Friday, July 14, 19~72 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Nine Friday, July 14, 1972 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Nine Who called Hitchcock senile? (Qoftinued from Page 2) Is the director of Psycho about to nauseate us once more? Not at all; Rusk simply uses the knife to wedge' between the corpse's fingers in an attempt to pry open that uncompliant fist. Yet there is something be- sides Hitchcock's new tricks that makes Frenzy decidedly modern. A Village Voice critic recently inferred that one of the themes of Topaz was that of how an- onymous corporation man can be. Frenzy seems almost to be a variation of that theme; not that people are all the same to- day, but that we have tendency to take others less seriously, that we treat each other as in- terchangeable parts. The fact that Brenda Blaney runs a mar- riage brokerage somewhat im- plies this. Take, for example, the sole match we see-that phy- sically mismatched couple that emerge from the office as Blaney enters to see his ex-wife for the first time in the film. The domi- neering woman is already re- tailoring her meek fiance to fit the role of her deceased hus- band. Or take Rusk's attitude to- wards others. Sure, he's the crazy, but there's something in- dicative of the tone of the movie in the line he uses on his vic- tim; "You're my kind of wo- man." Two types as disparate as Brenda and Babs are his kind of woman. And presumably, so is every decent looking girl. The same almost seems t. go for Richard. He too finds the very different Brenda and Babs to his liking. And while Rusk reacts to murders by afters.rds eating and picking his teeth (food is an enormous motif in Frenzy - don't ask me why), Richard's immediate self-con- cern and total lack of grief cer- tainly does not bespeak much affection for the two women most likely closest to him of anyone. Indeed, Frenzy is the only Hitchcock film I can think of in which love plays such an insignificant role. Hitchcock seems at times to almost implicate us in the lack of emotion and strong attach- ment to the world of Frenzy. Our allegiances are j u g g I e d around so totally, all deaths are passed off so lightly, that while we are sympathetic to at least one, often several characters at every moment of the film, no one means very much to us in the long run. Blaney seems more like the villain, Rusk the hero, in the first half hour of the movie. Yet with no hesitancy at all, we accept Blaney as the protagonist and condemns Rusk once Hitch- cock illuminates the truth of the situation for us. Vincent Canby has compared Brenda's d e a t h with Marion Crane's in Psycho, as to the large amount of violence in- volved. Brenda's murder is a vicious one; yet the manner in which it is presented, combined with the lack of emotional reaction to it did not upset me (or anyone else I know). Indeed, several minutes later, Hitchcock wittily has his camera wait outside the build- ing in which Brenda's secretary discovers the body so that we can catch the reaction of two startled passers-by. Babs, like Brenda, is an ex- tremely agreeable character, yet her death also is passed over as if it were a trivial event. Hitch- cock actually uses Babs' body as a comic prop in the potato truck scene, and it doesn't seem distasteful at all. Human life and death is a very trivial thing in the world of Frenzy. I wouldn't press this point too far, however. Whether I've been dispensing brilliant insights in the last five paragraphs or sling- ing the ole bullshit fast and fur- ious I am presently incapable of saying (such is the result of reading too much Robin Wood and an overactive imagination). TV: violence and banality (Continued from Page 8) of his life living like an animal to avoid the police. I Am a Fu- gitive from the Chain Gang may not be the most entertain- ing film, but as a social docu- mentary, it is well worth your, time. Although The Roaring Twen- ties is not a social protest film, it does deal with the two great debacles of the Thirties, the Depression and Prohibition. The Roaring Twenties, directed by Raoul Walsh, is less oppressive than I Am a Fugitive. The film that inspired the television series of the early sixties stars James Cagney and Priscilla Lane. Underworld, U.S.A is a film of a different generation, circa 1961. Directed by Samuel Ful- ler, Underworld, U.S.A. is about revenge and loyalty. TV & Stereo Rentals $10.00 per month NO DEPOSIT FREE DELIVERY, PICK UP AND SERVICE CALL: NEJAC TV RENTALS 662-5671 Eagleton takes VP spot (Continued from Page 1) McGovern aides hastily con- on the two names under con- ferred again and chose a name sideration. more acceptable to the party The response was not positive. regulars - Eagleton, a former Apparently three party leaders, Muskie backer. notably a number of southern With such unique possibilities governors, strongly protested as Kennedy and Woodcock McGovern's choices and urged floating around, it was hard for him to select someone else. the news people to get very ex- One southern governor was cited by relatively unknown reported to have responded: Eagleton. "Besides," one re- "Moon Landau? Who's pal is porter commented, "What kind he? Why don't you try someone of slogans can you make with else, George?" McGovern-Eagleton?" McGovern's Vietnam stand (Continued from Page 1) ernment in Indo-China. Simultaneously, vigorous dip- lomatic efforts would be under- taken to achieve the release of U.S. prisoners of war, and an accounting of U.S. missing in action, something I am confi- dent would be achieved as a result of the implementation of points 1-3. I have pledged to make a personal trip to Hanoi for this purpose, if that would be helpful. Upon return of U.S. POWs, and a satisfactory accounting of U.S. missing in action - a process which I am convinced would be completed in the same time frame as the 90 day with- drawal of U.S. ground forces.- I would, although Thailand is not a part of Indo-China. also close U.S. bases in Thailand and remove all U.S. naval forces from waters adjacent to South- east Asia. My statement to the POW/ MIA group was unfortunate- ly misunderstood by the press and I want to reiterate as strongly as I can that my po- sition on the Vietnam was has not altered one iota. I stand as I have stood throughout this campaign, for the immediate halt to American military activities, the with- drawal of all American forces, the complete suspension of mili- tary assistance to the Thieu re- gime, and the negotiation of the prompt release of American prisoners of war." McGovern's volunteers dispute campaign tactics, (Continued from Page3) hunches over the table in a the only campaign that was faded blue teeshirt and dirty raising the issues," he says. jeans, smoothing his relatively Gulping black coffee between short hair. hastily scheduled meetings, with "The big thing," he says, "is his fellow volunteers, West of- the people around McGovern's fers a surprisingly unsenti- campaign. They're really fan- mental view of the candidate tastic. We have to stay around for which he and others' have sorked so hard. after the campaign, and start "He's a practical politician something permanent on the and this creates a barrier for grassroots level." he says rapid- some of us. He will blow with ly. the wind, but I guess he's real- It's late and he says he has ly more principled than other to leave. As we walk out of the politicians," he says, leaning massive Fontainebleu and to- back and concentrating, search- ward the street, he looks out on ing for the right words. the late afternoon sun spark- Trying-for something ,a little ling on the Indian River. "I more positive, he offers some really believe there is a new praise. "He is innovative and politics coming - something seems willing to try different that will bring real democracy," things, which is good." he says. "If the Democratic par- But there's still a nagging ty reforms itself, it could be the doubt, a fear of being sold out. vehicle. Otherwise we will have "I can't say how honest he is. I to find something, maybe some- just can't tell what's the truth thing like the old Progressive and what's just bullshit from Party." his campaign managers." With that, he turns away and West checks his watch ner- heads down the street towards vously, late for his meeting. He another organizing caucus. Daily Classifieds Get Results COLD BEER & WINE DELIVERED To Your Door (Dorms Included) THOMPSON'S PIZZA 761-0001 PIZZAS SHRIMP CHICKEN FISH NO DELIVERY CHARGE! "A remarkably mature work of cinematic art." Peter Schjeldahl in the NY T mes C) 0- Miss out on tickets. for the Stones' concert? See them Biqner than Life! Conspiracy U of Fim Society presents: a JEAN-LUC GODARD double bill ALPHAVILLE with Eddie Constantinee and Anna Karina -AND- BREATHLESS with Jean Seborg -TONIGHT- Double Bill $1.25 7:00 & 8:45 At the Natural Science ii Building Auditorium double feature ends Saturday FRI.-"Gimme"- 7 :00-1 1:00 "Z"-8:45 SAT.-"Z"-3-7=1i1 "Gimme"-1:15- 5:15-9:15 adults only $1.50 before 5:30) DOUBLE FEATURE-Sunday, Monday, Tuesday Academy Award Winner Dyan Cannon George C. Scott ;n in "DOCTOR'S "HOSPITAL" WIVES"