Arts & Entertainment
Monday, August 29, 1994 Page 9
Movie blames media
for glorifying murder
By Gerry Beltz
Staff Reporter
■ Add one cup each of “True Ro
mance,” “Serial Mom,” “Altered
Statcs,”“BonnicandClyde,”“Pump
Up The Volume” and “A Clock
work Orange” and one director who
brought the psychedelic (lick “The
Doors” to the screen, and you might
come close tomaking“Natural Bom
Killers.”
Director Ol i ver Stone doesn’t try
to accurately depict the violence
that has occurred in our day and age
(Koresh, Bobbitt, Mencndcz.), but
he instead goes over the top with
everything. He blames this violence
on the media that glorifies it for
nothing more than ratings and pop
ularity.
Mickey Knox (Woody
Harrelson) saves Mallory (Juliette
Lewis) from her abusive home life
by killing both of her parents. They
then set out on a murder spree that
lasts for about two weeks and around
50 bodies, not counting the
ultraviolent prison riot. Their fame
and presence form the catalyst for
the riot.
Neither character feels the least
bit of regret or guilt for anything
they have done, and they choose not
to blame their behavior on love or
the Bible. They are a product of the
society that surrounds them and.
Movie: “Natural Bom Killers”
Rating: R
Stars: Woody Harrelson. Jul iettc
Lewis, Robert Downey Jr.,
Tommy Lee Jones
Director: Oliver Stone
Grade: A
Five words: Dark satire and
bizarrencss converge
according to Mickcy, that has made
them into “natural bom killers.”
Leading the disaster-chasing
bloodsuckers is Wayne Gale (Ro!>
ert Downey Jr.), a tabloid TV host
with the ethics and morals of a slag
heap. He behaves as if he is on the
side of righteousness and quality
journalism, but he eventually de
cays into a ranting lunatic with an
automatic weapon and a video cam
era—someone who wants nothing
more than to achieve the same fame
and recognition of the rabble that he
sensationalizes.
Every character in the film is a
caricature of real life, and all per
formers handle their roles perfectly.
Harrelson and Lewis are great in
their leading roles. Harrelson gets
courtesy or Warner Bros Productions
Woody Harrelson stars as Mickey Knox in Oliver Stone’s “Natural Born Killers.” The
movie also stars Juliette Lewis, Robert Downey Jr. and Tommy Lee Jones.
extra praise tor taking on a ditticult
role that sheds his nice-guy image.
Great supporting performances
also are turned in, from Tom
Sizemore as a corrupt cop obsessed
with the crimes of Mallory and
Mickey to Tommy Lee Jones—not
at his best but still great — as
McClusky, a high-strung prison
warden who underestimates what
he thinks he knows about his prison
ers.
In terms of unconventionalism
and overall weirdness, “Natural
Bom Killers” makes “Pink Floyd:
The Wall” look like a half-hour
videotape on life insurance premi
ums. Stone’s blast on the media’s
obsession with violence and real
life crimes is visualized with a mix
of grainy, black-and-white photog
raphy, sharp color pictures with
voiceovers and some fairly freaky
animation sequences.
.
The film’s music also is stun
ning. It has an incredible mix of
variety. “Natural Bom Killers” is
the first soundtrack by Nine Inch
Nails’ Trent Rcznor, and he has
come up with something incredible,
compiling music ranging from
“Leader of the Pack” by the Shangri
Las to “Ted Just Adm i111” by J ane’ s
Addiction.
“Natural Bom Killers” isn’t just
a journey; it’s a trip.
Dummies delight Devaney droves
By Joel strauch
Senior Reporter
The Crash Test Dummies and the
Millions gave a bang-up show Friday
night at the Nebraska State Fair.
The acoustics at the Bob Devaney
Sports Center were better than basket
ball audiences would have believed. Both
bands had great sound vocally and in
strumental! y.
Lincoln’s own Millions opened the
show, playing songs off of their debut
album and their new compact disc,
“Raqucl,” to a rather docile crowd.
After the Millions’ short five-song
opener, the Dummies look the stage, and
the formerly sedate throngjumped out of
their folding chairsandcrowded all sides
of the stage.
The Dummies played a host of songs
from both their first album, “The Ghosts
That Haunt Me,” and their latest LP,
“God Shuffled His Feet,” before they got
to the songs that most of the crowd came
to see.
Near the end of the performance, the
band played its breakthrough hit “MMM
MMM MMM MMM” and followed it
with “Superman’s Song” and “After
noons and Coffeespoons” — the other
two songs that have received heavy ra
dio play.
The concert goers thought these songs
would be a perfect time to try the tradi
tional “cigarette lighter waving during a
slow song” that makes these events so
memorable—and potentially life-threat
ening. But fortunately there weren’t
enough smokers in the audience to make
this move successful.
The show’s lighting was far from
Jeff Haller/DN
Brad Roberts, the Crash Test Dummies’ lead singer, smiles during
the band’s Friday night performance at the Bob Devaney Sports
Center.
“The Crash Test Dummies
have slower music — not
as energetic as the
Millions. But the singer's
voice is so unique."
■
WEBER
UNL senior biology major
dazzling, but the sound was exquisite
and, with the revolving platform on the
stage, everyone in the audience had a
chance to sec the bands from all angles.
Steve Weber, a senior biology major
at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
said of the concert, “I liked it. 1 only wish
the Millions could have played a few
more tunes.”
Weber is mainly a Millions fan, but
he said he also liked the Dummies.
“I’ve seen the Millions play a thou
sand times. 1 love ‘cm.” he said. “The
Crash Test Dummies have slower music
— not as energetic as the Millions. But
the singer’s voice is so unique.”
The lead singer for the Dummies,
Brad Roberts, gave the audience plenty
of chances to hear his unique voice,
singing almost 20 songs, including three
encore songs.
Kari Stofcr, a sophomore biology
major at UNL, said, “I thought that both
bands were great, although we didn’t
know that we were com ing until about an
hour before the show.”
As either a much-anticipated event or
a spur-of-the-moment dale, this concert
was far from a disappointment for most
members of the crowd.
Country stars
ready to shine
at State Fair
By Paula Lavigne
Senior Reporter
Tonight at the Nebraska State Fair, the stars will
shine wnen country singers Lorric Morgan and
Sammy Kershaw take the stage.
Morgan and Kershaw arc part of the revolution
ary force that is changing country music, and have
a number of things in common.
Both draw inspiration from country legend
George Jones, and the two have a similar past and
an identical future on the road to success.
Morgan, still on the attack after her recent
release, “War Paint,” continues to carve a new
niche for women into a male-dominated industry.
The daughter of Opry star George Morgan,
Lorric Morgan grew up with country music and
drew her motivation from stars like Loretta Lynn,
Dolly Parton and Tammy Wyncttc.
Morgan made her singing debut at age 13, and
never stopped her talcs of love, heartache, longing
‘ and fiery passion that arc present in her music.
“1-800-Usc To Be,” is a song of challenging
fear and anxiety while “Don’t Touch Me” is a
powerful song of true love. “If You Came Back
From Heaven is a song about Morgan’s genuine
loss — that of her husband Keith Whitley.
Also on the album is Jones’ “Good Ycar for the
Roses.” To record that track, Morgan teamed with
touring co-star Kershaw.
Kershaw, who began his singing career a year
younger than Morgan, at age 12, also is reeling in
the success of a recent album, “Feelin’ Good
Train.”
Oddly inspired by the perseverance and hones
ty of Sam Wal ton—Kershaw worked as a remod
eling supervisor at a local Wal-Mart — this new
country star has been taking care of his customers
first.
Morgan and Kershaw will be on stage tonight at
the Bob Devanpy Sports Center at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets arc $20, $17 and $14.
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