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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (May 5, 1997)
IBy Gerry Beltz Re-releasing former hits becomes hip This is definitely the United States. We recycle aluminum. We recycle pa per. Now we’ve started recycling mov ies. The re-release of the “Star Wars” trilogy was not the first of its kind, but it has certainly started a bigger wave of nostalgia coming back to big screens everywhere. “The Godfather” has already been playing in the bigger cities, and rumor has it that “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Dirty Dancing” and “The Little Mermaid” will make trium phant returns before the end of the year. 1UV UWTV1) l/VUVi OWUUU >JJ oivnio now are available, as well as the surge of additional footage for films and the ability to clean up old prints. Several films could find a new life if brought back to the big screens. Like “Star Wars,” some films haven’t been seen in the theaters by a majority of this generation. A careful selection of films would be essential, and the first few films re leased would have to be chosen care fully. Also, the window of release would have to be small, probably three weeks at most. Ah, but what movies to play? How about “The Terminator”? Schwarzenegger’s first utterance of his now-signature “I’ll be back” line would draw laughs and cheers from audiences everywhere, despite the fact that Ah nuld is playing the bad guy. Clean up the special effects a little and maybe follow it up with a re-re lease of “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” for the full bill. The on-stage musical has always been hot. A recent musical re-mix was a nationwide hit and, with John Travolta riding a high wave of success right now, “Grease” could be the word for “money-maker.” Given the campy attitude of the film, it could be the next “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” in terms of audience participation. un ____ z' . 1_r-i 1VWWWWJJ Wfl5 Wilt U1 Uiuat 1111115 that found most of its business when it hit the video shelves, but re-mastering the musical soundtrack and adding in the cut footage could repackage it enough for a “special edition” run. With the recent battle Christopher Reeve has been a part of, a new release of “Superman: The Movie” could gar ner quite a few dollars. It could earn even more if they throw in the previ ously cut-out footage, touch up the fly ing effects and if the movie company offered to make a donation to Reeve’s favorite charity for every ticket sold. Let’s not forget the true classics that do play in college runs from time to time. Films like “King Kong,” “Casablanca” and “Citizen Kane” would bring in not only the older sec tion of the demographics, but a younger, curious generation. The possibilities and potentials here are only as limited as the human imagi nation imposes on them. However, some common sense and good taste must prevail as well. C’mon. Let’s nip this “Saturday Night Fever” re-release in the bud be fore we’re all wearing gold lame disco clothing again, hmm? Beltz is a senior English education major and a Daily Nebraskan Arts and Entertainment assignment re porter. Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures BRUCE WILLIS (right) and Milla Jovovich star in the science-fiction thriller “The Fifth Element.” Movies pack action for summer leisure By Gerry Beltz Film Critic From men dressed in black to men costumed like bats, the sum mer of 1997 looks to be a lively one at the box office. The name of the game this sum mer seems to be a mixture of action and big budgets, with James Cameron’s massive “Titanic” top ping off at a rumored $200 million. Naturally, all release dates are subject to change, and this list isn’t all-inclusive, so if there’s a problem, bite me. May 9: “The Fifth Element” — Big budget futuristic sci-fi flick about an innocent taxi driver thrown into the middle of a battle between good and evil. Milla Jovovich and Gary Oldman also star. “Father’s Day”—Billy Crystal and Robin Williams pool their tal ent for an (almost) sure-fire com edy winner about two men duped into thinking one of them is the fa ther of a runaway boy. Look for the surprise cameo by an award-win ning director in a punk rock bar. Please see FLIX on 9 Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures TOMMY LEE JONES and Will Smith protect Earth from the scum of the universe in the sci-fi action comedy “Men in Black.” i A Matt Haney/DN So you wanna be a rock critic, huh? By Ann Stack Senior Reporter People have asked me if I’ve had a good time this year being an Arts and Entertainment reporter. They ask if I’ve learned anything, writing about bands no one’s ever heard of. The answer to both questions is an emphatic yes. I originally wanted to be an A&E reporter because I couldn’t make it as a groupie. It takes more brains to learn to walk in stilettos than it does to be a rock critic. After three sprained ankles, I bagged the groupie-garb for a pen and a set of earplugs. I like to think of my self as three beers ahead of a groupie: I’m still “in the loop,” but I don’t have to put out. And it’s way better than being in a band; record execs kiss my ass in hopes I’ll review their crappy little bands. Bands have to kiss record label butt black and blue. I didn’t know anything about be ing a music writer. I like music, but I’m no expert. I don’t own the Beatles’ White Album or “Exile on Main Street.” I’ve never smoked dope and I can’t even inhale cigarettes properly. I can’t sing or play an instrument. I thought “ska” was a term skaters used to describe themselves because they couldn’t spell the rest of the word. Frank Zappa bores me. Does any of this matter? Hell no! The first step in being a music writer is finding a band. Record labels send you tons of crappy CDs that you’ll either file away in a drawer or use to start a game of Ultimate Frisbee with. If you’re reviewing a CD, here’s a good way to start: “I had just opened a jar of Cheese Whiz when I heard the opening notes Please see ROCK on 9 New comedy stays afloat with accent By Jeff Randall Film Critic Mike Myers is not British, and —contrary to what some may think after seeing “So I Married an Axe Murderer” — he is not Scottish. He is Canadian. But judging from Myers’ perfor mances in “Axe Murderer” and now in “Austin Powers,” everyone might be better off if he were from the British Isles. Myers, the “Saturday Night Live” alum who made himself into a household name with the largely unfunny “Wayne’s World,” seems to be much funn-ier whenever he throws in an accent. And he does just that in the title role of “Austin Powers.” Powers is a British-based inter national spy/crimefighter who was frozen in the late 1960s so that — in the future—he could pursue his. departed nemesis, Dr. Evil (also played by Myers). In 1997, Dr. Evil returns and Powers is thawed out so that he can stop the arch-criminal. He is aided in his mission by the prim-and proper agent, Vanessa Kensington Please see AUSTIN on 9