Nebraskan
Tuesday, March 8,1994
Arts@Entertainment
High-speed ‘Chase’
rolls out craziness
“The Chase”
“The Chase” is a high-speed, high
impact comedy that quickly acceler
ates to peak performance and doesn’t
slow down for anything.
Redefining the idea of an insane
plot, the story begins with unjustly
sentenced, escaped-convict Jack
Hammond (Charlie Sheen) abducting
beautiful and bewildered Natal ie Voss
(Kristy Swanson) from a convenience
store.
The pair embark on an intensely
surreal 90-minutc chase scene as
Hammond attempts to escape to Mex
ico.
Hounded by local police officers
Dobbs (Henry Rollins) and Figus (Josh
Mostel), the California Highway Pa
trol and almost every news station in
the state, the couple grow from being
enemies to being lovers at 100 mph.
Officers Dobbs and Figus arc being
interviewed by a “COPS’Mike film
crew that go along for the ride and
provide some great footage of two of
Newport’s finest in the high-speed
pursuit of their lifetime.
The plot is so twisted and ludicrous
that it is almost impossible to second
guess, even though it appears to be a
predictable chase movie.
The portrayal of the news-hungry
media is incredibly hilarious and
frighteningly close to the mark. Like
blood-tasting sharks in a feeding fren
zy, the TV crews crawl overeachother
to get to the story.
The filmmakers do a fantastic job
of keeping the action on the road.
Involving everything from explosive
vomit to crash-test cadavers to a 100
mph love scene, the mad intensity
rarely lets up the gas.
The character acting of the film is
excellent, especially from Sheen.
Hammond is the center of the insanity
as he attempts to flee from a false
conviction that pushes him over the
edge.
Swanson, barely an actress, is pass
able as Voss, the rich daughter of a
California tycoon who is fed up with
her father’s domineering attitude.
Rollins, the lead singer of the now
defunct Black Flag, is exceptional in
his debut as a straight-faced cop who
combines serious regard for duty with
a selfish, sadistic edge that blends well
with the movie’s eccentricity.
Anthony Kicdis and Flea of the
Red Hot Chili Peppers heighten the
craziness as two redneck road war
riors intent on rescuing Voss them
selves.
Obviously not to be taken serious
ly, “The Chase” is the best of B
movies with a feature film cast and
budget.
-—Joel Strauch
Charlie Sheen is Jack Hammond,
comedy “The Chase.”
, ^ Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox
and Kristy Swanson is Natalie Voss in the high-speed
MUSIC REVIEWS
“Dining Out With Roosevelt Franklin"
Roosevelt Franklin
Fire Records
WL.
The picture of a half-baked chef proudly
displaying his boar’s head dish on the cover
of Roosevelt Franklin’s newest release per
fectly sums up the experience of listening to
this disc.
The photo, like Roosevelt Franklin’s disc,
may make some bolt away at first.
Roosevelt Franklin is truly an acquired
taste. “Dining Out With Roosevelt Franklin”
affirms this statement and may be much to
swallow at first. But the disc rewards the
patient listener with repeated listens.
Anyone who has been wai t i ng for a Frank
Zappa-meets-Red Hot-Chil i- Peppers style at
an intersectipn of, say, P.J. Harvey will
automatically take to tracks like “Five Fingaz’
on tha Hand” or “Two-Can Salmon.” Like
these two songs, the rest of the disc sounds
like a unrehearsed jam session, at first. But
you have to listen to it more than once to
appreciate the funkier-than-thou bass lines
of Jonathan Hischkeorthe Kate-Bush-meets
L7 vocals of Shannon Dobson.
The lyrics of songs like “Two-Can Salm
on” and “Circus Daze” are as strange as the
music. Colby Starck, John and James Wolcott
have written and composed some of the most
original music and lyrics ever to come out of
the Lincoln music scene.
At times, “Dining Out” sounds like the
band is trying too hard to be weird. Though
this disc will definitely not be for some
people’s palates, it stands out. Check out this
disc and check the band out live if you can.
It’s a feast well worth sampling.
—Sean Me Carthy
“Dogman”
King’s X
Atlantic Records
jm
The latest release of King’s X probably
will not break the band out of its dedicated
cult status and into stardom. But “Dogman”
will be an impressive addition to the band’s
already impressive history.
The trio has virtually reinvented its style
with each of its releases. From the 1988
debut, “Out of the Silent Planet,” 1989’s
“Gretchen Goes to Nebraska,” 1990’s “Faith
Hope Love,” to 1992’s“King’s X,” the group*
has won almost universal acclaim from both
fans and critics.
“Dogman” mostly builds on to King’s X
highly original sound. The lyrics, especially
on “Complain” and “Pretend” are some of
the best lyrics the band has ever written.
Producer Brendan O’Brien, whose cred
its include Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers,
Stone Temple Pilots and the Black Crowes,
pulls out the full potential of King’s X on this
release.
Guitarist Ty Tabor and drummer Jerry
Gaskill provide a tight rhythm section
throughout “Dogman, especially with its
title track and “Complain.” Bassist and lead
vocalist Doug Pinnick does some of his best
work to date on all of the tracks on the disc.
The only thing that really hinders
“Dogman” is that each of its songs sound
about the same. Though there’s no trace of
disc-filler on this release, there’s no really
standout original track on the disc, either.
The only thing that comes close is a rockin’
live cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Manic Depres
sion,” which closes the disc. But this group
is too good to gain recognition solely by
doing a great cover.
As a whole, “Dogman” will fully satisfy
most or all of King’s X’s faithful followers
and may pick up a few new followers along
its way.
—Sean Me Carthy
“Live at CBGB’s”
Various Artists
Atlantic Records
New York City’s infamous CBGB’s
claims to be “The Home Of Underground
Rock” inside the layout of Atlantic Records’
release “Live At CBGB’s.”
After listening to this eight-band release,
one hopes the people underground happen to
be without stereo systems.
The sixteen-song album features groups
as TufT Dans, Manster and The Shirts, who
have remained virtually unknown for rea
sons far less sympathetic than visionistic
integrity. Every song offered from this com
pilation sounds like an anti-soul, late-arriv
ing copycat tune written by people who
couldn t decide whether Led Zeppelin or the
Rolling Stones was the greatest recorded
rock band.
“Live At CBGB’s’1 was recorded June 4
6,1976; a musically important time because
punk rock was just becoming nationally
accessible with major label releases from
legendary bands such as the Ramones and
See REVIEWS on 10
Book ‘snaps’ back
at insulting lines
“Snaps”
James Percelay, Monteria Ivey,
and Stephen Dweck
William Morrow and Co.
When 1 was a child, there was always one kid
on my school bus who was the most gifted insul t
artist.
Every day, the child and a friend would trade
lines like, “You’re so poor, you got your t-shirt
from a box of Cracker Jacks” and “Your ma
ma’s so fat, when she steps on a scale, it says,
‘To be continued.’”
It must have been some of these children who
grew up and wrote “Snaps.” The literary mas
terpiece features, according to the cover, “more
than 450... snaps, caps, and insults for playing
the dozens.”
“Snaps” features comments about a person’s
weight, intelligence, appearance, height, size,
hair, color, smell, clothes, dirt, age, house,
financial condition, teeth, eyes and sexual prow
ess.
For instance, in the “Ugly Snaps” category,
one can find, “You’re so ugly, your family sent
you to the store for bread, and then moved.” In
the “House Snaps” chapter, one can read Jones’
contribution, “Your house is so small, you have
to go outside to change your mind.”
See SNAPS on 10
