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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 2001)
Bryan Dixon Emerald 342-3358 o o T O Now serving O full liquor bar. Starter Kit films Short film skits by local film makers ° o 21 and ove An entertaining and intelligent satire of the Victorian Empire ^ and its rigid attitudes, especially toward sex January 18-February 10,2001 By Caryl Churchill Directed by Corey Pearlstein TICKETS 465-1 506 Limited Student Tickets Available! $5 for Thursday 1/18, $7 for Sunday 1 /20 ■ BMX-bike flick revives the awesome feeling of big hair and parachute pants FORGOTTEN FILM ‘Rad’ Columbia TriStar By Lisa Griffing and Mason West Oregon Daily Emerald Remember the ‘80s? The big hair. Those piercing, synthesized sounds coming out of keyboard guitars. Fluo rescent everything. The days when you could get away with using words like “gnarly” and even “rad.” In fact, the latter term was once so influential, it was the title of a movie. Every transportation fad will eventually have a movie made about it. The skateboard movie was “Gleaming the Cube.” The rollerblade movie was “Airborne.” “Meatballs 4” was the water sports movie ... kinda. “Rad” is the cult classic BMX biking movie from 1986. Mason — I am pretty sure that within a few years Disney will have a rad movie out about a young boy and his Razor™ scooter. Lisa — Rejection! I can’t imagine 12-year-olds going 10 to 30 miles per hour on Razor scooters while doing airborne back flips. Seems like a scary prediction, Mason. In “Rad,” Bill Allen plays Cru Jones, a BMX-obsessed high-school student from the small town of Cochran. A local entrepreneur, Mr. Timmer, played by everybody’s fa vorite martian, Ray Walston, brings a national BMX race to the town. Racers from across the country and big bike businesses will compete for $100,000 and a new Corvette by be ing the first to complete ... HELL TRACK. OK, the plot isn’t exactly what makes this movie rad. The real gold is in scenes such as the BMX slow dance to the song “Send Me an An gel,” which was in 80 percent of all ‘80s movies. In this memorable scene, Cru’s bike skills are matched by none other than Full House’s Aunt Becky, Lori Loughlin. Now, take away the bikes, and the danc ing should be watched with wine and crackers. Mason—Whatever happened to predictability? Lisa — The milkman, the paper boy, evening television? Mason — Ha ha ha ha ha. That was rad. Lisa— Mason, the correct termi nology is radical. Anyhow, why did you quit singing? Speaking of other notable appear ances, Talia Shire, better known as Adrian from the Rocky series, plays Cru’s mom. And making a surpris ing appearance as the BMX rival Bart Taylor is Olympic gold-medal ist Bart Conner. This movie is rad. Really, could it be anything else? Back in ‘86, the BMX stunts executed in “Rad” rep resented the pinnacle of “cycle skill.” The movie starts and ends with superfluous footage of faceless riders doing tricks, but this movie isn’t all about image. There are some real cathartic moments, like when Cm completes his USA To day™ paper route by 7:15 a.m. That makes us feel all warm and mushy inside. On the other hand, this movie was forgotten for a reason. The technolo gy didn’t allow for the cinematogra phy seen in contemporary flicks and the dialogue fell short of realistic. But, it’s humorous when watched with the knowledge that “Rad” is a great shuttle for feeling that ‘80s nos talgia. Just don’t feel inspired to start wearing hot pants and tiger-striped spandex jumpsuits. As if those didn’t make people look bad enough, listen to some of the things they had to say. “If you don’t take that back, I’m gonna punch your lights out.” — Wesley Jones, Cru’s sister “OK dudes, let’s walk this suck er.”—Cru “How about some applause for our rad dude. ”—Luke, one of Cru’s BMX friends “You know, it’s kind of a shame to bring this up, but this is all your fault.” — evil lackey “I’m beginning to see you as something I might have stepped in. ”—Mr. Timmer “Go balls out.” — Sergeant Smith This movie makes you believe in the hometown hero. It makes you believe in miracles... Mason — ... and it makes me be lieve that I will get chicks to like me iflridearad BMX. Lisa—Remember to take off your training wheels. Mason — Hey, I have an inner ear problem! Rad! Lisa — Sure you do Mason, sure you do.
