- v The Oakville Journal Record, ‘diag September 19, 1980 — 15 Movie Review. By ROB SALEM 7 OJR staff writer ~ Battle Beyond The Planets, the all-star science fiction epic now playing at the Plaza Two Theatre, is yet another entry in the “Let's rip off Star Wars and make a million bucks" sweepstakes. As such, it is a little late off the mark. The genre has been done to death in recent years, and there is very little that can be done witircute aliens and laser battles that is in the least bit exciting or original. somewhere along the line they direct satire. Thankfully, they had enough insight not to take themselves too seriously, . and the end result is light-hearted and com- pletely unpretentious. ‘ Richard ‘“‘John-Boy’’ Thomas stars as the naive hero Shad, a Luke Skywalker clone who is even more vapid than the original, who pilots an organic-type spaceship named Nell. Nell has a mind of her own, and never hesitates to correct or insult Shad. Their constant bickering brings back unpleasant memories of TV’s My Mother The Car. Shad’s peaceful planet is attacked (for no apparent reason other than sheer ~ naStiness) by an evil tyrant played by John Saxon. Saxon’s primary motivation in the film isto replace the various parts, of his body that are in need of repair. Wher he gets Shad sets out on a mission to hire some™ = Satire only saving grace in Star Wars take-off — mercenaries to fight for his home planet. Among the motley crew he brings back are a lovely young computer-expert (who barely looks old enough to drive a car, much less a spaceship), an over-the-hill hit man (played , vaguely by Robert Vaughn), a space cowboy a : What Battle Beyond The Stars lacks in (George Peppard), an over-sexed amazon, a vengeful lizard-man, and five aliens sharing a common consciousness collectively named Nestor. “Of all these galactic good guys only Pep- pard’s charming cowboy and the various aspects of Nestor are worthy of note by vir- tue of the fact that they get all the good liney Unfortunately, just as we get to know some of the more interesting characters, The special effects are of the Battlestar ' Galactica variety — cheap and psuedo- awesome. In a welcome change from the norm, the only robots in the film are human- nor or played expertly by a couple of mime artis plot, acting and effects, it more than makes up in back-handed wit and parody. Though the film will certainly never be considered a Classic by the hard core sci-fi fan, it is a plea- _ enough diversion for kids and adults e. A word of warning. Through inept planning and/or premature hype, two of the characters pictured in the newspaper ads and on the movie poster — a Biant ant-man made it to the-screen, © , aware of this fact, and much of the movie is mad he likes to destroy planets. they zoom off into battle and are killed. made it tothescren, | A bizarr e approach to art sums up the works. The Three Graces, complete with real stuffed frog, is of Michael Snowdon (breathing smoke) and David currently on display with other works at Oakville’s Hlynsky (praying) of Fringe Research Holographic Inc. Centennial Gallery, 120 Navy St. Theatre draws big names By CAROL BESLER OJR staff writer After a shaky first three years, the Oakville Centre has established itself as a major performing arts centre drawing crowds all the way from Ancaster to Toronto..- “Something new _ is always shaky at first,” said publicity co- ordinator Madeline Fiala. The centre, which ran up a deficit close to $200,000 last year and was plagued by management problems, ‘‘took a while to get off the ground,”’ she explains. This year marks the centre’s third anniver- TV Listings >: = id ® You Bet Your Life rl y 11:00 COGDG (LD News CD aa CW News 7:00 CD PM GD Trapper John, M.D ieee News Prisoner: H Barney Mi @ oe News @ Tic Tac Dow i) oe Ee fe Rees = Man at the Top (English; (C2 Incredible Hulk 1973) Kenneth Haigh, (CP MacNeil, Lehrer Report Nanette Newman 11:20@) @ News Kidsworld rt @ Welcome Back, Kotter ieee GB Dick Van Dyke GD M*A*S*H 7:30 CD se onl ) Movie — Comedy- @ - ee Fool's Farade (1971) James CD Family Feud Stewart, George Kennedy. @ GT Benson (CD Party Game (CD) Good Time Harry (® Dick Cavett (® Dick Cavett @ Celebrity Cooks (® Movie —. Drama GB Newlywed Game Lloyds of London Conclu- 44-455 $cTV sion 12:00 GD) Movie — Crime Dra @ be oe Life The Man-Hunter (1368) Roy = So An Ura Sandra Dee 8:00 COG (LB Shogun a cs ~<A Goris Comedy- @! Hulk @ M (1D Movie — Crime Drama Target Risk (1975) Bo Sven- son, Meredith Baxter (2) Washington Week In Review @®@ Movie — Comedy How to Pick Up Girls (1978) Desi le Jr., Fred McCarre 8:30 BD > WKRP In Cincin- | WESTERN: Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing (1973) Maggie Smith, Timothy Bot- toms (2) Movie — Western Bandolero! (1968) James Stewart, Dean Martin _— Bless the Children ern) Bill More my, Barry Robins G@ Streets of San Francisco GB 700 Club 12:15GD Movie — Drama Casablanca (1942) Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman C® Movie — Dra The Day of the Jackal (English; 1973) Edward Fox 12:30 GD 00 @ — Crime Drama Grand Slam (Italian; 1967) Edward G. Robinson, Janet 2:00 foe, ae — Drama So Ends Our Night (1940) Fredric March, Glenn Ford (CD Marcus Welby, M.D. 2:20 @ News @ Dateline Canada Saturda av ic Tn 2:15 CD Baseball 2:30 G@ You Can Do It 1:30 CD Newsmakers (2 Celebrity Tennis CD Moira Hunt @ Inside Track @xn 4 GB Six Million Dollar Man @ Music @ end oa) Clg Fo Football @® Sports Afield Pregame Show ve] aig @® Movie—Dra Gentle Giant (1968) Dennis Weaver, Vera Miles @ Galloway’ s Gallery (> Julia Child & More @ tomb of Tutankhamun stone 1:45 (2) College Football 2:00 GD Baseball Warm-Up CD OB Wrestling - @ Bowling G@® Par 27 AS cay College Foot- (2 Weekend (1) Nova ((B Understanding the Earth TODAY I TOMORROW get ‘f \. nRESSED ue |! TOL 5 yy us: NITE FAMOUS SINCE 1980 AUSTIN & COWLES bring | | i a] rds (TB Kitchen Bach Choir Kidsworld @® Towards the Year 3:30 G@® Sports Spectacular @ Red Fisher Continued on Page 16 sary, and, according to Ms. Fiala, the centre has already proven to be a major success. ‘‘We have a reputation as a good entertainment centre now and are attracting not only large audiences but big mame _ performers,’’ said Mrs. Fiala. October, for instance; will feature The Good Brothers, Hagood Hardy, a Miss Oktoberfest Pageant, Catherine McKinnon and Don Harron. The season's drama series is already sold out and tickets are in great demand for the upcoming dance series. September 26 and 27, The Torento Dance Theatre will open their season at the_centre before performing in Toronto. “We are offering the same show that will be in Toronto for less money and Oakville residents will save gas money too, since. they don’t have to go to Toronto to see the show,”’ said Ms. Fiala. The Danny Grossman dance company will be coming’to the centre Nov. 14 and 15. His company is known nationally for its humor, warmth, and accessibility. The dance season will close after an April 17 and 18 performance by the Theatre Ballet of Canada. The results of a recent- ly completed study in- itiated by the centre promoted them to provide a more diver- sified range of entertain- ment this year. The study, done by the Oakville Cultural Awareness Program, found that the 15 to 25-year-old age group was interested in making use of the centre. This Friday kicks off an orientation special for this age group with the Led Zeppelin movie The Song Remains the Same, and two concerts, with Saga on Friday night and Cano on Saturday. Two fashion shows are also on the agenda at the centre: The Total Look is scheduled for 8 p.m. this evening; and Fall Fashion Forecast Preview °*80 will be on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. Something to sell? Call OUR Classified 845-2809 FALL PREMIERE PERFORMANCES BY THE TORONTO DANCE THEATRE Fresh from their New York appearances the Toronto Dance Theatre opens their 13th Season at the Oakville Centre Titkéts: $6.50 Special for dance Students and series #35 00 Friday and Saturday. September 26.27 8pm INGS TO Y S.P.E.B.S.0.S.A., OAKVILL' OAKVILLE A PHONY, TEM Oakville's very FIA IA IAA IIA AIA SUPER SOUND SERIES AKAIAAI IAA IAAI YOU: THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT, AMAHL & THE NIGHT VISITOR E regent ERT BAND, WHITE OAKS CHORAL SOCIETY: *LOTS'A COUNTRY'N WESTERN MUSIC *LOTS'A WESTERN FOOD ON SPECIAL LOTSA DANCING 639-1363 (no reservations please) 2209 Plaine Ad. E., Burlington (exit QEW AT PLAINS AD) 7 CONCERTS FOR 922. 50 Includin All-Star Kick a (Save almost 30 % over single ticket; Be the a Perform hours prior to showti ihe Oak print LoySund 12.00 noon Span. & 842-2555 Sameer pee a L6}2Z4, iw we leo e