Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 13, 1990                   TAG: 9004130117
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Chris Gladden
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SPRING BRINGS SURPRISES AS WELL AS FAME-WELL, SORT OF

Case in point: Not surprisingly, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" was already a blockbuster in its first weekend of release. But what is surprising is that this movie aimed at children has been named as a contender for the most violent movie of the year by the National Coalition on Television Violence.

The coalition listed 194 separate acts of violence in what is basically a martial-arts movie starring four guys in turtle suits. It has reaped more than $50 million so far and a sequel has been announced. In the movie business, that's a foregone conclusion in the face of such profits.

The coalition is asking parents not to take children to "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." I can sympathize. But even though I had reservations about the first film, I doubt I'll have the resolve to boycott the sequel.

Despite George Bush's irresponsible denouncement of broccoli, I can sternly demand that the green stuff be eaten from little plates.

I can enforce curfews with the iron boot of a police-state despot.

But I don't have the will to resist the persuasive powers of little ones who wash their hair with Ninja Turtle shampoo, read Ninja Turtle books and faithfully watch the cartoon show. I can only muster a lot of distaste for those who put parents in a troublesome position by taking what should be enjoyable silliness and turning it into a Chuck Norris movie.

\ Truly one of the oddest events in the movie industry this spring was the outcome of the Academy Awards.

As usual, the nominations included at least one glaring omission - that of "Driving Miss Daisy" director Bruce Beresford. But the awards generally made more sense than usual - at least, there was nothing so idiotic as to boggle the mind.

I was particularly gratified to see Daniel Day-Lewis named best-actor for "My Left Foot." Equally satisfying were the best supporting actress and actor awards that went to Brenda Fricker for "Left Foot" and Denzel Washington for "Glory."

Any other year, I would have pulled for Kenneth Branagh as best actor for "Henry V." But Day-Lewis was too formidable to be denied this year.

\ By far, what has surprised me most this spring is to be sitting in my very own living room looking at myself on a TV screen. My expectations of making it into "Crazy People" were minimal.

The major reason I signed on as an extra was to gain access to the movie set so I could better cover the shoot here in Roanoke.

Before I became an extra, a unit publicist for the Paramount picture banned me, along with other journalists, from all sets. After deep thought, she grudgingly allowed that she probably couldn't ban me from a public sidewalk while the cameras were rolling inside the Crestar building.

Things looked bleak for the home team. But then I learned that most of the folks actually making the film, including director Tony Bill, had no problem with having a reporter around.

When the casting director asked me if I wanted to do a scene, I saw it as a way to get a behind-the-scenes look. So I said sure.

Out of the 15 minutes of fame Andy Warhol allotted everyone, I've got about 14 minutes and 58 seconds to go. But I'm there in the movie, playing an operator in a phone bank.

Many people have generously suggested that I have a bright future - as an operator in a phone bank.