Tuesday, October 31, 1972
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Three
THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Three
+
Use Daily Classifieds
+
H' I
sa
ffdIdl
Structure
of horror
afilm special
for Halloween
By LARRY LEMPERT
Waking up in the middle of
the night, the first fact is dark-
ness. Then there's the tightness
in my lower stomach, the grad-
ual translation into an aware-
ness of a need to urinate. Then!
fear.
Feeling my way out of bed,
around chairs, through the door,
down the hall. Ready for hands
to reach out, for faces to appear,
jumping at the sudden shift of a
shadow, the creaking of the floor.
Frankenstein, coffin lids, grop-
ing hands, bats, blood, castles
and crypts - in a rapid mon-
tage, my mind flashes images
and scenes from every horror
movie I've seen.
And a child raises a trowel
high above her head, a shot rings
out, I see the slow, relentless
approach of the living dead .. .
Many of us perceive the world
in terms of dualities, good and
evil, love and hate, true a n d
false, life and death. Dichotomiz-
ed thinking helps simplify a com-
plex, chaotic world.,
Horror movies take this ten-
dency to heart, sucking us into
the immediate, visual portrayal
of a struggle we can identify with
emotionally, if not intellectually.
The most effective horror movies
actually make us experience the
fear inspired by the triumph of
evil.
In this genre of film, there is a
world of good, peopled by heroes
and heroines, championed by the
forces of love, reconciliation, re-
lief, consolation; it is a realm of
light and life.
There is also a universe of evil,
haunted by the unknown and its
companion, fear; a milieu of hos-
tility, hate and disintegration, a
kingdom of darkness and death.
* * *
The young girl dives gracefully
into the warm water of the la-
goon and begins to swim with
long, graceful strokes. From be-
low, we see her arms cut
through the waeter; her body
moves along steadily.
mood
-
r.
U
I
i
I
I
When was the last time you saw
a good old-fashioned MUCKRAKER?
ARTS
Suddenly, the scaly creature
appears far below, spots the
figure and follows along beneath
her, underwater. The creature
rises, approaches the legs of the
unsuspecting swimmer. For some
reason, it sinks back down, but
rises again, then falls, rises, al-
ways threatening to break
through to the surface .. .
The tendency to dualize lends
itself to a structure in horror
films capable of attracting us
to that which also repels us.
"A," the primary force, is
established; but "not-A," a se-
condary element at first, rises to
the surface to challenge A.
Throughout the film, the two ele-
ments come closer and closer, in-
teract more and more, moving
toward the inevitable confronta-
tion that climaxes the movie.
In Creature from the Black
Lagoon, the surfacing of not-A
is often a literal movement -
the creature breaks through the
water to terrorize human beings.
Indeed, as the monster trails
underwater below the young girl,
approaching her then falling
away, the image registers like a
graph on our minds, charting the
proximity of not-A to A.
Roger Corman's Tomb of Ligeia
shows more subtle surfacing tech-
niques. Here, not-A is nothing as
solid or well-defined as an ac-
tual creature. Rather, it is a
mood, a sense of ill-being that
mars the more carefree world of
A.
The film is a structural mas-
terpiece. There are flashes of un-
easiness at the beginning, but
the predominant mood is light.
Very gradually, the darker mood
emerges, rises, becomes more
and more prominent, stedily
mounts and threatens to over-
whelm A. Finally, a terrible
nightmare becomes a more ter-
rible reality and, in a prolong-
ed, tense, final half-hour, not-A
and A meet face to face.
Deep, rich colors wash t h e
screen. A castle looms high on a
cliff, its towers jutting into a
dark sky, defying wind and rain
and jagged thrusts of lightning.
Inside, plush rooms, long cor-
ridors and a secret passageway
leading down to a dungeon, spec-
ially furnished for torture.
The master of the castle -
a nobleman, obsessed by one
gnawing doubt. His wife is bur-
ied, he buried her himself. But
was she dead at the time? (Pit
and the Pendulum)
Horror directors may draw on
any number of methods to estab-
lish the world of evil and the
unknown. They begin with basic
fears, fears of childhood that nev-
er go away. Darkness pervades
the horror film; dark skies for-
bode trouble, danger lurks in dark
corners, the worst things happen
at night.
Here the cinema has incredi-
ble power, compared to other art
forms in the genre of horror
- while the images on the screen
are vivid illusions, f i 1 m can
produce more than an illusion of
darkness. It can produce the real
thing, and real darkness can in-
spire real fear.
Furthermore, darkness dances
with death, hand in hand. Grave-
See MORE, Page 7
,
Inspired soul of
yesterday, today
Daily Photo by KAREN KASMAUSKI
Stevie Wonder
rY i
g
SEE
i
Jack Anderson
Pulitzer Prize winning columnist
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3 at 8:00 p.m.
UNION-LEAGUE
HILL AUDITORIUM
Tickets $1.25: on sale at the
Michigan Union or at the door
UNION-LEAGUE
CULTrURkE rALELr
UPCOMING CONCERT TIP-James Taylor comes to town
Nov. 17 in Chrisler!!! Reserved seat coupons will go on
sale tomorrow in the Michigan Union at 11 (coupon with
receipt can later be exchanged for actual tickets) $3.50,
$4.50, $5.50.
FILMS-AA Film Co-op shows Fellini's Spirits of the Dead,
tonight, Aud. A, 7,9. Couzen's Film Co-op shows The Pit
and the Peudulum, 7, 11, and The Raven, 9 in Couzen's
cafeteria. RC Astronomical Film Festival presents Man
in Space, The Legacy of Gemini and The Active Sun, RC
Aud., at 9. Women's Studies Film Series shows The Abor-
tion Question, UGLI multi-purpose Rm. at 7. Faulkner's
Mississippi, a commentary by Lyall H. Powers, UGLI
multi-purpose Rm., 3:30-5:30. Fellini's Juliet of the
Spirits tonight, Aud. A, Angell, 7, 8:45. About this film
Daily reviewer Terry Martin says:
Fellini's first film done in color is a gaudy thing
very different from the subtle shading of "LaStrada" and
the complex maneuverings of "81/2." A wealthy house-
wife suspects her husband is cheating on her, and lets
her troubled imagination run wild, ranging into memo-
ries and fantasies that are bazarre takeoffs on Freudian
concepts. It's sort of like a soap opera set in a psychic
wonderland, but much more enjoyable than such a de-
scription would suggest.
MUSIC-Symphony Orchestra conducted by Theo Alcan-
tara, Hill Aud., at 8. Program includes Stravinski's Mo-
mentum pro Gesualdo, Haydn's Farewell Symphony,
and Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra.
ART-Ann Arbor Women Painters, 21st Annual Exhibition,
Rackham Gallery, Oct. 31-Nov. 18.
!
I
1
m
II
The film "Dracula" didn't
By KENNETH ALTSHULER
Little Stevie Wonder h a s
grown up. And as the versatile
professional proved at Hill Audi-
torium Saturday night, it became
torium Saturday night, the yes-
ter-year creator of "Fingertips"
and "I Call It Pretty Music" has
matured his compositions, per-
formance, and musicianship.
The night began with Deliver-
ance (formerly Eighth Day)*do-
ing little to warm up the audi-
ence. Presenting such R & B
standards as "Midnight Rider"
and Marvin Gaye's "What's Go-
ing On," the disorganization
of the group plus the general
poor musicianship failed to sup-
port the audience's anticipation
of the headliner.
Drew Abbott of Third Power
fame provided interesting guitar
lines but seemed out of place
with his "unsoulful" musical
style. The percussion was pro-
vided by Jerry Paul with Tad
Smith on drums, and though a
good pace was provided, profes-
sionalism was lacking.
Vic Johnson on organ was
good when heard, but bad mu-
sical balance drowned him out.
The background vocals provided
by Brenda McIntire and Merlene
Karriel were excellent, though
destroyed by the performance of
l-ad vocalist Tom Brzezina. Tom
o rstilland performed in the
old crooner style of closed eyes;
he would have added to the per-
formance if his mouth had acted
likewise.
Tony Newton, leader and bas-
sist was less than adequate in
both categories. His poor musi-
cianship and disorganized lead-
ership summarized the failure
of Deliverance to provide pre-
concert excitement.
But then there was Stevie
Wonder. This versatile man can
play anything and everything
well. In addition, the key to a
great concert is the mood creat-
ed on stage and in the audience.
Wonder rose to the occasion
with moanful expressions and
ample audience participation.
The Wonderlove band, con-
sisting of an assortment of brass,
strings, and percussion, initiated
the Wonder set with an introduc-
tory instrumental. Wonder be-
gan on the keyboards, then
transferred to drums while his
crew took care of equipment
trouble; and the audience re-
ceived the jumping beat which
continued for the rest of the
evening.
The best element in the Won-
derlove band was the brass sec-
tion (composed primarily of ex-
Butterfield Blue members), and ;
alto saxist Dave Sanborn began
his evening with an incredibly
driving solo. Wonder used a
jazz improvisation to lead into
his latest hit, "Superwoman.
With excellent vocal support by
Shirley Brewer, Lonnie Groves,
and Lois Harvin, Wonder firmed
his grip on the audience's atten-
tion.
Wonder nullified his establish-
ed high-intensic mood with ex-
perimentation on the moog syn-
thesizer. He disappointingly '
failed to provide the variety he
sought, and the short usage of
its sound simply distracted the
audience.
See STEVIE, Page 7
Due to space limitations, reviews
of Chuck Berry and Guarneri' Quar-
tet performances this past weekend
will appear on tomorrow's Arts page.
smatsmiies nimanisissimm I
come in-
0o
Power Center double bill
S
is cancelled-
I
TONITE ON THE DIAG:
"KING KONG" will be
shown FRIDAY and
SATU RDAY-
MLB No. 4-7:30 & 10 p.m.
SPOOKY STORIES FOR CHILDREN
OF ALL AGES
Shows at
8:00 and
10:00
Admission Price: Witches, Madmen, & Goblins FREE
Others: YOUR MIND
I
I
The Stage skit will go on-
REFUNDS at NEW MORNING
DON'T MISS IT!
equipment donated by Audio Unlimited
124 E. Washington
-Friends of Newsreel-
r
omm
"I
L
II
6:00 2 4 7 News, Weather, Sports
9 Eddie's Father
50 Flintstones
56 How Do Your Children Grow?
6:30 2 4 7 News
9 Jeannie
50 Giliigan's Island
56 Your Right to Say It!
7:00 2 Truth or Consequences
4 News, Weather, Sports
7 To Tell the Truth
9 Beverly Hillbillies
50 I Love Lucy
56 French Chef
'7:30 2 What's My Line?
4 You Asked for It
7 Parent Game
9 Protectors
8:00 2 Maude
4 Bonanza
7 Temperatures Rising
9 Bobby Sherman Show
56 Family Game
50 Dragnet a
8:30 2 Hawaii Five-0
7 Movie
"The Bounty Man," stars Clint
Walker as a bounty hunter de-
termined to bring his man in
dead or alive.
9 Pig 'N' Whistle
56 Dateline America
50 Merv Griffin
9:00 4 Bold Ones
9 News
56 Common Ground
See TV, Page 7
As announced
TUES./WED.
JULIET OF
THE SPIRITS
Dir. FEDERiCO FELLINI
]965
With Julietta Masina as the
naive simple wife who encount-
ers h e r director - husband's
phantastic dream - world. Mag-
nificent color texture.
TWIIRS
The Queen's Favorite
OFFICE OF STUDENT SERVICES
-UNIT POLICY COMMITTEES
Student and faculty interested in serving on a unit policy committee
Honored to have as its patron, Her Majesty, the Queen Mother Elizabeth, the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra of London pays its third visit to Ann Arbor under the direc-
tion of its Conductor for Life,' Rudolf Kempe. On the program is Samuel Barber's
Second Essay for Orchestra, Op. 17; the Violin' Concerto in D minor by Sibelius,
featuring the young Japanese violinist, Teiko Maehashi; and Tchaikovsky's Symphony
No. 6 in B minor, the "Pathetique."
Performance in Hill Auditorium, Saturday evening, November 4, at 8:30. Tickets
from $3.50 to $8.50.
I' IVIER; ITY-
within the Office of Student Services should contact Molly
Parsons
(4-7421) by Thursday, November 2, to arrange for an interview.
Units within the OSS are:
. CAREER PLANNING AND PLACEMENT
9 COUNSELING
. HEALTH SERVICE
i
I .