The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current, September 09, 1997, Page 12, Image 12
Seagal doesn’t light‘fire’ 1 By Gerry Beltz Film Critic Steve - buddy, pal. How and where did we lose you? C’mon, you haven’t made a decent flick since “Under Siege.” Since then, you’ve either done overblown cameos (“Executive Decision”), cookie-cutter sequels (“Under Siege 2”) or just plain garbage (“The Glimmer Man”). Nowadays, you want to say some thing. You have something on your mind (besides fungus) and you are trying to use a popular medium (i.e. movies) to communicate your views. A noble gesture, but come down off the soapbox. It ain’t workin’. “On Deadly Ground” was the tap on the shoulder, but “Fire Down Below” is the bat smackin’ you upside the head. For this flick, you play Environmental Protection Agency agent Jack Taggart. Sent to a small town in the Appalachians, you inves tigate a possible illegal toxic-waste dumping scheme masterminded by former resident-turned-corporate bad guy Orin Hanner (Kris Kristofferson), who rules the town through a cordless phone, and gets all the best one-liners. You meet all the standard cine matic stereotypes in the town: The local idiot (Harry Dean Stanton) who knows a lot more than anyone thinks he does; the lonely, beautiful, single woman (Marg Helgenberger) with a mysterious past who is shunned by all the local residents; and loads of rednecks who try to kick your ass from here to Duluth to get you to leave town. wait! l almost torgot about you trying to date the lonely woman, but her mysterious past becomes another subplot to bring to a suitably violent and issue-addressing closure. And, of course, all these prob lems are met and resolved through the appropriate use of attitude and ammo. Sorry if I’m missing anything here, but those Lite-Brite leather parkas you were sporting throughout the movie were a bit distracting. I hope those things ran off both AC and DC, or did a Crayola factory explode and cause all the crayons to melt onto your clothes? (Also noticed you’re still keeping the camera from showing you in pro file. Eat some fruits and veggies once Please see FIRE on 13 By Bret Schulte Senior Reporter The only thing safer than opening a bar in Lincoln is to land it as close to campus as pos sible - enter Mouse’s Library, the newest addition to a burgeoning bar scene spiraling out from its O-Street epicenter. Mouse’s Library, 1644 P St., has been established in an age old anchor of the Lincoln-student liquor life, Herm’s Liquor. The establishment’s new owners hope to use the location’s familiarity to draw customers to the lounge while maintaining the business that made Herm’s a local favorite - off-sale liquor. Todd and Tommy Mausbach bought the shop VA years after Herm’s changed its focus from strictly off-sale to a sports bar, renaming itself Herm’s Huddle. Now the Mausbach brothers have created a radically different image inside an old familiar shell in hopes of drawing the next gen eration to an old oasis. “We’re trying to create a loungey scene still close to cam pus and O Street,” Tommy Mausbach said. “We’re going for a totally different atmosphere than O Street.” Designed by Kristen Atchity, a University of Nebraska Lincoln architecture graduate student, the shop’s interior has been completely gutted and rebuilt with an industrial, post modern theme. Highlights include brushed steel, electric blue paint and black trim. “We used all raw materials, such as metal and wood, without taking away from its color,” Tommy Mausbach said. To complete the lounge atmosphere, several tables and benches will be installed, as well as a bookcase, thus earning the latter half of the lounge’s name. Tommy Mausbach said that “Mouse” is a name both he and his brother have been called ever since they were kids, and “Library” was added in order to integrate the lounge with its close proximity to campus. “We wanted to tie the lounge into the college life,” he said. “There seems to be a need for an intimate loungey hangout close to campus.” Expecting the bar to serve as a springboard for weekend bar sprees, Tommy Mausbach is counting on a crowd coming over from campus in the early evening looking for a comfortable place to gather and socialize. Tommy Mausbach said the lounge will be kept low-key with an emphasis on atmosphere rather than mass consumption. “We really hope to get the ~Blrl>xrowd,” he said. “We’ve noticed from parking downtown that a lot of people walk over from campus and we want to be that first stop.” Tommy Mausbach wants Mouse’s Lounge to be an alterna tive to the cattle-like O Street bar scene of packed taverns and deaf ening noise levels - but at the same time, close enough to downtown that patrons will be able to join the herd without get ting lost. The prices will be competitive with other bars downtown - $4.25 pitchers of domestic beers and specials throughout the week. The vast majority of sales will come from the retention of its off-sale customers from the building’s days as Herm’s, Tommy Mausbach said. Special 66 We re going for a totally different atmosphere than O Street” Tommy Mausbach co-owner of Mouse’s Library packages on kegs, taps and cups will be offered, as well as sales on cases of beer and other liquors. Mouse s Library will hold its } grand opening this weekend, with a special game for its new clien tele. Called “Sneak a Leak,” the game includes free beer for all’in the bar - until, that is, someone either “leaves or relieves,” Todd Mausbach said. In other words, free beer will be given to all the customers attending the grand opening from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, until someone either decides to leave the premises or simply breaks into an emergency sprint for the bathroom. Afterward, normal prices will resume. Michael Warren/DN SUSIE ATWOOD, a bartender at Mouse’s Library serves up a cold one. The grand opening of Mouse’s Library is this weekend. In an event called uSneak a Leak,” free beer will be served until someone goes to the bathroom or leaves. Bar looks for new image Dancer prefers teaching kids to performing By Liza Holtmeier Senior Reporter Ask most dancers, and they will tell you that 25 is a late age to begin dancing. That fact has never bothered Thom Lewis, though. At 25, Lewis began his career in dance at the University of Arizona because “they needed somebody to lift the girls.” Now, after 22 years in the field, he trav els throughout the United States, performing and teaching work shops. : . • On Friday, University of Nebraska-Lincoln students and Lincoln residents will have an opportunity to learn from Lewis’ experiences. Lewis will teach a 9:30 a.m. workshop on partnering in dance to UNL dancers, and at 12:30 p.m., he will teach the pub lic creative movement for chil dren. Both will be held at 304 Mabel Lee Hall. The public work shop will include basic approach es to teaching movement to chil dren, and those interested should contact Charlotte Adams at 472 1713. Students in the teachers col lege and educators throughout the community are encouraged to attend. This is not Lewis’ first trip to Nebraska. Last March, he per formed with the Arizona-based company Tenth Street Danceworks and taught dance and composition classes. “He taught movement through visualization,” said Heather Schwenzer, a senior dance and pre-medicine major who partici pated in the classes last year. “He was very approachable and he did a lot of hands-on teaching.” Since then, Lewis has contin ued his work with the Arizona Arts Commission on art programs in the state’s schools. “Performing is fine, but teach ing is what keeps me in dance,” Lewis said. “For me, it’s the best way to increase exposure to the art.” Though Lewis enjoys working with trained dancers, he says his Please see LEWIS on 13