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■ SOAP DOPE
The Young and The Restless: Cassandra was arrested for the
murder of her husband. Nina, Cricket and Chase plotted their
new living arrangements. Nina had another confrontation with
David and told him to “Get Lost."
The Red and Black • Thursday, January 11, 1990 • 5
A&E
‘Devil’ not so hot
A Review of n She-Devil" starring
Roseanne Barr and Meryl Streep.
Directed by Susan Seidelman. An
Orion release rated PG-13. Now
playing at the Georgia Square
Mall.
By CARY DICRliTINA
Contributing Writer
You could say “She-Devil" is a
funny movie. However, funny iB a
relative term. For example, it’s
funnier than “Born on the Fourth
of July.” But that’s about all it can
boast.
The film’s plot has considerable
potential, but it throws all of its po
tential away. The main character,
Ruth Patchett (Roseanne Barr), is
a homely housewife, who spends
all of her time looking after her
husband’s needs (i.e., cooking,
cleaning, etc.). Her dorky-accoun-
tant husband, Bob (Ed Begley, Jr.),
stays with her out of a sense of loy
alty.
Now the punch: when Ruth and
Bob go to an important party, Ruth
bumps into romance novelist Mary
Fisher (Meryl Streep); then Bob
and Mary bump into each other,
well, horizontally.
From that point on, Mary and
Bob are in love, and Ruth is alone.
The rest of the film concerns Ruth’s
vengeance on her husband. The
film could have been merciless in
its revenge tactics. It could have
been funny. But if that were the
case, it would be “War of The
■ FILM REVIEW
Roses," not “She-Devil.”
The film is not totally without its
strong points. One major strength
is the high priestess of acting her
self, Meryl Streep. That chame
leon-like oscar-winner easily
outshines her material. She proves
once again that a talented actresB
can master all forms of the craft,
not just foreign accents and somber
dialogue. Her performance is genu
inely humorous. (No thanks to the
lame script with which she had to
contend).
The one question that has
helped keep this big-budget TV
movie in theaters is “Can Rose
anne make it in movies?” It seemed
like a good casting (on paper) to
hire Roseanne, the ultimate house
wife comedienne, to portray the ul
timate housewife on film.
Unfortunately, Barr is best when
touting off one-liners, not playing
Lady Macbeth. She’s not without
potential. She’s just in dire need of
some acting lessons.
The supporting cast is a mixed
bag. The comic talents of Ed
Begley, Jr. are wasted. Linda Hunt
and Sylvia Miles come ofT much
better. Especially Miles, who al
most steals the film as Streep’s
bitter mother.
It has its worthy moments, but
in the end “She—Devil” is a movie
best rented for a buck.
Barr, Begley and Streep: Love triangle in the making
Vic Varney favors simplicity in music,
says own story better, more intimate
■ INTERVIEW
Vic Varney will be performing at
The Downstairs Cafe Under
ground tonight around 10:30. No
opening act.
By SUZANNE DIFFLEY
Contributing Writer
Vic Varney, a veteran Athens
performer, is back with his solo
album “Cain."
Varney has had a very colorful
past in the Athens music scene.
He was once a member of the suc
cessful band The Tone Tones be
fore joining The Method Actors.
After the band’s break-up in
1983, Varney joined Go Van Go.
After years of collaborated work,
Varney has returned to his solo
roots.
“I’ve come full cycle back to my
original goal, making music
really simple and alone. I think
you need to keep music simple;
the desire to play music is simple.
There’s an intimacy, a growl that
comes through,” Varney said.
On the album “Cain,” Varney
is the sole performer with the ex
ception of Raymond Davis on the
steel drums and percussion.
Varney provides bass, guitar and
vocals. The result is a very raw
and unique sound.
‘Tm an impressionist. I like
music with a lot of soul and a lot
of feeling. The people singing it
are singing a scene. It can take
many forms, but it must be their
own story, not someone else’s,” he
said.
Varney has seen a change of
attitude towards music over the
ears in Athens. The lack of
onest interest and larger expec
tations have hindered the college
music scene, he said.
“When the drinking age went
up and MTV came around, every
thing changed in live music. MTV
can be a great tool, but also a
great handicap. It’s very difficult
to get off the ground without a
media package.”
Varney, who has never owned
a stereo until recently, also feels
that the media has contributed to
a prevalent lack of originality in
the recording industry.
‘The more it becomes easier for
us to participate in other people
making music, the less we make
our own. The more media you
have, the less you do.
“When I was in new wave, I
worked with people who were
genuinely weird. Now it’s too
structured. There’s a way to key
into certain aspects that can be
marketed,” Varney said.
He also feels that a lot of the
love for music has left for a lot of
people with an increased em
phasis on commercial success.
“All I’m interested in is music;
making my peace with it and
making me happy. Just having it
out there is important to me. As
for the money side of it, it’s great
only if you’re doing what means
the most to you. Those things are
a prize, not a reward,” he said.
Varney prefers to write only
love songs, in spite of the growing
trend of political commentary in
today’s music.
“I believe in writing about sin
cere and concrete things, not
what you think people need to
know, but something you’ve lived
out; or possibly a question you’ve
found. But musicians shouldn’t
rant and rave about something
they know nothing about.
‘There are two types of poli
tics: the world, which is covered
by the newspapers, and people,
public, class and the politics tnat
take place in front of the fireplace
between a man and a woman,” he
said. ‘That’s what I know about
and write about. Real politics in
living is loving what is important
to you. Not in bandstanding or
groups, but in being an indi
vidual. Take care of your own
spirituality and life, and it will do
much more for the world than
any large group.”
New D’arby album: Not his best
By BILL KENYON
Contributing Writer
Over a year ago Terence Trent
D’arby surfaced in Europe with his
single “If You Let Me Stay.” Not
long after, his popularity crossed
the Atlantic and the single
“Wishing Well” hit number one.
There was no doubt about his
talent. Consequent interviews, no
tably the one he gave to Rolling
Stone, erased any doubt about his
ego. Claiming the position of eccen
tric musical genius, Derby’s re
mains one of the biggest in music
today.
Now with the release of his
second album, dubbed with the
convoluted title ‘Terence Trent
D’arby’s Neither Fish Nor Flesh, A
Soundtrack of Love, Faith, Hope,
and Destruction,” his conceit may
come back to haunt him. “Neither
Fish Nor Flesh” is the work of a tal
ented artist, but it is not the work
of a self-proclaimed genius.
Unlike D’arby’s first work, “In
troducing The Hardline According
To...,” this subsequent album con-
■ ALBUM REVIEW
tains no extraordinary songs, and
there is no group of perhaps three
or four songs perfect for pop chart
release. “Hardline” had several of
both, and most of the songs on it
were examples of superior song
writing capabilities. There were
only a few songs that lacked the
soulful wisdom that D’arby found
easy to put into his music. And
they were better than the average
teeny-bop pop single.
Similarly, none of the songs on
“Neither Fish nor Flesh” are very
bad. They just aren’t as good as
those on his debut. Of the twelve
tunes on his latest attempt, none
stand out as marketable, although
‘To Know Someone Deeply Is To
Know Someone Softly” has had
some radio play and “This Side Of
Love” is a current MTV favorite.
There are however a few gems
highlighting the album, that
though they may never get any air
play, exemplify the finest of
D’arby’s would-be genius.
Such songs include “It Feels So
Good To Love Someone Like You,”
a lilting ballad of few words that
uses celestial strings and D’arby’s
falsetto to their fullest, and “You
Will Pay Tomorrow,” a danceable
rocker on which D’arby toots away
in the background on a kazoo.
One interesting cut that almost
screams for attention is the tune
“Billy Don’t Fall.” With it D’arby
ledges comraderie and support to
is homosexual friend in spite of
his own heterosexual background.
The message denounces prejudice
and the attitude of the anti-gay
community, but it is somewhat
spoiled, for in the chorus he insists:
“Billy don’t fall in love with me....”
Once again, Terence Trent
D’arby’s ego shines through.
In the end, “Neither Fish Nor
Flesh” marks no great achieve
ment. It is a good enough album,
but certainly not a landmark.
D’arby discovers nothing akin to
Einstein’s theory of relativity. He
invents nothing of significance,
and he does not paint a musical
masterpiece.
RpCkFiSh PA l 9.CC I
Calendar
CUT ME OUT • PUT ON FRIDGE
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trends
Look for it
Monday, Jan. 29
ACNE
VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED
The University Health Services
will be conducting a study on
acne . If you are a
student between the ages
of 13 and 30, in good general
health and have facial acne
please come by The University
Health Services on January
10th, 11th or 12th between
the hours of 9:00 a.m. - noon
or 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
For further information
you may call
404-542-5512
(Beginning January 10)
Qualified participants completing
the study will
receive $100