Wood Craft
THERE is plenty of shooting, killing and wild car chasing in "The Corrupter," a cops vs. gangs action film that takes place in Chinatown, N.Y. Chow Yan-Fat heads a unit of Chinese cops that includes Hawaii's Elizabeth Lindsey. Mark Wahlberg, a Caucasian, is assigned to the unit and has to prove himself. I liked this violent, fast-moving flick with surprise twists. Elizabeth gets high billing but isn't given much to do. No romance with Yan-Fat or Wahlberg. They prefer Chinese hookers in brothels run by Chinatown boss, "Uncle Benny," portrayed by Kim Chan. ‘The Corrupter’
has the action
FOLKS who recall old Honolulu Stadium in Moiliili should ease up to the bar in Neiman Marcus' Mariposa and chat with bartender Karl Kimoto. Karl is a Moiliili boy who has great memories of the stadium, Charley's Tavern and area notables such as Puna Titcomb. Puna, incidentally, marked his 70th birthday March 19 with wife, Elrae, and 11 grandchildren at the home of the Titcombs' daughter, Elrae Ann Ouchi, in Las Vegas ... Bill "Maggie" Maguire and wife, Maisie, flew in from Virginia so he could hold a birthday party here with Roosevelt High pals at Roy's tonight ...
No longer street singers
ABOUT two years ago I heard these guys singing good harmony on the sidewalk outside the Polynesian Palace. These former street singers are now called DisGuyz and are starring in the the "Yes!" revue in that same Polynesian Palace. Calsen Aiwohi, Justin Alverio, Ian Ayson, Jason Lent and Junior Mika, all local boys in their late teens, are DisGuyz. Lent's mom is former solo hula dancer Mate Ng. Besides singing the group has excellent choreography and costuming, thanks to help from Francis Kirk and Society of Seven leader Tony Ruivivar. I particularly enjoyed their Beatles and Beachboys medleys. The revue offers acrobats, jugglers, Polynesian dancers and a comic. Educator Karen Kaderabek, watching a child laugh at comic Joe Monti, gives the show a thumbs up for kids ...SWISS INN closes April 12-28 for a spring break. Rumors are flying that the Inn will close for good in the near future. Not so! The lease is up in October 2000. Then co-owners Jeanie Wyss, her chef-husband Martin and Jeanie's sister, Sharon Fujii, may retire ... I had fun watching "The Wizard of Oz: Hawaiian Style" last weekend but would have liked to have heard more of Emma Veary's beautiful voice. Karen Keawehawaii was really funny. Barbi Benton, Cathy Foy-Mahi, Jimmy Borges, Stuart Chafetz, the Honolulu Boy Choir and the rest of the cast deserve a pat on the back ... Dave Scatcherd, whose family owned the Toronto Blue Jays for 19 years, was at Nicholas Nickolas last weekend ...
Joe Lyons' big surprise
A LOOK of astonishment covered the face of Duty Free Shoppers' exec Joe Lyons when he walked into the Kahala Mandarin's Maile Room last Saturday and family and friends surprised him on his 60th birthday. Joe's wife, Mariko, and Rose Reed set up the party. Mariko's Argentine tango with her instructor, Felix Chavez, was a highlight. Jack Cione watched closely as his Mardi Gras Follies dancers - Mariko, Joni Albao, Sing Sing Bliss and Margo Boland - performed and Rene Kemp Maglaling sang. Consummate restaurateur Michel Martin, looking good at 92, attended. Mariko's children, Mamiko, Tai and Kei Ando flew in from Tokyo and New York. Peter Fithian emceed as Joe's longtime pals roasted him ...
Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets
of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of
people, places and things every Saturday.
His columns appear online every Monday.