Let’s
GET IT
I Chris Bendet/DN
1 MORTIS GIVES RAVEN
I a pounding from above
M in a crowd-pleasing
A match Friday night.
I The match between
I the two wrestlers
I began with Mortis hit
I ting Raven over the
I head with a chair dur
I ing the latter’s intro
I duction.
Professional wrestling’s slams please local fans
By Jason Hardy and Sarah Baker
Senior Reporters
Wrestling is fake.
But don't tell that to the 6.400 hard-core fans
who flocked to Pershing Municipal Auditorium
Friday as World Championship Wrestling took
Lincoln to the edge and back.
Well, maybe they didn't quite make it back.
The halls of Pershing were packed with
countless Sting look-a-likes, kids with WCW'
shaved into their bowl cuts, people promoting
"NW'O 4 Life" and lots of tank tops.
The packed arena was blaring the Boss, and
people scampered around in anticipation for the
big brawl.
For many, this was their first live experience
of professional wrestling.
Matthew Malone, senior psychology major,
said he had been looking forward to seeing live
wrestling since he was a child.
i usea to watcn it as a kia. ana as you grow
up you realize that ‘hey, this is fake,' but it's still
fun." Malone said. “I've been counting the days
every single day ”
He said he was looking forward to seeing
DDP's infamous move, the "Diamond Cutter.”
Malone's excitement was obvious, because
he was dressed like Sting, the spooky-looking
WCW world champ.
While waiting in line for some nachos,
WCW first-timer Jennifer Anderson said she
was pumped up.
“I am a fan of WCW and WWF wrestling,”
Anderson said. “Usually I only get the pay-per
view fights, but I'm excited to see the action
tonight.”
The lights faded, and the crowd went berserk
as the announcer entered the ring, and one could
smell the anticipation.
Or at least one could smell some heav y body
odor; either way it was effective.
The first matchup was of relatively small
importance, out mat aian t stop me crowa rrom
launching jeers and sneers at Ernest Miller and
Brad Armstrong.
Armstrong received most of the complaints
as chants of "Armstrong sucks" quickly changed
to "Armstrong’s gay" Still, the action continued.
By the time cruiserweight champ Chris
Jericho entered the squared circle to pounce on
Eddie Guerrero, the crowd began to flex its beer
muscles.
Jericho, making the fatal mistake of bad
mouthing the Huskers, was bombarded with
wall after wall of nachos. beer. pop. beer. ice.
beer, popcorn and beer.
Guerrero appeased the crowd by promising
a "genuine Nebraska ass kickin'." Of course
then he lost.
As the night came to an end, the legendary
“bjature Boy” Ric flair paraded into the nng.
Having won the worldychampionship title 13
times in 20 years. Flair was the coup de gras for
many longtime fans.
Lincoln resident Laui Meizer said tne main
reason he came to WCW was to see Flair in the
ring.
“I wanted to see some of the stars who were ^
popular when i ^ais younger,” Meizer said. “I’ve Si
followed" Rid F fair's1 career since he was §
nobody.”
Meizer said he has been a fan of profession
al wrestling since he was 10 years old. He had
ringside seats for the event.
“Ric Flair has been in the business for a long ,
time, and 1 really lucked out to be able to see
this.” he said.
Before the main event. Flair upped the ante
by promising Lincoln a “Tom Osborne ass
kickin'” for opponent Curt Hennig. And he
delivered.
By 10 p.m., the event had come and gone,
and the boisterous crowd overflowed into the
night. Downtown Lincoln was alive with hoots
and hollers signifying the indelible mark made
by the wrestlers of the WCW.
r
M ‘Dark City’ captures classic sci-fi
W By Cuff Hicks
f Film Critic
Wow.
It’s been a long time since there
has been film as visually gripping as
“Dark City,” and even longer since
there’s been one with a plot this good
along with some good acting thrown
into the bunch. Plus it’s got Richard
O’Brien in it.
Part “Blade Runner,” part
“Metropolis,” part “Hellraiser,” and part
David Lynch, “Dark City” is a tour de
force of stunning imagery, well
thought-out story elements and a fas
cinating look at humankind.
At its heart, “Dark City” is
gMfr a science-fiction story in the
vein of the old masters - most
Hfe like Ray Bradbury’s type of
stuff. Don't let the commer
cials fool you, this is pure,
ngL classic sci-fi. However, it’s got
a strong dosage of film noir
shot in its arm. There's a good
flood of mystery intermingled
with the sci-fi heart.
The film’s starting point
is fairly simple. John
Murdoch (Rufus Sewell)
wakes up in a bathtub with a
bit of blood on his forehead.
He has no memory. In the
hotel room is a dead hooker.
He runs. Later he encounters
his wife (Jennifer Connelly)
who doesn’t think he’s guilty
The Facts
Title: “Dark City”
Stars: Rufus Sewell, Kiefer Sutherland,
Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt, Richard
O’Brien
Director: Alex Proyas
Rating: R (violence, language)
Grade: A
Five Words: THIS is good science-fiction
chattering noises and do
I really strange things.
f Trust me, you’ll see.
All of “Dark City’’ has
a very distinct look to it and
for due reason. This only
enhances the noir/sci-fi
look to the whole thing and
makes for fascinating
watching. The special
effects are some of the best
seen in cinema in a while.
of the crime.
From here on, it’s tough not to give away too
much of the film. But there are some other char
acters who play integral parts.
Kiefer Sutherland puts in an almost over-the
top performance as Dr. Shreber, a psychologist
whose whole role is questionable. William Hurt
offers a strong but quiet performance as Inspector
Bumstead, who seeks to understand Murdoch
and how this case drove the officer before him
insane. And then there are the Strangers.
At midnight, the city stops and the Strangers
come out en masse. The Strangers are, well,
strange. Bald, male and with chalk-white skin,
they don’t look normal. They fly about, make
They aren’t over the top, nor are they subtle - they
are exactly what the script calls for.
Besides all of this, Sewell puts in a great per
formance as John Murdoch. As great as the film
would be with its visuals, special effects, stylized
sets and well-crafted plot, Sewell is the one who
pulls it together with director Alex Proyas. His
acting is dead-on, his portrayal unquestionable.
Despite all of this, “Dark City” is not for
everyone. Science-fiction fans and mysterv
fans will love “Dark City,” while the rest of you
may find yourselves a little lost. But this is still
one worth seeing anyway, if not to get the mes
sage that Proyas is sending, then simply to see
the way he sends it.
Matt Haney/DN
