Green Bay Press-Gazette from Green Bay, Wisconsin • Page 6

A-6 Saturday, August 2, 1986 Green Bay Press-Gazette Duck 'Howard the a tongue in beak story Lucas, experts team up for 'animatronics' 7 1 if a winning personality winning enough, according to publicity releases, to make leading lady Lea Thompson to the fall in love with him. Thompson plays the role of Beverly Switzler, the lead singer in an all-female rock band, Cherry Bomb. Howard meets Beverly when he is accidentally transported from his home on the Duck planet and lands in a Cleveland alley populated by punk rockers, a bag lady and an all-woman motorcycle gang. "It's a tongue-in-beak story," said Hult. The live stars, of course, are peripheral to the animated one, and Howard himself has been completely under wraps since production began.

Lucasfilm marketing strategy on every film from "Star Wars" onward has been to build suspense behind a wall of secrecy, and "Howard" is no exception. Advertising trailers that were introduced a month ago in movie theaters show everything (even Lucas himself) except the duck. Posters show nothing but a beak (complete with cigar) poking out of a duck egg. The publicity campaign includes a purported duck interview in Rolling Stone magazine, two duck videos for MTV, interviews with Howard next week on the "Today Show" and "Entertainment Tonight," and a new wrinkle from the publicity department! at Universal a dial-it-yourself 900 number offering conversations with a wise-quacking "duck" with a human-sounding voice: By Beth Ashley Gannett News Service Amid speculation that George Lucas has hit the creative doldrums and his Lucasfilm company is in financial trouble, the whole world is watching to see if "Howard the Duck" will fly. Is "Howard," which opened Friday, the big one we've been waiting for a Lucas invention with the creative magnitude of his "Star Wars" trilogy, "American Graffiti" or the serialized adventures of Indiana Jones? We can stop wondering, according to Nancy Hult, the film's publicist and spokesman for Lucasfilm.

The movie credits may read "George Lucas presents" and "George Lucas, executive producer," but "The picture was already under way at Universal (Studios) before George signed on," said Hult. Lucasfilm 's technical know-how the special effects division at Industrial Light and Magic and the sound wizards at Lucasfilm's Sprocket Systems are what made the film possible, Hult said. But the film was conceived and written, produced and directed by the husband-and-wife writing team of Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, Lucas' old friends from "Graffiti" days. "George's involvement (on 'Howard') is about the same as it was on 'Mishima'," Hult said "a friend lending his expertise and support to a project conceived and paid for by somebody else." Katz and Huyck started working on the script in September 1984, after getting financial backing from Universal Studios. Universal was already favorably inclined toward Howard the studio had bought the rights to the duck, originally a character in a Marvel Comics series, as part of a comics package that included "The Incredible Hulk," which became a long-running TV show.

Because Lucas had first introduced them to Howard in a New York comic book store, Huyck and Katz were in touch with Lucas throughout the early stages of scriptwriting. The two writers had wanted to do the movie 11 years ago, but didn't begin working on it until Lucas told them that the technology to make such a film had been developed and was now available. A year ago, when production was about to start, Lucas became a partner in the film, Hult said. "Universal felt very comfortable when George agreed to become executive producer because he had the kind of experience in complex film technology that this picture required." To make the film, Lucas imported experts in puppetry from the studios of Muppets creator Jim Henson, with whom Lucas had struck up a partnership for the recently released movie, "Labyrinth." These experts teamed with the staff of Industrial Light and Magic to create Howard, characterized by Katz as "not just a midget in a duck suit, but a marvel of animatronics." Howard is a wise-guy duck with From Universal Pictures Busted: Howard the Duck is arrested at Dynatechnics Howard's adventures too despicable to fly Movie review By William Wolf Gannett News Service Ducks of movies past Gannett News Service Howard the Duck isn't the first waterfowl to become a star. That honor goes to Donald Duck, who burst upon the silver screen in 1934, the first cartoon character to make his film debut in color.

Until now, Donald Duck was the only film duck to star in full-length feature films, "Saludos Amigos" (1942) and "The Three Caballeros" (1944). Donald Duck introduced a cast of supporting ducks into his films for Walt Disney: Daisy, Donald's eternal girl friend, who has yet to drag Donald to the altar; Scrooge McDuck, Donald's uncle; and three nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie. The question of parentage of the nephews has led to rumors about Doraid's and Daisy's off-screen relationship. A consistent characteristic of movie ducks is a bad temper, and no duck has portrayed exasperation on the screen more successfully than Warner Bros. Daffy Duck.

Daffy is best remembered for his role as "The Scarlet Pumpernickle." I Daffy has been the most envied duck Hollywood in recent years. While Donald's career has been reduced to strutting around theme parks and making an! occasional appearance in ice shows, paffy's reruns'1 have been among the most popular of all cartoons on television, raking in enormous royalties. ing second lead to a duck, but for having to romantically kiss him as reflected in wall shadows. At one point, while Howard is asleep, she goes through his wallet and pulls out are you ready? a condom. "Oh, Howard!" she muses.

Is that supposed to be entertaining for the kiddies, or is it childishly meant to give the film grown-up credentials? Soon Howard tangles with scientists, who learn that one of their experiments went awry and the resulting magnetic force pulled Howard to Earth. The movie gets progressively garish, especially when Jeflrey Jones as scientist Dr. Jenning begins to change into a wicked, weird creature. If there's a opportunity for grossness, director and co-screenwriter Willard Huyck doesn't miss it. Example: the transformed Jennings unfurling a long, snake-like tongue and sticking in a truck's cigarette lighter-holder to get the body energy he craves.

The film thunders on like that with enough decibel strength to give man or duck a headache. Rated PG for violence and the sex gag, "Howard the Duck" is playing at the Stadium Cinema in Ashwaubenon. "Howard the Duck" is an example of Hollywood gone loony. For whom has this lavish but boring picture intended as a major summer entertainment been made? If it's for children, it's in atrocious taste and steeped in so much special-effects violence that parents might think twice about taking an impressionable youngster. If it's meant as a comic strip for teenagers or young adults, the script insults the intelligence.

Senior citizens straying in might just want to take aspirin. "Howard the Duck" is a presentation of George Lucas, which makes the mess all the more astonishing. Lucas, as the world knows, is a king of special effects. But is merely piling on effects enough anymore? The story, based on the Marvel Comics character and scripted by Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, starts off briefly with a hint of wit. Howard enters his big city, duck-world apartment somewhere on a distant planet.

On the wall are posters, including one starring Mae Nest and W.C. Fowls in "My Little Chickadee." Television commercials are peopled by ducks and are comically similar to those haranguing us on Earth. Suddenly, swoosh! A cosmic phenomenon occurs and Howard is whisked away in his easy chair crashing through walls and hurtling through space until he lands in Cleveland. Soon the writers have Howard mired in the usual physical mayhem, chases, crashes and the ultimate battle to save the world from mad use of unleashed power and giant monsters. Howard must become super-duck.

Howard's body looks very real and moves like a tiny person in a duck suit. This isn't animation. But apart from blinking eyelids, Howard's duck face has no mobility. Expressiveness comes only in the voice, and that gets boring, especially when he must deliver what passes for jokes. Howard's earthly adventure begins in a nightspot listening to a rock group, Afterward he intervenes, against bullies trying to rape Beverly, the lead singer.

She gratefully takes him home and they become pals. Lea Thompson deserves some sort of beyond-the-call-of-duty award, not only for cheerfully play Be honest to live-in' niece MM From A-4 201.203 S. Rmiitwav Gerds RESTAURANT 4324458 We re Part Of LOUNGE Better Broadway Ann Landers Personal advice FREE DRINK SAT. or SUN. With This Ad Dinner SATURDAY $4.50 Featuring: BBQ Ribs, Lasagna, Chicken, Baked fish, One Other Meat, Potatoes, Vegetable and Salad Bar Plus Our Steak Special SUNDAY! $3.50 Family Style Featuring: Chicken, Dressing, Potatoes, Presbyterian Church, Beatrice, Neb.

Dear Rev. Shelbourn: Thank you for your very good letter. And now I will probably be deluged with letters from fundamentalist preachers (with and without TV programs) defending their right to preach. Write if you like. I give you fair warning in advance, this space will not serve as a battleground for such a fight.

Ann Landers is a syndicated columnist. Do you feel awkward, self-conscious lonely? Welcome to the club. There's help for you in Ann Landers' booklet, "The Key to Popularity." Send 50 cents with your request and a long, stamped, self-addressed envelope to Ann Landers, P.O. Box 11995, Chicago, Illinois 60611. Vegetable, salad Bar and Dessert On Sunday CHICKEN A RIBS 14.25 On Wednesday FAMILY STYLE 12.95 reporter at the station.

They then went on to separate stations in Cleveland. Now, Broadcasting magazine reports, they are co-anchors at WXEX-TV in Petersburg, Va. Public radio stations WPNE and WGBW are making related changes beginning this weekend. Morning broadcasts are affected on the FM stations. WPNE, part of the Wisconsin Public Radio Network, is offering more music and arts programming.

Some of its fare has been transferred to WGBW, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay station. Included are news, information and call-in programs. Up to now, WGBW went on the air at noon. The added lineup generally ends then, so WGBW's own schedule is not altered much. Classical music is making up the core of WPNE's morning offerings.

Weekdays on WGBW, "Morning Edition" information and a three-hour call-in talk show with Tom Clark form the core. Another change is due in September, when a local host will be added as the state network moves toward localization. That host has yet to be hired. people they're comfortable with, and I look to Ray Wheeler and I think Ray Wheeler fits." This is not a temporary experiment. Wheeler's contract is for five years.

It will be interesting to see how Channel 1 1 and Wheeler now fare against Chuck Ramsay, Tom Zalaski, Susan Finco, Mary Smits and Jay Johnson who have build comfort factors of their own. In another change at Channel 11, weekend weather forecaster Sean Cronin has resigned. Cronin is taking a step up, becoming the main weekday forecaster at KOLO-TV, the ABC affiliate in Reno, Nev. He said he will start there Monday. Cronin was at Channel 11 since 1983.

Cronin will maintain local ties because his wife of two weeks is from Marinette. Mark and Paula Alexander are finally a team on-the-air, as well as in married life. At their last TV obs here, Mark was Channel 5 weekend anchor and Paula (who used Toti as her last name at the time) was a WEDNESDAY 84.95 Featuring: 7 oz. Sirloin Steak, Potatoes and Vegetables, PLUS your choice of all you can eat of Shrimp, Scallops or Chicken. Dear Ann: I live in a large city in New Jersey and recently my niece came to visit me for two weeks.

She is 18. "Laura" went back home to a small town in the Midwest and decided she hates it there, loves the big city and is going to move to New Jersey, go to college here and STAY WITH ME. At my age (50) I don't think I can tolerate a teen-age "live-in." I never had children, am a widow and enjoy being alone. Also, I am not terribly well off financially. I had no idea how much teen-agers eat, and I could not possibly ask her parents for room and board.

How can I turn down Laura gracefully? Should I say it is best for an 18-year-old girl to attend a local college and live at home for a year or two? A Cornered Aunt inNJ. Dear Corn: Play it straight or you might find yourself in the same spot "in a year or two." Tell Laura's parents that you aren't emotionally geared to having a teenager around for a long stretch of time, and if she insists on going to school in New Jersey, she will have to live in a dorm. Dear Ann: Not long ago you had a letter from someone who questioned your advice to go to a minister for counsel. The woman who wrote went to a minister and he told the entire congregation about her problem so they could "pray about it." You replied, "The vast majority of clergy are trustworthy. Unfortunately yon just happened to get a bum one." You advised FAMILY STYLE BROASTED CHICKEN her to report "Mr.

Clattertrap" to his superior. I appreciate your confidence in ministers. Those of our rank who serve in the historic denominations, as well as virtually all rabbis, are well-trained and have had at least three years of post-baccalaureate education. Unfortunately, the minister in this case sounds like one from an independent, fundamentalist sect. He probably has no superior to whom he could be reported.

Furthermore, it is more than likely that he has had no training from an accredited institution. Your across-the-board recommendation to "see a minister or rabbi" needs to be tempered with "who has some academic credentials and is in a responsible religious denomination that provides some oversight." And please, Ann, tell your readers not to simply trust the title "doctor." Hundreds of fundamentalist preachers who have not finished any college or university manage to affix "doctor" before their names. And this includes some who have TV programs. I'm sure many of your correspondents ask you not to use their names. It's perfectly OK with me if you use mine.

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