Banner Graphic, Volume 18, Number 28, Greencastle, Putnam County, 9 October 1987 — Page 4

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THE BANNERGRAPHIC October 9.1987

'Hamburger Hill' Plot may be lean, but there's still plenty to relish

Editor’s Note: Gordon Walters is professor of romance languages at DePauw University, where he teaches a variety of courses in film, including History of Film and Film Criticism. He has written on film for “Magil’s Survey of Cinema: Foreign Film,” and is a regular contributor to “Cinema Annual.” Walters reviews will appear in the BannerGrpahic on a regular basis. By GORDON WALTERS Banner-Graphic Film Critic “Hamburger Hill” is neither an outstanding movie nor a bad one, but it is certainly a disturbing one for several reasons. On the positive side of the account book, “Hamburger Hill” profits from some fine ensemble playing by numerous young actors-Dylan McDermott, Courtney B. Vance and Steven Weber, in particular. The work of director John Irvin and cinematographer Peter MacDonald is praiseworthy and sometimes spectacular. “Hill’”s major weakness is the familiarity of the plot conceived by co-producer and writer Jim Carabatsos (who wrote “No Mercy” and Heartbreak Ridge”), but even here there is merit. SINCE WE ARE clearly in the Age of Vietnam Chic, it is becoming more and more difficult for a screenwriter to treat the war without having recourse to cliches of all sorts, and “Platoon” and “Full Metal Jacket” loom as recent monumental statements about the war. There are as well all of those obstacles to originality which are presented by the innumerable American films which deal with World Wars I and II and the Korean Conflict (indeed, “Hamburger Hill” calls to mind the classic “Sands of Iwo Jima” of 1949 and the excellent 1959 movie, “Pork Chop Hill”). Carabatsos touches upon all of the issues which we know so well by now~the apparent futility of the War (the hill which is the center of the

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EVENING 7:00 BIBQI BASEBALL PLAYOFFS National League Championship Series GD RIPTIDE O 9® FACTS OF LIFE CD ® PAPER CHASE O (D ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT CD MOVIE **V2 "Tough Guys" (1986, Comedy) "PG" (1 hr., 43 min.) O 9® CBS NEWS CD NFL’S GREATEST MOMENTS CD FALCON CREST © ® BEAUTY AND THE BEAST ' ® MOVIE "Another Time, Another Place" (1983, Drama) Phyllis Logan, Giovanni Mauriello. (2 hrs.) CID MTV TOP 20 VIDEO COUNTDOWN © NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT 9® MOVIE *** "... And Justice for AH" (1979, Drama) "R" (1 hr., 57 min.) 9$ EVENT OF THE DAY (3 hrs.) ds) MOVIE (2 hrs.) 9 f) © 700 CLUB (1 hr.) m CD WASHINGTON WEEK €D FULL HOUSE g © (30) ROCKFORD FILES 7:05 9® MOVIE ★*’/2 "Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story" (1980, Drama) Michael Beck, Telly Savalas. (2 hrs.) 7:30 © 9® THREE S COMPANY O CD WIN, LOSE OR DRAW O m HOLLYWOOD SQUARES CD NFL’S GREATEST MOMENTS (1$ JOURNEY INTO INDIA © WILD AMERICA 9® © WALL STREET WEEK © I MARRIED DORA 8:00 CD LARRY KING LIVE (1 hr.) CD MOVIE ★★ "Message From Space" (1978, Science-Fiction) Vic Morrow, Sonny Chiba. (2 hrs.) O 9® MOVIE *** "Never Cry Wolf” (1983, Adventure) Charles Martin Smith, Brian Dennehy. (2 hrs.) CD ® 700 CLUB (1 hr.) CD MOVIE **★ "Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940, Biography) Raymond Massey, Ruth Gordon. (2 hrs.) O CD WE GOT IT MADE O 9® BEAUTY AND THE BEAST CD BOXING Fighters to be announced. CD WAY OFF BROADWAY (1 hr.) © ® DALLAS Bobby makes a shocking discovery when he visits Pam at the hospital; JR. prompts Casey Denauit into underhanded action, g (1 hr.) © WASHINGTON WEEK IN REVIEW 9® MOVIE **★ “Old Yeller" (1957 Drama) "G (1 hr., 23 min.) d 8 © LESTER SUMRALL TEACHING (8) © GREAT PERFORMANCES © MAX HEADROOM © (3® MOVIE "Walking Tall" (1973, Drama) Joe Don Baker, Elizabeth Hartman. (2 hrs., 30 min.) 8:30 Q CD SHE’S THE SHERIFF © WALL STREET WEEK ® © ABUNDANT LIFE 9:00 CD CNN NEWS (1 hr.) CD ® STRAIGHT TALK Q CD MAX HEADROOM GD BROTHERS O d® DALLAS GD MOVIE *'/2 "I Could Never Have Sex With a Man Who Has So Little Regard for My Husband" (1973. Comedy) © ® FALCON CREST @ ORPHANS OF THE WILD ® CROOK AND CHASE ® SLOW DANCING (1 hr.) ® SHORTSTORIES © 29 © STORYTELLERS: THE PEN CELEBRATION g (1 hr.) (2?! MOVIE ★★ , /2 "The Last Innocent Man" (1987, Drama) (1 hr., 43 min.) ©2O/20 Scheduled: a look at whether telephone sex messages should be banned, g (1 hr.) 9:30 CD ® LAST FRONTIER CD IT’S GARRY SHANDLING’S SHOW

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Gordon Walters

film’s focus turns out to be a worthless objective), racial tension among American soldiers, incompetent leadership, demoralization of the troops caused by lack of support on the Home Front, journalistic exploitation of the fighting men. It is nevertheless to Carabatsos’ credit that he unabashedly always lets us know where he comes down on things. Carabatsos doesn’t try for thematic depth or symbolic subtlety: he just gets right to it. The 101st Airborne is engaged in a 10-day-long struggle to capture a hghin the notorious Ashau Valley, and while many of the unit’s members fall, the film’s final shots, accompanied by Philip Glass’ score, record the taking of the high ground. THERE ARE NO dope-smokers, cowards or shirkers in Carabatsos’ version of the 101st Airborne; each and every man, even though he may long to be back in the USA, heroically does his duty out of loyalty to his comrades in arms. Patriotism is not really the fundamental motivating force for these soldiers. Although “Hill” is virtually one combat encounter after another from beginning to end, care is taken during the film’s first half to give dimension to its major characters. Steven Weber is the always-in-control soldier who is determined to survive in order to prove to the un-

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faithful in America that he and his men are honorable; Vance plays Doc, whose bitterness as a black man chokes him but doesn’t prevent him from taking every loss of a buddy personally; and McDermott is Sgt. Frantz, a business-like warrior without illusions. While “Hill’”s plot is thoroughly predictable, the film may give us as faithful an account of combat as any film every made about warfare. MacDonald composes images of the most gruesome butchery I’ve see on the screen: “HiU’”s carnage keeps coming at us and eventually becomes overwhelming. The expression of the hopeless frustration and confusion of battle is most convincing. “PLATOON’”S DIRECTOR, Oliver Stone, and “Full Metal Jacket’”s co-scenarists, Michael Herr and Gustav Hasford, all served, like Carabatsos, in Vietnam, in one capacity or another. But whereas Stone, Herr and Hasford do not paint very flattering portraits of the American grunt in the field. Carabatsos emphasizes the other side of the coin. The war stunk, says Carabatsos, but the men who fought it deserve our admiration. *** Video Gem of the Week: Joel and Ethan Coen’s “Raising Arizona” appeared on video outlet shelves this past week, and the film remains the year’s best comedy. Nicholas Cage and Holly Hunter star as a wacko couple who kidnap a child for good reason-they can’t have one of their own. Frantically paced, wildly photographed and featuring a wonderful gaggle of goofy characters. While you’re at it, check out the Coen’s first film, “Blood Simple,” It’s everything that “Arizona” is, only it’s better. *** “Hamburger Hill” opens Friday at Ashley Square Twin cinemas in Greencastle.

Burnley to succeed Mrs. Dole c. 1987 N.Y. Times News Service WASHINGTON President Reagan Thursday nominated James H. Burnley IV as secretary of transportation, declaring his rise from North Carolina trial lawyer to a member of the Cabinet in six years “a remarkable Washington success story.” At the same time, the president nominated Mimi W. Dawson, a member of the Federal Communications Commission, to succeed Burnley as deputy secretary of transportation. Reagan said Burnley and Dawson would exert strong leadership in such areas as airline safety, shifting public transportation to private companies and the commercialization of space. Burnley pledged to work with Congress and the public to provide a safe and efficient transportation system. There were signs, however, that Burnley might face some opposition in the Senate. Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum, R-Kan., said: “I feel Jim is familiar with the nation’s important transportation issues and will bring a sense of continuity to the Department of Transportation at this critical time. “I have said, however, that I believe this nomination could be a contentious one, not to the point that -1 think he’ll be defeated, but it could be a lengthy confirmation process. I hope these problems are behind us now and that Jim can be confirmed quickly.”

BAINBRIDGE COMMUNITY FAIR Oct. 9th thru 18th at Bainbridge Utility grounds on State Road 36 Booth Space Available Set up day is Oct. 9th Open 8:00 a.m. to ??? Special events will include: Bingo 3-6 p.m. Oct. 10th Bingo 6-9 p.m. Oct. 16th Bingo 5-8 p.m. Oct. 17th *50.00 IE Bond prize for last game each night. •Live Music on 10th & 17th •Bicycle Raffle-Draw 18 at 12 p.m. •Bake Sale 11th & 18th 8 a.m.- ?? •Bean Jar Guess •Pony Rides •Good Food and Crafts.

YESTERDAY , TODAY and TOMORROW!

recruiting jMW J||t sailors for his early voyages Men were afraid, but the ™\\ bravest enlisted and sailed off to the wonders of a K new world. x WM Most of us are afraid of the unknown. We have ■ our qualms and doubts about a new job. moving to a strange city, beginning a marriage, or simply ;f|H facing the uncertainties of tomorrow We do not .19 know what lies ahead, and we worry about being _W' :jf|| able to cope with it. In this ever-changing world, we l aH| instinctively yearn for that which does not change MB Whatever tomorrow brings, we can have the IfSB peaceful conviction that the love of God for His IvCj^Vy HIH children IS trustworthy ana everlasting. l\\ ml ttWlKll Worship this Scriptures Selected by The American Bible Society

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