
places is that with all the room, one
would think that they could spare
some more bathroom stall space. And
with the cost of renting some of these
places, some toilet paper would be
nice.
With various combinations of fra
ternities and sororities, the parties are
usually loud and wild. With the ex
ception of Charlie Burton and the
Hiccups, most of the bands that play
these parties are INXS-wanna-bes.
Regardless, usually it’s good dance
able music.
As the night wears down, the
party-goers rev up and the dancing
kicks in about 11 p.m. Groups of men
and women shake their groove things
and have a good clean time.
And once the shindig is over, the
droves of people race to Amigos to
crunch the plastic numbers/cups.
But along with the fun and festivi
ties comes problems.
According to Pam Hein,
Panhellenic Association secretary,
there are rules that the 14 sororities
and 26 fraternities should follow.
Such things include abiding by state
law that prohibits minors from drink
ing.
When the chapter and or chapter
members don’t comply, they put
themselves and the future of the
chapter at risk.
People need to be aware and care
ful, Hein said.
And as the saying goes, it’s not the
spirits at the party, it’s the spirit of the
party.
-Lisa Donovan
Journalists work hard, party harder!
After weeks of headlines, dead
lines and worry lines, the folks at the
Daily Nebraskan need a break.
Since the reporters and editors at
the DN have to pul out a daily paper
(so people can read the personals),
party time is limited.
And the staff will agree, one of the
few, but definitely the most memo
rable times, arc the banquets. The
banquet, usually the Saturday eve
ning before dead week, is when the
eyes and cars of the University of
Ncbraska-Lincoln campus shake
hands and congratulate each other on
a successful semester, regardless of
news, arts and entertainment or sports
sections.
The evening begins with a pre
v a /I « a
banquet party. Smiling faces, black
attire and plenty of smoke fill a tiny
aprtment at about mid-afternoon.
Sounds of U2, R.E.M., Guns N’
Roses and other socially-provocative
music rock the place. Definitely a
scene that promises plenty of politi
cal and social commentary and ani
malistic romance.
As the sun dips into the horizon,
the editors finish one final tequila
slammer and begin the chore of
awakening the other staff members.
It’s time to go to the banquet.
Upon arrival (to a place no one
wanted to go, but the editor was too
lazy to find a location until the week
before), the party is put into second
gear. The energy increases with the
-a «
rudeness. The decibel levels soar and
chaos ensues.
It’s mealtime. Many staff mem
bers say they don’t remember eating
a DN banquet meal because they
were laughing so hard.
One DN member recalls an em
barrassing banquet when the DN
general manager’s wife thwarted the
reporters’ efforts to throw a dinner
roll across the room.
Other members sit and laugh
about banquets gone by when unas
suming staff members would scream
‘‘Rock'n’ roll.” But most of all they
sit and laugh at themselves and won
der what happened at the post-ban
quet party.
- Lisa Donovan
■w
Live fast, die young and nave a good party I
Get out the laundry baskets - it’s
time to have a party in a residence
hall room. And students will use
anything, including hampers, to con
ceal the party favors.
Although the University of Nc
braska-Lincoln is a dry campus, some
residence halls are flooded with op
portunities to forget about the pres
sures of school for awhile.
For those who have never had the
pleasure of throwing or going to a
dorm party, it’s truly an experience.
It’s more than just raising cane for
an evening, it’s dam interesting.
For instance, it’s interesting to see
how people have made their book
cases into fish tanks.
It’s interesting to sec how much
laundry one can stuff under one’s
bed.
The 10-day-old hamburger laying
on the desk is interesting.
And, of course, the people arc
interesting. One of the nicest things
about the residence halls is that in
many respects, they arc a haven for
equality.
Many of th'c students are young
and they don’t particularly care about
race, color or creed. They’re all
scared, and in this instance, they’re
all looking for a good time.
One of the funniest things about
the room parties is the music. It’s so
loud that you can’t hear each other,
the phone or the student assistant
pounding on the door.
- Lisa Donovan
Go big party; don t expect excellent chatter
walk in a football party and it
feels like a sauna. It’s so not and from
all the sweaty, dancing bodies that a
ha/e permeates the air. Or maybe it’s
the muted lighting.
It’s packed. Most people are danc
ing - really getting into it. Some even
Dane or sing me tyncs to me songs.
Anyone not dancing either clings to
the wall shyly observing or is in the
process of either being picked up or
picking up. A typical scenario:
He’s decked out in the latest Chess
King ensemble. Sne’s dressed for
success in ner ooay-nugging dtooks
wear. It’s a match made in heaven ..
He smoothly saunters her way and
mutters ever so sexily: ‘ ‘What’s your
name, sweetheart? Can I get your
IJiiwiii/ huiiiuvi :
The moral of the story: anyone
attending these get-togethers
shouldn’t expect the most meaning
ful, original or sincere conversation.
- Kelly Anders
Toss a party with bar and drinks
ny I erry oronenthai
Suff Reporter
Another weekend. What to do,
where to go? It seems as though the
longed-for weekend didn’t ‘fess up to
its expectations.
Here’s a suggestion to change that
cruel and needless outcome: throw a
party. This party, by definition, is
somehow more eclectic than another
kegger but somewhat less than a
greek theme celebration. It’s easy to
do, and all that’s needed is a little
ingenuity and a bunch of thirsty
friends.
First of all, plan ahead. During the
work week, make a couple of phone
calls to the local party outfitters.
There are a few in town, so let the
fingers do the walking. Call these
places and inquire about the costs of
party favors and portable bars.
Richard Hanigan, an employee at
AAA Rentals, rccommcnus uuuaucr
the party has made their choice about
what is needed, to give him a call.
“Usually we can accommodate the
party on the spot, but planning ahead
is advised,” he said.
Portable bars aren’t that expen
sive, he said, and the price depends on
what is needed. The size and costs are
proportional.
According to Hanigan, the store’s
five-foot bar “ is about as close as you
can get to a wet bar.” This bar has a
four-foot working surface on top,
with about the same amount of space
underneath. “A bar this size will run
about $25 a day,” he said.
Now, the main task is to figure out
what alcohol is needed, for those
party-goers 21 or older. This should
not be all that hard to do - check for
sales and go out and buy what ever is
wanted.
According to Scott Hove and
aicve rerson, oruss isau Daiicnucra,
some of the most interesting drinks
are those that arc made from scratch.
Hove and Person said the favorite
drink of Rail frequenters is the Hurri
cane. A Hurricane is a mixture of one
shot of brandy, one shot of peach
schnapps and one shot of grenadine,
shaken and served over ice.
Hove mentioned a trash bash drink
called Swamp Water. Swamp Water
is a concoction of evcrclear, lime
vodka, clear vodka, Mountain Dew,
Seven Up and lemonade. Add
chopped fruit and possibly some dry
ice. The strength of the mixture is
governed only by taste bud prefer
ences, he said.
Hove said that for some additional
excitement, try using a drinking
device other than a glass, maybe a
turkey baster, for example.
l-uivi juu wan u.iw ii ao a pai ij
favor,” Person said.
The burden of the dollar figure
could be lessened if the host decides
to have a non-alcoholic party.
Having a non-alcoholic party does
not need to put a damper on the ex
citement - there arc some fantastic
alcohol-free drinks.
According to Larry Wcixclman, a
bartender at Brittany’s, besides non
alcoholic beer, coladas arc their most
popular non-alcoholic drink. ‘‘We
can make about any non-alcoholic
drink possible,” he added.
Mel Elliot, bartender at Ticos said
that they sell ‘‘quite a few” non
alcoholic drinks, for example, a mar
garita made with all the fixin’s
(strawberry margarita mix, sour, and
ice) except the tequila; also, coladas
(crushed pineapple, coconut milk and
ice) minus the rum.