Farce pokes fun at ways of record industry

Press, 2 June 1989, Page 24

Farce pokes fun at ways of record industry

For a video about a pair of heterosexual love affairs, “He’s My Girl,” is wearing some pretty strange clothes. But then, this is farce, and anything goes, as long as the sexual ground rules are laid down early on.

The rules are: T. K. Carter is allowed to spend most of the video dressed as a girl, he can wear a wig and make-up, and put on a girl’s voice, but he has to make frequent Zorro-like changes back to male garb, and he has to end up with the girl.

This Premiere release, through Videocorp International, pokes a lot of fun at the conventions of the recording industry, and enjoys itself along the way. David Hallyday plays a rock musician, and Carter plays his manager. They win a trip to Hollywood in a video show promotion, but the catch is, one of them has to be a girl. It is a formula for some very funny complications.

The video is rated as suitable for viewers 13 and over, but it has

a warning that its content may offend. With many twists and turns along the way, “Backfire” heads for a climax that will reveal how cleverly it has been titled.

This Virgin video is about a Vietnam veteran who has returned from the war in such a mess that he has become rather boring for those around him. His wife (Karen Allen) hatches a dastardly plot to drive him over the brink to suicide, and claim her inheritance.

However, the highly inventive plan goes wrong and instead of killing himself, the husband becomes catatonic, and in need of constant care. But after that, it is evident that there is another plot afoot, though the audience is not sure what, or aimed at whom. The result is a very spooky climax, and some startling revelations in the final scene. This horror-thriller carries a rating as suitable for audiences 16 and over, with a warning that its sexual content and language may offend.— D.C. ,