Film paints humorous picture of ’90s youth
Stars give movie
solid performances
“Reality Bites”
kkki
By Anne Steyer
Staff Reporter
The whole idea of Generation X is
annoying, but “Reality Bites” turns
those tired stereotypes into a funny
and accurate look into the
twentysomethings of today.
Young people growing up in the
’90s have a whole different future in
which to live. It’s not as cookie-cutter
as the ’50s, as crazy as the ’60s and
’70s, or as me-oriented as the ’80s.
“Reality Bites” captures this con
fusion in a way that is comforting and
comedic.
The terribly overrated Winona
Ryder is Lelaina Pierce, a newly
graduated broadcasting major who is
making a documentary about real life
and searching for direction.
Complicating her search is Troy
Dyer (Ethan Hawke), her slacker
friend/tortured love interest who can’t
keep a job and doesn’t want to. Ben
Stiller does double duty as both the
movie’s director and the other part of
the love triangle. But the audience
knows from the beginning that this
yuppie will never win Lclaina’s heart.
Their friends. Gap manager Vickie
and celibate Sammy, round out the
cast, making the picture of young life
in the ’90s complete. It has the horren
dous job search, the lack of qualifica
tions, the overqualifications and the
self-important WeincrWorld manag
er. There’s also sex, drugs, rock ‘n’
roll — both old and new — and the
horrors of AIDS.
Underneath, “Reality Bites” is a
love story, and this, along with its
endless preoccupation with ’70s
sitcoms and Saturday morning com
mercials, is where the movie trips up.
But the love story is masked under
terrific writing, dialogue and charac
terization. “Reality Bites” is the first
screenplay from writer Helen
Childress, and obviously she was writ
ing close to home. Her dialogue and
refreshingly real characters make the
movie.
Some solid acting doesn’t hurt ei
Courtesy of Universal City Studios Inc.
Ethan Hawke and Winona Ryder star in the irreverent comedy “Reality Bites.”
thcr. Hawke’s Troy embodies every
thing that is both annoying and en
dearing about the oh-so-cool slackers,
and Ryder finally makes playing her
self seem appropriate. But the real
bright spot is JancaneGarofalo, whose
scene-stealing Vickie is a complete
scream.
Those elements, along with its
humorous, insightful look at life for
most young people today, make “Re
ality Bites” a movie must.
Nylons to blend their voices at Lied
By Paula Lavigne
Senior Reporter
Relying on voices alone, the
durabil ity ofThc Nylons will stretch
to the limits at the Lied Center for
Performing Arts Saturday night.
This four-man a cappclla group
executes a wide range of vocal mel
odics without the help of a guitar,
piano, drum or any other instru
ment. Together, they’re going solo.
After a recent shift in the lineup
of The Nylons — with the depar
ture of founding member Paul Coo
per and singer Marc Connor — the
remaining voices of Claude
Morrison, Micah Barnes, Garth
Mosbaugh and Arnold Robinson
carry on the tradition.
For Morrison, the tradition has
been continuing since his days as a
choirboy at the St. Michael’s Choir
School in Toronto.
Morrison, who jokingly says he
was raised by a pack of “carnivo
rous llamas,” said he used his wit
and vocal talent in his singing. He
said the a cappclla style, however,
chose him more than he chose it.
“It was almost 15 years ago to
the day when we first sang to an
audience in a little restaurant in
Toronto,” he said, “and there just
wasn’t a piano around.
“The form found us just as much
as we found the form,” he said.
Going a cappclla, Morrison said,
made the group different because
they weren’t leaning on any gim
micks.
“If sso primitive,” he said. “Any
body can understand voices.”
Morrison said a cappclla was
challenging because the singers
must have ability and listening
skills.
“It’s always been my opinion
that it’s just as important to have a
good voice as it is to have a good
ear,” he said.
Without backup instrumenta
tion, Morrison said staying in key
with the other singers meant listen
ing to one another’s pitch to get
back in key.
Along with matching pitch,
Morrison said certain vocal tech
niques added to the smoothness
and texture of their musical melo
dy. He said with a little breath and
vibrato, a hard-edged voice could
be smoothed down.
The Nylons don’t stand on their
singing alone. With a combination
of theatrics, comedy and dance,
they make their music pleasing to
listen to and pleasant to watch.
“When we began, we were all
theater people out of work,”
Morrison said.
“Having come from the theater,
wchadanatural inclination todress
it up. to choreograph it and to light
it in order to give it more of a
theatrical sense.
“We want to have a little bit of
fun with it.”
Morrison said that following one
of their more religious songs with
the group’s version of “Little Red
Corvette” gave their sound a whole
other edge — “a different kind of
life.”
“It gives you something to look
at instead ofjust something to 1 isten
to,” he said. “It comes from the
throat and the whole body, which
makes it a very religious experi
ence.”
He said his music provided him
with a more positive outlook on life
because of his experiences with
group singing.
“You have to put your voices
together; it’s almost spiritual,” he
said.
The concept of joining together
for a common cause and making
something greater than the sum of
its parts was the goal ofThc Nylons,
he said.
With eight albums under their
seams. The Nylons will go for yet
another one this year. Morrison’s
wish for 1994 will be fulfilled with
the release of a Christmas album
this October.
Morrison, who visited Lincoln
in 1991, said he was looking for
ward to The Nylons’ performance
at the Lied Center Saturday night.
The performance begins at 8 p.m.
The show is sold out. However,
unclaimed tickets may be purchased
1 l/2hoursbeforctheshowfor$22.
Nebraskan
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Weekend offers theater, skating, rock ‘n’ roll
The ancients were right about dra
ma. There arc only two types of the
ater: happy stories and sad stories.
Theatrix’s latest production,
“Talley’s Folly,” is a happy story ex
ploring the relationship between two
people. A socialist Jewish accountant,
played by Michael Solomonson, re
visits his true love, a socialist nurse
played by Kristi Lee Covey.
Just as in “Romeo and Juliet," the
twoovercomc fearsome obstacles. But
since “Talley’s Folly” is a modem
play written by Lanford Wilson, the
lovers overcome Freudian baggage
and communication blocks instead of
feuding families or warring nations.
Despite the heavy political over
tones, this production is sweet and
sentimental. Its director, Gregory
Tavares, delivers a beautiful story.
“Talley’s Folly” plays again to
night in the Temple Building.
— Patrick Hambrecht
Knickerbockers at 901 O St. will
offer a tension-releasing opportunity
tonight. Hailing from Lawrence, Kan.,
LowLife will be storming through
Lincoln in support of its full-length
debut album, “LoveHatcFcar,” re
leased by Mercy Records.
If the album is any indication of
how these four guys sound live, it
should be a k illcr show. The tracks arc
raw and powerful and take no prison
ers. At times they sound like the Chili
Peppers; at times they sound like four
guys playing in a garage, ripping out
music as it was meant to be—raw and
powerful,
Lincoln’sown Heroes and Villains
will be opening for LowLife. It should
prove to be one ripping show.
— William Harms
Olympic champion figure skaters
will perform in front of a captivated
audience tonight — some in
Lillehammcr, Norway, and some in
Lincoln.
Headliners in Lincoln will include
1992 Olympic skating champions
Marina Kilmova and Sergei
Ponomarenko, along with 1988 silver
medalist Elizabeth Manley.
Kilmovaand Ponomarenkqarctwo
of the most acclaimed ice dancers of
all time. The husband-and-wife team
gained world recognition in the 1984
Olympics by winning the bronze in
Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. In 1988, the
skaters were able to capture the silver
medal at the 1988 Olympics in
Calgary, Alberta. Their career was
topped with their winning of the gold
medal at the 1992 Olympics in
Albertville, France.
The program will start at 7:30 p.m.
tonight at Pershing Auditorium. Tick
ets arc still available at the Pershing
Auditorium box office and at all
Tickctmastcr locations.
— Sean McCarthy
Hunt will be on
at the Zoo Bar
By Jill O’Brien
Staff Reporter___
Friday night will not be the first
time rhythm and blues pianist Kelley
Hunt has been in town, although it
will be her first time to play at the Zoo
Bar.
Hunt once worked the now-dc
funct Larry’s Showcase in the early
1980s, Zoo Bar owner Larry Boehmer
said.
“Then it was Kelley Hunt and the
Kinetics, instead of the Kelley Hunt
Band,” Boehmer said. “She reminds
me a lot-of Marsha Ball. I’m afraid
people will ignore her because she
doesn’t have an album out.”
Alan Berman, theband’sbassplay
cr and press agent, said a debut com
pact disc will be released this sum
mer.
Featured on the CD is singer and
Hammond B3 player Mike Finnigan,
along with a multitude of all-star ses
sion players and soloists.
Hunt has a boogie-woogie style all
her own. Her music also combines
blues, rock, gospel, a hint ofjazz, folk
and soul, as well as rhythm and blues.
The show starts Friday at 9 p.m. at the
Zoo Bar. Tickets arc $4 at the door.
$3.00 par day tor 15 words on individual student
and student organization ads.
$4.00 par day for 15 words on non-student ads
$.15 each additional word
$.75 billing charge.
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