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About What's happening. (Eugene, OR) 1982-1993 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 8, 1987)
■CINEMA She’s Gotta Have It Review by Lois Wadsworth Spike Lee's first feature film sports an all-black cast in a quasi-confessional comic approach to male courtship rivalry and to one woman's sexual freedom. Nola Darling (Tracy Camila Johns) is a modern woman with a career in commercial art and a nice apartment, a woman who likes sex and men. That is, MEN, plural. Therein lies the problem for Nola’s three lovers—Jamie, Greer, and Mars—each of whom wants to be her one-and-only. Greer (John Canada Terrell) is a narcissistic, good looking profes sional model, the most successful of Nola’s suitors, the one who de scribes himself as the best thing that ever happened to Nola Darl ing and who tells her he'll leave her the minute she gets fat. Mars (Spike Lee) is a hip, fast talking joker who dismisses Greer as a “pseudo black man” and pleads for Nola’s attention with “Please, baby, please baby, please baby, please.” Mars is sweet, but he, too, has his image to protect— he’s rarely seen without his bicy cle, always wears a huge namecard around his neck, and doesn't take off his hightops even in bed with Nola. Jamie (Tommy Redmond Hicks), who sees Nola as his soulmate, seriously demands that she be in volved only with him. Jamie’s pos sessiveness goes a little too far, and one night he rapes her. “To Nola, we’re all interchangeable,” he laments. In her own way, Nola loves all three men. But in the end, she turns them away, and settles into her big bed alone. “It’s about con trol. My body. My mind. Who’s gonna own it, them or me?" After its showing at the Cannes Film Festival, French critics praised She’s Gotta Have It and hailed Spike Lee as a “black Woody Allen.” Lee himself denies the comparison, but it is easy to see similarities between this little film and Allen’s work—it’s funny it's shot in black and white in New York about New Yorkers, the director-producer-writer-actor is a man who likes self-assured women and who sees that men are unsure of themselves with such women. Ernest Dickerson, Lee’s “ace cameraman," does high quality work. Grainy, majestic stills shot by Lee’s brother David are inter spersed throughout the film, add ing to its visual beauty. The whole picture was shot on a limited budget in 12 long days last summer. To get the R rating re quired for U.S. release by Island Pictures, the film's sexier moments were cut—three times. Lee says the uncut version will be shown in Europe and will be available on tape. She's Gotta Have It is successful with both black and white au diences all over the country, women and men alike. Moreover, the blacks in the film are life sized, real people, not Hollywood stereotypes. If you haven’t had a chance to see it yet at the Bijou, don’t miss it. now showing Assassination: A tender and witty French romance by ... Oh, my mistake. This is something with Charles Bronson in it. West 11th (342-4142) and Springfield Quad (726-9073). Brighton Beach Memoirs: A weekend in Neil Simon’s wisecracking youth, based on his hit Broadway play. Cinema World (342-6536). Crimes of the Heart: Dramatic comedy. Three sisters reunite and consider their various no torious lives. Stars Oscar winners Diane Keaton, Sissy Spacek, and Jessica Lange. Based on the Pulitzer caliber play. Cinema World (342-6536). Crocodile Dundee: A celebrated Aussie adven turer, naive to city ways, spends some time in the Big Apple. Oakway (342-5351). The Golden Child: Eddie Murphy is the social worker chosen to find a kidnapped youngster in Katmandu. Valley River Twin (686-8633). Heartbreak Ridge: Mayor Clint Eastwood as a too tough marine. (Reportedly, the USMC has withdrawn support of this film due to surplus pro fanity.) McDonald (344-4343). Kindred: Starts this week at Springfield Quad (726-9073). Lady and the Damp: Love among the dogs is the subject of this Disney re-issue, ready for the latest generation of humans. Cinema World (342-6536). The Little Shop of Horrors: Rick Moranis (Ghostbusters) takes on Steve Martin in this wacko musical comedy about a bloodthirsty flower. Na tional (344-3431). The Morning After: A woman awakens from an alcohol-induced sleep to find a dead man in her bed. Stars Jane Fonda, Jeff Bridges. and Raul Julia. West 11th (342-4142). The Mosquito Coast: An eccentric inventor moves his Yankee family to Honduras, seeking a paradise, finding a hell. Stars Harrison Ford. Directed by Peter Weir (Witness). Cinema World (342-6536). No Morey: A Chicago cop goes to Cajun coun try in search of his partner’s killer. Stars Richard Gere and Kim Basinger (9W Weeks). Valley River Twin (686-8633). She's Gotta Have It: Comedy. A Brooklyn woman takes on three completely different lovers as a way to get all she wants. Bijou (686-2458). TO ADVERTISE call 484-0519 Sherman’s March: Subtitled An improbable Search for Loire, filmmaker Ross McElwee begins to retrace General Sherman's march through Dixie and is repeatedly distracted by the women he meets. Honestly, humorously, refreshingly auto biographical. Cinema 7 (687-0733) Something Wild: A free-spirited woman seduces a Wall Street v.p. into coming to her high school reunion. Bijou (686-2458). Star Trek IV: More adventure for Kirk and crew. This episode brings them back to our present to help us do what we alone cannot—survive! West 11th (342-4142). Three Amigos: Three jobless silent-film actors become unwilling heroes protecting a besieged Mexican village. Stars Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short. Springfield Quad (726-9073) Top Gun: Tom Cruise trains to be a hot-shot fighter pilot when he's not relaxing with Kelly McGinnis. Fine Arts (747-2201). Wisdom: A young man finds cause to rob a few banks. and that spells trouble for him and his lover. Stars Demi Moore and Emilio Estevez, who also wrote and directed. Springfield Quad (726-9073). —Little Michael of Sussman K‘ ‘J96 Late Nite w at the BIJOU MUST END SOON! IFHTTT IEhi As a consummate yuppie with un expected obsessions and the kinky new-wave woman who draws him into a wild ride, Jeff Daniels and Melanie Griffith are brilliant. One of the year's most fascinating films. _—S.F. Examiner Every Night at 10:45 $2.50 : BIJOU 492 E 13th 686 2458 MUST END SOON! Nightly at 7:15 & 9 pm Sun. Bargain Matinee 4 pm $3 Cen Adm $3.75. Students w/D $3.25 Miser Mon. $3. Free Popcorn Tues Night "A TOTAL ORIGINAL CONTINUAL DELIGHTS —Jeffrey Lyons. Sneak Previews She'S GOIA r .33 HAVE 4 2 IT ; YOU GOTTA ” SEE IT! Coming: DOWN CINEMAT . Arriumbldg _ 667 -0733 Eugene Premiere—Jan. 9-15 Shows Fri & Sat 7:00 & 9:45 pm Sun & Mon 6:45 & 9:30 pm Tues thru Thurs 8:00 pm Sun Bargain Matinee 4:00 pm and all shows Monday $3 “A Wonderfully Goofy Movie" —Canby, N.Y. Times “If Woody Allen made ‘Gone with the Wind’ It might resemble 'Sherman's March’” —People Magazine SHERMANS MARCH An improbable Search for Love weeT o’aubonae CLASSICAL FRENCH CUISINE SINCE 1976 Casual evening dining in intimate surroundings. — Full six-course meals (choice of twelve different entrees). Moderately priced menu. 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