The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 35

its The Beacon Journal Saturday, December 18, 1993 PageC5 Broadcast News Family now owns three top stations Mandels rearrange management lineup at WAKR and WONE under yet another ownership change Review Beethoven just won't play dead And he shouldn't, since dogs are the appeal of 'Beethoven's 2nd' BY ROGER EBERT Universal Press Syndicate There is a scene in Beethoven's 2nd in which Beethoven, who is a large St. Bernard dog, takes his girlfriend Missy, also a large St. Bernard, to a drive-in theater for the movies. They sit on a hill above the parking lot, where they have a good view ol the screen. This much I was prepared to believe.

Some dogs are very clever. But when Beethoven came back with a box of popcorn for Missy, I realized these were, not ordinary dogs but two oi amazing intelligence. When it was revealed that Missy got pregnant later that night, I found myself asking if they'd never heard of taking precautions. In due time Missy's four puppies are born into a world filled with human problems. The central tragedy is that Beethoven and his lady love have been separated.

Beethoven, of course, lives with a large and loving family, the Newtons. Missy has been dognapped from her loving owner by his bitter estranged wife, a woman who in appearance and behavior resembles the witch in Snow White. The three Newton kids manage to rescue and cherish the puppies, after winning over their dad (the priceless Charles Gro-din, who must have charged a high one for appearing in this). Mom (merry-faced Bonnie Hunt), of course, loves the pups The Newton family, with Beethoven and his brood. From left, the humans are Emily (Sarah Rose Karr), Ryce (Nicholle Tom), Alice (Bonnie Hunt), George (Charles Grodin) and Ted (Christopher Castile).

Akron radio stations WAKR (1590-AM) and WONE (97.5-FM) officially changed hands last week. But employees shouldn't have much trouble adjusting. After all, this marks the fourth time the stations have been sold since 1985. As announced in August, the new owners are the Mandel family of Cleveland, who coughed up $9.3 million for the honor of running a news-talk station and a classic-rock station. By adding WAKR and WONE to country-music station WQMX (94.9-FM), the Mandels now control three of the city's five most popular stations.

Their first move was nuking WAKR-WONE General Manager Peter Acquaviva, who departed Dec. 6, the day the deal closed. The unpopular Acquaviva had been imported by the previous owners, an East Coast group headed by Philadelphia lawyer Ragan Henry. WQMX General Manager Thorn Mandel has taken over the reins of all three stations. His first hire was Mark Biviano as sales boss.

You may recognize that name from Cleveland's WQAL (104.1-FM), where Biviano was a general Bob I manager in the '80s before leaving the business for cable TV. New face The new mug on WJW (Channel 8) belongs to Kathy Kronenber-ger. Good thing reporters don't have to wear jerseys with their names across the back. If ever anyone fit Channel 8's cherished "Cleveland's Own" motif, it is Kronenberger. Ethnic name.

Born and raised in Parma Heights. Valley Forge High School. Cheerleader, band, homecoming court, basketball player. Still keeps in contact with former teachers and coaches. Yes, she was permitted to leave town temporarily.

Went to Notre Dame before picking up a master's degree in journalism at Northwest-em. From there she headed to Los Angeles to become a charter member of Channel One, the controversial advertising-filled educational channel formed in 1990 and seen in 12,000 schools. That one and only previous job allowed her to travel the world. But like every good Channel 8 reporter, she eventually made her way home. Stranger than fiction What does Dave Barry think of See BROADCAST, Page C6 Details Movie: Beethoven 's 2nd Stars: Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Nicholle Tom, Christopher Castile, Sarah Rose Karr, Debi Mazar, Chris Penn Director: Rod Daniel Studio: Universal Running time: 1 hour, 26 minutes Theaters: Akron Square, Belden Village, Canton Centre, Chapel Hill Mall, Great Oaks, Kent Plaza 7, Medina Twin, Montrose, Orrville Rating: PG and runny something director Rod Daniel should have considered before shooting so many soulful close-ups of Beethoven, who looks like he needs doggy Visine.

One of the film's genuine blessings is that we do not hear the dog's thoughts, although we do get several songs on the sound track that reflect their -rum REEL-to-REAL Entertainment 2 TEl thinking. Missy and Beethoven are first smitten with one another while Dolly Parton and James Ingram sing The Day I Fall in Love, and I'm telling you, there wasn't a dry face on the screen, mostly because the dogs were licking each other. This movie has one clear reason for being: The success of the original Beethoven, which grossed something like $70 million. That film was no masterpiece, but it made good use of the adorable Beethoven, and in Grodin it had a splendid comic actor who made the most of his role as a grumpy dad who didn't want a dog causing havoc around the house. This time, with Grodin elevated to an innocuous role and Debi Mazar acting as if she were being paid by the snarl, it's up to the dogs.

You know you're in trouble when the heroes of a comedy spend more time swapping spit than one-liners. Details Event: Annual Rhythm and Blues Ball Where: Phase II International nightclub, 1056 S. Main Akron. When: 8 tonight Cost: $10 per person; $15 per couple Information: 762-4076 they think about is rap. "But you have to take time to get used to it, acquire a taste for it." OPKN SATURDAY 10, Cartoon tOCl Family doing its best to bring blues to Akron i jS(ijMss Rr i i 'r; -am trim The Relatively Jammin' Blues Band's members will be about the only young people at the Annual Rhythm and Blues Ball.

Band leader and event organizer Gary Oliver wants only a 30-and-over crowd to attend. at first sight. Then the screenplay provides a vacation trip to a lake, where Missy's evil dognap-per (Debi Mazar) and her goon boyfriend (Chris Penn) also are visiting. That sets up the entirely predictable ending, in which the evil villains attempt a puppy-napping. It also sets up a scene so unsavory that it has no place in a movie rated PG.

The oldest Newton girl, Ryce (Nicholle Tom), is trapped in a locked bedroom by a slick boy she knows from the city. "Ummm," he says, dangling the keys and advancing on her, "this is gonna be great!" Luckily Beethoven saves the day before a sexual assault takes place, but were the filmmakers so desperate they could think of no scene more appropriate for a family movie? The dogs are, of course, cute. All St. Bernards are cute. But their best features are not their eyes, which tend to be small, red Davidson of Akron.

There also will be best-dressed and couples dance contests. Oliver hopes to draw an exclusively older crowd to the blues ball 30 years of age and upward "to keep out the (younger) undesirables." But first he says he has to persuade this older crowd they'll be in a safe environment. "I'm doing this for the older crowd because a lot of them are scared to go out because of violence. When the younger kids go out, something always happens. There's fighting and the law is called in.

It's gotten to the point where they're scared to go out with the young kids. You can understand why. Every time you turn around somebody is getting shot and killed." To alleviate fears, Oliver has hired extra security for the event. "I want to make them feel safe about coming out and enjoying themselves like they used to." He doesn't think he'll have a problem with hordes of youths breaking down the doors to get into the blues ball. Many of today's youths, he believes, don't have an interest in the music because the vast majority of them are more interested in rap arid other more contemporary types of music.

SI- for a good cause. support efforts. Last year they sold 1,080. The one-pound Claxton-brand cakes are $3. A new wrinkle: Free home delivery in Summit County if you buy six or more.

Call 655-9264. EiusMunut "You don't see young kids playing any blues like my kids do," says Oliver, who started his son on drums when Gary Jr. was 5. He also exposed them to blues music in the home, playing records and taking them to concerts by blues artists such as De-nise LaSalle, Bobby Womack and Little Milton. "They would get up in the morning and instead of putting on rap would put on the blues.

But a lot of kids don't hear blues. All Pd. Adv. MONTROSE MOVIES (666-9373) 1. Beethoven's 2nd (PG) 2.

Wayne's World 2 (PG-13) 3. Geronimo (PG-13) 4. Three Musketeers (PG) 5. A Perfect World (R) 4. Addams Family Values (PG-13) 7.

Remains of the Day (PG) 8. Gettysburg (PG) 9. We're Back (G) WEST MARKET PLAZA (633-1311) 1. Pelican Brief (PG-13) 2. Mrs.

Doubtfire (PG-13) 3. Sister Act II (PG) 4. Carlito's Way (R) 5. Nightmare Before Christmas (PG) 6. My Life (PG-13) KOilTH CATITOrC M0VTES 4 (497-9260) 1.

Age Of Innocence (PG) 2. The Beverly Hillbillies (PG) 3. Jurassic Park (PG-13) 4. Demolition Man (R) HQRTHF1E N0RTHFIELD CINEMA (467-8141) 1. Jurassic Park (PG-13) 1 Cool Runnings (PG) STAGS CAROUSEL DINNER THEATRE (724-9855 or 1-800-362-4100) PHANTOM-YestonKopit Thurs.

MAGICAL THEATRE COMPANY (848-3708) THE GIFT OF THE MAGI Wed. WEATHERVANE PLAYHOUSE (836-2626) BLIND MICE, UGLY DUCKS SCRAMBLED DUMPTY Tues. WEATHERVANE PLAYHOUSE (836-2626) YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU Thurs. MYSTERY CATC INNER THEATRE (854-0210) MURDER AT RICK'S PLACE Frl. AKRON SQUARE CINE 6 (724-5514) 1.

Pelican Brief (PG-13) 2. Sister Act 2 (PG) 3. Wayne's World (PG-13) 4. Beethoven's 2nd (PG) 5. Mrs.

Doubtfire (PG-13) 6. Addams Family Values (PG-13) CHAPEL HILL (633-3111) 1. Beethoven's 2nd (PG) 2. Sister Act II (PG) 3. We're Back (G) 4.

Carlito's Way (R) HIGHLAND 376-0200 1. Jurassic Park 2. Rocky Horror Picture Show (Sat. only midnite) UNDA THEATRE (784-3443) 1. Jurassic Park (PG-13) PLAZA AT CHAPEL HILL (923-9093) 1.

Pelican Brief (PG-13) 2. Mrs. Doubtfire (PG-13) 3. Geronimo (PG-13) 4. A Perfect World (PG-13) 5.

My Life (PG-13) 6. Three Musketeers (PG) PinDERTON WEST THEATRE (825-6912) I.Mrs. Doubtfire (PG-13) LOEWS STATE TWIN (929-9168) 1. Wayne's World 2 (PG-13) 2. Addams Family Values (PG-13) VILLAGE TWIN (836-2100) 1.

Jurassic Park (PG-13) 2. Cool Runnings (PG) MEDINA TWIN THEATRE (722-6021) 1. Mrs. Doubtfire (PG-li) 2. Beethoven's 2nd (PG) WOOSTER LYRIC TWIN CINEMA (262-9977) 1.

Cool Runnings (PG) 2. Wayne's World 2 (PG-13) 3. The Three Musketeers (PG) GREAT OAKS CINEMA (3364464) 1. Mrs. Doubtfire (PG-13) 2.

Beethoven's 2nd (PG) varans By Kevin C. Johnson Beam Journal staff writer Akron has got the blues. But for folks like Gary Oliver, that's just fine. Oliver is lead guitarist and vocalist for The Relatively Jammin' Blues Band, an Akron-based band made up of family members. "It's getting strong again.

The blues are coming back," Oliver says of what he sees as a growing interest in blues music locally. He attributes that to a stronger awareness thanks to TV shows and magazines highlighting the down-home sound. Hoping to take advantage of this, Oliver and his family are organizing the Annual Rhythm and Blues Ball, which will be held tonight at the Phase International nightclub in Akron. The Relatively Jammin' Blues Band, which bills itself as the youngest blues band in the land, will headline. The band members include Oliver's 11 -year-old son Gary Jr.

on drums, 15-year-old daughter Marilyn on keyboards and vocals, and 15-year-old niece Melea McNair on guitar and vocals. Robert formerly of the defunct Akron blues band Robert T. and Midnight Movers, will perform, as well as singer Cherrell Popular brand of fruit cake Is on sale Now a few words about the much-maligned fruit cake. Alliance for the Mentally 111 of Summit County members have reason to believe that someone likes these holiday confections, because they sell them to finance their family- $25 1 TrW'M OPEN FRIDAY 1 8a.m 10p.m. Ikji8a.m.

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