Friday, June 17, 1977 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Five Friday, June 17, 1977 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Five Screenings by CHRISTOPHER POTTER The brief but narcotic wait has ended - the cinematic Pied Piper has hit town at last. Its lure is universal, as the throngs of grinning representatives of all ethnicities and ages milling through the southwest corner of Briarwood Center will attest. The name of this month-old legend is Star Wars, and although barely into national circulation, the film has burgeoned into the epic American phenomenon (Farrah who?). Its formula is simple and irresistable: For two mystic hours, all us collective Walter Mittys cap be lasered out of our under- achieved realities into the farthest, deepest corners of the cos- ms where sorcery reigns, shades of gray cease to exist and Idi Amin would surely get his. But Pied Pipers usually turn out to be quirky types at best, sometimes plunging their dis- ciples into abysses terrifying to contemplate, despite the very best of intentions. I'm afraid of Star Wars. IS DOMESTIC FILM an art or a business? In sixty years of cinema the question has never been effectively resolved, and if the struggle is ever to be resolved on the side of art, the quali- ties of innovation, maturity, and above all courage are needed now more than ever before. Imitation has become virtually the name of the game of late, as economic strictures wither the gambler's instinct and seduce the Hollywood moneymen into milkng a proven winner again and again and again. I fear for the future of film in this country, and it would be starkly ironic if Star Wars, one of the most glorious acieve- ments in recent American cinema, should turn out to be the necessary stake for the celtloid philistines to drive through the heart of film originality for years to come. If I knock Star Wars, even indirectly, I feel like I'm knock- ing Christmas: I think that in its purest terms it is probably the most entertaining film ever made, one which will be as eagerly awaited annually by future generations of kids huddled around their 4-D projection screens as the once-a-year Wizard of Oz is today. Star Wars' advance publicity placed so much emphasis on its being an un-intellectualized space opera of the Buck Rogers ilk that I fearfully anticipated the eventual emergence of a Wagnerianly pompous, cliche-ridden antique, or even worse, an exercise in high-budget intergalactic camp. (Remember Flesh Gordon?) SUCH FEARS proved blessedly inaccurate. By director-writer George Lucas' own definition, Star Wars isn't sci-fi, it's pure fairy tale, a multi-media realization of childhood fantasies, main- tained and cherished in a world too often consigned to the brutes, the technocrats and the gray flannel suit. To spin his magic Lucas shamelessly and lovingly dips into the cowboy and world war flying ace genres, and pays reverent tribute to his logical predecessors from Oz, in any number of ways. And it all won- drously works. It's hardly neccessary to re-suinmarize a plot which has become immortal in a matter of weeks: Forces of evil have gained sway over much of "a far away galaxy." Pitted against the heavies are a motley but saintly collection of space arche- types including an idealistic teenager, a cynical daredevil space jockey and his 8-foot "Wookie" (read Cowardly Lion) partner, and a wise hermit-wizard whose knowledge and use of the ages old, almost-forgotten "life force" ultimately provides the key to destruction of the bad guys. Best and brightest, of course, are the robots Threepi and Artoo Detoo, a Mutt and Jeff combo that seems destined to squeek and waddle into the ranks of the most mythical of comic offbeats. STAR WAR'S technical virtuosity is sizzling and breathless - at least as good as anything Stanley Kubrick managed in 2001. But where Kubrick often seemed content to simply sit back and glory in technology for its own sake, Lukas has slgaped and orchestrated his effects into a whirling dervish of a movie, triv ing with a white-heat intensity that never lets up for a mo- ment, pulsating rhythmatically like the fantastic ships which soar through Lucas' and our universe. In structure and pace, Star Wars is the closest thing to a perfect film I've ever seen, yet it never loses its unpompous, unassuming verve and good humor. Never for a second do you feel Lucas shouting "Look, what a great director I am" - he's simply tellinga story. Perfectly. And yet ... and yet. Intermingled with all the unanimous praise for this film, one finds an underlying current: "At last! A good entertaining film with no sex! No bloody violence! A film for the whole family!" True enough, and qualities I'm not about to knock. But will they be at the expense of everything else? - ' Economically, Star Wars is the magnum opus; within a year it will have outgrossed Jaws, a feat previously unthinkable. It will of course inspire a dozen or so interior sci-fi spin-offs, but what of its effect on mainstream movies? The controlling money- men may be aesthetic zombies, but they're also economic sharp- i's: If a "family" film like Star Wars makes millions, mightn't For Love of Benji do just as well? And a sequel, and another one after that? In a world of Disneyna, will we ever see another Last Tango in Paris? Maturity be damned - it's a loser. GO, of course, to Star Wars; but afterwards resolve, perhaps, to visit one of your neighborhood art theaters as well. Cinematic versatility just could be at stake. All aboard for art! By SUSAN BARRY The Artrain, a six-car mobile exhibition of art and artists, has pulled into Ann Arbor and set up its month-long residence on State Street next to Ferry Field. Open to the public Wednes- day through Sunday from 12 to 3 p.m. and con- tinuing through July 31, the exhibit intends to portray "an expression of the creative Ameri- can spirt." Created in 1971 with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Artrain has trav- eled twenty states, stopping in large cities with museum resources as well as "towns so small that the train could hardly fit in the road," ac- cording to artist-in-residence Martha Gelarden. Although there are exhibits coordinated to correspond to the historical growth and achieve- ments of larger cities - several large prints of Ann Arbor give an impression of the town- as a series of merchant enterprises built around a rail- road stop - the major focus is on small towns that have no access to cultural influences. An Ar- train pamphlet, The Caboose claims that the Artrain has stimulated the foundation of several art centers in rural areas. Each car has its own individual focus as well. "Artrain intends to ask more questions than it answers," claims its explanatory slide show. And several of the modern as well as older paintings seems to he addressing themselves to that very objective. One car in particular sets up a series of con- trasts between the old and the new that poses some interesting parallels. An old barber pole and shaving bowl, as well as a vintage razor from 1840 sit next to a shiny new Norelco. An antique stone pitcher is placed next to a can of Rolling Rock. And most impressive was an old embroidery sample next to a pair of ornately and intricately patterned embroidered blue jeans, complete with patches and faded to a comfort- able color. Most of the art is on loan from such local institutions as the Detroit Itistorical Museum and the Institute of Arts, as well as some Ann Arbor sources, and artifacts from the Henry Ford Mu- seum add much local color to the exhibits. But the artists who present their crafts have been culled from various stops throughout the country. Gelarden is a native of Indianapolis and gives demonstrations of watercolor painting as well as performing for local mime troupes as a clown. In short, the Artrain fuses local culture with historical and national influences to produce an interesting view of contemporary society through various art forms. Tlse timing of the ar- rival of the Artrain in Ann Arbor is not coinci- dental to the timing of the annual Art Fair, as buses from the fair to the train will be in oper- ation in July. Hopefully one will complement the other and lead to a culturally enriching ex- perience. A Recourds inBriefl By TIM YAGI.E ming, without playing anything ear - startling. When lead vocalist David By- "Seasong" and "The Link", ron left Uriah Heep a short a piano solo, are soft, soothing while ago, many rock fans sounds. "Seasong" offers a long didn't think he would leave rock guitar-keyboard jam near the music for good - and they end to perk up the ears. were right. Complaints about the LP Along with good friend and include occasionally unclear and drummer Geoff Brittont, Byron unimaginative vocals and drum- formed a group comprised of mer Britton's overextended use himself, Britton, guitarist Clem of his snare drum and high hat Clempson - who has played -beating the same beat on with Colosseum, Humble Pie, almost every tune and using the and was approached by Byron, highhat for a rat-tat-tat as if ,. -rrra nju ss i t 7r piuii . 1 . P f S 1 . U.S. stars win Davids ROME GP - American movie stars have taken the lion's share of the David of Donatello awards, Italy's top movie prizes. Dustin Hoffman, who starred in the film "Marathon Man" and Sylvester Stallone of "Rocky" were named best for- eign actors, A jury of Italian movie cri- tics and writers also named Faye. Dunaway best actress for her role in "Network." Jody Foster, who played its the film "Taxi Driver," was given a special award as the leading promising actress. just after completing tour with Steve Marriott's All- Stars - keyboardist Damon Butcher, and bassist Willie Bath. They call themselves Rough Diamond and have just released a fairly good debut al- bum, entitled simply Rough' Diamond (Island ILPS 9490). They are not just another be- ginning hard rock band either, like those who come out and blast you with scorching, heavy metal rock such as Kiss or An- gel. Rock Diamond plays rock music but they approach it dif- ferently. the group somehow ie- minds me of the Doobie Bro- thers. It is light rock, especial- lv the song "Lock & Key", which has a slow beat and a settling sound. The band offers something fo everyone. "ROCK N' ROLL" is a rock tune that lacks spunk. It breez- es along with Clempson's heavy lead guitar and hard drum- that was his only cymbal. Rough Diamond may not set- tle on one kind of music to play for the future, and many peo- ple who listen to this album may not want them to, bit their fauture looks like a cquestion mark. 'his suort of variety may be a new wave for many rock listeners and they may not like it, but, in any case, Rough Dia- mond should he around for a while. 1 aitit weiting? tt u art tuutesett Iti itt e "ea., stortrsno ut the Crams, Cane, tt arts: Cineat Art E- itut, c/a 'inn tetun an att