L\lieni Invade SummerMovie Ploti

by Paul Monte co-news editor

For any movie to be a success, it helps to have a good story, major stars and publicity. However when it came to having a hit film during the summer of 1996, the formula was simple: blow it up or be blown up. In other words, it was a long three months for films that didn't involve explosions, natural disasters or extra-terrestrials.

011 the whole, very few movies were able to escape the season's theme of doom and destruction. Some of the lighthearted successes included Disney's "Hunchback of Notre Dame," one of the few children-oriented films; "Phenomenon," with its tearjerking plot and John Travolta 's popularity; and "The Nutty Professor," the movie that jump-started Eddie Murphy's career and showed the comedic brilliance of farting and colon cleansing.

As for drama, "A Time To Kill" won acclaim for its successful adaptation of author John Girsham's first novel, as well as for notable performances by Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson and Hollywood's brand new golden boy, Matthew McConaughey. Also, "Courage Under Fire," a story about the investigation into the actions of a medivac pilot killed in action during the Gulf War, emerged from the summer's alien fallout as this year's first Oscar contender for best picture.

Actress Meg Ryan and "sexiest man alive" Denzel Washington, the film's stars, may also be honored by the Academy come next March.

This summer also saw the British import "Trainspotting," a humorous portrait about four punk junkies from Edinburgh and their honest depiction of the pleasures of drug use. Hailed as the next "Pulp Fiction," the film grossed an average of $20,500 per screen in late July. Too bad it was only showing on 38 screens across the country.

Unfortunately the same good fortune can't be said for dolphins.

"Flipper" sank without a trace while "Spy Hard" died hard. Who knew that "Eddie" was about basketball?

Moviegoers couldn't get wired about "The Cable Guy." Despite grossing more than $50 million, the black comedy turned out to be Jim Carrey's first box office disappointment.

As for "The Phantom" and "Fled," it is all in the title.

"Harriet the Spy" and "The Adventures of Pinnochio" didn't stand a chance with kids since they all went to see this year's version of "The Extra Terrestrial."

After looking at the profit for his movie "Kazaam," hoopster-actor Shaquille O'Neal will make more for one season of basketball.

"A Very Brady Sequel" was a very bad mistake.

The bathroom humor of "Kingpin" only scored a strike with adolescents, while "Bordello of Blood" should have stayed in HBO's crypt. "The Arrival" mimicked "Independence Day." However its non-flashy cerebralism made it seem like a 90 minute "XFiles" episode.

Jackie Chan lacked the star punch to make the badge of "Supercop" shine.

Finally, even in all her silicone splendor, Demi Moore's "Striptease" wasn't worth leaving a tip.

Perhaps the film would have been a hit if Demi's assets were enhanced digitally.

State-of-the-art computer effects were used in the majority of summer releases and in almost all of the season's hits. However, the micro chips couldn't help the multiple Michael Kea tons in "Multiplicity" from multiplying moolah, nor the digital cockroaches of "Joe's Apartment," which were exterminated by no advance screenings or a marketing push.

Even ghostbuster Michael J. Fox couldn't scare his way into the top ten with "The Frighteners."

Digital dominance did bridge the gap between fantasy and reality for "Twister," with its detailed tornadoes and flying cows.

"Dragonheart" saw Dennis Quaid get upstaged by a Sean Connery-voiced digital dragon.

While it was "Mission: Impossible" to figure out the film's plot, it was mission accomplished for the movie's train sequence with exploding helicopters and a flying Tom Cruise.

Arnold Schwarrzenegger in "Eraser," enough said.

"The Rock" took its "Die Hard" formula to new heights while Kurt Russel surfed quake-ravaged streets in "Escape from L.A."

Of course the summer of 1996 belonged to the aliens. The earth sat still during the week of July 3.

The excessive hype of "ID," dating back to the 1995 Cannes Film Festival earned the film the distinction of having the biggest first week opening of all time with a gross of $104.3 million.

"ID's" out-of-this-world figures overshadowed the better than average first week openings of "Mission: Impossible" ($75 million) and "Twister"

($54 million), which placed the films second and eighth on the all time list respectively.

There is no secret as to why this 90's version of "War of the Worlds" caused fallout in Hollywood.

It was hyped to the moon with endless explosions, which are much easier to market than dialogue.

It also opened the week of the fourth of July. More than 3,000 visual effects shots stunned audiences. Its simple yet triumphant David vs. Goliath-like plot left moviegoers with an old-fashioned, kickass Americana feel.

To date "ID" has lived up to its hype, earning more than $260 million, making it the movie event of the '90's as well as the ultimate satisfier of man's innate juvenile desire for booms and bangs.

Audiences will now be getting their fill of little green men thanks to 11 alien-oriented films now in the works.

Next summer is shaping up to be more competitive with the release of sequels to "Batman," "Jurassic Park," "Speed" and "Alien."

However, after seeing how the juggernaut of "Independence Day" vaporized all of the summer stock, the argument must be raised that perhaps there is intelligent life in Hollywood.