Page Two

THE MICHIGAN DAILY


Thursday, September 9, 1976

The Great


By JEFF SORENSEN
For the hard-core film addict
Ann Arbor has more to offer
than any midwestern city. It
can boast of a wider variety of
W movies at lower prices than any
city outside Boston, New York
Los Angeles and San Francisco
On some weekends, as many as
25 different films are shown in
the city.
While nine commercial the-
atres offer an adequate selec-
tion of first-run films, several
student groups provide a line-up
of oldies and foreign films that
simply cannot be seen in most
cities.
4 THE MAIN student groups in-
C'Curl up
Sand watch
By MIKE NORTON
For five evenings in the mid-
die of March, you can treat
yourself to the most exotic mo-
* vie fare available anywhere.
Right here in Ann Arbor. That's
when young film - makers from
all over the country will be
competing in the 14th Annual
Ann Arbor Film Festival.
For less than the price of an
ordinary night at the movies,
you can curl up in your theater
seat and watch a parade of
mind - boggling, eyeball-twist-
ing films wiggle past you; some
of them on their way to glory,
some on their way to the trash-
can.
STHE FILM Festival was
started back in the early 60's,
>when avant-garde film - mak-
ing was just getting into full
swing. It had a slow beginning,
but by the late end of the dec-
ade, Ann Arbor's Festival had
become one of the most presti-
gious in the business. One of
the prize-winners back then, an
eight - minute montage called
Frank Film, went on to win anj
k Academy Award.
S The competition is open to
anyone who cares to enter. A
women preliminary screening is con-
ake - ducted by the Cinema Guild,
ly and which sponsors the Festival, to
wn en- select the films which will be!
at very exhibited during the five eve-
lement nings of play.
nte tnt During the course of the Fes-
)f the 1 tival, as many as 100 films
.unity are seen; perhaps 15 of them
on it, will be winners though there
paper- are literally bushels of honor-
don't able mentions given out.
- in a THERE HAVE been some
complaints in recent years that
the event isn't what it used to
See FILM, Page 6

Frame-up
clL."° Cinema Guild, Cinema
Two, The Ann Arbor Film Co-
op, New World, and UAC-Medi-
t atrics-and they usually charge
f about $1.25 for admission. In
addition, a number of dorms
and smaller organizations offer
films occasionally: South Quad,
East Quad, the Law Quad, Bur-
s sley and Cousens.
Cinema Guild is the oldest
student group and it generally
- has the most innovative sched-
1 ule of the organization. The
Guild brings a large number of
film classics to campus and is
t also the sponsor of the Ann Ar-
bor Film Festival of experimen-
tal films, in March.
The Guild is about the only'
group that shows silent films,
often with piano accompani-
ment. The only drawback is that
Cinema Guild is located in the
Old Architecture Auditorium
which features the hardest seats
on campus.
The Co-op tends to stick to
more recent commercial films
of the 60's and 70's while Cine-
ma Two has always shown a
preference for Hollywood class-
ics from the 30's and 40's. Both:
groups take exceptional care in
finding the best print available
of the movies they show and
both often use 35mm copies of
films, which provides more clar-
ity and detail than 16mm, the
standard with most groups.
New Worlds mainly shows
films in the Modern Languages
Building and it concentrates on
recent commercial films and
films about politics, like State
of Siege and Z.
UAC-MEDIATRICS is affili-
ated with the University Activi-
ties Committee. Although one
might think that a University-
sponsored group would be in a
position to offer films that other
groups might be unable to be-
cause of a limited audience, this
is not the case. Mediatrics
shows almost nothing besides
recent movies like Mash, Straw
Dogs, 2001. To top it off, Medi-
atrics shows films in the worst
imaginable location, the Natural
Science Auditorium, which is
simply unsuitable.
The price of admissions at the
Ann Arbor commercial theatres
is usually $2.50 and sometimes
$3, double the cost of the stu-
dent groups. However, most of
the theatres now offer (prob-
'ably because of competition'
with the campus organizations)
substantial discounts for differ-,
ent times.
Every Wednesday afternoon
the Butterfield chain of theatres
(Campus, State and Michigan)
have bargain day when admis-
sion is $1. And on Monday, these
Stheatres offer "couples night,"
where two people can go for the
price of one.
DURING THE daytime, the
movies at Briarwood offer all
kinds of discounts. With a stu-
dent I.D., the cost is often as:
low as $1.
The Campus is the only com-
mercial theatre in town that
makes a concerted effort to ob-
tain first-run foreign films.

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By KEN PARSIGIAN
When I started reading comics, who knows
how many years ago, the writing was about as
simple as that in the TV Guide, and the art
was of the cereal box variety. Stan Lee churned
out thriller after cliche-ridden thriller of Spider-
man, Hulk, and the Fantastic Four, all follow-
ing the same simplistic plot line-hero meets
villain, villain gets the upper hand, hero turns
the table and saves the day (at least until the,
next issue).
While Lee was writing every comic for the
Marvel Comics Group, Jack 'King' Kirby was
penciling and inking them so quickly that some-
times even he couldn't tell the difference be-
tween the characters in various issues. Except
for different costumes, all heroes looked alike.
They had the same blocky features, hackneyed
expressions and overly muscular bodies.
"THEY COULD get away with that slop back
then because they were writing for a young
audience," says Tom Manning, a University
graduate English student and avid comic book
fan. "But now that so many college students
read comics they have to make the stories
better. Comics have become just another form
of science fitcion writing, and for the most part
comics are better writing."
Manning has had a number of stories pub-
lished in comic magazines and would like to
work as a comic writer after finishing his doc-
toral studies. He pointed to a past series of
Captain America as a "good example of good,
interesting comics."
In the series, that started about two years
ago and ended this fall, "Cap" became dis-
illusioned with America and his own set of
values. Upset about Watergate, and a "weaken-

ing in the moral structure of'this country," he
shunned his red, white anA blue outfit and
patriotic name to become the black costumed
"Nomad," who fought not for America, but for
its people. It took Steve Rodgers, alias Captain
America, nearly a year of long walks and in-
tensive soul-searching to resolve his doubts and
get back to fighting for the red, white and blue.
"THAT WAS a great series," said Manning
"They really delved into Steve Rodgers the
man, and the mental and emotional problems he
faced leading a double life. They would never
have done anything like that in the old days."
In recent years the heroes' alter egos have
played an increasingly important role in most
books. With all Peter Parker's (Spiderman)
love troubles, and Reed Richards' (Mr. Fan-
tastic) questioning of his role as a super hero
it's almost enough to make mom give up soap
operas, but it's certainly not kidstuff anymore.
Ron Viers, a former Wayne State English
professor, also praised the "new comics."
"They're definitely not just for kids any-
more," he said. "Most plots are so complicated
and have so many subtle nuances that kids
simply couldn't understand them."
CITING WARLOCK as one of the best books,
Viers admitted, "Sometimes even I get lost in
that one. Jim Starlin (who writes Warlock) is
a genius."
While comic book writing has improved, comic
art has made even bigger advances. Where
Marvel once had Jack Kirby drawing nearly
every book, they now have many talented artists
who rarely have to do more than one issue per
month. Many comic book artists, like Bernie
See COMIC, Page 9

Comic renaissance

Bob Toren

for art's
Why do men and x
create? For art's s
that is to say pure.
simply for their ow
joyment. And for tha
reason we give yot
section of the suppl
as an introduction in
artistic energies o
Ann A r b o r comm
Dance on it, draw
sculpt it into a
mache - but please
fail to read it too -
creative way.

The Mutilation Of The Ear
How very gauche, how very dear:
the mutilation of an ear.
A slickly sliding, gliding pick-
the pulsing lobe, the thrust, the prick
that splits the skin and parts the hairs
and leaves a jewel distended there,
so everyone of lip and tongue
can chew an emerald while they hum
and beat their rhythm on your bum.
from the scrolls of Goatbeard
Copyright Street Fiction Press'1975
Period'ical Lunch:
Food for thought
By MICHAEL YELLIN
Boasting reputable authors in its English department
and creative writing awards that are among the most
financially lucrative in the country, the University is con-
sidered to be a hell of a place to learn to write. But outside
its own ivy-covered walls, the Big 'U' is almost no help at
all to young authors who want to be published.
To fill this gap young writer Andrew Rock brought the
Street Fiction Press to Ann Arbor in 1973. He took on
Residential College Professor Warren Hecht as the main
editor and came out with a sixteen page booklet entitled
Spineless Fiction.
NOW IN ITS THIRD year, Street Fiction Press has es-
tablished itself as a nationwide publisher of soft-cover
books, short stories, poetry and art.
Although Spineless Fiction has long passed out of print,
it has been replaced by the Periodical Lunch, a magazine
of short stories and poetry, and Anon, a regularly pub-
lished short fiction anthology.
"People come to Ann Arbor to write and they find that
there is nothing to do with their writings but send them out
(to giant publishing houses)," says Hecht.
"WE (STREET FICTION PRESS) try to give local peo-
ple work in wirtings and graphics, plus access to a vehicle
to publish, so their work will become known outside of this
area," he explains. "I feel there is a lot of good energy in
this area and we are trying to focus it."
However, as a publishing house (Hecht doesn't consider
it small), that tries to be more than self-indulgent, Street
Fiction Press is profit-motivated, and neither applies for
or accepts grants. "People that publish from grants are
under no obligation to sell and therefore lose touch with
the public," explains Hecht.
In recent years, technology has made It cheaper and
easier to print manuscripts. The problem faced by little
known writers now lies in the distribution of their works
after publication.
Street Fiction Press spent its first two years of existence
developing the distribution capabilities to become nationally
known. It's efforts seem to have paid off, for the Press's
books are now available in bookstores throughout the
United States, Canada and Europe.
ALONG WITH the ninth volume of Anon, and the seventh
edition of Periodical Lunch, the Press recently published
Giraffe Raps, a collection of lithographic prints, which
features some excellent visual satire on the advertising
industry.
Street Fiction Press is one of a new breed of young pub-
lishing houses, which is finding a niche for itself in the
highly competitve $3.5 billion publishing industry.

Copvriqht Marvel Comics, 1976

Hopwood: 'u'S

'Pulitzer

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For the nicest choice
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you will enjoy shopping

By BARBARA ZAHS
It's not quite as prestigious as
the Pulitzer Prize, but to bud-
ding authors at the University,
the Hopwood Award is the ulti-
mate honor for achievement in,
creative writing.
The Hopwood competition is
open to all students enrolled in
a writing course at the Univer-
sity, and since the contest began
in 1931, over $500,000 in prize
money has been awarded to
more than 1400 students.
ONE-FIFTH of Avery Hop-
wood's estate was left to the
University for the purpose of
honoring writers who "perform
the best creative work in the
fields of dramatic writing, fic-
tion, poetry, and the essay."
Minor awards are given to#
undergraduates, major awards
are presented to seniors and
graduate students, and a special
composition award is offered to
freshpeople. In addition, there
are separate Hopwood Awards
for students enrolled during the
Spring-Summer term.I
This year, a new HopwoodI

prize was established on an ex- To some students, the honor
perimental basis for transla- of having their work evaluated
tions of literary works into Eng- by a famous author is reason
lish from ancient and modern enough for entering the com-
languages. petition. Other students enter in
order to get an idea of how
THE HOPWOOD Committee their writing compares to that
and the English Department of their peers.
also sponsor four separate poe- The deadline for this year's
try contests, offering prizes of competition was February 12,
up to $100.1 but Bonham said there was a
"There's always a contest go-:last-minute rush of entrants.
ing on" for aspiring authors, Bleary-eyed contestants stum-
according to Hopwood assistant bled into her office with manu-
Hilda Bonham. scripts in hand, on the morning
t divip. t h,,ma .. b f the entries were due.

u en' n ave a num er or
reasons for entering their works
in these competitions, she says.
"Winning is not the only in-
centive. Even those students
who don't win get comments
from the judges. They treasure
those. It really helps them."
JUDGES for the contests have
included many noted novelists,
playwrights, poets, and educa-
tors. Sinclair Lewis, Joyce Ca-
rol Oates, Dorothy Parker, and
Thornton Wilder have all served
as judges for the Hopwood
Awards.

ANNOUNCEMENT of the win-
ners is made in the spring. The
awards are presented in a cere-
mony which features the annual
Hopwood Lecture, usually de-
livered by a distinguished auth-
or. Past guest lecturers have
included Saul Bellow, Archibald
MacLeish, John Simon and
Pauline Kael.
For some lucky contestants,
winning a Hopwood is justi the
beginning of a successful writ-
ing career.
Many recipients of the prize
have gone on to achieve na-
tional recognition. Poet John
Ciardi, playwright Arthur Mil-
ler, and novelists Harvey Swa-
dos and Betty Smith were all
Hopwood winners.
Tucked away in Angell Hall
is the Hopwood Room, which
contains a library that houses
many of these works of past
winners. The library's collection
also includes bound copies of all
of the prize-winning entries.
WITH ITS comfortable chairs,
warm tnamosphere, and a round
table laden with dozens of
reriodicals, the room serves as
a recluse for the University's
I writinr community.
IThe rich THopwoond histnru ,and

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A Domino's pizza, that is. The word's out that Domino s
not only makes the best pizza in town, but
that they deliver it fast, usually within 30 minutes.
And there's no charge for delivery. These are
the big reasons why Domino s is rapidly becoming the most
popular pizza home in town. So, next Saturday,
after a hard day of "girl passing" in the stands settle down
to a pizza from Domino's. You owe it to yourself.
The Domino People are pizza people, Period.

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f'"Fik~c lrWD

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M OINO'S

EVENTUALLY

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