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Q« t^LACKAMA^print
October 13, 2004
Arts&Entertainim
William Shat’s tracks
Cyrus Cross
The Clackamas Print
With the release of his
new album, super-celebrity
William Shatner has solidi
fied his place in the world
as the most entertaining
man ever.
One may expect to hear
a lot of singing from
Shatner, but it’s common
knowledge amongst his
fans that, in fact, his spoken
voice is actually a divine
gift. The background
singers are only necessary
in order to keep your mind
out of a state of total eupho
ria induced by the melodic
tone of The Shatner. Yes,
without the annoying
singers clouding his bril-
liant speech pattern, you
would actually not be able
to breathe due to the fact
that a voice so ridiculously
wonderful does no less than
destroy brain cells - it turns
out it is impossible to listen
-to perfection, for the aver
age human mind is
nowhere near ready for a
miracle such as this.
The first song sets the
tone as an upbeat, thought
fill, catchy tune that will
have ALL the ladies at the
bingo hall swooning. With
such names as “I Can’t Get
Behind That” and “Real,”
you can tell The Shatner
has an ear to the street,
keeping up to pace with the
newest lingo.
How is the lyrical con-
tent? Good thing you
asked. After hearing the
phrase “you’re gonna die” a
few dozen times on track
three you will most
assuredly come to the con
clusion that the lyrics are
up to par with The
Shatner’s divine voice and
incredibly well thought
melodies and beats.
Is this the greatest album
ever recorded? Yes. Is The
Shatner raising the bar at
least 6.7 notches for all
other recording artists? Yes
again. Look out Eminem,
Old Will Shatner is hot on
your trail and never again
shall the human race come
across anything like this
again (unless of course he
releases another album).
SHATNER
I nternet P hoto
CREEN DAY
Green Day’s “American
Idiot” politic’s to listeners
Amanda Polopolus
The Clackamas Print
On September 21, Green Day
released their latest album "American
Idiot." Ifs been four years since the
release of their latest CD, and now
Green Day fans everywhere are excit
ed to hear new material from the pop
ular band. This time Green Day went
for more of a serious, political theme,
yet remained true to their style.
Personally, I enjoyed this CD
because while it is definitely the same
unmistakable Green Day style, all of
the tracks are individual in their
sound. It's refreshing to find a punk
rock or alternative-rock CD these
days where all of the songs don't
sound the same. This new album has
shown the growth and maturity of the
band overall. In comparison to their
older music, the basis of the songs has
deeper meaning and the lyrics have
an overall common understanding
with the audience. If you like the
song "American Idiot," then you will
be happy to hear that most of the
songs on the CD are just as good, if
not better.
I particularly like track four which
is titled "Walk Alone." It has a very
‘Saw’ a cutting film perfect
* for the Halloween season
H ill iary Ferguson
The Clackamas Print
cc
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s
Right on time for the spooki
est day of the year is “Saw,” an
imaginative horror flick with
twists and jumps that render your
spleen a pretzel.
“Saw” takes us on a startling
tour through the brain sack of the
first serial killer who’s never
actually killed anyone. Our main
characters,
Adam
(Leigh
Whannell) and Dr. Lawrence
Gordon (“The Princess Bride’s”
Cary Elwes) are the Jigsaw
Killer’s latest victims.
We find them chained to a
grotesque cesspool of a bath
room, with no real explanation
of how they came to arrive there.
The movie takes the viewer on a
psychological ride from clue to
clue, eventually leading Adam to
find two hacksaws (hence the
title) stowed away in the tank of
their cell’s only toilet.
Joy! Perhaps our heroes can
escape, using the saws to release
them from their restraints and off
to safety. Wfong! Dr. Gordon
eerily predicts (and rightly so)
that the killer had intended for
them not to saw through the
ankle cuffs, but through their
ankles instead. And it only gets
creepier.
“Saw” has the feel of those
sadistic Japanese movies that
call out from the “Foreign” sec
tion of the video store. It’s rare to
find a mainstream horror movie
whose plot has not been reincar
nated from last year’s box office
flop. Kudos to director James
Wan for creating a film so grip
ping (and disgusting) that it sur
passes horror movies of the last
decade.
Not only does it surpass horror
flicks, however, but it is also far
different from other serial killer
movies. Unlike Hannibal Lector
SCARY BAD CUY
I nternet P hoto
I nternet P hoto
or Ed Gein, the Jigsaw Killer
forces people to kill themselves
or others in an attempt to save
their own lives. A film this gut
wrenchingly sadistic has been a
long time coming.
The only downfall of this
movie was (ironically) the cli
max. Adam and Dr. Gordon
become so overcome with fear
that they begin to cry. What’s not
so surprising is Elwes’ delicious
melodrama as he drags himself
across the floor with a face
ghost-white from blood loss.
At this point the viewer is
lead to believe that he or she has
solved the mystery and that
Adam and Dr. Gordon will be
free to leave their dungeon. But
then, in an Emeril-esque “Bam!”
the audience is hit with a surprise
as the final twist in the plot is
revealed. This unveiling is so
unexpected that it’s easy to for
give how lame the previous 15
minutes were.
Leaving the theater, we were
at first dumfounded as to how we
truly felt about the movie. In ret
rospect, there were some badass
scenes, like people getting muti
lated and a fat guy who dies
while trying to crawl through a
mass of razor wire. Plus, the plot
was pretty cool, save for some
laughable over-dramatization on
the cast’s part exemplified in the
line delivered by Adam, saying,
“I don’t care if you cover your
self in peanut butter and have a
15 hooker orgy.”
Movie prices being as astro
nomic as they are these days, the
main reason to go to the theater
to see “Saw” is so that you can
say that you saw “Saw.” Ha.
captivating chorus. While the lyrics
may be a little depressing, ifs hard to
notice. The melody captivates you so
much that you aren't paying attention
to what you're singing along with.
The great thing about Green Day's
music is that there isn't a particular
time or setting to listen to it; you can
listen to it anytime, anywhere.
"American Idiot" is a fairly good
CD, on a scale of one to 10,1 would
rate it a seven. This is the first CD
that I have purchased by Green Day.
I've only heard their singles on the
radio, but I think that their new mate-
rial is just as good as what I've heard
of the old. While their political spin
on things may take some getting used
to, this CD is definitely worth the 16
or so dollars—especially if you're a
Green Day fan.
On another topic, more good
news for you Green Day fanatics:
the band's website states that they are
coming to the Rose Garden Arena on
Thursday, November 18. Pre-sales
for the tickets are available now
through their website at www.green-
day.baseline ticketing.com (or check
out www.cinderblock.com). The
concert starts at 7 p.m. and tickets
are $29.50.
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Tear jerker teilt,
the tales from j
house to home
Becky Wiley
The Clackamas Print
“Ladder 49” takes
its viewers inside the
firehouse and directly
into the blaze. This
emotionally gripping
tale expresses the sac
rifices firemen make
on a daily basis.
“Ladder 49” exceeded
my expectations and
kept me mesmerized
from beginning to end.
The edge of your seat
action of these heroic
men is intriguing for all.
Jack Morrison, played
by Joaquin Phoenix, is a
typical family man with an
extraordinary line of work.
Facing the most intense
fires, he never hesitates to
meet the burning flames.
Morrison tackles the day by
day routine of saving lives,
but in an instant the life to
save becomes his own.
Trapped and inj
twelfth floor ol
building, Mon
himself in the n
ous situation.
This life chai
will catch and
heart. So, get,
“Ladder 49” wl
can. Just mala
bring along al
of tissues.
|
•Literary Events
Hannah Tinti, editor of One Storys
zine, will be reading from her new I
Animal Crackers.
When: Friday, October 15
Time: noon - 2 p.m.
Where: the Literary Arts Center (Ri
Come one, come all! This reading
and open to the public.