Show Page 18— The Herald Journal Logan Utah Friday May 122000 shermans Lagoon SO eyen 06 IfcWMriF a meTAMwe CMS Ml i films are movies By Donald Munro ovich than the real filing (Ifs the same way I think of Mozart: Say the name and an image of a giggling Tom Huke from “Amadeus” flashes through my brain) Movies can be tricky because they seem such a naturalistic medium (unlike theater for exam-pie which always reminds us with its formal stage that we’re watching a performance) With a good movie you slip into die action because the screen envelops us Everything seems so - Fresno Bee You say you want to make a movie of my life? What an honor! Maybe I'll be the next ErinBrockovich Can’t say my wardrobe will make quite the same splash but then again we’re not talking major blockbuster There’s that old formula at work: No bra no $1074 million in 38 push-u- p film will be based on a hue the Because days I know story (mine!) you’ll woA hard to make it faithful to reality Of course I don’t get to play myself because I’m not a movie star (You think you can slip Tom Cruise the script? Ha) My friends coworkers and family don’t get to play them- selves either Maybe I can slip in a cameo as a waiter As for my job: I’ll still be a movie critic But I realize you’re going to have to spice things up a little Not totally make filings up of course Just sharpen the dramatic tension (death-matc-h brawls with irate movie fans at the local multi- plex) condense key plot points (lump those 14 movies into one screening) and yes definitely pump up the love interest (I'm thinking a torrid trip to the French Riviera) V If the test screenings don’t go well' I know you’ll have to reshoot the ending — turn me into a secret agent say or at the very least have me deliver an inspirational speech before the US Congress Granted' my life story movie is an extreme example mostly because I don’t think even John Voo could figure out a way to add a action sequence Most routine side But it lives the are on people’s never hurts to remind folks that “real life’’ movies need to be seen for what they are: a fancy flirtation between fiction and fact The very act of making a movie about a real-lifigure or events is a tacit admission that you’re distorting reality For starters you have an actor playing an actual person That’s not the teal Erin Brockovich on screen obviously We all know this But as an actress Julia Roberts’ goal is to make you think die is And because films are so big and visceral a part of each of ' us begins to think of her as more like Brock CATHY PERFECT FOR A SUSHI PERFECT FOR MTNTHE LUNCH MCTM A FOUNOCR OF A NEB DESKM EMPIRE? nuclear-power- AftEHWfr EXINEME DIVISION OF A SHOE OOMPNNV1 SMRT-imu- rf BEETLE BAlLEY asteroid-threatens-Ea- ed real- Yet they’re far from real of course Ever ' in notice that people are so movies? They don’t say "um” much And they well-spok- : hardly ever go to the bathroom The debate never ends about “true story’’ movies Earlier this year it was Denzel Wash: ington’s fiery performance in “The Hurricane’’ that was splattered with critical mud Key facts about Rubin “Hurricane’’ Carter’s life were omitted or changed naysayers said I’m no purist In fact I’m slightly amused by people who get' worked up about such things Anyone who went to “The Hurricane” expect-in- g a documentary is is little naive What they got Was a powerhouse dramatic performance by an acclaimed actor At best a movie can capture the essence of the person or event it's tbamatizing In the same " vein anyone who walks out of “Erin Brock-- : ovkh” convinced they have the “whole” story is mistaken (The folks at Pacific Gas & Electric Co would certainly agree) V which is about Or take the film heroic American submariners who help capture a Nazi decoding machine that helped turn the tide of World War II We're told at the end that it’s based on a “true story” — but it was the British who actually captured the Enigma 'machine You can get into some pretty deep issues here ’ — that no representation of reality whether it be a book photograph painting memory or film can truly represent the “truth" Each has" its own particular filter or cultural bias The important thing is to be aware that this is the case — and then enjoy anyway like I did with e "Erin Brockoviph” i the Real-lif- e people and events can be the basis for terrific movies Just don’t buy everything you see And remember Don’t get me mixed up with Tom Cruise - mind-bruisi- ng ith en : " ‘ fe “0-57- 1” i - first-rat- ' 'v : -1 Rare art shown in Portland l PEANUTS PORTLAND Ore (AP) — It’s a Russian story but die elements are universal: war busiV ness politics and religion And the Portland Art Museum is attempting to tell this 500-yeepic with “Stroganoff The Palace and Collections of a Russian Noble Family” a $35 million exhibit running through May 31 A chance meeting between museum director John Buchanan Jr: and Baroness Helene de Ludinghausen the last Stroganoff brought the exhibit here It took four years to organize and has drawn more than 100000 visitors since its February opening The Stroganoff family of salt barons was so wealthy it once provided 20 percent erf Russia’s total tax revenue It wu so powerful it financed Russian military campaigns for four centuries and hired mercenaries to conquer Siberia for themselves and Ivan the Terrible They also loved art collecting and commissioning thousands of pieces from the 1500s to the 1900s With its immeasurable impact on Russian culture the family even became synonymous with a style of art called the Stroganoff School But in 1917 the Bolsheviks chased the Stroganoffs away nationalizing the Stroganoff palace in St Petersburg and scattering the art works throughout Russia Now 230 of those pieces have been reunited shown outside of Russia for the first time On a recent weekday afternoon hundreds of visitors ignored the predictable Oregon rain to pack the exhibit putting on headsets as they shuffled through file various rooms admiring the marbles the bronzes the Botticellis the historical documents and the big malachite coupe generally the centerpiece of the Malachite Room at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg But they also were drawn to the ornate furniture and most people gawked at the coupe a green stone basin cradled by a gilded stand It The Russian government is no longer able to support museums They’re looking for western money0 MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM FOXTROT THEY MAKE YOU LOOK LUCE YOU'RE MEADOW OFF STAR FLEET To I NEVER KNEW YOU CARED SO MUCH ABOUT RAISE'S MADE ITS STAR FLEET'S I WANT TO 1 PROTECT I ACADEMY was commissioned by Count Alexander Stroganoff the family's most prolific collector REAL LIFE ADVENTURES CLOSE TO HOME - - ' —Penelope Hunter-Stieb- ei The Russians did not want the basin to leave their country 'but de Ludinghausen insisted The baroness who has set up a foundation to restore Russia’s palaces and museums had a huge hand in this exhibit "With the economy the way it is the (Russian) government is no longer able to' the ' says Penelope Hunter-StiebRussian muse- curator noting that urns have struggled since the fall of communism “They are strapped’ They’re looking for western money” As she whittled through thousands of pieces to form the exhibit Hunter-Stiebsays she didn’t want to just throw art in people’s faces she wanted to tell a story Tkpes for adults and children provide context as do some historical documents And it’s easy to identify with religious paintings and portraits of various Stroganoff family members including Mouton the family Spaniel “You don’t need a PhD to respond to this stuff — it wasn’t made for that” Hunter-Stieb' says of Another exhibit highlight is a the Stroganoff palace’s paintings gallery This is where Alexander Stroganoff propped in a chair spent his dying hours looking at works by Botticelli Poussin Van Dyck and others An old Russian proverb says “Richer than support-museums- ” ei cash-starv-ed ei ei be” the Stroganoffs you’ll never Perhaps that’s why people just don’t have private collections like this anymore “It’s absolutely die most exciting project I’ve ever worked on” said Hunter-Stieb- one heart continue with two By Phillip Alder t Dr Samuel Johnson claimed “The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken” Was he a Start by looking It the South b hand West’s opening is passed around to you What would you do? chain-smoke- r? one-clu- South has three choices: double one diamond and two diamonds This is a slight overbid but your hand has a Here lot of playing-trick- s - reverse order two diamonds a jump overcall in the balancing — or pass-o- — position ut high-car- d shows some 6 points and a decent suit So it is a reasonable choice However as the hand is playable in either major it wouldn’t be my pick One diamond makes it easier for partner to bid a major so is better But my favorite is the takeout double If partner advances 14-1- six-ca- "Quit whining and ust put them onl Once wt land wH have three minutes tops to catch our connecting flight" I II rd honor South's only chance is to call for dummy's jack 02000 by NEA Inc though you get to four spades which is an easy make given the delightful trump position Against five diamonds West led the heart king Declarer won with the ace drew trumps and pushed a spade toward the dummy Making the contract easily Yet what diamonds Taking them in happens if West leads instead — t' Vin at brldgo MO's THATPoUNOtNO ON 7H back door — M Mm wnm you nop TwomMim mm form own summer you do so at your poriL ' £ ar the club queen? 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