Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 13

Decatur, Illinois, Friday, September 20, 1991 Herald Review SECTION Ann LandersB4 SamplingB2 i I i iiqu From wire reports WiU he sing? PresJdeat Busb will attend the 25th annual Country Mu sic Association Awards show Oct. 2 in Nashville, Tenn. It 11 be the first tune a presi dent has taken in the event. "This is our proudest moment," said CMA Most Iligh Jo Walker-Meador. The show, to be carried by CBS, will be hosted by Reba McEa- ttr.

In training Tired of the same old fit ness routine? Searching for a new aerobic inspiration? YOU'RE (O np A TO). '( r4V Ji' V-m tl E5f Nil: -r vVi vV9 I If Consider a SWAT team your future personal trainer. Caer, a fan of the reality- based TV drama "Cops," cauea lis crew and requested a few tapes of the show to work out with, said Entertainment Weekly. "We tried to send her shows Cher Likes 'Cops' I ft fTi.iimw. i I'm 1 11 T' Photos by Dennis Magee WITH REUKS: Jim Walker sings at Tokyo Garden.

By DAVID BURKE Staff Writer Karaoke: High-tech sing-along day they're construction workers, hairdressers, lawyers i and executives. 11 1 11 Rut when night falls and thev walk into the Tokyo Garden that were fast and action-oriented," said a Fox source. "We sent her a real cross-section of tapes, from car chases to drug busts to crowd control." As a bonus, Fox included in her mailing a tape of "Bad Boys," the theme song performed by Inner Circle. Feud's over Bart Bacharach and Hal David, who ran a pop hit factory back in the 1960s, have ended their 18-year feud and are back at it. A Bacharach spokeswoman said the two "started writing together again a few months ago.

Next for Madonna Madonna, said to be smarting over losing a shot at appearing in the title role of Andrew Lloyd Webber's film version of "Evita," has committed to doing a remake of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" with Marlon Brando. The actor made the disclosure to Lawrence Grobel, author of "Conversations With Brando." No more crazy Tina Tamer has a new look. Gone is that magnificent storm of hair. She went short, says Turner, 51, because "it was getting too crazy for a woman of my mature years." Not that crazy. Moonlighting The shows ain't so great, but vintage vocals are behind television's new season.

These performers are crooning through the opening credits: Ray Charles, on CBS' "Designing Women." The Roches, on CBS' "Princesses." B.B. King, on CBS' "Teech." The Jodds, on NBC's "The Torkelsons." Leon Russell, on NBC's "Flesh 'n Blood." Art Bartankel, on CBS' "Brooklyn Bridge." When the karaoke first started here, there were 300 songs available. Now, there are 800 from 1950s to '90s, country to rock, ballads to fast-movers. "It seems like in this area, country-and-western music is very popular," Sekimi said. One of those taking a liking to the country music selection is John Addison.

While wearing a cowboy hat, Addison crooned Alabama's "Feels So Right" to his girlfriend during the finals of the August singing contest. A construction worker, Addison has also sung with various country music groups and oprys in and near Decatur. "It gets me a little more used to a crowd, gets my nervousness out," Addison said. "I like country music and I have a decent voice, so I thought I might as well try it." Kim Blair-Bell, who makes her living as a singer and actress, was introduced to ka-raokes at a Florida club in June. "There are karaoke clubs all over the place down there," she said.

"You'll find a lot of families in the bars little kids and everything." Blair-Bell, who placed second in the August contest for singing Melissa Manchester's "Don't Cry Out Loud," said that in other clubs there a stage where karaoke performers can stand out from the crowd. "There are millions of frustrated singers out there, so places like this are great." Joe Simpson, who volunteers as master of ceremonies during the singing contests, agrees. "Everybody likes singing I don't care who they are," said Simpson, a data processing supervisor at Caterpillar Inc. "After a couple of drinks, they get a little brave," Simpson said. "It helps." The drinking, though, is not emphasized, Sekimi said.

"You have a different mood. It's totally different than any other bar." There's also a noticeable age range in the lounge. People in their 20s through 60s sing along to their favorites. Sekimi said karaoke at the lounge has been a "very big success." restaurant, they're stars. The Japanese restaurant at 2959 N.

Oakland Ave. is one of a growing number of nightclubs estimates say about 10,000 in the United States that feature karaoke singing. With karaoke, people whose previous performances have been in the shower or by the car stereo can have the spotlight shine on them. Karaoke (it's pronounced kar-ah-OKAY and means "empty orchestra" in Japanese) is big business in Japan, where about 400,000 clubs are in place. Music and background vocals are provided for singers on a television screen, with lyrics (complete with shaded areas to indicate the speed of the vocals) shown on a television screen beneath MTV-style videos.

Tokyo Garden, which had the karaoke in place when it opened two years ago, has two types of singing. During most of the week, customers can grab one of the four microphones and sit at their tables and sing along. Thursday nights feature weekly and monthly singing contests, where competitors stand up and are given full attention. Toshihiro Sekimi, Tokyo Garden owner, said he brought karaoke in as an alternative to other nightlife in Decatur. "I thought this area needed this type of entertainment," Sekimi said.

"So far, it's been very successful." Sekimi said he's noticed a definite increase in the popularity of karaoke. "The first couple of months, people were very shy over the microphones, but now people fight over he said. The music videos for karaoke are played on a laser disc over three screens in the lounge. Customers request the songs they want to sing along with. -riM" "A t- in I'll ii li i iM i ti.

II HHI 111 "I Ml 111111 linllllHl ll KEXT: Mike McFate passes the microphone to the next performer. Too shy to try? Machines work at home Cassette tapes or compact discs, with five to 12 songs each, are available for karaoke use. The cost is about $12.98 for cassettes, $22.98 for CDs. Laser disc versions of karaoke machines, such as the one used at Tokyo Garden, can range from $700 to $1,700. If you buy one, you'll have plenty of company.

Estimates from industry officials say that by the end of the year, 750,000 karaoke machines will be sold. OK. So the thought of karaoke singing sounds appealing but, still, who wants to stand up in front of all those people, right? Well, there are items on the electronics market now that can let struggling singers croon in the privacy of their own homes. Many of the karaoke machines are about the size of a guitar amp and have two cassettes, one to play the songs and one to record the mix with the microphone. Prices range from less than $100 to more than $200.

i Horror films rarely frighten audiences Figures based on an exit poll averaging at least 300 filmgoers per movie. Movies rate between 1-4 sure. Top marks is the who gave the film 3.5 or 4 stars. Bob Habes City Slickers Boyz the Hood Robin Hood i EH Terminator 2 You be the Critic Km The Commitments Mi 93 92 87 S5 SS 83 82 81 73 73 69 66 61 The Doctor Dead Again Double Impact Mobsters Doc Hollywood f- i in (I Elm Street" experience is highlighted by the terrifying miracle of 3-D Freddy Vision. As horror films go, Freddy is a winner.

Moviegoers commented: "Too much comedy, not enough gore," "First Elm Street film was the best, but this one is second," "3-D was more of a distraction" and "Wasn't too scary, but still was good." New video releases "In of Gregory Hines is a military marksman confronting an indestructible female android. Audiences responded: "You knew what was going to happen," 'Typical" and "Slow at the start." A meager Top Marks of 30 percent indicates a slim potential for home-viewing pleasure. "Rescuers Dova A boy fights to save an eagle in the Australian Outback. Computer-generated perspectives enhance this Disney-animated adventure that has some brilliant moments. Audiences said: "Truly stimulating animation," "A heartwarming and timely message for the whole family" and "The flight scenes with the eagle were unbelievable." Top Marks of 84 percent means certain family entertainment Bab Habes, a film buff who writes for United Feature Syndicate, appears Fridays.

This week's only nationwide release, "Freddy's Dead," closes the book on one of America's best-loved fiends. Curious, I checked the files to inspect 20 horror films released the last three years. As a film genre, horror films have a terrible track record; they disappoint rather than scare audiences. The average Top Marks (the percent of viewers who really like a film) is a blood-chilling 43 percent. "Leatherface," the third installment from a certain chain saw expert in Texas, occupies the bottom of the horror barrel.

Moviegoers called it sick, funny and simply disgusting not scary. This seems like a pretty good endorsement for this kind of movie, but prepare for a shock. Even with these favorable comments, the film scared up a flimsy Top Marks of 14 percent. The versatile and diminutive Chucky is screams ahead of the second-place contender in the horror classification. "Child's Play 2" compiled a 68 percent Top Marks.

Have there been better horror films? Perhaps. But when a horror film gets too good, it becomes a thriller or psychodrama. Was Freddy more frightening, grotesque or macabre than Hannibal Lechter in "Silence of the Most horror films fall in the 40 percent range, and fKa rooi ctinkpT pvn Iowpt. CamDv humor seems 3,8 33 3.7 3J 3.6 3J 3.3 3.6 3.6 3.5 3.3 3.3 3.4 3.2 3.1 3.1 2.9 2.8 2.3 2.9 3.5 3.0 2,4 3J 2.8 3.4 23 1.8 2.4 2.7 2.0 2.3 2.7 na 1.8 na 2.2 1.9 1.9 1.5 Bingo Hot Shots Defenseless Freddy's Dead Harley DavidsonMarlboro 56 Part 2" is my personal favorite in this category. Our statistics show that horror films rarely satisfy a moviegoer's need to be scared into a little puddle.

But box-office statistics indicate theater patrons never stop wishing, trying and hoping. Maybe we need to study Alfred Hitchcock's approach. After all, he did more with tiny beaks than others do with a barrel of blood. New releases "Freddy's Dead: Tke Final Robert Englund, whose grotesque appearance has become so commonplace he almost seems like one of the family, Child's Play 49 True Identity 48 Talkin' Dirty After Dark 44 The Pope Must Die 43 I Pure Luck 39 to be the secret of horror film success. "Evil Dead, sutra ui icuujr a owe.