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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
How I Spent My Summer Vacation - Not Another LoveJones!
By Curtis K. L. Johnson, Jr.
W&L News Editor
Make room for another
brother on the cinema block.
His name's John Fisher and re
telling the story of black love
in the 90's is his first attempt
at stardom. Fisher is the
director and writer of a new
independent film entitled How
I Spent My Summer Vacation.
This film explores the
turbulent and often hilarious
world of dating through the
eyes of African-American
college students. This film
breaks current black film
stereotypes by featuring no
drugs, gang wars, or gunshots.
How I Spent My Summer
Vacation instead illustrates a
war between the sexes in a
fashion that is sharply ironic.
Fisher, originally from
Athens, Georgia, is a recent
graduate of , Howard
University Film School. His
claim to fame came just a week
before his graduation at
Howard Film School. He
subscribed to The Independent
Film & Video Monthly and saw
a Castleway ad along with one
from a production company in
Atlanta. He decided to send
them a copy of his script for
How I Spent My Summer
Vacation.
After they received it, he
was contacted by producer
Alan Gay. Gay showed interest
in producing the film and
asked if he could start looking
for support for it.
"It was very much a
surprise, especially at that
point because school was
beating me down," said Fisher.
"I Was worried about my
future after graduation. And
then this happens, and I was
like, wow!"
Fisher has written six
other screenplays; all either
dramas or comedies. His
personal experiences in
relationships made him pen
this dating tale. He labels his
relationships with women as
learning experiences, and
through his own experiences,
he was able to add an ironic
edge to his drama/ comedy.
The interview with Fisher
took on a peculiar twist when
it turned into a therapeutic
session regarding black
relationships. Fisher recalled
that a woman he once dated
told him that "men are lumps
of clay." He elaborated by
saying you grow from each
experience and it somehow
expands who you are. He also
went on to discuss how often
people view a woman's
perspective on break-ups in
relationships and not on a
man's. Ironically, in Fisher's
new hit romantic comedy, he
focuses on the feelings of men
at the end of a relationship
rather than women.
"Often, new film-makers
attempt to bring a new style to
the art of filmmaking," he said.
Fisher wishes not to be
labeled as a Black film maker,
implying that there are limits
for Blacks in film. He would
also like to bring diversity to
the cinema world. Fisher gives
credit to Spike Lee, Woody
Allen and Martin Scorcese,
film makers who have
inspired him.
Fisher does not know
where his first film will lead
him. But in regards to his
film's central theme of baffling
relationships, one can only
imagine how his first love feels
now that he's broken ground.
Deanna Davis as
Stephanie and
RonReaco Lee as
Perry are college
students who can't
decide whether to
break up or make up
in John Fisher's debut
feature, How I Spent
My Summer Vacation, a
romantic comedy.
photo:
Deborah Celecia/SPECIAL
Crossing Over to the Other Side: Bebe Winans Style
In a departure from his
gospel music roots, Bebe
Winans explores popular
music in his self-titled LP.
By Brian L. Thompson
Editor-In-Chief
Usually when a preacher
says a member of the
congregation has crossed over
to the other side, he means the
person has died, gone to glory
on the other side, and is not
coming back.
In music, when artists
cross over, it means they have
expanded their base audience
and targeted another
audience, perhaps never to
return. In some circumstances,
it means the death of the
artist's career.
Everyone who is in the
know is familiar with Bebe
and Cece Winans, the gospel
duo from the musically
talented Winans family. It's
hard to get away from the
mindset of hearing their voices
intertwined together.
So, while listening to
Winans' self-titled LP Bebe
Winans, keep an open mind.
Cece's presence is nowhere on
the album; no duets, no solos
and no production. But their
sister, Debbie, guest stars on
"Did You Know" and "Oh
Happy Day," which also
features Hezekiah
Walker's Love^
Fellowshij
Crusad
Choir, jj
Wfe
Mows 1
the
trend
that Kirk J
Franklin
seems to have
started in gospel
music with the
Family and
God's Property..
Most of the
songs are
clearly pop/
R & B
influenced. |
The upbeat j
songs ("Love
is the
Reason,"!
"Thank You,"!
"I Wanna Be
the Only One")
showcase!
Winans
vocalism and
musicality.
Surprisingly,
the lyrics of
those three
songs are not
overly religious; in fact, they
are all open to interpretation.
On some of the slower songs
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("If You Say," "In Harm's Way,"
"In the Midst of Rain"), the
absence of Cece's powerful
: voice is quite noticeable.
Not taking anything
away from Winans'
personal singing ability,
but listening to Bebe
Winans without Cece is
like listening to
\ EnVogue's EV3
without Dawn
Robinson. Something is
clearly missing.
Of course, Winans has
a powerful voice and
Debbie Winans, Hezekiah
.Walker's Love Crusade
Choir and Eternal guest
tar. But like the girl
ho replaced Mimi
n the group
Brownstone, it's
just not the same.
Otherwise,
Winans'
crossover into
jospel/pop/
IR&B is
successful.
By no means
F does he have a
u d i o -
•produced
singing voice,
J 1
nor does he
have to whine,
bare his chest or sing about sex
to sell records.
However, if you’re a
gospel purist, this is not the
album for you. Winans
ventures away from the base
audience that Bebe and Cece
shared.
In an interview, they
stated that solo projects are
something that they both have
wanted to do for a long time
and that they would
collaborate as a duo again in
the future. So, if you enjoy
Bebe Winans, check out a
similar crossover product from
Cece Winans, entitled
Everlasting Love, now in stores.
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peace, antfn. andnnderstani/ina
hJhis jear, reirace hi$ steps
in remembrance, rejlection,
and recommitment.
On April 3 - 5, 1998, individuals
of goodwill from all walks of life
and all parts of the world
will reconvene in Memphis
to remember the man,
to reflect on the message,
and to recommit to the
ideals which remain pivotal
in our ongoing fight for
individual rights.
Take your place among today!; leaders
for speeches, symposiums, films, and
music honoring Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. While
through participation and
, respect - and the promise
jjK' to do more as individuals
and as a society - we aim
to achieve the ultimate
dream. Equality.
MEMPHIS
Three Ways. Three Days.
April 3,4, 5,1998 - Memphis, Tennessee
To register or for more information, call The Commemorative Commission Connecting Community
at 901-527-7277, or write to the CCCC at RO. Box 3050, Memphis. TN 38173-3050.
info@pilgrirnagemempius.org
