WOMMONIM01,
Arts & Entertainment
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Thursday, January 20, 1,977
Page Five
:
a~ i
Screenings
by CHRISTOPHER POTTER
PERHAPS THOSE EDITORIALLY-MINDED among you no-
ticed a letter to The Daily this Tuesday from one Paul
Urla, regarding a pair of critiques on Clint Eastwood's The
.Enforcer, penned last week by Michael Broidy and myself.
Despite the decidedly uncomplimentary tone of the message,
my initial reaction was a kind of blind euphoria: "My God,
somebody reads this stuff!" Once this obliquely-motivated high
had passed, 1 began - predictably - to have second thoughts.
And while it isn't really standard policy to print a rebuttal
to a letter to the editor, I feel Mr. Urla has raised a chal-,
lenge which, in the light of recent court decisions sending
filmmakers scurrying for GP shelter, bears answering.
The first half of Mr. Urla's letter apparently involves an
English Comp misinterpretation on his part, for which I can
only suggest he straighten his bifocals and re-read that part
of the article: but his objections to The Enforcer reviews are,
what trigger journalistic and historical shivers in me. Mr. Urla
castigates the "favorable" nature of the reviews in straight
moralistic terms ("this redneck film," etc.), while totally avoid-
ing any reference to the picture's cinematic merits or demerits;
he grandly proclaims The Enforcer "does not deserve any ex-
tensive treatment in The Daily or any other publication," then
exhorts The Daily to make sure that "neither Mr. Potter nor
Mr. Broidy write reviews for The Daily again."
In other words, a film's intentions (good or bad) are every-
thing, its artistry is nothing. By this standard, which could
accurately be described as puritanism of The Left, a brilli-
antly complex work such as Straw Dogs would be exorcised'
from public consumption for its possible fascistic implications,
whereas a simple-minded, artistically undernourished monstrosi-'
ty like The Trial of Billy Jack 'would wind up required view-
ing simply because its heart is in the right (left) place.
IF MR. URLA HAD READ MY REVIEW a little more care-
fully, he might have deduced that I hold no truck with
the brute vigilanteism that permeates the Dirty Harry series.
But, at the same time, I felt The Enforcer displayed an adroit,
well-paced competence in strictly artistic terms. But such an
explanation is really beside the point; so long as the column
contained no personal defamatory or overt exhortations in favor
of violence, I could have waved a Nazi banner and intoned
forty "Heil Hitlers" and remained perfectly within my legal
(if morally negligible) rights.
The quality of my writing and the validity of my opinions
are fair game for any opponent to rip sentence from sentence,
if so inclined;. my right to those opinions is not fair game,
and that right is what Mr. Urla is attacking. He doesn't agree
with the attitudes of Mr. Broidy and myself over a certain,
film - therefore, Mr. Broidy and I should not be allowed to
express those feelings in print. I find this irritating and .more
than a little. frightening; the. letter's attitude conjures up too
many morbid memories (only slightly removed) of John Mitch-
ell's thinly-veiled threats of FCC action against TV stations
broadcasting "unfriendly" opinions toward the government, of
Richard Nixon's stern admonitions to the press to "write about
what's right with America." Is Mr. Urla's demand for The
Daily to "choose critics with a little taste, please" really so
very different?
In short, if Mr. Broidy and I are lousy writers, then con-
vince our editor to fire us; but if it's that our opinions are
"improper," then start your own column if you must but kind-
ly leave. me the right to write what I think. Versatility of
thought is the life's blood of our existence, Mr. Urla, and an
absolute essential to the Arts.
PTP exhumes
'Sherlock Holmes'
By STEPHEN PICKOVER
ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE'S
famous Baker Street char-
acters, Sheriock Holmes and
Dr. Watson, though never tot-
ally lacking an appreciable aud-
ience, can be said to be enjoy-
ing a new surge of popularity.
Besides the varied assort'monts
of newly printed editions of Vat-
include performing in Joe
Papp's New York Shakespeare
in the Park Theater, and star-
ring opposite Deborah Kerr in
Souvenir in Los Angeles.
KASZNER is a well known
figure on Broadway, having\ ap-
peared in Sound of Music, Bare-
foot in the Park and Waiting for
son's chronologue and Ni-h las Godot. We are looking forward
Meyer's Seven Percent Solution, to a deviously intelligent Mor--
one of the biggest boosts for quy iarty, even though we now know
Baker Street irregular is - i e he was only Holmes' math tu-
PTP's revival of William Gilette tor.
and Conan Doyle's collabora-ion, The actual plot of the story is
the Victorian melodrama, Sher- based on two of Doyle's most
lock Holmes. famous stories. "Scandal in Bo-
Last year the show played the hemia" and "The Final Prob-
You only have until tomor-
row to catch the Ann Arbor
i Women Painters' Winter Ex-
hibit at the North Campus Com-
mons. Hours, are Monday
through Friday, 10-4.
... But, if you're interested
in women's creations and don't
have time to look at the paint-
ings, you should prepare for an-
other major event - the Fes-
tival of Women's Films being
shown by the Ann Arbor Film
Co-op beginning next Tuesday
in Aud. A Angell. For more
info., see the Co-op's posted
film schedule.
... And work for the judged,
varied undergraduate art show
being put together for the Slus-
ser Gallery on North Campus
is due by the 26th, so hurry
up if you want to enter some-
thing.
Fisher Theater in Detroit star-'
ring Leonard Nimov as Holm-
es. This titne it will be featuring
John Michalski and Kurt Kamz-'
ner as Holmes and Professor
Moriarty respectively. Directingc
the show at Power Ce ier dill'
be Tony Tanner, Wn -ha' al-
ready appeared in th_ Broad-
way version of Sherlock Holmes,j
and is most well known for Lis
starring role in the nmav'e Stop
the World, I Want To Get Off.
Those of you gazing at Michal-
ski's name and trying to remem-
ber where you might have spot-
ted it before may recall himI
1cm". This particular adapta-
tion, which most recently played
New York with the Royal Shake-
sneare Company will be in Ann.
Arbor this Friday through Sti-
day. Evening performances are
at 8. There is a Sunday matinee
at 2.
J
__
.
I -- -- - - _._
i i
Daily Photo by ANDY FREEBERG
Members of the New Black Repertory Company perform in the play Sketches in Block,
now showing at the Mack School.
Department of
Rnar - anaP
1B
I
SKETCHES IN BLACK:
Black pla y PSpirited
By LEE DONALDSON pany of Ann Arbor has retained type that can't stop prey
WHEN ONE SPEAKS of the a spirited determination. Under at its audience. Camp Me
black musical, inherently the directorship of Florence Fi- 1840 and I'm Laughing
the reference is too often toward gueroa, the group is currently Ain't Tickled are recer
performing Sketches in Black at Broadway examples. Thes
the easy motif that has recently the Mack School Auditorium on gregational, foot-stomping,
emerged on and off-Broadway. Miller Ave. 1cingapping rituals worn bet
Elaborate entertainments have
often been opted for in place FIGUEROA calls the play an a store-front church th.
of the topical or experimental adventure in poetry, music, and s'age. Sketches has n ,nor
black theater. Both black and dance. The result is a rhythma- tle message that grows
white audiences clamor to the tic pastiche that works both as the exerience of se
theaters for the likes of The Wiz entertainment and social com- mesaegitsefl trdent
or Guys and Dolls - which are mentary. thrusing itsefl '- center
unquestionably good, but are Sketches in Black consists of Sketches in Black is a
probably closer to being w;iite a series of poems and extrac- effort, particularly sinc-
musicals in blackface tflan tions from such black writers as attendance was embarras
black musicals, per se. Claude McKay and Ntozake low. Such dedicaiton on th
Within those theater compan. Shange, skillfully merged wi of these nine indivualsd
ies particularly interested in singing and dancing. This in-rofteeneidvjul
suess, pther seermstobed an t-cludes a stimulating funga (Af- es better. Performances
cit 'rule-of-thumb' at work. It rican dance) which serves ;.s an continue through January
goes: contrive a production with invitation to their higa-energy
just enough black identification production. Maria Mithell's
and white cross-over appeal to brilliant choreography sets the
keep the white theater investorr pace as the chara'cters sashay
interested (ex. Bubbling Brown in calculated, smooth m a e-
Sugar). With the scarcity of ments. The stage is uncluttered
black theater investors, this is with props or scenery, providing
quite understandable. This is a simple background From wh'ch
one reason local black reper- the characters emanate.
tory companies fold every yeor. Sketches is not too heavy ;n
The other reason is miscalcula- its intended message. Often-you
tion of what appeals to black ask for relevant black theater
audiences. and you get the type of pfescit a-
Despite these hard realitis, tion that serves only as a me-
the New Black Repertory Coin- diem for spiritual toeli-ags: the
from John Houseman's "T h e
Acting Company" which toured
Ann Arbor two years ago with
the riow Off-Broadway produc-
ion The Robber Bridegroom. As
a graduate of the Julliard School
aching of Drama, some of his credits
eeti g: - - -- - - - -
But I
t t ff-
Se' con-
hand-
ter m Cver Tonne
an on
re suF- 195
itheut LADIES' or CHILDREN'S]
rstage. HAIRCUTTING
roble A SPECIALTY!
PRESENTS
A Lecture by
JOHN E.' VAREY'
Westfield College, Univ. of London
Staging of Plays in the Corrales
of Golden-Age Spain"
Thurs., Jars. 20, 4 p.m.K
lecture room 2 M L B_
I___________
__________________________________-___
mial
singlv
e port
eserv-
22nd.
DASCOLA
STYLISTS
ARBORLAND-97 1-9975
MAPLE VILLAGE-761 -2733
E. LIBtRTY-668-9329
E. UNIVERSITY-662-0354
I
Order
your subscription today!
Phone 764-0558
.......
By
REN
T
lengtha
(now pl
a poign
ing un
man an
A few
we lear
son and
the fath
have m
right-wi
tory si
"was a
erything
Descom
is, und
traught
Fathe
close;t
been ta
woman
home s
Bernard
spect fo
AFTE
nard is
scene r
tragedy
Clockmaker:
ich, poignant
MICHAEL BROIDY to Madeleine. The scene is bean-
CH DIRECTOR Bertrand tifully composed and wrtten
avernier's first full- and given us, as well as Des-
film. The Clockmaker combes, our first insights into
[aying at the Campus) is Bernard.
ant film about the grow- THE CLOCKMAKER is also
derstanding between a rich in marvelous performances,
id his son. the strongest being Phillipe No-
v minutes into the film, iret in the title role. It is a
n that this clockmaier's performance of beautiful under-
the boy's girlfriend (who statement as the father slowly
her has not even met) begins to understand and come
urdered a man who is a to terms with his son, and the
ng informant in a sac- portrayal rings true in all re-
mply because the man spects. The character is one of
pig" and stood for ^v- many paradoxes - he is both
g the boy was against. enigmatic and, at other times,
ibes, the boy's father. more easily understood.
erstandably, initially dis- Tavernier's direction is ap-
at this news. propridtely slow and careful,
r and son had never teen as each character is examniw'd
the son, Bernard, h a d in great detail. But it is really'
ken care of by a kindly the performances that make the
after running awa; from film as beautiful as it is. Phil-
six years earlier. Yet lipe Noiret's portrayal cf the
d also has a deep re- title role is one of the supreme
r his father. achievements of the year, giv-
R a long search, Ber.. ing a performance that is not
finally caught. In a likely to be forgotten for a long
ich with pathos and even time.
, the camera holds oml
music theory,
classes
Our fifteen-week winter course in the fundimentals
of music combines the traditional disciplines of
harmony, counterpoint, form and analysis with an
exploration of music history and the creations of
today's avant-garde composers. In addition to the two-
hour Tuesday evening classes, each student receives a
weekly private lesson. Here, the student may try his
hand at original composition, develop skills in keyboard
harmony, examine music of particular interest to him-
self, or review material covered during previous classes.
Through participation in this course both -the informed
listener as well as the professional musician will find
their understanding of musical principles sharpened and
expanded.
classes begin February 1
the music studio
555 e. william
994-5404
I
Descombes for what seems ar
eternity as he waits in. a police
station for his first meeting wil
his son since the crime - only
to be spurned by Bernard, who
leaves the station from another
exit to avoid meeting his father.
Nevertheless, the two g r o w
closer together as the film pro,-
gresses, culminating in a mnv-
ing scene where Descombes vis-
its Bernard in prison 'and father
and son reach an t'nderstvrding
and a restored love.
THE CLOCKMAKER is remin-
iscent, in several respects. ef
the films of Jean Renoir--- in
its capturing of the fragility of
the French petite bourgeois life,
and stylistically, the long, long
takes. Particularly memorable is
a scene early in the film when
Descombes lies down in his son's
bed and examines a quote oa the
wall, trying to comprehend what
his son has done and, even more
importantly, why he has done
ATTENTION
LSA COLLEGE STUDENTS
The LSA Student Government is currently making appoint-.
ments to the following college committees:
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE
ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD
STUDENT-FACULTY POLICY BOARD
There are also 3 vacant LSA Student Government Executive Council
seats to which students are being appointed. All currently enrolled
Michael Poli, PIANIST
TUESDAY, JAN. 25, AT 8:30; RACKHAM AUDITORIUM
Hailed as a "supervirtuoso" by the NEW YORK TIMES, Michael Ponti's concert appear-
ances in the major musical centers of the world have established him as one of today's
important pianists. A winner of the coveted Busoni Award in Italy, Mr. Ponti is also ac-
claimed for his many recordings, including the complete works of Tchaikovsky, Scriabin,
and Rachmaninoff.
His Ann Arbor debut program next week:
BEETHOVEN: Eroica Variations, Op. 35
CHOPIN: Sonata in B-flat minor
SCRIABIN: Three Preludes, Op. 35
SCRIABIN: Satanic Poem, Op. 36
RACHMANINOFF: Sonata in B-flat minor, Op. 36
I
11
I
I
I