Scanlines

D: C.M. Talkington; with Gil Bellows, Renee Zellweger, Rory Cochrane,
Jeffrey Combs, Jace Alexander, Anne Wedgeworth, Peter Fonda, Tammy
Le
Blanc, Wiley Wiggins.
VHS Home Video
Waterloo Video, 1016 W. Sixth

A recent, homegrown addition to a long line of films in the lovers-on-the-lam
genre, Love and a .45 is smaller than most; the simplicity of the script
freshens a plot we’ve seen so many times before. This is not to say the film
isn’t over-the-top in the character department — following bumbling yet
likeable trailer-home bandits Starlene and Watty Watts as they run for the
border leaves us laughing even in the face of a considerable amount of
violence. Yet, remember, the lovebirds are killing only to protect their future
together, and the real villains, tattoo-headed Billy Mack Black and a couple of
evil loan sharks, give us other people to root against. A first-time
writing-directing project for Dallasite Talkington, his actors make the movie
memorable: Look for solid performances from Dazed and Confused veterans
Wiley Wiggins and Rory Cochrane, and rising star and Return of the Texas
Chainsaw Massacre survivor Rene Zellweger. Love and a .45 is a
Badlands cast with extroverts. — Jen
Scoville

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Riverdance: The Show

Riverdance: The Show (a video of the original stage show taped live
from Dublin, Ireland) exudes joie de vivre as it pays homage to the
elemental forces and creative imagination of cultures blended. The artists
spark with enthusiasm and visible enjoyment throughout their expressive pieces,
including an Irish hard-shoe routine producing “Distant Thunder,” a slip jig
rooted in Celtic mythology honoring the nurturing woman of Ireland’s lore, a
musical piece played eyes-closed on the uilleann pipes, an a cappella Irish
song, a flamenco dance, an African foot-stomping routine, a Russian acrobatic
dance, and a gospel harmony. The first half of the show dedicates itself to the
worship of Ireland’s natural elements and the second part brings in the
influences that the new world offered after war and famine caused a separation
of families from their homeland. The impressiveness of this performance is not
lost on video. However, without a program in hand you miss out on the story and
myth on which the show is based. Before viewing I suggest visiting the
Riverdance: The Show home page at: http://faraday.
ucd.ie/~joseph/riverdance/riverdance_show.html.

— Stephany Baskin

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Normality

It had to happen: Doom-style, first-person, 3D graphics merged with the
more sedately paced adventure-game genre. Here, Interplay and Gremlin
Interactive (the developer) throw in a main character with real attitude. He’s
not crude or aggressive like the Duke (Nukem, that is), more a
picaresque antihero out to save the world literally by having a good time. If
you’re under 30, you’ll identify with him; if you’re over 30, you’ll wonder how
people ever survive the twentysomethings, let alone the teen years. The puzzles
are stiff enough to challenge the hardest-core gamer, so if you don’t
habitually play adventure games you will be frustrated — more than you
were by Myst. Gameplay and overall control are smooth and graphics are
good and clean despite the inevitable up-close pixellation; they use a good
engine. The premise is a tad arch: A totalitarian police regime enforces a
Muzak level of consciousness on its populace. But the catchphrase is worth it:
“Have a Normal Day.” — Jim Cooper

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Nintendo
Nintendo Ultra 64Mario 64

Mario 64 is one of the best games ever created for any platform. As in
previous Mario titles you must guide our venerable hero through perilous
challenges of dexterity and intellect over numerous complex and well-planned
levels. The hook is that the latest incarnation of Mario is true 3D, and
the game’s designer has taken advantage of this new feature like no one before.
The worlds are big and full of surprises. Mario can run, jump, skip, fly, swim,
dive, roll, slide, somersault, back-flip, climb, and who knows what else to get
through each level. The animation is smooth and spectacular, and Mario’s
personality is brought out in greater depth and detail. You’ll have a blast
even if you just wander about aimlessly without solving any levels, it’s
that much fun just steering Mario around the various worlds available.
Unfortunately, you probably don’t yet have the platform needed to play this
incredible title. If you haven’t bought one of the Ultra 64’s competing
machines (PlayStation or Sega Saturn), then this may be the machine to get.
There are only a couple of games out for the Ultra 64 right now, but by
Christmas there should be at least a dozen more.

— Kurt Dillard

This article appears in November 8 • 1996 and November 8 • 1996 (Cover).