Page 4D
Laredo Morning Times
Friday, May 5, 2000
‘Gladiator’ movie is an orgy to the eye
offer the only
other human
sparks in a
parade
of
characters as
lifeless as the
computerTime for a little
generated
gladiatorial gore
spectators
with your Milk
Scott used to
Duds. ”Gladiator”
fill
the
is here, and it‘s
colosseum to
big and glorious.
capacity.
For the first time
The movie is
since the 1960s,
an orgy for the
Hollywood
eyes, though.
revisits
the
Elaborate
Roman Empire‘s
s e t s ,
equivalent
of
costumes and
Monday
Night
digital imagery
Football, handblend to create
t o - h a n d
a
n
bloodletting in an
unparalleled
arena full of
vista of Roman
savagely rabid
splendor,
spectators.
notably
in
The best this
Commodus‘
glitzy
but
coronation
soulless
epic
march
into
merits is a mixed
Rome,
a
reception — say
p
e
r
v
e
r
s
e
thumbs sideways
inauguration
AP photo
—
from
the
m o v i e g o i n g ACTION DRAMA: Russell Crowe, right, fights for his life in a scene from the DreamWorks Pictures action drama ‘Gladiator,’ opening in reminiscent of
a Nuremberg
theaters nationwide today. Crowe plays Maximus, a Roman general sold into slavery and trained as a gladiator.
hordes.
rally.
Director Ridley
The opening
Scott
(”Alien,”
battle scene is
actor can brood with the best
evolved into a full-bodied
puppy
of
an
emperor
”Thelma & Louise”) fashions
effectively dreamlike, with a
of them; he compensates for
drama. But the touching
Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix)
an awesome spectacle, with a
rain of fire bombs that lives
the
script‘s
shortcomings
by
scene
of
father
and
son
doesn‘t
just
taunt
Maximus,
he
stunning computer-generated
up to Maximus‘ exhortation
bringing
a
sense
of
the
inner
examining
their
failed
informs
the
fallen
general
that
Colosseum that shows just
to ”unleash hell.”
remorse and self-blame of a
relationship
degenerates
”your son squealed like a girl
how far Hollywood has come
The arena fights, however,
man
whose
public
life
has
into
brute
ugliness,
and
the
when
they
nailed
him
to
the
technically since the days of
suffer from Scott‘s machinecome
home
to
torment
those
movie
takes
the
bestial
low
cross,
and
your
wife
moaned
”Ben-Hur” and ”Spartacus.”
gun jump cuts, which
he loves.
like a whore as they ravaged
road from then on.
Despite Russell Crowe‘s
sometimes obscure the
Harris, in his fleeting role
Commodus does come to
her again and again and
glowering
presence
as
action and also, thankfully,
as
Marcus,
and
the
late
again.”
power, ordering the deaths
Roman general Maximus,
some of the gore.
Oliver
Reed,
in
his
final
role
The
Colosseum
crowds
don‘t
of
Maximus
and
his
family.
what ”Gladiator” lacks is the
as
gladiator
trainer
Proximo,
just
applaud
the
carnage,
they
Maximus
escapes,
trains
as
heart and humanity of those
cheer gleefully at every
a gladiator, and plots
earlier Roman pageants.
severed appendage.
revenge when Commodus
Scott
lets
action
and
If this was the glory of
reopens the Colosseum for
architecture — both real and
ancient Rome, thank Olympus
bloody games to celebrate
digitized — overwhelm the
it‘s in ruins.
his ascension and keep the
characters and their leaden
The
story:
War-weary
people blissfully pacified.
dialogue.
Maximus hopes to retire to his
Scott‘s approach to the
”My name is Gladiator,”
farm after one final campaign
Maximus
mechanically
complex politics of Rome is
against barbarians for his
musters when confronted by
as
simplistic
as
his
dying
emperor
Marcus
the young emperor who has
characters. After one kickwronged him, a dull echo of
Aurelius (Richard Harris).
butt fight in the arena,
the heroically emotive ”I‘m
Marcus has other plans,
Maximus wins the adoration
Spartacus”
scene
from
tapping Maximus as protector
of Rome‘s citizens, who start
Stanley Kubrick‘s classic.
of Rome to keep the
turning against Commodus
In place of the subtle
emperor‘s snot-nosed son,
with boos and hisses.
characterizations
that
Commodus, off the throne.
And it‘s just a matter of time
Hollywood once crafted to
”Commodus is not a moral
before
the
showdown
bring grace and charm to
man. He must not rule,”
between
Maximus
and
brutal Rome, Scott goes for
Marcus tells Maximus. ”You‘re
Commodus, with hype as
AP photo
the jugular at every turn.
the son I should have had.”
silly as a professionalGLADIATOR:
Russell
Crowe,
center,
portays
the
Roman
general
Maximus
Maximus‘ wife and son aren‘t
There‘s a moment early on
wrestling championship.
just slain by his enemies,
between
Marcus
and
Crowe does rise a notch in ‘Gladiator.’ Only five years after landing his first Hollywood role, Crowe
they‘re crucified and set afire
Commodus
from
which
above the movie‘s muscle- is one of the hottest - and busiest - actors around. The Universal film,
while alive. The sick little
”Gladiator”
could
have
over-mind sensibility. The ‘Gladiator,’ is directed by Ridley Scott. Colleagues say the 36-year-old
Crowe approaches each role with fierce intensity and commitment.
By
DAVID
GERMAIN
A
P
Entertainment
Writer
Friday, May 5, 2000
Laredo Morning Times
Page 5D
Cultural heritage celebration set for today
Laredo Community College
will host a celebration of the
community‘s rich cultural
heritage during the second
annual Culturas Concert, a
music
and
dance
extravaganza set for today.
The cultural arts performance
will begin at 7 p.m. at the Civic
Center Auditorium. Sponsored
by the LCC Music and Dance
Department, the city of Laredo
and the Instituto Cultural
Mexico Laredo, the public is
invited to attend free of
charge.
The concert will feature
performances by student
dancers from LCC‘s traditional
dance performance troupes,
including the Ballet Folklorico
and the Classical Spanish
Ballet.
Under the artistic direction of
LCC faculty member Perla
Diaz-Garcia, the LCC Ballet
Folklorico will perform popular
dances from several states of
Mexico, including an ancient
religious
ritual
of
the
concheros, Matlachines de
Hidalgo, Cuadro Norteño, and
Que Lindo es Jalisco.
The Classical Spanish Ballet,
directed by LCC dance
instructor Lyanna Z. Bravo, will
perform a potpourri of classical
Spanish
and
flamenco
dances.
The repertoire will include the
upbeat rumba Torito and
Fandangos
de
Huelva.
Guitarists Bravo and Gutierrez
will
provide
musical
accompaniment for several
dance
performances,
including Sevillanas from
Spain, Alegrias and Rumba
Flamenca.
There will also be special
guest
performances
by
vocalist Linda Cristina Leal of
Laredo, Mariachi Halcon of
Zapata High School, the LCC
Dance Theatre, guitarists
Eduardo Bravo and Mundy
Gutierrez of Laredo.
LCC dance faculty member
Gabriel Sanchez and student
John R. Barela will perform La
Danza del Venado, a primitive
but sophisticated dance that
comes from the Yaqui tribe in
the state of Sonora. The
dance, choreographed by the
faculty-student duo, is part of a
traditional rite performed
before a hunting expedition.
Members of the LCC Ballet
Folklorico are Crisana Arizpe,
Ernesto Arriaga, John R.
Barela, Luz Arriaga, Belinda
Cantu, Veronica Flores, Dalia
Garza,
Jorge
Gutierrez,
Eduardo Hernandez, Iredh
Hernandez, Andres Ibarra,
Alberto Lopez, Jorge Martinez,
Armando Morales, Linda
Cristina
Leal,
Claudia
Martinez, Veronica Mares,
Oralia
Reyes,
Gladys
Rodriguez, Edna Tijerina,
Jesus Tijerina and Mimi
Valdez.
The Classical Spanish Ballet
includes LCC student dancers
Belinda Cantu, Ivonne de
Leon, Cy Gonzalez, Gladys
Rodriguez, Araceli Vela and
Sylvia Reyes. For more
information, call 721-5330.
Times courtesy photo
B A L L E T
FOLKLORICO:
The LCC Ballet
Folklorico group,
pictured at right,
is directed by
Perla Diaz Garcia.
Times courtesy photo
CLASSICAL SPANISH BALLET: The LCC Classical Spanish Ballet
group, pictured above, is directed by Lyanna Bravo.