fight like apes
inside
page 4
Neil Delamere
THE BLIZZARDS page 4
page 11
Hollywood’s comedy prodigy speaks
Seth Rogen exclusive interview Page 6
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College Tribune Arts & Culture Supplement | 16.09.08
Siren Music the
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College Tribune | September 16 2008
Jeezy listening The Recession by Young Jeezy rocketed to number one on the Billboard 200 when it debuted earlier this month. Young Jeezy is unlikely to be a household name on this side of the pond but Jay Jenkins, as he is also known, runs with some serious hard hitters from the realm of US rap, R’n’B and hip hop. This is the third studio album from the artist and it packs plenty of punches. In a word it’s LOUD, and, in more words, it fragrantly causes the listener to bop their head even if they are not usually so inclined. It’s just that kind of album. So, knowing nothing about Young Jeezy, who is he? Try saying that five times fast. From Columbia,
young jeezy the recession
South Carolina, Jay Jenkins had a fairly troubled childhood; his parents split up and Young Jeezy got passed around like a hot plate by relatives until falling in with some drug-dealing cousins. Jeezy brings a breath of fresh air by injecting intelligence into his lyrics. This trait is often sadly lacking in what has become an extremely dumbed-down and congested music genre, obsessed with bitches, Bentleys, bling and Benjamins. He wants to talk about things that matter and articulates them in such a way that makes his audience want to stand up and shout. The first single from the album features Kanye West in great form: “Put On” has a fierce synth on Jeezy’s vocals and a catchy electro drum beat throw in a dash of what can only be described as the best use of Theremin music in the 21st Century. One of the finest tracks on the album is My President which deserves special attention; if rap is the voice of antiestablishment America then Jeezy is a prophet and My President his Commandment. Announcing win, lose or
draw that Obama become the first black president, its no wonder the album sold 260,000 copies in its first week. The album has a powerful energy and smart lyrics that keep the listeners attention through the eighteen banging tracks. Like a lot of rap music the album needs to be listened to more than once to catch these great lyrics but they are there and in spades. “They know I got that broccoli, that’s why I got that Glock on me.” Awesome.
Kevin Doyle
»»The Recession by Young Jeezy
is available on DefJam records from all good record shops and online from your preferred download service
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THE WACKNESS OST VARIOUS Aside from being the perfect accompanying soundtrack to a film that oozes nineties charm, this is also a great stand-alone compilation album. It contains some of the smoothest, soft-beat hip-hop, rap, and R’n’B songs of 1994; Biggie Smalls, Nas, R. Kelly, Wu-Tang Clan and loads of other ‘dope’ performances. The songs these artists spit out hark back to an era of more simple luxuries , perhaps when rap was not just about the size of the ‘ice’ you wear or the amount of ‘hoes’ you rolled with. However, the album is not just a nostalgic mesh of songs from the ‘decade that irony forgot’; It is also a highly effective chill-out album, reminiscent of a summer that Ireland has not seen in quite some time. It is the kind of album which is perfect for a lazy worry-free afternoon in a friend’s garden, with a few
drinks. You have got to get this album if ‘you’re feelin’ what I’m sayin’’ or you are the whitest ‘mofo’ on planet earth, or you are simply looking for some pleasant escapism from the constant reminders of how our decade is going down the shitter.
PETER DOWNEY
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Flobots
O’death
Fight with tools
broken hymns, limbs and skin
There has been a noticeable trend of late amongst the ‘creative’ endeavours of modern musicians; when lacking song-writing inspiration, opt for the more obvious, tried and tested theme of war protestation. Flobots utilise such an approach, and do so with inane audacity; between their ridiculous attire of American terrorists - each dolled up in neckerchiefs of their national flag – and the artless and often childish unenlightenment of their disingenuous political estimations: “The U.S is not us and us is not we and we are not satisfied...we want money for healthcare..drop the debt and legalize weed”. Why these guys aren’t running for office is anyone’s guess... Handlebars, however childish a concept it is, may be the only song that bears any catchiness on the album, though the irksome whirring
of repetition along with its infantile lyrics render it an aural discomfort. Whilst hip-hop is the most palpable sound throughout, Flobots’ overly-ambitious disposition dips into rock and, bizarrely, classical - as is the appropriate measure when aiming for artistic credibility. This dismal mismatch of genres translates as a merely pitiful impersonation of Eminem emulating Linkin Park behind the ill-placed classical strings thrown in alongside. To be avoided at all costs.
SOPHIE O’HIGGINS
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O’Death are a bluegrass band from Brooklyn who play their music with a punk intensity. Their sound inspires overly simplified bar-room brawling, deep south punk, Apalachian, deliverance styled imagery. But this album shows that they are much more calculating than mere blood n’ guts ‘Deep South’ references would suggest. This album throws better production, more structured songs, and an all round stronger group of songs into the already established mix. The music is driven by the drums and violin which take away from the, at times, overbearing vocal presence of Greg Jamie seen on the previous LP ‘Head Home’. The lynch-pin of the album is Vacant Moans which highlights the much more explorative song structure on this album. This band weaves
between melodic sing-alongs, visceral violin and the kind of angst, threat and abandon associated with all of their work. The album marks O’Death out as a band who have the ability to sound angry, loud and dangerous but also have the confidence and capacity to make a brilliant compilation.
J
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College Tribune | september 16 2008
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Islands are forever Enigmatic driving force behind Islands, Nick Thorburn, chats to Sebastian Clare ahead of their forthcoming Dublin appearance “I like the idea of always changing. I mean, even on a molecular level I’m always changing.” So jests Nick Thorburn about the fluctuating line-up of what is now his own pet project, the Canadian indierock band Islands. He certainly must be used to change: After the somewhat acrimonious break-up of his previous band the Unicorns in 2005, Nick and his close cohort J’aime Tambeur (Jamie Thompson) set up Islands. Just a year later, Jamie too had split. Thorburn is pensive when it comes to discussing the impact of his friend’s departure. “It gave me greater freedom, but at the time I didn’t have that perspective. It really did seem like the end of my musical career. We’d been so interwound musically and emotionally with our career that we shared. When he left I kinda felt like I was unravelling as well.” Thorburn has even imposed some nomenclatural adjustments on himself . Last year he reverted back to his original surname of Thorburn, casting aside the monikor he had used throughout his professional career, Nick Diamond. “I guess I just outgrew that sort of adolescent name. It didn’t have an intense amount of significance for me.” Nick has often commented on how a large part of Islands’ progression has been the growing maturity of the band, as opposed to the jocular irreverent glee that characterised the Unicorns. Was this alteration tied in with Thorburn’s desire to gain or exhibit a greater maturity? “I guess so… I think that was my initial intention although now, listening to that it sounds a little immature - striving or straining for maturity
by changing my name!” Initially, Islands appeared to retain a large dose of the spirit of Unicorns, as was certainly evident from their debut release, 2006’s Return To The Sea. Similar infectious melodies, similar rapier-sharp diction, similar wacky eccentricity, but Thorburn outlines where the change lies. “It was just a slow evolution, having a better grasp of how to lead a band, how to write songs, how
“Listening to that it sounds a little immature - striving or straining for maturity by changing my name!” to function as a band. It was learning by doing. In Unicorns I was playing bass when I didn’t know how to play bass.” At the time, Thorburn was irritable about the constant comparisons with the Unicorns, insisting that his new project had a unique identity that would surpass his previous band’s music. However, he now admits that the DIY nature of the album’s production also evidently contributed to what was a promising, ambitious, but ultimately flawed creation. “With Islands first record it was an album made by a band that didn’t really exist. We had friends coming to play. We did all the overdubs, the drums, the guitars. Every step of my musical career has been that way. I’m sure there’s a pithy little
analogy or allegory I could use to describe it but I can’t think of one” Islands released their second album earlier this year, Arm’s Way, and within it showed that they have indeed come a long way since their debut. As with Return To The Sea, this was an ambitious album; a complex, adventurous, intricate collection of songs with the same infectious melodies that had
pact.” There was also a notably heavier sound characterised by Arm’s Way, a trait Nick puts down to listening to a lot of T-Rex while nonetheless stressing that “I can’t say if there was one over-arching influence, it was a combination of seemingly inconsequential things.” In their relatively brief existence, Islands have become notorious for their unique live shows, occasionally leading their bewitched audience out of the venue and into the streets – “pied piper style”. Nick is enthusiastic when it comes to his band’s live shows. “Well with six of us, every range of live music, every corner of sound is accounted for within those six people. The violins, the mid-range guitars, the vocals. It’s definitely a pleasing, full sound.” It is to be hoped that such a replete, harmonious sound, allied with an exuberant live style, will make for a nigh-on overwhelming experience when Islands play Kennedys on the 20th of September.
marked its predecessor. Where it differed was in the fact that was more cohesive, less sprawling. Some might say this would be an organic development for a band finding its feet, a natural progression. “I guess it’s kind of a cop-out in a way, because you could say that about anything. But there is a certain amount of contingency to it. Whatever I was listening to had an im-
glaSVegaS
eelS
glaSVegaS
electRoShock blueS
If you read the music press at all, you’ll know that Glasvegas are hotly tipped as the ‘next big thing’. You may also be labouring under the illusion that they sound like Oasis or The Jesus And Mary Chain. These comparisons stem from the fact that the music press is populated largely by moronic bedwetters, hacks and dilletantes. What Glasvegas are is a strange pop band with a profoundly talented singer/songwriter fronting them. The biggest criticism that can be leveled at this album is that musically, it’s a little one-note. Every song but Stabbed - a sort of skewed piano ballad-comemonologue - is a soft wash of delay heavy guitar with a pounding rhythm section and a big chorus. What saves them from sounding like a Glaswegian Killers are the lyrics of James Allan, who may turn out to be the finest English lyricist since Morrissey: They have in common exceptional powers of observation, but where the ‘Queen Bitch with the Quiff’
retreated into snide misanthropy, and eventually curdled into a middle-aged irrelevancy, Allan offers up gems of human sympathy. Stephen Patrick never spun us around a cascade of shifting narrators, as Allan does on Go Square Go, until we don’t know whether the closing ‘Here we fucking go’s are exhilaration, frustration or resignation. You may find yourself confused by Glaswegian rockabilly fans singing about infidelity, sorrow and human frailty. However, the vast washes of reverbed guitar turn to canvases of varied, vivid palettes when backing James Allan’s howls and whispers.
SAM O’TOOLE
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Electro-shock Blues, released in ten years ago this weekv, is Eels most musically audacious album to date. Written in response to Mark “E” Everett finding himself “the only surviving member of his family”, the lyrics are underpinned by bleak subject matter which is candidly conveyed. It is this element of the album that is mainly responsible for Electro-shock Blues’ underrated status, warding off the faint-hearted and fuelling a critical urge to dismiss the album as ‘depressing’. Though the opening track might encourage such impressions; “waking up is harder when you want to die”, it is a mistake not to see Electro-shock Blues as the melodic grieving process it really is, and as such, pursue it through its immensely diverse creative journey to the strangely buoyant final track “P.S You Rock My World”. The album’s lyrics, though self-indulgent, are never whiny. Everett even manages to push through his own sardonic sense of humour; “life is funny, but not ha ha funny, peculiar I guess” on “3 Speed”. Musically, the album is impossible to pin down. “Cancer for the Cure” is a prime example of the kind of daring arrangement that secures Electro-shock Blues’
place as a late nineties classic. It combines an intro that contains Waits resonances and a catchy pop-synth chorus that takes its lyrics from the songs title. “My descent Into Madness” is another, coupling a hip-hop beat with momentarily elaborate string sections to intriguing effect. Even Everett’s throaty vocals, usually a constant in Eels records, are mingled with one-time Eels drummer Jonathan “Butch” Norton’s significant vocal input on this record. Lullaby melodies infiltrate the gloriously diverse 48 minutes though a soothing effect is questionable; indeed, they afford some shelter from the emotional storm but at the same time exemplify the harsh realities at the core of the album. “Baby Genius”, a song supposed to be about Everett’s father, the quantum physicist Dr. Hugh Everett III, provides the most interesting use of the lullaby tone. It combines sounds like smashing crockery and
simple lyrics; “Small body and small mind, big head and big headaches.”
Electro-shock Blues is above all a beautiful contradiction of an album, managing to both unnerve and soothe by being brash and gentle in equal measure. P.S You Rock My World”is a fitting climax, musically it is tight and accomplished and lyrically it offers some almost-hopeful closure; “maybe it’s time to live”. Though not as commercially successful as its predecessor Beautiful Freak, Electro-shock Blues is undoubtedly a richer listen. Characteristically, Everett once described Electro-shock Blues as “a big emotional shit he had to take”. Lucky for the sparse musical landscape of the late nineties he decided to share it; an ambitious yet enduring, generously self-involved feat of musical arrangement.
VANESSA BUNN
Siren Music the
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College Tribune | September 16 2008
Brewing up a Blizzard Heather Landy meets Niall Breslin and Anthony Doran of the Blizzards to chat about what we should expect from one of the most successful bands of 2008, and whether Irish stardom has changed their outlook. It’s late afternoon and the College Tribune is warmly greeted by Niall Breslin and Anthony Doran. Niall is rather peeved in that he is not only running late but also waited over an hour for a lunch which wasn’t ultimately up to scratch. Casting all food woes aside they seem more than willing to discuss what has been happening in the musical world of The Blizzards recently. Hot on the heels of The Domino Effect being released they seem to be rather happy with the finished product and yet they are being rather cautious this time around. “You know at this stage you can’t make people buy it, you can’t make people like it but we can’t do anymore than we have done already. We just have to go out and tour it.” Of course what every Blizzard aficionado wants to know is if The Domino Effect is a completely different direction in sound. “Well, we are certainly not going to isolate any of the fans we already have…We as musicians have progressed quite a lot and as a band. Essentially it is the Blizzards all over. It has stepped up a wee bit personally and hopefully song wise.” The Blizzards have had an impressive last two years that has seen them propelled from being a local unsigned band strumming acoustic guitars on local Irish radio to playing the main stage for Oxegen 2008. However, Breslin doesn’t seem bewildered by this feat. “It is nerve wracking…but when there is that many people watching you play, you don’t really care.” A stellar rise to fame did not stop the band from shaking up their set a little and introducing a Sam Sparro cover, with a twist. Breslin chuckles, “We joked that we wrote it and we said Sam Sparro borrowed the song. It was a total joke. But then all of a sudden we got a load of emails saying that Sam Sparro wrote that Blizzards song and we were like “Oh no!” The crucial question on their supporter’s
lips is whether they will aim to crack the UK and European markets. The Script has been so successful as of late that this could be the calling card for the Blizzards to follow suit. Breslin explains “The Script were always going to do well. They look good, they have some amazing pop songs and they have huge backing…but it is only now that we are in a position where we know what is going on in the industry and as a result our confidence levels are high. I think time is right now whereas with the first record we were still testing the water on what we needed to do.” Breslin seems more optimistic and confident this time around, “I think live wise now we can go on stage with anyone in the world and we have the confidence we need to go to the UK and America. Hopefully in the next couple of months we will be heading on a plane.” In addition, The Blizzards this year picked up their first music award, a Meteor award for Best Live Performance for their Oxegen set in 2007. “Essentially we weren’t nominated for anything else… Actually walking up to get the award was strange, kind of nerve wracking.” 2008 is soon to draw to a close and a new year beckons. What are their prospects for 2009? “We are obviously going to start writing the new album. Hopefully we are going to do some foreign tours. That is how an Irish act gets into other territories. So European festivals, European radio, American radio, stuff like that. Our sound lends itself to a lot of different places. We are certainly concentrating in Ireland for the next few months.” It seems that The Blizzards are taking it one step at a time and trying not to rush into things. Who knows? They have already brewed up a storm nationally; they could in the near future brew up a storm internationally. The Domino Effect is now available to buy nationwide from all good record stores and for download as is their current single, Trust me I’m a Doctor.
Polis prim ‘Superb ambassadors for Irish music’ Fight Like Apes chats to Steven Tuohy about toilet paper, headbands and pots n’ pans If this is your introduction to Fight Like Apes, rather than list off the all ready-made and wellcatalogued descriptions of a distortion-driven synth pop-punk foursome, let’s begin with something of irreverent interest. The bands first EP “How am I Supposed to Kill You if You Have All the Guns”, is titled so for anybody of the N64 Goldeneye era who remembers the tears of frustration produced when finding out that out of your four mates, you were the only one with no guns. In some ways this is a better introduction to the band than smearing a genre label on them. UCD’s most recent contact with the band was at this year’s Fresher’s Ball. Keyboard, synth player and backing vocalist, Jamie ‘Lighter Pockets’ Fox, says of the gig that “College gigs are always a really interesting crowd. You go on late and everyone’s already hammered, it’s great fun”. Although their appearance at the Fresher’s Ball was not listed on their website, they have assured that this was because they did not want to advertise for something which was not accessible to all as the tickets were available exclusively to UCD students. Fight Like Apes’ full-blown introduction to the world at large (UK and Ireland at least) will come in the form of their debut album ‘Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of The Golden Medallion’ which will be released on the 26th September. Jamie states that the band are “really really happy” with the final outcome. He also addresses some of the potential criticism which the album could receive, as it is a world apart, in terms of production, from their previous EPs. As far as going from “recording in sheds and cheap studios” to a fully-equipped studio in Seattle, Jamie explains that “we weren’t going to go away and spend a bit of money on an album that sounded worse than our EPs, just because we thought it was cool to be raw”. The man behind the production of the album was John Goodmanson, producer of albums for Sleater Kinney, Los Campensinos, and Pavement, amongst others. Goodmanson also had significance for the band, as he is “someone who was involved in some of our favourite records”. Of course, a debut album can’t go far unless the band literally has the legs to carry it on tour. Luckily for Fight Like Apes, since gig number one on November 3rd 2006 you would have been lucky to catch them standing still. Their initial tour of duty even included two solid months of Monday nights in The Mezz - no doubt a trying experience. The present has however held much more promising venues and opportunities, with Glastonbury, T in the Park, Exitfest, SXSW, Electric Picnic, Oxegen, tours with the Von Bondies and We Are Scientists, all under their collective belt. With this schedule, stopping seems like more of a daunting prospect; “it’s only when we think about stopping that we consider not liv-
ing such a ridiculous life. It is a hard life, but when you don’t stop you don’t think about how hard it is and it’s way easier”. Obviously, with such rigorous touring, media attention has been rife. The band have recently been called “superb ambassadors for Irish music” by entertainment. ie, a compliment which the band seem willing to carry; “I find it really nice to be called something like that, it’s nice to give a representation that there is something interesting happening in Ireland, as opposed to people thinking that it’s just singer songwriters coming out of Ireland”. Given the chaotic nature of the band’s performance, one does wonder how crowds in Serbia or Texas take to toilet paper headbands and pots ‘n’ pans; “well we still have that shock factor abroad, I think now Irish people now expect
College gigs are always a really interesting crowd. You go on late and everyone’s already hammered, it’s great fun
stuff of us. If we’re not burning the stage down people will think ‘well that was a bit of a weak one tonight’, whereas when we go abroad people just see a couple of hairy lads and a girl wrecking the place and they don’t really get it”. The media praise is also forthcoming from the UK, with the band receiving significant airtime on BBC Radio One from the likes of Zane Lowe. Sales of EPs and singles in the UK have also been healthy and with yet another tour in October, the band’s “big break” is seemingly imminent. Furthering this blitz will be a video for “Jake Summers” which was recorded last week and due for release this week. Jamie describes it as “hammy”.
»»Fight Like Apes’ debut album “Fight
Like Apes and the Mystery of The Golden Medallion” is available almost nationwide from the 26th of September, with an album launch in Whelan’s on the night. The album will also be available as a full streaming preview on entertainment.ie from the 10th September to the 19th. Full tour dates available at www.myspace.com/fightlikeapesmusic
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College Tribune | September 16 2008
hed ates
Music
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A sideways look at last week’s top five No. 5: All I Ever Wanted - Basshunter ‘Oh! Holy Cliché Batman.’ Basshunter has once again banked upon the cast-iron predictability of the last 14-16 years of dance music. Yes! It’s another song about how much some cheesy DJ is in love with some plastic bimbo in Ibiza, but what will they release next? Maybe how some plastic bimbo is in love with a cheesy DJ in Santa Ponsa, or some other Spanish resort? Only time will tell.
No. 4: No Air - Jordin Sparks Feat. Chris Brown A helpful little suggestion from our duo at number 4. Yes, all R’n’B stars that rehash their songs should be launched into the vacuum of space where there is No Air. Thank you Jordin!
No. 3: The Man Who Can’t Be Moved – The Script Clever, clever boys. Using simple music with soppy lyrics to obviously admit that they are creepily standing outside someone’s house. But why? “Cos if one day you wake up and find that you’re missing me, And your heart starts to wonder where on this earth I can be” Well then it is simply a matter of convenience for the girl who obviously could care less… But don’t give up lads; when winter sets in, and
Wednesday 17th September: Dead Meadow, Whelan’s, price TBC, doors at 8pm Dillinger & The Abyssinians, Button Factory, €24.50, doors at 8pm Thursday 18th September Lisa Hannigan, Button Factory, Price TBC, doors at 8pm Viking Moses, Anseo, €10, doors at 8pm Friday 19th September 9ice, Ambassador, €50, doors at 7pm Phantom Limb, Crawdaddy, €13, doors at 8pm Land Lovers / Brian Cullen’s Love Bullets / You’re Just A Voice On The Phone, Boom Boom Room, €8, doors at 9pm Saturday 20th September Fujiya & Miyagi / Project Jenny / Project Jan / DJ Will Dempsey, Iveagh Gardens Spiegeltent, €22.50, doors at 9.30pm Sun Kil Moon, The Academy, €23, doors at 8pm The Script, Button Factory, €15, doors at 7.30pm Sunday 21st September Flobots, Whelan’s, €20, doors at 7.30pm Village People, Tripod, €58,
we are all indoors, we can laugh at how pathetic ye are, because someone losing their limbs to exposure is always worth a good laugh.
No 2. I Kissed A Girl Katy Perry This song arouses the image of a boardroom full of suits expressing their ideas about Katy Perry as an up-and-coming artist: ‘Is she good looking?’ ‘Well kind of…’ ‘Kind of?!’ ‘Well you wouldn’t say no…’ ‘Can we market her as a sex object? Like all our other talentless singers!’ (Breathes in a sigh of doubt) ‘How about we do a Tatu on her? Like lesbian her up, but at the same time make men thing they have a shot with her.’ (Clicks fingers) ‘I like it!’
No. 1 All Summer Long - Kid Rock Butchery! Sweet Jesus Butchery! Lynyrd Skynyrd are literally doing cartwheels in their graves as this redneck takes their song, puts it through a mixer, adds some god-awful lyrics and an incredibly sexed-up video, and releases it to the public as the greatest “partying down” anthem of 2008.
PETER DOWNEY
doors at 9pm Wednesday 24th September Snoop Dogg, RDS, €53, doors at 8pm Thursday 25th September Republic of Loose, The Academy, €22.50, doors 8pm O’Death, Whelan’s, €15.95, doors at 8pm Friday 26th September Bowerbirds, Crawdaddy, €14, doors at 8pm Loaded, The Academy, €28, doors at 7pm Fight Like Apes, Whelan’s, €12, doors at 8pm Joan Baez, Vicar Street, €45, doors at 9pm Saturday 27th September Amanda Palmer, The Academy, €15, doors at 8pm Ladyhawk, Crawdaddy, €14, doors at 8pm Sunday 28th September OMD, Ambassador, €49.20, doors at 7.30pm Immortal Technique, Andrew’s Lane, €20, doors at 8pm Monday 29th September British Sea Power, The Academy, €23, doors at 8pm
Siren arts the
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College Tribune | September 16 2008
Freaks, Geeks an Cian Taaffe caught up with Seth Rogen, during his recent stay in Dublin, to discuss his rising success in the film industry, his plans for the future, and his relationship with his drug dealer. Canadian writer and actor, Seth Rogen, was discovered at the age of sixteen by film producer and director Judd Apatow who gave Rogen his first acting role as Ken Miller on the short-lived, now cult, television series Freaks and Geeks in 1999. With the cancellation of Freaks and Geeks, Apatow set out to develop another television series, and once again brought Rogen on board as Ron Garner on Undeclared. Undeclared, unfortunately, met the same fate as its predeccesor and was cancelled during its first series. Despite two unsuccessful shows under their belts, the relationship between Apatow and Rogen grew stronger and the two are now responsible for some of the most successful comedy films of the naughties, including Anchorman, 40-Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up and Superbad. “I first met Judd at the audition for Freaks and Geeks and when we were doing the show nothing led me to believe that he liked me any more than anyone else. If you told me then that in ten years you’ll be the guy that still works with him a lot, I would not have believed you at all,” says Rogen. “I think I just showed him that I was really eager to be a writer and I was really into it and enthusiastic about it and I think that meant a lot to him. Then he hired me on Undeclared and we had a great experience and he taught me a lot about writing. Then when we all made 40 Year Old Virgin, I felt like everything just clicked into place for everyone involved; me and Paul Rudd, Steve Carrell and Judd and everyone just kind of looked at each other and thought this is what we need to be doing and ever since then it’s just been easy and fun and we’re gonna start shooting another one in a few weeks, so obviously I wouldn’t keep doing it if I didn’t enjoy it.” In late 2007, Rogen wrote and costarred in Superbad, a film based on the relationship between himself and his best friend Evan Goldberg, who co-wrote the film. “Evan and I met when we were twelve years old, I think, maybe a little before that, but yeah we’re really good friends, we live a couple of blocks away from each other and see each other on a very regular basis”. The relationship in reality, however, is not quite so close as Superbad. “We have never hugged each other nor have we ever said that we loved each other, so it’s not quite as it was depicted in Superbad.” Despite the fact that Superbad was based on his own teenage experience, Rogen was too old to take on the character based on himself so instead he played a police officer in the film while Jonah Hill took on the role of Seth. “I thought Jonah Hill
was great as Seth in Superbad. It was perfect, he was hilarious, but it was annoying because he could do it better than I could, and the character is based on me.” With the success of Superbad, it wasn’t long before Rogen and Goldberg were approached to write another film; Pineapple Express. “Judd Apatow actually came up with the loose notion for a weed action/comedy, but me and Evan Goldberg realised that there was no movie that really showed what your average pot head experience was actually like, as in, what it was like to go and buy weed in some weird guys apartment and to sit in your car and smoke joints all day and we just wanted to show what that was like and that was all very based on personal experiences, so marijuana really was my muse for this movie.” Pineapple Express is the story of Dale Denton (Rogen), who befriends his drug dealer as they run for their lives. Rogen who has publicly admit-
“I wouldn’t say that I’m friends with my drug dealer. Not really – I have been in the past, but these guys are all business and that’s why I like them” ted to smoking hash on a regular basis, says that his relationship with his current drug dealers are in no way depicted in this film. “I wouldn’t say that I’m friends with my drug dealer. Not really – I have been in the past, but these guys are all business and that’s why I like them. They are great guys though. I would constantly tell them they are the best pot dealers I ever had. And I was really subconscious because they wanted to go see the movie and I just wanted to tell them, ‘It’s not based on you, we wrote this before we met you and we really like you,’ so that’s kind of awkward.” Pineapple Express sees Rogen reunited with fellow Freaks and Geeks alumni James Franco, who plays drug dealer Saul Silver in the film. “It was great working with James Franco again. He went off on a very different career direction from myself after Freaks and Geeks – in the sense that he was in some of the most popular movies of all time and I didn’t do shit for years and years,
so I never thought our paths would necessarily cross again professionally, and when I heard he wanted to do comedy again and he wanted to work with us, I was thrilled and I don’t think it could have worked out better.” Since the release of Pineapple Express in the States rumours have been rife about a Superbad/Pineapple Express crossover sequel but Rogen confirms they are merely rumours. “We started those rumours about the crossover, but there’s no truth to them. Not right now anyway, but we’d like there to be a crossover if we could think of a way to actually make that work, I would honestly love to do that, but as of now we have not cracked that egg.”
If there was a Superbad/Pineapple Express crossover, Rogen would have to choose between his Superbad character, Officer Michaels, and his Pineapple Express character, Dale Denton. “If there was a crossover I’d probably prefer to play Dale, but maybe not – it would be really funny if they both died early on in the movie and I just play a new guy altogether.” As well as the recent release of Pineapple Express, Rogen stars in another film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, directed by Kevin Smith, which will be released later this year. “Zack and Miri Make a Porno is going to be awesome. It’s hilarious. It’s me and Elizabeth Banks and we play two friends, who are room
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College Tribune | September 16 2008
arts
nd Superheroes
mates and we have no money, so we decide to make a porno movie, with our friends and people we work with and it’s just hilarious. It’s a Kevin Smith movie, which is great, and not only is it hilarious, it’s pretty sick at times, but it’s very sweet though, a very romantic movie.”
“This is what we need to be doing, it’s just been easy and fun.Obviously I wouldn’t keep doing it if I didn’t enjoy it.” Rogen is set to become the next Hollywood Superhero, when he takes on the task of both writing and starring as The Green Hornet in the film of the same name. Once it was announced that Rogen was to take on this role, the actor realised he needed to get into shape in order to be more believeable as a Superhero. “I’ve been working out a bit for the last month or so, to get in shape for the Green Hornet, and it’s a bit of a pain in the ass, but you know, it’s gotta be done, I guess.” Rogen and co-writer Goldberg are well known for writing comedy, but what does that mean for The Green Hornet? Is it to be a comedy or an action movie? Rogen gives some insight into how he intends to script the Hornet; “There’ll definitely be comedic elements to the Green Hornet, but to us, when we start writing a movie we just think, ‘what has never really been done before’ and we always think action and comedy go beautifully together – from anything like Lethal Weapon to True Lies. So we think like, they’ve never really done that version of a superhero movie before, where it’s funny, but realistic and exciting and filled with action, and that could be great, so I think that’s what we’ll do, but it’s not strictly a comedy, it’s not like a spoof, it’ll be pretty much like Pineapple Express, now that I think of it.” Only 26 years of age, Rogen is one of the busiest actors in Hollywood at
the moment, having appeared in a total of seven films in 2008 and another four in the making for the next year and a half, yet Rogen claims he doesn’t find the work he does to be stressful. “For the most part, all the work I do is enjoyable. There’s moments of stress always, but I’d say a good deal of the time it’s exactly as much fun as it looks like in the movies. Pineapple Express was on a bit of a tight schedule, and it was a very cheap budget for an action movie, so that one was a bit stressful in the sense I would have liked a bit more time on it, but 95 per cent of the time it’s exactly as much fun as it looks like.” Rogen claims he’d like to take a break from working once the Green Hornet is filmed and considers returning to Ireland, “I’m going to shoot a movie with Judd and that’ll take about three months and then
we’ve got the Green Hornet, which is about another five months, so the next eight months is pretty scheduled. After that I don’t have any shit on the table, so I’d like to take a break – maybe I’ll come back to Dublin, I like it here.” “They’re isn’t anyone that I don’t get along with that I’ve worked with. We all get along, even now, I still see most of the Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared gang a lot. I suppose myself and Samm Levine (fellow Freaks and Geeks actor) have always had an odd relationship. We always had a kind of combatted relationship, but I love the guy – I just give him a lot of shit because he’s kind of obnoxious, but I definitely don’t hate anyone I’ve worked with,” muses Rogen. “The person I most enjoy working with is Evan; when me and Evan write together it’s the least work like thing of all the work things. Of all
the shit I get paid for, the work me and Evan do together alone in my house is by far the easiest and most enjoyable aspect.” Despite being a very talented script writer, Rogen doesn’t see himself branching out into writing novels as many of today’s film and tv writers attempt to do. “I don’t think I’d ever write a book, I think movies are enough of an outlet for me to express myself. Anyway, I don’t read books, so I couldn’t actually write one.” Rogen may not be interested in breaking into novels, but on six million dollars per movie, why would he?
»»Pineapple Express reviewed on page 10
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5 Siren health the
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College Tribune | September 16 2008
Things you should do....
to get health savvy
q
One healthy meal at the start of each day: breakfast boosts your dopamine levels and leaves you feeling rejuvenated and awake. Have something with proteins like eggs or nuts and seeds on the side with your toast or in yoghurt. Porridge is great for leaving you feeling full and for energising you for long periods. Banana slices on toast with a glass of juice is another surprisingly nice morning meal.
One
citrus fruit a day keeps the stress monkeys away, and the doctor.
Two MMR vaccines: to prevent mumps. If under the age of 25 you may have only had one of the vaccinations. Several cases of mumps have been reported in the last week in UCD. Check and if unsure contact the Student Health Service. The vaccination is free.
Five
glasses of water a day: everyone knows it but let’s face it, hardly anyone actually ever does it except when they have a particularly bad hangover.
twenty five to thirty minutes.
Two
aspirin four times a day if suffering from the affects of a cold or flu (unless asthmatic).
Three week you should
times exercise
a for
Eight hours of pure, uninterrupted sleep at night in a dark, quiet room free from dust and clutter.
Ten
minutes of complete relaxation a day: you should do absolutely nothing except breath. Surprisingly, nobody really does this but
it does relieve stress and serves to make you more able to cope with an otherwise jampacked day.
Five
minutes to contemTake plate how much alcohol you have already consumed in the past twentyfour hours and stop if it’s more than a five-finger count. Remember- one unit is the equivalent of half a pint
of beer, one glass of wine or a standard measure of spirit. A man can have up to twenty-one units a week while women can have up to fourteen. You should have two or three drinkfree days. Aoife Ryan
How Not to Gain Those Ten Pounds, and Stay Mentally Sound this Year “So many people come into UCD thinking they don’t fit in. They feel alone but don’t really do anything about it except let themselves spiral down into a state of unhappiness. It’s said all the time but all students should be really aware of all the support services available to them if they need a hand. Admitting you need help is nothing to be embarrassed of.” These are the words of Student Advisor Aisling O’ Grady who is located in the Newman building near the Programme Office. Every year she, along with a number of her colleagues, talks to a large number of students who need to discuss their problems, whether academic or otherwise. “It would be more unusual to go through college life without any issues at all. If you come across one, why not deal with it instead of ignoring it?” As every college student knows, one of the greatest problems is trying to stay reasonably healthy while at the same time enjoying the social aspect and keeping the food shopping expenses as low as possible. “Just remember that a
diet of pot noodles is not going to get you through life. The majority of the students I see are simply not healthy. You end up tired and unable to make the most of your time, which ultimately leaves you stressed.” O’Grady states that the student habit of late nights and long drinking sessions have one particularly ungainly result. She calls this the fresher’s ten pounds. “This is named after the American concept. It’s pretty self-explanatory; the first years usually gain around ten pounds because of the sudden change in their habits. Although some do, the majority don’t do as much physical exercise as they used to do when it was all arranged for them in school.”
It is not just first years who have problems settling into the new routine of college, despite the stereotype. O’Grady insists that in fact a large number of her clientele are older years and students from local feeder schools still living at home as well. “It’s not only country people who come to see me. People who went to Mount Anville and other areas close by drop in to see me too. If you don’t really solve the issue in first year, it’s carried into the next. That’s when older years tend to drop in. Either way it’s the brave ones who step across the doorway.” Among those who students can
Aisling o’grady
contact are the student advisors like O’Grady, their tutors, the chaplaincy, the psychologists, doctors and the triage nurse. “It can be a reassurance to talk about everything going on. Most
For the first six weeks everyone calls them freshers, and then suddenly that stops and they become first years students then realise that it’s not half as bad as they originally thought. If you leave it, the problem grows. “My favourite word is balance. It takes six weeks to settle in for the first years, which I don’t think is well enough known. For the first six weeks everyone calls them freshers, and then suddenly that stops and they become first years. I think that title gives a greater sense of integration. They be-
come one of the team and are given a greater sense of purpose. Everyone who has gone through the process remembers what it was like to eat lunch alone for the first time.” The main advice O’Grady wishes to impart to new students is simply to join some of the college activities straight away and to relax about the new academic approach taken in college. “At college, thinking is done in a different way. It’s a slow process and it doesn’t happen overnight. Those of us around here for what feels like a hundred years know seeking help is a sign of strength. Get involved, and we’ll be here to help. At the end of the day the college is yours.” AOIFE RYAN
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fashion
The Freedom of the Fall As the Autumn/Winter Season approaches, Aoife Ryan reviews a summer of strict style, and looks forward to the more liberal fashions of the fall It can be said that the only constant in fashion is the surety that whatever trend is in at the moment will soon be sneered at in a short number of weeks. Annoying as this is for any fashion conscious person who severely dislikes the idea of becoming a reminder of last season’s hits, there are also positives to the quick expiration of trends. Namely, the opportunity to justify some “well-needed” expenses. However, as the majority of us can only fool ourselves into believing we can afford this attitude for so long, there are other benefits. For instance, the exaggerated and dramatic shapes of certain trends can enforce pressure upon those outside the suited size and stature. Many a curvy girl has shied away from the skinny-jean epidemic out of fear of looking like she had been greased into her trousers rather than appearing svelte. Now though, the catwalk ranking of skinnies is becoming less frequent as the archaic sixties wide leg makes its way back onto the scene. Soon the popular skinny jean will steal the title of retro trouser as it becomes less of the moment and more of an ordinary wardrobe stable. One affirmative com-
ment on this year’s season trends is the across-the-border frame of mind they portray. Everyone is bound to find something to suit their shape and personality, as the main themes are more mix and match and relaxed than previous seasons. The less fixed the trend, the longer it tends to last. This past summer saw the introduction of extreme length skirts and dresses. The revival of the maxi dress assured those in need of an elegant look that covers the legs while attention on the mini skirt allowed for a more daring choice. The little white dress became a must-have for hot summer get-aways and casual beach days. One trend that should most definitely carry on into autumn is the volume skirts and dresses such as the tulip and bell-shaped skirts. It’s unlikely though that you will get a chance to don your wedges as the summer season dies down. Everything about the coming seasons has a more comfortable tone despite the dramatic tendencies for full-fledged statement pieces. Most notably, the wide high-waist belt worn over an otherwise casual outfit creates a striking yet wearable piece. Creating curves and super-structured outfits will be of great emphasis this winter. Impact shape coats will be an-
The Gladrags This part is simple if you know what you want. The following tips and list of boutiques are helpful:
q Dress for your body shape (imagine Trinny
and Susannah over your shoulder). Which style suits you frame best? Choose colours and styles that work with you not against you. The Alteration Centre is a trusting place 016776258.
BAG IT Biker jackets: Create the cast of Grease between you and your stylish friends because bomber jackets are here to stay.
As always, the LBD (little black dress) will be a contender on the catwalk and in highstreet fashion
Raincoats: After all the festivals, the age of the nerd returns, as long as you can’t wrap it up into a bumbag. Chunky knits: Chunky cable knits in warm colours.
other statement piece of the season. Although heavy gold jewellery will re-circulate into fashion, minimalistic outfits such as coat and t-shirt dresses over leggings will be centre-stage. As always, the LBD (little black dress) will be a contender on the catwalk and in high-street fashion. Gothic lace and peek-a-boo sheer layers will also make an appearance. In contrast, plaid and check will re-emerge
from past season hits. For those who wish to forget black and brighten their winter with a range of colours, deep reds, purples and pea greens are set to be the focal hues. The most important thing to remember about this season’s trends is the versatility of the main outfits. To make best use of them, try and wear them in a way that reflects your personality.
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun The Debutante Ball is undoubtedly a fashionable milestone in every girlís life. If you are in hardcore preparation for the big night as we speak and have begun to have nightmares about your dress falling off on the night or waking up with streaky tan on the morning, this article may be used as a fail-safe manual for all your fashion needs. Some might say itís like the bible or ìDebs for Dummiesî. As I am the queen of the last minute.com organisation- you are in safe hands...
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l Soho, Newbridge, Co. Kildare. l Julian, top floor of St. Stephens green. This place is full of party dresses! l Jenny Vander. For those who prefer something a little more vintage
q Dress Designers: Fionnuala Bourke- She is the lady behind the stunning dress Lynn Kelly wore when she won Miss Universe Ireland. Fionnuala also featured on Project catwalk. Call 0879815715 for rates.
The Peter Pan q Rockstar tan - Number Four Chatham Street. This is, in my opinion, the best tan in Dublin. It appears dark but natural. It doesn’t patch when you shower and doesn’t smell. Discover a revolutionary spray tanning solution and application direct from LA and available nowhere else in Ireland. Call 01 7645454.
q Boutiques:
The war paint
l Chica boutique, Westbury Mall. If you are looking for something blinging and beautiful look no further. l Lara Boutique, Dame Lane, Dublin 2 l Alila, 41 Drury Street has some striking dresses and unusual clutch bags l Fran and Jane, Westbury Mall and Blackrock. The basement is packed full of dresses at the moment! l Tulle, Georges Arcade. Brings in stunning dresses from Australia.
l Michelle Regazzolli- Mac makeup artist. This is the go-to lady for flawless make up. Call 0861920096 or e-mail Michelleregazzoli@hotmail.com l Brown Sugar, 50 South William Street .01-6169967. I would recommend Vivienne Pomerey. l Mac counters- Brown Thomas (ask for Emma), Bt2 Dundrum, Bt2
Blanchardstown. Book in advance!
The hair l Jane Phelan Walsh- 086 168 6055- Jane will call out to your house! l Peter Marks- upstairs St Stephens green. Ask for Michael Doyle. l Toni and Guy, Clarendon Street. Ask for Joe. l Brown Sugar, 50 South William Street .016169967 l Joseph Kramer, 25 Wicklow Street.
Other Useful tipsq Teeth whitening-prepare two weeks prior to get that Hollywood a-lister smile. All pharmacies do great whitener kits. q
If you’re planning on getting a facial, allow at least a few days until the big night as many facials leave your face looking red for up to 2 days after.
q Easy on the accessories. Less is more. q
Posture for the photos- you won’t do the dress any justice by slouching.
q
Forget the shawl, they are dated and take away from the dress. Anyway expect your dashing date to give his coat if needs be!!
Ruth O’Neill
Top tip: If you are running out of mascara and don’t feel like handing over the money for a new one just yet, leave it firmly closed to soak in hot water for ten minutes. Tahdah-at least another week’s worth.
BIN IT Reality TV: Watching programmes like the “The Hills” to make yourself feel smart. Heavy makeup: Being fresh-faced is finally in, and it takes less time. The Agyness Deyn look: Too many edgy haircuts just makes it dull.
v
Siren film Music the
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College Tribune | September 16 2008
ifi film
Pint Sized Cold Case Plot: Jar City is an Icelandic police thriller that begins when an elderly man is found murdered in his flat. It is then we are introduced to Inspector Erlendur whose team discovers that a few decades ago the victim was tied to a series of rapes and deaths. When he begins to reopen these long-forgotten gruesome cases, he discovers disturbing links that involve the hereditary bloodline of more than one family. The grisly portrayal of Iceland is bleak and colourless and will certainly do nothing for the tourist board. However, the stark foggy landscape sets the tone of
Jar city hhhhh
the film due to its unnerving and majorly unhappy atmosphere. Verdict: In short, this is a hugely alluring but thoroughly sinister thriller which refuses to spoon feed its sometimes overly complicated plot, to the audience. Nevertheless, the film’s unpredictable twists, shock tactics, highly developed characters but mostly, its grim humour make it very enjoyable and most definitely worth the watch. Cathy Buckmaster
Rumble in the jungle Plot: A huge budget, and a range of astronomical stars- put those two favourable factors together and aim to produce a film. This is the plot of Tropic Thunder, a movie about the woes of film production. Playing the militarily ignorant action hero is Stiller, while Downey plays the troubled multi-award winner. Black performs as the comedic actor who is just too coked up to have said anything witty. When the author (Nick Nolte) of the book upon which this film is based, tells the director (Alan Partridge) that the pampered stars
tropic thunder hhhhh have to “be dropped in the shit”, Ben Stiller and company must head off to the jungle and dump their mobile phones. Hilarious moments ensue. Verdict: Tropic Thunder is Ben Stiller’s latest film as director so we get something of the nature and calibre of Zoolander. Unlike many of the slapstick films out there, we get a range of stars rather than impersonators, originality rather than mimicry and more importantly we get a storyline. If you liked Ben Stiller’s other films, you’ll almost certainly like this too. Pierce Farrell
Fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Neil Delamere chats to Cathy Buckmaster about The Panel, new found fame and dealing with hecklers. With festival performances from across five different continents under his belt, Neil Delamere is becoming a prominent comedian around the world let alone just in Ireland. He is quieter and seemingly much more timid in comparison to the exuberant comedic character seen performing on stage; however although he is always polite, there is a sense of a mischief about him with a cheeky joke never too far from the surface. Having recently returned from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Delamere advises anyone to go, saying profoundly “It will blow your mind.” Something which immediately identifies him to his on-stage character is the distinctive Offaly twang brought about by the extended vowels which are ever prevalent and by his habit of ending most sentences with; “y’knoow.” As for ideas for his stand-up, he keeps an open mind. “I get inspiration from everyday life, from my family and from that moment just before you go to sleep when all the things you never thought of rush through your mind. They are the times when all the best stuff comes from.” Delamere has performed in various different locations from South Africa to Montreal. However, he has an undeniable attachment to Ireland. “My favourite thing is that its home but also there’s a sense of feckin mischief and devilment in this country that doesn’t exist anywhere else.
When I look at Irish people I think the national anthem could be ‘fuck it, we’ll give it a go.’” When dealing with hecklers, Delamere has a no-nonsense policy. “I usually have a cattle prod. Tazors and mace are massively effective but generally we’re not allowed to use them; it depends on what they’re saying. However, not every heckler is negative.” “But if someone is genuinely negative and trying to disrupt the gig, then you’re allowed to do whatever you
“I have no plans to follow in Brian Cowen’s big ambling footsteps. I have to say, I think one overlord from Offaly is enough” want. Depending on what they say, I’d try to assess the situation and be as nasty as possible,” he says enthusiastically. Delamere is a panellist on the comedic news chat show, The Panel. “The Panel’s great fun, it’s the closest thing you can do on television to live stand-up because it has an audience and there’s an immediate response so you can tell if something is working” “However, it’s the opposite of
stand-up as well because it has a collaborative feel to it where we make each other laugh. I never know what they’re going to say and they don’t know what I’m going to say and that’s great craic. It’s as close to being down the pub as possible.” Over the years, they’ve had many different guests but Delamere has no doubts as to who his favourite was. “I really liked James Cromwell, the actor who was the farmer from Babe. He’s probably the biggest star we’ve had and he was the most gracious. He’s also six foot seven so we were all standing on chairs to get our picture taken with him.” Even as he actively discusses political issues every week on air, Delamere has no desire to enter the field no matter how far other Offaly natives have gone. “I have no plans to follow in Brian Cowen’s big ambling footsteps. I have to say, I think one overlord from Offaly is enough.” With all the TV work and perpetual gigging, Delamere’s face has become very recognisable, but how does he find his new found fame? “I haven’t got any really good free shit, that’s what I want, but no, nothing that interesting.” “Really, I don’t see that much of it but people are generally very nice. If they like what you do they say it to you, and if they don’t particularly like what you do they wont go out of their way to be rude.”
film retrospective
Bite the biscuit
Fascist folly Plot: Dennis Gansel’s The Wave could easily be criticised for its over-reaching plot. However, the novel of the same name, from which the film was adapted, was inspired by a true story which took place in California. Seemingly laid-back, high school teacher Rainer Wegner (Jürgen Vogel) begins teaching a class on autocracy. His students are unconcerned by the subject, shouting that people had evolved and a dictatorship could never happen again. Stunned by their naivety, Wegner organizes a social experiment where they elect a leader, wear a uniform and devise a salute. Before long, the Fascist project takes on a disturbing life of its own.
the Wave (die welle) hhhhh Verdict: The Wave delves deep into the psychological by portraying the character’s lives and personalities, highlighting how each is affected or seduced by the Fascist regime- such as the need to fit in and to have power over others. It is an insightful gripping thriller full of stark realism bound to keep you thinking long after the credits. Cathy Buckmaster
Ginger Snaps is in essence a werewolf film released in 2000 and directed by John Fawcett, however to label it as just that would be playing down its many differences. From the description, it could be assumed this dark tragicomedy would be stereotypical of the ‘90s teen horrors epitomised in Scream or Buffy. However, it is one of the freshest horrors you will see thanks to a witty script as well as the admirable portrayal of teenage life. Unlike the 25 year old beauties in most teen thrillers, the protagonists in Ginger Snaps actually look like teenagers, imperfections included. It is subtly humorous but always eerily serious in tone. An amusing yet interesting suggestion throughout is that becoming a woman is similar, at least psychologically, to becoming a werewolf. The film focuses on two sisters, sixteen year old Ginger and fifteen year old Brigitte who share an obsession
ginger snaps
with death. The suburban goth girls are more interested in staging and photographing different deaths, including decapitations and lawnmowersplattered bodies then partaking in cheerleading. Both hate the idea of growing up and
compare it with dumbing down so Ginger isn’t too happy about the onset of her puberty. Their hilariously unsuspicious, yet obsessively over-protective mother also offers some comic relief. On the night of a full moon, Ginger is attacked in the woods by a wild animal. Within a few days, some serious changes happen to her such as her increasing malice and obsession for meat. Ginger tries to fob the changes off as consequences of puberty but her sister Brigitte, seeing the horrific symptoms, suspects the worst and tries to find a cure before the next full moon. Due to a compelling character driven plot, it can be almost certainly classed in the top five werewolf films of all time. Cathy Buckmaster
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Music FILM
5 films to get you in the mood for... Starting College
Fun Being a stand up comedian wasn’t always Delamere’s dream. “When I was young, I always wanted to be a professional footballer for Liverpool. Other than that I just wanted to do the usual stuff like be a spaceman, explorer or a tennis player for about a week during Wimbledon every year.” “I suppose when I first saw standup, I knew that’s what I wanted to do but I didn’t connect there being job of doing it. I had seen it in the mid-nineties on TV, when I was watching stand-up shows with Ardal O’Hanlan and Tommy Tiernan on BBC.” Delamere claims to have many highlights of his career but has a special few that are his favourites. “I got into a lift with John Cleese in Montreal but some American bastard came in and stole the moment when he started talking to him.” “I looked at John Cleese as if to say ‘Tch, these people’ and I was trying to be cool even if it didn’t work at all. But, making John Cleese laugh at a press conference in Montreal was quite exhilarating I have to say. However, probably the best moment in my career was the first Vicar Street, it was great fun.” Lastly, he offers this advice to aspiring comedians. “Write and gig as much as you can. There’s no short cut really, you’ll learn everything on a stage. When you do die and you will die, oh God you will die, you’ll learn more from those times than anything else. However if you continually die, maybe you should get a job in the bank.” Neil Delamere will be performing at UCD on the 20th October at the Astra Hall.
Old school “All the fun of college, none of the education.” When Mitch leaves his girlfriend and moves into a house close to the local university, his friends throw a huge party in honour of his single status. The wild bash leads to the formation of a crude fraternity where age and academics are inconsequential. Old School embraces unabashed immaturity and shameless nudity much like the bawdy college movies of the ‘80s which makes it one of the giddiest college films. It also features one of the best renditions of Bonnie Tyler’s Turn Around you’ll ever hear.
Animal House
Pick of the week
Hop on board
Set in Faber College in 1962 the basic motif is the alliance between Dean Vernon Wormer and the snooty Omega House. The Dean is also bent on destroying the Delta House which is so dreadful it will take anyone in. It is a hugely influential comedy from the ‘70s which set a very high bar for all comedy college flicks to follow. The plot is practically non-existent but because of the perpetual hilarious gags and John Belushi participation, it’s definitely worth the watch. Not to mention, nearly every scene has been ripped off by modern comedies.
PCU Plot: After buying a new and rare brand of drug, Pineapple Express, from his drug dealer, Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) witnesses a murder and panics, dropping his spliff, containing this rare stream of drug at the scene. Not knowing what to do, he returns to his drug dealer, Saul Silver (James Franco), to come up with a plan of action. Once Saul revals to Dale that the drug could easily be traced back to him, the two take to the road, as the villains attempt to track them down. As the situation spirals out of control and Dale and Saul consume more and more weed, hilarious, action packed, drug induced situations come to the fore and make for side splitting, laugh out loud, comedy moments. Add guns, grenades, high speed car chases, and torture to the mix, and what you get is the best action-comedy of the year.
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pineapple express hhhhh Verdict: Pineapple Express is a must see for any fans of both Seth Rogen and James Franco. Both actors are top notch, as per usual, and the script written by Rogen and co-writer Evan Goldberg is on a par with their previous film, Superbad, which fast became a student favourite this time last year. In terms of the name of the movie, train fanatics will be dissapointed as this is an epic movie on the useage of drugs and not another adaptation of Thomas the Tank Engine. Cian Taaffe
A preppy high school senior visits Port Chester for the weekend, a college which is far too PC for its own good. He is mistakenly housed in The Pit, the most offensive house on campus with a slacker student called Droz, who disrupts political protests by throwing meat at vegan protesters. Every group is represented in the worst possible light and the film makes heavy use of the political correctness movement as a comedy device with its tagline
reading; “Flunk ‘em if they can’t take a joke.”
Road Trip “It’s not cheating if you live in different area codes, if you are too wasted to remember it, or if you are with two people at the same time because they cancel each other out. But it is definitely cheating if you videotape it and someone accidentally mails the tape to your girlfriend.” Josh has been with Tiffany forever so when they leave for different colleges, they make a shot at a long distance relationship. However, after a videotape of Josh hooking up with another girl is accidentally mailed to Tiffany, Josh is forced along with friends, on an 1800-mile event filled road trip to save his relationship. Tom Green also features as the slightly warped story-teller.
Dead Man on Campus A slacker student becomes a bad influence on his roommate, who after failing his classes is in danger of losing his scholarship. When they find out that if your roommate commits suicide, you get straight As for your grief, they go looking for the perfect candidate to move in. They reason if a student is going to kill himself anyway, he might as well do it in their room. Dead Man on Campus is an amusing dark comedy and a great way to see a black haired Z a c k f r o m Saved by the Bell flexing his acting skills.
Cathy Buckmaster
Siren Music THE SKIP the
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College Tribune | September 16 2008
Social Endeavour OF THE FORTNIGHT
THEATRE
The National Aquatic Centre. Water parks are not generally associated with Ireland as the weather really doesn’t permit it. However, the NAC in Blanchardstown is Europe’s largest indoor water park and pool centre so there’s no danger of being rained on. The Aqua Zone is the more fun orientated half of the NAC. It consists of a periodic wave pool, lazy river, pirate ship, bubble pool as well as three water
A Wilde night out Caitrina Cody had a front row seat at the dazzling display of wit and intrigue that was An Ideal Husband, at the Abbey Theatre slides, including two flumes. They may not be the most impressive slides you ever come across, but the ‘Master Blaster’ which lets the rider pick up speed on inflatable rings is definitely worth a go. However it is the ‘Flow Rider’ which is the most original ride in the NAC. It is in essence a U shaped surf machine, where the rider lying on a body board, drops in and is blasted uphill on jetted water- much harder than it sounds. It is also advisable that women sporting bikinis avoid this one unless you’re a fan of exhibitionism. Also, there are rarely long lines so you shouldn’t be waiting more than five minutes for each ride. However if your tastes are more matured, the impressive 50 metre competition and diving pools are available to day visitors and really are a must see. For students a day pass is twelve euro. Directions are available on their website but to access it by bus, you can take the 38A from Hawkins Street.
Cathy Buckmaster
The Abbey’s An Ideal Husband is an oldschool drama. Period costumes, lavish sets and flowery language – this is no jazzy, modern version with sound effects and strobe lights. No, this is good, old-fashioned, back-to-basics theatre. For a theatre-goer with traditional tastes, this play ticks all the boxes. It is a stately affair, the women dressed in sumptuous ball-gowns, the men in dinner jackets and cravats. As the characters converse, they are not so much talking as participating in a form of verbal fencing. Written by Oscar Wilde in 1895, An Ideal Husband is rich in Wildean satire and hilarious double-entendres. The action revolves around the fortunes of Sir Robert Chiltern, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Lady Gertrude Chiltern, his wife. Sir Robert is the ‘Ideal Husband’ of the
play’s title and Lady Gertrude believes him to be the very epitome of honour and truth, in both his public and private affairs. Natalie Radmall-Quirke shines as the morally rigid Gertrude who proclaims harshly that, “One’s past is what one is. It is the only way by which people should be judged.” Needless to say, Gertrude is soon disillusioned in regard to her husband’s supposedly stainless character. The villain of the piece is Mrs Cheveley, superbly played by Derbhle Crotty, who schemes and plots to achieve her own ends by blackmailing the tortured Sir Robert into giving up his principles. The play is focused on issues of morality and social hypocrisy and behind the witty repartee is a meaningful message. Wilde pokes fun at the vacuous social interaction
of the British upper-class but it is through the dandified Lord Goring that a resolution to the crisis is ultimately found. Skillfully played by Mark O’Halloran, of Adam and Paul fame, Goring’s cynicism conceals a true understanding of forgiveness and love. “To give and not expect return? That is what lies at the heart of love.” The plot twists and turns and a certain suspension of disbelief is required at times but swept along by the intrigue, one becomes truly engaged with the play’s progress. The ornate stage sets are beautifully managed, and the overall feel of the play is smooth and polished. The aristocratic accents are flawless and the dry wit that made Wilde famous sparkles like champagne throughout the four act play. An Ideal Husband is showing at the Abbey Theatre until the 27th of September. Student discounts are available.
books
To die for On a darkening December evening in 1973, in a suburb of Pennsylvania, Susie Salmon emerges late from school and decides to take an ill-advised shortcut home through a deserted cornfield. She never makes it back to her house. The first time we meet Susie, the protagonist of The Lovely Bones, she is already in heaven. The individualised heaven portrayed is another highly significant aspect of the book. She tells the reader how she was confronted by a familiar neighbour, who proceeded to rape her and then dismember her corpse. We never meet Susie’s living self because the book focuses more on how her fam-
ily and friends deal with their huge anguish and how Susie herself, comes to terms with her own death. However we do learn about her personality and the world she came from through moments of retrospect. The Lovely Bones is spread over a long period of time where Susie narrates about the varying lives and difficulties such as depression and guilt that the people she knew must face. In the beginning, she narrates in the young and energetic voice of a teenager but she is forever maturing, portrayed through her changing tone. The novel is most definitely a coming of age story even though
the Lovely bones Alice sebold the protagonist is already dead. The author, Alice Sebold was herself the victim of rape and portrays Susie’s death unflinchingly. The reader is confronted with the many sordid details from the start including that of her severed elbow being found by a neighbour’s dog. However, it is not all darkness and although it may cause moments of upset, it is a story that is ultimately one of hope and compassion. The Lovely Bones has some excellent moments of suspense and will undoubtedly make a reader laugh more than once. Cathy Buckmaster
Red hot When You are Engulfed in Flames is a collection of humorous essays by the American writer David Sedaris. The opening chapter gives a telling glimpse of Sedaris’ eccentric character and a pretty good idea of what is to follow. The writer confesses that he only began to wash his second hand clothes when he discovered that he had caught crabs from a pair of used trousers. Apparel hygiene aside, Sedaris recounts a variety of bizarre events from his personal life, of which there are many. Some are interesting, some funny and some downright odd. Each chapter is unrelated, jumping in time and theme. One dilemma that he faces occurs when he acci-
dentally drops a lozenge from his mouth into the lap of a sleeping woman. There is also the time that Sedaris spent observing the work of a pathologist, an experience he recalls in the fantastically named chapter; “The Monster Mash”. He volunteers to help in the medical examiner’s office, where he is mesmerised by rib cages cut open with hedge clippers and chest cavities emptied with soup ladles. The way Sedaris tells his stories is often convoluted and deliberately obscure. He is neurotic to the point of abstraction, fretting about making conversation with a child next to him on a plane.
When You are Engulfed in Flames David Sedaris He is a self-confessed snob “she had this attitude, not that she was better than us but that she was as good as us – and that simply wasn’t true.” While not side-splittingly funny, the book has a few good laughs and Sedaris is a dab hand at one-liners. Overall, this book is an entertaining read, of the eye-wateringly high-brow variety (the writer did attend Princeton after all). However, new readers of Sedaris might be better to check out his hilarious Me Talk Pretty One Day first. Karina Bracken