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cere, but not particularly thoughtful. At the State himself in the web of a psycho-killer. Not par-
TheaR rTTheater, 231 S. State St.; 662-6264. ticularly suspenseful, and full of cheap thrill effects.
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AMADEUS'
Director Milos Forman and author Peter Schaffer
decide to envision Mozart as a nineteenth century
equivalent of a talented but clownishly tem-
peramental pop star. The'idea is refreshing,.but the
execution lapses into just so many cheap laughs. Just
close your eyes and enjoy the soundtrack. At the
Movies at Briarwood, Briarwood Mall; 769-8780.
BABY
Dubious Disney adventure-romance about two
scientists (Sean Young and William Katt) who
befriend an orphan brontosaurus. Any similarities to
Bambi, Dumbo, and E.T. must surely be coinciden-
tal. At the Wayside, 3020 Washtenaw Ave.; 434-1782.
BEVERLY HILLS COP
Eddie Murphy goes through his usual fast jiving,
smart ass routines in this moderately amusing
thriller/comedy about a streetwise Detroit cop who
goes to California to investigate a friend's-murder.
Tihe script is just a sketchy outline, existing solely for
Murphy to improvise around. Murphy's antics are
cute, even if they're strictly lowbrow. The laughs are
fast and plentiful, but lightweight, and you're always
aware of just how shabbily slapped together the
whole film is. At the Movies at Briarwood, Briar-
wood Mall; 769-8780.
THE BREAKFAST CLUB
Writer-director John Hughes (last of Sixteen Can-
dies) takes a bleak look at coming of age in modern
suburbia. The film centers on five kids, of diverse
background locked up together in the high school
library for a Saturday afternoon detention. As the
day progresses, the kids drop their guards and feel
each other out, sharing their mutual frustrations and
fears. A curiously bitter script, fatally flawed by
melodramatic hyperbole and stereotypically stiff
characters who act tortured but are devoid of any
real feelings. This is like an amateur play, written
and put on by a high school English class that has
just finished reading a Eugene O'Neil play. Very sin-
THE FALCON AND THE SNOWMAN
John Schlesinger's thriller-drama about two
California youths who conspire to sell CIA secrets to
the Soviets is based on a true story but it is not
presented very convincingly. Sean Penn and Timothy
Hutton play the two boys, but their mechanical per-
formances fail to bring any believable depth to their
characters. Disappointing schtick. At the Movies at
Briarwood, Briarwood Mall; 769-8780.
FRIDAY THE 13TH PART IV
Umpteenth variation on the psycho-stalking-teens
scheme. At the State, 231S. State; 662-6264.
THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY
A marvelously imaginative comedy about an
African bushman who mistakes a Coke bottle that
falls from an airplane as a dropped trinket of the
gods, and decides to try to return it, The laughs are
pure slapstick, but ingenious and relentless. The
newest cult classic in town and deservedly so. At the
Movies at Briarwood, Briarwood Mall; 769-8780.
KING DAVID
Biblical epic starring Richard Gere, directed by
Bruce Beresford (of Breaker Morant fame). At the
Movies at Briarwood, Briarwood Mall; 769-8780.
THE LAST DRAGON
Motown musical fantasy with a martial arts
theme. You figure that one out. At the Fox Village,
375 N. Maple; 769-1300.
MASK
Peter Bogdonavich's variation on the Beauty And
The Beast theme. It's transplanted in California, '
but this time it's about a pill-popping biker mother
and her monstrously deformed son. Bogdonavich
avoids all the Elephant Man metaphors and symbols
about ugliness to concentrate on a small, very witty
film about human resiliancy in the face of despair.
The film is warm and engaging; really a pleasant
surprise. At the Ann Arbor Theater, 210 S. Fifth
Ave.; 761-9701.
THE MEAN SEASON
Phillip Borsos directed this unthrilling thriller
about a newspaper reporter (Kurt Russell) who finds
also s ars marl ,iHemingway. eA tne roxl S a ge
Theater, 375 N. Maple; 769-1300.
MISCHIEF
Comedy about a small town boy coming of age in
the 1950's. At the Fox Village Theater, 375 N. Maple;
769-1300.
1984
Earnest adaptation of George Orwell's- classic
aboutra future dystopia. Director/writer Michael
Radford stays respectfully close to his source
material, and has the sense to realize that the only
way to do this is to film it as a period piece. Unfor-
tunately, Radford just doesn't have enough skill to
bring the nightmare to life with real intensity.
Despite all the grimness, you can sit through this
film safely detached. Features John Hurt and
Suzanne Hamilton in two very fine performances. At
the State, 231 S. State; 662-6264.
PASSAGE TO INDIA
In the British ruled India of the 1920's, a young
English woman accusses a respected Indian doctor
of attempted rape. A finely crafted, often compelling
study of the darker corners of the human soul. At the
Movies at Briarwood, Briarwood Mall; 769-8780.
PORKY'S REVENGE
Second sequel to the highly successful, endlessly
insipid Porky's. Need you be warned? At the Fox
Village. 375 N. Maple;769-1300.
THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO
Woody Allen's latest film, a romantic fantasy
about a Depression-age housewife (Mia Farrow)
whose only respite from the bitterness of life is to
escape into the local movie house and live out this
weeks musical or adventure. One day a character in
one of the films (Jeff Daniels) looks down into her
eyes, and decides to jump out of the screen into her
life. Somewhat gimmicky, and sentimentally
manipulative but it has more than a few moments of
truly enchanting sweetness and wit. Definitely wor-
thwhile. At the Movies at Briarwood, Briarwood
Mall; 769-8780.
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about nuclear war. I personally think it to be one of
Kubrick's lesser films, but that still puts it far above
almost anything else. Also with George C. Scott,
L Sterling Hayden, and Slim Pickens. (Cinema 2; Aud.
A,7 p.m., 10:20p.m.)
THE KILLING (Stanley Kubrick, 1956)
Sterling Hayden is one of a bundle of crooks who
A Y develop a scheme to rob a racetrack and then skirt
the police, who they expect will don uniforms and
come a lookin'. One Kubrick film I have yet to see,
nomination for her role as one of the women in his
life. Great Randy Newman music. A lyric fantasy
that I look forward to seeing again. (Mediatrics;
Nat. Sci. Aud., 7p.m., 9:30p.m.)
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MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (Terry
Gilliam and Terry Jones, 1975)
A movie that always seems to be in fashion in Ann
Arbor is a good choice to start the fashion half of this
week's themed Campus Cinema. They call it
comedy, as the comedy troupe from Britain spoofs
the Camelot legends. I find it less funny than a good
deal of other people, but would have to call it worth
seeing for the opening credits alone, even if they are
a bit fishy. (Michigan Theater Foundation; Michigan
Theater, 7:30 p.m., 11 p.m.)
JABBERWOCKY (Terry Gilliam, 1977)
The equivalent of putting your shirt on backwards,
as a Monty Python mini-feat includes a film that is
not, strictly speaking a Monty Python film. Michael
Palin ventures beyond the walls of the city to-
conquer a monster of medieval times that likes very
much to eat people. Will he get the Jabberwck, or
will the Jabberwock get him? (Michigan Theater
Foundation; Michigan Theater, 9:15 p.m.)
CARMEN (Carlos Saura,1983)
Colorful garb to accompnay some colorful dancing
as the Bizet 'opera gets altered to fit the confines of
the silver screen. (Ann Arbor Film Coop; MLB 4, 7
p.m., 9 p.m.)
EAST OF EDEN (Elia Kazan, 1955)
James Dean, a poster boy who is always in fashion,
stars in an adaptation of the John Steinbeck novel.
He plays Cal Trask, a teen who finds parental affec-
tion lacking. Jo Van Fleet is also in the cast, and an
Oscar winner, to boot. (Mediatrics; MLB 3, 7:30
p.m.)-
REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (Nicholas Ray, 1955)
Be sure to bring a stylish pocket or purse with you
to the double-feature, so you have someplace to put
the ticket for the second movie while you watch the
first. James Dean once again, this time playing teen
Jim Stark, who very much dislikes his living en-
vironment. Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo are also in
the cast. (Mediatrics; 9:30 p.m.)
MY BRILLIANT CAREER (Gillian Armstrong,
1980)
The fashion in Australia at the turn of the century
was for a young woman to buy and use a wedding
dress. Judy Davis, nominated for an Oscar for her
role in Passage to India, plays a young woman who
would much rather write, but has to take a male pen-
name to do so. From the director of Mrs. Soffel,
which is on my Ten-best list for 1984. (Alternative
Action; Nat. Sci. Aud., 7 p.m., 9 p.m.)
DR. STRANGELOVE (Stanley Kubrick,1964)
Peter Sellers had to change clothes an awful-lot, as
and that will change this evening. (Cinema 2; Aud.
A, 8:40p.m.)
THE SEVEN SAMURAI (Akira Kurosawa, 1954)
Toshiro Mifune models the latest in Samurai
fashions as he assumes the leadership of a group of
seven outcast Samurai hired to protect a poor village
from bandits. A long movie, but never boring. Things
go at a good clip, leading to a good climax. Japanese
with subtitles. (Cinema 2; Aud. A, 8 p.m.)
MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (Terry
Gilliam and Terry Jones, 1975)
The English funnymen model their version of
Camelot dress. See yesterday's listing for details.
(Michigan Theater Foundation; Michigan Theater,
7:30 p.m., 11p.m.)
JABBERWOCKY (Terry Gilliam, 1977)
The Jabberwock rips clothes and the people within.
Can Michael Palin stop him? See Friday's listing for
details. (Michigan Theater Foundation; 9:15p.m.)
THE STERILE CUCKOO (Alan J. Pakula, 1969)
Liza Minelli got an Oscar nomination for her role
here, but could have saved the cost of a new dress for
the event, if she had known she was not going to win.
She portrayed a slightly crazy college girl who cap-
tivates Wendell Burton. Pakula's first feature film.
(Alternative Action; MLB 4,7 p.m.)
CABARET (Bob Fosse, 1972)
Wonderful music, and a wonderful cast. Joel Grey
won an Academy Award as the master of ceremonies
at a nightclub where Liza Minelli has a vast war-
drobe she can choose from when she performs.
Michael York also stars. The story deals with
Hitler's rise to power. Definitely recommended.
(Alternative Action; MLB 4, 9 p.m.)
THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Robert Wise, 1965)
Another good musical for this first Saturday of
April. Christopher Plummer hires Julie Andrews,
fresh from the convent, as a governess. She takes the
kids out singing "Do Re Mi," and gets their clothes
dirty. The plot is a bit hackneyed, but with the won-
derful songs by Rogers and Hammerstein, does it
matter? (Cinema Guild; MLB 3, 7:30 p.m.)
THE NATURAL (Barry Levinson, 1984)
The best film this Saturday is a perfect way of
leaving the world of fashion behind and getting ready
for the arrival of baseball. Robert Redford stars as
an old rookie sensation. Glenn Close got an Oscar
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
A grand-slam. The characters and plot are a bit
lacking, but the vision is supreme. The docking
sequences are some of the most beautiful ever
filmed, and the film will make you think. With HAL,
the nicest schizo computer ever. (Hill Street
Cinema; 1429 Hill, 8p.m.)
THE KING OF KINGS (Cecil B. DeMille, 1927)
Before throwing The Ten Commandments at us,
DeMille pitched an adaptation of the life of Christ,
played here by H. B. Warner. Silent with a musical
score. (Michigan Theater Foundation; Michigan
Theater, 3 p.m., 7 p.m.)
THE SIGN OF THE CROSS (Cecil B. DeMille, 1932)
A subway series of DeMille epics is on tap this
evening. The subject here is the Roman emperor,
and Charles Laughton gets the role of Nero: Claudet-
te Colbert is his consort, and she does unusual things
with donkey's milk. Also with Frederic March and
Elissa Landi. (Cinema Guild; Aud. A, 7 p.m., 9:20
p.m.) -
MUJERES DEL PLANETA (M. Barea, 1984) and
FILEMON Y LA GORDA (P. Ponce, 1984) and EL
HOMBRE (Valeria Sarmiento, 1984)
A series on Women's Film continues with a
tripleheader from Latin America, all of which
feature subtitles. The topics include a quest for bet-
ter living conditions, and a quest for women's rights
in the face of the machismo of the Latin American
man.
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT (Ian McNaughton, 1971)
Three. days after being the lead-off hitter in the
Michigan's mini-Monty Python festival, the film gets
a walk down Maynard to hit base at the Italian buf-
fet. The film is an assortment of sketches and skits to
insult just about everybody. (University Club; U=
Club, film at 7:10p.m.)
THE JOKE (Jarami Jires, 1969)
The Reds of Czechoslavakia send a teacher back to
the dugout, and the teacher decides to take a little
vengeance. From the novel by Milan Kundera. Czech
with subtitles. (Ann Arbor Film Coop; MLB 4, 7
p.m.)
BLACK PETER (Milos Forman, 1964)
The second half of an East European double-
header is from the Academy Award-winning director
of Amadeus. In this, his first film, he deals with the
subject of adolescence which he later tackled in -
taking off his first American film. Czech with sub-
titles. (Ann Arbor Film Coop; MLB 4,8:30 p.m.)
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