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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2005)
12 • ^tjLACKAMASPríflt June 1, 2005 Arts&Entertainmeìì. I-III cannot with IV-\ emphasis on the pod-rac ing. The story was okay, but- really only had one pur 77ie Clackamas Print pose—to introduce Anakin. That’s all fine and dandy, but It’s finally here—the begin the rest seemed less focused on ning of the end. 2005 marks the Anakin and more focused on end of a legacy—the final Star other things, like the Gungans Wars movie, “Episode III: The (what the hell?). Revenge of the Sith.” I am as' The original trilogy had a diehard as any other Star Wars strong story, with well-placed fan; I must say that, though very plot twists and a non good, this second trilogy in no stop account of the next way touches the monumental, generation of Jedi. primo, phantasmagoric nature of “The Empire Strikes the original. Back” is probably the Why? Well, where do I begin? most shocking of the Yes, it is wonderful that Star Wars three, moving away creator George Lucas decided to from the first Star continue on with his vision, but War’s happy-go- where’s the effort? There is no lucky attitude where doubt that the new movies are good triumphs over beautiful and mind-boggling in evil and becoming appearance, but there is a lack of bleak and desper decent acting to go with it. And ate, traveling on to “Attack of the Clones”—ugh! the darker side Please tell me that was a joke. of the story. In Between Hayden Christensen and the ridiculous dialogue, I could barely stomach it. What did Lucas do, sit on the john and scribble the script of a piece of toilet paper (and then use “Attack of the Clones” to wipe)? “Episode I” was .decent enough, with a little lagging and “Empire,” the heroic trio is cut short with the freezing of Han Solo, the revealing of a surpris ing back story (“Luke, I am your father”), and the loss of a hand (an appendage-loss tradition car ried on to Episodes I-III). And, of course, no scene could beat the last minutes of “Return of the Jedi,” when the Emperor, Luke and Vader face off. It is still one of the greatest scenes of all time when Vader defeats the Emperor and saves the day. In the origi nal three Star Wars episodes/ the occasional lack of special effects was always paid back with the JennaJohnk Photo illustration by Jeff .Sorensen Clackamas Print superb acting of the cast, still, what they did with the cial effects was phenomen the time. The plot is supp by incredible visuals and ing scenery. In the new ti it’s almost too much to ta Though Episodes I-III are ally stunning and amazingly istic, the full effect of the set can be a little distracting; that distraction can someth welcome. Star Wars IV-VI was l ed by a great cast, who with their characters and vided an awesome chemistn was smooth, making their screen relationships believ In the new Star Wars, the important relationship, bed Padme and Anakin, seems i py and maybe even cold. A they supposed to be in l Of course, in “Attack of Clones,” the love story is p out more—far too much, in And what can be said abou Harlequin Romance-style logue and dreamy little r the grass? I gagged. Of course, if I wanted t( up the true reason why the nal trilogy is supremely supi it would have to be these words: no Jar Jar Binks. z ‘Shotgun’ speaks to generations Sam Krause presents. Ben Maras The Clackamas Print “CITIZENS,” the solilo quy begins. “Children of the night, bearers of the day torch, scorched and burned — BURN NOT. The damn is broken,' the curse is fled, once mudr died and still, the river runs RED!” " This first paragraph in writ- er/musician Saul Williams’ epic poem “Said the Shotgun to the Head” is enough to either hook the reader instant ly, or completely scare them off. Regardless, they’re usu ally curious enough to go onto the next few pages, where they are confronted with a 182-page parable written in poetic form, breaking many rules' of “clas sical” poetry. Williams “Angst driven uses every technique nec insecure/ essary to por not politics, the a country in tray his tone, story of “a truth even chang puberty/ that mushrooms ing spacing its darkened a country at and font sizes cloud over the war.../ (hence the rest of us so that capitaliza we, too, bear your weapons/ tion in quota witness to the < are phallic/ tions, which short-lived fate may seem all of them ” of a civilization out of place). that worships a The words 'Saul Williams male god.” are often cut Said the Shotgun Anyone ting and to the to the Head expecting con point, some ventional poetry times ironic, from this book and,sometimes painfully true. will be sadly mistaken; there’s In the introduction, it is little conventional about it. explained as a narration about Yet as babbling and bizarre a modern-day John the Baptist, as it may sound at times, each preaching the tale of a female line has a hidden meaning, as messiah who he has known I was lucky enough to hear intimately — the babbling sort Williams explain at a reading. who one might cross the street For example/ to avoid, while he rambles on “She had eyes like two turn about phallic weapons and the tables; mix(h)er in between womb. my dreams and reality, blend Throughout the book, the ed in ancient themes. The bass broken tale is told, making is of Isis (basis) cross-faded little to no sense at times, to ankh, the beat drops like a but the meaning being, para cliff overlooking my heart.” doxically, perfectly clear—it The beat dropping is (simply is a tale of social commentary; put) representative of the way The Toil 10 horrible things to do this summer 10. Take that long-awaited trip to Baghdad. 9 Attempt to build multi-winged flying machine. 8. Get an unpaid internship with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. that any culture moves as one, to a combination of idealism and reality, while in progres sion clinging to the past. . Williams is also an acclaimed musician, putting his poems (including many exerpts from “Shotgun”) to music, which merely comple ments his talent with the writ ten word. While Williams may not be the first to do what he is doing, he is making his art available to an entire genera tion of people who wouldn’t go to a poetry reading if their liyes depended on it. His books and music are available at his website, www. saulwilliams.com, or at many local book and record stores (including Powell’s Books in Portland). Zach de la-Rocha of Rage Against the Machine fame »once described the piece as “An invitation to live and die in the moment, a confrontation of the politics of an empire, a dare to transform oneself in the face of fear and a post- 9/11 love song all in one.” Sounds about right. 7. Become pen-pals with a person from North Korea, then see what the United States government does. 6. Wait in line three months for the new Harry Potter book. 5. Spend á week in purgatory. 4. Register friends as sex offend ers in Benton County. 3. Challenge Kirstie Alley and Sally Struthers to a pie eating con test. 2. Petition to bring back Adult Swim’s Super Milk’ Chan “or else.” it ■ : ? 1. Spend entire pay checks going to indie rock shows.
