ARTS The Michigan Daily Tuesday, September 27, 1983 Page 5 'Zelig:' Success sans zeal - .. By Richard Campbell W OODY ALLEN'S latest film is al- most as odd as Leonard Zelig, the story's main character. That makes Zelig, the movie, peculiar, light, and not par- ticularly interesting. Allen holds a unique position in American film history. Few directors have developed their art so publicly. His early films, Take the Money and Run, Bananas, Sleeper, were sight/gag-filled jokeathons. Combined with his esoteric brand of New York in- tellectual humor, Allen seemed destined to make such comedies forever. But rather than remaining static, as Mel Brooks has, Allen's craft has con- tinued to grow. Love and Death wrap- ped many of Alen's best comedy around more difficult;issues, such as love and death. With Annie Hall, Allen directed a classic romantic comedy in his own bit- tersweet style and justly walked off with Best Picture and Director Oscars. But then Allen seemed to question his potential for comedic exposition. In In- teriors, Allen aped Bergman's overly dramatic style with little success. Yet it was a gamble that a lesser director would not even have attempted. Manhattan gave us more romantic comedy, but with a darker, more anguished edge. Stardust Memories flatly explored Allen's comic dilemma: How do you put laughs in serious films? After that wrongly maligned exercise, Allen gave us Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy, a wonderfully summery movie that appeared to indicate a cer- tain cinematic maturity. Allen seemed completely, aware of his talents and used them to make a joyous minor masterpiece. Now we have Zelig. It's difficult to place it in the continuum of Allen films because it is so inconsequential. Zelig looks as though Allen has filmed one of his short stories from Without Feathers. The style and direction are as sharp as ever, but there just isn't much content. The film is only 80 minutes long, and even that's stretching the material a bit. The main character, Leonard Zelig, is a man with a hidden talent. Zelig, with his secret wish to be safe by con- forming, transforms himself into those people to which he is nearest. Speaking to an overweight man, Zelig gains weight. As doctors analyze Zelig, he starts talking psychological double- talk. This amazing idea may be the star- ting point for a brilliant movie,. but Zelig isn't it. The joke is never developed beyond its most superficial limits. Zelig undergoes hypnosis to reveal the root of this malady, and we learn that he changes in order to remain inconspicuous, to remain safe. Not a very interesting insight. Allen's mimicing of the documentary style is nearly perfect, however, and gives the material much needed in- terest. Combining old newsreel footage and badly lit interviews with Zelig's contemporaries and biographers, Zelig relishes in the mixture between reality and illusion. The photography by Gor- don Willis, usually beautiful in itself, is now reduced to just the right shade of scratched, jerky film which makes it indistinguishable from the original footage. Allen, as Zelig, walks around these antique photographic frames with complete ease; one wonders if perhaps Zelig didn't really exist. The cast that Allen has rounded up is worthy of uniform praise. Mia Farrow, as the psychologist who cures Zelig and with whom Zelig naturally falls in love, portrays her own insecurities and inadequacies wonderfully. Her acting is all the more amazing when one realizes that most of Zelig is composed of either silent movies or still photographs with only a typical documentary narrator for explanation. Ultimately Zelig is just as much of a' curiosity as Leonard Zelig. It is amazing to read some of the other' reviews of the film which indicate that it is celluloid's version of the second" coming. On the contrary, Zelig is an.4- fable little film, that doesn't try to d& too much and succeeds on its own level of entertainment. After all, Allen did' write the screenplay, so it is still filled, with Allenesque puns, jokes, and rid dies. The fact that the film isn't up to Allen's directorial calibre doesn't mea, that Zelig isn't a fun film by itself. Just don't expect a heck of a lot else. In his latest film Woody Allen plays Leonard Zelig, a chameleon-like charac- ter who shuns individuality in order to gain social acceptance. Polished pork achieves heights ,arie C VA \\ Il/ 4K1 , 'i/i \'\ ~' By Joe Hoppe L OOK, UP IN THE SKY. It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a Pig With Wings soaring high over Tuesday night. The pig's wings are loaded with missiles; the -technology for which has indeed been researched and developed in Ann Arbor, in the streets, in the Residential College, and in the city's secret bohemian corners. Boom goes one missile. It lands in East Quad's basement and sets up the Coffee Cabana. Whoosh, in comes the second strike, fun and entertainment burst from its multiple warheads. The Stress Babies spring forth with in- telligent pop music. An organist echoes his instrument off the walls of the Cof- fee Cabana. Jazzy piano gets played. Two poets read. Maybe a bluegrass band turns up. Much other stuff hap- pens -all under the wings of the pig. Pigs with Wings is officially a student organization, supporting all manner of arts in any way that it can. Right now it mainly sponsors free fun times like the one tonight at the Halfway Inn, but the ever-hungry beast is always expanding. According to Jay Frost, president of the pig, right now the organization has four goals: 1) Investigating a national hotline for scholarships. 2) Pulling together all the campus magazines having to do with literary works. 3) Ex- panding into profit and nonprofit divisions. And 4) providing a low-priced music referral service. And then of course there are the shows. Watch for performances once a month in East Quad, and then beware of other hap- penings in the future, hopefully at places like The Performance Network. Tonight's show is the season premiere. The pig has been flying around Ann Arbor for three years now. Last year's highlights included a great showcase of Residential College poets' readings (including several Hopwood winners), a performance by Impact Dance, and the debut, of the shortlived Dharma Bums. Witness the flight of the pig for free. Get involved if you like. "We're looking for people not just to perform, but to work," says Frost, whose phone num- ber is 764-3685 for those wishing to par- ticipate in the flying porcine. ULTIMATE TAILGATE PICNIC FOR RENT: 35' Luxureous Motor Home. Home and Away games. Groups up to 20. Call 663-5162 FREE MEDIUM SIZE OF RI K rchs P expires 10-5-83x , ",i r/.. , ' Fr tAVAiAM4 Double guitars pick the Ark FREE UNIVERSITY COURSES NOW OPEN Six week free courses on social change FREE UNIVERSITY COURSES " all are about some aspect of social change for human liberation " meet once a week, for up to two hours, for six weeks " involve minimal readings or outside work + begin in the week of October 2nd. ALLFREE UNIVERSITY COURSES ARE + open to all U-M students as well as others interested 0 offered free of charge + led by knowledgeable people who have volunteered " participatory in style - free from grades, credits and other restrictions 0 sponsored by the Michigan Student Assembly, LSA Student Government and Canterbury Loft. TO SIGN UP " just come to the first meeting at the place listed below. a The first meeting is informational. People formally join the course by coming to the second meeting. FOR MORE INFORMATION 0 about specific courses, call the resource person at the number indicated. About the Free University generally, call 665-0606. Here are the tourses offered this Fall: By Frank Schraner A S THE FIRST of 14 scheduled per- for mances in the 1983-84 Kithara Classical Guitar Series, guitarists Helene Rottenberg and Michael Casher will be appearing at 8 p.m. Tuesday at The Ark. R The duo's program will consist of three solos apiece and five duets, in- cluding Ravel's "Pavane For a Dead Princess." Other composers represen- ted in the program include Albeniz, Bach, Carulli, Coste, Dowland, Granados, Mudarra, Scheidler, and Tarrega. Rottenberg, 30, a Detroit resident, has played guitar for 17 years and has a master's degree in musicology from the University of Michigan. She is a full-time guitar instructor at Herb David Guitar Studio in Ann Arbor, Madonna College in Livonia, and Clarkston Conservatory of Music in Clarkston. Casher, 32, an Ann Arbor resident, has played guitar for 20 years. Besides being a guitarist, Casher is a psychiatrist with a private practice in Ann' Arbor. He is also on the staff of Mercywood Hospital in Ann Arbor and does consulting work for Ann Arbor's University Hospital, the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health Cen- ter, and Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Rottenberg and Casher have played as a duo for over three years and their performance Tuesday night will be their third ever in the Kithara series, dating back to 1981. Admission is $5. THE DAILY CLASSIFIEDS ARE A GREAT WAY TO GET FAST RESULTS CALL 764-0557 The Draft and Militarism We will deal with the ethical and legal implications of facing the draft and militarism. Technical and philosophical questions reagrding Selective Service and military service will be considered. The many forms of resisting militarism will be discussed as well as issues of veterans. Resource Person: Mary Roth, evenings at 663-5378 First Meeting: Thursday, October 6th, 7:30 PM, Quaker House, 1416 Hill St. Feminist Poetry: Writing for Social Change A group for those trying to write feminist poetry or with an interest in it. We'll meet as peers and discuss whatever issues (in writing and feminism) concern us. If the art/craft/skill, as well as the politics, of feminist poetry is important to us, how can we learn to utilize new standards and methods of criticism gleaned from' our work as feminists? Resource People: Ruth Schwartz, 663-3514, or Theo tight, 761-5957 First Meeting: Wednesday, October 5th, 7:30 pm, Canter- bury Loft, 332 S. State St. (above Bivouac). issues and Perspectives in City Government This course offers the opportunity to observe first hand how local government operates. Students can attend one or more City Council meetings (Mondays at 7:30 PM) and one or more Democratic Caucus meetings (Fridays at 4:30 PM at City Hall). Weekly course meetings will focus on issues and strategies with elected Democratic councilpeople. .(City Council and Caucus meetings are optional.) Resource People: Kathy Edgren, Rafe Ezekiel, and Larry Hunter Phone Contact: Larry Hunter at 668-6165 First Meeting: Thursday, October 6th, 7:30 PM, City Hall, First Floor, Democratic Council Offices (5th Ave. at Huron). Land, Peace, and Justice The course will examine the role and future of agriculture in the United States. Areas to consider include: urban sprawl and the politics of farmland preservation; conflict between agribusiness and small-scale regional agriculture; and local action alternatives for change. Resource Person: Kathy Hayes, days at 663-1870 First Meeting: Monday, October 3rd, 7:30 PM, Pine Room, Wesley Foundation, 602 E. Huron St. (corner of State) Nietzsche, Marx, and America Neitzsche and Marx reiected morality, Christianity, and ab- stract sociological methods. They were concerned with the problem of how to create a'space' where individuals can express the most vital parts of the self. We will consider their similarities and differences and work to form some notion of the American destiny.' Resource Person: Glen Perice, evenings at 996-2894 First Meeting: Tuesday, October 4th, 7:30 PM. Rnnm 290 TvlIr Hnus Fnet Ond Non-Violence in Action Sessions will focus on non-violent action with an emphasis on practical matters. This course should prepare people for non-violent campaigns on a variety of issues. We will operate on both intellectual and emotional levels. Resource Person: Richard Cleaver, days at 761-8283 First Meetin: Monday, October 3rd, 7:30 PM, Quaker House, 1416 Hill St. The Politics of Nuclear Disarmament The theme of our course concerns the political issues surrounding the arms race, the cold war, and connections to and influence upon militarism, interventionism, and social oppression. We will talk about the possibilities and prospects for disarmament, peace, and social justice. This course is aimed at people who wish to become more informed about this issues and for those who want to become active. Resource People: Justin Schwartz and other members of the Michigan Alliance for Disarmament (MAD), at 995-5871 First Meeting: Thursday, October 6th, 7:30 PM, Room 220 Tyler House, East Quad Spirituality and Social Action Many people feeJ the need for a spiritual base in their lives and as a support for their social action. This course if offered for those who want to examine a variety of approaches to spirituality, whether or not they are now part of any one tradition. The format will be personal sharing around ideas such as committment, detachment, courage and gentleness, and finding a spiritual center. Resource Person: Jonathan Ellis, 665-0606 First Meeting: Thursday, October 6th, 4 PM, Canterbury Loft, 332 S. State St. (above Bivouac). Women's Lives: The Personal is Political We will try for a composite view of women's issues from the personal perspective. Likely topics include gender specialization, racism, violence against women, health/sexuality, bridging cultural differences, and feminist theory. Sessions will be based on small groups and con- sciousness raising. Resource People: Julia Gittleman and Marian Milbauer Phone Contact: Julia Gittleman, at Michigan Student Assembly, 763-3241, 1 to 5 PM daily First Meeting: Wednesday, October 5th, 4 PM, Canterbury Loft, 332 S. State St. (above Bivouac) which led yOu to your degree --- could lIso led yOu to WATKINS-JOINSON COMPANY . *iid your nextl big chillenge. Our International company stands in the limelight of microwave electronics technol- ogy ... with 2,800 enthusiastic employees and a background of 25 years of experi- ence. We have two major groups - The Devices Group specializes in research, develop- ment and production of microwave devices and the utilization of these products in multi-component subsystems, and our Systems Group specializes in the design, development and production of special purpose receivers, antennas, space amplifi- ers, test systems and ECM equipment. Watkins-Johnson Company promotes EXCELLENCE in engineering, manufactur- ing, and performance through continued educational support, training, recognition, and full utilization of each person in our outstanding high-technology team. Openings are available to graduating candidates who have an excellent aca- demic record and are seeking an exceptional professional career and environ- ment. If you have a BS, MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering,;Mechanical Engi- neering or Computer Engineering and strive for excellence in your work, we in- vite you to meet our representatives at: FREE UNIVERSITY SPECIAL LECTURES OPEN TO EVERYONE A series of lectures on social change for human liberation will take place on Tuesdays at 4 p.m., at Canterbury Loft as an adjunct to the Free University. They will involve half hour or so presentations, followed by discussion, and are OPEN TO EVER(YONE whether or not you, are taking a Free University course. I F I-