The Western Concept

by Kristi Heinrich

For the first performance for the month of March, the Campus Activities Board of Dickinson State University, arranged for a solo artist to perform for the DSU community in a Coffee House. Shevy Smith, a new and upcoming musician performed in the student center lounge on Monday, March 5^th.Shevy is from a small area in Kansas and has been singing ever since she was four years old. She is currently on tour in the United Statesgoing to the colleges in North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, etc. Her music tells her audience stories of her past, present and future as she sings of listening to oldies radio, relationships, and finding the right path in life.While performing for her DSU audience she told stories behind the songs she sang and asked for everyone to sing and clap along, all while playing the guitar. It’s just her and her guitar on stage, and it is easy to tell, that’s the place she belongs and wants to be.

by Josh Nichols

With the recent release of Hannibal Rising I thought it would be a grand feast to take a journey through the cinematic history of Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter.  I’ve yet to see the freshest prequel to the legacy, but the anticipation is building.  So dish up the fava beans, pour the Chianti, and prepare for an oh-so succulent cut of liver review.

Let us start our journey with the first film to feature the infamous doctor, Manhunter.  If you thought Silence of the Lambs was the first appearance of the good doctor you are sadly mistaken.  Fear not my children; the 1986 movie was mediocre at best.  Anthony Hopkins is also nowhere to be seen in this flick, because Dr. Lecter is played by Brian Cox (The Ringer, X2, Super Troopers).  As a movie reviewer, I pride myself on being able to place myself in the shoes of an originally intended viewer of a film.  I try to remove preconceived notions and look at each film as its own entity.  I will be entirely honest; I saw Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal before I saw Manhunter.  Now that I have come clean let me tell you about Manhunter.  I found the film boring.  It seemed to be lacking overall.  Probably most unfortunate of the films shortcomings is the lack of Dr. Lecter.  Some may argue that the focus of Manhunter is, in fact, not Dr. Lecter.  I must challenge this statement because Red Dragon: The Curse of Hannibal Lecter and Red Dragon: The Pursuit of Hannibal Lecter were some of the draft titles for the film.  Cox is a good actor who has over a hundred film and TV appearances, but his character in Manhunter was not developed very well.  Those expecting a sinister yet suave Lecter in this film will be disappointed.  The most dastardly deed conjured up by Dr. Lector is his heinous act of using a gum wrapper to trip a phone to dial the operator.  This chilling moment will haunt my dreams for years to come.  I have read many reviewers who swear that Brian Cox is, was, and always will be Hannibal Lecter.  Perhaps his small role leads me to question his quality, but either way I would not place this at the top of Mr. Cox’s career.  The basic premise of Manhunter is the same as that of its remake (I use this term loosely) Red Dragon.  Agent Will Graham (William Peterson) is persuaded out of his career hiatus after nearly being murdered by Dr. Lecter.  Graham is the detective responsible for the capture of Hannibal, but he must now battle his past when he confronts Lector for advice on a new case.  Bottom line, if you are a fan of Thomas Harris’ books, Brian Cox, or have a couple hours to kill I would recommend you watch this movie.  If you are looking to be entertained or expecting cinematic greatness, I wouldn’t get your hopes up.

Next on our journey is Silence of the Lambs.  This film is at minimum in my top 500 list.  It’s a must see for all fans of the series, genre, or good films in general.  I consider Silence of the Lambs to be a new beginning for Dr. Lecter, which is played by Anthony Hopkins.  The movie wasn’t advertised as a sequel to Manhunter, and in fact Manhunter probably wouldn’t be known to so many if it weren’t for the profitability that was obvious to be gained from re-releasing the film parallel to the release of Hannibal and Red Dragon.  Anyway, by new beginning I mean something similar to the Batman series.  Batman Begins was a re-invention of the 1989 thru 1997 Batman films, which following suite is a re-invention of the 1966 class starring Adam West.  Silence of the Lambs starts the Hannibal Lecter legacy for me.  The main focus of the film, as compared to Manhunter, is Hannibal himself.  Dr. Lecter truly becomes a cult icon in this film.  He is smooth, suave, and sophisticated.  Personally, I sympathize with Dr. Lecter at times.  He is obviously unstable, and he obviously is doing immoral acts, but I find myself cheering for him when he takes out a less-than-polite excuse for a human.  This deep moral dilemma heightens with the movie Hannibal, because the doctor’s antics are more and more associated with rude victims.  If you understand what I’m saying then…hurray, but if you see no silver lining in Hannibal’s rampages then possibly check out Showtime’s new series Dexter…hopefully the feeling may overcome you then.  Similar to Manhunter and Red Dragon, Dr. Lecter’s advice is once again sought out.  This time, an up and coming FBI agent, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), seeks the doctor’s knowledge.  Hannibal takes a liking to agent Starling, and begins playing a game of sorts with her.  The movie is a suspenseful joyride of cinematic goodness.  I assure you there is an abundance of quality plot in this movie, though I won’t give anymore of it away.  The ending to Silence of the Lambs is one of the top twist endings in all of filmdom.  Surprise endings, and twists and turns have become a commodity in Hollywood.  Without a maze of plot changes and character curve balls, suspense movies wouldn’t make a dime in today’s industry.  Silence of the Lambs on the other hand produces a genuine, classic shock ending.  I would compare its shock value to the conclusion of the original Planet of the Apes.  This genre of film is not for everyone, but I feel this movie is a must-see for anyone with a pulse. 

I will take some care in not spoiling the plot of our next destination, Hannibal.  In a nutshell, this is the official sequel to Silence of the Lambs that continues the awkward yet compelling interaction between Hannibal Lector (Anthony Hopkins) and Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore).  I’m sure you caught that subtle heartache.  You saw correctly, Julianne Moore replaces Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling in Hannibal.  Now I wouldn’t consider myself an avid fan of Jodie Foster, but there are few things I hate more than when a character is replaced with a new actor/actress.  It becomes extremely difficult to maintain a reasonable suspension of disbelief when a character completely changes appearance from one film to another.  That rant aside, on with the review.  This film was shot down by many reviewers in the past.  Some say it’s to boring, some say it’s to bloody, and some say it’s a film for profits sake.  I did find the film to be slow at times, but on the whole I enjoyed my experience.  The slow points in this film are comparable to those in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  The first time you watch Frodo travel his journey, everything is new.  Each time one views the film after that, one soon realizes some of the scenes that could have been left out, at least without the audience shedding tears (for me it was the excessive amount of Liv Tyler).  The first time you see Hannibal, the film can be taken in its entirety as a pleasant experience.  Watching it multiple times after that may encourage your brain to point out areas of minimal excitement.  As for gore, there were only a small percentage of scenes in the film with any blood at all.  Within that small percentage there isn’t even a large quantity of gore, but it is quality.  I despise reviewers who argue this film was produced to make a quick buck.  Hannibal was released in 2001, ten years after Silence of the Lambs.  If any film in this legacy was released for a quick buck it was Red Dragon; Red Dragon was hastily released about a year after Hannibal, and oddly enough received better reviews with less profit criticism than Hannibal.  As always, fans of Dr. Lecter or Thomas Harris should see this film.  More importantly, if you enjoyed Silence of the Lambs this film is a great follow-up.  I think this film pays great homage to the 1991 classic Silence of the Lambs.  And heck, in ten years or so maybe they will release a special edition with Jodie Foster’s head pasted over Julianne Moore’s.  One last item I must note about this film is Gary Oldman’s performance.  Gary Oldman is hands down one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood, and Hannibal is just another notch in his belt.  I highly anticipated this movie, and therefore I tried to shield myself from any spoilers.  In doing so, I went into the film unaware of Gary Oldman’s role.  At first glance I thought he played Inspector Pazzi (Giancarlo Giannini).  I thought he either let himself go, or was very dedicated to looking older in the film.  In the middle of the movie I was immersed in the film and didn’t think very much about Gary Oldman (sinful I know).  It was only after the credits began to roll that I found he played Mason Verger.  This movie just gave me one more very good reason to idolize Gary Oldman. 

We are nearing the end of our adventure with the film Red Dragon.  As confusing as this may sound, Red Dragon is technically a remake of Manhunter and a prequel to Silence of the Lambs, but as mentioned before I see Silence of the Lambs as a re-invention to the series.  I think it is unjust to call Red Dragon a remake; I do think it is fair to consider it its own entity as well as a prequel to Silence of the Lambs.  This film has the same general plot as Manhunter, but it does a better job of giving back-story to Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins).  We generally see Hannibal as a suave almost calming person, but when confronted by his capturer he is not so friendly.  This is not my favorite of the Lecter films, but it greatly surpasses Manhunter, and also gives us enough back-story to want to see more (hmmm if it isn’t our old friend Mr. Quick Buck). 
 

The Hannibal Lecter legacy is among some of my favorite films of all time.  One suggestion I can give is to watch them in order: Manhunter (Optional), Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, and Red Dragon.  As for Hannibal Rising, it is hard for me to give a pre-judgment on the film.  It will be hard for me to not yearn for Anthony Hopkins during the duration of the film.  Hopefully it won’t be as bad as the yearning I had for Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels during Dumb and Dumberer.  Also, prequels to prequels are rare; in fact I’m at a loss to think of one off the top of my head.  Then there are the swarms of negative reviews already plaguing the internet.  Then again, when have I ever cared what someone else thinks?  I will be seeing Hannibal Rising, and for any fans of the series I suggest you do the same.  If it’s horrible, we can look backs on better days and complain about how they should have stopped while they were ahead.  On the other hand, if it’s good we can always cross our fingers that Anthony Hopkins will reprise his role one last time for the epic conclusion Hannibal 2.  Check back soon for my review of Hannibal Rising.

by Beth Hurt 

Audiences, make way for the Dickinson State University theatre and dance program’s eventful season! “The 2006-07 season looks to be full of fun for our audiences and creative opportunity for our students,” says Dr. Ken Haught, chair of the Fine Arts Department. Ron Gingerich, Technical Director for the program, states that, “It will be a very challenging season. We have chosen a wide variety of shows from a contemporary musical to Shakespeare.”

The musical Urinetown will kick off the season, directed by Gingerich. “I think people will enjoy the show if they can get past the title and come see it,” says the director. “The style, music, and humor are contemporary and unlike anything we have done on this stage since I have been here [at DSU]. It is not dirty or obscene in any way, again unless you find the title offensive, but the satire and commentary is for an older frame of reference.”

Urinetown is the story of a drought-invaded city where water is so short that citizens are forced to pay a tax to an evil corporation in order to use the public amenities. Luckily, a fearless leader arises from the people to lead a revolution against their officials. Blending politics with humor, song, and dance, this performance is sure to have audiences captivated. Performance dates are October 26, 27, and 28th at 8:00 p.m. and October 29th at 2:30 p.m. in the Dorothy Stickney Auditorium.

In December, audiences can come see a thrilling performance of Lady of the Camellias in the Backstage Theatre, directed by Dr. Ken Haught. This particular play is based on the timeless novel by Alexander Dumas and follows the story of a beautiful young courtesan and a young man named Armand. Can fate prove mightier than true love? To learn the answer to that, come and see one of six performances: November 30th and December 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, and 9th at 8:00 p.m.

February will bring yet another theatrical production, as Shakespeare’s Love’s Labor’s Lost hits the stage, directed by Gingerich. This zany tale is about four noblemen who give up all pleasures, especially women, in order to devote themselves to their studies. However, when four attractive ladies come to town, the men begin to question their own willpower. The play will show February 15th, 16th, and 17th at 7:30 p.m. and February 18th at 2:30. All performances will be in Dorothy Stickney Auditorium.

Following the close of Love’s Labor’s Lost, will be the fifth annual “Alcohol Awareness Through the Arts” program, or AATTA. The AATTA is primarily put on by Form and Fusion, DSU’s ever-expanding dance company. “The Dance Program continues to grow in numbers and improve in quality. And for that I am so blessed,” says Artistic Director, Pattie Carr. While AATTA began with Form and Fusion, many different areas of the Arts are used to address the potentially negative results of binge drinking. An art display, short story and poetry readings, and musical performances will also help in stressing the importance of the matter.

“This year we also have the privilege of performing at the Arts and Humanities Summit,” says Carr. At the state-wide summit, Form and Fusion will be given 50 minutes to perform for the North Dakota University System.

In April, the Theatre Department will present its final play of the season, The Miss Firecracker Contest by Beth Henley. This play will be directed by Dr. Haught and tells the story of a young woman who tries to redefine herself by winning a local beauty contest. Described as hilarious yet touching, seven performances will be shown in the Backstage Theatre April 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, and 28th at 8:00 p.m. and April 29th at 2:30 p.m.

To conclude an exciting year will be Form and Fusion’s annual spring dance performance. As always, the performance will offer a wide variety of dance styles, including ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, and many more. Says Pattie Carr, “Form and Fusion has become the quality company it has become due to the students’ dedication and commitment. They take their work and the efforts of the group very seriously and the program continues to grow and improve because of them.”

Form and Fusion will have two performances, May 4th and 5th at 8:00 p.m. in the Dorothy Stickney Auditorium. To reserve seats for this or any of the dance or theatre performances, call 483-2154. We’ll see you at the show!

by Cassandra Moos 

There’s a little bit of devil in all of us as Andy, played by actress Anne Hathaway, learns while working for Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), a top-of-the-line fashion guru. As Andy starts her job for Runway Magazine, she soon realizes that hard work and smarts don’t get you where you want to be. So Andy takes her frumpy clothes and “Plain Jane” makeup sense and does a complete one-eighty with her style to become one of the best looking Runway girls around. Though she only has to survive working for Miranda for one year to pursue her career in journalism at any magazine or newspaper in the country, she realizes that it’s going to be way more than she bargains for. Her personal life with friends and family begin to suffer, she has no personal time for herself and finds that she can’t make her own career advances without disappointing her boss.

This movie was a delightful experience. It left me asking myself, “What would I do in her situation?” or, “Would I let a career opportunity get that far?” Both actresses, Hathaway and Streep, were perfect for the parts. We are used to seeing Hathaway go from frump to glam, this movie was no exception. Streep played another marvelous roll and continues her claim to fame and ability to play any role given to her.

I recommend this movie to men and women alike. Though it is a stereotypical “chick flick”, I feel that men will walk away with a new understanding for what women go through at work with having to “dress to impress” and I feel that women will walk away realizing that work isn’t everything or that the models or celebrities that they so value and treasure don’t always have a glamorous life.

by Cassandra Moos

Yo-ho, Yo-ho, it is a pirate’s life for me! Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest was anything but a blockbuster bust. This movie had audiences of all ages on the edge of their seats and even jumping back into them with this action packed adventure. Though this movie lacked a little of the slower paced movement and graphics to suit a younger audience, Dead Man’s Chest succeeded in keeping up with the witty humor, crazy love triangles, and amazing characters and scene design that it had in the first movie.

With this movie, Disney brought back our beloved Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), William Turner (Orlando Bloom), and Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightly) to continue on with their lives after “the day they almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow”. The film picks up with the almost wedding of Ms. Swan and Mr. Turner, but as luck has it, a warrant is out for their arrest so they can help capture the infamous Jack Sparrow—or rather, the self-proclaimed Captain Jack Sparrow. On their quest, Turner meets his father—lost to Davy Jones’ locker when Turner was just a young boy—and learns that Sparrow has been cursed with the Black Spot. The only way to free Sparrow from his curse and to save one-hundred other souls is to find the Dead Man’s Chest. Ms. Swan finds she wants in on the action as well and decides that she must find Sparrow, who in turn tells her that she must also find Turner. Along the way Sparrow throws a few blunt attempts to attract Swan to himself and almost succeeds, creating a much anticipated argument for the third movie.

This was a summer movie must see, and if you haven’t seen it yet, do so before the third one comes to theatres this May. However, movie goers, I must warn you—the anticipation between now and then may leave you wanting more.

By Cassandra Moos, Staff Writer 

On March 31st and on April 1st, four DSU students, Alexandra Kreidt, Beth L. Hurt, Bradley Auch, and Kimberly Finnicum, called on their past theatre experiences and were each given the chance to direct a play for the One Act Play Festival, held in the Back-stage Theatre.

Alexandra Kreidt’s selection, A Way with Words, written by Frank D. Gilroy, was the first play to be presented. This play was of a serious nature with a few humorous under-tones. Artie (Michael Nodine) reveals to his best friend, Fred (Jacob Mack), that he and his wife have been divorced for the last thirteen years. Artie then convinces Fred to go talk to Louise (Amy Tichey), Artie’s ex-wife, and find out whether or not she is still in love with Artie.

WASP, written by Steve Martin, was directed by Beth L. Hurt. This play was a farce about 1950s family life with a mother (Sara Paulson), who hears voices, a father (Josh Nicols), who believes he is all knowing and powerful, a love stricken teenage daughter (Briett Reed), and an inquisitive young son (Casey Neumiller).

Fifteen Minutes, directed by Bradley Auch, was another farce about a housewife who decides to host her own late night cable talk show. Nancy (Lydia Johnson), hosting her own talk show in her bedroom late at night is caught by her husband Anthony (Jake Dworshak) as her guest Libby (Heather Gall) confesses that she has had a relationship with her boss. After commercial breaks and Nancy’s near mental breakdown, a doctor (Sara Paulson) is called in to help her deal with the fact that Libby and Anthony had an affair. Despite their extreme loyalty to Nancy, the audience (Briett Reed and Amy Tichey) annoys the doctor and prevents her from doing her job.

Kimberly Finnicum concluded the event with her choice of Playwriting 101: The Rooftop Lesson, by Rich Orloff. This comic skit was about a teacher (Josh Nichols) demonstrating how one plot-line can go several ways with irony, comic relief, love trian-gles, money struggles and other plot devices. Demonstrating his lessons are the jumper (Jake Dworsak), who keeps threatening to jump off a building, and the good Samaritan (Jesse Tallmon), who keeps trying different techniques to keep him from jumping.

These productions showcased the unique approaches each student director as well as the actors and actresses undertook to stage the plays. Dickinson State University’s Theatre Department continues to demonstrate more talent with both acting and directing.