The event issue 078 29 10 1997

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THE INFOMANIAC nfo, into, always more into. Welcome to another issue of The Event. I'm the star of the new Lego Island CD-Rom. Yep, I'm offering the chance to let you relive your childhood with_ t...h...o...s...e_..~~,........~ little plastic bricks. Except these are on computers so you can't put them in your mouth and worry your parents that you're going to choke to death. Right, what else have we gott With the new film A Life Less Ordinary already in the cinema, we've got a special -,"!~:!,...!!L!II!I!ll•....l!-•--pullout featuring interviews galore always, there's plenty of toast with Ewan McGregor, Cameron Diaz, director worthy stuff this fortnight. Queues, ashless cash machines, laundry Danny Boyle, writer John Hodge and producer that refuses to dry ...

Andrew McDonald. We've got a guide to the Let's imagine for a moment that every best clubs in Norwich, a guide to the best student is conscientious and spreads out pizza available and a review of the Chinese their work across the term to ensure that are no periods of pressure. Now let's State Circus' excursion to Norwich. Take a discard that thought because we all know breather, we've got even more: Sci-fi writer it's pure fantasy . Most people end up doing Peter Hamilton discusses his work, we have their work in the second half of the term . some nosh at Figaro, one of the best Most people are spending every night in the pub and com ing back home drunk as restuarants in Norwich, and Death in Vegas skunks. Students aren't helped by the fact discuss their funky thing. Cor, information, that most essay deadlines seem to fall on eht Anyway, must be off. I've got to, er, do the same day. They go to the LCR, get as stuff. Enjoy! drunk as they possibly can, go home and

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write a couple of 3000 word essays which are due in at 5pm the next day: all because "I can't miss the LCR , can I?" So the diner toast goes to deadlines, for grouping themselves together like a family of frightened peasants. The toast's in the post.

llowing the success of the 1997 British Snowboarding Championships, The Event has got together with Board-x to offer you the chance to go to the 1997 Board-x festival, sponsored by Playstation, Bud Ice, Evian and Kiss I 00. Held on the 14th to the 16th of November at the British Genius Site, Battersea Park. the Championships will feature all the main UK snowboarding retailers along with I S top international snowboarders. There will also be DJ's, light shows and a street course to accommodate skaters. Metal Morphosis will be showing off the world's only mob ile body piercing unit.

Normally, daily tickets would be 'i.7 on the gate or 'i.S prebooked, but The Event is offering S pairs of tickets to ~ this fantastic festival. To enter, ~ just answer this question:

Wh ich London radio statio n is sponsoring "~--.......~....... ~~~~~~~"" the Board-X Festivan

THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1997

Editor-In-chief: Jane Kirby Editor: Catherine Jones Husic Editor: Paul Stokes Assi sta nt Husl c Editor: James Tapsfield Design and Scre en Editor: John Spacey TV&Radio Editor: Amy Pierce lnter@c tlve Editor: Stuart Dredge Acting Arts Editor: James Graham Advertisi ng H an ager: Amy Kingswell Contributing Writers: Paul Pearhouse, Johnathan Dunbar, lmogen Rose-Smith, Paul Gould, Duncan Cowper Max Dunbar, Debbi Marco, Charlotte Gibson, Katie Wesley, Diana Goodman, Lucas Psillakis, Steve Roberts, Sam Jackson, Lucie Russell, Ivy Dennett-Thorpe, Neill Johnstone, Katie Durrant, Lee McNicoll, Kale Sawmall , Kristian Mitchell , Adam Hawkins, Anita Miah , Sophie Blanch, Tamson Morley, Ruth Smith, Mo Herdman, Dan Brigden, Simon Morris, Re becca Shannon , ne Ruddy, Kate Sandel

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Klaus Estop talks to local artist Chris Green about his musical

influences, a~d how he finally got his hands unstuck from that fence ••• t isn't often you get the opportunity to relax in the Hive and interview a highly talented musical act. Often it's five minutes before a gig or a phone interview in the middle of the day (the band has done four of these already and

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of the South Bank Show. one was on Suzanne Vega, and the other was on Jackson Pollock. I got quite inspired by them." High brow indeed, although it should be noted that on his latest cassette there is a song called Portland Bill.

they are fed up with being ~----------------------------....... questioned) or it's a bad phone line and you can't hear a word they're saying. So to sit in the Hive is a surprising Keep taking those pills. Chris novelty.

One man and his guitar. it's a noble tradition in Chris played a music, like Bob Dylan and Billy Bragg. Chris well received gig in the Green is hoping to follow in those footsteps, just Arts Centre him, his songs and his guitar. After a spell in Cafe 'industrial' rock bands in the 80s, a term of study within UEA's hallowed walls, and a move to earlier Nottingham, Chris Green is just now starting the this quest for musical success. "I realised I'd been doing music for so long that it was about time I had a go at it seriously," he explained. "I'm not after chart success specifically. I'd just like to carve out a following." The songs Chris plays cover a range of topics but are always witty; "I try to understand brutal experiences, and not make light of them, but reflect them in a way that contains some light. Not all doom and gloom, I can't stand that." Chris is not snobbish about his music and is always open to influence Julian Cope, Stereolab, Sebadoh, and especially Jarvis Cocker and Pulp. "I like good lyrics," he concedes, "Though 1do get a lot of influence from watching TV. I wrote two songs off the back

Your Indispensable guide to all that matters in music ••• bass. Rick Wakeman famously played the piano on Hunky Dory. Bowie himself plays rhythm guitar and piano on many tracks, and is an excellent saxophonist. He played saxophone on Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side.

Sold a few records? Plenty. To give you a taste, last year he was able to raise $30 million by using his back catalogue as security.

Which la beat then? Definitely nothing from the dodgy 80s period. Hunky Dory Is the connoisseurs choice, but in tenns of mass appeal it has to be

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Are they still going? Bowle'a IIIMit • • literally kicking, having turned to with his last few offerings. But ll's same...

Did we mention epacemen? MYlr.-.v stories surround Bowle. For 8)QIIifl1)'il.-: same time as he was writing

obsessed classics as Llffl On he was too afraid to travWcln

THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1997

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l't'~ here are several different styles of music which are all blanketed under the dance music label. This is music which is often underrated or ignored.

The output from these genres is unlikely to receive widespread critical acclaim, apart from those people who dedicate themselves to dance culture.

So what are the differences? Take for example, techno, drum & bass and house. These are terms which most people will have heard but have little idea of their exact nature and history.

Each style has roots in different parts of the world.

The techno genre owes much to a trio of men from Detroit: Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May. They in turn credit German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk as their inspiration.

Drum & Bass' roots can be traced back to the rave/hardcore music scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s. DJs such as LTJ Bukem, Fabio and Doe Scott have helped Drum & Bass to become a distinctive and unique form of music, and it is now a fully fledged genre in its own right.

House, like techno, also has most of its roots in the US. Cities such as New York, Chicago and, once again, Detroit, were crucial in the development of house music through DJs like Blake Bax1er and Junior Vasquez. Subsequently, Detroit has become something of a Mecca for followers of dance music. The number of DJs, producers and bands from Detroit that have gained an almost legendary status among the

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a bro d church and orwich chapels dance community is awe-inspiring.

Unlike indie, rock, or pop, dance music focuses on individual DJs rather than bands.

Despite the almost universal popularity of Underworld, The Chemical Brothers and Orbital they only represent a small section of the dance scene.

More people should realise that Born Slippy is not the only dance record ever produced.

There are a considerable number of quality 'dance bands' but it's DJs who are at the forefront of the scene. DJs like earl Cox don't just plug their own material; they also push the work of lesser known acts.

The key difference between a DJ and a pop band, is the length of set. A band will normally only play for two hours, whereas a DJ's spell in the booth can be anything from two to 12 hours.

Playing continually for such long periods allows DJs to experiment within their sets, allowing them to change the pace or style of their music in response to the audience.

This is what creates the unique and exciting live atmosphere that dance music has to offer.

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A. trough et' u> n may appear an venue for clubbers, touring clubs have recently put tn a significant effort to tr nsform the venue.

Over the past year a g ant pair of rubber hps, an Inflatable Octopus and a ten foot gong have all graced the LCR stage.

The Ministry of Sound returned a couple of weeks ago, and future events Include the Positive Education tour, Planet A/tee and Miss

Moneypenny's.

w, h the addltlon of Club Rumble last year, the LCR has proved to be a surprtslngly good venue, whether you're mto cheesy house techno or jungle

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Overt year the Waterfront, <~ "' · n a wild vanety of DJs and clubs on tour il'lcludlng Club Progress, Aphex Twtn and CJ Bolland In May of this year Norwich based col ect1ve Offyerface transferred the r most successful ub mgrt The Kttchen from an overt ow ng Zoom to the Waterfront The new look Kitchen was celebrated by the vtst of top DJ Darren Emerson (Underworld} accompamed by a 'lon-stop computer grapr1c/ vtdeo miX The Kttchen has become a regular all nlghter which Is not to be m1ssed.

Out of the few venues avatlable to clubbers 10 Norwich, the Waterfront is arguably the best.

The separate areas allow for vaneties 1n musical taste, and added touches include body visual effects and a patrol

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Zoom 1s a smart but small club Weekend events such as Love Bamb Baby have race1ved positive feedback, and Juice on a Saturday night ·swell worth a look. lt's fairly cheap with a late licence till three. The dress code is smart casual.

THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1997 j

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hat does Elvis mean to you? Was he the King, an aii-American colossus bestriding the history of popular music? Or the man responsible for legions of timeless songs, cherished by millions worldwide? Or just a fat dead bloke who ate too many hamburgers?

Quite a few people think he's still alive, hiding out somewhere under a new identity. Death in Vegas don't, and called their debut album Dead Elvis to prove it.

They may not be as famous as Mr Presley yet, but give 'em time ...

Death in Vegas is made up of Richard Fearless, Stave Hellier, and assorted mates who join them for live outings. For the uninitiated, their music's a potent mixture of dub reggae, techno, jazz and big guitars, and they're hotly tipped as the next breakthrough act from the same Big Beat scene that spawned the Chemical Brothers and Bentley Rhythm Ace among others.

Not that Richard agrees, "I don't like this whole Big Beat thing at all. it's not what I'm into, and I'm staying well away from the whole thing. I like to think we're different to that.

There's a lot of s••t coming out of this Big Beat scene."

And he's got a point. Anyone who goes along to a Death in Vegas gig expecting the sort of bouncy Big Beat mayhem you'd get from Fatboy Slim or the Bentleys will be sorely disappointed. If I had to describe Richard's mood, I'd probably use the word 'disillusioned', or even more appropriately, 'knackered '. Touring, it

seems, is not his favourite thing.

"I don't like it. There's too much hanging around, with soundchecks and all that. I prefer DJing: that way you can just turn up with your records and play. I'm shattered to be honest!"

Unfortunately, next week sees

I don't like this Big Beat thinga' at all. We're different to that. ' ''

Richard, truly a Fearless creature!

the 'Vegas heading off to America to support the Chemical Brothers on their tour. Surely that'll be a good laugh , and a chance to sell loads of records to the electronica-hungry Americans?

"Yeah, but what about the long ten hour drives? The gigs are selling out, so it ought to be good, but the problem with crowds over there is that they just stand there and watch."

Still, after that tour, and a couple of dates supporting the Chemicals at Brixton Academy in December, a long break is planned, during which Richard confesses he "can't wait" to get back into the studio. This is mainly due to his record company's release policy, which takes the practise of dead horse flogging to a new level. The three singles from Dead Elvis; Dirt, Rekkit and ' Rocco, have all been released and then rereleased after press attention.

To put it politely,

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BENTLEY RHYTHM ACE -Waterfront -Wed October 22 • DEATH IN VEGAS - Waterfront - Thu October 23

sucks when it kicks you in the teeth, literally In my case, as the day the Bentleya town la also the day my 1oothache Is diagnosed ae a earlous ab<:ess. The resulting course of anllbiQIIce means no drinking, and hence for me tonight..

Or eo takes a few big beats before ~,...---·- ..- :- - for tonight Norwich --llllttinn a rapturous

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Richard's not happy, "When Rocco came out for the second time recently, it had this new mix that I'm not into at all.

There were three new tracks on there, which were basically ignored."

Then there's Dirt. When it was made three years ago, it was a cutting edge slice of hip-hop punk rock, complete with a suitably 'far out' Woodstock sample. lt came out for the second time in Britain

But can the next night be as good? The answer, predictably, is no. Don't get me wrong: ifs not the bands' fault. Perhaps it's the fact that my legs are stiU recovering from three hours continuous dancing. Or maybe it's to do With the 8lze of the CIUWd, which isn't as packed. Then again, it's ~the fact that my damn toolhache Is back in fUIItiJIIct. ANal

this year, and has just been released in America too. "lt seems mad: we're promoting a song that we made three years ago! When it came out, there wasn't much else like it - it was pretty unique. But now there's a lot of records that have copied it, so people don't pay much attention. We get a lot of pressure from people to make more records like Dirt, but it doesn't really sum up what Death in Vegas is all about."

What Death in Vegas is about, is communicating their influences to a new audience, and this is something they do share with many Big Beat acts.

For example, rappers such as Schoolly D and Kool Keith are gaining new fans through featuring on records by the Chemical Brothers and the Prodigy. Not only does Dead Elvis sample

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legendary jazzmeister Gii-Scott Heron on its opening track, but Richard hopes that fans will check out the artists who influenced its creation, such as Dr John and Burning Spear, both of whom he loves with a passion. What about more recent bands?

"I really rate Primal Scream. They're one of the few modem bands that I've got any time for. Their new dub LP (Echo Dek, out this week) is one of the albums of the year."

And with that, the interview is terminated by the tour manager, anxious that Richard should get some rest before going onstage. And , to be honest, he needs itl His music may be vibrant, but tonight at least, the man himself is half asleep.

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They're great, but my about 50 tonnes. People are obVIoUif/ IntO I. but alii can do Is slump against a piUar Md loek on With my eyes glazing over. What did 1h8V play? l can't remember, but lt was great. I'm going to have to listen to my Dead EMs LP to find out. If they ever come back to Norwich, just point me In their direction With a truckload of Pro Plusll

£60.00 Party room hire Includes DJ or provide your own Pub bar prices, minimum 100 persons Monday through to Thursdays 15, Dove St, Norwich 01603 629060 THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1997

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This week's package of musical oddities is ready to be examined ••• Insane Clown Posse The Great Milenko Insane Clown Posse are two rappers from Detroit who, get this, really are clowns.

They weren't born that way, obviously. That would be silly. Instead they were transformed by a force known as the Dance Carnival, and rather than being overcome with the urge to pour water over one another in the name of comedy, they've been compelled to make music of a dark and scary variety.

The album opens with apocalyptic

preaching which gives way to slow, menacing hip hop beats, as the first track Great Milenko begins. it's followed by Hokus Pokus which infuses a great bassline with evil laughter, circus music, and aggressive lyrics.

The vi be is set for the album which has definite echoes of Cypress Hill and the Wu-Tang Clan which at times makes for some uncomfortable listening.

The Clowns never get too scary , their clowning sensibilities often shine through on tracks like The Neden Game, a hilarious gangsta-rap take on Blind Date.

This provides some light entertainment and gives the album a unique spin .

The track which stands out is Pass Me By. With thoughtful lyrics and a catchy chorus it wi ll soon " have your head nodding .

Not bad for a couple of clowns.

Katie Durrant

The Cult Files: Reopened Hercules, Thunderbirds, Joe 90, Superman.

No it's not a superhero convention , but a compilation of TV and film themes.

This is volume two, as the imaginative title suggests, and includes 44 digitally recorded themes.

Some are covered by an orchestra, some revamped , but all are pretty cheesy.

This is definitely an 'alternative CD' to add to your collection, though exactly what it adds is another matter. it's difficult to see who this CD is aimed at.

Surely die-hard fans would prefer the original recordings, and the word 'sacrilege' comes to

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Although the 20 page booklet may delight some, especially those who just have to know how many episodes of The Fugitive there were ... Oh, all right, 120, and for everyone into the state of the art, the. cover is in J 3D and comes complete with X-ray Specs, so who could resist?

This isn't the type of record you'd listen to alone, as all the tracks merge into one , but if you 've got a few mates round it is fun to listen to Police Squad or The Addams Family (click, click) and the vocal on Fireball XL-5 is so hilariously anachronistic that it's tab (or is that Thunderbirds?) .

Yes it's cheesy. Yes it's fun .

The sound blasts those cobwebs from your memory (if you're not too young to remember).

However, it's been done before and it's two and a half hours long.

I strongly suspect that once played, this piece of cheese will turn stale .

Lee McNico/1

Animals On Wheels Designs and Mistakes

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THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1997

What with modern beats being big, phat, old school, new school , cheesy, heavy, lazy, dreamy, ambient, trancey, th umping , howl ing or whatever the vogue is this week, it is becoming increasingly difficult to know whe re you stand.

An imals on Wheels do nothing to help matters.

For a while, the drum and bass sounds somewh ere between intelligent and quite well educated; th at is, until the bas s sweatily ca lls time and puts its feet up for a whi le.

What follows is not unlike DJ Shadow, except for the added squelching.

Allowing no time for complacency, the beats swiftly put on weight, lumbering with the extra bulk, unti'l th eir adrenaline kicks in , and off they rush again into the magnum opus: progressive death-beat jazz piano and bass.

Inexplicably, the brakes are now slammed on , and the rest is fairly easy, with a comfortable meander through atmospheric Serraesque marshland to the ultimate goal of more intelligent drum and bass.

Perhaps the most obvious compa rison would be to white knuckle nutter theme park ri des.

Emerging from Designs and Mistakes does leave you a little dizzy, but at the end of the day, you Neill Johnstone won 't reg ret it.

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Lueas Psillakis looks at Hollywood's morbid fascination with the mad and the sad. Why is the nutter a movie staplet Do simpletons rockt ne thing you can always count on sane man wouldn't? stupid does. Director Robert Zemeckis is still Wrapping up the psychotic vs moronic is a marked lack of originality on laughing all the way to the bank. the part of Hollywood Forrest Gump was just about watch able, but not battle, we are forced to sink to the lowly moviemakers. If their next as good as the 1979 Peter Sellers film Being depths of The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. Rebecca DeMornay is the blockbuster isn't the remake of There, about a very simple minded gardener who psychopath who ends up getting killed some French farce you never got around to befriends a dying millionaire and teaches the President of the USA a thing or two (mostly about by the mentally handicapped gardener watching in the first place, or a 'funny and gardening) . she terrorised. touching' film about love, or a gobbledegook of The first conclusion of this study is Norman Wisdom was often another likeable idiot 'special' but rather pointless visual effects, you that the mind is a terribly difficult (in the movies, not in real life - we're not asking for can bet it'll be about one of two things - idiots or thing to understand even for a brain psychos. In short, it'll be about people who are a a lawsuit) . A multi faceted actor, he's played surgeon, never mind a film director.

Norman , the milkman in The Early Bird, Norman, few sandwiches short of a lunchbox or people with The second conclusion is that most a lunchbox packed to overflowing with peanut a grocer's assistant in The Bulldog Breed, and films about mental problems are butter, jam and mayonnaise triple deckers and a Norman , an ambitious stockroom employee in not worth watching (take it strangely shaped from someone who's seen apple. them) . The final Sure, it's conclusion is that socially unwise Dudley was right to group _ _ _ __.,... Volvos do indeed look together the Dudley Moore has an outbreak of honesty ...----' like boxes. Isn't it mentally unstrung with the wonderful that even mentally disadvantaged. movies can teach you Trouble in Store. You can see how original and Psychos are an interesting bunch. lt's usually the a thing or two about ... innovative film makers are. boy (or girl) next door, a seemingly quiet youth life?

Jerry Lewis, Pee Wee Herman. The Nerds who after being forced to watch one episode of movies. Just thought I'd mention them and move Dallas too many, reveals that (plot twist of plot on. twists) he/she has recently escaped from a mental hospital, and just happens to have got his/her mad nlike idiots, who are almost always nice, little mitts on a chainsaw and proceeds to wreak havoc in the misty backwoods near Nowheresville, mad people in movies are almost always nasty. A few Robert DeNiro films spring to Missouri.

Idiots are even more interesting, mainly because mind. they're either there to be made fun of, or to be In Hollywood the insane can also be loving and giving. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is a loved, or occasionally even to be empathised with. terrific film . Most of the characters are insane and This seems to tell us that Hollywood regards the others mentally handicapped. One (Danny DeVito) audience as either very horrible, or very nice, or is very short and another is Jack Nicholson. This, worse, very stupid people. like Rainman, is a serious movie which aims to The 1996 John Landis film The Stupids used the slogan 'As American as apple pie and twice as deal with the issues of mental problems in a smart' to describe the eponymous family. Are thoughtful way.

The Dudley Moore vehicle Crazy People is not a Americans dumb? Well, John Landis might be for serious movie, and is, as such, more fun to deal trying to make people pay money to see this with. Dudley plays one of the few honest rubbish. advertising executives in the world, who comes up Dumb and Dumber is even less worthy, as it is with the slogan "Volvo's - yes, they're boxy- yes, only about two stupid people and not a whole they're safe" and is immediately flung into the family. loony bin. He meets Daryl Hannah and a One of Dumb and Dumber's posters parodied patient who only says the word 'hello'. that of Forrest Gump, the definitive dumb His work is then accidentally used and movie about a likeable but rather dim man he becomes successful, but decides who goes through life spewing his he'd rather stay with Daryl. What mother's little sayings about life (it's like a box of chocolates apparently), meets a handful of very famous Admission £1.50 B411pm £2.50 after. people, effectively NUS SOp off causes Richard Nixon's resignation , survives Vietnam, runs across America and bores just about everyone to death.

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s the first proj ect to emerge from Spielberg's DreamWorks studios, this was widely expected to be a showcase film. Under the direction of Mimi Leder, previously of ER tame , and starring George Clooney and Nicole Kidman, The Peacemaker would appear, at least on paper, to have all the right ingredients for a cinematic cocktail of action, intrigue and suspense, with plenty of sex appeal added for good measure. The film begins in a remote part of Russia. Two trains are on a coll ision course - one carrying passengers, while the other has enough· nuclear weapons to toast more than a few vodka-swelling Ruskies. Moments after the train crash , a nuclear blast shatters the rural landscape and plunges much of Russia and eastern Europe into a radioactive soup. Dr Julia Kelly (Kidman), a nuclear scientist heading the investigation, suspects foul play and suggests the collision was

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Win! Win! Win!

H amlet USA ( 19 97)

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o mark the opening of LA Confidential, The Event and the Odeon cinema in Norwich have teamed up to offer you , the reader, some fantastic prizes . For the lucky person who gets drawn out of the hat first, we're offering you a big (and we mean big) poster of the film . 6 runners up will receive LA Confidentia/T-shirts. To enter, just answer this question: in which fi lm did Kevin Spacey play a serial killer obsessed with the seven deadly sins? Stick your answer on a postcard and put it in the Concrete competition s box in the Hive by November 11 .

Dir: Kenneth Branagh Union Film - Nov 7

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ranagh's third big-screen Shakespeare adaptation is certainly his most ambitious, and is perhaps his best. The blockbuster budget is evident in every scene.

Sumptuous locations and costumes, coupled with huge battle scenes, help to create a visual feast that holds the viewer's attention throughout

most likely the work of terrorists. Meanwhile Thomas Devoe (Clooney) , an intelligence officer with the U.S. Army's Special Forces, exposes the theft of the nuclear cargo. What follows is essentially a race against the clock to recover the hijacked cargo before even more hapless souls bite the radioactive dust. Leder's direction is captivating ; from the sweeping panoramic camera shots to the decidedly X-Files dark and moody scenes, all marinated in the engaging and furiously paced style that makes ER stand out from the crowd. But despite all this and the film's sumptuous sets it never seems to achieve the sense of grandeur promised .

Clooney and Kidman give good performances but why the task of saving the world should seemingly rest in their hands alone is bewildering .

The ending is all too predictable and the motives of the terrorists questionable. If only Hollywood could break with tradition and give us what we want, i.e. Clooney and Kidman riding the atomic wave , life would be so much more fun .

Paul Gould

even the most lengthy soliloquy. Despite Branagh's refusal to cut anything out (resulting in a running time over four hours) , the story unfolds with remarkable pace and energy. The central performance by Branagh himself is outstanding.

Perfected from his more than 300 stage renditions of the play, the subtl ety and power of this Hamlet is difficult to deny. Excellent performances by Derek Jacobi (as Claudius) and Julie Christie (as the Queen) more than make up for a unconvincing Ophelia (Kate Winslet) and several superfluous cameos from the likes of Billy Crystal, Gerard Depardieu and Robin Williams. Use of flashbacks , cross-cutting, and an unsettling emphasis upon close-ups, reveals an adventurous and innovative approach to such an old story. This is the most accessible movie version of Hamlet yet and , wh ile not definitive , comes highly recommended .

Dan Brigden

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The One & Only Open from Spm, 7 days a week 25 Cattle Market Street (Opposite Castle Ma ll and halfway between Peppermint Park and Eastern Counties New papers)

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ollowing Princess Di's death , stars and the press don't seem to be getting along so well . Paparazzi photographers at the Rome opening of yet another Planet Hollywood refused to take Sylvester Stallone's picture, some chanting "Fool! Fool!" after Stallone accused "a section of the paparazzi" of bringing celebs "only grief and harm". After a GQ cover story painting Mira Sorvino as temperamental and hard to work with , her father , actor Paul Sorvino, was quoted in the New York Daily News saying he would "kick the ass" of the article's author, Mira's Harvard classmate Andre Corsello. Corsello responded , "Paul Sorvino can sing , he can act, and he can kick like a black belt, but he can 't run like I can ." In another cover story, this time in the US Esquire, the magazine speculates at length whether or not Kevin Spacey is gay. The actor has called the story, titled "Kevin Spacey has a Secret", "mean-spirited , homophobic, [and] offensive" and is urgi11g a boycott of the magazine by other members of the entertainment commun ity.

Patron saint of all B-movies Roger Carman and his Concorde Anois film studio in Connemara, Ireland are being criticised for making pornography with taxpayers money. The studio, funded in the most part by the government, is under fire for several of its films , which include explicit scenes. A spokesman for Corman says the scenes were all ''tastefully and artistically directed".

Speaking of Roger Corman , B-movie fan Tim Burton is planning to remake Carman's X: The Man with X-Ray Eyes, perhaps after directing the much talked about 'Nicholas Cage as Superman' . A fifth Superman, is slowly rolling int:> action, with a first-draft script by Clerks author Kevin Smith.

Smith apparently begged to include his recurring characters Jay and Silent Bob but whether they'll be working for the Daily Planet and making rude comments about Lois Lane's skirt length is anyone's guess.

Diana Goodman

F

Face/Off Released November 7 In the search for a revolutionary new weapon , FBI agent John Travolta takes Nicholas Cage's face and goes undercover, leaving Cage to take Travolta's face .

The Blues Brothers Union Films October 3 Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi go on an epic journey across America cracking jokes and singing songs to the delight of all. No need for anything resembling a plot.

LA Con fidential Released October 31 James Ellroy's allegedly unfilmable novel of 1950s Los Angeles makes it to the big screen . Kevin Spacey and Danny Devito get bogged down in corruption.

Smilla 's Feeling For Snow Released October 31 A six year old's death turns out to be part of a conspiracy.

Julia Ormond decides to investigate, and in so doing tries to 'find herself'. Nothing like keeping things simple.

Small Time Released October 31 A group of fri ends in a small northern town (not New York surprisingly) spend their time talking rubbish and stealing anything not bolted to the floor.

Fools Rush In Released October 31 Matthew Perry (rushing in from Friends) stars as a businessman whose one night stand with Salma Hayek backfires when she turns up pregnant three months later.

An American Were wolf in Paris Released October 31 The world tour continues with this sequel of the 1981 film based in London. This time a student gets all hairy in the French capital.

~·

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aby's Day Out is from the start as r:etty much doomed fully realised Th' .e potential for overkill is sequel, it's something e IS IS not simply an inferior The creative team of J ~en worse, an imitation Read Johnson gave Hughes and Patrick. ome Alone. Then there was Home Alone Tw robbers with more in o w~ere he foiled the same ~borate on the the~~n;~us booby traps. Just to it remake was to Dennis the ldn t even warrant • Which was so bad ~han little kids and ho;e~:uel. ~o what's cuter raw? Babies. Enter Bab y ~ bigger box office y B.tnk, an adorable nine month old, son of two E?die and Laraine. Hi:renettc social climbers, wtth getting th etr . cute asparents are . both ob sessed app1e pte son's picture in e papers. th Actually looking after him secondary conce t seems to be a m o enhanc· · · opu ~nty and status. tng their family's I P So being rich and negligent . their son is the

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In attempts to fm I ' e act1on c t~st. This is perfect Thursd om~s at you thick and ose of you too tired t ay ntght fodder for 0 make the LCR, poor babies.

Amy Pierce

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Assassinations, alien landings, and faked deaths - lt's a Our fortnightly guide to ~ottest sites to be murky world out there and no mistake. Stuart Dredge the seen on the lntemet investigates.

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the Kennedy conspiracy and UFOs, and "it just snowballed from there." He hopes the site will make people think a little bit harder about the world around them , "/ feel people have the right to question and speculate about everything . it's human nature not to believe everything we see and hear without evidence to prove it."

And, in the case of President Kennedy, we've been speculating about it for years without reaching any concrete conclusions. Will we ever know the truth?! "/ worry that we won 't, at least not in our generation . The people involved are either

T here are some universal truths that you just can 't argue with. Like, the grass is always greener on the other side. Or that every new Ocean Colour Scene song will sound just like the last one.

Or even the fact that Manchester United are going to win the Premiership for the next dozen years. And , it's equally certain to say that everyone loves a good conspiracy theory. And, for those curious enough to look, there 's a wealth of Internet 1 sites devoted to unravelling ', all kinds of nefarious • cover ups.

One such

pages. lt features information about all kinds of conspiracies, including old favourites like the JFK Assassination and UFOs, but also looking at the often sinister acts of the US Government.

Mike Sleeman, the site's creator, talked to us about his reasons for starting it, and a little bit about his personal beliefs. The Fubar pages came about simply from his interest in

Just don't mention Elvis ... dead or dying, and of course the files are sealed until the year 2030 or something!"

UFOs are a different story·. ·Many people are convinced that there have already been several alien landings on earth, all of which have been hushed up by various governments. You may have seen the infamous Roswe/1 footage of a dead alien (or rubbish playdoh model, depending on who you believe), and this is plso well represented on-line.

As is the more plausible theory that pretty soon the authorities will be forced into admitting that the

earth has already been visited. If the governments wuss out, Mike's sure that, "eventually some alien race will make their presence known to the general lation of the world ," anyway.

But UFOs are a relatively harmless subject compared to some of the stuff on Fubar, including allegations of illegal chemical weapon testing and such like. Surely, if it was true , Mike wouldn 't be allowed to say it?!

"Well , I get a lot of hits from the government and the military, and I always wonder what they're looking at. But I've never been warned to take the site down. I think I'm probably not getting enough attention on the net. If I was getting 1000 hits a day then somebody would probably notice, and then I wonder what would happen. At the moment I'm just a little fish in a big sea."

Of course, whether you think of the Fubar theories as prime fillet or (wait for it) just a load of red herrings is unimportant. Even the most cynical of Brits will be left wondering if someone is indeed out to get us. Whether you 're studying theKennedy assassination for an essay or simply want to read the stuff THEY don't want us to read , try Fubar at http://pw2.netcom.com/-fubar4/ Also, check out the lnter @ctive web pages - we've got loads of links to conspiracy sites of all kinds!

Remember, the truth is out there ...

tile bric:k.s are bac:k.!

There may be a new Lego computer game, but like many otherwise mature adults, Lucie Russell knows that the nation's fave blocks never really went away Anyone who claims not to have played with Lego when they were young must have had a childhood which I can only describe as pathetic!

Those plastic babbled bricks kept us entertained for hours, so I'm filled with nostalgia when I look

those years. Actually, who am I trying to kid? Stuff nostalgia - I still play with my Lego, building ever bigger and better constructions!

But now, thanks to the wonders of modern technology (well , Mindscape) , we now have the

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with bright yellow skin and detachable limbs. As you can imagine , "I'm cracking up," soon becomes a tiresome pun !

Basically, the game involves building vehicles. For example a helicopter, Formula One car or a jetski. Then you get to race around the imaginatively titled Lego Island. This can be fantastic, although the races do lack the excitement of Wipeout 2097 or F1 since they're not particularly fast or drenched in trickery. it's straightforward fun.

But be warned: beware of the mighty 'Brickster', who is attempting to scupper your plans to be the best. He looks just like the other characters, apart from his mean pair of ~VSI~R•• shades and an evil streak that'// have you bricking your pants faster than one of Papa Brickolini's pizzas!

If you're looking for a game that's challenging, fast and exciting, then this isn't the game for you. However, if you're still a child at heart who wants to play with virtual plastic blocks, or if you'd like to sample bright, fun graphics mixed with cheery music, then this is the game you've been waiting for.

magazines on the Net, sites that bring ou a wealth of facts and entertainment as well as saving you money and the hassle of leafing through issues at the newsagents. In addition to sites for print journals, the Net boasts magazines and 'zines composed especially for the elect,ronic medium that cover just about any interest, serious or fun.

E-mags provide a range of viewpoints on news and lifestyle. WIN (Women's International Net) offers thought-provoking reports from around the globe that address women's concerns while Tabloid News Services brings you the truth as it is in "Hotel worker eaten by crocodiles," and, "Soldier shoots missile into his stomach". If you want to find help in dating, mating, and relating, try Swoon.

This nifty mag offers personal ads, horoscopes, a gossip game, discussions, and articles from GO, Glamour, Details and Mademoiselle. Its Surfboard section contains excellent links to sites on various topics such as roommates and renting, consumer rights, and vegetarianism.

TV and film fans are well served. Film Feature Forum indexes essays about international cinema and is a great place to read up on your favourite kind of movie. British Comedy Digest appraises classic comedies such as Rising Damp and delivers recent comedy news. Are you haunted by fears of missing the latest adventures of Scully and Mulder? AMTV reviews and rates ;""'r;\v""""' the X-Files, Star Trek Voyager, and other American programmes . broadcast in the UK. Comic fans also have many on line mags to choose from. Shout reviews legendary and current comics and is well worth a visit. I highly recommend the Kryptonian Cybernet, a zine dedicated to all things Superman, including the · new comics, classic Superman stories, cartoons, films , and the Lois and Clark TV series. Mantle of the Bat has good features on the Batman comics, the movies, and programmes.

There's lots of on-line humour magazines too.

Big Yellow Taxi pokes fun at politics, cyber pubs, and the amount of time needed to download software. Need To Know is a "sarcastic" look at the world of computers and the Net, but it also sharply comments on the week's news, films, TV shows and games.

A quick surf should uncover a magazine or ezine to suit just about any hobby, be it

birdkeeplng, Barble doll collectlng or drinking.

All About Beer and BMr Joumal's six sud rating system might just make your next trip to the Hive more enjoyable.

If you want to check out the sites featured in Surfer's Heaven, head for our web pages, which are located at www.uea.ac.uk/concrete/interactive/

Pizza is perhaps the most student friendly foodstuff on the surface of the earth, but of all the pizzas in all the shelves of Norwich's supermarkets The Event asks which is topt Sainsbury's Ham and Pineapple il.49 This ptzza was on the whole disappointing- very small with an incredibly thtn base. The scariest aspect was the apparent lack of any cheese, which we always believe to be quite a vital element of most ptzzas. Having recovered from this inttial shock, we began our search for topptng and unearthed a minimal amount of pineapple, and marginally less ham Undaunted we decided to put it to the ultimate test and taste it. This confirmed our fears as the tomato sauce was very platn, and as this comprised as the majority of the pizza. it really didn't help Its cause. The actual base itself was very biscUtty and so we were left wtlh the texture of a nch tea wtth a vague tomato sauce topptng .

Figaro, Figaro ith so many appealing restaurants in Norwich, it's hard to know which one to spend your precious pennies on . We decided to Investigate, choosing Figaro on All Saint's Green, with an enticing Monday meal deal of any pasta or pizza dish on the menu for just 拢4.55.

From the moment you step into this restaurant, you could almost be in a cosy Italian kitchen. The red tiled floor, authentic pizza oven, and Italian paraphernalia create an inviting atmosphere.

We were eagerly shown to a secluded table romantically endowed with fresh flowers and a candle. If you want efficient and friendly service this is deftnitely the place to go 路 our dnnk order was taken immediately and menus quickly followed . The menu offers a vast selection of starters, pasta and pizzas.

We were spoilt for choice with such dishes as tortellini, made with spinach and ricotta cheese, and tiger prawns served in garlic and while wine. They cater for every possible ptzza combination, with at least five vegetarian options. After staring at the menu for a long, long time, we eventually went for the waldorf salad and garlic mushrooms to start, followed by siciliana and marinara pizzas. Both starters were ideal with the mushrooms cooked lightly in oil and garlic and just the right amount of waldorf salad. The main courses were equally as good and would fulfil anyone's expectancies of a typically Italian pizza. The bases were thtn yet doughy and both lived up to the menu description. We were particularly surprised at the amount of meat on the siciliana whtch made a refreshing change from the usual meat-challenged pizza.

Having eaten every morsel of food , we couldn 't resist dessert given the delicious range on offer. We chose the strawberry cheesecake and tiramisu which would satisfy any dessert fan . Figaro is definitely Sam Jackson worth a visit and justifies stretching that student budget once in a while.

W

Marks & Spencer Pizza Supreme il.99 Thts pizza came tn the largest box was the most expensive and somehow managed to be the smallest ptzza that we tried. We were very disillustoned when we::::::;'::; ~---opened the box to find a pizza that was just over six tnches tn dtameter. Again there was not much topptng w1th cheese sparcely arranged in thin slices over a fair amount of pepperoni and a suggestion of ham. Even the base of the pizza was extremely thin. After tasting the pizza we found the base too thin and suffered from over crisptng in the oven The 'Monterey Jack' cheese was actually qutte nice but once agatn there was a chrome lack of it. The tomato sauce was barely nottceable and was little more than a tomato puree. Thts ptzza was certainly not one of the best that we tried, and for the price that we patd we expected something a lad superior.

UFO Ham and Pineapple i 1.99 The first thtng one nottces about th1s pt.zza IS the absence of any shiny packagmg The second thmg you notice is the fact that it's pretty huge. When you constder the relatively low price 11 seems an attractive oppositon. There was a s1milar scarc1ty of chese, and very l1t1e ptneapple although there was a decent amount of ham. The base was pretty thick so you can assume 11 would make a decent meal.

Co-Op Garlic Chicken 99p When you buy a pizza for this pnce you don I really expect much a:1d that's exactly what we got Although the p1zza was reasonably large typicft y, it lacked a decent amount of topptng. The base was once more very thm and d1dn't really catch the eye 1t tasted bland and suffered from its lack of topping but at least the chtcken was fresh(lsh) and not of the reprocessed vanety. Th1s d1dn't really matter as there wasn't a great deal of chicken on the p1zza 1n the f1rst place. Althoug. the price of thts p1zza may be an tncentlv .~ '" koov tl. the taste certainly was not. 搂 ii.;t.t.

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Tesco Bacon, Mushroom and Tomato il.89 Th s was one of the more expenstve pizzas we tned and second only to the UFO ptzza 111 s1ze. Unlike the p zzas we bought from the other stores you were able to rudge the topp g VIa a cellophane wmdow or the box Th1s worked 111 1ts favour as t!"te ~"rst t tng we rot1ced was the that there was oads of topptng but agam rot much cheese to speak o' wh eh we. n t 1mmed1ate~ not ceable a the other ged ent seemed to be plent' I Upon tas g we found thts to oe one o' the s of p zza The ba n seemed to be better van reasonably fr 1 ana cnsped up well n tt-e oven p 1ectly comp erlc'lted by tom to sauce The base of t'le p zza w r ther too tt路 k or cnspy d dtd not ~rr.r...... detract f or1 tre ta t of t p1zza We 'ound th to oe e.xt ely t ty a e gh y expens Vf! So, If you are either too lazy to make your own or too broke to order one In and simply have to make do with a boxed pizza then we advise you get yourselves down to Tesco The pizzas there were, m our v1ew, the tasti st ones in Norwich. However, if you are hort of cash or can't be bothered to I avc campus, then the UFO pizza is to be recommended, as lt prov des a full meal at almost a pound cheaper than most of the others.

Steve Oulnn and Dav/d Roberts

Try out this great recipe for fresh New Zealand lamb stir fry and win the chance to cook it in a wokl Ingredients 350g New Zealand Lamb neck fillets or leg meat, cut into thin strips 1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled or grated (or a teaspoon of dried ginger) 1 clove of garlic, crushed 4 spring onions, chopped 4 tablespoons of black bean sauce 1 red pepper, de-seeded and thinly sliced 1 red onion, skinned and cut tnto thin wedges Method 1. Mix the lamb with the ginger, garlic, spring onions and black bean sauce and leave to marinade for thirty minutes.

2. Heat the oil, toss the lamb mixture and stir-fry for five minutes until it starts to brown.

3. Add the pepper and onion. Fry for another five minutes stirring the ingredients often until the lamb is tender and the vegetables just cooked.

4. Serve with rice

Send off for a FREE 'Switch on to New Zealand Lamb' recipe book. Send a stamped addressed envelope to: New Zealand Lamb Booklet, Alcone Marketing , Metcalf Way, Langly Green, Crawley, East Sussex. RH1 7SU For the chance to win a wok set send your answers on a postcard to Blurb Student Marketing, Untt 25a, Pall Mall Deposit, 124-128 Barlby Road, London, W1 0 6BL 1. The All Blacks are: a) The New Zealand rugby team b) Your New Zealand chops when they've been left under the grill too long c) The Australian rugby team 2. What is New Zealand's national mascot? a) The Lamb b) The Kiwi c) The Koala

THE ALIBI CHILL OUT AT THE ALIBI WITH A

FREE MEAL WHEN YOU BUY A PINT!

6-9pm, Monday nights in term-time. One meal per person. We reserve the right to withdraw the offer without prior notice or explanation

58 BETHEL STREET, TEL:763188 LIVE SOUNDS! MON: TUES:

WED: THURS:

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"SALSAU" AMAZING SPECIAL OFFERS COMING SOON! THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1997

Add a little political radicalism, a pinch of body snatching and allow to simmer until the 21st cenl•tr~ Amy Pierce meets sci-fi chef Peter Hamilton

P

eter Hamilton may not be the most well William Hague rushing to catch him." Reflecting known science fiction writer in the world, this moderate attitude his new series of books The but he's far from being it's worst. Although I Night's Dawn Trilogy focuses on the am only a recent convert to his work it's attraction Confederation, a series of colonised worlds where seems to be in possessing a far greater depth and extremism is most definitely absent. "I wanted to sophistication than other books in the genre. show how the Confederation is fairly stable, nice Hamilton explains, "I have always read the stuff for the middle classes ... but it borders on stagnant'' and it was not quite a case of I can do better, but The Night's Dawn Trilogy currently consists of The pretty close" Reality Dysfunction, The Neutronium Alchemist His first books , Mindstar Rising, A Quantum and the forthcoming The Naked God. Change is a Murder and The Nanoflower form a central theme throughout this second loose trilogy around the •llf~IIIIIIA~tii~(i~"r." . trilogy, both the need for it and the lack central character of Greg of it. Hamilton stresses that The Mandall . Each has dark Confederation "cannot survive what it undertones, with Mandall has encountered in its present fo rm." himself being described as The threat it encounters is both a "not a nice person". As an novel and inventive one, namely that ex-member of the army and the -dead are returning to possess then a fighter in a vicious people's bodies! street war, he has in many But why use such an outlandish ways lost his humanity. We idea? Apparently, "Change needs to follow this man's progress happen and the only thing that can throughout the trilogy and by change (The Confederation) is a the time he becomes a kick this big ... if it survives." Will the family man at the end we outcome be a happy one? Hamilton have witnessed not only the flill•~·&:ii~&.:l~;:.: hopes more that the finale wi ll be metamorphisis of the an unexpected one , tying up the different character, but also many changes in the world threads of the story but in an unexpected way. around him.

Does this all mean though, th?t Peter Hamilton is When Hamilton began writing the Greg Mandall an anarchist, endorsing revolutionary change ? stories in 1990 he saw a political climate that was We ll , not exactly. shifting towards radicalism. Extreme left and right "I'm not against a stable society, given that the wing ideologies seemed to be becoming the alternative is usually war, but I don't th ink it should dominant themes. In reflection of this, Hamilton be a complacent society." He goes on to say that shows the earth of the future racked by conflict there is , "a fin e balance between stabl e and between the vastly different organisations of the stagnent." 11 wou ld appear that what is being monarchy, the extremist PSP and the new advocated is not so much radical as progressive conservatism . and th is too is a driving force throughout In contemporary politics though Hamilton sees Hamilton's books. ''Tony Blair aiming at the middle ground and The impetus for the colon ization charted in Hamilton's most recent books is the invention of an engine capable of propelling space craft to speeds faster than light. But does he believe this is actually possibl e?

Hamilton's reply is that if you "ask ten physicists who know about quantum physics you'll get 10 different answers ." But although it seems as though he might be evading the question here, Hamilton stresses that, in theory at least, such an invention is possible.

l

LOUIS MARCHESI

.

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really is whether or not we can ever construct the necessary hardware.

He does hope though that we could perhaps see such an advancement Ill within our lifetime.

Looking back over his work Hamilton fee ls that The Nanoflower llfl.iHIIIII!III~·· stan ds ou t as his favourite book .. ~~~~W.~M~Ifl As for other novels he has read , "Now it's a toss up between "··W~I Ringworld and Timescape, but I'll probably say something different next week." His plans for the future aren't so uncertain though and incl ude, " Writing , certainly. I have ~--~-fJI)Ij one or two ideas already." However, 'I he does fee l that any further books ~ !M~ will continue to be science fiction .

Talking to Peter Hamilton is like uncorking a bottle. All his ideas rush out in a huge wave of enthusiasm. Writing is something he loves, understands and will probably keep doing for a very long .lilllllli.lllilll.lll-'!llilliAillltll~iMIYMIIililllillfliMiiiJi. time. Maybe even until we can travel to other galaxies!

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THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1997

t was Friday night and time to dig out those attractive fake moustaches and reversible skirts, in salute to Norwich's very own Eurovision Song Contest. Organised as part of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival at the somewhat secretive 'Talk' in Oak Street, th is was certainly not a nil pointe occasion!

Despite our' initial terror at attending an event sponsored by Paul Daniels and Cliff Richard , this was surely a night of marvellous, multi cultural entertainment.Decked out with authentic giant video screen and satellite link-up, the only thing missing was Terry Wogan's sarcasm .

Resident Norfolk performers fo1111ed the eight competing 'countries' and regaled the audience with some toe-tapping, cheesy tunes.Our only hesitation lies in the fact that the production was slightly too tame.

Was it a celebration of Eurovision or a deliberate piss take? · And the scores from the UEA jury?

Well this was clearly a bell-bottomed evening of spangly fun , which should not be missed if it dares to return to Norwich.The UEA jury gives 'Neurovision' dix pointes!

Sophie Blanch and Tamson Morley

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T h i s is a play for the boys. Whilst it's another example of a fab Shakespeare play it's geared ""'"' towarn, the Ellmbath'", blood lhlmy, F•on<h loalhlog, lad That old ohosto"' called Anglo-French rivalry is the raison d'etre for Shakespeare ever having written this play, which the RSC have gratefully done justice to. I expected lots of battles and that's exactly what they gave us, accompanied by lots of dry ice and flag waving. lt's easy to see who's side Shakespeare was on: Henry and his minions have all the best lines while the French have to make do with a couple of jokes about their horses and their women. Despite being outnumbered by the French five to one we still kicked their arse and thusHarry is convinced that God is on our side, the old royalist cliche ... From an audience point of view it isn't too hard to see where our advantage lay. The RSC saw fit to deck out the English side for combat in a paddy field outside Saigon whilst arming each Frenchman with a half suit of armour, a large plumed helmet and a silver horse strapped to their shoulders making them look very pantomimic and silly.

Being RSC we didn't expect, or had to endure, any wooden performances. Michael Sheen as the King was convincing and watchable, Karine Adrover, the French Princess Katherine (and the only girl in the play save for a Catherlne Jones gentlewoman and an English mistress) played her part well. I suppose being French helped.

P

hilip Larkin is perceived as a deeply unhappy man, even though his poetry was the most popular of it's generation with both the critics and the public. With this in mind no doubt he was awarded the CBE, the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry and offered the prestigious position of Poet Laureate, which he declined.

In this book even his clearly sympathetic biographer, Andrew Motion (UEA Professor of Creative Writing) accepts that the larger than life character he always projected himself as was 'a little less than the whole story'.

Andrew Motion is probably in a better position than most to get to the bottom of this unique character though. As an experienced biographer and Larkin's literary executor Motion is uniquely well placed to give a more balanced view of the man. He shows us the fun in Mr Larkin's life and sifts through the mass of information in his life to the most important elements: the people and the poems. With the skill of a novelist, Mr Motion shows us the influences, literary and human that shaped Mrlarkin's character and poetic persona. His stifling parents in particular explain a lot.

The poems are an intrinsic part of his life and Mr Motion includes them chronologically in the text, relating them to the events in Larkin's life. This is what makes the book so fascinating, both to those who know the poetry and those who want an introduction our latest great poet.

Mo Herdmsn

THE MAGIC OF SINATRA theatre royal review

think of what Frank himself would have made of such a lacklustre tribute. Perhaps you needed to be an old age pensioner to understand h1s dry sense of humour. Or ~ maybe 1t was JUSt that all I could think we arrived at the ~I about was what a great mght down the heatre Royal to pub I was m1ssmg . ee Andy Prior and his Orchestra The first half of the show contained Prior's perform the songs of Sinatra the first thing personal tributes to great band leaders. such we noticed was that there was no one else as Glenn Miller and various others I'd never there under the age of sixty. However.castmg heard of . At th1s point the show really did aside our imt1al worries about this unhvely have no redeeming features . aud1ence we settled down m our seats and But then came the excellent vo1ce of Donna prepared tor the swmgmg sounds of ol'blue Cannale . who I have to say Impressed me with eyes h1mse11 her stunnmg renditiOns of Strangers In The But th1s cnt1cally accla1med show was not Nrghr and All The Wav. Unfortunately . though . what we expected at all bv the second half of the performance Pnor·s The orchestra gave an excellent performance vo1ce was not enough to st1r me from my anCI displayed the1r collective skills a~ thoughts ot what to do at the weekend Andy musicians Yet m contrast Pnor could only be Pnor lacks the flan of Mr Blue Eyes and by the described as poor tot such an alleged! ~ end of the evenmg I was ummpressed with the ·acclaimed · performer . 1 can only shtver tu whole affa~r Clare Frankenberg

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Monday 8th • Tuesday 23rd December 1997

4 COURSE CHRISTMAS MEAL £10.95 HOMEMADE WATERCRESS SOUP COUNTRY PATE AND TOAST HONEYDEW MELON AND MIDORI LIQUOR ROAST NORFOLK TURKEY BEEF BOURGUIGNONNE PROVENCALE NUT WELLINGTON

(A nut cutleHe, topped with • c,...my cltee•y Nuce, enca.-d In putt pa•try}

CHRISTMAS PUDDING with BRANDY BUTTER & CREAM

HOT MINCE PIE COFFEE AND MINTS To confinn your booking, a £2 per person deposit must be made

BOOKINGS ONLY THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1997 I

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MRS BROWN Judi Dench stars as Queen Victoria and Billy Connolly plays a Scotsman (with a beard). Marvel at the man's range . Gasp at the variety of his roles .

ODEON ABC

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THE PEACEMAKER George Clooney and Nicole Kidman run all over the shop trying to find a nuclear missile. They probably mislaid it along with their shopping and any notion of a sensible script A SIMPLE WISH Martin Short stars as an incompetent fairy godmother who fights a Cruella de Ville clone in the form of Kathleen Turner.

SMILLA'S FEELING FOR SNOW Juliette Binoche and Gabriel Byrne star in a conspiracy story surrounding the death of a six year old boy.

VOLCANO Tommy Lee Jones tries to save the citizens of Los Angeles from an erupting volcano.

Possibly the best thing that could happen to Los Angeles, if you ask me.

MEN IN BLACK Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith star in the film of the summer as shadowy government agents who control alien immigration . Is the theme tune still in the charts

HERCULES Yet another legend gets the Disney treatment as the myth of Hercules is made unrecognisable, appearing in a version hugely different to the original.

A LIFE LESS ORDINARY Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz fall in love in the wilds of Utah while being followed by a pair of angels.

THE FU LL MONTY Robert Carlyle heads a bunch of unemployed steelworkers who decide to strip for a living.

Don't be shy lads, get yer kit off.

CINEMA CITY HOUSE OF AM ERICA Wednesday, October 29 at 5.45pm, Thursday, October 30 at 2.30 an d 8. 15pm, Friday, October 31 at 8.15pm and Saturday, November 1 at 2.30pm.

A young Welsh brother and sister try to escape the banality of Wales by evoking the spirit of Jack Kerouac.

UNION FILMS DONNIE BRASCO Thursday, October 30.

Johnny Depp stars as an FBI agent who goes undercover to infiltrate the mob, and ends up befriending AI Pacino. Cor, the things that happen.

UEA INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL

NATURAL BORN KILLERS Friday, October 31.

Controversial Oliver Stone directed tale of two lovers who go on a killing spree. Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis star as the pair who load up their guns and let rip.

JOHN BANVILLE Wednesday, November 5 at ?pm.

Irish novelist and winner of the James Tail Memorial Prize visits UEA. His most recent work, The Untouchable, was published in May. £3.50/£2 concessions

THE BLUES BROTHERS Monday, November 3.

Two go bankers in America as John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd don blue suits and sing their little hearts out All together now .. .

TWI N TOWN Tuesday, November 4.

Two go bankers in Swansea as a pair of twins take it upon themselves to destroy a local magnate who their father used to work for.

JUNGLE 2 JUNGLE Wednesday, October 29 at 2.30pm and Friday, October 31 at 2.30pm.

Tim Alien finds his long lost son in South America has turned into Tarzan , but brings him back to New York anyway.

CON AI R Thursday, November 6.

Steve Buscemi, John Malkovich and Nicholas Cage star as jailbirds who find themselves in control of a convict plane. Nicholas Cage turns out to be a goodie. Aaah.

MR BEAN Much jolliness to be had as the extremely quiet one goes to California and causes havoc there.

Hurrah!

GET ON THE BUS Wednesday, October 29 at 8. 15pm, and Thursday, October 30 and Friday, October 31 at 5.45pm.

Spike Lee presents a cross section of AfricanAmericans en route to the million man march.

HAMLET Friday, November 7.

A potentially bum numbing but in fact worthwhile four hour version of the Bard's most famous play.

Stars every British actor you can think of (maybe not) .

MY BEST FRIEND'S WED DING Julia Roberts and Rupert Everett try to break up the engagement of Roberts' best friend.

Nasty people.

Or are they?

THE WI CKER MAN Friday, October 31 at 11pm.

Edward Woodward , Christopher Lee and Britt Ekland star in a tale of Satanic cults and lay preacher coppers.

NIL BY MOUTH Gary Oldman's directorial debut promises not to be a feelgood movie as a south London fami ly drinks itself into oblivion . A movie without any notion of the brighter side to life.

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GRIDLOCK'D Tuesday, November 11.

Tim Roth and Tupac Shakur star as a pair of drug addicts desperate to get on a government detox programme, but find the authorities just don't care.

A cheery effort.

BILL BRYSON Monday, November 10 at ?pm.

The celebrated anglophile comes to UEA to speak about his most recent book, 'A Walk In The Woods'. The American travel writers books include the hilarious 'Neither Here Nor There' and 'The Lost Continent'. £3.50/£2 concessions

THEATRE ROYAL GARY RHODES Sunday, November 2 at 7.30pm.

Television's 'crazy' chef brings his kitchen to the Theatre Royal sowe can all rush along and watch him make his own dinner. £12.50/£3.50 THE GL YNDEBOURN E TOURING OPERA Tuesday, November 4 - Saturday, November 8 at ?pm.

With three individual operas on different nights the Glyndebourne Touring Opera has a veritable feast in store for all you opera lovers out there. Theres's Le Comte Ory, The Makropulos Case and Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail. So get on down there.

ROMEO & JULIET Tuesday, October 28 - Saturday, November 1 at 7.30pm , matinees Thursday at 2pm and Saturday at 2.30pm.

Shakespeare's great romantic tragedy metamorphosis from an over rated gangster flick into a 'wildly imaginitive .. world class ballet'. What will they do next?

NORMAN WISDOM Sunday, October 9 at 7.30pm.

The legend that is Norm is coming. His 'everg reen comic genius' will no doubt have you crying with laughter. Or just crying.

KILLING TIME Monday , November 10 - Saturday, November 15 at 7.30pm , matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30pm .

The Sweeney or Minder? Who knows which of these programmes Killing Time , a new thriller starring Dennis Waterman will resemble more.

Just so long as Stay Lucky doesn't spring to mind.

Or On The Up.

NORWICH ART S CENTRE IDEAS AND ACTION Saturday, November 1, 10.30 - 4pm.

'The alternative politics fair' it says here. Stalls, books and displays from local and national organisations including Earth First! and AntiFascist Action plus many others.

Free admission

UEA DRAMA STUDIO PINTS Wednesday, October 29 - Friday, October 31 at 7.30pm.

Minotaur Student Theatre Company presents a 'festival of pint sized theatre'. Each night consists of sketches and short plays written by members of the company, followed by a Harold Pinter play. £6/£3.50

THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1997

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With a variety of musical styles in the Studio each week.

9.30pm- 2am £3uea £4/£3.50conc

DANGEROUS LIASIONS Tuesday, November 4 -Friday, November 7 at 7.30pm.

The drama society present a tale of sexually promiscuous French aristocrats in the eighteenth century. Go along and enjoy a couple of hours of characters who don't really get on trying to seduce each other. Any similarity to the LCR is entirely coincidental.

STUDENT NIGHT Mondays 9.30-2am FREE before 10/ £21 £1 stud. before 11

I 0 TRANCENDANCE Saturday, November 8 £3 THE SWEENEY + RUBY FLIPPER + SKELTEA +SMUG Monday, November 10 £4 adv./ £4.50 on the door

SANCTUARY Mondays Old favourite Student night.

9pm- 2am £1 stud. before 11/ £2 stud. after.

SUPER PUB Wednesdays A regular club night, with live bands and pub prices.

8pm-midnight FREE

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PLEASURE Thursdays FREE with flyers before/ £2 after DECADENCE Fridays Over 20s KLASS Saturdays Over 20s

00 MORE MEDICINE Mondays The Student Social.

1Opm-2am £1 stud. before 11 I £2 after

CR ECHOBELLY Tuesday, October 11 They wanna do Great Things in the LCR. £8.50 adv.

TI!RFRO ARKARANA Wednesday, October 29 £5.00 adv.

OZRIC TENTACLES Thursday, October 6 Will you be ensnared by the tentacle? £8.00

THE NORWICH ARTS CENTRE FLAMING STARS+ FLIPSIDE Monday, November 3 £4 adv./ £4.50 on the door CHRIS GREEN Thursday, October 30 Featured songsmith returns to Norwich.

What's the price?

u MIXMAG Saturday, November 1 Danny Rampling storms the LCR with his dance grooves. Are you ready? Is he? Apparently not cos he's feeling a bit poorly. £6.50 stud.

PLANET ALICE Friday, November 8 A new concept club with added pre-millennium tension. Not for people looking for a quiet night out. £8 adv.

HELL FOR LEATHER Wednesdays Goth, indie, metal, and alternative.

1Opm-2am £1 stud. before 11 I £ 2 after WRAITH Fridays The best in goth. Grrrl what's the price music boys?

MICROCOSM'S HALLOWEEN PARTY Friday, October 31 Seasonal festivities of a ghoulish nature. £3.50 before 11 I £4 after JUICE Saturdays Uplifting house & garage.

10pm-3am Girls £2.50 before 11/ £5 after Lads £3.50 before 11 I £5 after

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MELTDOWN Saturdays Regular indie, Britpop, and Alternative Dance club.

• su day 23rd november 7.30pm tickets: £3.00 - £1 0.00

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THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1997

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Sat 1st

OIRIC £6.50su

club MIXMAG feat. LUVDUP Danny Rampling is ill Fri 8th £8adv club PLANET ALICE with CJ BOLLAND Wed 12th £3.50 UEA students

"WHAT A FEELING"

Live hits from all the cult movies featuring SONIA, SINITTA and cast

Sat 29th

£3adv

club RETRO

DECEMBER Sat 13th

£9adv

MISS MONEYPENNY'S

NOVEMBER

Tue 11th

£8.50adv

ECHOBELLY Fri 14th adv

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£12.50

DEL AMITRI Sun 16th

cancelled

WILDHEARTS Mon 17th

sold out

CAST Sat 22nd

JOOLS HOLLAND

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DECEMBER

last few £10adv

Mon 1st

sold out

Wed 3rd

£8.50adv

BLACK GRAPE SPARKS Fri 5th

LIGHTNING SEEDS Mon 8th RETRO XMAS with BJORN AGAIN

last few £12.50adv £5su

Wed 10th

£12.50adv

Sun 14th

£8adv

the SAWDOCTORS

MACHINEHEAD

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Tickets from Union Finance Office, weekdays, 11 am·3.30pm .

Prices quoted are student advance prices

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· Wan

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. Cameron Dia . .Danny Boyle . . · John Hodge an Andrew McDorlald · all talk to ·The ·Event . .

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After his feature film debut in Shallow Grave, Ewan McGregor"s en route for the heavens in the Star Wars prequel. Following a sensational debut in The Mask, Cameron Diaz has featured in several critically acclaimed independent films. John Spacey talks karaoke, angels, fate and destiny. hen watching a film, everybody except Danny DeVito and Yoda (more of that little Muppet later), looks about six feet tai.So ifs a bit of shock to see that in the flesh Ewan McGregor isn't a giant, but is rather more an averagely sized and perfectly earthbound, jovial, ego-free person. A Ue Less Ordinary is the third film from the trio of director Danny Boyte, producer Andrew Macdonald and writer John Hodge, and every time Ewan has been the star of the show. McGregor himself has become far more successful-than the trio who gave him his break. A self confessed workaholic, the geezer has been seen in Brassed Off, lEmma and The Pillow Bqok.

Like many actors, his career began in television.

Almost straight out of drama school, he starred in Dennis Potter's Lipstick on Your Collar, before then being in the BBC drama Scarlet and Black.

After filming A Life Less Ordinary he guest starred in an episode of fER. So, what drives someone to work quite so much as you do? "I really like it, I really enjoy il. When a car picks me up I really love it. I love being on films sets, and I really love being able to go round places in the world to make them. I love the spirit on a set, and being with people who are involved in making them. Basically I find it very hard to read something I would like to do, and say no."

Just take two months off, for Christ's sake.

"I'm working pretty solidly 'til April. I've aiNays said "these months I'm not going to woii<", and someone goes 'well what about this', and I go 'okay then'. My family travel with me everywhere."

Do you worry about spreading yourself too thinly?

"No, I don't worry about that. • One of those commitments Is the Star Wars prequel, in which McGregor plays the young Obi· Wan Kenobi. Presumably, if Ewan's worting 'til April, that's the date when principal shooting on the most anticipated film of the decade fi1ishes.

Just a little aside, fact fans. Ewan's swom to secrecy on the subject, and despite all my attempts to use the Force, I'm unable to ift plot details from the man's subconscious.

"Is this a Star Wars question?" Er, yes... 'I was wondering who it was going to be. Every room I walk into now, I wonder who it's gonna b3, who's gonna ask." So, if you'd been in the original would you rather have been Han Solo or Luke Skywalker? "Princess Leia. She's got niC3 buns and I've always wanted to play her. I played her a lot when I was a kid."

What about the Britpack? British stars seem to be all over the place, Celtic o1es particularly. "Right from drama school I remember a suy teaching me about Irish, Scottish and Welsh accen:s. Maybe it's something about being Celtic, having a stronger serse of ~dentity or something.

1. lt's delightfu to see though, I'm delighted see it happening."

There's no temptation to move to Hollywood then?

"I wouldn't like to live there. There's no need for me to. ThEre was a time when Brlish actors didn't 1ave the work around • when like Oldman Roth made it.

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Now there is good work here, there's no need for me to move. I like it here, I love London. The weather's fantastic."

Ewan McGregor's a sarcastic git.

This comment shows the inadequacy of the printed word, since ifs one of the most miserable days of the year; ifs raining cats and dogs.

Surely, for somebody who works so much, Ewan's bound to come a cropper sooner rather than later.

Aren't you concerned about criticism?

bits of it on tape, but I saw it all for the first time last week. We had a small kind of premiere thing in New York and it was a really nice comedown at the end of the movie. lt's really funny to see yourself as a cartoon. lt's well done, Ifs well made.• Was it an attraction there was no sex scene? "lt'd have been embarrassing in this, because of the nature of the film. If we'd suddenly got huffing and puffing over each other it would have been embarrassing to watch. They get to have sex, we just don't watch them doing it. I think that was the magic thing about the dance scene, that it took the place of the sex scene and became the love scene for them."

A Life Less Ordinary isn't a n()rmal romantic film.

When Ewan and Cameron Diaz kiss, the audience is treated to the sight of a long strand of saliva between their lips.

Ewan's quite animated, and, indeed, a bit sarcastic about it. "lt was put in on computer. Somebody in America said, "now that was your saliva," and I thought, how do you know? Is there a test?

Stupid f**king question."

What about all the angels in the film? Do you believe in the hereafter and the conecpt of these people running around making people fall in love?

I have a problem with the idea of fate and destiny because in my mind it would make our choices and decisions every day meaningless.

And I'd like to think that every choice and decision we make in our lives affects where we go, so I'd like to think we're in charge of our own fate and destiny."

That's not really what Yoda says is it? "lt's none of your business what Yoda

I t hink we'll take a knock ' ' for this. The people will decide

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wee bit. There's a few snidey wee things here and there. I think it's the number three. lt's the same with Oasis and their third album. They got hammered and it's a great album, so I think we'll · take a knock for this. The people will decide at the end of the day."

They might not think much of your hair though. "You say anything about bad haircuts. Yeah, let's go and see the latest Ewan McGregor film, he's got fucklng awful hair. Never mind his acting, his hair's abysmal.• ut anyway, A Life Less Ordinary.

Despite being set in Utah, Ewan's character is, um, Scottish.

Does a Sean Conneryesque career playing all tribes and nations of the world with a ubiquitous Scottish accent beckon?

"My American accent wasn't good enough apparently.

That's why I didn't play it as an American."

Oh, well the jury's out on that one then.You couldn't resist the kilt, could you?

"I didn't wear anything underneath it in this one.

I didn't realise they were going to do such a dangerously upward camera angle.

I got away with it -just, though."

So did you go far in your kilt in that great Mormon stronghold, Salt Lake City? "To my dressing room, in fact."

What about the cartoon just before the end credits? "I'd seen

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ameron Diaz is discussing how she joined the well established boy's club of Ewan McGregor, Danny Boyle, John Hodge and Andrew McDonald she worked with oo A Life Less Ordinary. "When I first met them they were all standing round with their backs to me, so I picked up a few stones and threw them at their heads. As soon as they turned round I said, 'Hey, I W!lnna be a part of your gang,' and so they let me in."

She probably has more of a .reputation as a glamour puss than an actress. Men's magazine Maxim has recently voted her the world's most desirable women, to her supreme indifference. "I don't know how I feel about that. I don't really care, to tell you the truth. No, 1 don't care."

A quick glance at her CV reveals that she's not played the glamour puss since her film debut in The Mask. She went indie with Feeling Minnesotta alongside Keanu Reeves, and starred in The Last Supper, a tale of liberal university students who before you agreed to work with the boys? "Yeah. lt take it upon themselves to kill an assortment of right wing bigots.

Cameron explains how to make friends "The parts that interested me were the ones that I ended up doing." says Cameron. "Had there been an was a good film, a good story. lt's about a social interesting part where the girl was problem that is everywhere, being told from a glamorous I would probably have played it. This completely different culture. But you can't judge wasn't really a conscious people or their personalities by their films and the decision to say that I don't want people to material that they produce. You can't really say perceive me this way, because really it's about the how it's going to be to work with them characters. I don't think I should pigeonhole professionally, so I didn't have any expectations." myself because that's not what I'm in this for."

Were you surprised when the boys offered you Fair enough. But had you seen Trainspotting karaoke instead of sex? "I've read lots of scripts that did have sex scenes in them but this one was definitely a romance about people falling in love, so when I read it I didn't miss it. You don't really have to have a sex scene in a movie about love for you to believe those people are In love. My Best Friend's Wedding was a love story too, and there was no sex. I think the film industry is moving away from that."

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Were you as entertained by it as Ewan? "You don't take anything personally really. I thought it was great. I liked the outfit they let me wear." For some reason, the conversation veers back towards sex. The quality of comment is on a crash course with the gutter. "There weren't really any opportunities for it..." insists Cameron. "No, no, we can always help you there; says Danny Boyle. Ewan butts in on the conversation. "In a car, in a phonebox might have been interesting. No, that was done in True Romance." Cameron abandons all pretence of purity and sums up with, "I guess we could have done it anywhere." But did you find a kilt sexy? "I do actually. There's something about a man in a skirt that gives me the hmm... I think it's the legs really, to tell you the truth." How nice.

But the film's about romance, not sex. Is it all happy ever after? "Oh yeah, definitely. After that speech at the end?" Fantastic.

Are you a closet romantic? "I hate romance.

That's why I do romantic films." Sarcasm on the McGregor scale again.

Ewan himself suddenly feels to compelled to intervene. "I give her flowers, I give her chocolates, she never phones, she never writes...• "I like to be made to feel special and to make other people feel special,• continues Cameron. "I think that's what romance is. Flowers and phone calls."

For some reason The /Event gets the impression that it would have been fun to have been in A Life Ordinary.

The chemistry between the eo-stars is evident both on and off screen.

And you'd get to play with guns.

And you'd get to sing karaoke with the girl/boy of you dreams.

Mind you, it takes a brave man to wear a kilt in Utah.

I picked up a few stones and ' ' threw them at their heads

his is the second feature in a row where Cameron has treated us to a sample of her vocal skill. After getting her tongue around Say a Little Prayer in My Best Friend's Wedding, here she gets to duet with Ewan McGregor singing Beyond the Sea. Will we get to hear Diaz exercising her vocal chords again?

Cameron suddenly becomes infected with the Ewan McGregor sarcasm virus. lt's impossible to convey quite how facetious and off hand she suddenly becomes. "I figure three is a charm, so I'm not going to tell you where it's coming up, but sometime in my career there could be a third."

Then she changes back to her sweet little self.

"I did My Best Friend's Wedding first, then when I read the script for A Life Less Ordinary the karaoke wasn't in there. When I got the part it was like, oh, oh, this Is the rehearsal for your dance scene. Not wanting to look like an idiot I didn't ask where the dance scene was. I finally asked Ewan and he was like 'I dunno,' so then I felt I was pretty much in the same bag."

Probably you felt the same surprise when you saw the animated version of yourself at the end of the film.

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•• •• The pipes are calling Danny Boyle, Andrew McDonald and John Hodge across the Atlantic. They're replying like true Brits, says John-Spacey ow do you make a follow up to Shallow Grave? Messrs Boyle, Hodge and McDonald neatly answered that question with Trainspotting. How exactly you follow that film is an infinitely more tricky question.

Andrew McDonald admits that the success of Trainspotting was such that it would be financially impractical to reunite the cast. They could have taken the easy route, and not worked with each other. Danny Boyle and Andrew McDonald were offered the chance to work on Alien: Resurrection.

"The real reason we turned it down is that John got this script ready. When Andrew and I got involved [with the Alien film] it looked like this [A Life Less Ordinary] wouldn't be ready. lt was a combination of that and realising we'd make a bad job of it. The script's very good, so I'm sure it will be a very good film."

However, they're ready to admit that they've got a tough job on their hands with their current film.

"You could never follow Trainspotting," admits producer Andrew Macdonald. "A lot of it became more than a film, and very few films do that. This is a film about romance, it's not about super real social problems. What we did, you can't top it. You have to do somethin~ completely different.

Trainspotting won't become a stone around our necks."

The team have taken a completely different outlook on the world from their previous works. Specifically they're taking their cue from romantic comedies of the 30s and 40s. "We looked at some of the films from that time,n says Danny Boyle, •and Andrew went on and on and on to John and me about doing a musical, and that was the best we could come up with."

'That' being the karaoke scene where Ewan McGregor and CameronDiaz warble along to Bobby Darin's Beyond the Sea. When preparing the cast, Danny consented to sing karaoke for real. "That was a side I don't think anyone had ever seen of Danny, except of course for 100 cowboys from Utah who all patted him on the back as we left and told him that he did a good job," · says Cameron Diaz. "That wasn't quite true," inte~ects Danny, "cos in tact one of them said as we went out, 'F*•k you,' he said." Charming. Did fisticuffs follow?" I fled really, I'm a coward." Okay.

Another hugely obvious departure is setting the film in America. 'We wanted to make a film which combined some of the best things of our two separate cultures. We're no enemies of popular culture and I'm as addicted to it as the next person, but of course a lot of people don't own up to it. We started by combining Ewan and Cameron, and other members of the cast such as lan Holm and lan McNeice, who are Brits. Then we tried to combine the music and elements of the story involved. The point was to try and do something that didn't sink in the mid Atlantic, but actually was the best of both worlds. Andrew set up the deal so that it wasn't a craven collapse to the American system. We retain control of the film and nobody made any decisions for us. They tried

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to have them kissing more, every 10 minutes ideally, and they would have liked a sex scene but we wanted the karaoke instead."

Yep, as well as setting the story in Utah, A Life Less Ordinary is also the first film to be financed

by American money. Andrew McDonald says this is unavoidable once you've reached a certain level of success. "I think you can't avoid making a certain scale of film. Even Mike Leigh now is making a film with Hollywood money. If you make a film sort of above £5 million, you need America or Hollywood or whatever you call it. They also have the best distribution in the world, and ultimately if you want your film to be seen you need it to be shown by Disney or Warner Brothers, or in our case Fox. We did a deal with Rupert Murdoch basically."

The idea for a A Life Less Ordinary was planted in the aftermath of Shallow Grave. "That was quite a macabre film, quite violent and unpleasant at times. I felt that I wanted to write something a bit happier," says writer John Hodge. "A romance, something with a happy ending, and it evolved from there. I picked up on the idea of kidnap and what happens there, but when I thought closely

They would have liked a sex scene but we wanted karaoke

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'THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY,"OCTOBER'29, 1997

American music and British music because it would be very easy just to do British music. With all due respect to Cameron, it's all infinitely superior."

"I would agree with that, almost,n interrupts the offended American.

"We also tried to get only new material. That worked with Beck, Ash arid Underworld. We had the idea that the angels would be represented by Motown, so we tried to put all these together and force you to buy it really - the usual technique."

Writer John Hodge concurs with this. As well as penning Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, he works on and off as a doctor. "While they were filming this I was working in a hospital in London, but my contract expired in February and I haven't been in work since. I didn't do any writing for six months. I mixed with people who hadn't seen the film, hadn't heard of it and didn't care, which was quite refreshing."

After appearing as a policeman in Shallow Grave and a security guard in Trainspotting, being absent from the Life shoot meant John was unable to make a cameo. Therefore, it is 'Jennifer Hodge' whose name makes an appearance on the front of a romantic novel in the film. "Jennifer Hodge was a bit of a surprise for me. That doesn't appear in the script, or in the novel, which I hope you're all going to buy. it's called A Life Less Ord)nary. The screenplay is on sale as well. I think I get more money for the novel, so if you have to buy one or the other, you know what to do."

Guns, angelic police stations, kidnappings, apples, dentists. But despite the celestial themes, we don't get to see God. Why? Andrew McDonald fills us in. "They're in very short demand, gods. We asked Sean Connery, but he turned us down. Something about golf in the Bahamas."

about real kidnap that looked rather unpleasant so I thought, what would happen if it wasn't clearly a real kidnap or not?"

One of the most important components of Trainspotting's success was its soundtrack. lggy Pop and Lou Reed thundered out of countless stereos across the country at the time of its release. For the new film, Danny Boyle has showed similar astuteness. "We wanted to use the best of contemporary

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