THE MICHIGAN DAILY A rts E n te rta in Friday, December 5 1975 Page Five cinemca we**Omekend Christmas season opens festively at Hudson's Pick of the week: Chinatown Mediatrics, Nat. Sci. Aud. Fri., 7:30, 9:30 The summer of 1974 is almost certain to be remembered as a film release season that was dominated by directors and screenwriters, The period's best1 two releases, Robert Altman's California Split and Roman Pa- lanski's Chinatown, were both marked by some of the best behind-the-camera work seen in an American film in years. Robert Towne's fine Chinatown screenplay is set in an atmo- sphere of corruption-the smoke- filled era of machine politics that suwrrounded the arbaniza- tion and development of Los Angeles. His theme could be generalized for almost any American city, for urban growth and political graft went hand in hand nearly everywhere in the United States after the Civil War. Jack Nicholson portrays a pri- vate detective injected largely by accident into the seamy so- ciety of the "boss" politicians, as he attempts to fill in the missing pieces ofastrange puz- zle woven by a mysterious wo-, man (played by Faye Duna- way). Polanski deftly, evokes thei shadowy, '30s-ish image called for by Towne, yet maintains aI distinctly modern sense of abrupt horror and pacing. Aptly aided by superb performances by Nicholson and Dunaway, he creates an almost perfect por- trait of a long-forgotten period in American political history. -David Blomquist The Way We Were The Movies, Briarwood This film stands out as one of the bigger turkeys made in the last couple of years. Robert Redford and Barbara Streisand star in a movie that will in- evitably end up as a five part summer replacement for The Days of Our Lives or some other afternoon soap opera. Redford is once again cast as the golden-boy type (a la Gats- by) while Streisand portrays his communist girl friend,,and later wife. The film tries to appeal to our nostalgic senses (The Way We Were), but as time pro- gresses and the couple move from east to west, and from at girlfriend-boyfriend relationship to marriage, disbelief slow!y butI surely begins to appear in the! viewer's mind.- Streisand's singing of the title song only serves to remind us of her far-reaching talents as exemplified in such films asI Funny Girl, What's Up, Doc and Hello Dolly, and in this instance, how utterly wastedrshe is. The Way We Were is for Red- ford and Streisand fanatics 9nly. -Mitch Dunltz s | ,; ' ai "I What's playing this Cinema Weekend This weekend in cinema continues our recent run of Generally Unknown movies, the most notable contribution being Get to Know Your Rabbit. But there are, for Barbra Streisand fans, a couple of saving graces in the forms of Funny Girl, and the some- what syrupy The Way We Were. And for those who haven't seen it, Roman Polanski's Chinatown was probably the best film of last year, an absolutely overpowering tale of corruption and water-scandal in Los Angeles. H-ere's the complete rundown: Friday-Yojimbo, A Girl in the Mist, Aud. A, Angell, 7, 9:45; Rules of the Game, Old Arch. Aud., 7, 9:05; Get to Know Your Rabbit Aud. 3, MLB, 7, 8:45, 10:30; Don't Look Now Aud. 4, MLB, 7, 9; Chinatown, Nat. Sci. Aud., 7:30, 9:30; Funny Girl, Couzens Cafeteria, 7:30 10:30. Saturday-Age of the Medici, Aud. A, Angell, I-7 p.m., I1-8:30, III-10; Phantom of Liberty, Old Arch. Aud., 7, 9:05; Funny Girl, Couzens Cafeteria, 7:30, 10:30; Separate Peace, Bursley Cafeteria, 8:30. Sunday-Ugetsu, Old Arch. Aud., 7, 9:05; The Sound of the Trolley, Aud. A, Angell, 6, 9:30. All weekend long-3 Days of the Condor, Michigan (665- 6290), Treasure Island and Dr. Syn, State (662-6264), Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Fifth Forum (761-9700), Jaws, Hearts of the West, Rooster Cogburn, The Way We Were, Briarwood (769-8780), The Hound of the Baskervilles, Cam- pus (668-6416). resourceful Depression-era wo- By CATHI SUYAK i I ' man with a large heart, and", -" Alan Arkin as a B-movie tyrant.! Inside the store, a festive The surprise of the film, spirit has awakened-a Christ- though, has to be the fallen, mas carol greets you at the cynical and unscrupulous char- door, Santa Claus has taken pre- acter that Andy Griffith brings holiday residence up on the 12th to hearshly realistic life, ;floor, where he greets good boys Hearts of the West succeeds and girls in the midst of an ultimately because it is per- elaborate display called "Twin-j ceptive enough to avoid the easy kleland." pitfall of becomin- cane of the!, - Ft 1g l simplistically moral films it so accurately depicts, and yet re-, tains a small,, uplifting triumph for the hero. -Cynthia Cheski ,Jaws The Movies, Briarwood So the booking agents at United Artists Theater Circuit, the owner of the Briarwood film complex,, have decided to bring Jaws back to town after nearly. Stephen Spielberg's phenomenal= three months of first-run play at the State. Is there really anyone left who hasn't seen this sanguine tale (subtitled The Crunch Fish)? Well, absurd as it seems, expect a line out at Briarwood this weekend. For Jaws, like its! genre predecessors Airport,, Po-! seidon Adventure, and Towering Inferno, is a perfect specimen of today's financially successful film: the movie with sufficiently broad audience appeal as to develop a virtually inexhaust- ible pool of potential patrons. The so-called "disaster" genre has the same audience effect as the old P.T. Barnum cir- cuses: it quite literally offers some form of entertainment for' every taste. Jaws has some de- lightful moments of humor, a light,, mysterious plot, a little I bit of sex (but not too much and not at all in the erotic I It's Christmas time at J.L. Hudson's, Detroit. Santa was not too busy to an- swer a few questions. Inflation has indeed hit the North Pole, he said with a sigh. "But rest assured, the elves are working full time and we should make the quota this' year," he promised. The girls are asking for dolls this year, as always, and the boys favor the typical trains and planes. Women's lib apparently has not sparked a reverse trend of girls asking for "masculine" toys, and vice versa. "I haven't noticed any c h a n g e," Santa noted. "The traditional favorites are still on top." Santa squelched a rumor that he now uses a gas-powered sleigh for speed and conven- ience. "I still use the reindeer," he said, "and there's no park- ing problem in Detroit. I just park on the roof-lots of space, up there," he explained. Twinkleland is the ideal en- vironment for ol' St. Nick. Cot- ton snow and twinkling lights surround scenes of toy elves and children in Candyland. A display spokesman estimat- METRIC MEASUREMENT NEW YORK (AP) - If you've ever wondered just how much a . "gram" weighs, World Book Encyclopedia's new metric arti- cle has the answer. A gram is about the weight of two ed that over 9,000 tiny lights are Competition. A theme of "De- strung throughout Twinkleland. troit's Holiday Heritage" was It adds to the beautiful and illustrated by Detroit Public convincing displays-so convinc- School students. The winners, ing, in fact, that numerous signs chosen from 600 entries, are on warn curious children "Candy display. Not Edible." Hudson joked that works "fea- There is a carousel for chil- turing the store or the parade dren to ride. Fourteen Christ- weren't given special merit." mas trees surround the ride. Some of the cutest pieces, how- Among the most striking are a ever, reflected the store spirit. Raggedy Ann and Andy tree, A paper house labeled "Hud- and a gingham and straw tree. son's" c a m e complete with At the entrance toTwinkle- paper people lined up to see land is a special department Santa. ''For Children Only." Adults are A mob of anxious, proud par- not permitted i n s i d e, where ents and teachers thronged the there are gift items priced for hallway to see their Rembrandts kiddie budgets. accept prizes. Tots cried in the Annetta Venus, 10, and her 9- background, frightened as they year-old brother Bert of Detroit approached that strange beard- were inside shopping for gifts ed man in a red suit. Parents for their parents and grandpar- fumbled with large, bulky pack- , ents. Chocolates, pierced ear- ages filled with someone's De- rings, and after-shave were in cember 25 fun. their shopping baskets. Ironical- You may call it distasteful ly, much of the merchandise commercialism. But something displayed seemed appealing to would be missing if there were kids, following the notion that no crowds, cashiers, or long we like to give what we'd like lines to see Santa. Regardless to get. of Hudson's motives -- profits, Elsewhere on the 12th floor, we can be assured-the kind of Joseph L. Hudson Jr., Chairman atmosphere Hudson's creates of the Board of the store, was adds something extra to the handing out awards in the 2nd Christmas m o o d for some annual Children's Holiday Art people. - GREAT DISNEY FUN! SonC and Cher team up again NEW YORK (A)-Sonny and ended in May 1974 when their Cher. Bono, divorced last June, marriage broke up. will t e a m up professionally Sonny Bono flopped in his own again in a new weekly variety ABC variety series during the show on CBS- carrying the old 1974-75 season, while his ex-wife, "Sonny and Cher Show" tiltle, who began her own variety CBS said yesterday. series on CBS that season, now The network said the new is in her second season as a solo series will air early next year TV star. in the same Sunday night-time Reports of their impending re- slot Cher's solo variety show has union on a CBS variety show occupied since February of this began circulating this week, but year. weren't confirmed until yester- .i pday. CBS' announcement mark- Their professional reunion was ed another chapter in the turbu- announced in ;a brief statement lent lives of Sonny and Cher. by CBS TV president Robert D. On June 30, three days after Wood. It said simply: "Plans her divorce from Bono, Cher have been completed for pro- married rock music star Greg duction of the 'Sonny and Cher Allman. Nine days later, she1 Show' starring Cher and Sonny filed for divorce from him but Bono after several weeks of ne- withdrew the action in August. gotiations." , In November, though, Allman The couple's previous, high- asked a court in Macon, Ga., to rated "Sonny and Cher" variety dissolve his marriage to the show lasted three seasons. It singer. The Hound of the is to our great satisfaction to I hear the detective implore with Baskerv dies a nervous twitch of his sensitive Campus Theatre nose, "Watson, the needle!" Mr. Again we are blessed with Rathhone really put something, another chance to see the into that line. screenplay of Sir Arthur Conan -Steven Goldberg Doyle's much read work, "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Hearts of the West Though age has robbed it of its The Movies, Briarwood sensationalism, there are many With biographical films of redeeming qualities to this clas- Gable and Lombard, W.C. Fields sic British mystery. and Errol Flynn on cinematic Above all there is Shermiock rrlFynocieac Hoellthereb qiso super- tap, Hearts of the West serves Holmes, that ubiquitous 'pr a valuable balancing purpose. snoop we have grown to love avlal aacn ups. op h ae agr ow. Boaoe i1 It is a deliberately small film on the late late show. Bl !that details the rather bitter Rath-bone as Holmes, lhighlights 1lvso h i lyr nlt the movie with his delicate bal- lives of the bit players on lots ance of keen wit, calculating M ng the Republic or shrewdness and British aristoc- Mnora western studios of racy. the early 1430s. Dr. Watson is 'in his usual A pseudo-plot about stolen role as straight man. More tnan money is merely a frame for once we are delighted b; his the sketching of characters that blundery as Holmes outwits him populated the small time Holly- at every turn. wood of that era. But if the omnipotent Detec- Jeff Bridges, as a would be tive proves his greatness in Zane Grey who falls into movie outsmarting Watson, it is only work accidentally, is excellent, a relative success. There's just as are Blythe Danner as aI the least reason to believe that - - -__-- many in the audience laid their - finger on the arch plotter be- fore Mr. Holmes caught on. But THURS., FRI., SAT. even so it's good fun and unlike many contemporary mysteries, 6th Annual it is believable. 1! If nothing else, this clissicM I -FVLKi confirms our suspicions of Sher- FESTIVAL lock's use of extra sensory slim-A uli. Under careful control for I the better part of the movie, it A C :_______ ____ .ik I realm),, and - above all - that slight touch of gory violence that family hour has banished from television. Spielberg's taut direction and crisp editing by Verna Fields makes Jaws cinematically note- worthy. But, primarily, Jaws is superb entertainment - superb fun. It illustrates that Universal is still the master of the re- spectable grade B movie. --David Blomquist paper One weight bile. clips. metric ton is about the of a compact automo- FLICK of the FOOT $3.00 s with Michael Cooney Maggie Pierce Joe Hickerson Davey Jones Owen McBride :30 761-1451 SEVENTH WEEK And Still Going Strong! SHOWS TONIGHT at 7:00 &9:05 DOORS OPEN at 6:45 a multi-art dance concert Dec. 4, 5, & 6 HIS CIA CODE NAME IS CONDOR. IN THE NEXT.SEVENTY-TWO HOURS ALMOST EVERYONE HE TRUSTS WILLTRY TO KILL HIM, DINO DE LAURENTIIS PRESENTS ROBERT REDFORD/FAYE DUNAWAY CLIFF ROBERTSON /MAX VON SYDOW IN A STANLEY SCHNEIDER PRODUcTION A SYDNEY POLLACK FILM I '"' c" .Ai'' essiah Tonight and Tomorow at 8:30 Sunday afternoon at 2:30 in Hill Auditorium University Choral Union Interlochen. Orchestra, Soloists Hill Aud, box office open 1 2hrs. before performances BjNTIVEkdy &MUSIGAL %OGIETY BURTON TOWER, Ann Arbor Weekdays 9-4:30; Sat. 9-12F A THREE-DAY MUSICAL PARTY 1421 HILL 8: 8 p.m. I Schorling Aud. $1.50 M.. E Ej a L 3 n +c 1.an.: ....gal=' ' - a s "r ._ 9' 1 '--' 3: 'N ((y 1 \ \ j Q{ AND A JOHN HOUSEMAN /SC ,.B.AVI.$GRUSINASEOoNT NOEL VXAYSCV THECONDOR SY JAMES GRADY SCENLYS LORENZO SEMPLE, JR. AND DAVID RAYFIEL. PROauc(aB STANLEY SCHNEIDER oECEo ySYDNEY POLLACK /PANAVISIONO . R RESTRICTED TECHNICOLOR* /A PARAMOUNT RELEASE I SECOND HIT WEEK SHOWS TNIGT at 7:30& 9:05 r' nf6- 5 OPEN at 7:15 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY OF 1939 IS NOW THE GREAT HIT OF 1975! Phone 665-3717 The University of Michigan PROFESSIONA L 'THEATRE 'PROGRAM THE KENNEDY CENTER-XEROX CORPORATION AMERICAN SICENTENNIAL THEATRE JASON ZOE MICHAEL WALTER ROBARDS CALDWELL MORIARTY McGINN with LINDSAY CROUSE LlkO0*, NGr written by: EUGENE O'NEILL directed by: JASON ROBARDS 4 { / J - C \ L et isrtArsr s>" n rt""m. n .."" .... . r:.. ... 1. t.. I "~_