ARTS he Michigan Daily Wednesday, February 8, 1984 Page 5 Woody books a winner By Craig Winkelman BROADWAY Danny Rose, a wonderful film from Woody Allen, represents the latest step in the progression of Allen's Career as a filmmaker, and brings his art within the reach of most movie goers. Broadway Danny Rose tells the story of Danny Rose (played by Allen), a small-time theatrical agent who handles only acts that he believes in - such as a one-legged tap dancer, a parrot that sings "I Gotta Be Me," and a lady that plays pop songs on a table of crystal glasses. The movie centers around Danny's exploits with an over-the-hill Italian singer, Lou Canova (Nick Apollo For- te), and the woman with whom Canova is having an affair, Tina Vitale (Mia Farrow). The story is told - a la Citizen Kane - by a group of acquaintances recalling the past. In this case, the acquaintances are several small-time comedians who have gathered at the Carnigie Deli for a long afternoon of story telling. Everyone has their own favorite Danny Rose story. Like the time the parrot trainer's star was eaten by a cat, or the time his hypnotist took a female from the audience and put her in an irreversible trance. "If she comes out of it, I'll take you anywhere you want for dinner . .. You like Chinese food, don't you?" Danny asks the distraught husband. Pure Woody Allen. But no one can match the story of Lou Canova and Tina Vitale for intrigue and excitement. Danny Rose is forced by his client, Canova, to be a "beard" with his extra- marital playmate, Tina Vitale. A beard is someone who poses as a companion for part of an illicit couple, so that the true lovers can be seen in public together without raising suspicion. Danny is a successful beard; so suc- cessful that he gets an Italian mob - who thinks that he has stolen Tina away from their heartbroken brother - on his trail, seeking revenge. This set-up is perfect for Allen to play the nervous, timid Danny Rose. Allen, with a great deal of exaggerated hand movements, gives a different kind of performance than we are used to seeing from tiim. Danny Rose, although conforming to the classic Allen persona, is not sb much the center of attention as are most of Allen's main characters. He ac- ts primarily as a straight man for all of the others. This minimal performance makes a truly believeable character of Danny Rose. Nick Apollo Forte also gives a very believeable performance as the over- weight, heavy-drinking Lou Canova. And Mia Farrow shines, showing us her versatility in playing the tacky bleached blonde, Tina Vitale, just as convincingly and naturally as the psychiatrist Isadora Fletcher in Zelig. Her authentic Brooklyn accent, high- heeled strut, and sunglasses help make her obnoxious and crude, yet natural and likeable., The natural performances in Broad- way Danny Rose are enhanced by the realism of Gordon Willis' superb cinematography. His work in Broad- way is reminiscent of another realistic favorite, Vittorio DeSica's The Bicycle Thief. Allen adds other DeSica references. Angelina, a fortune teller, is quite similar to the fortune teller found in Bicycle Thief. Allen also carries an Italian motif through the film with the families such as the Canovas, and Dick Hyman's shlocky Italian accordion score. the second and more important reason for noting this comparison is that Woody Allen has been making such directorial references throughout his film career. From the Bergmanesque Interiors (1978) to the Citizen Kane- inspired newsreel footage in Zelig Allen has fluctuated between accessible to inaccessible styles while remaining intensely aware of his predecessors and colleagues. In Broadway Danny Rose, Allen finds the perfect blend of pure comic fun and cinematic references to create l a very enjoyable and densely-packed film comedy. It is refeshing to see a major film talent make wonderful moies like his last three efforts Broad- way, Zelig, and the underacclaimed Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy. With Broadway Danny Rose, Woody Allen adds another fine achievement to his filmography, and shows us once more that he is one of the most exciting film makers of our time. he creative Woody Allen portrays Danny Rose, a timid theatrical agent involved with the mafia. Harpsichordist amazes with virtuosity By Anne Valdespino HE PENDLETON ROOM was filled to capacity in anticipation of n exciting new artist. Bradley rookshire, a smart looking young man in his early twenties, marched up to a kagnificent Flemish harpsichord and began. His first selection was a sonata by omenico Scarlatti, so virtuosic that any keyboard players dare not brave t as an opening piece. Brookshire ared and triumphed. His tempo was risk but phrases were well-defined. He andled the difficult task of articulating uick notes beautifully, and the music emained crisp throughout. Brookshire proved from the outset that he is a natural harpsichordist, possessing an intimacy with the in- strument that is rare today. He had at his disposal, the ability to convey a universe of special effects. To evoke a delicate mood, Brookshire chose to play on the upper keyboard. This veiled sound gave the Menuet a distant music-box quality. In the Fugue alla giga from Bach's Toccata in G major, Brookshire made grander gestures. Using a coupling device which enabled him to operate two sets of strings from the lower keyboard, he produced a brilliant sound that seemed to swell. This was an amazing feat, considering the har- psichord's inability to change volume. But conjuring various musical illusions was only part of Brookshire's bag of tricks. His knowledge of the historical aspects of these pieces freed him to do still more. Unknown to many members of the audience, Brookshire prepared a composition of his own creation for this concert. The first movement of D'Angleberts Suite in D survives in sources that contain all the pitches of the prelude without any of its rhythms. From these raw materials he fashioned a tasteful introduction to the suite., It moved forward with great harmonic direction, in contrast to the lugubrious interpretations that un- measured preludes are usually given. Another advantage Brookshire has in being skilled in historical practices is his ability to tune instruments in ways that are entirely unknown to most modern keyboard players. This was especially apparent in Cento Partite Sopra Passacagli by the Italian Renaissance composer Girolamo Frescobaldi. Its meantone tuning made discordant harmonies a bit.out of tune, so that they sounded more poignant. But this recital did not depend on historical accuracy "to make it a fulfilling experience. Brookshire is one of very few musicians gifted with that indescribable talent many people call star quality. Put him on stage, and rather then feeling anxious, he thrives in the spotlight and revels in the challenge of performing technical im- possibilities as if they were elementary. Treacherous leaps, intricate hand crossings, extended trills, and devilish repeated notes he executed with astounding ease. The longer one listened and watched Brookside, the more the secret to his unearthly ar- tistry became apparent - he was having fun. Join the Daily Arts Staff! INSIGHT New Mental Health Service Professional psychoanalyst will respond in writing to individu- als who wish to submit prob- lems or concerns. Fee: $1.00 per letter Please enclose a stamped self- addressed envelope. Confidentiality maintained. Please address letter to: INSIGHT P.O. Box 2078 Ann Arbor, MI 48106 ANN ARBOR INDIVIDUAL THEATRES 5th AveaoRliberty 76140700 $1 50 TUESDAY ALL DAY "EFFERVESCENT" . NEW YORK TIMES "EROTIC" NEW YORK MAGAZINE « , (R} MER' I at the beach-, ENDS THURSI DAILY 100, 7:15, 9:35 JACK NICHOI SON DEBRA WINGER SHIRLEY MacLAINE DALY 1:00, 7:00, 9:25 Silent Running treks through space By Byron Bull Silent Running is a modest, and, at times, very curious film worthy of attention despite its numerous weaknesses. Directed by special effects genius Douglas Trumbull (2001, Close Encounters, Blade Runner) at the a'ge of 29, it's not an immediately en- joyable work. The plotting is sketchy, and the themes never fully explored, but the effort is sincere. There are great ideas hidden within the murky storyline, they simply require a search. In the 21st century, overpopulation and rampant industrialization have wiped nature right off the face of the planet. The last remaining wildlife and foliage have been transported into space. Whole forests sit within glass geodesic domes, affixed to the skeleton framework of long, spindly space freighters, awaiting their final fate. The astronaut caretakers are so bored with their cargo that, when the order comes to jettison the domes and return home, they react with almost violent enthusiasm. The forests are shot into space, and exploded. The sole botonist on board, Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern), is outraged, he commandeers one freighter and heads into the void. He tends his forest all alone, his sole companions being several small robot drones, only a few feet tall. It is the drones in fact that were the impetus for the film. Viewing Tod Browning's Freaks, Trumbull struck upon the idea of using bilateral amputees (people amputated from the pelvis down) as robots in a film. Since the amputees can only move about by walking on their hands (and surprisingly quickly), Trumbull designed small fiberglass prop/costumes to encase them. Even with the outfit, on, the drones are far smaller than a dwarf. The sight of them walking about the set is stunning. Yet one effect is not enough to carry a movie. The screenplay (credited to Deer Hunter's Michael Cimino among others) is illogical and confused. The very idea of launching the remaining forests into space, and then casually destroying them is absurb. Likewise, a subsequent subplot involving a. mysterious epidemic that slowly kills the plants. The solution Lowell reaches after much agonizing is the very first one we'd consider if we found a house plant to be ailing. Guess what it is. Trumbull fails to concentrate on his character. He spends far too much time showing the hardware, par- ticularly the drones. Even when we do see Lowell, the drones are there clicking and chirping, distracting us. To be fair to Dern, he does the best with the material. He tries to inject his Lowell with warmth and gentleness, but never enough for the audience to fully empathize. So little of the script is devoted to explaining his motivations that many of his actions seem irrational. He, in fact, comes to resemble any one of the psychos for which he's been typecasted in other films. craft carrier. Television monitors and vacuum- formed plastic panels were added to the cabin walls, with much of the original wiring and ductwork left exposed. The result is a cluttered, detailed set that is a thoroughly believable spacecraft interior. The miniature and optical work, through simple animation stand and front projection techniques, is imaginatively utilized. It is the simple beauty of some of the shots that makes one wonder how much an im- provement those expensive motion control systems of today are. The one truly fascinating thing about the film is its unique place as a cultural artifact. Like science fic- tion films of the early seventies, it has a heavy en- vironmental theme, yet it's not -at allranti-tech. In Trumbull's eye,, technology and nature can blend quite easily. It is the equipment of the domes that protects and nourishes the forest. Lowell himself ad- justs more easily to the company of the drones than he did his crewmates, taking them for walks through the domes and teaching them to play poker. - If Stanley Kubrick made technology sexy in 2001, then Douglas Trumbull makes it as comfortable as an old sweater in Silent Running. In the final shot of the film, a drone plods along through the forest, watering flowers and planting trees, looking very much a part ,of the environment. That one image neatly summarizes everything Trumball had spent the first 90 minutes trying to say. Silent Running shows at 7 and 8:45 at the Hill Street Cinema, 1429 Hill. GRADUATING SENIORS Have you considered a career in: ENVINRONMENTAL AND INDUSTRIAL HEALTH? The University of Michigan offers Master and Doctorate degrees in: GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE ENVIRONMEN TAL EPIDEMIOLOGY ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY TOXICOLOGY OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE WATER QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PLANNING & POLICY A degree from any of these areas will provide the graduate with an in- teresting and financially rewarding career in a growing profession. Interested students in Engineering, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Pre- Med., Pre-Dent., or any Physical or Biological Sciences should call or write: Prof. M.S. Hilbert Dept. of Environmental and Industrial Health - School of Public Health The University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029 (313) 764-3188 Financial Assistance available to qualified students. Open House, Thursday, February 9 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in Room 3001, Henry Vaughan Bldg. (SPH I) Technically, the movie is shoestring budget. Much aboard the U.S.S. Valley a marvel of production on a of the filming was done Forge, a mothballed air- N'S AST tv O Ake NG So NI ERN PT XUAL H~ARA SECURITY SSMENT JOIN MSA'S ..