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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 10, 2002)
Poets slam existential hope in face of soulless postmodern America Local poets compete for a chance to represent Eugene in the National Poetry Slam Joseph Bechard Edge Culture Columnist Lawrence Ferlinghetti said, I am awaiting, perpetually and forev er, a renaissance of wonder.” Given the depressing suite of Amer ican culture, it’s going to he a long wait. But those of us riding with Fer linghetti in that slow boat can’t afford to lose faith. As maddened and con fused as the world is today, a strain of human being still exists that burdens itself with such unwelcome themes as the depth of human sentience, piety and the “meaning of life.” Competition began Saturday, Sept. 28, at Foolscap Books at 780 Blair Blvd. for four seats representing Eugene in the National Poetry Slam, to be held in August 2003. Anyone with a soul and #3 to #5 is encour aged to attend the slams, scheduled for the third Saturday of every month. The ninth and final slam will take place in May 2003. Poet sign-in began at 7:30 p.m., and the list was full within several minutes. At 8 p.m., all the kooks, crazies and some who might be bothered by such crass appellations shepherded themselves into the small, dimly-lit room. The emcee selected volunteer judges randomly from a hat, and of course, the crowd received the judg ing like it would a leper at an orgy. Whether this is the best method of judge selection is a moot issue. Some times it’s best to just gouge the eyes of hindsight and let things be things. Competitive poetry makes about as much sense as oarlocks on a bath tub. Maybe it brought out the best in the poets; maybe the real winner is off crying in a whiskey-stained shirt in some gutter — we’ll never know for sure, but this impressed judge tried desperately to catch the read ers’ many nuggets of beauty. Afterward, at a new watering hole in square, modeme downtown, I sat with a few participants. As I listened behind a distant stare, someone mentioned the presence of “hope” in some of the poetry. Hope. While the president dances in front of cameras — chanting war cries in a loincloth with a dagger between his teeth, a meat hook in one hand and a skull on a stick in the other; Eugene re covers from a youthful waste of useful energy in the form of a “riot” that looked more like some mindless scene on MTV; and the very terra crumbles beneath our feet, it’s reassuring to know that there are a few weirdos who still hang on to hope. Contact the Pulse columnist atjosephbechard@dailyemerald.com. His opinions do not necessarily represent those of the Emerald. r Show Hours Saturday, October 19 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Sunday, October 20 11:00 am to 5:00 pm Fashion Shows Saturday, October 19 11:00 am & 2:30 pm Sunday, October 20 12:30 pm & 3:00 pm Sponsored by *104.7 Fill Held at the Lane County Fair & Expo Center Oregon Daily Emerald SPORTS Get the LATEST Oregon Daily Emerald coverage of UO SPORTS every DAY! Or find it on our website. www.dailymerald.com FULL OF FIRE: HARMONICA ROBERT BONFIGLIO, HARMONICA GIANCARLO GUERRERO, CONDUCTOR Harmonica phenom Robert Bonfiglio turns up the heat with the Brazilian rhythms of Villa-Lobos’s Harmonica Concerto and a set of Elvis blues. Add Ravel's ravishing “Rapsodie espaghole, ’ and it’s one hot night at the Symphony. STUDENT TICKETS $10 ,\ * fWWf’WV BOX OFFICE - w^w.eugenesyniphpny.or^^Y -;; ‘Dragon ’ serves entree of delicious plot, acting Movie review Helen Schumacher Pulse Reporter The year is 1980, we’re in Balti more and Hannibal the Cannibal has just served the board of directors of the local symphony a delectable meal made from one of the missing symphony musicians. The opening credits haven’t even started yet. So begins “Red Dragon,” the pre quel to “The Silence of the Lambs.” Anthony Hopkins is back as Dr. Han nibal Lecter. He’s joined by Edward Norton as Will Graham, the ex-FBI agent who, after putting Lecter be hind bars, needs his expertise to stop a killer dubbed as the Tooth Fairy — Ralph Fiennes. Instead of Hannibal eating the brains in this film, the gray matter was saved for the plot. Graham, who has retired to Florida with his family after a near fatal run-in with Lecter, is asked to help the FBI solve the rit ualistic murders of two families by a killer. The killer believes he is a rein carnated version of William Blake’s “Great Red Dragon” painting. The cast is rounded out with Harvey Kei tel as the FBI officer who recruits Graham for the case, and Philip Seymour Hoffman as the sleazy tabloid journalist who penned the name Tooth Fairy. The psychological thriller’s best moments are not when you’re at the edge of your seat (which is often), but during the tender exchange be tween Francis Dolarhyde, aka the Tooth Fairy, and blind photo lab technician Reba McClane, played by Emily Watson. It is in these softer moments, where Dolarhyde battles between his demons and his desire for intimacy, that the audience is drawn in. Although Fiennes gives the best performance, all the acting is phe nomenal. But what else do you ex pect from this group of Academy Award nominees? The score was also phenomenal. Composed by Danny Elfman, known for his work on the Tim Burton films “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Beetlejuice” and “Pee-Wee’s Big Ad venture,” it shifts from heartfelt to heart-pounding in minutes. Thanks to stellar acting and a great score, what could have been a mediocre murder movie was made into something more gourmet. Contact the Pulse reporter at helenr.chumacher@dailyemerald.com. 014334 Locally owned LUBE, OIL, FILTER, TIRE ROTATION • Chassis Lube • New Oil Filter • Up to 5 Qts. 10W-30 Chevron Oil • Clean Front Window • Vacuum Front Floor Boards • No Appointment necessary • Most cars & light trucks • 3/4 or 1-ton & Extra Cab Trucks Additional Chevron MOTOR OIL TOUR IN TH€ PROTECTION DOWNTOWN 1320 Willamette • 485-2356 2975 West 11th 344-0007- OPEN Sundays 11-4 ODE Classifieds. Run your for sale item for five days (items under $1,000)... if you don't sell it, we'll run it 5 more days for free!
