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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 18, 1990)
Arts & Entertainment Actor Van Damme's muscles save the day, but not the weak movie By Jeffrey Frey Staff Reporter The road to hell probably is paved with low-rate action-thriller movies with bad acting. Jean-Claudc Van Damme’s latest movie, “Death Warrant” is some what of a sprawling interstate in this sense. “Death Warrant” is a story of corruption and greed. No, there is nothing original about this movie: there are well-choreographed fight scenes with a lot of blood and, every now and then, a slightly gruesome death. Detective Louis Burke (Van Damme) is a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police Officer who has re ally big muscles and is a bit upset because his current partner on his current police force has been elimi nated by a less than gentlemanly type called the Sandman (Patrick Kilpa trick). Burke confronts the Sandman in the opening scene and apparently takes him out of commission for good (of course, we all know that the Sandman NEVER dies). From here we lapse forward into a 16-month lime warp and Find Burke jack in Los Angeles, called to work jn an assignment that will take him undercover into Harrison State Prison. Harrison has a problem with in mates being pithed while they sleep, and Burke is being sent in as an in mate to investigate these murders. The case is being handled by city councilmen who are concerned about solving the murders before they must deal with an upcoming gubernatorial election. Action-thriller movies with heroes have heroines, which in turn become love interests. So, in addition to the councilmen’s involvement, Amanda Breckett (Cynthia Gibb), a Stanford Law School graduate, is brought into the case to pose as Burke’s wife and act as a liaison for Burke once he enters prison. There has perhaps never been a less credible portrayal of a prison in a movie than that of Harrison. Present are the basic prison mal adies such as segregation and power hungry inmates with bad tattoos and nasty snarls that draw attention to the abundance of scars on their races. But Harrison is a prison where select prisoners are free to run amok with a wide variety of weapons which they tote freely and most often, sug gestively. Harrison’s basement is occupied by an inmate called the Priest, who spends his time with a harem of trans vestites on hormone pills when he’s not conversing on his private phone line. The warden of Harrison as well as the guards arc in obvious cahoots with some of the prisoners, and from here the predictability of this picture could not be any more evident. Upon his arrival, Burke tries to befriend an fellow inmate named Hawkins (Robert Guillaume), who is working as a check-in clerk, and Burke is immediately singled-out for his rare blood type which is AB negative. It seems that all of the murder victims have the same AB negative blood type, and are considered the least likely candidates to be mur dered in this prison. Burke apparently has more to of fer than his stud-like qualities, and puls two and two together to come to See DEATH on 10 — ■ David Fahleson/Daily Nebraskan Steve Jeanetta, a UNL Landscape Service employee, lays engraved bricks at the Lied Center’s piaza. Lied offers immortality through engraved bricks By Julie Naughton Senior Reporter Those who want to live forever -- or for as long as the Lied Center lasts, at least -- may have a rela tively inexpensive way to achieve UNL immortality. Students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, or anyone for that matter, can have a message engraved on the bricks that com prise the Lied Center’s plaza, said Karen Hart Underwood, market ing and promotion coordinator for the Lied Center for Performing Arts. The bricks are a perfect way to contribute funds to the Lied Cen ter, she said, and to preserve a message for posterity. The money raised goes toward events program ming at the Lied Center. “What’s really nice about the project is that it gives people a sense of belonging and a sense of ownership towards the Lied Cen ter,” Underwood said. “People can feel good that their money goes towards programming -- and the bricks will be there forever.” The bricks - made, fired and engraved by Endicott Clay of Fair See BRICKS on 10 Spiritual guide presents program about non-traditional relaxation By Julie Naughton Senior Reporter Students in need of a little non traditionai relaxation might try at tending a free session with spiritual guide Thakar Singh this week. Singh will be presenting “The Language of the Heart” today and Wednesday at the Villager Motor Inn Conference Center, 5200 O Sl Those attending the sessions will listen to some of Singh’s music and learn meditation techniques. Robert Thurber, a Lincoln native who travels with Singh, said that he believes students will be interested ir the program. The program offers stu denis the chance to relax in a non J traditional manner, he said. ‘‘ll offers a release to stress,” Thurber said. “It’s an alternative to turning to drugs or alcohol.” Singh gave a program in Lincoln two years ago to an audience of about 400 people, Thurber said. Many of those people were university students, he said. Singh’s stop in Lincoln is part of his latest 30-city lour; Singh’s last stop was Denver and he will travel next to Toronto. Singh’s tour also includes visits to New York City, Central America and the Caribbean. Thurber said that the program would offer students the chance to develop spiritually. ‘‘In other parts of the world, stu dents are trained spiritually, then in tellectually,” Thurber said. “We do it a little backwards here. ‘ ‘The mind is a terrible master, but a wonderful servant.” Thurber is a member of the Kirpal Light Satsang, a group of people that meet to meditate and to provide serv ices to others. The name is a group of Indian terms; Kirpal means “teacher, “Satsang” means gathering. Thurber also has taught classes of relaxation techniques in Lincoln. He became involved with Singh several years ago when Singh was on tour. “I saw him in Seattle,” Thurber said. “I was so taken with what he said, I decided to go to work for him.” Thurber said that he has just re See THAKAR on 10 Go-Betweens exhibit focus over 12 years By Brian Moves Staff Reporter The Go-Betweens “1978-1990” Capitol Records Very seldom does a band keep themselves focused over a span of twelve years. The Go-Betweens may have just done it. The latest release from The Go Betweens is “1978-1990,” a compi lation of album tracks, singles and B sides. This Australian band has been churning album after album out for 12 years now and still remains rela tively unknown. It’s really a shame because The Go-Betweens have a lot to offer to every musical taste. The founding members and mas terminds behind The Go-Betweens are vocalists and guitarists Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. Joining in with them are drummer Lindy Morrison, violinisl/oboist Amanda Brown and bassists Robert Vickers and John Willstced. Together they grow up gradually from song to song en route to a musi cal evolution. The opening track, “Hammer the Flammer” is delivered in a violent, whiny voice that hammers rightdown to your skull. It is a somewhat surpris ingly scary song to start the album off with, but it is soon forgotten al ter the following tracks. “Man O’Sand To Girl O’Sea is one of the best songs. In it Forster sings in humorous mood about a bro ken relationship, while the chorus is chanting “Man O’ Sand To Girl O Sea ” Eventually you begin to notice that Forster and McLxnnan are great song writers. They are able to transform dreams, actual happenings, and po etry into meaningful songs that How effortlessly into your head and heart. You often find yourself anxiously anticipating the next song to deci pher. It’s refreshing to hear songs and know they actually have logical meanings. Musically, The Go-Betweens come through in more than one way. On some songs, a quirky post-modern sound can be heard. And then they make a complete change of direction and stir up an eerie Gothic sound that flows right through your soul. “The Clarke Sisters” is a great example of this Gothic terror. The beginning starts off with a great acous tic sound that is followed by haunting violins. In the song, Forster sings in a commentary-type voice about friends of his mother that adopted him as their long lost son. “And their steel grey hair/their lovely steel grey hair/The Clarke Sisters/Why don’t I introduce you/ I’m sure they won’t mind.” The Go-Betweens have traveled a long road and told many stories. The tale of this long road and some other shorter roads are explained on ” 1978 1990.” The best part of this excursion, however, is the first 15 songs (there are 22 songs) - after that, the songs start to blend together and become uninteresting. The craftsmanship and enthusiasm of the earlier songs just seems to be forgotten towards the end. ”1978-1990” is a great album for all Go-Betweens fans. And for that matter, a great find for anyone want ing to hear both the old and the new from this legendary Aussie band. Courtesy of Capitol Records