Sunday, October 3, 1976
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Five
Sunday, October 3, 1976 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Poge Five
SUNDAY MAGAZINE
BOOKS
A
N
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
TO THE CLASS OF '65? by
Michael Medved and David
Wallechinsky. Random House,
New York, 285 pp., $10.
By JEFFREY SELBST
T1' YOU WERE TO make the
rather conservative state-
ment that the twentieth century
has been characterized by
change, you would be hard
pressed to find someone who,
disagree. Yet the change has
been primarily scientific and
technological. Long after the
vorld began living out Jules
Verne's fantasies with the in-
vention of the car and the air-
plane, its social mores remain-
ed mired between Queen Vic-
toria and King Tut.
stic glimpse
Then, bingo - all the elabor- School, class of 1965. Of course,
ately constructed social pyri- the interviews were done in ofa
mids came tumbling down, al- 1975, in the weeks preceding in,
most substantiating a domino the class's 10-year reunion. ofa
theory. One after the other, in What emerges from this com- to-d
great crushing heaps, the guide- pendium is a sense of the be- den
lines of morality began to sag wildering decade. It was, after son
and crumble, washed away by all, a time of experiment - mou
that great river known as the with drugs, sex, weird religions they
sixties. But as with all flood - and a time to blaze trails from
tides, this one provided noth- in areas where no taboo or pre- but
ing new - it merely destroy- vious license existed. nom
ed the old and unworkable. How Predictably, some reacted T
did young people deal with the badly to this heady new free- stor
absence of a workable system dom. Lisa Menzies, the rebelli- it w
of morals? ous "bad girl," remarks: "Be- men
This is the question posed by tween the ages of 16 and 18 ent
Michael Medved and David Wal- I actually counted how many econ
lechinsky in What Really Hap- men I went to bed with. I kept edf
pened to the Class of '65 The a running list. I counted 425, cue
book is a series of interviews and then I stopped counting." othe
with thirty members of the Pa- ing-
cific Palisades (California) High rrHE BOOK IS really two ore
a
a
a
as
t
is
pus
,y
'I
at t
stories. Not only is it that
generation coming of age
turbulent era, but also
group of unusually well-
young people. The stu-
s at "Pali High" were the
and daughters of the fa-
and the rich. In this way
were protected not only
the forces of the past,
h
Class
of
also of the forces of eco-
nic necessity.
here is a sameness in the
ies of all those who found
well-nigh impossible to cope
ntally after graduation. Oft-
this translated to a simple
nomic inadequacy that forc-
parents to come to the res-
of their children. In what
er social milieu is this bail-
out possible? For the poor,
even the lower-middle-class,
once the child has left home,1
often no money can be spared
for these types of emergencies.4
But, on the other hand, while
a picture of well-to-do mem-
bers of this generation is al
limited one, so too is it the
picture most often seen. ThusI
it becomes the typical one. They
protest the Vietnam War, but
only one of them actually goes
to fight it. They are the trend-!
setters - not only for the six-
ties, a peculiarly youth-domina-:
ted decade, but also for the
styles of the seventies. Thus
their influence wvill be felt long.
after everyone at the 1968 Chi-
cago convention demonstrations
is dead.
There could also be a case
made for the fact that their
stories are particularly whacky
because they
ornia where (
don Thomas)
dn rap frnm
hail from
apologies,
the nuts
Calif-
Bran-
really
'65
they chose to ask, but
answers they chose to
oStill, for the thoughtful so-
The reader will feel slightly cial historian type, or someone
like a voyeur, poking about in sincerely interested in having
all of these peoples' sex lives a picture of the sixties told
and personal hangups. through the words of those who
One cannot help but wonder lived through it, this book is
what really motivated the in- quick and absorbing reading.
terviewers to take up the leng- The questions it raises arecer-
thy task of tracking all these;thenquestin traseqec-
classmates down, and transcrib- t .ons ters.
ing all their remarks. Besides it answers.
money, of course. But there is
more than a hint of the voy- Jeffery Selbst is a Daily staf
eur evident not only in the ques- 'writer.
A -
tions
those
print.
JOIN OUR
HAPPY HOUR!!
They
shoot film
makers,
don't they?
Sunday thru
Thursday
10p.m. to 1 a.m.
Cottage
INN
6633379
'12 EAST WILLIAMS
(Continued from Page 3)
enough, more people are aware
of what happens in a place if
they're outside. Again, it takes
distancing. You have to be very
careful not to make a film that
is going to be totally dogmatic.
You have to be able to give that
distancing to the people.
Do you find yourself attracted
to subjects that represent the
environment you are surrounded'
by now, that could be consider-
ed distinctly American?
Oh, I think it was Lenin that
once said you can never live in
a society and be free from it.
But I would really like to make'
a film about my childhood,
about what it was like to grow
up in Guatemala in 1954.
What was that like?
Oh, it was fascinating, if not
totally disturbing. 1954 was when
Guatemala was invaded (by
forces backed by the CIA-Ed.).
I remember getting up every
morning and turning on the
radio, and I still do it instinc-
tively. I get up and I turn the
radio on because I am waiting
to hear a military march that
was a sign that we didn't have
to go to school because the
country was in a state of seige.
At first we were very glad that
we didn't have school, but then
that became a very threatening
event. As we grew older it wasr
no longer that we couldn't go to
school, but we couldn't go out
after 8:30, 9:00 at night.
Do you think that was a point
where the government became
personally repressive to you?I
I think so, although it's hard
to say at what point because
there are all sorts of things you
can't see. I remember then go-
ing to college and finding out
that one of my closest friends
had been killed a couple of
weeks ago. And they said that
he was subversive. And if any-
body was not subversive it was
him. He was probably just
picked up on the street one
night coming back from a late:
party.
How were the arts effected
then? Was it apparent to you
that people were being op-
pressed?
Well, oppression is disguised No, no. I think pornography
very well. For example, things still would be censored very
were just given a different heavily. But more erotic treat-
meaning, were presented in a ment of traditional situations,
different light. I remember see- and sometimes venturing into
ing Bergman's "The Silence" as untraditional situations, and
a pornographic film. sometimes venturing into untra-
You mean that was how you ditional situations, like homo-
interpreted it? sexuality, is dealth with. In the
That's how it was sold. That's past, ad- 'v and sexual re-
how we approached it. That was lations w dealt with in a
very early, I was probably 13 double way. But now the film-
We mainly saw American maker approaches that more
movies. We saw a lot of cow- openly without guilt. That is
boy movies. We saw a lot of subversive, but that is accept-
Mexican films. There is a very, ed.
case in the U. S.
Why do you think that the
Guatemalan government would
tolerate films which are sexual-
ly as opposed to politically con-
troversial?
Because they consider that
sort of a one way street, a dead
end street. Sexually controver-.
sial films are an outlet to frus-
tration and energy, and also
divert attention. I think if we
continue to see sexually contro-
versial films as (the ultimate
in) breaking taboos people
might be content. In a culture
which is still very Catholic, sex-
ual taboos are very strong. And
I think a lot of people tend to
react very strongly, not against
the authority that is imposing,
but against the frustrations
which come out of it. And if
they are able to engage in at
least vicarious experience, they
will never make the connection
Ste THEY SHOOT. Page 4
r
A Musical Masterpiece
Rich in Legand and Fantasy
UAC MUSKET/MM Productions, Inc.
PRESENTS
f \1
Warming up with Chick Corea
very large monopoly, a total
monopoly by Mexico on films
shown in the lower, cheaper'
theaters. It was a very strange
type of film that they (Mexico)
made. It was a soap opera sort
of a musical. Once in awhile
films would come in that werel
strange. I remember w h e n
Blow Up" came in; it was
very unusual.
So basically you didn't see
That is subversive in the
sense that it goes against tra-
ditional values?
Well, it goes against tradi-
tional values for some. But at
the same time I think it's a
trap. Because then you end up
with a sexually overstimulated
society that is politically insen-
sitive, which is, I think, the
Continued from Page 3) style that someone would pio- My next solo album will be films that would be considered
made w i t h the recently-dis- neer with just fans and dollar flamenco." radical or revolutionary to other
banded group, Return to For- signs in mind. Corea says this He took a last puff off a last countries either?
ever. - style was born partly due to the I cigarette, and stood up to head Oh no, not at all. I remember
"I don't feel stuck into a for- infie a of another former ap- for the stage. "My main pur- there was a film that played for
mula," he said, explaining his prent of Miles Davis-gui- pose with music has always an afternoon and was seized
musical evolution. "I'm just tarist .;' McLaughlin. been fun," he said. "It still is." because it depicted some jungle
playing with the elements that "I had an idea of what kind of A man stuck his head into the guerrilla warfare.
are at hand, trying to find that sound I wanted to make with' room just long enough to say, You mentioned before that
balance b e t w e e n beautifully Return to Forever, and John! "We're ready to go now, Chick." making films that are sexually
composed and technically ren- McLaughlin's music in the early Corea started to head towards controversial was the only way
dered music that won't bypass days of his Mahavishnu Orches- ,the hall, then stopped at the that people could release their
people's understanding, t h a t tra really struck an interesting stage door for a moment, and desire to make a film that was
will reach people." note in me. I wanted to use a searched his pockets. controversial at all, that was
But is Corea as ingenuous as solo guitar voice the way (Mc- "Shit," he muttered. "I for- a protest. Does a lot of pornog-
he seems? His evolution towards Laughlin did)." got my bubble gum." raphy result from this?
popular musical forms may Corea will be embarking in _
smack more of shrewd busi- yet another musical direction
ness-like practicality than true with a group that he is now
artistry. forming-a group which will in- -
Nevertheless, Corea's jazz- lude Stanley Clarke, the extra- i
rock-although it's more popu- ordinary bassist who was a
lar than his acoustic accom- member of Return to Forever.
plishments-is still too far out "The new band is still in the
for the tastes of many pop j concept stage,' Corea said. "But
music fans. And this remains I want to broaden it into a
an indication that his musical blend of electric and acoustic. 0
integrity is still somewhat in- We want to reduce and clarify
tact. the stage volume. We're going
Other jazz musicians trying to have a vocalist to reintro- P L US-
to broaden their appeal-notab- duce the song element. I'm go-
ly George Benson and Herbie ing to put a brass section to- PITCH ER N IGHT
Hancock-have attracted droves gether. It'll be real rhythmic I NH
of fans recently by making and a lot simpler."
their styles simpler, more like He also wants to branch out -PLUS-
that of pop music. into a field that's relatively new: "THE KISSING CONTEST
What Corea has done is dif- to him-Spanish music. "I've "
ferent. His jazz-rock style may been listening to a lot of fla- K I SS 0 F F"
apelmore to pop fans just menco music," he said. "I re-
because he uses electric guitars discovered it through a couple
and synthesizers, but it's not a of guitarists on a trip to Spain. BRING YOUR KISSEE OR KISSOR
. . .4 Ar t -O A I
1 f4
A Musical Masterpiece
CjTfMUSKEI/ MM [hx-ouctions. Inc.
Nowneber 4,5, 710,11,12,13-1976
Lda lenldclssohn'Theater
EvEning crformaics8:00 pu.
(Matlnee Nov. 72:OOp.nL)
Tickets-$3.00 $3.50 $4.00
CAMELOT TICKET ORDER FORM
PLEASE ENTER MY ORDER FOR:
Wednesday-Thursday (circle date) 4, 10, 11. $3.5"-center
orchestra and balcony/$3.00-side orchestra and balcony. ......
tickets at $ ....... for total of $......
Friday, Saturday, Sunday (circle date) 5, 6, 12, 13-7 matinee.
$4.OO-center orchestra and baicony/$3.50-side orchestra and
balcony. ......tickets at $........ for total of $.....
NAM E .....................................PH ON E
ADDRESS...................... .......
CITY .... ................ STATE............ ZIP
Mail order with self-addressed stamped envelope, with check
made payable to "UAC," to: MUSKET, Michigan Union, 530 S.
State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.
Phone 763-1107 or 995-2073 for reservations or further informa-
tion.
Tickets also available at Ticket Central, Hill Auditorium;
Jacobson's; Liberty Music Shop.
'
'
"
'
/'
.4
.4
.4
.4
'4
.4
.4
.4
.4
i
1 *
SUN BAKERY
A NOW OPEN n
BASED ON SEXINESS, IMAGINATION &
STYLE, NOT DURATION
'M.C.' BY ENGLAND'S LEADING
DISC JOCKEY & FORMER KISSPERT
KEN MICHAELS
* PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED
E.
f.4
Tickts aailble t PT.P;Ticei Qfiie ~,r.4
Mencelsshn'heat~e Lbby Mor-Fri 1 -1, -54
For nforatio Cal:."74-040'4
Tickts aso aailble t al Hudo.4
I
I
I I
COMING MONDAY,
OCT.4
" Whole Grain Breads
" Danish Pastry
" Real Cream Eclairs
" Fresh Colombian Coffee
" Special Order Cakes
Come See our new home
STONE FRONT
CAREER
LI
1 516 E. Liberty
994-5350
Career Planning and Placement
3200 STUDENT ACTIVITIES BUILDING
_. _
- _- - _
e
III
i
--, I I I
1111
UNIVERSITY
'
{
Planning t
Placement
PHONE: 764-7460
301 E. LIBERTY
668-6320
_I
UAC Soph Show '76 presents a
MASS MEETING
for
f Ir
"How TO SUCCEE
w ithout malvtrvina'
GAY RIGHTS
ACTION GROUP
EVERYDAY G AY P EOPLE AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ARE DIS-
CRIMINATED AGAINST IN THEIR
STUDIES, JOBS AND OTHER ASPECTS
OF THEIR LIVES. To fight this oppression,
a University Gay Rights Action Group is
being formed.y
ALL PEOPLE-women and men; gays
and non-gays; s tu d e nts, faculty, and
staff; and members of the community-
who are interested in working to improve
ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEWS
OCTOBER 4 through NOVEMBER 23, 1976
All Degree Candidates Can Schedule Appointments:
* With employers for career positions in schools, industry, business,
or government.
" With employers for summer jobs.
* With graduate professional schools for program information and
admission requirements.
I
I