Daily News from New York, New York • 69

1 -September? 1985 ipfders and maggots and files, oh my! JEEPERS, CREEPERS What a revolting development! Seems some maniac's decapitating gals at a posh private school in the alpine climes of "Swiss Transylvania," and entomologist Dr. McGregor (Donald Pleasence) can establish time of death only by studying the maggots infesting the victims' decomposed domes! Into this icky situation comes lovely young student Jennifer Corvino (Jennifer Connelly), who hap pens to "enjoy" an instant and loving rapport with Farewell to a legend THEY'RE HOLDING A wake tonight for J.R. Bailey, 48, who almost 30 years ago was the lead voice for the legendary New York vocal group the Cadillacs. At least they're calling it a wake. In truth, says his friend Bobby Jay, it could be a songfest.

"J.R. was the most optimistic guy in the business," says Jay, the WCBS-FM disc jockey. "He kept up a lot of spirits during hard times. So I wouldn't be surprised if we remember him with songs. It's the best way I can think of." Jimmy Bailey, always called J.R., joined the Cadillacs in May 1956.

He sang several of their biggest hits Girl Friend," "Peek-A and was featured in the film "Go Johnny Go." After the Cadillacs he sang with the Halos and did background on hundreds of records, including many by Aretha Franklin and Roberta Flack. He had movie roles Hall," "The wrote the music for the Globetrotters cartoons, and, got a Grammy nomination in 1972 for "Everybody Plays the Fool." The wake is 69 p.m. at Benta's Funeral Home, 141st St. and St. Nicholas Av.

The funeral is tomorrow at noon at St. Philips Episcopal Church, W. 134th St. Bailey is survived by his wife Jamie, a son, Jason, and a daughter, Alfie. David Hinckley 1 insects of all kinds.

When her roommate turns up headless, Jen recruits her buggy buddies to help Doc McGregor solve the sickening case. 4 A leather-slapping lethargy. Luckily, the Phantom saw it at a truly memorable bijou. A pristinely preserved Art Deco theater, the Strand, at Schroon Lake sports an authentic '50s' "CinemaAir Conditioned" sign, sells candy priced at a uniform 50 cents, offers real melted butter on the popcorn and has a genuine community feel (the night the Phantom attended, Dr. Albert, town dentist, was working as a volunteer The Strand changes programs twice, sometimes thrice, weekly, charges a reasonable four bills (half that for kids and senior citizens) and supplies great interior bijou scenery to take the edge off losers like "Silverado." American Ninja: Before returning to the wilds of darkest NYC, the Phantom visited Brighton Beach's Oceana Sixplex (which, with a split bill policy at two of its half-dozen screens, now exhibits no fewer than eight count 'em eight-features a week) to see the much unheralded chopsocky opera American Ninja.

Sam Firsten-berg's Philippines-filmed pic pits mysterious Nin-ja-trained G.I. "Joe" (Michael Dudikoff) against an evil "Black Star" Ninja (Tadashi Yamashita) and his sinister arms-dealing boss, the unpopular Senor Ortega (Don Stewart). In the course of this predictable, but swiftly-paced actioner, our laconic hero woos the base commander's daughter (JAPpUy interpreted by Judie AronsoiO wins the grudging support of his fellow soidiers and dispatches evildoers by the dozen. Unlike Sho Kosugl's dismal "Nine Deaths of the Ninja" (also helmed by Firstenberg), "American Ninja" supplies kung fu fans with 95 minutes of fast, dumb formula fun. Let the Viewer Beware Warrior of the Lost World's print ads proclaim: "First There Was 'The Exterminator.

Then 'The Terminator. And Now. 'The As far as cheap Italo "Road Warrior" ripoffs go, "Warrior" isn't the worst (the recent "Fall of New York" currently owns that dubious distinction), but this postnuke pulp pic, which opened at Aquarius Showcase Theatres last weekend, has been kicking around since 1983 and is already available on video (from Thorn EMIHBO). Think twice before shelling out for a first-run ticket to see this secondhand, third-rate junk flick. Remember: The bucks you save may be your own.

WISH I'D SAID THAT Evil Black Star Ninja to crony in "American "This American Ninja possesses great skills!" A semioriginal piremise for a slasher movie, we'll admit But alas, akide from a few striking nightmare images (such as when Jen topples into a slimy vat of human remains), Italo shock director Dario "Oeep Argento's Creepers (originally titled Phenomena) is a boring, poorly told exercise in gratuitous nausea and Grand Guignol gore, padded with seemingly interminable stretches of static filler. Even Pleasence, after his memorable turns in "Halloween" and "Alone in the Dark," is uncharacteristically subdued here; and soundtrack songs, by the Andy Sex Gang, don't help enliven the proceedings. Acting honors easily go t4 Pleasence's simian servant, Iriga the Chimp, who displays a great deal of natural talent. Outside of Inga's performance and the occasional, literally visceral shock, "Creepers" is, in a word, absolutely offal. I HOW THE WEST WAS LOST While on a rare vacation jaunt in upstate New York (hey, even Phantoms need a day off now and then), we caught up with "Silverado" before it could gallop off into oblivion.

As it turns out, the last roundup can come none too soon for this bloated tumbleweed turkey. If Michael Cimino's "Heaven's Gate" fired the fatal bullet into the already wounded American Western and Clint Eastwood's "Pale Rider" kicked the corpse, then Lawrence Big Kasdan's "Silverado" drives the final nail into the genre's coffin. A sort of "Shootout at the L.A. Corral," "Silverado" is a smarmy, self-conscious, utterly synthetic study in THERE ARE TICKETS A Chorus Urw. Shubert.

239-6200. As to, Lyceum. 239-6200. Brighton Bch Mmolr, 46th Street. 221-1211.

Big Rtvr, Eugene Neill. 246-0220. Blloxl Blues, Neil Simon. 757-8646. Doubles, Ritz.

582-4022. 42nd Street, Majestic. 239-6200. La Cagt aux Folles, Palace. 757-2626.

The Odd Couple. Broad hurst. 239-6200. Oh! Calcutta), Edison. 302-2302.

Slngln' In the Rein, Gershwin. 5B6-6510. Song ft Dance, Royale. 239-6200. Sunday In the Park With George, Booth.

239-6200. THHAEQ CIHEGfOHY TOMY AT "VtRY MNNYI IT WIU WIN YOUR Hf ART rorwy pw THE IWSVIG SHOW IN BnOAPWAY HISTORY! fttSI MUMCAll 1926 TONY PUUTZM PtIZE WINNE J4itk In. WOR TV nmn cutAvoN HIRSCH LITTLE K.Y. I'M NOT RAPPAPORT Coll OkhoH (H2) 944-9300 CrouH Mt4M A CHORU LINE Tu -Sol I. Mon Wm4 4 Sol 3.

Sun 1 AMERICAN PLACE iHtA 217 SA9-473I 1 1 1 ttb (Biw tNi Aoi TEU-CHARGC (312) 239-4200 74 Horn Ooy 7 Doy a CROUPS: (212) 39S-SM3 S9C-7I07 ALSO AT TKXPHON ToVM.wr 4T fHOH H4Kt.K: (till jknf.MM SHOBWT 225 239-6200 OIVw FwuhM So- MW CALCUTTA! (CHSONTHCA 740 IM Si 702 2304 TODAY I I THE KJ WINNBH TONY AWARDS ltS mduding MUSlCAt lobAY mKI "EXUBERANT ANO ENTiRI AtNINOT 4. Nmp III. Tita. Mm, 7 (MAMA DESK AWAKOS SlNGIN" IN THE RAIN RIVER CHARt.IT R44-R300. 34 tv.

7 Sort GROUPS: (212) 3-M3 Man -Sot ol 9. MoH IVri 4 So el 7 Tltr Mmturmt HmUrhmin Film I ap i i GtRSHWlNTHCA 9imin MtvtSIO TRFTON (212) 24 Htm Coyi (212) tool Ton CTNtlU IMtA'Kf 230 (7D -0J TOMI.HT Ttf Ml N4TI, KID4Y APJkT tO BERNADETTE PETERS akdrpw Liivn wrimFM I OM at WIMNHI MST PLAV l85 TONY AWARD IMS OUTM CRITICS' CIRC AWARD NO PICWICl Jennifer Connelly needs the help of her creepy bug friends in "Creepers" So NG a DANCE KEIL SIMON'S IL0X1 BLUES Coll (317) 239 6700 24 Hfi a Doy 7 Doyi a Wm RQVAlE TMtA 4Vh Si Wotl IT.ny Coll 0ooil: 94-300 Otjuoi T57 t)V4 PEE-WEE HERMAN IlUUV A TKlorid (217) 207 7171 Nf II SIMON THtA'Rf 7S0W S2k)S NYC I00l(2i2)757 it SUNDAY INTHK PARK WITH GEORGE ItMt -Sol Moo Wad Sol oi 7 Sun 3 THC ANORfW UOYD WfSBf Vt fllOT IKIX-Vt uii 44V-aiU0 94 Mmir. fV. Li, INTERNATlONAl AWARD-WINNING MUSlCAt GROUPS (212) 23 6762 Alaasi liiaaiisn yiw 1 rm TofiAY aUI "KRtAMINGlY PUNNYf Mo 1 LOFWS I STTtTWW I A 8 now and foeevfR CAU TCUCHARGC (212) 229-6200 24 Houn Dnv 2 Dovt a Wood 9a4i FROM WARNER BROS. A Aft ME COMMLK COMPANT RITA MuKLNO SALLY STRLTHERS irsiM 22 rru OUICVMD TRfOUl MCtbMIS 13S 026S rFLSH MCAQOtiS BNOT CPGi 1SUWW LOtWS CNEW TtJWTWMI 7M0WC TMTCtT JT1W I 1.00.

3. IS. 5 30- i. 10 00 BWOWll QUEENS IWASSAUj I SUFFOLK I GROUPS (212) 239-6262 AHo Twrwioo WINTeR GARDEN TMtA SO Si woy NEIL SIMON'S Da. I'm.

Jfcf ICK TWM U4I2I 411 2M )fe MOVIES 0 SUMTrK WliWHPlU a WUiWTMC Tooot t-xtf Wn 2 0 MrownoMnMM TBIWJf The odd VERY, VERY MNNYr rr, N.V. Timm iAi'MfAOOW COMMAS '35 Msnumo U3tS WTtl STtf ET SftOWnACC WPLEI IKT 2ND IfiD VC 544 IKlHiftlOOWII mm cwow ftt totws fUtBJkCl MMfTFSrOMf ymr a 00 09S0 17 201 20.S.SM 20 10 20 HtO MOtI SO 9G30 4MnOCMWilN(WW mm 5 IhrmruJ St GENE SAKS Coll til -CHARGE (212) 23V-6700 24 houn a ooy 1 dovt a mm Gmjo Sotaa (217) 2 SROAOMUIftI IHt A 21? 44 2 6200 r- I Wit ioo COBMM jfcMIH STiffTSJI I 1 IS- JO. 7 SO 10 OO.S.O i 2200 SiiTTwIVai BTOOWtTWJ tWtWVOU4D no WXKVMS Munurwu S41HSimM38Dt Of 5 7(A3 12 JO. 2 75 2 cintih rww rww Rvrwvmf Mini 0 ComoV B0 HfiTHS IBtntl Vr cau mxraot se iim i atxit INUMMbTOW 0 no oocrvar o-? MlMMtfTAN TWHV OouOl 398-8363 Alu TloKfon nsio mia 1 Moo -So) fvgt a. Wl Son Man 7 I 035 c20 I 4 25 6 20 t5.

10 U4 5JO0 405 MUOfSI QUM M' RlTZ TMtA 219 48. 582-4022 Mi 41J3 4S 4U TOPI 454 21 rft Ripm lom'm frt. aa 7 IW a) I 4 LILY T0ML1N THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT Lit IN THE UNIVERSE Sy JANE WAGNER Orwiu lhur4my, Sm 26 Coll (212) 23 6700 94 Hn A nnv 7 fVs a HmI HMOS "A MIT WOM TIP TO TAP' BoraM. Pe I'll illil j.fc.cn m'M TOCtiu SIIPIH mem msumm mat kiRtJMs troo mm iwm mMmtx 42 ND STREET STATEW ISUWO Tuot -Sot. Man Sen at 7 Sv 3 KB res nu im oomr mi moo a3MM If W.ha 2'3 erfl (24 Hoyrj7 Dt0) 1 til e3 JM GVliliri Aajai tilWMai MAjtS'lC 247 W.

44 V..