Newspaper Page Text
- THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1988
6A
'Punchline'
Actor Tom Hanks scores an acting knockout
"Punchline" is to stand up com
edy what "A Chorus Line" was to
dance. It deals with the manic ups
and the deadly downs which inhabit
those persons who spend their lives
trying to make us laugh. Sally
Field and Tom Hanks star and bring
to life the dark side of the comedy
world.
The film itself, though it deals
with comedy, is not especially
funny. There are a few chuckles
here and there as the comedians go
through their routines. But by and
large the focus of the film is on the
heartbreak and hopelessness of the
slandup comedian’s world.
Tom Hanks plays Steven Gold,
a man on the verge of a break
through or a breakdown. His father
thinks he is in med school but 100
many nights of comedy tryouts
have washed him out of that
profession. Plus he gets sick at the
sight of blood. As a would be doc
tor, he was a dud, but as a comedian
he is the clown prince.
Lilah Kryslick is played by
Sally Field. Lilah is a housewife
with three daughters and a roly-poly
husband. All of her life she has
been funny and now she wants to
move that talent onto a stage. Steve
sees the potential and encourages
her to pul performing above all
else. Lilah wants to be able to
break free but her loyalties arc tied
to husband and family. Field plays
Lilah like a prettier Roscannc Barr.
Try though they might to make her
look dumpy, her natural beauty still
shines through and makes Lilah a
radiant "Candy" Barr rather than the
trumpish Roscannc. In making the
transition from housewife to per
former Field is believable and en
joyable. She also shows the heart
behind Lilah's comedy which makes
it belter than the rest.
Hanks' Steven is a walking
bundle of nerves and contradictions.
It would appear that comedy is all
An interview with Alan King
Alan King gives the performance
of his career in the new film,
"Memories of Me." He is co-pro
ducer of the film and co-star which
makes him a heavy participant in
the movie. Because of this and be
cause he believes in the movie, he
is out on the road making some
more "King" memories for the re
porters he speaks with in the vari
ous cities.
I had the chance to talk with him
and learn about the man, the actor
and the comedian.
"I get discovered about every five
years, you know," he said as soon
as we were seated and talking. "And
that has been going on for forty
five years. 1 think about three gen
erations have discovered me now."
He is aware most people know
him as a comedian and not a dra
matic actor even though he has
been active in films for many years.
"Not all of them have been so great
but some of them have been okay,"
he stressed. "When I do a dramatic
role they say 'I didn't know you
could act.’ And when you are lucky
enough to have some good reviews
come along, that is the icing on the
cake. Os course we could talk about
the bad ones that I bleed over."
In talking with King you learn
quickly that this was a very per
sonal film for him to do. "I wanted
to do the movie for the tough guy
who secs the movie and then comes
out brushing sway a tear. Then I
hope he goes home and calls his
father."
The personal side of the film
became even more acute after the
movie had finished filming. "My
father died two weeks after the
movie was completed," King said.
"My mother died at ninety-one and
two weeks later my father died at
ninety-six. 1 was very fortunate to
have them as long as I did but it
was a great blow to me."
King is quick to comment on
the relationship between his father
and Abe (his character in the
movie). "My father was the
antithesis of me but an incredible
influence in my life. He had a lot of
Abe in him. He didn't like to deal
with problems head on, he would
rather joke about them."
These jokes must be where King
gets his wicked sense of humor. It
creeps into his sentences as con
stantly as the ever present cigarettes
are lit. "The movie was just a ball
to make. I didn't know Billy that
well before we made the movie but
he is just a joy to work with. And
Henry Winkler, well Henry should
get the Albert Schweitzer award for
working with and directing Billy
and me."
"Can you imagine what that was
like?" he asked. ”1 wanted the
movie to be a roller coaster of
laughs one minute and drama the
next. Henry understood that. Plus I
wanted to make a very personal
''
Tom Hanks In the movie "Punchline"
...not only is he funny, he’s dramatic
Movie
i review I
that he lives for but he also has a
need for love and acceptance which
arc all powerful. He leaches Lilah
about comedy but he demands that
she give him her heart and soul in
return. Until he can convince
someone else to love him he can
not love himself.
Hanks' role is the more demand
ing of the two and he gives it his
all. Combined with his Oscar wor
thy role in "Big," this movie
establishes Hanks as a major
comedic/dramatic talent. He has
moved into the very unique spot of
♦ * ..**
mm <r
King with Joßeth Williams and Billy Crystal
...his movie has a lot of laughs and a lot of tears
film and so did Billy. Henry had to
understand that 100 and know how
to get it on film."
But what about poor Joßeth
Williams I asked. She is the out
sider in this all male bonding
movie. King gave off the fast line
again when he answered, "Joßeth
Williams had the best lime. She
s.iould have paid ’is.”
Then he quickly added,
"Seriously the woman's part was
such a problem to us. You know
she just doesn't do anything. We
even brought in a female writer to
try to beef up the part. But she said
the role could only serve as a referee
between the two men. The focus
was on the two men and that is the
only way it could be. But Joßeth
still wanted to do it and she was
great.
"Henry has admitted this. He
worked with Billy and he worked
with me on our roles but Joßeth
brought her own strength and intel
ligence to her part. We got the best
when we got her and that was a real
plus for us,"
Before the interview ended I
Jackie rates the movies
Title Rating Score
The Accused R (Nudity, Profanity & 7
Graphic Rape Sequence)
Alien Nation R (Violence & Profanity) 4
Dead Ringers R (Nudity, Profanity & Violence) 4
Elvira: Mistress of PG-13 (Profanity & Sexual 2
the Dark Innuendoes)
Gorillas In The Mist PG-13 (Profanity & Violence) 7
Heartbreak Hotel PG-13 (Profanity) 6
Memories of Me PG-13 (Profanity) 6
Messenger of Death R (Profanity & Violence)
Punchline R (profanity) 6
Stormy Monday R (Nudity, Profanity & Violence) 6
being young, funny and dramatic.
The movie is rated R for profan
ity.
"Punchline" is a movie that
punches our senses with its razor
sharp edge of reality. Even the
lightest sequences have a punch to
them. And the threat of obscurity is
always present to prod the laugh
getters on to more and more
desperate acts. If you win you get
the laughs, if you lose you get the
boos. There is no in between.
This film is not the breezy,
laugh getter you might expect.
When you go to see "Punchline"
expect to see drama creating comedy
and vice versa. There is a downside
to the laughs we get on TV and this
movie shows what it is.
1 scored "Punchline" a deadly
funny 6 out of 10.
—Jackie K. Cooper
wanted to know what the most dif
ficult scene was in the movie. 1
thought 1 knew the answer, but I
wanted to see if I was right. King
thought a few minutes before he
answered. And this lime he was
dead serious. He said, as I thought
he would, "The most difficult scene
was the one with the CAT scan. It
was in a real hospital and that is
disturbing to me. My father was
already failing when we were
shooting this and that affected me. 1
knew Abe would start to joke but
he would be feeling trapped. Then
as we did the scene, I just fell apart
and Henry kept the cameras
rolling." That for me was the most
poignant moment in the movie, and
1 was glad King had picked it to re
lied upon. It is the best thing he
has ever done and should be the ba
sis for an Oscar nomination for
him. I know I will never forget it.
From the way he sounded when he
talked about it, he too knew that it
was a memorable moment for King
the actor and King the man.
—Jackie K. Cooper
Sat.--Fri. primetime television
SATURDAY
SATURDAY EVENING OCTOBER 22
PM 5:30 [ 6:00 | 6:30 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30
BROADCAST CHANNELS
College Football: Ind. at Mich, Star Trek Next Gener North and South (CC) GLOW Wrestling
Ip ® L Football News CBS News Outdoors Feed Live Dick Clark Simon & Simon _ West 57th News j ßlk Knight
World Serles:Game Six. it necessary As at Dodgers 227 (CC) Amen (CC) Gold. Girls Emp Nest Secrets Headlines Sat Night
Motorweek J. Wilson Old House Austin City Limits Lawrence Welk Show Made Me Love Doctor Who Sherlock
fjf*3 Z Football Simon & Simon Fortune Escape Live Dick Clark Simon & Simon West 57th News Apollo
13 Dick Clark Star Search Mama Scratch Reporters Beyond Tomorrow Movie " Wavelength" (1983)
CABLE CHANNELS
jS* World Senes:Game Six, it necessary As at Dodgers 227 (CC) Amen (CC) Gold. Girls Emp. Nest Secrets News Sat. Night
W7BS Hogan Wrestling Wrestling Movie "Airport" 11970) Night Tracks
'y® 8 College Football: Ind. at Mich. Scratch Mama North and South (CC) News Offerings
W % OR A-Team A-Team It’s Living Mama Kolchak, Stalkr. Kolchak, Stalkr, News Benny Hill B, Miller Nightmare
WAGA Football News CBS News Escape Superboy Live Dick Clark Simon S Simon West 57th News Magnum
Gd. Times Charles Scratch The Sheriff Benson Movie "Hooper" (1978) News (CC) Twil Zone Horse
WALB Star Trek News NBC News Hee Haw/World Series 227 (CC) Amen (CC) Gold. Girls Emp. Nest Secrets News Sat. Night
C gf) N Newsmakr News Pinnacle Cap, Gang Sports PnmeNews Showbiz In Japan Headline News Pinnacle Sports
E ® N Racing Powerboat Racing College Scoreboard College Football; Oklahoma at Colorado Football Football
CBN Big Valley Bonanza Rm Tin Tin Crossbow Lone Ranger: The Truth Unmasked Lone Ranger Rm Tin Tin Crossbow
TNN
22 Wk./Music Amer, Music Kitchen Rock Backstage OleOpry Amer. Music Kitchen Wish Here Wk./Music Rock
M ? 7V Top 100 Rock Big Picture Video Disc Jockey Remote Comedy Yo! Raps Video Disc Jockey
U £ A Throb Mike Hammer Miami Vice Movie "Msho: The Jaws of Death” (1975) Hitchcock Bradbury Dementia 13
ni 2 5 K Dennis Court Looney T Gadget Duckula Mister Ed Patty Duke My 3 Sons D. Reed Sat. Night SCTV Laugh-In Car 54
°af c Blacks Drum Acrobats Crown Ult. Run Mountain Festivals Festivals H. Botler Paradise Animals Animals
V 3,‘ l Phil Collins VJ: Roger Rose Bob Rivers Flix VHI A Go-Go VHI A Go-Go
c8 29 AN Policy Press Club Address The Public Policy Address Journalists’ Roundtable Discussion Close-Up America
PREMIUM CHANNELS
DIBN Mouse. Ozzie Boomer Movie "Gulliver's Travels" (1977) Witch’s The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit Steve Allen
™ C Amazon Women on the Moon Movie "Dreamscape" (1954) Movie "Beverly Hills Cop II" (1987) Vendetta
HRO
, 5 The Wraith Cont’d One Crazy Summer Movie “The Believers" (1987) Rodney Dangerfield Weeds
s *° w Movie "Superman II" (1980) Movie "Children of a Lesser God" (1986) Showtime Coast to Coast Together
MAX 13 Rue Madeleine Movie "Lethal" (1985) Movie "Hiding Out" (1987) Movie “The Retatiator" (1987) Near Dark
SUNDAY
SUNDAY EVENING OCTOBER 23
PM 5:30 | 6:00 j 6:30 [ 7:00 j 7:30 ! 8:00 I 8:30 [ 9:00 j 9:30 j 10:00110:30j 11:00jl 1:30
BROADCAST CHANNELS
'o ? A Fall Guy Magnum, P.l. Incredible Sunday (CC) Mission: Impossible North and South (CC) Ftball Soul Tram
Iq 181 " NASCAR 3on Town TBA 60 Minutes (CC) Murder. She Wrote Movie “Jack the Ripper" (1988) Siskel
o’?, T NFL FootbalLßegional Coverage The Goomes/World Series (CC) Movie "Dance 'Til Dawn/World Series" (1988) Sprts. Talk Sports
WDCO
O,j T. Brown CE News DeGrassi Healing Arts Love Those Trains Nature (CC) Masterpiece Theatre Fueling Slakes?
'q IAZ Halloween Close-Up 60 Minutes (CC) Murder. She Wrote Movie "Jack the Ripper" (1988) News Movies
(§”l® Lifestyles Sha Na Na Munsters 21 Jump Street Wanted Children G. T. Ullman Duel (CC) Follies Journal Wrestling
CABLE CHANNELS
(j,s NFL FootbalLßegional Coverage Magical Disney To Be Announced Movie “Dance 'Til Dawn/World Series" (1988) News The Sheriff
w T 2 BS Beaver NWA: Mam Event Movie "Blue Hawaii" (1962) National Geographic Explorer All Family J, Falwell
WSR
i,4, Hee Haw News News Incredible Sunday (CC) Mission: Impossible North and South (CC) News
W )i6? R K. Rider A-Team Children of Children Children The Untouchables News Follies B. Miller Baretta
WA f A NFL Football: Redskins at Packers 60 Minutes (CC) Murder, She Wrote Movie "Jack the Ripper" (1988) News
The Tigers Movie “The Adventures of Mark Twain” (1944) Movies Star Search News (CC) INN News Monsters Magnum
WA O LB NFL FootbalLßegional Coverage The Goomes/World Series (CC) Movie “Dance 'Til Dawn/World Series" (1988) News B Jones
00* Newsmakr News Business World Rpt. Sport Sun. PnmeNews Week in Review Headline News Business Sports
ccptj
5 Racing: So. Calif, Gr. Prlx NFL Primetime NFL Scrapbook NFL Theatre NFL Primetime Sports Center
C (f N Big Valley Bonanza Our House Rin Tin Tin Snapshots In Touch B. Haden Ankerberg Outdoors Ed Young
™ N Outdoor Motoworld Heroes American Sports Cavalcade Racing Motoworld Heroes Outdoors Horse Rodeo
m 2 7V Top 100 of All Time Cont’d Top 100 of All Time Video Rock Monty Py, Yng Ones British Comic Strip
'f®* Hitchcock Murder, She Wrote Miami Vice Mike Hammer Diamonds Private Eye Cov. Story Hollywood
N i2s K Loves Court Looney T. Gadget Duckula Mister Ed Patty Duke My 3 Sons D. Reed Sat. Night SCTV Laugh-In Car 54
D (!j6 C 3in Wild World About Us Ital. Wines Tr, Islands Space Mt, Ararat Ozoo Pitcairn El Rocio
V 2 B‘l 8 ‘ 1 O’Donnel VHI Top Ten VJ: Roger Rose VJ: Roger Rose VJ: Roger Rose VJ: Roger Rose New Visions
CSPAN Public Policy Conference Cont’d Next President Process and Policy Road to the White House Next President
PREMIUM CHANNELS
DI ® N Dr. Seuss Dangers. Animals Movie “Misty" (1961) Making of the President: 1960 Kennedy On the Double
™ c Adventures in Babysitting’Cont’d Movie “Beverly Hills Cop II"(1987) Movie "Ruthless People" (1986) Man, Wmn
HBO Transylv. Movie "Innerspace" (1987) Movie “The Big Town" (1987) Ist & Ten Lip Service (CC) Gentleman
SH ° W Greystoke Movie “Making Mr. Right"(l9B7) Movie “Outrageous Fortune" (1987) Movie “Nighlhawks"(l9Bl) Bullies
MAX Shdw Rdrs Movie “Women of San Quentin" (1983) Movie “Dragnet” (1987) Les Paul The Lost Boys
MONDAY
MONDAY EVENING OCTOBER 24
PM 5:30 | 6:00 [ 6:30 j 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 9:00 j 9:30 110:00j 10:30111:00jl 1:30
BROADCAST CHANNELS
? 4 a News Sanford ABC News Happemn A Break MacGyver (CC) NFL Football: San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears (CC)
(| BL Geraldo News CBS News Win, Lose Fam. Feud Newhart Os Age Movie "Indiscreet" (1988) News Hunter
(j 1 ?, 1 Affair USA NBC News Win, Lose Newhart ALF (CC) Movie “A Stoning in Fulham County" (1988) News News Sp,
Lassie MacNeil/Lehrer Business Animals Smithsonian World The Choice - A "Frontlme’ /Time Special Ideas Nova (CC)
'q ,a 3 z Cosby News CBS News Fortune Jeopardy! Newhart Os Age Movie “Indiscreet" (1988) News Jeffersons
A, Griffith Too Close WKRP Newhart M'A'S’H Movie "Lifeforce"(l9Bs) Magnum, P.l, Benny Hill The Terror
CABLE CHANNELS
* XIA News News NBC News USA Fortune ALF (CC) Movie "A Stoning in Fulham County" (1988) News News Sp:
W7 f s Laverne One Day 9to 5 A. Griffith Sanford Movie “The Last Dinosaur" (1977) Better World Society Coogan’s Bluff
mCD
"i Peo. Court News ABC News Entertain, Hot Georgia Night |NFL Football: San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears (CC)
W * GR Magnum Mall Houston Cosby Kate/Allie Unauthorized Biography: Jane Fonda News Benny Hill Downey
wa 9 ga News News CBS News Fam. Feud Win, Lose Newhart Os Age Movie “Indiscreet" (1988) News Newhart
WGN Fun House Facls/Lite WKRP Cheers Night Ct. Hanna-Barbera s Personal Favorites News (CC) INN News Cheers Hill Street
WA O LB Fam Ties News NBC News Fortune ALF (CC) Movie “A Stoning in Fulham County" (1988) News News Sp
CNN
(i News | Showbiz Politics 86 Moneyline Crossfire PnmeNews Larry King Live News Moneylme Sports
es s pn Sportraits Sports Starshot Sports Ctr. NFL Trivia NFL NFL Mag, Sportswoman L.A. Dog Show Surfing Sports Ctr.
C (fj N Big Valley Bonanza Our House Movie “Father Murphy" (1981) 700 Club Remington Steele
TNN ————— __________
22 New Ctry Fandango [Be a Star Crook VideoCtry. Nashville Now New Ctry. Crook VideoCtry. Be a Star Am. Mag
7V Dial MTV Video Disc Jockey Remote Hear This Video Disc Jockey Remote Modern
U 2 S 4 a She Ra Fal Albert Cartoons Miami Vice Murder, She Wrote Movie “Hammett" (1982) Miami Vice
N £ K Gadget Menace Don t Sit Can t/TV Dou. Dar Mister Ed Patty Duke My 3 Sons D, Reed Sat, Night SCTV Laugh-In Car 54
_________ _____________________________
' ?e Australia Portraits Camera Monitor Towards Animals Animals The Wild Wildlife Highways Rendez- Equinox
(28: VJ VJ: Bobby Rivers VJ: Bobby Rivers Generatn, VJ Slow Dancing Bob Rivers VJ VJ: Roger Rose
CSPAN
29 Teleconference [Viewer Call-In: Battleground States 54641 of the Day 54641 of the Day
PREMIUM CHANNELS
DIBN Edisons Movie “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (1980) Swiss Family Robinson Movie “Topper Returns" (1941) Animals Ozzte Siln Pretty
™ C Astronaut Movie “The Hit"(l9B4) Movie “Splash" (1984) Movie “Dragnet" (1987)
——————j— ______________
,5 Movie "The Diary of Anne Frank" (1980) Encyclopd Movie “Peggy Sue Got Married" (1986) More of the Best of Gardens of Slone
SHOW _____________
w> Jin Soldier Movie “The Annthilalor" (1986) Movie “Top Gun" (1986) Gallagher Maid to Order
M 2 AX Movie: My Fair Lady Coni d Movie "Dale With an Angel" (1987) Movie "Crystal Heart" (1987) Honor