ARTS__
The Michigan Daily Thursday, April 1, 1982 --Page 5
-A selection of campus film highligh
The General
(Keaton, Bruckman, 1926)
Where Chaplin got laughs through
finesse and. ballet-like movements,
Buster Keaton created humor out of
visual tricks and extravagent film
jokes. The General capitalizes on
that type of humor, but adds another
dimension with its heartwarming
love story set against the social
upheaval of the Civil War. This film
was originally panned (and I mean
panned) by the critics, but over the
years the humor of the film has
come shining through. (Thursday,
April 1; Nat. Sci. 7:00).
(D. W. Griffith, 1916)
Griffith is known for his technical
virtuosity and his half-stilted,
romantic dramas. His epics are
monmental affairs, with the typical
Dickensian elements of contrivance
and coincidence. Intolerance is his
effort to confront the attitude of in-
tolerance at four different periods of
time. Unlike Birth of a Nation, the
movie does not portray one group of
people as better than another.
Rather it ends with a devastating
tour de force of cinematic
techniques decrying the hatred that
pulls men apart. (Thursday, April 1;
Nat. Sci. 8:30).
The Harder They Come
(Peter Henzell,1973)
The movie that brought reggae to
the western world. Filmed on
location in Jamaica, the movie
presents a vivid look at the way
people live in Trenchtown. The un-
steady, loose, and seemingly
unrehearsed nature of the movie
only serve to heighten its impact.
Jimmy Cliff stars as a man whose.
only means for success are the
-songs he writes. This vital, amazing
movie is backed by one of the better
soundtracks-the greatest hits of
Jimmy Cliff, Toots and the Maytals,
and Bob Marley.
The Man Who
Would Be King
(John Huston, 1975)
Just when everyone thought Houston
ts
was washed up as a director, he
pulled off one of the most enjoyable
adventure-fantasies to come out sin-
ce Lost Horizon. Sean Connery and
Michael Caine are two rambling ex-
officers in India around 1900, who set
off to become kings of a pagan coun-
try. Huston breathed life into Ki-
ling's story, embuing the fanciful
tale with innumerable touches of
wisdom and incredible beauty.
(Friday, April 2; Michigan Theatre,
4:00,7:00,9:15).
AnimaLHouse
(John Landis, 1978)
Undoubtedly John Belushi's best
performance, in a role that had to be
created especially for him. The un-
dercurrent of violence that had
always been a part of his character
has never been better tempered with
boyish innocence. He was the com-
plete hedonist who managed to
triumph no matter what the
traditional obstacles were in his
path. Whether raising eyebrows or
smashing beer cans against his
head, he showed all of us how to ap-
preciate the finer points of life.
Senator Blutarsky, we salute you.
(Saturday, April 3; Lorch Hall, 7:00,
9:00).
Arthur
(Steve Gordon, 1981)
Winner of the best supporting actor
Oscar for John Gielgud's suave per-
formance as Arthur's butler, and
best song for the overplayed "Ar-
thur's theme." Starring Dudley
Moore as the richest playboy in the
world, a man lost without love. The
only problem with the movie is Liza
Minneli's boring performance as
Moore's screwball romantic in-
terest. Lots of yuks, but not much in
the art department. (Saturday,
April3;'Aud. A, 7:00, 9:00).
One Flew Over the
Cuckoo's Nest
(Milos Forman, 1975)
Forman's terrifically entertaining
and lively movie version of Ken
Kesey's novel (won a whole lot of
those gleaming statues.) Nicholson
is the definitive R. P. McMurphy, a
man trying to take the easy way out
of prison by being transferred to the
mental hospital. Tensions mount
when he becomes the hero of the
ward, battling the nasty establish-
ment, embodied by Nurse Ratched.
(Saturday, April 3; Nat. Sci., 7:00,
9:20).
-compiled by Richard Campbell-
Russell: Noone
quite like her.
By Robin James
TRAILING YARDS of gaudy chif-
fon and sweeping across the stage
of the Michigan Theatre like the true
"prima donna" of parody, Anna
Russell gave a boisterous, witty, and
thoroughly successful performance
Tuesday night.
Performing for the Comic Opera
Guild Benefit, Russell displayed her
never-ending ability to chit-chat and
poke fun at the musical establishment,
namely, grand opera. Her talent at
comedy has earned her the title of
"World's Funniest Woman."
Though nearing 70, Russell's stature
as the leading parodist in the world has
not diminished. She celebrated the 20th
anniversary of her New York debut in
Carnegie Hall in April, 1977. Her theory
on grand opera is that "you can do
anything as long as you sing it." And
sing it she does.
Born in England, Anna Russell
trained at the Royal College of Music in
London with Vaughan Williams. As she
put it, her father eventually wrote her
singing teacher to ask when his
daughter was going to stop making all
those awful noises and get out and earn
a buck. Russell realized she had a
talent for comedy, and set out to per-
form all over the world. Her popular
routines started in those early years,
and are still repeated wherever she
goes.
Russell began her Ann Arbor perfor-
mance with an old folk song, "I Gave
My Love a Cherry Without a Pit,"
playing along on an invisible, celtic
harp. Her antics made one almost
believe the sounds coming from ac-
companist Frank Barholomew's piano
were actually from a harp. She then
launched into her famous version of
Verdi's opera "Nabucco," com-
memorating the work's production at
the Sydney Opera House.
For the many Gilbert and Sullivan
fans in the audience, Russell presented
her own one-woman Gilbert and
Sullivan production, singing each part
with gusto.
Speaking as chairman of the
Women's Festival Committee and
decked out in a flower-trimmed hat,
NOON LUNCHEON
Homemade Soup & Sandwich .. $1.00
FRIDAY, APRIL 2
BRET EYNON,
Local Historian:
"Making History: Writing for
the Ages in the age of
nuclear war.
GUILD HOUSE -802 Monroe
Russell later made announcements and
read a letter riddled with mispronoun-
ced and misused words. She had the
patrons in the front of the theater
crying tears of laughter.
The finale was a 20-minute rendition
of Richard Wagner's "'Ring" Cycle,
during which Russell sat at the piano,,
told the story, and sang excerpts along
with the recruited "chorus" of singers
in the audience.
Anna Russell is a one-woman comedy
show, and as she says, "I'm not making.
this up, you know." It's pure Russell,
and there's nobody quite like her.
Professor Irwin Corey will be the master of ceremonies for the Festival
of Fools today at Second Chance. Strange behavior and dress is encouraged,
with cash prizes going to the most outrageous costume. There will be a
comedy contest, open to everyone who calls 665-4755 between 1 and 6 p.m.
Events will be going on all day, but the main show will start at 9:30 p.m.
Pryor gets cheap
BATON ROUGE, La.(AP)-Jackie.
Gleason says he's too old to put up with
the pressures of weekly television and
doesn't like to make movies. But there
he was with Richard Pryor, fielding
questions on their upcoming film, The
Toy.
Asked why Baton Rouge was chosen
as the location, Pryor deadpanned:
"It's cheaper."
Gleason added, "We were thrown out
of New Orleans."
"What I want to know is what you are
doing here," Pryor asked reporters
during the Tuesday news conference.
The most serious person to meet
reporters was 11-year-old Scott Sch-
wartz of New Jersey, who got the role of
Gleason'sspoiled son.
Asked if he was nervous acting in a
film with Gleason and Pryor, the
youngster said, "No, not at all. I'm
anxious to get started."
Gleason will play a super-rich
newspaper owner who says his son can
have whatever he wants for Christmas.
The youth chooses Pryor.
A
[1 : A R1]
INDIVIDUAL THEATRES
5t Ave ot liberty761-9700
WEDSATSUN
only $1.50
shows befora
8:00 p.m.
(R)
RICHARD
PRYOR
LI ON THE
SUNSET STRIP
4lLY-6:55, 8:35, 10:15
"DEADLY FUN"
-Ann Arbor News
MICHAEL CAINE
CHRISTOPHER REEVE
DYAN CANNON