Saturday, November 20, 197T
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Three
THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Three
L-
1k.
S..
events and entertainment
week of Nov. 20 - 26
Happenings film reviews are
written by Christopher Potter.
all week
COMMERCIAL CINEMA
Two-Minute Warning - (Fox
Village) - The Disaster F i1 m
wave crashes to rock bottom
morally and artistically with
this sterile, leaden imposter of
a movie. It was an open ques
tion to begin with whether the
theme of a mad sniper taking
potshots at a huge football
crowd constituted an entertain-
ment for any save the truly
blood-lusting among us; alas,;
Two-Minute Warning lacks even
the, courage of its depravities.
Let the sadists be warned that
for the first hour and fifty min-
utes of this blimp of a film noth-
ing - absolutely nothing - hap-
pens.
To be sure, we get the usual
parade' of inoperative subplots
androided out by minus-one di-
mensional c h a r a c t e r s, but
whereas most apocalypse films
swiftly and mercifully put these
nerds out of their (and our)
m i s e r y, here their meagre
mumblings just go on and on
and on. About the only interest-
ing items in this deflated mass
are Merv Griffen attempting to
vivisect The National Anthem
and The President of the United
States saying "shit." His de-
scription is m o s t accurate.
BOMB,
Car Wash - (Fifth Forum -
This study of a day .in the lives
of a mostly-black car washing
crew may not ,contain much
drama or even much good
comedy but it still grows on you
as a kind of reassurance of the
human spirit-as its down-and-
out protagonists swing and jive
their way toward making life
and its assorted miseries just a
little more tolerable, a little
more fun. For all its crudities,
I found Car Wash one of the
most honest films I've seen all
year. * * *
( The Next Man-(The' Movies,
Briarwood) - A visionary Arab
leader (Sean Connery) makes
an astonishingly bold bid for
world peace, but is simultan-
eously stalked by a' paid female
assassin who pretends to love
him. This generally workman-
like film had the potential for
b e i n g an extraordinary sym-
bolic depiction of the attraction/
conflict between absolute god
and absolute evil, as personified
in its two principal characters.
But The Next Man runs frus-
tratingly aground on the vacu-
ous, dull-boy-meets-dull-girl dia
logue supplied by the script-
writer to the supposedly brainy,
sharp-tongued lovers, and sinks
completely under the wretched
mannequin herky-jerkies of ' the
pretty but supremely untalented
Cornelia Sharpe. Connery is
quite good as the Arab, but
faces an insurmountable task in
justifying bis character's sopis-
ticated pasison for the wax
dummy Barbie doll grinning
constantly and vacantly across
at him. * * 1
Shout at the Devil-(The Mov-
ies, Briarwood)-African adven-
ture with Lee Marvin and
others.
Gable and Lombard and The
Family Plot - (State) - Re-re-
lease of Hollywood's famous
love couple and also Hitchcock's
latest, both of which I missed
the first time around.
Carrie - (The Movies, Briar-
wood) - psychic scare movie
by Brian dePalma.
The Front - (Campus) -
Woody Allen's "serious" come-
dy about entertainment black-
listing of the early '50's, which
does little credit either to the
witchhynt victims of the time
or to the unremembering audi-
ences of today.
Marathon Man - (Michigan)
John Schlesinger's muddled
thriller about an ex-Nazi den-
tist (Laurence Olivier) stalking
a Columbia grad student (Dus-
tin Hoffman) over the possibili-
ty of a stolen fortune. **
The Amazing - Dobermans -
(The Movies, Briarwood.)
saturday
j William's most famous (al- you've heard about this scato- assert Ray is one of the'world's
'though not his best) play about logical 1970 monstrosity is all great directors, so I suggest you
mendacity and its dissecting ef- too true; but what makes it take a look at these two ef-
fects upon a wealthy Deep South genuinely obscene was the re forts (I intend to).
family. What makes the film verse-logic hype spewed noxi- EVENTS
especially interesting is that the ously forth by Myra's promo Junior Theater - See Satur-{
picture's longest and most cru- ters, to wit: "Here'we are mak- day Events - 1:30 and 3:30 per-
cial sequence, involving a re-, ing a loathsome and disgusting formances.
conciliation of understanding be- film, we know it's a lothsome Celebration Road Show-Bene-.
tween the tyrannical Big Daddy and disgusting film, and you fit concert for Guild House,'
(Burl Ives) and his embittered should see it precisely because Church of the Good Shepherd,
son Brick (Paul Newman), did- it's a loathsome and disgusting 2145 Independence Bldg., 10:30l
n't even exist in the original film." The moviegoing public a.m. - popular music, jazz.
play (although Williams wrote did not respond to this idle-rich The Crucible - See Saturday
Cat's screenplay adaptation). reasoning six years ago, and Events.
It's fapcinating to compare the there is no earthly reason it I'Faculty Chamber Concert -
two versions side by side and should do so' now. Myra isn't i Rackham Aud., 4 p.m.
realize the change in structure camp, it is pure con. BOMB BARS
and philosophy resulting from Betty Boop Matinee - (Ann Casa Nova - Tom Sabada,.
the added dialogue - Williams Arbor Film Co-op, MLB 3, 1:30, Folk. !
seems considerably more for- 3, 4:30). Golden Falcon - Benson-
giving toward his carnivorous EVENTS Drelles Quartet, Jazz.
subjects in the film than on New Ann Arbor Dance Thea- Mr. Flood's Party - Madcat'
stage. ter - 8:30 p.m. in Dance Space, Maruga Band.
An offbeat cast provides Cat above the State St. Roots Store. Second Chance-Black Pearl,
with some splendid performanc- Junior Theatre - Recreation Rock.
es, topped by Elizabeth Taylor's Department puts on The Sleep-
fiery portrayal of Maggie the ing Beauty of Loreland at 1:30: oa
Cat - which finally established p.m., in the Pioneer High,
'her claim as a legitimate and School's Little Theater, for chil-' CINEMAt
serious actress. *** dren. d
The Maltese Falcon - (Cine- It's So (If You Think So) Nting sche .
ma Guild, Arch. Aud., 7 & 9:05) Pirandello play, Residential Col- BARS;
-Humphrey Bogart's latent an- lege Players, at East Quad Blind Pig - Boogie Woogie
ti-hero mystique was establish- Aud., 8 p.m. Red, Piano Boogie.
ed for all time in this, the most The Crucible - Mendelssohn Casa Nova - Tom Sabada,
famous of all detective films. Theatre, 8 p.m. - musical per- Folk.
Not that it's a great picture: formance. Golden Falcon - V-II-I, Jazz.
For all its virtues, one can't Aeolian Chamber Players - Mr. Flood's Party - Fred1
overlook the fact that cinemati- Rackham Aud., 8:30 p.m., with Small.
cally Falcon is a static, almost: University Musical Society. Second Chance - Mojo Boog-
claustophobic film that could. BARS ie Band.
have been done almost as well Blind Pig - Wendell Harri-
on stage as on screen. Yet Fal- son, Jazz.
con probably contains more Casa Nova - Tom Sabada,
memorable dialogue and cer- Folk.
tainly the most immortal set Golden Falcon - Melodioso,
of characters of any film ever Jazz.
made; and who could possibly Mr. Flood's Party - Gwen
resist watching again and again and the Country and Western
as Sam, Bridgit, Casper, Joel Mystery Band.s
and the rest go at each other Second Chance - Black Pearl, / «
once more in pursuit of The! Rock.
Fabulous Bird. ***%
Crime and Punishment-(Ann
Arbor Film Co-op, MLB 4, 7:30
only) - A recent Russian film S nday
adaptation of the Dostoevsky*'CINEMA
classic.
The Four Musketeers - Me- Battle of Algiers - (Cinema
diatrics; Nat. Sci. Aud., 7 &IGuild, Arch. Aud., 7 & 9:15)-I
9:45) - The second-and much Gillo Pontecorvo's remarkable
better - half of Richard Les- documentary-style depiction of
ter's two-part Dumas epic. Part Algeria's tortuous but ultimate-
I seemed by and large so much ly successful struggle for in-
filler and )ointless rowdyism; dependence from French rule.
- Part II f ally gets down to Driven by a pulsating, rhyth-
brass tacks, providing an ex- matic dri ve that never lets up
citing and often tragic scope for a secbnd, Algiers is one of
to the assorted hijinks involv- the more inspiring studies of
ed. Faye Dunaway, visible only a peoples' will to be free that
intermittently in the earlier you're ever likely to see; ironi-
film, virtually steals Four Mus- cally and sadly, such euphoria / ,/+.
keteers with a juicilly heart-of- l is now tempered by the fact
stone portrait of the treacher- that Algeria has evolved over
ous Milady. **** the years into a petty tyranny
Love and Anarchy - (Ann that alots its citizens consider-
Arbor Film Co-op, MLB 3, 7 ably less liberty now than ex-
- & 9) - One of the most bril- isted under French rule. In ret- t
liant films of recent years, and rospect, this film now seems
director Lena Wertmuller's almost as Machiavellian as it
first major American success. does idealistic. ***%U
A solemn, -almost Christ-like The Little Shop of Horrors-
peasant - anarchist (Giancarlo (Cinema II, Ang. Aud. A, 7 &
Ginnini) sets out on a mission 9) - A wild, wild 1960 Roger
to assassinate Mussolini; while Cormon camp farce about a
a young prostitute he meets and man-eating plant and its loony,
loves tries to dissuade him from sex-starved keeper. The film
his suicidal quest. The film is utterly artless, but often suc-
builds and builds in heroic, al- ceeds - sometimes in spite of
most grand-opera style, thenitself - in being very, very fun-
suddenly reverses gears com- ny. Watch especially for a
pletely in one of the most ironic young, pink-cheeked Jack Nich-
and remarkably unexpected fi- olson as an obsessed masochist S
nales in film history. This is who begs his dentist to do his
.an exquisite 'work th4t firmly jabsolute worst.**
established Wertmuller in the Devi (The Goddess) and Dis-
vanguard of the new young di- tant Thunder - (Ann Arbor
'rectors, a position certainly sol- Film Co-op, MLB 4, Devi at
idified by her subsequent out- 7,Distant Thunder at 9) - Two'
pouring of new films. **** films by Indian director Satyjit
Myra Breckenridge - (Couz- Ray, a filmmaker of whom I
ens Film Co-op, Couzens Cafe- must confess an almost total
teria, 8 & 10) - Everything ignorance. Those in the know
.1 1l
:: . . . ."', U
may not stick too close to the 'Second Chance- Masquerade,f to his story of two people in
tuesday D. H. Lawrence original, but Rock. love but fatally mismatched by
in some ways transcends it; ,culture and temperament. This
CINEMA Russell exhibits an amazingly .u i is one of the few genuine ro-
Shame - (Ann Arbor Film inventive and sensuous imagina- . I yG7 mantic American movies since
Co-op, Ang. Aud. A, 7 & 9). tion, tempered for once by a CINEMA the rapturous days of Garbo
You Can't Take it With You thorough director's control overi The Way We Were-(Medi- and Barrymore, and, against
- (Cinema Guild, Arch. Aud., his material. As such, his Pic- atrics, Nat. Sci. Aud., 7 & 9:15) the currently turbulent.back-
7 & 9:05)E Sture often takes on a legiti - Today's certified critical pose drop of Taxi Driver, The Omen
EVENTS macy all its own - an erotic, seems to dismiss The Way We and others, may be the last
Oh, What A Lovely War. - literate work of film art apart Were as an overinflated super-- lyrical lament of a dying nre.
PTP, Power Ctr., 8 p.m. $ from and occasionally beyond star soap opera; at the risk Treasure this one well. %*'
BARS the novel. This was Russell's of highbrow ostracism, I must EVENTS
Casa Nova - Tom Sabada, one great -feature effort before confess frankly that I'm in love: Oh, What A Lovely War! -
Folk. he plunged into the abyss of with this film. Granted, it's PTP, Power Ctr., 8 p.m.
Golden Falcon - Roots Jazz psychotic vulgaria, and show- imperfect: The Hollywood witch- BARS
Band. ; cases Glenda Jackson's abso- hunting segment doesn't work Blind Pig-Hard Luck Brown-
Mr. Flood's Party - Gemini. lutely demonic Oscar-winning at all, and the much-played ie and the Tribulations.
Second Chance- Masquerade, performance. **** musical score seems much over- Casa Nova - Tom Sabada,
Rock. EVENTS done in spots; but Streisand and Folk.
Oh, What A Lovely War! - Redford, for all their bigger- Golden Falcon - Melodioso,
PTP, Power Center, 8 p.m. than-life image, have never giv- Jazz.
( ~BARSI en performances as sure and, Mr. Flood's Party -- Red Ce-
CINEMA Blind Pig - Benson-Drelles sensitive as they do here, and, dar Mud Thumpers.
The 39 Steps-(Cinema Guild, Quartet, Jazz, director Sidney Pollack exerts Second Chance- Masquerade,
Arch. Aud., 7 & 9:05) - One of Casa Nova - Tom Sabada, a memorably, sensuous control' Rock.
the best of Alfred Hitchcock's Folk.
British films, as accused mur- Mr. Flood's Party - Tucker THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHiGAN-DEARBORN
derer Robert Donat desperately BlUes Band PRESENTS
tries to track down the Nazi Second Chance- Masquerade,
spies who are the real cul- Rock."W HEN YOU COM I N"BACK,
prits. This was one of Hitch-.RED RYDER?"
cock's first uses of his inno -4..,..
cent man theme, which he sub-' a contemporary American drama
sequently worked over and over CINEMA by MARK MEDOFF
again through the years with Nothing scheduled. NOV. 18, 19, 20 at 8:00
almost magical success. **** NOV. 21 at 3:00
Women in Love --(Ann Ar- BARS - BRYANT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
bor Film Co-op, Ang. Aud. A, Casa Nova - Tom Sabada, 460 N. Vernon, Dearborn
7 & 9:30 - A film which seems Folk. (1 blk. north of Cherry Hill Rd., west of Telegraph)
to get better and beter as the Mr. Flood's Party - Tucker' ADMISSION: $2.50 AT THE DOOR
years pass. Ken Russell's work' Blues Band.
,
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A incaar
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pkt.~I
screenplay by
WILLIAM GOLDMAN from
his novel
produced -by
ROBERT EVANS
} CINEMA
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof-(Cine-
ma II, -Ang. Aud. A, 7 & 9) -
Big-screen~ version of Tennessee
and
SIDNEY BECKERMAN
SHOWTIMES
Friday: 7:00 and 9:05
Sat.-Sun.: 1, 3:05, 5:10,
7:15, 9:25
When ymouve got only 2 tickets to the big game
Kelly, Sabrina ad Trisabut they didn't
.....it's zip time to get filed up.
..
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II