lb fieahtr,
'Bugsy' Fades Away
HUNGUP!!!
By mLTOW FAITH, Bwcuttv* Director Into Gangster Sameness
ftwtb and FuaJfr CtoUBMltoa Strvfc*
Just when you think you've certainly ••"•>,
seen all die gangster movies a normal,
Is a Major Hassle sensible perton can kindle in •
moviegoing year, Bugiy sneaks in under POPCORN -IM.
the wire.
Worth It? Geez...youcan'leven wtgAuldOmg
Syne without tome mug yelling abouthis
A tfktrainjM bommMkcr writes: their dues by being put away for as many turf; then comes the incessant machine
Motntly, my huthand and I purchncd years as possible. So.Iguessilisbest that gun fixe, bullet hitting bone; Ihe usual
living-room furniture. This after many I avoid being • juror. Wouldn 't you agree? mob pontificationt about respect and let
yean of penny-pinching and careful Answer: Absolutely. Al the same lime, us no) forget that great Mafioto justifi-
saving. The furniture arrived and put of cation for oui-of-couit settlements
1 feel that it ii you who needs therapy. popularized by Mario Puzo in The God-
it is frayed and discolored. My husband You are wise enough to recognize that
feels that we can live with it; be can't you should not sit in legal judgment of father: "It's nothing personal; it's busi-
stand hassles. I'm no Tighter either, and it others, but you should De made aware ness."
would be easier to keep the couch md that you do sil in judgment of many. You Sarcasm aside, this type of fare is
chain, but I know I would not enjoy it have never resolved your early traumas supposed l o give us some vicarious
either. Also, my experience in purchasing of abuse and you ire most probably freedom: Watch the swaggering, smartly-
items has always been Tilled with aggra- bringing them into all upecti of your dressed mobster lake what he wants, when
he wants it; there's no 'our years of col-
vation and disappointments. Is it worth
it?
present life, from feelings of intimacy
and distancing yourself from others. 1 lege followed by three years of law school
and a year or three of clerkship for these
Michael Goldberger
Aatwer: Yes, it is worth it. Often I urge you to seek professional help now,
hear from people who feel they are vic- so you cut function with l e u anger and guys — they drive the Packard* and
Cadillacs now.
tims of the system. They have to argue with more comfort and acceptance.
And, as the myth goes, they presumably
-POPCORN RATINGS WISH LIST... A child who participate* in Ihe Westfleld « Y V Children'iCenter
and defend themselves with receipts and POOR visits wilh Santa Clausaa Ihe center's Executive Director, Miss Linda Schmidt,
AM elderly radar write*: I have been send off a fragrance of danger that is a oners him a candy can*. Regiitralfon week for Ihe center's 1992 year will begin
: all kinds of documentations before they
a member of a Cousins' Club for over 20 magnet to glamorous women. It sure says FAIR
receive satisfaction. However, if you give wilh an open house on Monday, January 13, at 7:30 p.m. at Ihe center, which is
yean. We meet, four times a year, eat, a lot about us.
in. you will never truly enjoy your pur-
gossip, plan social events and think about GOOD located at 170 Elm Street. For more information, please telephone Miss Schmidt
chase, and the anger will build and build Smitten by the allure in Ihe late 1940s &US4-MM.
and never leave you—particularly when the past with wonderful reflections. My is Ben Siegcl, also known as Buggy, Ihe C? EXCELLENT
you look at the furniture. I can identify question: Our children are invited to join top gun In Meyer Lansky's gang. As
with this, having spent five months us but they are not available and don't interpreted by writer-director Barry
seem interested. How forceful should we thing to be said about the invention of Las
wailingfofacheck to arrive becauseof an Levinson, Mr. Siege) is definitely a sick Vegas as we know it, but just where, in
anti-rust car insurance which I had taken be? puppy. Portrayed with estimable skill by the overall scope of things, Ihe importance
out when the car was purchased. Persis- AnawcrtNottooforceful. Our children Warren Beany. Ihe handsome, self-styled of that fact lies, alludes me.
tence and impatience motivated me to often do not have the same needs of Siegel has delusions of grandeur, and In short, there it • semi-apology al
pursue and triumph. So go for it! family unity as we do when we get older. that's just for starters. work here, tacitly suggesting Ben Siegel
Sometime! relatives get together as a may not belong in thedeepest recesses of
A confused reader writes: This letter habit, or as a means to retain close family
will be • first for you. I have been called and lake over the West Coast rackets, Dante's very own gaming par lor — be-
identification and lies. As lime passes, Bugsy mokes quick work of the assign- cause he envisioned • city in the middle
upon to be a potential juror several limes the children may decide to socialize and
bit have been abk to get out of serving ment. of nowhere where organized crime could
spend more lime together. I suggest you In foci, so expeditious is his coup he fleece poor suckers 24 hours a day. '
each time. Itisnotthal I am unpatriotic or let nature take its course and those who
uncaring about the judicial system, but I has time enough lo hook-up with old pal Now, while I'm not suggesting direc-
wanllo, will make contact. Of coursel'm George Raft, attend all of Filmdom's best tor Levinson should have dashed his
know that if I were ever to serve on a jury, still wailing for my children to join my
I would vote guilty for the defendant. I soirees, and fall in love with bit actress project in favor of a biography about Dr.
Cousins' Club. Every lime I ask them to Virginia Hill. Jonas Salk or Mother Theresa, il does
was abused as a child, sexually and come, they don't ask, "Who's going to be
emotionally. Nothing changed.even af- Ben features himself a star — a bad make sense, if one it going to devote a
there?" or "What will you be talking way of thinking for a fellow whose true few reels of film to a fringe personality,
ter my stepfather got help. People don't about?" They ask, "So what's being
change, and I feel criminals should pay stock In trade doesn't thrive on high- the creative justification should surface;
served?" profile activities. as art for art s sake, Bugsy is mediocre al
Whilst cavorting with studio moguls, best. Though ihe direction is smooth and
ingenues,ondexi!edroyally,BenSiegel, Ihe dialogue appropriately snappy, the
JOYCE'S CHOICES who incidentally hated Ihe name Bugsy,
gels the chance to do something big,
something worthy of his deranged ego.
effort offers few novel nuances to the
gangster genre.
ycc Roaenbaum What's more disappointing, there is a
As it turns out, the Lamky organization socio-cullural vacuum here that sticks
owned a seedy, albeit profitable, road- out like a sore thumb; Ihe scrip tells us
Some Favorite Videos house in Las Vegas; a small row of slot
machines spil out occasional pay-offs in
nothing about ihe Nevada natives, their
government, and any ruminations and
broad daylight, maller-of-focily, because dealings from Iheirend ofthe crap table.
SMOKELESS SUE...During Great American Smokeout Day, Mrs. Lorraine
KowalsU, of Ihe Visiting Nurse and Health Services, brought Smokeless Sue lo
Weslfleld High School students as part of an anti-smoking program to show
To Bring Forth Tears gambling is legal. More curious, however, is the virtual
Back in New York. Lansky and col- absence of reference to Siegel's ethnic
league Charles Luciano send work they background.
what smoking can do lo the lungs. Mrs. Kowalski, along with a representative
from Union Hospital, stationed themselves outside of the cafeteria during all
three lunch periods and students received literature from the American Cancer
Wow, the week feelsreally short when Ryan O'Neal, a rich young Harvard merely want the place shorcd-up; instead, While filmmaker Levinson sets fine Society and tested their lung capacity. These presentations were scheduled
you have these holidays right in the prep'pic, and Ali MacGraw, a fatally-ill Mr. Siegel boards up the establishment mood and makes with the handsomely- through the school system's Sharing Talents & Skills office.
middle. Radcliffe girl- Wenever did findout what because, walking in the desert with created scenes, il seems he's loo good a
It's like having two week^odsin one "disease" she had, but il soaked up many henchman Mickey Cohen, played very director to not moke some kind of a point.
week. I could gel used to this.
To start the, (Jew Year off with one of
my favorite "genres — romantic tragedy,
a tissue for us.
Although the heroine doesn't die, some
other great love tragedies are:
well by Harvey Keitel.he has a vision—
a legal gaming capital-
The obsession is ignited and he informs
There's Ben Siegel, wondering in the
desert, never lo see Ihe dream he has
imagined, .but then that's imbuing the
A Circulation Summary
l'vechosen:
. Broken Blossoms, 1919.
An early silent film, the epitome of
Casohlanca, 1942.
Bogart plays Rich Blaine.lhe owner of
Casablanca's most popular nighl spot and
•he powers thai be it'll lake a million work wilh a symbolic, good-versus-evil
bucks lo bui Id the dream—the Flamingo. parallel that simply isn't proffered.
The rest, as Mr. Toynbee might be apt Attempting to justify the making of
For New Jersey Dailies
romantic Iragedy. The story of Cheng Ingrid Bergman isllsaLund.a the beau- lo say, is history. Granted, there'siome- could just make one batty.
Huari and Uicy.afioniblY-abused young By KURT C. BAUER
tiful wife ofan underground leader. "Yean UlhWl forth* WrttfirU t**J
'girl. Cheng HUin'triestb rtscue her-ffom
her sadist icfather and lendibwJonlngty.
but to no avail.
Wulhering Heights, 1939.
preme gesture of sending the woman he
loves away With another man. This film
Why Not L,eiYaurlMei 1. The Star-Ledger, Newark 463,665
. SVNDAY
677,577
2. The Record, Hackensack 162,046 227,462
Laurence Olivier is a wonderful
Heathcliff lo Merle Oberon's Cathy.
Healhclirf, the ferocious stable boy-turned
made Bogie a film legend.
The Way Wt Were, 1973. Hang by an Elastic Band? 3. Asbury Park Press, Neptune
4. The Courier-Post, Cherry Hill
159,629
102,958
228,140
103,902
Streisand and Bedford play the story of Bungee jumper—a person whojumps 86,113
landowner whose love endures beyond The Ugly DucklingandPrince. We watch
5. North Jersey Herald & News, Passaic 59,690
death. from a bridgeorolher highplaceattached nil': 6. The Press, Pleasantville 81,776 101,376
their relationship in 1937 turn into at- toa large resilient tether that is sufficiently
Dark Victory, 1939. traction and love. Their married life in 7. The Times 76,265 90,111
Betle Davis plays the doomed heiress long and elastic enough lo prevent injury, 71,183
Holly wood in vokinglhe blacklisting and or II thrill seeker.
8. The Trentonian, Trenton 63,860
who marries her compassionate doctor, "Red" scare. 9. The Daily Record, Parsippany 55,131 64,504
George Brent. The final scene, Davis Action Park in new Jersey recently si,i;u MIS
Years later they meet again in front of lidded bungee jumping to its many at- 10. The Jersey Journal, Jersey City 55,000
blinded by her illness, sends her husband The Plaza. She is remarried and he has a 11. The Home News, New Brunswick 54,081 63,098
on a business Irip and walks upstairs lo tractions. JOHN lACOIISON
young girlfriend. You con just feel their The A J. Hackett Bungee Queenstown 12. The Courier-News, Bridgewater 52,491 55,942
die in bed staring into space as the scene lost love and regret. They go off in separate 53,396
grows dim. One of my favorites! Ltd. of New Zealand, however. Was the 13. The News Tribune. Woodbridge 54,649
ways with memories of the way they first company to commercialize what lo elastic cord used as a fastening or shock- 14. Burlington County Times, Willingboro 41,586 46,698
Love Story, 1970. were. Very, very touching. absorbing device especially for planes
many islhe ullimate"lhrillof alifelime." 15. The Daily Journal, Elizabeth 32,530 •
Thescreenadaplation of Erich Segal's Have happy, healthy and peaceful New landing on the decks of aircraft carriers.
novel. The story ofthe romance between Since 1988, Hacked has provided over 16. The Glouster County Times, Woodbury 29,357
Year! Till next lime... 22,000 people an opportunity to leap off My word sources all indicate bungee is 28,281
17. The Daily Journal, Vineland 24,500
the Knwarau Bridge in Queenstown nt- or unknown origin.
18. The New Jersey Herald, Newton 18,276 25,400
9 tached to what amounts lo nothing more With the fear and zeal of a bungee
'Best of Ed Sullivan than a very large rubberband.
Bungee jumping is said lobe a modern
jumper, however, we shall put forth our
own theory on the origin of bungee.
19. Ocean County Observer, Toms River
20. Bridgeton Evening News, Bridgeton
17,347
12,107
10,819
15,574
version of a ritual right of passage prac- Bungee orbungyisananglicized form 21. Today's Sunbeam, Salem
For Clandestine Viewing? ticed by Ihe young men of the New
Hebrides (Melanesiuns) islands.
of the Maori (New Zealand tribesmen)
word, punga, alree native lo the southwest
Pacific islands including New Zealand
Of the 21 daily newspapers in New Jersey, The Daily .low rial is 15th in
daily circulation and is one of only five not to have u Sunday edition.
By LOUIS II. CLARK About 7 o'clock I heard the television In this ceremony, boys leapt from a
SucMh Wrill'Ji/ttr Tlir WrllfirlJ itoJti high platform with vines attached lo their and New Hebrides. • No Sunday •dlllon
set. Aunt Bess watching television? Perhaps il was from bungee trees (he
1 think I've mentioned my Aunt Bess ankles in order to stop their descent inches
Naaah. Bui, curlews, I got into my bath- from the ground. Melanesian youth leapt. Or, perhaps, the
before. robe and sneaked downstairs.
Like most older sisters she casually
dominated my father whenever they were
together. Even my mother was slightly
Aunt Bess was watching Ed Sullivan.
Jack Benny was on with him and was
laughing so hard she didn't hear meal all.
According to Jerry Wingenback, a
w rite r for the New York Post, Hacked was
inspired tocommervialize bungee jump-
ing alter seeing the Oxford University
vines that prevented impact wilh the
ground came from this tree.
Whether you decide to go bungee
jumping or not, we do hope you will not
Our Mission:
'I lie iiiissiniiofWIiwil.FiiKiSrniiiiii's, Inc., is
uneasy nround her because Aunt Bess But suddenly she must have felt my Dangerous Sports Club make a bungee be restrained from writing lo us with any
waswhal we calltodaya"culiure vulture." Ui|)ioviLlecoinpidieiwiwMaiiiiii:sl)tnkcrn(ji\
presence because she whirled around und jump from San Francisco'sColden Gate information you might have about the
Nothing popular could have any "real looked al me as though I had caught her Bridge in Ihe 1980s. source of bungee — but please don't investment Ixiukini;, ;\\KI other finnni. i.il
meaning iii all. stealing Ihe silver. llic bungee word also describes nn stretch the I ruth! K£ln'iaii;il nndpiofii:il)lc limis.
So why did seeing The Hest of Ed The next day my mother found the $ 10
Sullivan recently bring back memories of bill in my bathrobe. Out |n inuiry icsponsiliilily is lo out clieul.1;.
Aunt Bess. She would never have witched "Where did you gel this?" she asked. Tlii:l>i:st- ;iii(!iil(iin;ildy llicnnly-- w;iyfot
htm. Shedidn'levenown ale revision set. "Aunt Bess gave it to me because I
then, a few nights ago, it cam back tome. U S tc)M.'t v c o u i o w n i j K i v v l l i j i n t l p i t r i j K ' i i l y a m i
wns...] was such a good boy," I lied
Uncle August hud had to go lo n music uneonvincingly. [lie virlfiiKMit i n n i i u l u s i i y ;in:l i n n o Kiiiiuiiiny
teachers' convention and hud oplcd to Aunt Bess had made me swear on my is in sci ve ilie inicicsts of our clients, lu serve
shnreexpenses with ngroupof colleagues honor as u Doy Scout and a future Most
and go by car. our clients' inteiesln, we must:
Vulunblc Pluyer of Ihe Yankees that 1
This left Aunt Dcss nil by herself, so would never tell und had given me $ It) to • unilrlslainl r;idi client's tnwsliiK'iil
she trilled mom und asked if she could "scul our oath." objectiver, llimuiJi i Ion ;iiid fiei|iii'iil
come over thin Sunday afternoon. But, from n smile on my molher's fnce, iiHuiiiiinii :ilion, ami
Father went intonrnge whenhelieard. i have now figured out she knew.
"Isn't Thanksgiving enough?" lie She never sold u word to anyone but + s e e k f i n c : n : l I c l i e n t Il i e l u s t ; i v ; i i l ; i l > l e
yelled. But Morn shushed him. she was n lot easier around Aunt Bess. i n v e s t 11 i c n l r e t u r n ( i H r ; i . M r i i l w i t 11 a n
"She is your sister," she reiiiinileilhiin. My fntner wasn't though.
"Okny. Okuy." he grumbled. "Mill if ilc'Cf ]>l;i!)i hicilkicv niul lr.ulr:',lii|i dial will
month nl K p. MI. In the parish center of KEV TO TIIK HJTUHE...Dr. Hnrliuru Becker, th« IHmi of lh« Silon Hull
all of u« ni Kiulio City. DIM! mutiny SISIM S Unfvertlly Coll«M of Numln||ln Suuth Ornnitc, present* Chrlnlluc Vfrmilcu i;ive full MHIic in ilieit • •• 11~• its.,
were overjoyed, lull my mother »uircv>lon.The
nick with u cold The next meeting, on Junmiry ('. out iu lioir,;
Aunt lies* Mini l(ml didn't mill Id. will he mi infurimilinii und shuriiiH
V««tflf(ii Comity Hcglmwl lll|>ti Schonl In
Niulch I'liiln
"I'll luke care of him," she Mild. NMHJOM. + r , i l | i | * ] | ( ; m d | ' . i iI n i | > . i l c r i a p l ' i t ' i n a •p i n
"IJ'ymi mind?" my nmilici nsknl I'm futllicr uifdtmntiiiii, pietist fc'.'.K:•]i.'iI a m : i i u t i i M i y ( . i | ; a i n M i i hmit doilo h i |
gel off the weight |&*/wcight (iiiin
Killer roiiNlcr? If NO, come to H free
iiilrmliietory i-litM nt Overlook 1km-
Andrew Chen Wheat
First Sftam'titts
N dld
Item ltliiln'l know klili w h o don't l * f
pill* ullp tlwnt umlft thru uingUM nut!
pilitl on Jiimmry Itj ni |() » in, or 1
It, I . to Irmn mute IIIKHII llic "l.r niter (908)233-1514 fr"/ Ctlnttfll Avifnitp
WnllmM. Hr» .Iprtry (l.1V>n
mik« b e l l m they've »wnll«wfil them. Wt 'eight" weight km« ptogrmti M0/rt> **!i
Mom would hiiv* known, but Auiil » * » Fur additional Information, utmtn Httt i OFKM nmtrf*i »flw:« i rtHiwwt
tlMn'l call ,122-2963.