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PAGE 14 â€" WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY Victor Stanton Chromicle Special! Certainly, there‘s been no lack this summer of movies optimisti vally described as comedies Unfortunately, what has been lacking in most of these pictures is anything even closely resembling original humor The same tired old gags have been thrown up on the screen ad nau seam, with the target audiences for most of these films seeming to be washroom graffiti writers and others who similarly suffered men tal stagnation at or about the time of puberty. And, as is probably need: less to say. most also have been predominantly male oriented. In some conceptual respects, Naâ€" tional Lampoon‘s Vacation and Mr. Mom would seem to have been attempts to break away from this mold, but John Hughes â€" the lone credited writer of the scereenplays for both pictures â€"lacked either the imagination or theâ€" audacity to follow through with innovative situ ations and incisive characters Particularly in Vacation, which could have been savagely satiric in its focus on the vacationing tradi tions of the American middle cless, Hughes time and time again settles for the cliche most likely to get an immediate kneejerk response. A little dless concern for the easy laugh, and he just might have created not only an equally funny but also a far more original black comedy. (By all reports, his original short story on the Vacation theme, which appeared in a 1978 issue of the National Lampoon magazine, had both humor and bite.) Quality definitely lacking in summer comedy film offerings Of course, it‘s probably not fair to place the biame for all of the picture‘s shortcomings on Hughes alone. He doubtiessly had considerâ€" able help from Vacation‘s uninâ€" spired director, Harold Ramis, and gets some allâ€"tooâ€"obvious assistance from the film‘s sophomoric star, Dave Mitcheli Chevy Chase _ Sadiy, more talented players than Chase are wasted in roles that are made subservient to his, especially Beveriy D‘Angelo. As the ~average suburban housewife," not only is she required to play second fiddle in sexual allure to the vapid Christie Brinkley, but also is called upon to provide the picture with its ‘nudity gquota‘" because Brinkley didn‘t want to expose herself to any possible negativism from prospect ive buyers of her health and beauty care book Vacation gets laughs, to be sure, but mostly of the triedâ€"andâ€"true simpleâ€"minded variety. Anytime it touches on something truly irreverâ€" ent, it settles for being just nasty rather than mounting a truly scath ing attack. Its humor has an occa sional ugly edge, but reveals nothâ€" ing of substance Mr. Mom also goes for the obvious guffaw rather than developing its premise with any insight or wit. The roleâ€"reversal theme is not exactly novel in sereen or television fare,. but still has potential for something more pertinent to con temporary society than a revival of old gags about runaway vacuum cleaners and soapâ€"voozing washing machines. This picture does benefit from the pairing of two talented stars, Mi chael Keaton and Teri Garr, who frequently manage to make their characters seem like real people Direction by one Stan Dragoti is strictly in the TV situationâ€"comedy vein, with the display of exaggeratâ€" ed actions and overwrought characâ€" terizations similar to that seen on Three‘s Company, and in situations dating as far back as 1 Love Lucy. Like too many of today‘s screen comedies, taking their cue from television perhaps, Mr. Mom opts for quantity of gags rather than quality in humor. Mitchell‘s back at it with second tape of satire 17 Rick Campbeti Chronicle Staff Dave Mitchell doesn‘t have a problem a lot of other singerâ€"songwriters run into. He‘ll never have a shortage of material to work with. And that‘s because the offâ€"beat Mitchell, a fullâ€"time high school teacher and partâ€"time singer, writes and warbles about everything under the sun in the daily grind of this weird, whacky, wonderful world of ours. Mitchell, who for years has played with wife Heather in local taverns and lounges in the area, made a name for himself last fall with the release of Livin® Here in Dire Straits. The 10â€"song satirical cassette was packed with political pokes and punches, not the least of which was entitled The Trudeau Salute after PET‘s celebrated fingerâ€"waving in Salmon Arm, B.C. Almost exclusively through the hard work of he and his wife, Mitchell sold 300 cassettes and was so buoyed by the response he‘s back at it again. Effort No. 2, entitled Cereal Box Bilingual, is much the same, yet altogether different, if you get the drift. ‘‘This cassette is a little more social than political, last time there was just so much political ammunition to work with, that‘s the route i went," the White Pine Cr. resident explained. wife, Mitchell sold 300 cassettes and was so Dbuoy@0@ DY _ ,/., ) i; uhn cave Cereal Ro» i the response he‘s back at it again. Effort No. 2, entitled Mi(c'l;lell, vsv.ho ’sags a Cer;al “.B:;‘ B:)l‘i:‘fn;lmmtl‘l) t:: Cereal Box Bilingual, is much the same, yet aitogether available at dm s nat no new tn ino:‘h: Tut & hs full different, if you get the drift. in e imsugiime popaianity. vture. nopettiiy . ‘‘This cassette is a little more social than political, last f "TI:e first tape gm b.llyl.'oning_ I was able to use it :n‘r::‘r; t‘:’lie&? t:::’ SJ‘:;L xu m'fle‘:fll{gm :v""‘!:‘:'gi“o"c“’ as a getâ€"inâ€"theâ€"door type of thing, it‘s allowed me to make ident e% pisined > I ne Cr. _ qguite a few ‘contacts with radio and the recording esoch * industry. And although it won‘t be a moneymaker, I‘m In deciding to do the followâ€"up, Mitchell continued to _ sure I can sell enough of this next one to break even, peruse newspapers and watch TV for ideas, and any _ that‘ll likely keep me going for at least one more. number of other suggestions poured in from friends. "I‘ve already got about eight topics already." MOVIE REVIEW Chevy Chase, as a family man on a frenzied crossâ€"country, is plagued even by the dog beionging to his wife‘s country cousin (Imogene Coca}, in ‘"National Lampoon‘s Vacation.‘ The picture also stars Beverly D‘Angelo and Randy Quaid, with a special guest appearance by John Candy and introduces Christie Brinkley. It is directed by Harold Ramis and produced by Matty Simmons from a screenplay by John Hughes for Warner Bros. release. The second annual Canadian Collectible Show and Sale will be held at the Durham Arena Fridayâ€"Sunday Collectible Show at Durham Arena Last year some 3,500 collectors attended the inaugural show and this year organizers are expecting artists and guests from as far away as Vancouver, "Very shortly after the first tape, 1 received a fair bit of encouragement â€" even some fan mail â€" and nearly all the people. were giving me suggestions for subjects," he said. Making several hopeful improvements from his first recording, including adding a second synthesizer and making sound level changes, Mitchell wrote the second series of songs during the past winter and spring and recorded in July. In addition to the title track, other delightful ditties include Deah Ronnie and Yuri, No Frills Apendectomy, Hockey Night in Moscow and a host of "There‘s a hint of Canadian (profile) and the majority are North Americanâ€"oriented," said Mitchell. "I tried to focus on something that‘s going to be around for a long time, a decision or a move like Trudeau‘s Salute, something that‘s going to haunt him for a long time...these are all 1983 happenings." _ Included in the weekâ€" end of activity are colâ€" lectible presentations combined with enterâ€" England and Califor nia. tainment, seminars, movies demonstrations bingo arid much more. The official opening will take place 2 p.m. Friday.