11/9 Friday

Dave Brubeck has been playing jazz for decades and has released numerous albums and compilations. His compositions have been heard on many television commercials. Brubeck and the Dave Brubeck Quartet will be at the Copley Symphony Hall accompanied by the San Diego Symphony. Tickets start at $10 and the show starts at 8 p.m. Please look to the article on page 8 for more on the Dave Brubeck Quartet.

Bouncing Souls will give the 16-and-up crowd something to jump for. Their brand of punk rock is supported by Flogging Molly and One Man Army. The show is at 'Canes Bar & Grill. Tickets are $12.50 and the music starts at 8 p.m.

11/10 Saturday

You have to love the guys that grab British-pop sensibility and toss in some American flavoring to give it a kick. You get that sound with Pete Yorn on songs such as ""Life on a Chain."" Yorn also has a fantastic supporting cast. Remy Zero has been opening shows for Travis and they are supporting their new album, ""The Golden Hum."" Irish-punk trio JJ72 have been making a huge splash in Europe and they are no more than 20 years old. The show starts at 7 p.m. at 'Canes Bar & Grill and tickets start at $15.

The Anniversary will be at the Mira Mesa Epicentre bringing an emo-punk style to the all-ages venue. Supercharged guitars and the addition of a New-Wave style keyboard round out their sonic adventure. Ex-At the Drive-In member Mars Volta will also play along with Seafood and Mates of State. Tickets start at $10 and the show starts at 8 p.m.

Take a chance and leap into some Spanish-language music with Jaguares. Their sound ranges from Pink Floyd-style epics to raw Latin beats that are sure to make people jump out of their seats. The show will be at the San Diego Civic Theater. Tickets start at $18 and the show starts at 7 p.m.

11/13 Tuesday

At one point, it seemed as if Maxwell's smooth crooning would be replaced by the sultry vocals of D'angelo, but Maxwell is back with a new album, ""Now,"" released in late August, and an EP titled, ""Get to Know Ya,"" which was released in early November. He will perform at Copley Symphony Hall at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $39.50.

UCSD's very own Gospel Choir will perform traditional gospel music at Mandeville Auditorium under the direction of Ken Anderson. The performance begins at 8 p.m. and tickets start at $3. Call Mandeville Center for more information at (858) 534-3230.

11/14 Wednesday

The dynamic duo are back and they are ready to enchant the masses. DJ duo Sasha & Digweed are familiar names to anyone with a passing knowledge of the dance music community. They will be at 4th & B from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Tickets are $35 presale and $40 on the day of the show. Please look to the web-exclusive article for more on Sasha and John Digweed.

Indie rock does not always have to be boring two-chord rock with indistinguishable vocals. Death Cab for Cutie has been able to provide a melodic backing to an underground rock-type sound for the strong fan base they have built in their four years of existence. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. at 'Canes Bar & Grill and tickets are $8.

11/15 Thursday

Spaceman Spiff has found their niche at The Onyx Room with their funky smooth jazz sounds. Please call The Onyx Room for all the details at (619) 235-6699. Look to the article on this page for an interview with Spaceman Spiff.

The romantic French film ""Amelie,"" by the director of ""Alien Resurrection,"" Jean-Pierre Jeunet, traces the life of the independent young Parisian Amelie Poulain as she goes about changing the lives of those around her: some for the better, some for the worse. As she enchantingly and humorously sets her universe in motion, Amelie realizes that she is incredibly brave and scheming when it comes to the lives of others, but when it comes to her own, she is painfully shy.

Noticing that his past films are mostly dark, Jeunet set out to produce this ""truly positive film."" Casting a fairytale-like enchantment on Paris as he films Amelie's humorous antics, Jeunet captures a realistic heroine, played to perfection by Audrey Tautou, and purposefully evokes emotion through his innovative use of the camera and a perfect amount of computer animation. Both add even more magic to this already charming movie.

From the very beginning, Jeunet brings the audience into the film by directly addressing them and informing them of the ""likes"" and ""dislikes"" of each person. Although they seem random, whimsically humorous preferences, they make each character more real. Throughout the film, Amelie continues to talk to the audience to keep them following the plotline.

Mathieu Kassovitz (the mugger from ""The Fifth Element"") plays Amelie's equally quirky love interest. Although he doesn't meet the American ideal of ""hunk,"" the audience cannot help but fall in love with him.

Although some of the characters are sometimes too annoying to be liked (such as Serge Merlin's character, Joseph) they still add to the realistic atmosphere of the film.

This is the best movie to appear in quite a while, so don't discriminate against it because it's foreign, because it will leave you feeling thoroughly satisfied (even if you're a guy).

Amelie

****

Starring Audrey Tautou, Serge Merlin and Mathieu Kassovitz

In theaters Nov. 9

Rated R

When one thinks of folk singers, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan or James Taylor may come to mind -- a lone, guitar-toting songster with a quiet sensitivity, a mysterious darkness and a fierce independence.

By that definition, Gregory Page is a folk singer.

His beautiful melodies and poignant lyrics have been an indispensable part of San Diego's music scene since the release of his first album, ""The Romantic Adventures of Harry"" in 1994. Since then, he has penned five albums of unrequited love songs and bittersweet stories that have been devoured by San Diego music fans. While Page may cringe at the idea of being categorized as a folkie -- for his music transcends many genres -- the romantic adventures of Page are as good as folk-singer stories come.

Born in London, Page has music in his blood.

""I grew up in a musical family,"" he explained over a cup of coffee at a cafe in Normal Heights. ""My grandfather played the Irish pipes ... so I always grew up with Irish music around. My mom played in a band that opened for the Beatles in 1965 in Spain.""

However, it was not until he moved to San Diego in 1976 that he says he discovered songwriters like Dylan and Neil Young through a friend.

In 1989, Page met up with another songwriter who would inspire him while playing cover songs at a bar called The Packing House.

""I wasn't writing yet ... I was just playing all the songs I loved to learn.""

That other songwriter is another favorite of the San Diego music scene, Steve Poltz.

""I met Poltz, and watching him and being friends with him inspired me to write and I wrote my first album, 'The Romantic Adventures of Harry,' after the bartender at this bar finally left me,"" Page said.

On 1994's ""Harry,"" Page found the intimate style that he would come to be known for.

""The first song that I wrote that I felt was really worth a shit was a song called 'My Revelation,'"" he said. ""Then I wrote 'Please Remember' ... That kind of gave me the confidence to feel like I could tell people I'm a musician without having to stutter.""

Next, Page left his stint playing bass with San Diego band The Rugburns to record an album with former bass-player John Doe, which included the songs ""Fare Thee Well,"" ""Blue"" and ""Cocktails and Cold Hearts."" There would be three more albums to follow: ""And I look up,"" ""Music for Mortals"" and ""Grace In Arms"" -- all of which are on Page's own Bed Pan recording label, which he runs out of his home.

While his body of work is substantial, Page does not consider himself particularly prolific.

""You can always find reasons not to write,"" Page said. ""The times I feel like I'm ready to write would be the times I'm bored ... is different for everybody. Somebody like Steve, he writes all the time, constantly writing. I think I write maybe 10 songs a year.""

Prolific or not, Page has a new album coming out this year, which he says will not be the traditional Page music to slit your wrists by -- even though it is tentatively titled ""Unhappy Hour.""

""It's the most up-tempo, happy album,"" Page said. ""This is a reprieve. Everybody gets a chance to sit back and maybe bop their heads. I love the way it sounds.""

Recorded in El Cajon, Los Angeles and his home studio, this album has a more produced texture than past Page albums.

""I try to get that feeling of flight in music,"" he said. This is why Page originally considered calling his new album ""Fell to Earth.""

These days, Page says he's content with where his adventures have led him.

""I feel successful that I have enough friends to come out and see me play that I don't have to have a job, and that is success to me.""

Lately, he's been more involved producing (he just finished the new Jason Mraz album) than playing in public. He plays a weekly gig with his band, the Hatchet Brothers, and is a regular at Java Joe's, which has long been a haven for San Diego folkies.

""It's the most famous coffee shop in, probably, the world."" Page said.

At Java Joe's, with the faint sound of coffee cups clanking, Page's music can be truly appreciated. The people who fill the seats at a Page show know every word to every song. His songs have provided many people with a soundtrack to their own romantic adventures.

To order any of Page's CDs, go to Java Joe's online store at www.javaes.org. To get his new album, check out his CD release party at Java Joe's on Dec. 15.

Joe Moore is so cold, when he sleeps, sheep count him."" So goes the description of Gene Hackman's character in his latest film ""Heist.""

Problem is, our appreciation for ""Heist"" is as cold as its own stylistic world of thieves.

When Moore's face is caught on camera during a robbery, he and his band of merry men, Bobby Blane (Delroy Lindo) and Pinky Pincus (Don Pincus), plan to leave their life of crime. But when Moore's shady employer, Bergman (Danny DeVito), refuses to pay up and insists on another job, Moore and his men must comply with the added and unwanted manpower of Bergman's nephew.

Why not just walk away? Because according to Moore, ""Love makes the world go 'round: love of gold.""

""Heist"" seems timeless. Between DeVito's chaotically patterned shirts, Lindo's Coke-bottle glasses and the monochromatic visual tone of the film, one begins to wonder what era the cast is in and whether the characters are simply living in a time warp.

While the monochromatic ambiance does take our focus away from the film's surroundings, it draws our attention to the convoluted dialogue of the characters. That's not necessarily a good thing.

Stylistically, the banter between individuals is unique, yet the effect is more of an middle-aged thieve's jargon that is hard to understand.

Despite the difficult dialogue, the physical interaction between the characters adds to the sense of a well-oiled theft operation. It turns out that experience does in fact come with age. Unfortunately, an audience that is too inexperienced with the art of robbery will be unable to fully appreciate the lingo.

Surprisingly, ""Heist"" lacks many of the formulaic con movie must-haves. There is no car chase, but they do manage to blow something up -- twice.

""Anybody can get the goods. Hard part is getting out,"" Moore quips. While ""Heist"" delivers a interesting modification to the standard con movie, the goods are hardly worth leaving with.

Heist

**

Starring Gene Hackman, Delroy Lindo and Danny Devito

In theaters Nov. 9

Rated R

You will not find a better show in town than ""Dracula: The Musical."" Although the name ""Dracula"" conjures the classic image of a man bedecked in a black, collared cape, fangs dripping with blood and a wily stare, this particular La Jolla Playhouse production magically steers clear of such cliches. And although we hear the word ""musical"" and automatically think of a corny story with happy, dancing people, ""Dracula"" also avoids that particular cliche.

""Dracula"" succeeds at sidestepping any corniness and creates a play that closely follows the original story, enhanced by the score.

Without a doubt, this play has the breeding of Broadway with its solid performances, meticulous set design and exquisite visual effects. Created by the ""Dracula"" dream team including two-time Tony Award-winning director and writer Des McAnuff, with book and lyrics by Academy Award- and Tony Award-winners Don Black and Christopher Hampton, and music by veteran composer Frank Wildhorn, this is a play that proves to be this season's crown jewel at the La Jolla Playhouse.

Not only does Dracula, played by Tom Hewitt, rise to the occasion (from the undead) by providing a larger-than-life performance, but he seduces the audience, leaving it wanting more, proving you can't keep a good man down, even if he does rise from the grave.

When asked what UCSD students might enjoy most about this production, Hewitt replied, ""It is the closest adaptation to Bram Stoker's novel and the script retains that eerie, creepy poetry that appeals to a lot of people.""

Augmenting the actors' performances, such as that of lead female and lust-object Mina (Jenn Morse) is a striking set design. In fact, the set alone is a reason to go see this play. Operated by hydraulics and an ingenious inlay of contraptions, the actors are able to fly offstage, drop down chutes, float through scenes, and even become a part of the set.

The very first scene, for instance, is quite stunning with its mechanized horse-drawn carriage and arrestingly black-clad vampire, who later disappears vertically off the stage in a split second without a sound.

By not having stage hands moving and shifting the set, the various scenes have more freedom to play out the story without the difficulties of timing and what is known in theater as ""blocking.""

Also, the members of the audience really lose themselves in the story by not having to sit through set shifting. The staging revolves around the main actors rather than the other way around. The secondary actors then become a part of the scenery as they hang, in some scenes, on specific devices of the set design. Frequently, the actors are transported to and fro across the stage by these devices, rendering an even eerier feel to the play.

The costumes also play a toothsome role in the musical. As actors dangle from the swift motion of the set pieces, some of their costumes contribute to the phantasmal design that never ceases to enthrall the audience throughout the performance.

The costuming also delivers Count Dracula from that odious realm of tasteless cliche as he is first introduced to us in a white wig and trailing Victorian housecoat.

The lighting and music synchronize to give the actors a tremendous appearance and an appropriately placed sense of drama and horror. The musical score itself is fastidiously carried out with each scene and the visual results of the lighting reinforce the unsettling effect.

""Dracula: The Musical"" has all the key ingredients for a delicious theater experience. It holds the power to attract all, even non-playgoers.

The poetical script will appeal to literary audiences while the special effects and gore will appeal to those more inclined to violent, action-packed entertainment.

The music will appeal to the sensitive while the drama will appeal to sensationalists, and even for those just after ""hot chicks,""this play will appeal to them.

No matter what, this is not a play to be missed.

Dave Brubeck is an American music icon.

The life of Brubeck is a long and amazing journey. As a teenager in the 1930s, Brubeck started to play professionally in small dance clubs. While in college, he abandoned the idea of becoming a veterinarian and pursued music. Brubeck served under General Patton in World War II, and after he was discharged in 1946, he continued his musical journey.

He formed his trio with Cal Tjader and Ron Crotty in 1949 and then added saxophonist Paul Demond in 1951. This was the beginning of an incredible musical partnership with Desmond that yielded dozens of hits that are classics today.

Brubeck and Desmond stepped away from common 4/4 time and dived into deeper waters with 9/8 time signatures and influences from African folk music and even Turkish folk rhythms.

With Desmond came the hit ""Take Five,"" which is a familiar song that has made appearances in television commercials and has been a constant standard in jazz clubs around town.

Brubeck also toured with the likes of Stan Getz, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. As a musical innovator, Brubeck also performed and recorded with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic.

Brubeck is also socially progressive. He was insistent on adding an African-American bassist Eugene Wright to the band in the early 1960s, which cost him shows in the South.

The president of one college refused to let the band play in the midst of students demanding that they perform. With an intervention by the governor, the band was allowed to play if Wright was hidden backstage. But Brubeck told Wright that his mic was broken and when Wright's feature solo came up, Brubeck had instructed Wright to play at the very front with Brubeck's speaking mic.

Brubeck is now graced with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. In 1999, he was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). In 1994, he was honored with the National Medal of the Arts from the NEA in a White House ceremony. He has also been awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Even in his mid-70s, Brubeck keeps himself busy. He still composes, records and embarks on international tours. Perhaps there is a fountain of youth hidden within the beautiful rhythms of jazz.

Dave Brubeck and the Dave Brubeck Quartet will be at the Copley Symphony Hall as a part of the Winter Pops Series on Nov. 9 and 10. Look to the Hiatus Calendar on pg. 12 for details on the show.

The sights and sounds of Halloween have passed, but there is still plenty of terror at the La Jolla Playhouse as the first performances of ""Dracula"" continue to sell out night after night. This newest take on an old tale is directed by two-time Tony Award-winning director Des McAnuff, who has done extensive work in theater and in film.

There are many things that make this production of ""Dracula"" unique. One of them is all the special effects.

""[The use of special effects] allows you to dream on a larger scale,"" McAnuff said. ""It allows me to develop image chains and ideas that I would not be able to do without this technology.""

""Just to get through a technical rehearsal is painful,"" McAnuff admits, however, and of course, there were things that just could not be managed.

McAnuff said he had originally wanted ""a curtain of fog of mist -- so that on the whole front of the stage, the fog just pours like Niagara Falls to the stage floor.""

However, he said that this could not be accomplished.

""The air currents in this theater -- and I speak from years of experience with that stage -- are just terrible,"" he said.

McAnuff has other things on his mind: He is also the artistic director for the La Jolla Playhouse. This means that he is in charge of picking out the Playhouse's plays for the next few years.

""We have a lot of commissions out ... so we have a lot of work in development,"" he said. ""You'll see a lot of new work in the coming years, that's for sure. We'll continue to do stupidly big musicals like this one, I'm sure, even though they may not be good for us.""

According to McAnuff, this new work should be interesting because of the influence of the events of Sept. 11.

""I think two things will happen,"" he said. ""I think we'll see a rise in what you might refer to as 'escapist theater,' because it is important for people to use the theater in that fashion when it is suitable, or when it is applicable.

""And then I think there will be a reaction on the completely opposite [side],"" he said. ""I think during war times, serious times, there tends to be serious writing, too. During times of conflict and stress, there are always issues to debate and discuss, and the theater is the oldest social, moral and political platform in Western civilization.""

McAnuff said he would really love to do ""Shakespeare's whole tetrology from 'Richard II' to 'Henry V' ... because I think Shakespeare managed to witness these shifts in history that actually apply to all ages.

""I would love for you to come and see all four productions over a long weekend,"" he said, ""so you could see what that whole thing was about.""

He said that he hopes that UCSD students will come to see it.

""It's sad when I walk around campus thinking that some of these students are never actually going to see a play at the La Jolla Playhouse,"" he said. ""It's just sad. I think it should be a part of your career here.""

""[Dracula is] sexy, passionate, scary, smart,"" McAnuff said. ""I think it definitely has appeal on all kinds of levels. It's a great story ... it's about a group of young people banding together to fight a dark, overwhelming force ... it's very much about a young generation kind of finding itself.""

Today, those who look back upon the 1950s picture the attractive ""Pleasantville"" woman in a full dress, apron and pearls, vacuuming in high heels and baking a sumptuous roast as she cleans.

Her equally young and attractive husband will come through the front door, take off his hat with a gleaming smile and chime, ""Honey, I'm home!""

These wholesome scenes of family life are perceptions of what existed in the '50s, left behind by reruns of black-and-white sitcoms like ""Ozzie and Harriet."" These shows, along with music and movies, give us tiny vignettes of '50s life as well as cultural ideals and social conditions that affected those who lived then.

Now let's sit back and take a stroll down memory lane to 1950s America.

Life in Pleasantville

Although most photographs from the 1950s era depict an economically sound time when everyone was moving to suburbs, having 2.5 children and buying new cars, this lifestyle was true for only a fraction of the population.

In this period after World War II, there was widespread economic prosperity, but there were also many minorities such as African Americans, Mexicans and Asians, as well as Italians and Irish who still mostly occupied urban slums while the great ""white flight"" of middle class white folks from urban areas to the new suburbia occurred.

This economic gap between the affluent whites and the less well-off ethnic groups was further exemplified by the segregation within the social structure. In 1954, however, the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas case shook the very foundations of segregation, showing that separate really was not equal. This very public case spurred the civil rights movement with the formation of organizations such as the NAACP and massive movements like the Montgomery bus boycott of 1956.

At the same time, Mexicans were being rounded up and forced to return to Mexico with Operation Wetback. This program, meant to send Mexicans back who came here illegally after the Bracero program brought many over as agricultural workers, was also used to force many Spanish-speaking people to return to Mexico despite their legal status.

Irish, Italian and Jewish people were also excluded from Protestant-run housing and country clubs, as recounted by UCSD literature professor Winnie Woodhull.

Woodhull says that Italians and Irish often occupied poorer urban areas, while the Jewish, who were able to ""infiltrate"" the white suburbs, were still discriminated against. Essentially, anyone not of White Anglo-Saxon Protestant descent was not welcome in the 1950s.

Many times, when we look back on the 1950s, this information is largely ignored while the positive aspects like movies and music that came out of it are exemplified as being indicative of that time period. Although many could not participate, the dominant culture tells a lot about the people of the time and their ideals.

Genesis of TV Classics

Of all technological inventions, the most marvelous must be the television.

The first ""practical"" television system was made in the 1940s, and by the early 1950s, many middle class white families had one.

But television back then was not like it is now. All programs were in black and white, and there were no remote controls (gasp!), and shows were only on in the evenings and afternoons. Yet despite this small amount of programming, the popularity of television grew dramatically; people soon gathered around the windows of shops hoping to see this nifty new marvel.

While radio had been the main form of mass communication in preceding decades, television displaced the importance of radio, as can be seen by looking at the move of radio shows to television such as ""I Love Lucy"" and ""Amos and Andy.""

With the appearance of television, a whole new lineup of entertainment genres also popped up including sitcoms, westerns, quiz shows and dramas.

The most popular sitcoms of the 1950s were the family shows that appealed to white audiences -- shows such as ""The Honeymooners,"" ""I Love Lucy,"" ""Dennis the Menace,"" ""Make Room for Daddy"" and many others that we still remember today. Although slightly different, these shows portrayed relatively stable families with working fathers, complacent stay-at-home wives and mischievous children.

There was controversy over television shows, however, that upset the television viewing public. When ""Amos and Andy"" was a radio show, it had two white men portraying two African-American men: actors Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll. When the show moved to television, the characters were portrayed by two black men: actors Alvin Childress and Spencer Williams. But the characters were offensive, and with the help of the NAACP, CBS cancelled the show in '53. The times were changing, and this type of degrading entertainment was no longer accepted.

And who doesn't love game shows? In the '50s, game shows were intensely popular. Each Sunday, thousands would tune in to watch ""The $64,000 Question."" New quiz shows like ""The Price is Right,"" ""What's My Line?"" and ""Twenty-One"" were immensely popular, despite the fact that some of the games were rigged.

While the trusting public had been rooting for contestants they thought should win, behind the scenes, favorable contestants were given the answers beforehand. On the show ""Twenty-One,"" Charles Van Doren won $129,000 with the help of producers. On ""The $64,000 Question,"" however, Dr. Joyce Brothers proved the television gods wrong when she won $64,000 after being preselected to lose.

And who can forget Walt Disney?

As the pioneer in children's and family entertainment, Disney produced numerous family films -- animated and live action -- from ""Snow White"" to ""Old Yeller."" In the 1950s, with the invention of television, Disney produced ""The Wonderful World of Disney,"" and probably the most historic of these shows was ""The Mickey Mouse Club.""

Interestingly enough, in ""The Mickey Mouse Club,"" all of the kids were homogeneously Anglo-American, as pointed out by Woodhull. Many of them changed their names, such as Don Gratzia, who changed his name to Don Grady.

Other successful themed programs were ""Fantasy Land,"" ""Frontier Land"" and ""Tomorrow Land"" (Are these starting to sound familiar?).

There were also many other programs that helped define the '50s, such as ""American Bandstand,"" ""Superman,"" ""Zorro"" and don't forget boxing. But films, which had been waning with the introduction of television, were also a major part of the 1950s.

The Silver Screen

Woodhull recalled that in the '50s, young children were often given two quarters to see the pictures on the weekends -- one for the movie and one for a snack. Oh, the good ol' days.

The movies then were surrounded by an ambience of magic and wonder that accompanied the scene of children and teens seeing new movies and experiencing new technology like 3-D pictures and drive-ins.

The starlets and the heartthrobs of the 1950s caught the attention of people across the country, especially those of teens. With the introduction of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and other teen magnets, teens suddenly emerged as a sociological category.

Rebellion and sex became appealing as stars like Marlon Brando, James Dean and Paul Newman appeared in Hollywood. Films like ""Rebel Without a Cause"" or ""East of Eden"" portrayed the rebellion and conflict that existed. The growing importance of teens can also be seen in literary works that came out of the '50s like J.D. Salinger's ""Catcher in the Rye"" and Jack Kerouac's ""On The Road.""

Alfred Hitchcock perfected the genre of horror films during the 1950s. How can anyone forget his classic movies like ""Psycho,"" ""Vertigo"" or ""Rear Window""? Although Hitchcock was famous for these types of films, we mustn't forget his great romantic thrillers or adventures like ""To Catch a Thief,"" ""Suspicion"" and ""Strangers on a Train."" It's these films that cemented the careers and popularity of Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman.

The alluring Elizabeth Taylor, a definitive star by the 1950s, had several groundbreaking performances during this decade in films such as ""Giant"" (with James Dean) and ""Cat on a Hot tin Roof"" (opposite Paul Newman). But her performances not only ensured her position as an invaluable actress, they also established the career of writer Tennessee Williams, who wrote many dramas that took place in the South. His most famous works include ""A Streetcar Named Desire,"" ""Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"" and ""The Glass Menagerie.""

Williams' ""A Streetcar Named Desire,"" starring Marlon Brando, was directed by Elia Kazan. One of the most respected directors of his time, Kazan also directed the equally powerful and gripping films ""East of Eden"" and ""On the Waterfront."" These films presented very strong messages about social classes, family structure, age differences and the postwar era.

To accomplish this he took big risks by employing very powerful, young actors like Dean and Brando. Despite his accomplishments in film, his name later became marred during the McCarthy trials.

And we can't overlook the romances that defined this era: romances starring Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, James Stewart, Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and many others. This was when romance stories were still new and when movies actually had plots. In addition to romances, comedies were also very prominent, making comedians such as Jerry Lewis cultural icons. Although there are many more movies and genres (such as sci-fi films, teen flicks, family movies, etc.) and actors and directors, we must now leave Hollywood and look at music.

That Darn Rock 'n' Roll

When many people think of '50s music, they most likely think of Elvis and Frank Sinatra, but music of this decade encompassed much more.

The '50s started with innocent bubble-gum pop, which featured sweet lyrics and upbeat tunes. Who doesn't love the sweet harmonies of the Chordettes' ""Mr. Sandman"" or The Crew Cuts' ""Sh-boom""? Bubble-gum music personified the innocent, fun-loving atmosphere of the early 1950s, but this music eventually gave way to early rock 'n' roll and rhythm 'n' blues.

In 1954, Elvis and his famous pelvis burst onto the music scene. Elvis broke convention because, unlike other artists, he was a white guy who could perform like a black guy. Before then, it had been popular for white artists like Pat Boone to do covers of R&B songs. But we can easily see why that practice stopped. Have you ever listened to Pat Boone's version of ""Tutti Frutti""?

By 1956, Elvis had become a recognizable star with the help of his performance on ""The Ed Sullivan Show,"" where he was seen by 52 million people. And within the next four years, he produced some of his most well-known hits: ""Heartbreak Hotel,"" ""Hound Dog,"" ""Love Me Tender,"" ""Jail House Rock"" and lots more.

It was in the '50s that black artists finally became popular. Of these, the most famous were The Platters (""Only You""), Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers (""Why do fools fall in love?"") and Little Richard (""Tutti Frutti""). Although black artists were still largely segregated from white audiences and performers, they were slowly breaking down barriers as more teens began to listen to R&B.

Moving Towards the 1960s

Although the '50s have passed, we shouldn't forget the importance of the things that came out of it. Teens became a major sociological category and force for change, advancements in film were made, television debuted, and rock 'n' roll and R&B began their ascent. Although there were many more cultural aspects of the '50s, we start to sense the growing wave of rebellion of teens in the television shows, movies and music of the time that would eventually grow into the full counterculture movement of the 1960s.

With some DVD productions, viewers cannot help but be reminded of the reasons that DVDs have revolutionized the home entertainment market. Movies that splash onto the scene with pomp, circumstance and a glut of accompanying material -- the ""Star Wars"" and ""Godfathers"" of our time -- begged for the extra capacity of DVDs before the format was even available.

However, most films neither require nor merit such excess, and in these cases, it seems that the studios scramble to fulfill obligation -- to level off DVD releases with megabytes of superfluous material and uninspired presentation. Unfortunately, the DVD version of ""Bridget Jones's Diary"" is such a release.

The DVD package does not have anything great going for it except the film: a charming comedy based on the eponymous British bestseller of 1998. It traces the exploits of its socially inept heroine, played by Renee Zellweger with a passable British accent, on her quest to disengage herself from the patterns of alcoholic indulgence and codependence in which she has heretofore engaged. She embarks on a quest to clean up her health and her love life, all with the goals of bliss and commitment in mind.

The film's central focus is Bridget's uncertainty regarding two suitors in her life -- both ostensibly churls for their own reasons -- played by Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. As Bridget ambulates between them, she struggles to gain self-confidence and an understanding of which of the two might be right for her.

Interestingly, what was touted by all as a book and film expressive of the late 1990s' ""independent woman"" shows Bridget to be anything but. Bridget's portrait of what a strong woman should be only betrays her assumption -- shared unwittingly by most ""assertive"" women -- that happiness necessarily entails partnership with an ambitious man. Therein lies the paradox of the modern adult female, and Bridget, as its spokeswoman, unconsciously lives it out like the lines of a play.

The film completely sidesteps its own paradoxical portrayal of independent womanhood, but there is no way that it can address it anyway if it hopes to remain a lighthearted romantic comedy.

Thus the film succeeds in its aims: We laugh at Bridget's ineptitude, hold our breath painfully when we see her being hurt when she dares to trust, and when at last she finds satisfaction with one of her targets, we smile and ignore the unanswered questions.

The reason the film does not make for a stellar DVD package is because there are precious few extra features that such a film can support. The standard pieces are there: audio commentary by director Sharon Maguire, a few deleted scenes and music videos of songs from the film's soundtrack.

For those interested in how the Bridget Jones phenomenon took off, Miramax has included clips of author Helen Fielding's newspaper columns from London's Independent -- the articles from which the book ""Bridget Jones's Diary"" was later culled.

The presentation and digital art for the menu screens is rather banal, and indeed it seems that Miramax was more interested in filling the DVD to capacity with music videos than with substance.

""Bridget Jones's Diary"" makes for great Saturday evening escapism. However, it does not make a stirring addition to any DVD junkie's collection, being rather devoid of salient content. Rent this one for a slumber party, but shell out your money for something such as ""Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.""

Bridget Jones's Diary

***

Starring Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth

DVD available now

The economy is declining and productivity is down. There's an energy crisis going on and everybody is doing their part to conserve. Nevertheless, citizens go about their lives and everyday business as usual. Sound like California? Actually, it is the description of Monstropolis and its citizens, a diverse population of monsters of every sort.

Pixar has once again set the standard for computer animation with ""Monsters, Inc."" From the variety of amorphous colors of a chameleon to the fine, cotton-like hairs of Yeti, the detail and artistry of computer animation is brilliantly clear and breathtaking. Similar to other Pixar films such as ""Toy Story"" and ""A Bug's Life,"" the animation in ""Monsters, Inc."" is the cornerstone of the film, but a comedic and witty plot carries it.

When energy company Monsters, Inc. starts to lose money, it is up to its top workers, James ""Sulley"" P. Sullivan (John Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) to do their best to save the company. For Monsters, Inc., energy is acquired by monsters scaring human children and then capturing their screams.

However, as children become less and less scared of monsters, not enough energy can be produced. Sulley has to not only deal with this, but also has to ignore the harassment from his nemesis co-worker Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi), who seems to be hiding something up his sleeve.

Although the movie is less emotionally dramatic than ""Toy Story 2,"" ""Monster's, Inc."" still tackles the issues of fear, loneliness and hope. But at the same time, comedy abounds as Crystal's comedic style is evident. Crystal delivers jokes that are intelligent and adult-oriented, but can at the same time evoke laughter from the youngest of viewers. Although some jokes fall flat, it is refreshing to see comedy that appeals to all ages without needing to resort to potty humor.

The imagination has no limit as the computer-generated animation captures all the emotions of the monsters perfectly. In fact, the only major flaw of the entire film is its lack of the hilarious, fabricated out-takes that normally roll during the end credits.

The only scary thing about this film is the quality of surreal yet amazingly detailed animation.

Monsters, Inc.

****

Voice talents of Billy Crystal, John Goodman and Steve Buscemi

In theaters Nov. 2

Rated G

11/2 Friday

Local legends Rob Crow and Armistead Burrell Smith IV rejoin as Pinback and will perform at The Casbah. This indie-rock group has influenced many local bands with its post-modern raw guitar and piano sound. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. Call The Casbah for more details at (619) 232-4355. Pinback will also be at an all-ages show at 9 p.m. at the Mira Mesa Epicentre on Saturday, Nov. 3.

11/3 Saturday

Dublin-born singer Mary Black has sold millions of albums and gathered dozens of awards for her music. She is the low-profile version of Sinead O'Connor and Enya. She departed from her folk style in the late '80s and scored a small hit with her song ""No Frontiers."" Black will be at UCSD's Mandeville Auditorium and the performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. Call the UCSD Box Office at (858) 534-8497 for ticket information.

Aterciopelados, or ""The Velvety Ones,"" is a Colombian band that blends sultry vocals with a trip-hop sound. It has been nominated for two Grammys for albums released in 1997 and in 1998. Its most recent release, ""Gozo Poderoso,"" continues its progression through a mellow trip-hop sound. Aterciopelados will be at the Open Air Theatre on the San Diego State University campus. Tickets start at $28.25 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Maldita Vecindad is the support band.

11/5 Monday

Ska was huge. ""Reel"" huge, especially with the likes of Reel Big Fish dominating the scene. Even though ska has disappeared from the national spotlight, Reel Big Fish are working hard promoting their album, ""Why Do They Rock So Hard?"" They will be supported by pop-punk group Sugarcult. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $15 each.

11/6 Tuesday

Melissa Etheridge has scored various hits with her old-fashioned rock style and songwriter quality resembling Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison. Etheridge will go solo with her acoustic guitar and her Janis Joplin-like voice at Copley Symphony Hall. The concert starts at 8 p.m. and tickets start at $62.

Appearing on the Spitkicker Tour is De La Soul and Biz Markie. The Spitkicker Tour arrives at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach and is rumored to feature great guest artists such as The Roots' MC Black Thought. The show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $23.

11/7 Wednesday

Critically acclaimed Brazilian singer Virginia Rodrigues will be at UCSD's Mandeville Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Call the UCSD Box Office for ticket information at (858) 534-8497.

The Verve Pipe

Underneath

RCA

***

Most of us remember The Verve Pipe as the masters of the slow, haunting song from 1996, ""The Freshman."" Now, following their 1999 self-titled album, they come to us with a wide-ranging repertoire of new songs from love ballads to harsh diatribes. Without a doubt, this new album, ""Underneath,"" is The Verve Pipe's most all-encompassing album thus far.

Although there is not one dominating factor on the album, there is one underlying commonality to all the songs -- accessiblity to the audience. The band really shows itself to be melodically in touch with the human condition and the emotional hardships of daily life.

They kick off ""Underneath"" with the first track, ""Only Words,"" a song with a soft, lulling harmony, a gentle chorus and poetic lyrics. The easy introduction eventually crescendos to a more poppy tone and then a harsher sound. ""Never Let You Down"" proves to be the hit of the album with its catchy riffs and unabashed sense of joy.

""I Want All of You"" is a ghostly, even eerie, mixture of multiple minor chords juxtaposed with a chanting chorus and harsh guitar sounds. One of the next songs, ""Miles Away,"" reveals a subtle frustration and a failing love affair. The song really drives home with the lasting abstract lyric: ""I'll be right here, miles away.""

""Happiness Is"" explains just that: what happiness is. Containing muffled guitar transitions and tambourine tones, this song will make you want to dance with its '60s-esque, upbeat sound. Other songs ""Medicate Myself"" show that the The Verve Pipe still have their sense of humor, while other songs like ""Colorful"" and ""Underneath"" are ballads about love's redemption.

Once again, The Verve Pipe make their rise to the top of the music industry from underneath, and as they themselves said from their album-titled song, ""It's not pretty underneath.""

-- Sabrina Morris,

Contributing Writer

The Cranberries

Wake Up & Smell the Coffee

MCA

**

The Cranberries, once held in esteem among their musically inclined Irish counterparts U2, Enya and Sinead O'Connor, now seem to lie in the graveyard of musical has-beens.

Known for their first two albums, 1992's multiplatinum debut ""Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can't We"" and ""No Need to Argue,"" The Cranberries came out strong in the music scene and quickly began to fade.

Now releasing their fifth album, ""Wake Up and Smell the Coffee,"" the Cranberries are giving it another shot.

The group began recording the album a year ago at Dublin's Windmill Lane Studios, prior to the birth of the second child of singer Dolores O'Riordan and guitarist Noel Hogan. This album is supposed to reflect a more mature oulook on life.

O'Riordan describes the band as ""the calmest we've ever been,"" explaining that The Cranberries have ""already proven ourselves by now, so we're really relaxed and really enjoyed ourselves in the studio.""

They may have proven themselves by now, but The Cranberries still fail to attain the musical power they had on their first two albums.

The album attempts to capture a sense of calm, but it is stagnant instead. It is devoid of passion in anger, pain or even happiness.

The initial tracks are slow, repetitive and boring, with melodic babbling that seems more like a childhood ramble than an emotional melody. Even the most touching words seem cliched.

There is an interesting mix of new sounds on the new album but it's not strong because it lacks emotional emphasis. They seem to have run out of things to say through their music.

This album has some decent songs, but overall it is dry, uninspired and repetitive. Maybe O'Riordan and Hogan should just stick to raising their kids for now.

-- Heather Clark,

Staff Writer

Edwin McCain

Far From Over

Atlantic

Edwin McCain is one of those unfortunate artists who will always be eclipsed by the limelight of a past hit. Ninety percent of the songs on ""Far From Over"" are indistinguishable from those previously recorded on 1999's ""Messenger.""

The album would be an artistic breakthrough were it not a regurgitated rehashing of all of McCain's previously released material.

Some of the songs are decent. ""One Thing Left"" is a surprise because it has what most of its counterparts on the album lack: originality.

The saxophone is by far an edge that this artist has over others in his genre, and in ""One Thing Left,"" the instrument is at its best. A pleasing marriage of scat and blues, this song is a standout, giving the listener a glimpse of the artist that McCain could become once he starts releasing songs that are more than formulaic, acoustic hit-hopefuls.

""Radio Star"" has the makings of a great farce as an anthem to the superficiality of a music business enamored with its own pretentiousness, but it doesn't live up to its expectations. Managing to be jubilant and entertaining but little else, the listener is left with a ""that's it?"" mentality.

""Dragons"" is exactly what McCain stated this album wasn't going to be: ""music to slash your wrists by.""

""Dragons"" has a strong chorus with a solid melody. For anyone who loves a wallower, I wouldn't press the skip button so swiftly.

""Write Me a Song,"" the album's principle love ballad, is a dud. It has neither the sentimentality nor the strong melody of past hits ""I'll Be"" and ""I Could Not Ask For More,"" which this latest ballad tries to emulate. Yet the song just comes off sounding like a mediocre copy of some of McCain's better material.

The album is good, it's just a let down. McCain's career may be ""Far From Over,"" but in the future, he had better give us a more enjoyable ride.

-- Keely Hyslop,

Contributing Writer