The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 21

THE BOSTON GLOBE SATURDAY. APRIL 30. 1983 21 i i I A i I I 1 11 I iJt An NBC treat for sci-fi lovers TELEVISION I JACK TIIOUAS ft I ''Alt LJ i r-. I Jf I 1 I 5 'v- A slam dancer dives from the stage into the Pit. GLOBE PHOTOS BY STAN GROSSFELD A jarring step into the world of Slam dancing For reasons that defy logic, most of us like to have the wits scared out of us from time to time, which is why we sit in movie houses and shiver at the sight of giant leeches, mad doctors, crab monsters, swamp demons, fiendish flies, body snatchers.

hairy scorpions and blood-sucking vampires, not to mention the peripatetic werewolves who enjoy prowling the foggy streets of London in search of who knows what? Television, on the other hand, has contributed surprisingly little to good science fiction beyond Rod Serllng's crackerjack series "The Twilight Zone." and. of course, who can forget the reruns of those old black and white movies in which Richard Denning would work his lab assistants day and night to discover the secret serum that would reverse the growth process in the giant spiders that were moving into Toyko and taking all the seats on the subway? Tomorrow and Monday, however, in advancing the genre of science fiction, television takes a giant step that would intimidate the Abominable Snowman. It's a four-hour movie called (WBZ-TV. Channel 4. 9 to 11).

the story of the arrival on Earth of creatures in 50 spaceships that are seen hovering suddenly over 50 major cities, the story reported live on television by Howard K. Smith. Silly? Of course. But good science fiction requires a story line that is plausible culturally and scientifically, and when creatures do land here, as suggests, we'll get the news live on television. Indeed, if they were to land tonight, say.

shortly after 10, they'd find most Americans sitting In front of the television set watching something like "Fantasy Island" or the Bruins-Islanders game. Like "The Body Snatchers." the plot of is where It's supposed to be. just this side of ridiculous. The Visitors, as they are called, look like you and me. But you don't need a degree In Jesuit logic to figure out there's something wrong.

They need dark glasses to protect them from the light. They shun cooked food. Mosquitoes avoid them. Their hands are cold. Birds flutter in their presence, and they're not bothered by temperatures of 300 degrees below zero.

Let's not mince words here. What's at stake Is not merely Western Civilization, but the planet Earth, which is big stuff. TV. Page 22 By Jim Sullivan Special to The Globe You can look at this thing, this curious activity called slam dancing, two ways. Born In Los Angeles, it can be seen as a frightening symbol of the decline of western civilization, the final breakdown of standards and morality, the refuge of the hopelessly alienated and terminally angry.

Or, it can be seen as a frenetic, participatory sport, rock 'n' roll rugby, played fast, loud and for keeps. It goes like this: The dance area is called the Pit and is seemingly coated with a slippery layer of sweat. There, he slam dancing takes place. Pit is ringed by spectators. Enter it the line and charge into the fray aiu.

you're part of it: Pumping arms and legs, flesh on flesh, bodies crashing like billiard balls into one another and scattering apart. From out of the Pit come the stage divers young men who climb onto the stage, dance or sing with the band members (who welcome them), perhaps engage in mock fisticuffs, and then swan dive, backflip, or just take a running leap back into the masses on the floor. Veins bulge on their necks; they wear expressions of rage. When a song ends and most last less than two minutes it's like yanking the electrical cord of a blender from the socket. In an instant the mood shifts from frenzy to calm.

Eyes turn toward the stage. Bodies await the next chordal blast. Despite the aggression in the Pit. there often is a strong element of support. Dancers on their feet help fallen comrades.

Locally, The Channel, a South Bos ton club, serves as host to the phenomenon. Jack Burke, a Channel spokesman, said the problems the club has had during slam dance shows are "mostly Just maintenance problems, broken ceiling tiles and stuff." He recalled with amazement going into the men's room between sets at one show and finding a young man covered with blood looking in the mirror. Offered a first aid kit, according to Burke, "the kid said. 'Nah, this is great! At its best, hardcore punk music -and the slam dancing it plays to expresses a primal, scathing outrage at (pick one): society's wrongs, dull pop music, or the numbing sameness of everyday life: This is music with an ax to grind. It is harsh, gnashing, brimming with fire.

It can be inarticulate, stupid, contradictory. It can have a point, addressing itself to leftist themes, confrontational politics. It's a focus and forum for aggression. Slam dancing is a youth phenomenon, geared in large part to what rock club managers call "the under age," or people under 20. One wing of hardcore punk fans promotes the "straight edge" philosophy, which translates Into abstention from drugs or alcohol.

The crowd is overwhelmingly white and chiefly male, often boasting skinhead haircuts and shock-appeal attire. The exclusivity of the scene is, of course, part of the appeal parents don't understand it. most rock 'n' roll fans can't fathom it. What it accomplishes and one of the primary things punk rock set out to do when it began In 1976 is to break down the barrier that exists between the band and the fans. The band may be churning out the music but there are no stars.

Or everybody's a star. It's a democracy. Faye Grant and Marc Singer (right) lead a resistance movement against the Visitors (above) in a two-part movie on Ch. 4. CGIIHSSSJTIAL CHAT What happened to thank-you notes? I would call the recipient(s) and ask.

Too bad if they are embarrassed! A tardy note of appreciation is better than no note, and what if your specially chosen gift never arrived because of an error on the part of the post office or parcel delivery service? That would make a difference and perhaps even necessitate an insurance claim. You sound like a thoughtful, caring person. Don't change. Some Velvet Morning Try money gifts Dear Knotty Pine Dreamer Instead of buying gifts, it would make more sense to give money at weddings. It would save all the time you spend searching for the right gift.

As wedding-and-shower season approaches, it seems a good time to reflect on the complaint of Knotty Pine Dreamer, who was still waiting Jor thank-you notes months after she had given wedding gifts to three young couples. "When did the rules change?" she asked. A matter of courtesy Dear Knotty Pine Dreamer I had to write to let you know that you are not alone. I am still waiting for two thank-yous from weddings I attended months ago. What really annoys me is the fact that one gift was handmade and took a lot of time.

If I can find the time to make a gift with two children hanging on ILLUSTRATION BY JAMIE HOGAN fit i.W SW" (i Twenty-five dollars would be enough to give, twenty if they're just mutual friends. They should be considerate enough to send thank-you notes within two months, which is plenty of time. You have plenty of reason to be upset by their behavior. If you don't hear from people within a few months after the wedding, call up and ask if they received your gift. If you embarrass them, then maybe they will find the time to write thank-you notes.

Someone needs to teach them a lesson. It's better to write late thank-you notes with an apology than not write anything at all. I'm surprised that they weren't taught manners at home by their parents. Summer Flowers me. I feel that a recipient can spend two minutes writing a thank-you.

Unfortunately, it appears to me that people of my own generation and younger have not been taught the courtesy of a thank-you. I intend to instruct my two In writing and can only thank my own mom for teaching me to be courteous. I worry that young people today feel that they are "owed" all these things. I inquired about whether the bride and groom received our gift and was told that they didn't see a card, so they thanked my parents for the gift. (Further checking proved that no such thank-you was included.) I thought perhaps I'd hear after that, but nothing has arrived.

I'm sorry that many people feel that an acknowledgement of a gift is too hard to write. Someday the shoe may be on the other foot. Good luck. Three S's Plus Is giver negligent? Dear Knotty Pine Dreamer When I got married again last year, we received many lovely gifts. There were many cards with monetary gifts enclosed, but some gifts were brought to the reception.

We have a wine carafe that I not acknowledge because there was no card. Somebody out there must think I am incredibly rude, but no one has ever said to me or my husband "By the way, did you receive the wine carafe I always make it a practice to enclose a gift card in the box. My grandmother always did that at Christmas because she knew her grandchildren would tear off the wrappings and ribbon. My mother always knew who had received what from Nana, and there were no excuses for not writing thank-you notes. i.

i- Going where the action is at The Channel. CHAT. Page 22.