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The Compass
November 14, 2003
MOVIE REVIEW
Title: Kill Bill: Volume One
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Lima Thurman, Lucy Liu, and Vivica A. Fox
Lamont Dozier
commanderdozier@yahoo.com
Staff Writer
I’ve got a question: What do you get when you mix 70’s Kung-Fu movies with a lot of swords, a lot of
amputated limbs, hundreds of gallons of blood and extremely sexy women wielding big weapons? Not only do
you get the overly-developed fantasies of a lot of guys who don’t get out much, but you also get the 4* film from
Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill: Volume One. Being that this was created by the same guy who created Pulp
Fiction and Jackie Brown, I automatically knew what to expect: lots of gratuitous violence and language. So
how exactly is this film any different from those other films? Simple. This movie has swords.
Although this is easily the most violent film in my memory without the NC-17 rating, 1 would be lying if
I said that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy this film. Kill Bill is filled to the brim with so much style that, at some point,
you just know that you’re looking at, a moving work of art. This stylish tale of revenge starts with the assumed
death of someone we can only know as the Bride. After her entire wedding party, she and her groom, are
slaughtered at the chapel by her former boss and cohorts. She is lying pregnant, left for dead, with a bullet in
her head. However, she didn’t die. So, naturally, after awakening from a four-year coma, she looks to get a
whole lot of revenge. From there, we’re treated to what I believe are the greatest fight sequences of the year, all
executed with a bunch of style.
Fortunately, the movie never slows down. There is finally just story, and not storytelling. We know
what we know. No more. No less. There aren’t any deep, useless psychological reasons for every slice and
dice here. With that said, Kill Bill is definitely the most unique film of the year. Not only does Kill Bill sport an
extended and equally violent animated sequence, but this film pays more than enough homage to retro kung-fu
films. Hardcore fans of these films will not only notice that the Street Fighter, Sonny Chiba, is in the film, but
they’ll also notice that the heroine is wearing the yellow outfit that Bruce Lee wore in his final film. Little touches
like these are what make this movie so good.
Also, Kill Bill has done what many action films this year forgot to do (think Matrix Reloaded). This film
practically outdid Matrix Reloaded by using real people. 1 repeat: REAL people. When you see about a
hundred people fighting on the screen simultaneously, I’ll have you know that not one of them were fake. Plus,
this movie goes all the way with the violence. Limbs and heads get removed quicker than you can snap your
finger. Don’t even mention the blood that shoots out like a geyser. Hmm, so much action in so little time.
Of course, with all of the violence, this film can’t be Oscar-worthy and really isn’t for kids. But that
doesn’t mean that this isn’t one of this year’s best films. It has excellent pacing and all of the main characters
fully involved in this were female. Other action filmmakers should take note. Although this film is only the first
half of the story, it is twice as good as all of the summer action movies combined, i’ll let you do the math.
★★★★★
Steel drum concert gets
audience involved
“Picnic” is all about love
Mario Bradley
venom36@collegeclub.com
Staff Writer
“Picnic,” a play by William Inge,
is the latest play to be presented by
The University Players and the School
of Arts and Humanities. In 1953, “Pic
nic" won the Pulitzer Prize and the
Critics Circle Award. The director of
the play is Shawn Smith, who has
been directing theatre at ECSU for 22
years.
“Picnic’s” leading roles will be
played by Rashonda Wester as Irma
Kronkite, Eric D. Peebles II as
Bomber and Robert Overton Jr. who
plays Hal Carter According to Smith,
“Picnic’s” 12-person cast is what will
make the play a success. “If you
select the right cast, that’s half the
battle. If the cast isn’t right, the play
is doomed,” Smith said.
“Picnic” takes place on Labor
Day weekend and is set in Flo Owens
and Helen Potts backyards. The play
is basically about a young man
named Hal Carter and how things
change when he comes into the lives
of five women who live next to each
other. Hal eventually falls in love with
Flo’s daughter, Madge, and his pres
ence changes Madge’s sister Millie’s
life for the better
“I’ve always loved this play. It
has wonderful characters, humor and
drama,” Smith said. “The play is about
the various forms of love. I wanted to
do a family-oriented play.”
Smith made sure he adjusted a
few things to make this play as con
temporary as possible. “We made
the play more modern. We didn’t
change any lines, we just changed
certain references,” he said.
Director Smith also feels good
about the production involved in the
Picnic.
Randy Berry, who also worked
on “Puriie,” is the set and lighting de
signer for this production. “He is top-
notch. Those sets he designed for
“Puriie” were beautiful,” Smith said.
“Picnic” opens November 13,14,
and 1 Sat 8 p.m. and will be peri^ormed
in the Fine Arts Complex.
Danielle Parker
dsparker@mail.ecsu.edu
Staff Writer
Arousing the crowd of the Fine
Arts Complex on Friday, October 10
with the high and low melodious
sounds of the steel drums, the “One
Love” Caribbean Steel Drum Band
performed selections such as “Amaz
ing Grace” and “Jamaica Farewell.”
The “One Love” Steel Drum
Band has been mesmerizing people
with their Caribbean style music for
generations. This latest six-member
version of “One Love” has been per
forming at different events, such as
Harbor Fest, Umoja Fest, and wed
ding receptions around the Virginia
and North Carolina area for over nine
years. The four members present at
this performance were David Crow,
Georgia Johnson, Blanca Hiss, and
Denise Willis.
In the 1800’s Trinidadian
gangs used hand drums to call their
members together and fight, and as a
result of these clashes the government
imposed a band on all native instru
ments. Steel drums originated in
Trinidad in the eariy 1930s as an an
swer to the loss of these native rhyth
mic instruments. Realizing that the
metal on 55-gallon oil drums, when
melted, formed different shapes and
made different sounds, they created
a new way of expressing themselves.
With the sounds of the steel
drums or “pans” still being heard,
many people are forming bands try
ing to keep the sound of the steel
drums alive. “One Love” consists of
the tenor pan, which plays the melody
of the song, the seconds, which takes
the place of an alto in a choir, Gido
pans, which take the place of a tenor
in a choir, and six bass gilleros, which
consists of six 55-gallon oil drums with
different pitches.
The band tried to make sure
the crowd was enjoying every minute
of the show by encouraging audience
participation and perfonning the popu
lar selections: “Over The Rainbow”,
“Margarita Ville”, and “The Limbo”.
Shown by nodding of heads and clap
ping of hands, it was apparent that
the crowd definitely loved every sec
ond of it.
Twelve audience members
were asked to come on the stage and
play the “pans” with the band. After a
few minutes of lessons, they all gave
a remarkably good performance of
“Heart and Soul.”
Christopher Bitner, a young au
dience member was looking forward
to doing the “Limbo” in the second
half
“The best part to me is the edu
cational aspect of the performance. I
like how they are getting the audience
involved and teaching the young kids
about the history of the steel drums
and teaching them how to play.” Mr.
Alexis Joyner, who serves as part of
the Lyceum Series Committee, said.
When Ms. Johnson, the leader'
of the band, was asked what was the
greatest aspect of being in a steel'
drum band, she smiled graciously and
said, “Having fun and making people
dance.” This is exactly what the mem
bers of the “One Love” Caribbean
Steel Drum Band were doing.
For more information on steel
drums visit; www.blarg.net/~toucans.
Recital gives students
experience performing
Rashonda Wester
Staff Writer
Student musicians performed
various selections October 14, at2:00
p.m. in the Floyd L. Robinson Audito
rium. Music majors give a recital ev
ery year as a part of their curriculum.
These recitals give the students
an opportunity to listen to and peri^orm
works by famous composers in vari
ous musical styles and genres.
The event began with “Alma del
Core” (Soul of My Heart) written by
Antonio Caldara a baroque composer,
sung by Lisa Silver a soprano, and
accompanied by Dr Gloria Knighton
the piano.
Demetra Gilmore, Adolphus
Scott III, Quentin Powell, Natasha
Sledge, Jeff Cofield, Jonathan Owens,
Andrea Morris, and Daniel Phelps
were other students on the program.
The recitals are open to the
public and the next recital is sched
uled for November 13 in the Floyd L.
Robinson Auditorium at 2:00.
Damion Lewis
West End Station Chef, Grant Burgess, pre
pares a nightly special.
Damion Lewis
Restaurant Dining Review
The West End Station
Joyce Jones
jjjones2@mail.ecsu.edu
Staff Witer
Located on Hughes Boulevard is the West End Station, a restaurant a
lot of people are not aware of here in Elizabeth City. The establishment was
originally a train station, dating back to 1914. Due to the increase population
of automobiles, the railway company ceased passenger service in eariy 1948.
But, in July of 2001, H.P Williams and William W. Owens purchased the
property and restored the train station to its original state. They wanted to
create a restaurant that provided upscale dining in a historic atmosphere.
The atmosphere was a little different than restaurant we have grown
accustomed to here in Elizabeth City. You didn t find the usual teenage
filled” host situation but rather a more mature scene. The service was of good
quality, and the food was superb. The only downfall was that I felt a little
forgotten after receiving my food. No one checked on me for water, tea, or
other concerns I may have had until I had completed my meal. But all and all,
on a 1 to 10 scale I would rate my overall experience an 8. I would not
recommend this restaurant to the college crowd but to a more mature, re
laxed clientele.
Da Band“Too Hot for T. V.
DeTra Stith
depot9@hotmai I .com
Copy Editor
Da Band is Bad Boy This. Da Band is Bad Boy That. Da Band dropped their album Too Hot for TV., on
September 30*’, after surviving a drama-filled series of Making the Band 11, with Bad Boy record producer Sean “P.
Diddy” Combs.
Chopper (Young City) from New Orieans, Sara from Detroit, Dylan from Brooklyn, Freddrick from Miami,
Babs from Brooklyn, and Ness from Philly, are Da Band, While the previous making the Band, O-Town, a pop
group, had short-lived success after the show ended. Da Band, a hip-hop group, seems to have consistency in
mind.
Eighteen tracks appear on the album and over two thirds of the album is worth a listen, while the rest are
just simply put, alright. On the sixth track “I Like Your Style” you find Babs and Chopper throwing lyrics back and
forth like “I’m a bad girl and bad girt do bad things,” and I’m a bad boy so girlfi-iend do your thing.” This has a
smooth mellow beat and is a must-like among the listeners of the album, because you are sure to hear someone
singing or humming the song. “Go Steady” which features Sara’s vocal skills is a winner, especially with those
who want to dedicate this song to that special one. Then there’s Ness, who if you were just finding out who Da
Band is forthe first fime, sounds a little too much like a younger Busta Rhymes, adding his touch to the end of
the song.
The first single from the album “Bad Boy This and Bad Boy That,” is doing good with radio and sales, but
could have been released after a track, that every member of Da Band was on. Dylan and Sara appear in the
video, but are not heard on the track. Wyclef Jean lends a helping hand on “Do You Know” which is somewhat
of an uplifting anthem from the group. Freddrick shows what he has to offer the group on the track “Stick Up” with
gunshots that fire followed by the beat dropping. When Freddrick raps it sounds like he is whispering, so you
might find yourself rewinding any track he’s on, just to understand what he just said. Dylan definitely leaves his
mark on the songs “Living Legends” with a Caribbean Reggae flow, and a mesmerizing voice. We can’t forget the
seventh member of the group, Mr. Bentley Farnsworth, who gets his own interiude on the album entitled “Cheers
to Me Mr Bentley.”
The only downfall to this album is that they let Mysterious appear on the track “Tonight’s the Night," and
that you will repeatedly hear bad giri or bad boy throughout the album. But hey what else should you expect,
when you have the famous bad boy "P. Diddy” on your side.
For Da Band, I believe it was worth the six mile walk to Juniors Cheesecake in Manhattan, to get that
cheesecake for “P. Diddy.” Da Band has what it takes skillfully to succeed, only if their drama doesn’t tear them
apart, before they get there.
★★★★