Friday, August 13, 1976
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Seven
Fridy, Agust13, 976 HE ICHIAN DILY .geeve
Happengs tied)
(Continued from Page 6)
de Palma fashion, it deflates
its targets without ever taking
itself too seriously.
This is one of the most styl-
istically striking films ever
produced about America in the
'70's, and deserving of far more
Than the meagre theatrical dis-
ibution it has thus far re-
ceived. Better see it now, be-
cause you're not likely to get
many chances to in the future.
Quackser Fortune Has a Cou-
sin in the Bronx - (Ann Ar-
bor Film Co-op, MLB 4, 7 &
10:30) - A bittersweet comedy
about a semi-literate but inde-
pendent - spirited Dubliner
(Gene Wilder), whose brief af-
fair with a flightly Canadian
student (Margot Kidder) leaves
him sadder but considerably
wiser. For some reason this
film strikes me as far less cloy-
ing and much funnier now
than when released six years
ago: perhaps its low-key whim-
sy is more suited to our tran-
qualized present than to our
ulcerous recent past.
As Quackser, Wilder sub-
merges his Americanism in a
typically consumate character-
ization, while Kidder is quite
stunning as his sensitive but
self - indulgent lover. **"
Get to Know Your Rabbit-
(Ann Arbor Film Co-op, MLB
4, 8:45 only) - Another Brian
de Palma experiment, this time
involving rival magicians (Tom
Smothers and Orson Welles in
the most unlikely comedy team-
up this side of Reagan and
Schweiker). This film receiv-
ed even worse distribution than
Phantom of the Paradise, the
result being that I've never
seen it.
Our Man in Havana - (Cine-
ma Guild, Arch. Aud., 7:30 &
9:30) - An uneven comedy-
thriller about an english va-
cuum cleaner salesman (Alex
Guiness) mistakenly recruited
by British Intelligence to be-
come a spy in pre-Castro Ha-
vana. The Graham Greene-
scripted plot starts out play-
ing strictly for laughs, later
turns unexpectedly and uncom-
fortably grim, but is charac-
terized throughout by such de-
termined British understate-
ment that the viewer is not
very likely to care which of the
two themes is occupying the
forefront. A gifted and unusual
cast struggles valiantly with the
material provided it, but soon
falls prey to a film that emer-
ges finally a an exercise in
triviality. **
Key Largo - (Cinema II,
Ang. Aud. A, 7:30 & 9:30) -
Bogart and Bacall form the
nucleus of a small group held
hostage by exiled gangster Ed-
ward G. Robinson at a Flor-
ida Keys hotel. John Huston di-
rected this film from a Max-
well Anderson play, and he
has done far better work than
this. The picture rarely shakes
off its stagebound trappings,
leaving its talented principals
little room to maneuver within
the talk-talk-talk structure that
continually shackles them. A
hair - raising ocean finale only
augments frustration over the
film's previously hotel-encased
totality. **
satrday
CINEMA
The Wild Party - (Cinema
11, Ang. Aud. A, 7:30 & 9:00)-
A 1929 film about a group of
non-conformistt at a women's
college. Directed by Dorothy
Arzner, who was one of the
few female directors of that -
or any other - era. Possibly
quite interesting.
The Conversation - (Cine-
ma Guild, Arch. Aud., 7:30 &
9:30) -- A bugging expert is
besieged by guilt and fear over
the consequences of his machi-
nations. Coppola's famous film
seems increasingly full of holes
as far as plot logic goes, ren-
dering it somewhat below clas-
sic status; but it remains a bit-
ing study of the paranoia of
the Nixonian (and post-Nixon-
ian) age due primarily to Gene
Hackman's extraordinary per-
formance. As the non-commit-
ted, chamelon - like eaves-
dronper, Hackman creates a
character who comes as close
as anyone could to projecting
the terror beneath the surface
in all of us. ****
suynday
CINEMA
Broken Blossoms - (Cinema
Guild, Arch. Aud., 8 only) -
A silent film about a Chinese-
American love affairs, tragical-
ly detailed by D. W. Griffith.
With Richard Barthelmess
and the great Lillian Gish, plus
FRER admission.
monday
CINEMA
Women in Love - (Ann Ar-
bor Film Co-op, Ang. Aud. A,
7 & 9:15) - A film which looks
better and better as the years
pass. Ken Russell's work may
not stick too close to the D. H.
Lawrence original, but in some
ways transcends it; Russell
exhibits an amazingly inven-
tive, sensuous imagination tem-
pered for once by a thorough
director's control over his ma-
terial. As such, his picture of-
ten takes on a legitimacy all
its own - an erotic, literate
work of film art apart from
and often above the novel. This
was Russell's one great fea-
ture er btofffe ero jvd
ture effort before he plunged
into the abyss of psychotic vul-
garia, and showcases Glenda
Jackson's absolutely demonic
Oscar - winning performance.
High School and The Titicut
Follies - (Ann Arbor Film
Co-op, Ang. Aud. A, High
School at 7 & 9:45, Titicut Fol-
lies at 8:15 only) - Two of the
best works of America's mas-
ter-documenter Frederick Wise-
man. Titicut Follies is a de-
ceptively matter - of - fact look
at the inner workings of a
seedy state mental hospital
that proves every inch as ter-
rifying as any nightmare vi-
sion concocted from de Sade to
Kesey. High School operates
from a subtler plane, but is
eiually disturbing: In focus-
ing on al all-too-typical second-
ary school, Wiseman reveals its
stidents as victims of an ad-
ministrative mentality which
preaches conformity at all
costs, and an educational myo-
pia which equates scholarship
with rote recitation and merci-
lessly stomps out the slightest
snark of intellectual inquisitive-
ness. One gazes at the defeat-
ed inmates of Titicut Follies,
and can't help wondering how
many of them were broken
years earlier by a learning sys-
tem which, in the light of retro-
spection, can only be classified
as anti-life. ****
wednesday
CINEMA
MonEy Python ad The Holy
Grail - (Ann Arbor Film Co-op,
Ang. Aud. A, 7, 8:45 & 10:30)-
The Python crew tackles the
Arthurian Legend - some hi-
larious moments, at least as
many sophomoric ones. Worth
a buck twenty-five. **
th ursday
CINEMA
Reefer Madness - (Ann Ar-
bor Film Co-op, Ang. Aud. A,
7, 8:45 & 10:30) - The camp
name for Tell Your Children,
a 1940's dope-is-death public
service film now immortalized
as quintessential cinematic
kitsch. Quite funny when seen
for the first time, but repeated
showings of it seem akin to
milking a Polock joke to
death. **
The word "maverick," used
to describe independent person-
alities and stray cattle, comes
from the name of Samuel Au-
gustus Maverick, Texas pioneer
and politician noted for his
"rugged individualism."
Interesting facts
Ernest Orlando Lawrence,
American p h y s i c i aIewas
awarded the 1939 Nobel prize
in physics for his invention of
the cyclotron and for his re-
search in using it.
An orange sponge cake tastes
delicious frosted with orange ic-
ing. Uuse a little butter, con-
fectioners' sugar and orange
juice for the icing.
Cook Brussels sprouts (fresh
or frozen) just until tender-
crisp. Drain and halve, then
marinate in French dressing.
Serve on lettuce.
The American Farm Bureau
Federation was founded in 1919
and is the largest organization
of farmers in the United States.
Calving is the process in
which large masses of ice
break off at the coastal ter-
minus of a glacier ice shelf and
float away. These masses are
called ice bergs.
Iowa'established the nation's
first center of child develop-
ment at Iowa City in 1917.
TONIGHT!
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE
(Briande Palma, 1974) MLB 3 7, 8:45 & 10:30
A iniqse com iion ofnomr and coedy and ,ofuallthins
of rock opera andi musical comedyIl e Palmam anages to com-
bine nl o fiese elements defy to avoidsensatonalism, and
st the samet timse to msake ssme inisive commesnrsts abost the
state of5menosi:c. Quickly bhcoms~ig a csltfilm. Stas
Paol wittiams, Jessica flatper, Wiliam Finley, Gerrit Granam.
GENE WILDER in
QUACKSER FORTUNE HAS A
COUSIN IN THE BRONX
(Waris Hussein, 1970) MLB 4 7 & 10:30
Gene wilder as an inividnalist who rejects te regimenta-
tion o actory lie for the dubious privilege o coicting and
pediig horse mami e to Dublin ho sewives Margtt Kidder is
his weethatlsnhis msonholyandiomsatic 'omey.
GET TO KNOW YOUR RABBIT
(Brian de Palma, 1972) MLB 4 8:45 only
A truly underratedrfiim, and probably thetfunniest film of
1972. Tom Smothers is after a magicianO Orson welles for
secrets, and whiz kid director Brian de Palma (SISTERS, PHAN-
THOM OF THE PARADISE) manages to maintain control over a
very diverse cast. Also stars Katherine Ross.
$1s25, Double Feature $2.00
Yes folks, A Triple Feature is posible!
DAILY EARLY BIRD MATINEES - Adults $1.0o
MON. THRU SAT. 10 A.M. TIL 1:30 P.M. SUN. & HOLS. 12 NOON TIL1:30 P.M
STUDENT & SENIOR CITIZENS DISCOUNTS (Exc. Frt.& Sat. Eves.)
RsoiNsleas.a te
1 2
tt:309
it:30 3E AT. d.
2:30 10:20 MICHAECAM ELIT
2:3 93 s CAME TNE GOU
eo:45 7:00
9:30 "HARRY AND
WALTER GO
} TO NEW YORK"
t..e v e
14:15 - 10:10
12:20 12:10
12:30 2:15
6:30 4:15
REYNOLDS t
ls
t5 9:\5
Alec Guiness, Noel Coward & Ernie Kovacs in 1960
OUR MAN IN HAVANA
Carol Reed's wry and dry spy -comedy thriller that features some of the
most humorous acting in British film. In a way, this parodies the James
Bond flicks before they were even made. Also starring Maureen O'Haro and
Burl Ives.
SAT.: Francis Ford Coppola's THE CONVERSATION
CINEMA GUILD TONIGHT AT OLD ARCH. AUD.
7:30 & 9:30 Admission $1.25
JOHN HUSTON directs 1948
Bogart & Bacall in
KEY LA RGO
Bogart and Bacall team up again in this thriller about a family trapped in a
Florida hotel by gangster-or the-lam Johnny Rocko (Edward G. Robinson) .
Claire Trevor rounds ut the lamst Jith an Oscar-winning performance as
Rocko's bloozy girlfriend.
CINEMA II TONIGHT AT ANGELL HALL AUD. A
7:30 & 9:00 P.M. Adm. $1.25