Page 4
The Banner
March 18, 1999
Features
Everything you need to know about the Oscars
By Beth Hoyle
staff Writer
It’s that time of year again when the
red carpets are rolled out in Holly
wood for one of the biggest award
ceremonies of the year.
The 71 St Annual Academy Awards
will be held on March 21. The Oscars
will be aired on ABC starting at 8:30
p.m.
The Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences began giving awards
in 1929, just as movies were begin
ning to take form, according to the
oscar.com Web page.
The first Academy Awards ceremony
took place during a banquet held in
the Blossom Room of the Holly
wood Roosevelt Hotel. There were
250 guests and tickets were sold for
$10, according to the Web page.
For the first 15 years the awards
were held as banquet affairs, but this
was discontinued in 1942, when in
creased attendance caused the awards
to be moved to theaters.
Today the attendance for the awards
show is by invitation only, and no
tickets are sold to the public.
Whoopi Goldberg will be returning
for a third year to host the awards
L
PHOTO COURTESY OF DREAMWORKS PICTURES
Tom Hanks, nominated for Best Actor, stars in “Saving Private Ryan.”
show. She first hosted the Oscars in
1994 and then again in 1996.
Goldberg’s unpredictable, tell-it-
like-it-is style makes her a welcomed
back hostess by the Academy, ac
cording to thejoscar.com web page.
This year’s show will showcase a
variety of presenters, including Andy
Garcia, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jim
Carrey, Annette Bening, Jack
Nicholson, Denzel Washington,
Liam Neeson, Liv Tyler, Kevin
Costner, Anne Heche, and Steve
Martin.
The Actors nominated for best ac-
torinaleadingroleare: Robert Benigni
(“Life Is Beautiful”); Tom Hanks
(“Saving Private Ryan”); Ian
McKellen (“Gods and Monsters”);
Nick Nolte (“Affliction”); and Ed
ward Norton
(“American
History X”).
Acotrs nomi
nated for the
supporting role
award are:
James Coburn
(“Affliction”);
Robert Duvall
(“A Civil Ac
tion”); Ed Har
ris (“The
Truman
Show”);
Geoffrey Rush
(“Shakespeare
In Love”); arid
Billy Bob
Thornton (“A
Simple Plan”).
Nominations
for best actress
inaleadingrole
are: Cate
Blanchette (“Elizabeth”); Fernanda
Montenegro (“Central Station”);
Gwyneth Paltrow (“Shakespeare In
Love”); Meryl Streep (“One True
Thing”);andEmily Watson (“Hilary
And Jackie”).
Supporting role nominations for
women are: Kathy Bates (“Primary
Colors”); Brenda Blethyn (“Little
Voice”); Judi Dench (“Shakespeare
In Love”); Rachael Griffiths (“Hilary
And Jackie”); and Lynn Redgrave
(“Gods And Monsters”).
Those in the running for the direct-
ingawardare: Roberto Benigni (“Life
Is Beautiful”); Steven Spielberg (“Sav
ing Private Ryan”); John Madden
(“Shakespeare In Love”); Terrence
Malick (“The Thin Red Line”); and
Peter Weir (“The Truman Show”).
The songs from movies up for an
award are: “I Don’t Want to Miss A
Thing” (“Armageddon”); “The
Prayer” (“Quest For Camelot”); “A
Soft Place To Fall” (“The Horse
Whisperer”); “That’ll Do” (“Babe:
Pig In The City”); and “When You
Believe”
(“The
Prince
awards ceremony.
Joan Rivers and her daughter Mel
issa will host a two-hour fashion show.
They will warm-up viewers by asking
celebrities where and who the design
ers are for the fashions that they arc
wearing as they make their way down
the red carpet.
The fashion show will start at 6
p.m., and airs on E! cable network
Another preview show will begin at
8 p.m. on ABC. This show will be
hosted by Gina Davis, and will serve
as ABC’s official Oscar pre-show,
according to the web page.
Davis will interview stars as they arrive
and will have backstage footage.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF GRAMERCY PICTURES
Joseph Fiennes and Cate Blanchett in “Eliza
beth.”
'No Exit' for Blondie
By Wendi Williams
staff Writer
No Exit, Blondie’s first original album
in 16 years, leaves much to be desired.
In an obvious attempt for Blondie to
branch out to new things, TVo-ExrzV bombs.
As a fan of the 1980s Blondie number
one hits “Call Me,” “The Tide is High,”
and “Heart of Glass,” it is very disap
pointing to hear Debbie Harry and rap
per Coolio performing the title track,
“No Exit.”
This is definitely not a strong point in
the album. Not only is the rap poorly
performed by Harry, but the music is a
mismatched combination of a church
organ and electric guitar.
According to Greg Kot, in a review
from Rolling Stone magazine, the album
NO bXI
neglects the other band members, gui
tarist Chris Stein, keyboardist Jimmy
Destri and drummer Clem Burke.
“No Exit’s sanitized mix puts too much
emphasis on Harry’s thin voice and not
enough on Burke and the boys,” Kot said
in the review. “Blow-dried ballads such as
‘Forgive and Forget,’ ‘Night Wind Sent,’
and ‘Double Take’ could have been lifted
off a ‘Top Gun’-era movie soundtrack.”
I couldn’t agree more. The rest of the
album is a bit more mellow than the title
track.
“Boom Boom in the Zoom Zoom Room”
has a slow, seductive lounge-swing feel,
like something out of a 1960s night club.
The first song on the album, “Screaming
Skin,” has the traditional Blondie feel to it.
The only disturbing thing about this song
is the lyrics: “I’m a multi-cellular indi
vidual/ you’re way outofproportion/ we’ve
got a hemodynamic connection/ don’t call
me germ.”
The album has one song on it that is
worth listening to more than once. “ Maria”
is one of the few redeeming songs on the
album. It is the closest thing to the ener
getic, yet whimsical, pop of the 70s era
Blondie.
Fans of old-school Blondie will enjoy
this song. I suggest they wait for it to be
released as a single, though. Don’t waste
your money on this disappointing album.
Overall, No Exit fails miserably as a
comeback album. Some things are just
better left alone.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEYOND RECORDS
Review
Everyone can be on television
By Erica Shusha
Staff Writer
Turner Broadcasting System (TBS, Inc.)
is launching a new, 24-hour broad-based
entertainment network targeting the
Southeastern region, featuring movies,
sitcoms, original programming, sports
and regional news this fall.
TBS is calling on college students and
college televisiori to submit tapes for con
sideration for airing during a new show
case called “The College Show,” accord
ing to a press release.
“College students often create some of
the most interesting and entertaining pro
gramming around, but so few people
ever get to see it,” said Turner South and
TBS Superstation President Bill Burke.
“’The College Show’ allows us to bring
these shows, solicited from colleges all
over the Southeast, to a wide audience,”
said Burke in a press release.
“’The College Show’ also provides the
perfect opportunity for our cable affili
ates to get involved, by tying in to shows
featuring their local college of their alma
mater,” said Burke in a press release.
Tuner South is set to debut in the fall of
1999 and will be available to cable and
DBS affiliates in Alabama, Georgia, Mis
sissippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and
regions of North Carolina, bringing the
number of news and entertainment net
works in the TBS, Inc. portfolio to 18,
according to a press release.
Bill Burke will oversee the new network
which will be based in Atlanta.
“Turner South is a new concept in en
tertainment programming,” said Burke.
“The network will be branded with a
contemporary Southern flavor and will
utilize the vast library and resources of
Time Warner in a regional and truly
unique way,” said Burke.
The programming plans include: “South
ern Living,” “The Bluebird Cafe,” “Whole
World Theatre,” “The College Show,”
“WCW Classics”, CNN regional news,
and sports, according to a press release.
“Southern Living” will be a weekly se
ries based on the popular magazine.
“The Bluebird Cafe”
will be a one-hour pro
gram featuring perfor
mances of music
songwriters.
“Whole World The
atre” will feature
Atlanta’s premiere com
edy improvisation
troupe.
“The WCW Classics”
weekly showcase will
draw from its extensive
library of classic WCW
shows, from the early
days to its current
reign.
CNN regional news
will have regional
news, financial updates
and weather reports.
The sports segment in
the programming will
include Atlanta Braves
baseball, Atlanta
Hawks basketball, and
Atlanta Thrashers
hockey, according to
the press release.
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Movies will be a major componentol
Turner South with weekly movie franlj
chises, such as “Kudzu Theater, Mov
ies That Grow on You” and “Southern
Nights,” according to a press release,
Students who are interested in being
aart of The College Show should sub
Tiit their material by sending a VH!
cape to: The College Show, Turne
South, 1050 Techwood Drive N'Jf
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ART PARTS
Irish play 'Dark Places' premieres at the Goddess store
By Jessica Wolf
staff Writer
The American premiere of the play,
“Dark Places,” will take place on
March 17 at 8 p.m. in Asheville.
This drama/comedy is directed by
David Hopes, professor of literature
at UNCA, and will be performed at
the Goddess store at 382 Montford
Ave.
“David saw this play when he was in
Ireland last year,” said Peter Brezny,
assistant director of “Dark Places.”
“He was really intrigued by it and
wanted to bring it here.”
The cast of “Dark Places” consists of
five female roles and one male role.
In addition to the small cast, there is
a fairly minimal set for the play, said
Brezny.
“The entire show pretty much takes
place in a lobby of a maternity hospi
tal,” said Brezny.
The play revolves around three
women and the stories surrounding
their pregnancies.
One of the women, Annie Quinn,
played by Ellen Pfijrman, is torn be
tween her husband, her children and
her lover, ayoung poet named Brian,
played by James Bankes.
In the beginning of the play, the
audience discovers that Annie is three
months overdue to give birth. As the
story progresses, we realize that the
baby might not be her husband’s, but
another man’s. Throughout the play.
she deals with the pain and confiision
from being torn between an obliga
tion to her family and the passion for
her young lover.
Whilestaying in the maternity ward,
she meets another expectant mother
named Mary Rooney, played by
Deborah Kelly. This is Mary’s first
pregnancy with her husband, John.
With every reference she makes to
John, the audience sees more and
more her dependency on her hus
band, and willingness to obey him,
despite her own desires.
The third mother is 18-year-old
Claire, played by Lauren Ford. Claire
is pregnant, out of wedlock, and is
dealing with the shame that she has
brought to her family.
When her mother, played bye Day
Galvin, finds out about the preg
nancy, she sends Claire away so that
the pregnancy can be kept a secret.
She then arranges for the baby to be
put up for adoption, against Claire’s
wishes.
The last character is that of a nurse
at the maternity hospital, played by
Leona Stern. She is an older women,
who has never been married or had
children of her own, yet helps every
day to bringing children into others’
families. This character adds a litde
wisdom as well as some comic relitf to
the play.
The play was written by Irish play
wright Lorraine O’Brien, said Brezny.
“This is the American premiere of
the show, “ said Brezny. “It will be the
first time it is performed in the United
States, and we are having it’s opening
on St. Patrick’s Day.”
The play is not affiliated with the
Carol Belk Theatre on campus.
“This play is a production of Black
Swan,” said Brezny. “It is a really fim
story and it has been really fun work
ing with this group.”
The cast of “Dark Places” is a private
cast, picked by Hopes without audi
tion, according to Brezny.
“We have got some really dynamite
actresses in this show,” said Brezny.
“There is a full range of character and
age. Lauren Ford, who plays Claire is
16 years old. She is a phenomenal
actress for her age.”
There is a fairly strong underlying
theme in the play, according to
Brezny.
“Although the main characters aii
all pregnant women or women wb
just had a baby, I think the show*
more about relationships between io'
dividuals, “ said Brezny. “The reb
tionship between a mother and*
daughter, between a husband and'
wife, and between their motherhood
The play will run for two weeks,
will begin on March fl7, and nii
Wednesday through Saturday, a®
:hen Thursday through Saturday tl
ollowing week.
Preview