News-Pilot from San Pedro, California • 50

Idaho FROM PAGE E16 ing and wenching all his life with carousers The Bard-like scenes most of which are shot in an abandoned high-rise and under a bridge abutment feature the Film director William Richert looking like a bloated muskrat recently emerged from a bog as the legendary street-urchin mentor Bob with whom Scott had at one time been close What is central and honest about the Film the friendship milieu search for identity the narcolepsy buoy it The pretentious and distracting aspects Shakespeare aping the Italian escapade arent fatal The Shakespeare thing comes across like the casting of novelist and non-actor (read: bad actor) W7illiam Burroughs in Drugstore Cowboy: unnecessary ridiculous indulgent The Burroughs scenes in Drugstore Cowboy and the Richert scenes in My Own Private Idaho are bold and jarring strokes concerning mentors and their youthful proteges that interrupt the flow of each film Van Sant is a critics darling who matches intelligence visuals themes and actors with re markable dexterity He is one of the true talents of the day We hope he can in the future be more judicious Aside from the trip to Italy Van Sant once again set and Filmed his story in the PaciFic Northwest primarily Portland Boise Seattle and the Idaho countryside The compositions are arresting The lead actors are nicely cast In support James Russo as Richard Flea Udo Kier and Mickey Cottrell the longtime movie publicist play showcase bits My Own Private Idaho opens today in area theaters his alienation to have anything is what drives him and the film His relationship with the rebellious mayors son Scott Favor played by Reeves is the only emotional tie he can Find in his world Plus the narcolepsy fells him like a tree in the middle of highways on front lawns anywhere Scott is loyal to the point of going with Mike to Italy to the last known address of his mother (Mike previously visited his drunken brother Richards trailer in Idaho where he accuses Richard of being his father) But his loyalty lasts only so long Presumably this is why Van Sant incorporated the Henry IV stuff to foreshadow Scotts abdication of the maverick street-boys life the way Prince Hal tells Falstaff and his roisterers that he has to inherit monarchy and cant be booz chair and window for him After more than 17000 performances and a 23-year long engagement at Circus Circus the award-winning Flying Cavar-ettas sill leave the Las Vegas Strip resort at the end of the year to pursue new challenges throughout the world The Ca-varettas comprised of Terry Ca-varetta St Jules brother Jimmy and sisters Maureen and Marlene were one of the acts which opened the Circus Circus property in 1968 Terry is acclaimed as the greatest living female trapeze flier and cited in the "Guinness Book of World Records" for her execution of the difficult and dangerous triple somersault More celebrity names are appearing on hotelcasino entertainment lineups that are fairly recent additions Luther Van-dross who will do a one night concert November 7 at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts should be a tremendous draw What a voice this singer has The Dunes is beginning to go with well known names TV's Sherman Hemsley is headlining in the showroom through October 27 Debbie Reynolds will move in November 12-Decem-ber 1 It's nice to see Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach are returning to Caesars Palace on the same bill Their show is jam-packed with good music and songs LAS VEQASD9 By Jackie Brett The "King of Romance En-glebert Humperdinck will headline at the Las Vegas Hilton October 25 through November 10 Every year Humperdinck presents an entirely new concert This year's tour A Man and His Music debuts his single "Love Is The Reason" as well as several of his original songs: "Step Into My Life "I Just Want Somebody To Love and "I Get Lonely" Humperdinck's opening act is comedian Dick Capri who is also a long-time friend Redd Foxx's death has been especially felt in Las Vegas where he's been a longtime resident for nearly three decades He first appeared in the Las Vegas casino lounges in the early 1960s For the past 20 years Foxx was a regular headliner at the Paul Lowden-owned Sahara and Hacienda hotels In fact Foxx was going to come back and work over Christmas at the Hacienda Even when he was a big success in the hit series "Sanford and Son" back in 1972 he would come back to Las Vegas to do late-night shows on weekends Ironically after a long financial battle with the IRS Foxx was beginning to enjoy another go-around with a hit TV series on CBS "The Royal Family" Two things he really enjoyed in Las Vegas were keno and small stakes poker Foxx was such a dyed-in-the-wool keno player that the Hacienda had a special FROM PAGE El 7 I I mean I can speak about things from my own point of view but Im not really politically an activist and Im not up on a lot of things he says Im just an artist He blames the resistance he encountered to My Own Private Idaho less on homophobia within Hollywood than to the studios belief that homosexual themes dont sell tickets "Theres homophobia everywhere so yes it is in Hollywood he says But I dont really see Hollywood doing anything but trying to make a buck If my movie makes a significant amount of money theyll make movies just like my movie If it makes tons and tons of money if for some reason the public thinks this Film is the next Terminator 2 therell be TV shows even of street life street people and street prostitutes Thats just a natural thing FROM PAGE E19 indefinitely Chapel Court Theatre Hollywood United Church Franklin and Highland avenues Hollywood (874 4527) Psychic Poker: Comedy revue 1 1 Saturdays extends its run indefinitely friends and Artists Theatre Ensemble 1761 Vermont Ave Hollywood (664-0689) Regrets Only: Judy O'Sullivan's one acts 8pm Sat 3 pm Sun through Oct 27 Playbox Theatre 1955 Cahuenga Blvd Hollywood (465-8059) Relationships: Pair of one acts by Joel Schwartz Remembering" and Enthralling Moments 8 Tue Wed indefinitely Powerhouse Theatre 3116 Second St Santa Monica (392 6529) Rites of Passage: Three new one act comedies by Michele Palermo 8 pm Fn-Sun through Nov 10 Gardner Stage 1501 Gardner St West Hollywood (281 8664) A Ream af Ones Own: Eileen Atkms portrays Virginia Woolf 8 pm Tue -Sat 2pm Sat 3 Sun through Nov 1 7 Westwood Playhouse 10886 If jConte Ave Westwood 1208-541 i SLilUutv Van Sant doomed romance novella called Mala Noche by Portland writer Walt Curtis The sordid gritty story about a Skid Row liquor store clerk infatuated with a Mexican migrant worker fascinated Van Sant He adapted it into a screenplay moved back to Portland and spent his $20000 life savings to make the Film 'Mala Noche shot in black-and-white on 16mm-Film was named 1987s best independent feature by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association The 1989 tragicomedy Drugstore Cowboy was based on the unpublished autobiographical novel of a convicted felon Cowboy starring Matt Dillon is less about drug abuse than the dreams and longings of the characters a band of junkies who rob pharmacies to feed their habits It met with almost universal critical acclaim and won best picture best screenplay and On stage tauro that look into unexplored areas of contem porary American life 8pm Thu Sat through Nov 23 Artafax 4988 Venice Blvd Los Ange les (660 TKTS) The Mast Happy Fella: Goodspeed Opear House revival of Frank Loesser 1966 musical about an aging grapegrower and his young mail order bode 8pm Tue Sat 2 pm Sat Sun through Dec 29 also 7 Oct 27 Nov 3 10 Dec 1 8 pm Nov 25 Dec 23 2 pm Nov 14 21 Dec 5 12 19 and 26 Ahmanson 8t the Doolittle Theatre 1615 Vine St Holly wood (972 7337) Mud Paoplt: Keith Huff's story of survival in the Appiachian backwoods 8pm Fn Sat 2 and 7 30 pm Sun through Nov 17 International City Theatre Harvey Way at Clark Street Long Beacty420 4218) Night Rehearsal: Multimedia work from the Czech National Theatre set at a late night rehearsal of Shakespeare Othello' runs in rep with Othello caH for schedule California Repertory California State University Long Beach 1250 Bellflower Blvd Lpng Beach (85 J526L The Nonsense: Dan Hildebrand stars in Kevin Cotter one man piece about child abuse and vio E22 The Dotty BreeieNews-Pilet Friday October best director from the National Society of Film Critics beating such Films as sex lies and videotape and Do the Right Thing Van Sant recently was in town for the showing of My Own Private Idaho at the New York Film Festival Unshaven dressed in a T-shirt blue jeans and bright red socks he seems uncomfortable being interviewed He fidgets while he talks pausing often in midsentence as if searching for the right words Ironically much of the press Van Sant gets portrays him as a champion of the oppressed the voice of the streets Saint Gus was the headline of a recent Village Voice paean Maybe the Films are voices he says Personally Im not a very good voice" Van Sant who is homosexual also refuses to be cast as a spokesman for gay issues in Hollywood or the gay community at large lence in Londons East End 8 pm Thu -Fri (dark Oct 18) indefinitely TheatreTheater 1713 Cahuenga Blvd Hollywood (464 8938) Only the Truth Is Funny: Rick Reynold's funnysad stand-up theater piece 8pm Tue Fn 5 and 9 pm Sat 3 pm Sun through Nov 10 Canon Theatre 205 Canon Drive Beverly Hills (480 3232) Our Town: Thornton Wilder classic about life and death small Amencan town ft Wed -Sat 3 and 7 30 Sun through Nov 2 Grove Shakespeare Festival Gem Theatre 12852 Mam St Garden Grove (714-636-7213) Party Mis: Justin Tanners comedy 10 30 pm FncJays through Nov 29 Cast Theatre 804 El Centro Ave Hollywood (462 0265) Tlw Phantom of th Opnra: Andrew Lloyd Webber musical based on Gaston Leroux's novel star ring Davis Games 8pm Tue -Sat 2pm Thu Sat Sun indefinitely Ahmanson Theater 1 35 Grand Ave Los Angeles (800 762 7666) Tho Point: Stage version of Harry Nilsson's musical fantasy about the boy OWio and his dog Arrow adapted and directed by Esquire Jauchem with puppets live rock band and new songs by Nils- -son 8pm Fn 4 and 8 Sat 7 Sun 18 1981 BED fit BRUNCH Sunday through Thursday 2250 per dbl K1 person odi occu une5 CASINO COUNTRY CLUB Weekends slightly higher All rooms subject to availably 1 -800-24-DUNES FALL FRENZY 5995 pcso JH 2 Nights3 Days Tickets to Main Showrtoom Entertainment including 2 drinks Dinner in Sultans Buffet Footlong Hot Dog Soft Drink at Xanadunes Snack Bar Cocktail at any Casino Bar $10 Roll of Quarters All Taxes and Grataitics Free Fun Book FALL FRENZY AIR PACKAGE 12900 Includes roundtrip air from Burbank Ontario Palm Sprines (Orange County and LAX add $10) Call 1-800-688-342? 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