The Columbian from Vancouver, Washington • 50

E2 THE COLUMBIAN NORTHWEST LIFE FRIDAY DEC 18 1998 Egypt talked with theologians more than religious leaders From them we came to understand various points of view This is a story that is the religious foundationfor two-thirds qfthe world's remove anachronisms including a wedding episode in which Moses smashes a glass Biblical experts pointed out that this could not have been part of the wedding ritual at that time said a wonderful moment but do you know what symbolical said Katzenberg the destruction of the first temple which wasn't built for another thousand More significantly the filmmakers changed a scene in which Moses rescues a slave being beaten In an early version the slave was his sister Miriam specifically in the Bible an anonymous said Katzenberg someone going to protect their own sister is different from a person seeing slavery for the first time" The filmmakers made little use of recent archaeological discoveries and interpretations or revelations in tiie Dead Sea Scrolls The thing so challenging about it is that you have conflicting points of view about some of these said Katzenberg were accurate not just to the Bible but to the Egyptian said Cox looked for experts to help us understand the story and the time talked with theologians more than religious leaders Ffom them we came to under stand various points of view This is a story that is tiie religious foundation for two-thirds of tiie more troubling aspects of leadership more adult in some respects than other cartoons though if not for in spirit from biggest Grated hit at Disney The Lion decided to tell the story through the eyes of these two brothers Moses and Ramses who are close to each other and suddenly find tiut tiiey are said Katzenberg They fight over a woman in the DeMiUe version which is very Another reason to ditch character and the wandering in wilderness: length When Ralph Bakshi pushed the limits of animation two decades ago with his 133rainute of die Rings Part One" the result was so disastrous that Part Two was never filmed Ftom the beginning Katzen-bexg focused on ways to tell the story in an hour and a halt Stephen Schwartz who had written the Oscarwinning lyrics for while Katzenberg was at the Disney studio provided one solution think Stephen is one of the most brilliant narrative lyricists said Katzenberg "We have done it even in 100 minutes without him" Several years of Moses Hfe as he abandons his royal privileges and marries the peasant woman Tlripporah are covered in one song Another sequence dubbed the by the filmmakers uses music and trippy visual effects to demonstrate dawning awareness of his legacy as a vulnerable Hebrew difid raised by genocidal Egyptians digital artists perfected tiie technique this pictograph style the one genuinely abstract moment" said Katzenberg needed a different style for this scene When you go back to the original style (which resembles religion-inspired paintings) it reinforces the idea that come back to have to forget that you're watching drawn characters watching real people" said Penney Finkelman Cox the executive producer "For animators a challenge The faces the subtle gestures took reorienting the anima-tora When they realized tiiey were being askl to do what they'd not done before they all did better work than ever in their Biblical fidelity was also a concern At that early meeting Gef-fen warned Katzenberg that he was playing by different rules now said There are a couple of tilings I want to say to you'" said Katzenberg you were at Disney you could lap a happy ending on The Little and you were allowed that kind of freedom But if you want to do this story you must do the story faithfully accu- No Anne Beixter siren role in this version From Pag El ton DC was my dream and ambition to take this technique that had been used to tell fairy tales to do something completely different what? Steven said Like Jones' I said or Terminator Something I would love to do is my favorite movie of all time David of something with that sweep and intimacy Steven said why don't you do The Ten It was just a spontaneous reaction" The top-grossing movie of the 1950s DeMille's spectacular is hardly foreign to Spielberg's own movies Richard Dreyfoss and Teri kids watch it on television in Encounters of the Third and the commandments play a key role in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" But the PG-rated of Egypt" does take a significantly different approach from DeMille's film There's no Anne Baxter siren role for instance and the story ends before the escaping Israelites have time to corrupt themselves by worshipping a golden calf In other words: less sex no or gies and less attention on the Author not trying to convert people From Pagt El corroborate his Kirsch said like many other well known people in the Bible who we know existed through ratety (and admit that) you don't know words were never spoken I knew the story of Moses but I'm not really an expert on the Bible or the Exodus story in particular From that moment on we all understood have to get educated in a very big way" Some scholars suggest that Moses was really two people because he seems so different later in the story what interested me so much" said Katzenberg is this innocent (who is) humbled finding contentment in his life who is then set on the path to do this mission He rises to the challenge in a commanding and noble and heroic way why I love the story not because of the Red Sea A few scenes were rewritten to tertainment from tiie first day it was set down on parchment It was intended to amuse entertain and engage our imaginations as well as instruct and rabbis and ear ly church fathers have been using the Bible as fodder for entertainment in the sense they preach tales for it to help us understand Kirsch a literary critic for the Los Angeles Times watched a pre-screening of The Prince of earlier this month and said bringing the popular story to the silver screen is a wonderful idea visually impressive" he said child-friendly fast-paced and engaging to the eye The Bible was a source of en For that reason Kirsch said he would recommend parents take their children to see the movie but not stop there would encourage parents to discuss with their children what the Bible has to say about he said expose them to every scene but I would talk about tiie scenes that are appropriate" other artifacts and Those entrenched in lifelong beliefs might find that suggestion blasphemous but Kirsch said he simply is taking words from tiie Bible and presenting ideas Tm not trying to change minds or convert people to my way of he said do hope tiiey will share my excitement and intrigue with the CtNEr ITS MORE THAN A MOVIE! News: By Mike Bailey afTke Columbian vs Track Santa Claus on NORAD Web site The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) works 24 hours a day keeping a watchful eye on the' skies of North America NORAD workers will have ua extra duties Christmas Eve as -they track tiie progress of St tj Nick on his flight around tiie world Kids can join in on the search for Santa by checking out -E Web site at wwwmoradsantaorg Kds are encouraged to the site which features informs-' tion in five languages and even helps children calculate his cookie and milk consumption that evening how he gets around the world so quickly and how he IT gets down those chimneys The page uses digital animation satellite and cockpit images and audio reports from operational center ijff Colorado Reports will be posted hourly The site is available in ru English Spanish French Itallah and Japanese Santa patty Santa wifi be visiting Ridgefield the day before his annual around-theworid flight Santa wifi stop by the Clark County District 12 Fire Station No 4 on Wednesday for his annual Christmas party The festivities begin at 7 pmH The public is invited Santa will listen to each child's wish list and every youngster will receive a present Refreshments and musical entertainment also are planned The fire station is located in downtown Ridgefield at 117 Ni Third Ave Gifts for Mds Having trouble with last- nr minute gifts for a child Here art: a couple of suggestions 1 A magazine for children had a panel of 150 kids rate 11 toys to see how tiiey measured up Two of the toys scored the highest with the kids earning1' tiie top ranking of good" YakWakky ($10) by Yes! Gear allows kids to press a button and talk for eight seconds They theft press tiie play button and hear tiie original voice or a warped version of the speech minute you sound like squeaky girl and the next minute you sound like an old one1 girl said 1 111 Sightly more expensive but- also receiving the rating was Bop It ($25) by Parker Brothers Voice and musical commands tell tiie child to1 either bop twist or pull sections! of the toy It can be played alone' or with a group Best bet for kids rvu Here is The pick for a fiin family event this weekend This is the final weekend for Holiday Junction at tiie I Oregon Museum of Science and Industry The display continues through Sunday and includes fiillsized' steam engines as well as model trains One model train is the smallest in the world and fits in tiie pafyi of a hand The Calendar event includes interactive displays Lego trains storytelling music and rare collections of model trains OMSI is open 930 am to 530 pm Saturday and Sunday 164th Avenue and Mill Plain Vancouver Washington All Stadium Seat Auditoriums The Largest Theatre in Southern Washington Credit Card Sales High Back Chairs accepted at box office with retractable cupholder armrests Digital Sound In Every Theatre THX Certified Auditoriums 2 Day Advanced Ticket Sales Large Concession Stand Free Parking Movie Line 360-571-FILM saws Got Mail (11:30 12:00 2:05 2:35 4:40 5:15) 7:15 7:50 9:50 10:25 The Prince Of Egypt (11:55 12:30 2:15 2:50 4:35 5:10) 7:00 7:30 9:20 10:00 A Life (11:50 12:50 2:15 3:10 4:30 5:25) 7:20 8:00 9:40 10:15 Star lirefc Insurection (11:40 12:20 2:10 2:45 4:35 5:20) 7:10 7:50 9:35 10:15 Jack Frost (12:35 3:00 5:25) 7:50 10:20 Enemy Of The State (1:00 4:00) 7:05 10:10 Home Fries (12:40 2:50 5:05) 7:25 9:45 Psycho (12:25 2:40 4:55) 7:55 10:30 The Waterboy (12:20 2:30 4:50) 7:40 9:55 The Siege (12:10 10:25 5:00) 7:35 10:10 Pleasantville (12:50 4:15) 7:25 10:05 Babe: Pig In The City (12:45 2:55 5:30) Meet Joe Black 7:45 A.