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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 18, 1992)
ArtsiREntertainment Film adapted from novel nears perfection “Howards End” By Anne Steyer Staff Reporter *■’ Looking for a near masterpiece? Normally the best recommenda tion would be d ircctions to the nearest bookstore, but right now the advice is to go sec “Howards End” (Mary Riepma Ross Theater). “Howards End” is the latest film adaptation of an E.M. Forster novel. Not surprisingly,director James Ivory, producer Ismail Merchant and screen writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala do a tremendous job — previously they did two other superb Forster adapta tions, “A Room With a View” and “Maurice.” The heroine of sorts is Margaret Schlcgcl (Emma Thompson of “Dead Again”), a thirtysomcihing English woman who lives in a London lownhousc with her free-spirited sis ter Helen (Helena Bonham Carter of “A Room With a View,” and “Ham- 1 let”) and brother Tibby (newcomer \ Adrian Ross Magenty). Intelligent, cultured and a bit ahead of the limes for 19th century England, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Margaret Schlegel (Emma Thompson) and Helen Schlegel (Helena Bonham Carter) appear in a scene from Howards End. Lhcir family unit is funny, touching md more eccentric than most. That is )f course, what makes them so cn Jearing. Their interchanges arc witty ind engaging, as arc the actors. The emotional core of the movie is the brief but powerful friendship that develops between Margaret and Ruth Wilcox (Vanessa Redgrave). Ruth is the matriarch of a traditional and thor oughly British family that includes Anthony Hopkins as her husband, Henry. The two women meet after an un fortunate encounter between Ruth’s youngest son and Margaret’s sister Helen. Although Helen moves on to concern herself with the unhappy life of a young clerk, Margaret and Ruth develop a unique relationship that includes Margaret as heir apparent to Ruth’s ethereal vision of life and her family manor, Howards End. As would be expected with a film adapted from a complex novel, there is much more going on — Margaret is kept from Howards End by Ruth’s family and later becomes involved in an unlikely courtship, a family struggle and emotional turmoil. While at times the story seems complicated, it never becomes over whelmingly so, primarily because of the ncar-pcrfcction of all aspects of . the film. The leads arc sensational. Thomp son is exceptional and absolutely splendid as Margaret. Bonham Carter is also quite good and plays Helen with as much verve and wit as she did Miss Honcychurch in “A Room With a View.” Although Hopkins and Redgrave’s roles arc small, they arc pivotal. Hopkins’ Henry is such a welcome change from the Hannibal Lcctcr, who coveted media attention all last year, and brings into focus the measure of Hopkins’ talent. Redgrave is visibly radiant in her role, even as Ruth lay dying. As Ruth, she lakes the slu ffy ex istcncc of stub born and provincial London and trans forms it into a romantic id perfect world of cool breezes and brilliant sunsets at her home at Howards End. Two hours and 20 minutes may seem a bit long to some, but the excellent acting, the stunning visuals, the enveloping story and the engaging (and oftentimes humorous) dialogue make the length matter not a whit. Fresh Kid Ice fails to inflame stereo speakers with solo album Fresh Kid Ice “The Chinaman” Effect Records Fresh Kid Icc, merhber of contro versial 2 Live Crew, has come out on »his sob debut with more of the same kind of music, but lower quality than ever. Unlike Luther Campbell’s (Luke Skywalkcr’s) sob attempt “Banned in the USA,” Icc decided not to fea ture the other members of the group on his album. This album is all Fresh Kid Icc. And that’s the problem. Icc brought in two DJs, DJ Mad Man and DJ Do main, and a new production team and took away all the advantages that 2 . Live Crew gave him. No longer do we sec Mr. Mixx’s crafty scratching and mixing. We still sec the sex rap as the predominant style of rhyming, but Iccclcarly seems to have been a junior partner in this company. Apparently, without Brother Marquis and Luke to help write, Ice can Tcomc up with any new twists on the sex rap. We find Luther Campbell as the executive producer, but from the way the album sounds, he must have been more “executive” than “producer.” Bass is still a heavy part of this Miami-based rapper, but even that has been dampened. In the age of hypersonic bass and groups that warn that their album might blow out your speakers, Ice barely reaches the bass level of New York City rappers. For a Miami rapper to lessen his bass is almost a sin, and to say the least, embarrassing. No tracks really stand out on this album. “Miami Da Bottom” has the most potential with good bass, but Ice’s mediocre rhymes and monotone voice hold this song back. None of the lyrics arc worth repealing. Songs like “Dick ‘cm Down,” the first single, and “Long Dick Chinese” arc feeble attempts and could never match the level of 2 Live Crew songs like “Me So Homy.” Then Ice tries to sing non-sex raps with “Dance to the Rhythm” and “I’ll Be Here.” He docs an even worse job with these songs lyrically, and based 1 I Courtesy of Effect Records Fresh Kid Ice on what wc expect from Kid Ice, they’re laughable. The best points on this album arc, unfortunately, the guest spots from other rappers. Newcomers Shake G and Fat Daddy show promise and give us a break from the droning sounds on Kid Ice. So even if you I ike 2 Li vc Crew sex rhymes, you probably will be disap pointed by this album. You probably won’t even want to dub it. — (Jreg Schick Anthology a good read -POQ»EV|EW ‘‘Bootcamp 3000” Edited by Charles G. Waugh and Martin Harry Greenberg Ace Science Fiction By Sam Kepfield Staff Reporter Charles Waugh and Martin Harry Greenberg’s anthology is military science fiction, the third book in a loosely related scries on military themes. “Supcrtanks” and “Body Armor: 2000” arc the first two in the an thology. Basic training for future armies is explored through seven previ ously published stories by well known authors. The first, “Hero,” by Joe Haldcman, is the novella that was later expanded into his book “The Forever War.” It won a Hugo Award in 1976. Haldcman, a Vietnam veteran, portrays future war with a gritty real ism bearing an uncanny resemblance to a land war in Asia. Harry Harrison’s “The Starsloggcrs” looks at training and first brush with the enemy from a satirical viewpoint. Kccruitmcnt oy deceit, brutal training, inedible meals and menial duly arc carried to their extremes until the hero comes full circle at story’s end. This story and “Hero” alone arc worth the price of thc.book. Jack Vance’s “Sail 25” takes recruits on a light-sail trip past Mars and Jupiter where everything goes wrong. Locked in a cramped ship with an instructor who is cither drunk, mad or merely resigned to his fate, they arc pushed to their limits. “Test Ultimate” by Christopher Anvil has a timeless moral drawn from the transcripts at Nuremberg and has plenty of action. Every anthology has ilsclunkcrs, and there arc two here that just don’t quite lit the theme. They’re not bad, just misplaced. Chad Oliver’s “Transfusion” is an intcrcstinganihropological mys tery and a good story, but it’s strain ing to place it alongside Haldcman and Harrison. “The Short Ones” by Raymond Banks is a bit closer to being a kind of bool camp, but is still out of place. Nonetheless, if one can get past those faults, the book is a solid read. roster children performance . bringing power to East Union From Staff Reports _That well-known hippie flower is emblazoned upon posters across cam pus. It means that the Poster Children are coming. They will be performing at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Great Plains Room of the East Campus Union. The four-person band was born in 1987 in a Champaign, III., residence hall room. Poster Children’s latest release, “Daisychain Reaction,” was produced by Steve Albini, who also produced Big Black, The Pixies and The Wed ding Present. Plan to see Rick, Jim, Rose and Johnny play hard on stage. After all, they say that the main point of their band is power. They call their performance good if Rick can wrihg his shirt out, Rose has bruiscs and Jim’s hands are bleed - ing. Now that sounds like powerful music. • Courtesy ot Sire Records The Poster Children are appearing 8 p.m. Saturday at the East Campus Union.