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'ME bBlack , country and IJayed. il-9529 ~J"~i: ~ 'tt\\t. , i .",to' jvSh Arts & Entertainment gWII'£l.I14"_ ~ensitive, poignant 'Philadelphi~' exceeds saccharine expectations owan There are quite a few things "Philadelphia" could have been; fhankfully, it's time to shower acco- lades on this film for not living up to expectationS. Given "Philadelphia" 's ultra top i- cal subject matter, its sensitivity towards the gay community and its overall tragic tone, the makers of this film had at their fingertips every device necessary to perpe- trate a glossy, sentimental and high-powered Hollywood sympathy piece / guilt trip, a la Kevin Cost- ner's "Dances With Wolves." Insid- er buzz on this film before its release ranged widely, from stellar gossip to comparisons with the sap- py Betty Davis tearjerker "Dark Victory." But with producer / director Jonathan Demme ("Silence of the Lambs," "Married to the Mob") at the helm, this movie becomes a "dark victory" of another sort; sub- vetting standard beliefs and dra- matic techniques while burning all soapboxes in the area, "Philadel- phia" ultimately stands as a power- ful drama subtle enough to deliver an important message without orating like Pat Robertson. At its heart, "Philadelphia" 's story avoids the pitfalls of cliche and contrivance to offer up new perspectives. Surprisingly, it's tak- en Hollywood quite a long time to produce a truthful film about AIDS Philadelphia Director: JOflilthan D,mmt Screenwriter: Ron Nyswantr An~ Btcltm ....... . Tom Hanks Joe Mi/ln- . ...... . Dmul Wam;nKWn Rating: R _ TriStar Pictum Tom Hanks plays a victim of prejudice, homophobia and AIDS in "Philadelphia. " AIDS and homosexuals separated, his conception of gays broken away from the stigma of the disease which, until the opening lines of the film , he had always thought of as the "gay plague." Cleaning up their act(ing) - From left to right, Marc Kotz, Uz Davis and Rip Russell have a confrontation with a vacuum cleaner in a scene from liThe Swan," an adult fairy tale which opens Lennon, Marley join Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Associated Press NEW YORK - Reggae star Bob Marley and John Lennon were inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Other honorees at Wednes- day's ceremony included The Grateful Dead, The Band, The Animals, Elton John, Rod Stewart and Duane Eddy. tonight at Riverside Theatre. A post-performance reception will be held for tonight's audience members, and the .play will run through Feb. 13. Call 338- 7672 for information. OW' " ~,,,,cIt '. ' ",,,"Ii", ,r ih. fi.l",_ Thrre words: teaching without preaching screenwriter Ron Nyswaner ("Mrs. Soffel") . Much has been made of Beckett's impassioned, agonized soliloquy about the aria from Andrea Chenier, but he gets more than one opportunity to expose his heart and make us understand his pain. His testimony on the witness stand about justice being done is made particularly poignant, as it is also the point where we begin to realize that perhaps Andy won't live to see justice prevail. In his weakened condition, and as a lawyer forced to testify on his own behalf, Beckett makes us begin to feel some of the true rage that has beset the victims of AIDS for years. Hanks' performance has largely overshadowed the fine supporting cast of ·Philadelphia" in most crit- ics' minds, but mention has to be made of Denzel Washington's amazingly intricate portrayal of Joe Miller, the prejudiced lawyer Hanks finally gets to take his case. "Philadelphia" is a heart-wrench- ing film to watch. Ultimately embracing life and love as the for- mula for conquering .fear and big- otry, it remains throughout a movie with a message; but audiences, like Joe Miller, must learn to separate Andy Beckett and his lifestyle from the disease that very nearly robbed him of all dignity. The makers of "Philadelphia" have wisely made that separation the key to under- standing the lessons it has to offer. Let's hope everyone gets it. McCartney, who inducted Lennon into the hall of fame, confirmed that he , George Har- rison and Ringo Starr will reunite to record new songs for a TV documentary. "For old time's sake we're going to give it a whirl," he said. lificient, once > let · :::lIon ' Play K • - laYS' .

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