6The Daily Tar HeelFriday. December 7, 1984
everly Hills Cop' is showcase for Murphy
"He's been chased, thrown through a window, and
arrested." the movie poster reads. "I'ddie Murphy is
a Detroit cop on vacation in Beverly Hills."
In a nutshell, that is what's right and what's
wrong with Ik'vcrly Hills Cop: the viewer sees and
hears Eddie Murphy, not his character.
Murphy plays Axel Foley, a tough-talking (of
course) Motor City detective working the tough city
beat. All's well in his life until Mickey, a close friend,
meets a curious end, compliments of two hoods, just
outside Axel's apartment.
Dissatisfied with the Detroit police department's
handling of the case. Axel does some investigating
of his own, during a so-called "vacation." His curiosity
leads him to Beverly Hills, site of Mickey's former,
shady employer.
With the aid of Jenny (Lisa Eilbacher), another
friend. Axel pursues the rich and powerful Victor
Mateland, determined tp prove his guilt in Mickey's
death. The Beverly Hills police, however, warned of
Ed Bracket!
Review
Axel's potential meddling by their Detroit COUnter
rvjrtv rrno: hi efforts.
None of this sounds very funny, yet somehow writer
Daniel Petrie and director Martin Brest's elaboration
of the premise wrangles humor out of the situation
and onto the screen.
Of course, both of them would have been lost in
their endeavor without the help of Murphy, star of
Trading Places and 48 HRS. Beverly Hills Cop seems
tailor-made for his brand of quick-mouthed, no
apologies comedy.
So much so, in fact, that Murphy is Murphy, not
Axel. The movie is a vehicle of, by and for Murphy.
and it shows.
But who's complaining? Beverly Hills Cop still
serves up a healthy, though not heaping, portion of
laughs, action and plot.
Harold Haltermeyer's synthesier-laced soundtrack
mirrors the gentle weave of comedy and drama in
Petrie's script. Songs by such a diverse grouping as
Patti LaBelle, Glenn Frey, the Pointer Sisters and
Vanity also are included in the score.
The supporting cast works well together and
provides a collective foil for Murphy. Particularly
good is Steven Berkoff as Mateland, the apparently
corrupt head of a west-coast art gallery. A believable
baddie. Berkoff plays his villain as a mixture of J.R.
Ewing and John Dillinger.
Murphy said in a recent interview that he "wants
to be the Beatles of comedy." Using popularity as
a gauge, he has achieved this level. And Beverly Hills
Cop will most likely keep him there.
Drama department's ' Loose Ends' anything but loose
The department of dramatic art's
production of Michael Weller's Loose
Ends lives up to its billing as "a poignant
comedy of the 70s." Sometimes somber,
often hilarious, the moods are sustained
by a fine cast whose prime assets are
energy and assurance.
In fact, from as competent a group
as this, it's impossible to single out
favorites. As Paul and Susan, the
central couple whose lives are traced
from the start of the past decade to its
end, Steve Maler and Susanna Rinehart
convey their characters hopes, quirks
and anxieties with appealing directness.
They work well together. Their smiles
seem real, not the disguised smirks some
stage couples resort to.
Other couples in the play set Paul
and Susan in relief, offering several
plum acting roles. Jack Vernon as Paul's
raucously vulgar friend Doug is
matched in his lively portrayal by
Steve Murray
Review
Serena Ebhardt as his companion
Marava. a ditsv madonna who scolds
her nursing baby for sucking too hard.
Then there's Susan's friend Janice,
played by Margaret Jemison. Unlucky
in love, or perhaps too lucky, she wards
off the affections of a Balinese native
and his fish, next wraps herself into a
lotus position beside a quasi-guru
named Russell, and ends up dully united
with a city planner named Phil.
Except for a tendency to overplay,
Jemison makes a good, funny emo
tional chameleon. Patrick Padgett as
the heavy-lidded Russell is so convinc
ing he seems to waft incense through
the theatre. As both the fisherman and
city planner, Mike Wilson is also fine,
his Phil a perfect thumbnail sketch of
"ttic boredom
Rounding out the cast with equal skill
are Joseph A. Cincotti as Paul's success
absorbed brother; Jennifer Deer John
son as Paul's friend, assistant, and
inadvertent go-between; and Fred
Weller as the pink-slacked Lawrence,
who's sure that all life's problems can
be solved by champagne and white
balloons.
Loose Ends is a festival for actors,
which is repeatedly justified by the fine
cast. Technically, the production is also
sound.
Except for a bit of trouble on opening
night in setting up the final scene, the
shifts, the lighting, and the slide
projections and music used to bridge
one scene to the next all work together
smoothly. The costumes, too, are on
target. Throughout the play Ben Cameron's
direction is confident. The pace is fluid,
marked by a skilled use of rhythms to
alter tone and mood. The blocking, too,
is fine especially a sort of physical
shorthand which lets the audience know
without words the changing status of
relationships.
Change is a thematic key in Loose
Ends. As Janice puts it, once she's
settled with Phil, "It's weird how these
things work out." Also, in this produc
tion, it's compelling, assured, and
anything but loose.
Loose Ends will be performed by the
department of dramatic art through
Sunday in Playmakers Theatre. Call
962-1 121 for ticket information.
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1984 Beer Brewed by Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, Wl
Take a break from studying,
listen to the N. C. Symphony
By STEVE CARR
Staff Writer
The study break signifies a brief
respite amidst the arduous chores of
studying, or as the case may be, "
cramming.
Mindless entertainment is the
distinguishing characteristic of the
study break, and such events as a7
campy sci-fi movie or a mega-decibel
rock band usually fit the bill.
But the North Carolina
Symphony?
No one ever accused the works of
Bach or Mahler of being mindless,
but Sunday's concert in Memorial
Hall should prove to be an enter
taining alternative to the drudgery
of exams. The Symphony will play
Bach's third Brandenburg concerto
and Mahler's Symphony No. 5 in C
sharp major.
"It's a great study break," said
Terry Bowman, president of the t
Carolina Union. "We just wish
people would take advantage of it."
Each year the Carolina Union
buys 200 season tickets from the
Symphony and sells, at a loss,
individual seats at half price to UNC
students.
"We spend money to save (stu
dents) money," Bowman said.
Even with the $4 ticket price,
student response traditionally has
been sluggish, and this year is no
exception.
"People don't think classical is
something they will enjoy," Bowman
said, "and we're saying, 'Yes, you will
enjoy it, and it's inexpensive as
well.' "
Despite the lack of student enthu
siasm, Jim Hopkins, personnel
manager of the Symphony, still feels
positive about area concerts.
"The response in Chapel Hill has
been excellent," said Hopkins, who
is also a Symphony violist.
Gerhardt Zimmermann, music
director and principal conductor of
the Symphony, also feels good about
Chapel Hill concerts.
"College audiences are tradition
ally open-minded," Zimmermann
said. "They're ready to accept new
ideas."
Besides the idea of going to a
classical concert being new to many
students, the program itself is fairly
adventurous. Bach's baroque coun
terpoint is a strange bedfellow to
Mahler's lush romanticism of 200
years later.
"Bach offsets Mahler," Hopkins
said. "The work is an appetizer
it tunes up the ears."
"Both composers were masters in
counterpoint," Zimmermann said.
Counterpoint is the combination
of two or more melodic lines occur
ring in a piece of music.
"Bach is a ball to play," Hopkins
said. "The work is very
contrapuntal."
While the Brandenburg concerto
is a much more intimate work,
originally scored for 1 1 solo instru
ments, Mahler's symphony is a
grand, sweeping statement.
"I'd go so far as to say Mahler
is my favorite, composer," Zimmer
mann said.
"The Mahler is on a much broader
scope," Hopkins said. "It has some
very serene string writing."
While some may regret the timing
of the concert being right before
exams, others will welcome it as a
relief.
"If (students) do get away,"
Zimmermann said, "I think they'll
enjoy it."
The North Carolina Symphony
will perform at 3:30 p.m. Sunday in
Memorial Hall. Call 962-1449 for
student ticket information.
Pianist cancels
Sunday's recital
Baritone Wayne Lail's recital with
pianist Jane Hawkins, scheduled for
Sunday at 8:15 p.m. in the Ernest W.
Nelson Music Room at Duke Univer
sity and announced in "Week's Fare"
(DTH), Dec. 6, has been cancelled and
will be rescheduled for a later date.
NOTICE
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Spocisii S3fincs of
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TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE SPECIAL SAVINGS AT:
DATE: FRI. DEC. 7 Time: 10 am-3 pm
PLACE: STudENT STORES
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