Newspapers / St. Andrews University Student … / Sept. 9, 1983, edition 1 / Page 5
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The Lance September 9, 1983 5 Bowie’s Changes Reveal True Performer By Vic Halbach For more than a decade his image has moved from the aiien-diva to charismatic eto- nian. He is a man of many changing faces and changing styles with a variety of music to go with it. Critics have called him a “stage fool” and a “puppet of shifting impulses.” But, after three years emerges David Bowie with his runaway album “Let’s Dance,” his first interna tional hit since the mid-‘70’s with many of his fans citing this as his best performance yet. As he has changed over the years, so have the people who have followed him, some even claiming that his earlier alter-ego Ziggy Star dust has retired to a normal personality, now making on ly “positive” pop music. By now some are probably wondering, is this his true image or is this just another David Bowie phase? He himself claims this is the “real” David Bowie but many critics find this hard to believe with a career filled with so many changes. The birth of success came in 1969 with “Space Oddity” inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s film “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Not only in his music but onstage, Bowie was determined to do something out of the or dinary: with over fifteen years of make-up and image changes, an example was his 1972 appearance as the “lep- per messiah” with laced boots, make-up, and carrot orange hair. To some, Bowie may come across as a unique one-man persona working with what he feels is his own true mean ing of music never breaking his own shell and drifting in other directions. However, history shows that he has been one of the single most influential artist to branch into other directions by do ing duets with other artists like John Lennon and even venturing into theatre and movies. His past appearances in films include “The Man Who Fell To Earth” (1976), “Just A Gigolo” (1978) to the more recent on-broadway protrayal of John Merrick in “The Elephant Man” (1980) to his latest contributions in “The Hunger” (1983 and “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.” Even if you’re not a David Bowie fan and have not even had the slighest urge to become one his fast follow ing, at least listen to this latest album-you may be surprised. There is a quality in each of the cuts that is distinctive ly Bowie but at the same time not characteristic of his earlier music. A more pure, precise beat and the introduction of sax ophones all contribute to the new Bowie and make for a sound that comes across as a personal message to his fans to let everyone know that even though he is older and more sophisticated, he is still able to create undeniably cat chy tunes and riffs. But we can’t help but wonder if the coming years will bring out a different im age that is characteristic of an artist that changes with the times but onstage can still radiate an almost eerie kind of charisma. An “apostle of irony” maybe, but who can blame him if he changes-he’s David Bowie. David Bowie Let’s Dance Capital Records and Tapes Bennett Book Examines Conrad By Jan St. Pierre Dr. Carl Bennet, Distinguished Professorat St. Andrews, has been con tracted by Fredrick Ungar Publishers to write a book dealing with the writings of the great English novelist, Joseph Conrad. The book will be a monograph in which Con rad’s major works will be ex amined. Novels such as “Heart of Darkness” and “Lord Jim” are to be includ ed, as well as several Conrad’s more political novels, “Nostromo” 'and “Under Westernized.” Under the contract, Ben- net is to have the book com pleted by September 1984, and he begun working on it this summer. “It’s scary. There is so much to do,” said Bennet. “I didn’t get as much work done this summer as I would have liked.” Bennet said that he was hoping to take all of Winter term to work exclusively on the book, “I hope to complete all the autobiographical mechanics by next summer,” said Ben net. Recently, Bennet bought a home computer in order to make manuscript revisions and word processing an easier task. Bennet had previously written an article on Conrad for the “Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th Century.” The publishers of this book gave Bennet his con tract due to a sample of the article Bennet sent them last February. “I sent it last February, and one week later 1 was sent the contract,” Bennet said. “I was thrill^.” The title of the book has not been decided yet, but may be called “Joseph Con rad: A Choice Of Nightmares, a psychoanalytical, concept of Conrad.” According to Bennet, Con rad is a novelist’s novelist who greatly influenced other 20th century authors such as Scott Fitzgerald and Andre Gide. In addition to the Conrad article, Bennett has had three other articles published in the % David Bowie Season’s Opening By Cathy Daulton To kick off their fall season, the Highland Playt are staging “The Diary of Adam and Eve’’ on September 9 and 10 at 8:00 p.m. in the L.A. Auditorium. This humorous play, directed by Robert Rankin of the theater depart ment, will feature Connie Bowes as Adam playing op posite Eve (Jenny Gleach) and the inevitable Tempt or performed by Billy Murray. Rankin chose this particular work for its fast-paced style and intriguing script. She also used the word “fun” in a discussion of its content. The actors have completed a full week and a half of “concentrated rehearsals” in preparation for this weekends performances with the combination of in dividual talent and overall style for leading to a truly entertaining evening. Tickets for the show will be sold in advance or will be available at the door. See a Highland Player for more details. Donation Sclieduled Dr. Carl Bennett same set of encyclopedias, with a final article on English writer William Sansom com ing out soon. ' Bennet has been working at St. Andrews since two years before the college of ficially opened, helping plan the core cirrculum. Bennet is a graduate of Emory University in Atlanta and where he receive his MA and AB in English, as well as a Ph.D. from the Graduate Institute of the Liberal Arts. By Christy Williams Ethel Fortner, poet, has donated over 10,000 dollars to the St. Andrews Press Publications. The money has initially been used to relocate, redecorate and enlarge the Press office. The remainder of the money will be placed in a fund, and used continued from Page 4 end this review by giving you a simple rule to gauge these movies by. Rule: The highest main character age gets the highest ranking. “Risky Business” centers on an eigh teen year old, so 1 rank it first. “Private School’’ centers on a sixteen year old for future editions of the Press. On September 22, 1983, Miss Fortner will be official ly making the donation at a dinner given in her honor. The office will be completed by this occasion and the first book financed by the Fortner fund, will be released. character, therefore it gets second place. Finally, “Get- tin It On” centers around a fourteen year old, and if you’re a freshman this year then by now you’ve caught on and realize that this movie ranks third, a far behind third!
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