Computer flick shorts out
I suppose “Electric Dreams" was the in
evitable outgrowth of MTV. The film is slick,
visually inventive and exciting — and practically
void of substance.
Directed by MTV alumni Steve Barron (most
notably Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” video),
“Electric Dreams” is a self-professed fairy tale for
computers. Miles Harding (Lenny Von Dohlen) is
an up-and-coming architect in an electric world.
His best friend tells him he needs to get with it
and get involved in the world of electric help, so
he buys himself a home computer.
In one night Miles connects his entire home
to his new toy and is ready to enter the world of
electronic surveillance. But in his enthusiasm he
overloads the system by trying to feed his office
master computer into his dinky home model. To
make matters worse, he spills champagne on it
and shorts it out, or so he thinks.
Meanwhile, Miles finds himself with a new
neighbor, a lovely young cellist named Madeline
(Virginia Madsen). Miles is taken with Madeline
immediately but, being once again late for work,
he is forced to rush by her.
In Miles’ absence, however, the unex
plainably reactivated computer inadvertantly
woos Madeline by playing musical accompani
ment to her cello practicing.
This situation sets the stage for a gentle
romance between the shy, nerdish Miles and
outgoing, aggressive Madeline, all while the
computer (who we learn later is named Edgar)
develops a personality and rudimentary emo
tions. The inevitable conflict comes when Edgar,
who now speaks with the wonderfully expressive
voice of Bud Cort. comes to believe he, too, is in
love with Madeline.
Using this simple romance premise as a star
ting point. “Electric Dreams" seems perpetually
on the verge of a real story. We see the glimpses of
depth in scenes between Miles and Madeline, and
even more promise in the relationship between
Miles and Edgar. Edgar continually strives for
communication and friendship with Miles, who
remains cool to the idea of treating Edgar as the
s salient being he is.
r
Unfortunately, none of the scenes reach their
potential. It feels like the development that this
story cries for was left on the cutting room floor to
streamline the picture to just over 90 minutes. A
prime example is the inclusion of Maxwell
Caulfield, a completely extraneous character who
is introduced at the outset as a prospective suitor
to Madeline, yet probably has less than twenty
lines and is all but forgotten by the end.
Director Barron has sadly allowed style to
reign in this production at the expense of the
story. Though the screenplay by Rusty
Lemorande is quite simple in itself, Barron’s
direction does nothing to develop it. If anything,
the story becomes less meaningful.
Barron uses a slick, complex production style
utilizing hacking shots and variable set-ups. This
method is intricately edited into a fast-paced,
frenzied pattern and the end results are visually
quite exciting. Yet he misses out on something in
the process.
Complex, fast-paced, intricate editing should
be used to convey something — excitement, ten
sion, or most importantly, meaning. Barron uses
it simply as a tool for choreography (the other tool
being the camera). He literally makes the sta
tionary computer dance in some scenes with his
zooms, pans and cuts, but he never allows the
style to offer anything else.
“Electric Dreams” is less a story than a
celebration of superficial style and pop music,
which is too bad because the story has promise.
As it is, it’s a fairly entertaining show with most
of the life coming out of Bud Cort’s performance
as the voice of Edgar.
As fantasy, the script is functional and the
direction, if nothing else, is interesting, but the
film is ultimately lacking. The relationships are
short-changed for the sake of style, and that isn’t
how it’s supposed to work.
An experienced director harnesses style to
serve content and meaning. Barron uses it as a
replacement.
“Electric Dreams” plays at West 11th Tri
Cinema and Eugene Drive-In. Rated PG.
By Sean Axmaker
M. Doonesbury
ends retirement
Good news kiddies. Zonker Harris is
coming back.
The world champion tanner and the rest
of the Doonesbury characters are due back
September 31. They will appear in the
Oregon Daily Emerald beginning October 1.
The strips creator, Garry Trudeau, is
returning to work after a sabbatical that
began January, 1983. But it was also a sab
batical for his characters, who have
matured somewhat since they last appeared
on the funny pages of 726 newspapers.
Graphic courtesy of Universal Press Syndicate
Graphic courtesy of Universal Press Syndicate
“My characters are understandably con
tused and out of sorts,” Trudeau said when
he announced his sabbatical. “It’s time to
give them $20 haircuts, graduate them and
move them out into the larger world of
grown-up concerns.”
Trudeau, 35, started the strip in 1968
while still a student at Yale. He called it
Bull Tales, but changed the name when it
was nationally syndicated in October, 1970.
The return of the Pulitzer Prize winning
comic strip may not be good news to
everyone, especially the political leaders
who have often been the target of Trudeau’s
satire.
But other political leaders have relied on
the strip to help them make sense out of that
fiasco called Washington, D.C. Former
Pres. Gerald Ford read the strip to keep in
formed of the goings on in that city, and
former California Gov. Jerry Brown once
called Doonesbury “one of my key political
advisers.”
VOLVO Owners
Summer Special
Alpine Import
^ /Service^
Specialists in Volvo service
We offer a preventive
maintenance/safety
inspection tor
FREE
12th & Main, Spfd, • 726-1808
r
i
SY S PIZZA
FREE DELIVERY COUPON
and In-Store Pick-Up
Order any size pizza, Regular or Extra Thick
Crust, or Deep Dish Sicilian and Receive
2 FREE Toppings
&
FREE Lg. Cokes.
686-9598
1211 Alder on Campus
5:30-Midnight Monday-Sunday
I
I
■cup coupon
SUPER VALUE COUPON
HOUR PHOTO
C-41 process-disc, 110, 126, 135
Developing and Printing
SALE Reg.
12 Exp... $4.21 $ 5 47
24 Exp. 6.97 8 95
36 EXP. 9.76 12 45
5x7 Enlargement. 1.29 1.89
8x10 Enlargement. 2.89 3 99
4 Reprints, Same neg.... 1.00 1.56
ALPHA
1 HOUR PHOTO
n
L_
5th St. Public Market
683-9120
Offer good thru 7/30/84
COUPON MUST ACCOMPANY ORDER
Double Your
L
O
N
E
★
S
T
A
R
160 S. Park
484-7458
Dance to top 40
Rock -n- Roll
Mon. : Sat.
All Week Long
2 for 1
well drinks,
wine and draft
11:30 a.m. • 7:00 p.m .8:30 • 10:00 p.m
NO COVER Mon. - Thurs.
\
TUESDAYS • KZEL Rock Night
-9.6c ^well drinks, wine & draft
WEDNESDAYS • Ice Tea Party!
S1 Long Island Ice Teas
at Shii.o
Gateway 1-5
726 1261
I
N
T
E
R
N
A
T
I
O
N
A
L