The Michigan Daily - Friday, January 11, 1985 - Page 7 'Cotton Club:' the jazz age in Harlem By Emily Montgomery To recreate the flair, flavor, and feeling of an era is no easy talk. Yet, Francis (Ford) Coppola's mixture of history with fiction makes the best swinging, toe tapping, bootlegging 20s seem like yesterday in his latest film The Cotton Club. Cotton Club reveals the story of the famous Harlem club of the same name, a club which gave way to such talented black performers as Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, Cab Calloway and the Mills Brothers. The movie stars Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Gregory Hines, and Lonette McKee. Gere plays Dixie Dwyer, the clinched struggling musician, whose playing is right for the club, but skin coloring is not. (The Cotton Club) featured only black performers, although racism of the time kept them out of the audience.) Dwyer, much to his dismay, finds himself in the middle of a crime ring when he, out of pure in- stinct, saves the life of the mob's leader Dutch Schultz (James Remar). Shultz; hires Dwyer as an escort to his mistress Vera Cicero (Diane Lane). Given the alternative, as Schultz puts it, "If I didn't like you, you'd be dead," Dwyer accepts the position. When Cicero and Dwyer fall in love, though, they come dangerously close to experiencing the full force of Schultz's anger. A more touching story is the romance between hoofer Sandman Williams (Gregory Hines) and singer Lila Rose Oliver (Lonette McKee). Their dilemma revolves around the fact that Oliver can "pass" as white, which, at the time meant a greater chance for success and perhaps going on to Broadway. San- dman follows Oliver around and woos her backstage at the club, despite the club's rule against performers socializing with each other, until she consents to marriage. Another example of the racism blacks faces comes in a scene when the couple tries to check in- to a hotel together. "We don't accept mixed couples," the clerk tells them. "Well, my father is colored and my mother is white, so what does that make me, sir?" Oliver replies. They manage to get the room. An interesting and effective choice for Hines' screen brother and dance partner is his real life, older brother Maurice, who is also an excellent dan- cer. When Sandman asks for a solo spot to impress Oliver, the brothers quarrel and split-up. Their reunion dance is un- doubtedly the film's finest scene. One criticism of The Cotton Club is a lack of character development. This may be true. Gere's character never seems to make it past the all around good guy bugler with a heart of gold (although he plays the cornet) exterior. And Diane Lane's few lines make her character out to be just another cold- hearted floozy, trying to scratch her way to the top. In a film of The Cotton Club's nature, though, this seems almost secondary to the idea of cap- turing the essence of an age, in this case The Jazz Age, on film. The danger of organized crime, the struggle of the black performer for attention on a white man's stage, the fast times, free living and gaiety of the rich, white Cot- ton Club patrons, Coppola spans the spectrum and includes them all. Although The Cotton Club had some shakey beginnings, with early produc- tion problems that pushed its release date back more than a year, the finished product is a film rich in the en- tertainment that gave the club its stan- ding. So, if the lines at Beverly Hills Cop get too long, you might wander over to see this one. It was a long time coming, but it's well worth the wait. Diane Lane and Richard Gere in Francis Ford Coppola's latest releaser, 'The Cotton Club.' The film is a portrait of the legendary Harlem night club where the finest talent of the Jazz Age entertained the era's most notorious gangsters. B These cla By Neil Galanter I said to myself: "How about some new classical releases to sweep the new year in on a good note?", and I replied, "Good Idea!" So here we go with the classics for the New Year. Angel Record Company, which is consistently producing some of the best classical music on record, has some new discs which are just as gleaming as the icicles hanging from the trees during this frigid January Vivaldi's The Four Seasons for Violin and Orchestra, with the brilliant young German violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and Herbert von Karajan conducting, is an example of the perfect depiction of each of the four seasons. Mutter plays her fiddle in such a way that you feel every one of those seasons 0 0 a " ssics give y in your bones. From the rustic sounds of Autumn in the "Autumn Concerto" to the crystal glaze in the "Winter Con- certo". Mutter sweeps, moves, and ex- pands with every musical phrase. Are you tired of the bitter ice and cold we have been having? No problem then, just listen to Mutter in the "Spring" or "Summer" Concerto, and you'll be happily romping in the warmth and hearing the chirps of springtime once again. For those who prefer the classics on the lighter side a good choice would be Angel's recent release of: A Little Son- dheim Music. The album music from Sweeney Todd, A little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Merrily We Roll Along, and Anyone Can Whistle all features The Los Angeles Vocal Arts Ensemble. This is an especially satisfying collec- ou winter or spring tion of Steven Sondheim's ingenious musical pieces for Broadway Theater. The varied selections on this album are evidence of Sondheim's skillful han- dling of unusual stories, with songs and lyrics that artistically convey the mood and character of the plays. The Los Angeles Vocal Arts Ensemble and these pieces of music combine both the aspects of Broadway music and Opera into a compilation of lilting and energetic listening which most assuredly will brighten some of these drab, and drawnout winter days. Deutsche Grammaphon also has an excellent new release to enliven the winter. It's a bright and also meaty version of Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1 in d minor with the young Krystian Zimmerman as soloist, and Leonard Bernstein conducting the Vienna Philharmonic. Providing a fresh, crisp, and detailed interpretaion of this warhorse concerto, Zimmerman and Bernstein pay due respect to every single nuance outlining every bit of salience throughout. They take the piece at a somewhat slower pace than usual, but that is an added asset to the recording, because it enables them to get the most out of the music, which is definitely some of Brahms at his best. And if you are keeping track of UMalumni, there is a new Deutsche Grammaphon recording out by one of the School of Music's most successfull past students. The internationally reknowned soprano Jessye Norman who attended U of M some years ago, teams up with pianist Daniel Baren boim in an album of Brahms Songs (German Lieder) for Voice and Piano Including such favorites as "Das mad- chen", and the "Gypsy Songs". Records (Continued from Page 5) bewildered-with-technology honesty of "Answering Machine" in anything but very early Springsteen or Stewart. The Replacements have dared. Man- dolin, 12-string guitar, and piano ar- tistically find their way into Let It Be. The Replacements are comin' out. "Seen Your Video" shows this new commitment to integrity alongside in- novative talent. But as for the music, they're just having' a few beers and playing rock the way they learned how for a world they know they can't change. As for rock and roll, they're just letting it be. -Hobey Echlin Winter Robes 40% off Lanz Flannel Gowns 30% off All Bras 20% off Sale beginning January 2nd thru January 19th Ulle Van iureu 'ivp La Marque de Oualite Lingerie 11 NICKELS ARCADE " ANN ARBOR, MI 48104 PHONE (313)662-2914 The Van Buren Shop La Marque de Qualite Lingerie Since 1927 Thanks to our customers we have outgrown our space WE'RE MOVING! To 304 S. State elf& e e --m SAT & SUN. FIRST MATINEE ONLY $2.00 HE'S NOT JUST ANOTHER OUT-OF-TOWNER! JOHN SAYLES BEST FILM YET! N OI L FRI., MON. 8:30 SAT., SUN. 1:00, 3:00, 8:30 This motley gang of youths comprise The Replacements. Their new album, Let It Be, reveals an interesting collection of music and even features R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck on one tune from the album. U U Dance Theatre Studio ASSISTANT EDITOR Downtown Detroit reference book publisher is seeking editorial candidates to do research and writing for our books. Required is a Bachelor's Degree in English with training and interest in contemporary literature. Also required are proofreading skills and typing skills of 35 wpm. Salary starts at $800/mo. with periodic increases and a comprehensive benefit program. Please send resume, transcripts (if available) along with literary nonreturnable college paper (not poetry or short story) to: Publisher P.O. Box 2629 Dept. 1 Detroit. Ml 48231 I I I DIRECTED BY JONATHAN DEMME THE TALKING HEADS I Classes in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, and ballroom. New classes begin January 14. IEMU KI I--S IIV v =I I FRI., MON. 6:50, 10:30 SAT., SUN. 3:10, 5:00, 6:50,10:30 1 For current class schedule and more information call 995-4242. ': TOGETHER THEY MAY FIND THE STRENGTH TO KEEP THEIR WAY OF LIFE ALIVE! MEL GIBSON SISSY SPACEK (PG-13) From the Director of "On Golden Pond " I I .-.