ARTS Tuesday, March 2, 1982 The Michigan Daily- 'Taxi' attacks mainstream life 4 pornographic film posing as a poignant drama. The obvious criticism is that it is straightforward pornography. That viewpoint, while accurately describing about half of the film's content, unfairly locks the film into a very prejudiced category. Taxi Zum Klo is not in the same league as Debbie Does Dallas because Taxi has a detailed plot with characters that are complex. The film is a far cry from the calisthenic won- ders that you can see on Fourth Avenue. The movie is definitely a breakthrough in detailing life outside of mainstream culture. The film opens with a camera panning across post- cards and photographs that detail Frank's sexual preferences, as he asks, "Do you want to come with me on my adventures?" By the time the film ends we've seen it all, from voyeurism to S&M, from snippets of stag films to gay love-making. Making Love hardly dares to show two men kissing, Taxi goes a great deal further. As a movie, however, Taxi Zum Klo has a few problems. Foremost is its slow, deliberate pacing. Frank is an in- teresting character but too often nothing happens in the film. His lover, Berndt, wants a sedate home-life, Frank wants action and no respon- sibilities. In the film this tense relation- ship just comes across as dull. Along with the low-budget production values, which are manifested in bad lighting and out of focus shots, Taxi doesn't make it as a complete movie.* 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . .. . . W HILE THE vast majority of the musical world is con- tent to perform works from Haydn to the present, a growing faction has reached back and rediscovered the baroque period. The Versailles Chamber Orchestra, which presented a concert at Rackham Auditorium on Feb. 18, seems to be a part of that faction. Led by Bernard Wahl, the first work on the program was the "Suite de Symphonies" by Aubert. In this rather dry French work the group exhibited considerable technical precision, but lacked the spirit that was so prevalent in the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields' performance of similar works last year. The second work, "Concerto No. 1" by Rameau, was a little livlier in character. The harpsichordist added some very nice punctuations and although her realizations were a little spar- se at times, they were very much in character. The Bach "Concerto in E major for Violin and Orchestra" featured Maryvonne le Dizes, the first violinist, as soloist. This Bach work, always a crowd pleaser, provided the first real signs of life of the evening. The mournful Adagio movement was particularly enjoyable with its understated bass line and dramatic accompaniment. The second half of the concert began with the Mozart "Divertimento in C major." This work should not have been - programmed after the Bach because its subtle elegance sounded trite after the heavy, contrapuntal drama. However, the first Allegro movement contained enough lilting lyricism to lend the piece its proper nobility. The concert ended with the "Sinfonietta" by Roussel. The most modern work of the evening (Roussel died in 1937), it was quite heavily scored. Unfortunately, it sounded a little dull, probably due to the incessant wild gestures of conductor Wahl who looked as if he were conducting an orchestra of hundreds rather than one of slightly more than 10. For an encore, the group performed the last movement of the "Sonata in D minor" by Leclair, and the audience was transported back into the land of the French baroque. It's a nice era to visit, but be glad that the rest of the musical world doesn't live there. -Jane Carl 4 4 ,_ Support the Marv.h of imes BIRTH DEFECTS FOUNDATION Hot 1920"s Musical MARCH 6 & 7 Saturday: 6 & 9:30pm Sunday: 2 & 8pm POWER CENTER STUDENT SPECIAL Tickets half price $5-8 with ID PTP - Michigan League 764 - 0450 r mmmmomom City' is a By Kathryn Glasgow. A CITY POSING as a metaphor? Sounds odd perhaps, but that's what's happening in Louis Malle's Atlantic City. The young and the aged,. the old and the new, all come together in this frantic place where dreams die as quickly as they are born, and then are hurriedly built again. The film seems innocent enough. It tells a tale of dirty life on the boar- dwalk, complete with dangerous mafia men, a few violent murders, and a slightly unusual, heartwarming romance. h fmakes for a captivating story, but not an uncommon one. Atlan- tic City is like a modern-day western with a somewhat predictable plot, but an entertaining one nonetheless. True, we leave the film satisfied, but not satiated. What of this dangling metaphor? There is a nagging feeling that something has been left unanswered, or not wholly understood. The city a metaphor-for what, and why? We are used to finding all of the meaning and symbolism in the story itself, with the setting acting as a relatively unassuming backdrop. In this film, there seems to be a switch of roles. It is not until we realize the importance of the setting in Atlantic City that we begin to understand the film's message. The acting is wonderful. Burt Lan- caster plays Lou, an older, surprisingly lovable ex-mafia member who gets in- volved in some profitable drug dealing and pulls off a couple of boastful mur- ders. Susan Sarandon is Sally, the woman Lou falls in love with, a young metaphor aspiring blackjack dealer. She plans to "deal her way to Europe" where she hopes to find culture and refinement. Their relationship is rare, not just because of the dispartity in age, but because of its protective, preserving . nature. It provides, at first, a direct contrast to the city, which fights for preservation, but remains ironically in- tect because it accepts, even welcomes, change, destruction, and complete renovation. The stability of Lou and Sally's relationship proves temporary too, as if the city swallows any merging of the young and the old in its frenzied pace. Lou finally settles for Grace (Kate Reid), the cantankerous, bedridden woman.that he takes care of. All of this takes place amidst casinos, old buildings that-are being demolished and replaced by modern, more attrac- tive ones, and signs that read "Atlantic City. You're back on the map again." But like the buildings on the boar- dwalk, the sins of the city resurface as quickly as they are eliminated. The best scene in the movie comes at the very end. We see Lou and Grace stroll off together down the boardwalk and the film cuts to a huge, white building being demolished - by a swinging wrecker ball. Each time the giant ball hits, the background music changes, playing songs we have heard in other scenes throughout the movie. Each type of music represents a dif- ferent character. Their ages vary, times have changed, but their dreams are still similar. They are bonded together in this common place, living in both the past andthe future, in a city that awaits its rebirth. ]Q ONLY $14 by 5:00 PM Feb. 22, 1982 I E? Place your ad in ummer ublet Uppement Name Address Phone I I There once was a suffragette from LeGrande; From the Union her gender was banned. But she didn't mind Dining with her own kind; At the League the fare never was bland. .L. PEC A Lunch 11:30 to 1:15 Dinner 5:00 to 7:15 IAL LOW PRICES FOR The i chigan 6 L&aJi e Next to Hill Auditorium Located in the heart of the campus. it is the heart of the campus. STUDENTS Send your League Limerick to: Manager, Michigan League 227 South Ingalls You will receive 2 free dinner tickets if your limerick is used in one of our ads. 4',4 4. -IJ 0 Absolutely No Ads Will Be . Accepted After March 19 Make checks payable to THE MICHIGAN DAILY w I