_______ 9_
WedNEsdAy, ApRiL 5, 2000
TI he ClAckAMAS P rint
Skulls inspires massive headache
ANGIE DASCHEL
A&E Editor
It’s pretty difficult for a commu
nity college student to feel sorry
for sheltered Ivy League rich boys
whose biggest problem is decid
ing which convertible to drive ev
ery day. It’s also hard to swallow
the thinly developed plot of The
Skulls, a movie that tries to be
suspenseful but falls as flat as the
“acting” presented by the WB-in-
fused cast.
Here’s what is supposed to be
so scary: every year, a secret soci
ety dubbed the Skulls chooses a
few college pretty boys to become
members in their elite group.
Joshua Jackson of Dawson’s
Creek plays Luke McNamara, a
local poor boy who is chosen by
the Skulls for some reason that is
never made clear. Also hand
picked is Caleb Mandrake, (Paul
Walker, Varsity Blues) the manda
tory big man on campus who be
comes
Luke’s
so-called
“soulmate.” Luke and Caleb are
expected to be each other’s best
friend, while also finding out dirty
little secrets that can be used
against each other in the future.
What is that you say? This
movie doesn’t sound scary? You
just saved yourself some money
with that little revelation, but
there’s more to this “plot.” Soon
Luke and Caleb are drenched with
money, serious money, as well as
sweet cars and models. Every
thing is taken care of for poor boy
Luke, including his massive col
lege debt and early acceptance to
law school. After a while, Luke
wants to get out of the group be
cause of it’s secrecy, butthat ain’t
gonna happen because you’re
not in Dawson's Creek anymore,
Dorothy.
While all this “drama” and “in
trigue” ensued, all this community
college student could think was
“Where is the dotted line and the
pen, because I want in NOW.” The
only down side to the Skulls is that
they bug your apartment, watch
everything you do, and sometimes
cover up little accidental murders
that happen to involve members.
Hey, that description isn’t too far
away from our government, except
they don’t give models and cars
and major money to poor college
students.
Suspense is a foreign concept
to this film and predictability is a
constant. The audience is always
a step ahead of every plot “twist”
and Luke is never believed to be
in any real danger. The viewers
don’t really care what happens to
PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
Ivy League-ers discover a world of secrecy in The Skulls.
the dumb Ivy League boys, who
couldn’t find their way home with
out leaving a trail of breadcrumbs
behind them. Besides, the group’s
name is the Skulls, for crying out
loud. Shouldn’t that be some in
dication that this group isn’t a
bunch of boy scouts who help
little old ladies across the street?
So if you’re panting over Joshua
Jackson, The Skulls will fulfill your
needs, but a better bet would be
Cruel Intentions, in which he por
trays a gay drug dealer. He only
has about five minutes onscreen
in Cruel Intentions, but that more
than makes up for the sad, pitiful
waste of money that is The Skulls.
Chasing the American dream in El Paso Blue
ANGIE DASCHEL
A&E Editor
Up get things mixed sometimes.
The above sentence may seem
confusing at first glance. Somehow,
if you stare at the sentence long
enough, the message comes out as
‘sometimes things get mixed up,’ and
the same is true for El Paso Blue, a
play written by Octavio Solis. This
powerful play unfolds its complex
story in a setting that alternates be
tween present time and a series of
flashbacks, which can be puzzling
at first, but ultimately satisfying.
EZ Paso Blue tells the story of a
Mexican family trying desperately
to have a chance at the American
educati
6
n
.
dream, which turns out to be a
sham. The play starts out with an
explosive musical number by Kellie
Johnson, who plays Sylvie, a
former pageant princess from Dal
las with a drinking problem. She is
married to Al, a young man who is
trying to get his life on track. Al
should have tried a little harder, be
cause in walks his loony friend
Duane, who coaxes him to take the
rap for a robbery. Al grudgingly
visits his estranged father Marcello
to ask him to let Sylvie stay with
him until he is free.
Sylvie, a woman who is perpetu
ally drunk, walks into Marcello’s
house and they immediately dislike
each other. Within days however,
feb.
n V m a
the blond princess from Dallas and
the hard working man from Mexico
fall in love.
To say it simply, El Paso Blue
rocked, and it wasn’t just the songs;
the depth that the actors brought to
the characters was astounding.
Every ounce of energy was pouring
out of these people into the play and
into the development of the charac
ters. The actors'comic timing rivaled
that in Hollywood, while the physi
cality of the play never seemed
forced or staged.
Nothing about this play is con
ventional. There is hardly any set,
no costume changes, and there are
at least three songs. This play is
about pure emotion, and an intricate
set and fancy costumes would have
taken away from the action of the
play. Johnson uses her voice as a
character of its own, and boy, this
girl has got some lungs. When she
opened her mouth to sing, every
person in the room was focused on
the notes falling from her lips and
nothing else mattered.
If at first you are confused with
the structure of El Paso Blue, stay
with it. All at once, the whole play
fits together in a wonderful combi
nation of song, dance and emotion
that leaves you awestruck.
El Paso Blue is playing at
Miracle Theatre, 525 Stark St. in
Portland. For reservations and
showtimes, call 236-7253.
Actors tackle Shakespeare
The setting in Shakespeare’s
plays, or any play in general, is
up to the director and the cast,
Are you itchin’ for a dose of said Smith-English.
“Some people set this play
Shakespeare but can’t make it to
Ashland this year? Look no fur during the Civil War or Nazi Ger
ther, because Clackamas’ Theatre many, but that’s not much of a
Department has chosen the comedy to me,” commented
Bard’s famous comedy As You Smith-English.
This production weighs in with
Like It as their spring play.
Rehearsals began last week, a whopping 19 cast members; in
and director David Smith-English addition, some are playing two
is excited to dive into the chal roles. As You Likte It is the final
show for several actors, but the
lenge of Shakespeare.
“I love Shakespeare,” said play will also introduce some new
Smith-English. “I love to make it faces to the Theatre Department.
The large cast will also be do
clear to people.”
Written around 1600, As You ing a great deal of singing and
Like It tells the comedic love dancing, according to Smith-En
story of Rosalind and Orlando, a glish. Wes Hanson is providing
pair who must overcome their the choreography of the comedy
surroundings, as many of and Mike Van Liew is composing
the original music score. Van
Shakespeare’s lovers do.
“[As You Like It} is a great situ Liew’s music was showcased in
ation about power,” said Smith- last year’s production of the
English. Clackamas’ production Imaginary Invalid.
As You Like It will run May 18-
is set in 1815, almost two centu
ries after the play was written. 21 and 31, and June 1 -4.
ANGIE DASCHEL
A&E Editor
fOCUS ON TOOK
• Concordia is an accredited
University recognized for quality
• Personal attention is given to
make transfer as easy as possible
• Most majors include
mentors and internships
• Merit scholarships and
financial aid are available
• Day and evening classes
• Graduate with a resume
as well as a degree
oomE0’ «
POETRY READING
viw«cu-ï>ortl.anâ.«eâu
aamissionsOcu-portlana.eau
Bruce Smith
Monday, April 10
12 p.m. in the Gregory Forum
Free and open to the public