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Pensacola News Journal from Pensacola, Florida • 11
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Pensacola News Journal from Pensacola, Florida • 11

Location:
Pensacola, Florida
Issue Date:
Page:
11
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

Monday, November 29, 1993 Pensacola News Journal 3B Some action movies have more punch than others rifTjl 1 i -si 4 Jt i rr -A3 -ji ir I I I By John Horn Associated Press LOS ANGELES Two movies feature Hollywood's top action stars. Both cost around $70 million. Neither makes more than $55 million at the box So why's one the bomb of the decade and the other a hit? The similarities between Arnold Schwarzenegger's "The Last Action Hero" and Sylvester Stallone's "Demolition Man" are many. From the opening weekend to the fourth week of release, ticket sales for the two films were virtually identical. When "Last Action Hero" debuted in June, it made $15.3 million in its first three days.

"Demolition Man" brought in $14.3 million after its first October weekend. Hollywood's trade newspapers (and the national media) cast those grosses in wholly different lights. "'Demolition' Blows Up Record" was The Hollywood Reporter's headline for Stallone's debut. The usually enthusiastic Los Angeles Times said of -Schwarzenegger's premiere: "The gross for 'Action Hero' was widely regarded by the film industry as a disappointment." The consequences of the different perceptions are considerable. The "Last Action Hero" fallout appeared to seep into Columbia Pictures like a virus, and many of the studio's next films bombed.

Chairman Mark Canton stopped granting interviews, and Columbia had to yank its high-profile, would-be musical "I'll Do Anything" from a planned release. Warner meanwhile, is reporting film profits second only to the Walt Disney Co. Although the studio's recent release, "Fearless," didn't connect, upcoming "Pelican Brief is expected to be a smash. The appraisals of "Last Action Hero" and "Demoli- had been written about delays in filming of "Last Action Hero." Furthermore, the media was anxious to take. Schwarzenegger down a peg or two: the cocky, cigar- chomping bodybuilder had never flown higher and was ripe for a fall.

Columbia now acknowledges they; should have seen him as an easy target. Stallone survived a pair of bombs before making a recent comeback in "Cliffhanger." Following the flops the comedies "Oscar" and "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot" Stallone suddenly discovered humility. "Cliffhanger," consequently, was greeted enthusiastically by the press. If there's any one party most at fault for the viciouS "Last Action Hero" press, it's Columbia itself, ancfc the studio concedes now it oversold the film. From the start, the studio set unreasonably high' expectations for the film and spent many millions! promoting it.

Peter Guber, chairman of Columbia parent Sony Pictures Entertainment, said "Last Action Hero, was more than a simple movie. Instead, he pro claimed, it is a "film for the entire global place." Columbia Chairman Canton boasted that if the special effects-laden film clicked, the studio" would "win big. This is not a movie for people who. like to sleep." The studio launched a major sales pitch at a movie exhibitors' convention in March, promoting the film with a personal appearance by Schwarzenegger and an expensive luncheon. Producer Steve Roth called it "The juggernaut movie of 1993." Schwarzenegger's last four films "Twins," "To-' tal Recall," "Kindergarten Cop" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" all scored huge numbers at the box office.

There was little reason to think "Last Action Hero" would make less than $100 million at domestic theaters. Columbia brazenly predicted it would make $20 million in its first weekend. 1 'hit i i v. Sylvester Stallone, left, stars in the current "Demolition Man." Arnold Schwarzenegger, right, was the star of last summer's "Last Action Hero." tion Man" were largely a reflection of expectations, Warner on the other hand, couldn't help but according to a variety of show business executives, learn a lesson from "Last Action Hero" it released Columbia said "Last Action Hero" would be the its film in the fall with far less fanfare, movie event of the summer. When the film about a Even though "Demolition Man" went significantly kid and his movie hero didn't deliver, the gap over budget, its production delays largely were ig- between promise and reality was cavernous.

nored. It was considered a stale story since so much Duran Duran singer LeBon doesn't disappoint his fans it 'si 5 1 4 I REVIEW By Blane Butler News Journal correspondent Maybe lead singer of Duran Duran, Simon LeBon, thought he was at Disney World when he bounded on stage Saturday night at the Pensacola Civic Center. Guess he was just trying to fit in when he donned a pair of Mickey Mouse ears at the beginning of the show. But isn't it true that all foreigners think Florida is full of big-eared mice and cartoon characters? No matter, the crowd some 4,500 screaming faithful, most of which were barely in their teens when the band had its first hit in 1981 got its money's worth. LeBon, the ever prancing bleach-blonde, perma-thin lead "wild boy," had been diagnosed with lacerated vocal chords in October and that put the tour on hold for a month.

Having lacerated vocal chords is wound into the rousing, well-known chorus of the song that put the band on the MTV video map. The Duran Duran sound of techno-pop danceable beats mixed with the hard-edged guitar of newcomer Warren Cuccrurullo still sounds fresh even though it has been more than a decade since it sprang from England. By the way, that sleepy, ominous 45 minutes of sound heard before Duran Duran is a fledgling Irish group called the Cranberries. Lead singer Dolores O'Riordan has an angelic voice and it's a shame her band had to be guinea pigs for the sound men, but it's doubtful that any sound person could have done much to their music to make it better. In the words of Graham Nash from the "Four Way Street" album, their songs "start off slow and fizzle out all together." like using a garden rake to clear your throat and an ailment that's easily reinjured if not properly treated.

During Saturday night's performance he showed no signs of vocal problems as he and his band rocketed through more than 90 minutes of hits. He did stop momentarily to dedicate the mystical ballad and title track of their latest CD "Ordinary World" to "those who wake up in the morning and can't quite remember where they are and eventually wake up to find their world has come to The civic center crowd was ecstatic at the newly revamped version of their 1982 hit "Hungry Like A Wolf," which LeBon dedicated to the late punk martyr Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols. "Wolf featured an eerie and unexpected intro that eventually In "We're back! A Dinosaur's Story," a quartet of friendly, super-intelligent dinosaurs travels through time to modern-day New York. From left: Elsa, a pterodactyl; Woog, a triceratops; Rex, a tyrannosaur; and Dweeb, a dilophosaur. Animated dinosaur characters talk a lot, but fail at humor Movie lacks any appeal for adult audiences ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES (PG-13) 1:00 3:00 5:00 8:0010:00 ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES (PG-13) 2:00 4:00 7:00 9:00 WE'RE BACK (G) 1:30 3:30 5:30 7:30 9:30 IJ))o (BiliTfirgft 1-1 i "WE'RE BACK! A DINOSAUR'S STORY" Rated: Now showing: University Mall, Pensacola; Gulf Breeze Cinemas, Gulf Breeze.

How Showing! JURASSIC PARK (PG-13) BEVERLY HILLBILLIES (PG) MALICE (R) 9:35 WrifM.1 buddies get sidetracked to Central Park. They wind up as unwilling inhabitants of Professor ScrewEyes' Eccentric Circus, a show calculated to frighten rather than entertain. While the visuals are impressive, the story is flimsy. The whole thing is like a series of inspired ideas that seem to have little connection to each other. And the script, by playwright Shanley, is long on verbiage and short on wit.

These characters talk and talk, but seldom say anything interesting or funny. And talk about shameless: When the dinosaurs invade Times Square, Spielberg can't resist showing a movie marquee that is playing what else? "Jurassic Park." The voice talents are fine, including John Goodman as Rex, Walter Cronkite as Captain New-Eyes and Jay Leno as the little alien Vorb, the captain's chipper little assistant. But voices alone can't compensate for the lackluster screenplay. And none of these performers has the ad-lib ability of Robin Williams. As family entertainment goes, "We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story" is innocuous and imaginative, a film more likely to be enjoyed by youngsters than their parental chaperons.

Steven Spielberg Presents A Dinosaur Adventure For The Whole Family. By Marshall Fine Gannett News Service Even as the folks at Disney have been raking in the money in the past few years with the revival of their animation unit, other studios have stampeded into the arena, hoping to grab their own pot of gold with cartoon fare for kids. One of the most active at least as a producer has been Steven Spielberg, with films such as "An American Tail" and "The Land Before Time." But these Spielberg-driven vehicles never get it quite right, always hitting on some cylinders but missing on others. The latest is "We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story," a whimsical, lightweight story that never quite coheres. Written by John Patrick Shan-ley from a book by Hudson Tal-bott, "We're Back!" has some stunning animation and gags that will delight children, but it doesn't hang together as a film.

The story begins in prehistoric times, with the arrival of a futuristic starship. A propeller-headed alien lures four dinosaurs into a trap, then force-feeds them a breakfast cereal from the future called Brain Grain, which increases their brain capacity to evolve. This being a cartoon, evolution means they turn into softer, NOW SHOWING! talking versions of the same creatures. They are introduced to their host, Captain NewEyes, the inventor of Brain Grain, who has also invented the Wish Radio. He tunes it in and out come the wishes of children in the future: "I wish I could see a dinosaur." So Captain NewEyes has arranged for these four a tyran-nosaurus named Rex, a triceratops named Woog, a pterodactyl named Elsa and a hadrosaurus named Dweeb to be part of an exhibit at the Museum of Natural History in New York.

He flies them back to the future and drops them in the East River. There they encounter a boy named Louie, who offers to help them find the museum. To get them there without causing a panic, he guides them into the Thanksgiving Day parade, which happens to coincide with their arrival. But Louie, a new friend named Cecilia and their four monstrous Ok pxain creai iiiue seaioou skatooo i WEDNESDAY IS "SENIOR APPRECIATION DAY" ALT. "DINNER" ovi.y$2.99 (DINE-IN ONLY) a dinosaur's Story NOW SERVING CLAM CHOWDER ONtLV 1.29 1:30 3:30 5:30 7:30 9:30 Seafood Dinner Fish 'n Chicken Dinner A Delicious Treat of 2 Fish Fillets ami Boneksa Fried Shrimp, Crab, ONLY Chicken Fillen, French ONLY Fish, French Fries.

Cole nt Fries, Cole Slaw and Hush A in Slaw, and Hush Puppies 94.Qi7 Puppies. 4.1t7 Baked Fish Dinner Bite-Size Shrimp Dinner Tender Baked Fish A Generous Portion of XI. FilleU on Bed of Rice UNLI friei Shrimp, French UISLi with Green Beans, Cole 1Q Fries, Cole Slaw and QQ Slaw and Hush Puppies. vittLU Hush Puppies. 0W TAr AU1P RIAlflCC Our Food is Freshly Prepared Daily in Our Own Kitchen.

Child eats FREE with adult meal purchase. Sat. Dine In ONLY. CARLITO'S WAV (R) 00-7 NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (PQ) 1 1 O0-5 00-7: 1 MRS. DOUBTFIRE (PO-13) We Use 100 Cholesterol Free Vegetable Shortening.

-SUNDAY SPECIAL-, MONDAY TUESDAY SPECIAL! ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT Country Styk Fish Dinner 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30, 9:30 p.m.; Sun Plaza IV Theatres, Fort Walton Beach 3:15, 5:20, 7:25, 9:30 p.m. A Perfect World, PG-13, Cordova Mall, Pensacola 1:30, 4:15, 7:15, 10 p.m.; Sun Plaza IV Theatres, Fort Walton Beach 3:40, 7:05, 9:40 p.m.; Gulf Breeze Cinemas, Gulf Breeze 1:30, 4:15, 7, 9:45 p.m. Remains of the Day, PG, Cordova Mall, Pensacola 1, 4, 7, 9:45 p.m.; Cinco Cinema, Fort Walton Beach 4:10, 6:45, 9:15 p.m. The Three Musketeers, PG, Plaza III, Pensacola 2, 4:15, 7, 9:45 p.m.; Gulf Breeze Cinemas, Gulf Breeze 2, 4:15, 6:45, 9 p.m.; Cinco Cinema, Fort Walton Beach 4:45, 7, 9:10 p.m. We're Back, University Mall, Pensacola 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30, 9:30 p.m.; Santa Rosa Cinema, Fort Walton Beach 12:30, 2:10, 3:50 5:45, 7:15, 9 p.m.; Gulf Breeze Cinemas, Gulf Breeze 1:15,3,4:45 p.m.

Walton Beach 1, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:50 p.m. Jurassic Park, PG-13, Carmike CinemasMariner 4, Pensacola 7:05, 9:35 p.m.; Silver Screen, Pensacola 5, 7:25, 9:50 p.m. Malice, Silver Screen, Pensacola 9:35 p.m. Man's Best Friend, Plaza III, Pensacola 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 7:15, 9:50 p.m. Mrs.

Doubtfire, PG-13, Cordova Cinema, Pensacola 11, 1:45, 4:30, 7:15, 9:45 p.m.; Santa Rosa Cinema, Fort Walton Beach 1:30, 4:15, 7, 9:35 p.m. My Life, PG-13, Cordova Mall, Pensacola 1:45, 4:30, 7:30, 9:50 p.m.; Cinco Cinema, Fort Walton Beach 4:30, 7, 9:15 p.m. The Nightmare Before Christmas, PG, Cordova Cinema, Pensacola 11:30, 1:20. 3, 5, 7:15, 9 p.m.; Cinco Cinema, Fort Walton Beach 5:15, 7:10, 9:15 p.m. The Nutcracker, Plaza III, Pensacola Movies showing today in Northwest Floods' 'Addams Family Values, PG-13, Univer-; sity Mall, Pensacola 1 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 p.m.; Gulf Breeze Cinemas, Gulf Breeze 2:15, 4:30, 7, 9:15 p.m; Sun JPlaza IV Theatres, Fort Walton Beach 5:15, 7:20, 9:25 p.m.

'Beverly Hillbillies, PG, Carmike Cine-, masMariner 4, Pensacola 7:10, 9:15 p.m.; Silver Screen, Pensacola 5:30, 7:45 p.m. Carlito's Way, Cordova Cinema, Pen- sacola 1, 4, 7, 9:45 p.m.; Gulf Breeze Cinemas, Gulf Breeze 6:45, 9:35 p.m.; Sun Plaza IV Theatres, Fort Walton Beach 1 3, 5:45, 8:30 p.m. Gettysburg, PG, Carmike CinemasMari- i-ner 4, Pensacola 7 p.m. JThe Good Son, Carmike Cinemas Mariner 4, Pensacola 7:40, 9:40 p.m. Josh and S.A.M., PG-13, Cordova Mall, Pensacola 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 7:45.

10:15 p.m.; Santa Rosa Cinema, Fort 2 Pc. Fish Dinner nininff Room Only ONX.1 A PERFECT WORLD (PQ-13) 00 REMAINS OF THE DAY (PQ) MT LIFE (PO-13) TAKE HOME PACKS CHILDREN'S ITEMS AVAILABLE. JOSH AND SAM (PQ-13) EAT IH TARS OUT DRIVE THRU 6387 Pensotob Blvd. fotrfieW Dr. 8090 N.

Davit Hwy. 415 S.W. Corolio St. 477-0452 456-4178 478-7157 626-986S tn Cor City At Mariner MaB NorlhCross ViBece MHnn Barqain Matinee til 6 Daily.

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