MEDIA COOL

MEDIA COOL

This Month’s Media Cool was written by Rick Johnson, Bill Holdship, Ken Roseman, Jeffrey Morgan and Richard C. Walls

SMALL WONDER (Syndicated TV)

Have you checked out the ultimate statement on 20th Century situation comedies yet? This tale of a typical TV family with a little girl (Vicki) who, unbeknownst to the neighborhood, is actually a robot (“she’s fantastic/made of plastic/microchip here ’n’ there” goes the song) is not a parody or even a parody of a 芤parody. It’s a parody of the very concept of parody-making and—like the preceeding statement—utterly meaningless, thus brilliant! Now heading into it’s second syndi season, it features unforgettable one-liners like: “Last night I asked her to bring me some ice cubes and she brought me the whole refrigerator!” The laughtrack screams! Best episode so far is where the brat next door inadvertantly programs Vicki to throw tantrums, demand an allowance and pop off with gems such as, “If you squeeze me hard, I’ll make a puddle!” I identify with Vicki and her robotic drone myself, plus the only competition in this time slot is Vaccine On Trial. R.J.

STAND BY ME (Columbia Pictures)

This is so good. Someone has finally captured on film the essence of Stephen King’s appeal (when he’s at his best, and not playing the hack), often having less to do with horror (this is definitely not a horror film) than with the way he portrays archetypal images and experiences that are integral to anyone who’s grown up in America. In other words, if you were ever a 12year-old growing up in this country (it helps if you’re male, from a small town, and did the growing in the ’50s or ’60s—though it’s not absolutely necessary), chances are very good you’ll love this film. The kids are terrific, and, keeping in mind his triumphs with Spinal Tap and The Sure Thing, Rob “Meathead” Reiner is proving himself to be one of the best directors in the biz. It’s a “coming-of-age” film that really isn’t like any other “coming-ofage” film, though, for some reason, To Kill A Mockingbird and Mark Twain keep coming to mind as reference points. It’ll make you laugh, cry and even give you chills at times. Plus the music is great. And did you ever wonder if Superman could beat up Mighty Mouse? B.H.

THE FLY (20th Century Fox) Critics who should know better are hailing this meager slice of goo-goo as something to go ga-ga over, but be forewarned: this is just David Lynch’s The Elephant Man tarted up with color and more gore than should legally be allowed. Then again, what else would you expect from David “Latex” Cronenberg, a man whd is giving Torontonians a worse name than the Toronto Maple Leafs do, fercrissakes. Especially disappointing is the fact that this was written by Charles Pogue, who did such a brilliantly subtle job on Psycho III. Rumor has it that Pogue’s script was extensively rewritten by The Crone—obviously to no avail. It’s hard to imagine a director who could steal the “wretched excess” title away from Brian De Palma, but Dave’s doing it—with all the finesse of an Ed Wood, Jr. Say nay.J.M.

MAGICK THEATER (Published irregularly by Raymond F. Young)

This passes my test for what makes a good fanzine; acres of tiny print and tons of pictures (stills, drawings, old movie ads)—you can browse thru it indefinitely, and somehow never manage to read the whole thing. The mag is subtitled Film Esoterica & Weird Science and features dozens of capsule reviews of fairly obscure schlock product plus opinionated ravings by people who can’t get published in pro-zines and don’t care! (Highlight: “Detroit Grind-House Blues” by fanzine legend Dave Szurak.) Inside back cover has cozily posed picture of “Tab & Tina,” lead mannequins in How To Make A Monster (’58), captioned with a relevant quote from T.S. Elliot’s Four Quartets. If any of this makes sense to you, send $3.50 for a sample copy.( R.F. Young, P.O. Box 0446, Baldwin NY, 11510-0129) R.C.W.

SWAMP THING (DC Comics)

One of the brightest new talents on the comic scene proval anymore, so you know something’s going on. Moore has brought a more literary sensibility to comics, creating involved plots and vivid characters that are beyond the abilities of average comic writers. In addition, he uses familiar horror icons, like vampires, werewolves and zombies as vehicles for pointed social commentary. And the running romance between Swamp Thing and Abigail is the wildest variation on the “beauty and the beast” theme yet. But most importantly, when Moore writes horror tales, you’re genuinely isn’t an artist, but the English writer Alan Moore, who’s stirred things up with his innovative approach to Swamp Thing. The title doesn’t carry the “Comics Code of Authority” seal of apshocked by his innate feel for the bizarre. The generally grizzly artwork, which often resembles medieval woodcuts, is the perfect complement to Moore’s haunting scripts. K.R.