Conference bookie::movies

649.0. "Curse of the Starving Class" by 58633::TRP109::Chris (prognosis negative) Wed Sep 14 1994 10:57

2nd movie of the evening:

CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS (**)

I couldn't get into this movie at all- found it deadly dull and although the 
acting was good by most of the cast (Kathy Bates, Henry Thomas, Kristin 
Fiorella) I thought James Woods was horribly miscast.  I must admit up 
front, that we left about an hour into the movie.  I don't normally do this, 
no matter how bad the movie is, but I *have* seen a lot of movies this week, 
and this was the 2nd one tonight, so I didn't feel too bad about going.  In 
fact, at least 20 people had left before us, and there was a lot of 
fidgeting so I wonder if others felt the same as I did.  We were sitting 
right behind Henry Thomas and the director, J. Michael McClary (worked as a 
cinematographer for Oliver Stone, Norman Jewison and Bruce Beresford) and I 
wonder what they thought when they saw people getting up to go.  However, I 
am now curious to how the movie ended so I wasn't completly disinterested.  
Maybe one of you other noters will see it and let me know. :-)

This film was adapted from a Sam Shepard play and involves the Tate family, 
in search of "the American Dream"  Both parents (Bates/Woods) are wrapped up 
in alcohol, self interest and betrayal and their children look to be 
following down the same path. Wesley (Thomas) is struggling to become the 
man is father never was, and build a future on the run down ranch they live 
on.  Emma (Fiorella, who I thought had the best role) is their daughter, and 
wants nothing more than to escape. Randy Quaid is also cast as a swindler 
and Louis Gossett Jr. as the owner of the local bar.  The dialogue was 
gritty and I felt like I was watching a play, rather than a film.  I'll be 
curious to hear other peoples reactions.