The News and Observer from Raleigh, North Carolina • 62

INNEENE6 6 The News Observer Friday April 24 1992 rVIDEO CLUB MALL Bring Your Dignity ty in any language VIDEO CAMCORDER RENTALS Friends Crow laws the occasional lynch- $995 Daily $4995 Weakly tali' Challenging film iA ing But Dash's script hardly DISNEY TITLES $1495 St up -i-k -4 touches on these themes This is ADULT MOVIES mug Worth eff 1 ort not so much a film about white op- N- SALE '9 pression of blacks as it is a film 99 or 3 for '2499 -4104-- about how members of a black REPAIR SALES- Super Nintendo EPPIldbee 1 By BILL DuPRE 4- --o' t-- tii two family love and relate to one an- Genesis VCR's Camcorders 'raw- TOWER SHOPPING COMPLEX Neighborhood Grill Bar Staff writer other :42: i (Between Shoneys Red Root Inn) 231-6160 4004 Capital Blvd 7471 Six Forks Rd It with the ideas that this film becomes idiosyncratic and an 3625 Hillsborough St 1389 Kildaire Farm Rd Julie Dash is a black woman -0 enigma so much so that a white who makes films about black women her sensibilities and per- t- male viewer has a hard time re- spectives must be respected And 1I lating to the unfolding drama Dash says she wanted the film SIEAIHIAP1711 her latest film "Daughters of the It ----t 1 Dust" is a poem an homage to to "challenge the conventional MOTOR LODGE the most put-upon minority in our formats of representing black society women" Challenging it indeed Atlantic Beach NC All the more dismaying then '''4 lik First she freely admits that these that I found it such a muddle 4-- --sa- women "speak to one another in Coffee Shop All Rooms Oceanfront Pool Heartfelt and beautifully photo- ') ti- N- 1 fragmented sentences yet corn- HBO Free Local Calls MCVISA Refrigerator graphed "Daughters of the Dust" 'ay 'i municate completely through fa- i in all rooms follows a pivotal day in the history 4 TELEPHONE 725-4143 of the Peazant family an extend- 7-- miliar gestures and stances" But to someone not fluent in those ges- It is 1902 and most of the youn- i or Toll Free 1-800-682-6898 In or Out of NC ed black clanliving on a South ji i V-) v- tures and stances the story line Carolina sea island 1' 1 ''1 -v- becomes obscure Writer-director Julie Dash Although none of the principal IPUMPIN' AND POURIN' ON decided to escape the ger members of the family have isolation SCIYS she wants 'Daughters of actors is a native of the sea is-the Dust' to challenge lands consultant Ronald Daise and endemic poverty of their is- has done a masterful job of in- 1 IGHWAY 57 AND I-40 land and move en masse to the conventional ways of North Only Nana Peazant (Cora representing black women structing them in Gullah the pe- culiar patois that once could be IVO The Pump Boys sell LC Day) the matriarch resists heard there "Morning" becomes ki the high octane the siren call of the city She will "dayclean" a turtle is a "coo- '14t I ri Astid I PUMP 7 an the Dinettes stay on the island and after her 4 pour the coffee It's frantic efforts to persuade the oth- tah" "three" is "shree" and 1 id Rilakle all happening at the ers to do the same fail she im- MOVIE REVIEW "Isn't that so?" is compressed to III 4 pores her children not to forget "Enty?" None of the actresses i qe 'lc Double Cup Diner 'air quite masters the enchantingly i ighway 57 their heritage and their family ''ACK on And its oll happening at Triangle Dinner Nana realizes that with little more fluid almost musical quality of 1 I Theatre as we proudly present the than an oral tradition to rely on true Gullah speech but their use DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST A n' r4 of musical Pump Boys and Dinettes March the Peazant family will likely lose 12 the dialect lends an air of au i' A1 13 through May 9 its identity when it loses its geo- thuenrtgioc ritt i graphical mooring LMately a blow for au- li Enjoy an evening of toe-tappin good Stars: Cora Lee Day Alva 1 1 01 -7 music and our outstanding dinner buffet Dash calls "Daughters of the thentic'ty is a strike against lucid- 1 ers Barbara-O Come see what's cookin' on Highway 57 Dust" the "cinema of images and ity Subtitles (which actually are i ideas" The images are easy to up saerdt i ef our aar fl wh ema ti en du teexs cdhuarni gn eg )a 4gtikty an on 1 LI 1: Ir I take Arthur Jaf's cinemagra- ato phy is almost too beautiful for the rigihrei tat i yr eacrtsoi tryycu Chapel ae pDe al sHhi 1 1 opens May 8 at the Studio Raleigh would have been welcomed Gul- lah really is a different dialect Radisson Governors Inn films good He makes life on the Rating: Not rated PG sug- "Daughters of the Dust" is legi1111 1hrt 44 NC 54 Davis Drive Exit 280 island look so serene and idyllic 0 gested worth seeing The film's major that a viewer watching from a its view is so pecu- wwtieit-0' Nmilisi-404ii-itiotPR4 WASP's perspective who sees the imloilAiiir gs I 1 ic 4 oad: a K4- beach as a vacation spot can't 1 t- rd IIII Ickg: help wondering hy earth ma to the majority is perhaps on liar to a minority that it is an enig- There are compelling reasons inescapable And that may be a A 4 people would want 't i s' these le ld to 's of course: vrty racism Jim viewer's failing not the film' 1 1 i 1-- poe to go live in a city 1 i 002 It ii mik ik 4- 11 Ats eigg-- -i' e4 vt( 64 10 vs -4 A'7 '''-4 I '1 5 4'' 'SkA4 '440 P6 )' 'I'f tA z'---' NI 0 ali ET (10 r) rrm r4 1 IT 0 Ettg Cmilij Li Lt Rasa I i tt14417 WE'RE A LOT MORE THAN MOVIES Ito Addam's University Book Store Blockbuster Video Carolina Vision r7TiThIllriPA'144 i -H Center Cloos' Coney Island Dairy Mart Dalat Oriental Restaurant Li LI 144431 Dino's Pizza The Electric Beach First Citizens Bank The Flying suommommit 1 Api '4' -4 Burrito Kerr Drug Mission Valley Beauty Salon Mission Valley l' bdkst Cinemas I-V1 Mission Valley Laundromat Nur Grocery Deli but uorIrv iy iA-11 itic daLi--k-- 01 1-' Office Solutions Patel Brothers Record Exchange Rock-Ola Cafe Mission I A -N tirill i a ivil4- upkala Saris Sea Lovers Second Sole Shanghai Restaurant Snooker's Sports and Dance Pub Starcade Fun Gallery TCBY Valley 1- trz Orr Avent Ferry Rd at Western Blvd Ciiii11101111114991r AS gi' to AT DSCOVERY PL o1 ACE- -0 1' 4731' CIC 4 011 1 -'1 I 1-rtet 110119 4 for Fun and AR t--' i eekend 1r- '44wre4 i''' 'v041522-6500 1Cliarkitte'" 4 I 1 A 8:00 OP 0' f- 919) 85241E4Orlsb9t 1 Entertainmen 91 1 CK19111916 I 6 The News Observer Friday April 24 1992 VIDEO CLUB MALL VIDEO CAMCORDER RENTALS $995 Daily $4995 Weekly DISNEY TITLES $1495 up ADULT MOVIES SALE '999 or 3 for '2499 REPAIR SALES- Super Nintendo Genesis VCR's Camcorders TOWER SHOPPING COMPLEX (Between Shoneys 8 Red Root Inn) 231-6160 SEARILIMPTI1 MOTOR LODGE Atlantic Beach NC Coffee Shop All Rooms Oceanfront Pool HBO Free Local Calls MCVISA Refrigerator in all rooms TELEPHONE 725-4143 or Toll Free 1-800-682-6898 In or Out of NC PUMPIN' AND IGHWAY 57 Er NNa 004 14 moo qt4 4 --40ziP 'N'of I 1 i 74' 1 1110 -7 4 A AAIIIIhrl 4k I eogo) Bring Your Friends Neighborhood Grill Bar 4004 Capital Blvd 7471 Six Forks Rd 3625 Hillsborough St 1389 Kildaire Farm Rd POURIN' ON (AND I-40) The Pump Boys sell the high octane mrtUotn apondurthgeDcionfefetteesits i 'I erbJavte all happening at the 0 4 Double Cup Dner i on Highway 57 And its all happening at Triangle Dinner Theatre as we proudly present the musical Pump Boys and Dinettes March 13 through May 9 Enjoy an evening of good music and our outstanding dinner buffet Come see what's cookin' on Highway 57 and on I-40 Coll 549-8631 (1DIR M(1t for reservations rvations ZZIIIItlt 417) Radisson Governors Inn NC 54 1-40 ot Davis Drive Exit 280 emw AR A (704)3224500 (Cliarkitte 919) 052410010reehebet 191 009 (Raleigh It 4 Dignity Challenging film is worth effort By BILL DuPRE Staff writer Julie Dash is a black woman who makes films about black women her sensibilities and perspectives must be respected And her latest film "Daughters of the Dust" is a poem an homage to the most put-upon minority in our society All the more dismaying then that! found it such a muddle Heartfelt and beautifully photographed "Daughters of the Dust" follows a pivotal day in the history of the Peazant family an extended black clan living on a South Carolina sea island It is 1902 and most of the younger members of the family have decided to escape the isolation and endemic poverty of their island and move en masse to the North Only Nana Peazant (Cora Lee Day) the matriarch resists the siren call of the city She will stay on the island and after her frantic efforts to persuade the others to do the same fail she implores her children not to forget their heritage and their family Nana realizes that with little more than an oral tradition to rely on the Peazant family will likely lose its identity when it loses its geographical mooring Dash calls "Daughters of the Dust" the "cinema of images and ideas" The images are easy to take Arthur Jafa's cinematography is almost too beautiful for the film's good He makes life on the island look so serene and idyllic that a viewer watching from a WASP's perspective who sees the beach as a vacation spot can't help wondering why on earth these people would want to leave to go live in a city WE'RE Addam's University Book Store Blockbuster Video Carolina Vision Center Cloos' Coney Island Dairy Mart Da lat Oriental Restaurant Dino's Pizza The Electric Beach First Citizens Bank The Flying Burrito Kerr Drug Mission Valley Beauty Salon Mission Valley Cinemas I-V Mission Valley Laundromat Nur Grocery Deli Office Solutions Patel Brothers Record Exchange Rock-Ola Cafe Rupkala Saris Sea Lovers Second Sole Shanghai Restaurant Snooker's Sports and Dance Pub Starcade Fun Gallery TCBY Viaeo Bar Avent Ferry in any language Writer-director Julie Dash says she wants 'Daughters of the Dust' to challenge conventional ways of representing black women MOVIE REVIEW DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST 12 Stars: Cora Lee Day Alva Rogers Barbara-O Writer-director: Julie Dash Theater: Varsity Chapel Hill opens May 8 at the Studio Raleigh Rating: Not rated: PG suggested There are compelling reasons of course: poverty racism Jim A LOT MORE THAN Rd at Western Blvd reekend for Fun and Entertainment Crow laws the occasional lynching But Dash's script hardly touches on these themes This is not so much a film about white oppression of blacks as it is a film about how members of a black family love and relate to one another It is with the ideas that this film becomes idiosyncratic and an enigma so much so that a white male viewer has a hard time relating to the unfolding drama Dash says she wanted the film to "challenge the conventional formats of representing black women" Challenging it indeed is First she freely admits that these women "speak to one another in fragmented sentences yet communicate completely through familiar gestures and stances" But to someone not fluent in those gestures and stances the story line becomes obscure Although none of the principal actors is a native of the sea islands consultant Ronald Daise has done a masterful job of instructing them in Gullah the peculiar patois that once could be heard there "Morning" becomes "dayclean" a turtle is a "cootah" "three" is "shree" and "Isn't that so?" is compressed to "Enty?" None of the actresses quite masters the enchantingly fluid almost musical quality of true Gullah speech but their use of the dialect lends an air of authenticity Unfortunately a blow for authenticity is a strike against lucidity Subtitles (which actually are used for a few minutes during a particularly heated exchange) would have been welcomed Gullah really is a different dialect "Daughters of the Dust" is worth seeing The film's major failing that its view is so peculiar to a minority that it is an enigma to the majority is perhaps inescapable And that may be a viewer's failing not the film's MOVIES mgTr117M-TIN Mission Valley.