n ! Fec:3b Knight Ridder Newspapers j've always thought that food was kind of funny. As a songwriter you're supposed to write what you know about and I'm pretty familiar with food. I've eaten food every day for most of my life and in a way I feel like I owe food a debt of gratitude for keeping me alive for so "Weird Al" many years." "Would I lie to youT That line gets a workout from Robin Williams in "Jakob the Liar," but it's not always easy to tell if its supposed to get a laugh. In fact, Williams' entire FILM per- formance REVIEW proves a tricky read as a man whose powerful imagination inspires hope and happiness among his persecuted people in a Jewish ghetto in 1944 Poland. Are we supposed to laugh? Are we supposed to cry? Just tell us, and we'll play along. But Williams and the muddled movie he's in seem uncomfortably caught between depicting fantasy and pitiless reali- Yankovic l.u The following are "Weird Al" Yankovic songs that deal in Courtesy photo some way with food, and the songs they parody. Some of these songs were never released. King of the weird; "Weird Al" Yankovic and his band members will play at Kingsbury Hall on Thursday. the original artist, even though the law does not require it. Prince has never given permission, and Yankovic was turned down by Paul McCartney when the comedian wanted to do a version of "Live and Let Die" called "Chicken Pot Pie." "(McCartney) is a strict vegetarian, and he didn't want to condone any song revolving around the eating of animal flesh," Yankovic said. "It's a little ironic because I'm a vegetarian, too." Yankovic said he respected McCartney's decision and didn't get the feeling the door was closed to future McCartney parodies. As for the communities he takes on, he also takes steps to make sure he's not hurtful. For the tune "Pretty Fly for a Rabbi," Yankovic said he ran it by a few of his Jewish friends. "Part of why I've had longevity in the business and why a lot of my records are popular is I'm pretty respectful of people," he said. "I don't try to find humor by putting peo "Eat It" ("Beat It") ("Bad") Grapefruit Diet" ("Zoot Suit Riot") "I Love Rocky Road" ("I Love Rock 'n' Roll") "Livin' In The Fridge" ("Livin' on the Edge") "My Bologna" ("My Sharona") Taco Grande" ("Rico Suave") "Rye or The Kaiser" ("Eye of the Tiger") The following songs are Ai's "Food Medley" from hurtful." Perhaps the Mormons will Continued from CI Die") part of 1985. "It's Moldy Now" ("Hold Me Now") "Steak Number 3" ("Mistake Number 3") "Burger King" ("Sister Christian") "Don't You Forget About Meat" ('Don't You Forget About Me") "Girls Just Want to Have Lunch" ("Girls Just Want to Have Fun") "Spameater" ("Maneater") "I Feel Like Throwin' up" ("Feel Like Makin' Love") "Avocado" ("Desperado") "Whole Lotta Lunch" ("Whole Lotta Love") Ralph Laurkn RAGS Nazi-controlle- d ple down or being mean or WEIRD AL Addicted to Spuds" ("Addicted to Love") 'Chicken Pot Pie" ("Live and Let -- Fat" Provo. Utah - Page C 5 'Jakob' lies, hedges on film's intentions By BRIAN McTAVlSH -- nday, September 24, 1W9, THE DAILY HFRALD, be next. "I hadn't been giving that too much thought so maybe I should start thinking about that," he said. Yankovic said his version of Coolio's song "Gangsta's Paradise" ("Amish Paradise," which he admits has probably not been heard by many Amish) was the only one in which the original artist bashed the parody. Yankovic said he gets most of his fan mail from boys, but the concert audiences are Some audience members travel to different cities to see his show, including one woman who said she has seen 17 Yankovic performances on his current tour. That's great news to Yankovic, because it means faith-fuelin- g ty. Let's just say it's no "Life is Beautiful." That film, which this year garnered its effervescent writer, director and star Roberto Benigni the Oscar for best actor, was an unambiguous fable anchored in its desire to uplift the audiItalian-languag- e ence. l. thoughts of romance to funny. In contrast, "Jakob the Liar," based on the 1969 novel by Jurek Becker and directed with gray-skaplomb by bloorn. And, yes, there are moments designed to elicit chuckles and warm and fuzzy feelings, from comical kvetch-inbetween ghetto residents to Williams hiding behind a curtain imitating a BBC radio broadcast to raise the spirits of the sickly preadolescent girl he's taken under his y Peter Kassovitz both Holocaust survivors shows too much of the human suffering merely alluded to in the more clever, if less historically accurate, "Life is Beautiful." "Jakob's" approach is more politically correct for the subject matter, but it's a tough climb in the entertainment department. Well before its underwhelming conclusion, the movie comes off as an uneasy undertaking; more pathetic than dramatic; neither diverting nor riveting enough to deeply satisfy. Still, on the surface, there are striking thematic similarities between the two films. As Jakob, a cafe owner before the war, Williams feeds his dejected brethren fictitious reports of Soviet military successes against the Germans, which he claims to have heard on a forbidden radio. Although the radio doesn't exist, the optimism that its "news" produces results in a halt to suicides in the ghetto. It gives birth to a resistance movement and even allows g wing. But it's a confusion: Does Williams pretending to be a reassuring Winston Churchill on the radio (with a Polish accent!) reBlIy deceive the girl? A benevolent viewer might suggest that it's not important if the child actually believes, only that it makes her happy someone cares enough to try to make her feel safe. Whatever. Another hedge, and a maddening one, is Williams' opening narration that implies one outcome but in the end delivers another. It's not a surprise ending. It's a cheat. Believe this: "Jakob the Liar" isn't a bad movie. It's just not much of one. Would I lie to you? 2 3 Sure, many of "Life's" detractors still can't get over it trying to broadly amuse on the grim stage of the Holocaust. But its tragicomic story of a brave Italian Jew, who shields his little boy in a concentration camp by convincing him that it's a game with a grand prize for the prisoner, was both heartbreaking and hell be able to keep doing what he loves. "Music and comedy have always been rny best-obeyin- passion." 02) g Announcing stars Rated PG-1for brief language and scenes of death, violence and torture. . . . Tommy HiLfiotB CZZ1 Warehouse Store Outlet THE DAILY HERALD Annual Warehouse Parking Lot Sale Coloring Contest Winners l T- T Name Brand clothing Men's, Women's, Children's Bedding. Kitchen Items, Handbags. I Every 5th Item a. w0 m u f Luggage & More! Tens of Thousands of Items to choose from! SEPT. 12 4yrs. DANIELLE SVEDIN 5 yrs. BRENDON LARSEN 6 yrs. TREVOR LEONARD 7 yrs. ALYSSA NIELSON 8 yrs. VICTORIA LYON 9 yrs. EMMALEE BOEKWEG 10 yrs. 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