Page 12-E-Thursday September 9. 1982-The Michigan Daily
Ann Arbor is for moviemaniacs
-7-W
The Michigan Daily-Thursday, Septe
By Richard Campbell
It just wouldn't be Ann Arbor without
movies. From the ancient classics and
golden oldies to today's big budget
blockbusters, the campus film groups
and the commercial theaters provide a
midwestern mecca for the cinemaniac.
'There are seven film groups on cam-
pus, enough to promise at least one film
a night, although the weekends often
force you to choose between five or six
fantastic flicks each evening.
The oldest, most prestigious film
society is Cinema Guild, about 32-
years-old this year. Its films center
mostly on critical successes but include
enough current fare to balance the
budget. Lorch Hall has recently in-
stalled new seating-although purists
may still savor the wood backed chairs
of yesteryear in a preserved row at the
back of the theater.
Cinema Guild's major contribution to
moviedom is the annual 16mm Film
Festival. Drawing entrants from
around the country, the festival is a
showcase for amateur directors, anima-
tors, writers, and actors. These films
are not your average vacation shorts,
not in the least. Quality is the key,
talent is abundant, and fun remains a
constant ingredient. Recently moved
from Lorch Hall's historic auditorium
to the majestic Michigan Theatre, the
festival may have lost some of its in-
timate charm, but it has gained a
This is a
RUSH SLI;P.
Al
larger audience.
The Ann Arbor Film Co-op shows its
films mainly in the padded luxury of the
Modern Languages Building,
auditoriums that generally provide a
technically proficient and comfortable
screening even if it does remind you of
your economics classes.
The Co-op relies mainly on a strong
weekend draw to maintain its existen-
ce--which means their fare consists of
Casablanca-like classics, Reefer-
Madness-type cult films, Woody Allen
and James Bond festivals, and any
other current draws. Not the broadest
selection, but consistently entertaining.
Every March the Co-op holds an 8mm
Film Festival, not quite up to the
caliber of the 16mm Fest, but never-
theless providing a vital outlet for this
almost strictly amateur cinematic
format. Technical quality is also
somewhat less than the larger for-
mats-a fact which is more compen-
sated by the enthusiasm of the entrants.
Alternative Action tends to take more
of a chance on its selection of films, a
chance that has taken its toll at the box
office. Foreign and political films are
common, all of them interesting and
most of them good. Auditorium A in
Angell Hall is their showcase, a hall
with questionable sound fidelity but ex-
cellent projection equipment. If only
the seats were more comfortable ...
Mediatrics is the only University af-
filiated film group. Their films are
openly chosen for their money-making
potential. Nothing wrong with that,
especially as it gets many recent
features into its schedule. This group's
major problem is that it shows its films
primarily in the Natural Science
auditorium, an abominable place in
which to watch a film. The sound comes
out of a small speaker, placed on the
lecturer's counter, the seats are un-
comfortable, you can hear the projec-
tor, and the place becomes unbearably
hot during the second half of a film.
Film lovers go through a lot to see their
favorite films.
Cinema II also shows its films in
Auditorium A and tries to provide an
outlet for films not ordinarily seen on
campus. It's one of the smaller groups,
but that just means they can pay more
attention to the individual movie-goer.
Even the Law School has gotten into
the film-thing. Gargoyle shows films at
Hutchins Hall in the Law Quad, a lec-
ture hall that vies with the Natural
Science Auditorium for painful
viewing. The best that can be said is
that when watching Prof. Kingsfield in
The Paper Chase; you'll really get into
the hard-backed chairs and ominous
law atmosphere of this room.
Not exactly a campus film group,
Classic Film -Theatre shows all of its
movies at the elegant Michigan
Theatre. Films shown here are mainly
old fare with occasional recent releases
thrown in to sweeten their income.
Because they have one of the largest
screens in the area and can accompany
silent classics with their magnificent
organ, this group usually provides an
excellent evening of movie watching
pleasure.
Of course, if you have to see the latest
releases you'll have to visit a commer-
cial establishment. Ann Arbor isn't on
the first run stops for every movie from
Hollywood, but almost all the films you
hear about make it out here at some
time.
The Movies at Briarwood and the Fox
Village Theaters are the largest
cinemas in town and can be counted on
to catch most of the big releases. But
while they have some large screens,
even they have succumbed to the cut-
See MOVIES, Page 13
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Daily Photo by DEBORAH LEWIS
State Street, beckoning Ann Arborites
Ann Arbor bookshops
keep readers happy
RUSH SLIP
LIST COURSE NUMBER
DEPARTMENT INSTRUCTOR COURSE NO. SECTION NO.
Just fill it out and4
hand it to one of our clerks.
Your books will be brought to you.
It's that simple.
MORE THAN A BOOKSTORE
549 E. University at the corner of East U. and South U. 662-3201
By Ann Marie Fazio
It's too bad that college students don't
have more time to read just for the
pleasure of it. Especially here in Ann
Arbor, the abundance and variety of
bookstores would keep any
bibliomaniac happy.
Ranging from chemistry textbooks to
20-year-old editions of Playboy, the
selection of reading material for sale in
Ann Arbor is superb.
For an extensive variety of almost
every category of booksj3orders Book
Shop, 303 S. State St., can't be beat.
Along with a comprehensive selection
of contemporary works, they have all of
the old favorites and classics.
Borders has complete sections on
music, art, and- photography, along
with many pictorial and historical,
books on different countries and on
traveling. A fine selection of books for
the younger generation can be found in
Borders' children's book section. The
shop also has a good choice of prints
and, toward the end of each year, one of
the city's most complete calendar
selections.
The oldest books in town available for'
purchase are tucked away on the
shelves of the State Street bookshop,
316 S. State St. Even if it's just to
browse, every student should visit this
bookstore at least once. It's easy to
spend an hour leafing through the ex-
tensive collection of rare books and fir-
st editions.
The Bookshop's selection includes
classic literary works and others not so
classic but just as interesting. They
also have antique maps and prints.
If cheap, used books are what yo.u're
after, David's Books, 622 E. Liberty St.,
is the place to go. After climbing a
narrow stairway crowded with books
and lined with local flyers, you can find
one of the city's best collections of used
paperbacks.
Playboy, Life, and National
Geographic magazines dating back 20
years and more are also crammed onto
the shelves of David's. A good selection
of used hard cover books are on sale,
too, along with David's half-price table
on the sidewalk outside the door.
Newspaper lovers will love Com-
munity Newscenter, 1301 S. University
St. and 330 E. Liberty. Not only do they
have a complete selection of
newspapers from, major U.S. cities,
they also have several foreign papers.
Magazines covering every topic from
fashion to fishing are available at
Community Newscenter.
A good selection of popular contem-
porary books and most of the classics
can be found here, too. The Newscen-
ters also carry cards, stationary, and
posters.
See CITY'S, Page 19
THE STATE THEATRE looms over
to its four screens.
...". movies
~and movies
and movies
(Continued from Page 12)
ting-up syndrome-where theaters
chop an auditorium down the middle,
halving the screen, in the belief that two
movies are better than one.
Worst offenders of this disease are
the Ann Arbor Theater and the State
Theater. The first now boasts two
smaller screens, while the State has
won the contest hands down by but-
chering their one large screen into four.
It's really not as bad as it sounds,
especially if you sit close to the front.
The rear guard consists of the Cam-
pus and the Wayside Theaters. These
regularly get the second-run films
which allows you to read the reviews
carefully before deciding what to throw
your four dollars away on.
Films are a big event on campus. If"
you missed last year's Oscar winners,
you can bet that some group will show
it; if you've read of a film for months,
an area commercial theater is bound to
get it; and if you couldn't stay up for the
late-night classic on television, that's
probably the film showing on Friday
night.
For those who still want more, over
the past summer there have been free
pre-release screenings of Blade Runner
and The World According to Garp with
more pre-screenings promised. How's
that for service?
STUDENTS- FACUL
' bbring in this coupon and receive your
* Flipper M cGee Preferred Customne
I
* WORTH
Sup to
I $j3500
I during the school year.
Receive free pla
with purchas
and this C
3 locations:
617 E. Liberty
1217 $, University
Packard & State