The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 97

gfrr Atlanta lonrtttd AM) CONSTntTION FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1987 Witches Predator FROM IP FROM IP Weekends! HOLIDAY INN CROWNE PLAZA ATLANTA AIRPORT 404-997-2770 5 11 appearances by his beautiful co-stars. As for the cast, the women do look lovely, but, aside from a few early scenes, they don't seem to know where the movie is headed (understandably) or what they're supposed to do to help it get there. Nicholson reprises his wild 'n' crazy routine from "The Shining," and it's amusing. But it's also familiar and forced; he comes off as a cat who's swallowed some soured cream. Even the few good lines he does have notably, a harangue about woman as God's mistake are lost in the movie's mishmash of styles and tones.

"Passion without precision equals chaos." That's what Van Home tells Jane during their seduction scene. That "The Witches of Eastwick" lacks precision is, perhaps, expected; but it can't even muster up enough passion to qualify as comic chaos. Like most deals with the devil, "The Witches of Eastwick" looks good at first, but, the deeper you get into it, the sorrier you are you ever got involved with it in the first place. from the pages of a "GI Joe" comic book. Cartoonish dialogue seems en-, tirely natural from them.

For Arnold Schwarzenegger, who plays Maj. "Dutch" Schaefer, leader of the commandos, "Predator" represents a return to strong-and-silent heroics after the relatively suave and chatty gunman he played in "Raw Deal." For once, Schwarzenegger is pitted against an adversary he can't beat in a fair fight This alone lends an element of excitement to the film. The estimable Carl Weathers, best known as boxing champion Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" movies, leads the flat-tummied supporting cast He plays Schwarzenegger's former comrade-in-arms, now a CIA agent. Schwarzenegger's discovery that Weathers lied to him about the true purpose of their mission creates a long-running feud, but Weathers is a brave and resourceful comrade when the commandos are fighting for their lives against the extraterrestrial. If you have to fight, Weathers is a good man to have at your side.

79C Special! ri -jk and, though the skinning mercifully is not shown, there are graphic views of human remains dangling from trees. Director John McTiernan believes it's better to jolt an audience too much than not enough. A clue to this comes early when the commandos raid a jungle hideout in search of hostages. This battle rages until you begin to wonder if all of World War II involved as much firepower. The script, by brothers James and John Thomas, who never had a screenplay produced previously, is gratifyingly fresh in its general outline, but depends on comic-book dialogue.

"I ain't got time to bleed," one of the commandos snarls after being shot Not just anyone could deliver lines like this without provoking laughter. Fortunately, the cast consists of hulking creatures who have muscles rippling in every direction and look as if they just stepped Chili Dog or a2m Slaw Enjoy a deUdotxs all beef Chill Dog or Slaw Dog for only 79C. Buy up to 4 pfr csupeii md tv Norlhridf Clorktton Rotwell Conyert Peachm Corntrt Smyrn Uthia Spring! tucker Coming Soon to Morrow! Not Valid wttfetfifoatr offer jl NOW IN OUR 14tii YEAR ELCO PRESENTS fKr, GENE DALE PRESENTS mmm rn mssm. FRI: june 12 (PREVIEW OAT- NE 13 SAT! 9AM-6PM OHM. JUNE 14 SUNS 10AM-6PM In the book, these three were witches who conjured up thunderstorms on a whim but couldn't conjure up a worthwhile male to save their tainted souls.

(They were, however, making it with most of the town's available married men.) In the film, they are merely three delectable divorcees, as yet unaware of their potential powers. One night, over their usual pitcher(s) of martinis, they wish for a tall, dark, handsome stranger to ride into Eastwick and deliver them from their mundane, unfulfilling lives. He does. His name is Daryl Van Home (Nicholson), and he's not very tall, dark or handsome. But he sure as heck is strange.

And devilishly irresistible. Before long, he's seduced all three of these not-so-weird "sisters," and they're spending their time cavorting about his mansion, partaking in Ehsney-esque black-arts orgies (a slo-mo tennis game reminiscent of "Son of Flub-ber," some free-floating on the ceiling by way of "Mary Poppins," Unfortunately, the town's local bluestocking (Veronica Cartwright) suspects that something wicked this way has come and makes trouble for Van Home and his communal coven. But the devil even if he does look like a paunchy ez-Manhat-tanite with an intriguing ponytail -isn't anyone to trifle with, and Ms. Cartwright's punishment is enough to put you off cherries for the entire summer. However, her fate also causes his playmates to have second thoughts about what it means to shake hands or anything else -with the devil.

They try to cut him off, and Van Home must win them back or destroy them. Or else be destroyed by them. There are a handful of funny moments in "Witches," but, on the whole, the movie is so unsteady on its feet that it could use a designated driver to see that it makes it safely through its two-hour running time. Alas, Director George Miller Road for all his experience with moving vehicles, is not the man for the job. He seems uncomfortable and corsetted by Eastwick's clapboard confines.

However, it's difficult to know what any director could've done with Michael Cristofer's unwieldy, chopped-up script. Cristofer, who once upon a time won a Pulitzer for his play "The Shadow Box," has -quite wisely taken immense liberties with Updike's less-than-per-fect novel. But his adaptation merely turns an insincere and difficult-' to-read book into an insincere and difficult- to-watch star vehicle -The Nicholson Follies, with guest "JUST ME AND MY GALS" Antique filtf AM I Glitz and Clamour have returned Upstairs. Spirited Musical Hevue. Atlanta Journal and Constitution "Pure Entertainment" Creative Loafing (fenemft (gabes Upstairs DINNER FROM 6 PM 12 MIDNIGHT Res.

892-2261 DIRECTIONS: I-75 SonUi ol I-20. Ufflmri xlt OldOixle Wahway or Exit 82. Aviation EM. FREE SHOW ON SUN, WED. AND THURS.

IF YOU DINE AT GENE GABE'S Ml ilfliiti FREE ADMISSION PARKiriG Photography HowToDevelopAI Photographic Mind 11 i Bresson's human interest photographs, for example, or Richard Avedon's striking portraiture or Ansel Adam's famous American landscapes. Photography and art. The meeting of the minds. Paintings and photographs now hang side-by-side in museums and galleries, offering us a delightful variety within the visual arts, and Reminding us that the photographic mind and the artistic mind are really one and the same. Right riow the photographs of famed LIFE photographer W.

Eugene Smith are currently on view inadramaticshow called "Let Truth be the Prejudice" at the High Museum of Art. Why not drop by and develop your own pho-tpgraphicmind. Located atPeachtreeand 16th Streets, the High Museurftaf Art is open Tuesday through Saturday frorrllO a.m. tcfe p.m. Wednesday from 10a.jr.,to9p.m., Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

and closed on Mondays. Even some of the brightest minds have resisted the notion of photography as art. It seemed too easy, too new, too technical and scientific more a craft than art. But in photographic art, it is the eye and the mind which create the image using the camera as a tool the paintbrush, if you will. The photographic artist is a poet behind the camera.

In the art world, photography is the new kid on the block. Its acceptance began in Europe in the 1880s, ana in the U. photography as art began to come of age around 1900. with Alfred Stieglitz as the leading figure. Today, photography is generally recognized as an art form.

But to appreciate it as such, you must first see what is not art. What's not photographic art. What you have in your photo album is probably not art. Photographs in the daily newspapers most often are not art.These are, instead, visual records. Of course, for every generality, there is the brilliant exception such as the unusual amateur photograph in which the elements may come together as art.

Ortheextraordinary journalistic photographer whose images are so powerful that they are unquestionably art. Butasarule, art is created by an artist, whose imagesexist on their own terms, rather than records of what took place before the camera. Taking pictures or creating art? The camera enthusiast has a basic understanding of the skills required to take a good photdgraph the ability to manipulate light, composition and the quality of an image. The artist has mastered these as well. But he brings his own individuality to the selection of subject matter, approach and timing.

Photographic art is a synthesis of technique and art, requiring much more than manual skill. It requires feeling, perceptiveness, imagination and taste an artistic vision which creates a greater reality. It is this vision, not machines, which created such great photographic art as Cartier- mm. nan JULY 22 thru 26 Fox Theatre 5 i it IS 1 a I it, CHARGE TICKETS BY PHONE! (404) 881-1977 Mon-Sat. 10 AM to 6 PMSun.

Noon to 6 PM ii MAJOR CKKUIT CARDS ACCRPTKD (Vrmv harp Xx liwne MktM it i it rc7.nw;MMami PrMtnUd with tht support ol 4 HighMuseum OfArt 5 BOYS l) Br fir 4ik MM i 0 "THE HAPPIEST SHOW IN TOWN' NEWSWEEK MfflffiHf! 8 9mm Thii iornutioful scries is broueht to you by the HighMuseum of Art of Atlanta. For reprinted this series, please call or write Communications At The New BUCKHEAD ROXY (In The Heart of Buckhead-Formerly Buckhead Cinema 'N Drafthouse) PLENTY OF PARKING Dept. High Museum of Art. 1280 Peachtree Street, N.E.. Atlanta, Georgia 30309, (404)881-0452.

1987. High Museum ol Art 1 mSKZXI a.