A R TS ________ ......
The Michigan Daiy Thursday, October 2, 1986 Page7
Woody's at Power!
By Akim D. Reinhardt
50 years ago Lou Gherig was
playing baseball for the Yankees,
Franklin Roosevelt was pres-
ident, the first atomic bomb was
nine years away, and Woody
Herman made his debut as band
leader of "The Band That Played
the Blues." Gherig and Roosevelt
are long gone, and we have more
atomic weapons than Carl Sagan
can count, but Woody Herman is
still leading "The Band," who,
soon changed their name to "The
Thundering Heard."
Woody Herman is an extra-
ordinary bandleader and musi-
cian, and his concerts are the
experience of a lifetime. Someone
really likes Ann Arbor, because
he will be gracing Power Center
with his presence this Friday at
8:00. Woody and "The Heard"
will be performing with world-
renowned clarinetist Richard
Stoltzman.
1986 marks the 50th year that
Woodrow Charles Herman has
been touring with'the "Heard;" 50
years since he burst upon the
scene at the Roseland Ballroom in
Brooklyn, and shortly thereafter
made his famous big-time debut at
the Roseland in Manhattan.
During that time he's co-written
and recorded such standards as
"Blue Flame" and "Wood -
chopper's Ball" and other big band
favorites like "Laura" and
"Ebony Concerto," the only jazz
piece ever composed by Igor
Stravinsky, written especially for
Woody Herman. He's had his
own radio show and conducted
high school and college seminars
and clinics that have resulted in
the creation of almost 35,000 stage
bands.
Herman's contributions to the
world of music have been
inumerable and priceless, and
his deeds have not gone un-
recognized. He's been the subject
of six P.B.S. television specials, a
90-minute documentry entitled
"Woody," and has been featured
twice on the P.B.S radio series
"Jazz Alive."
The 73-year-old saxophone
player and clarinetist from
Milwaukee is a legend in his own
time, but not a docile one. He still
tours constantly with "The
Heard," both here and abroad;
including an annual European
tour. And Herman hasn't been
.complacent with his music either.
He doesn't simply rehash songs
he did 45 years ago over and over.
He still writes and also arrangeE
contemporary music by such
artists as Carole King, Stevie
Wonder, Chick Correa, Chuck
Mangione, and others.
Stoltzman will perform, a-
mong other things, Stravinsky's
Jazz legend Woody Herman and clarinetist Richard Stoltzman, both of whom will appear at Power
Center Friday night, sound off during a performance.
"Ebony Concerto," and Herman some new ones as well. It is an Tower Office of the University
will lead "The Heard" through all event that should not be missed. Musical Society. Contact
the great classics, and probably Tickets are available at Burton 764-2538 for details.
Croc' has bite
By Allan Markowitz
It's October, right? Time for'
students to hit the books, for
football fans to go crazy, for
leaves to fall off the trees. It's also.
the time of the year when people go
to the movies that are more
serious and mature than those
lighthearted comedies of
summer. Considering this fact,
one wonders why a funny and
easygoing movie ilike Crocodile
Dundee wasn't released a little
earlier.
The film's several merits
should entertain audiences in
M any month, however. Crocodile
provides lots of fast-paced excite-
twent as well as a number of
belly-busting laughs. The basic
premise-a man from the wild
ebnfronts a drastically different
culture when he visits the city-is,
Os old as Hollywood, but there are
enough new twists and humorous
'ituations to keep the film moving
quickly.
The title character (Paul
Hogan) is an impetuous yet
aimiable Australian who lives
naturally in the wilderness of the
Outback. When New York
newspaper reporter Sue Charlton
(Linda Kozlowski) goes to him for
an in-depth story on his rugged
li.fe, she gets more than she
bargained for. Sue finds Croc-
odile as fascinating as the
strange land where he abides, so
she takes him back to Manhattan
with her.
In the Big Apple, Dundee meets
some big-city troubles, including
muggers, an aggressive trans-
vestite, and an effete snob who's
*after the hand of Sue. Dundee's
...........
daring per sonality and huge
skinning knife get him out of
threatening situations, though,
and he ultimately proves worthy
love competition against Sue's
snobbish boyfriend (Mark Blum).
The relationship between
Dundee and Charlton is almost
blatant in its symbolism, but
Hogan and Kozlowski are con -
vincing and funny together.
Crocodile obviously represents a
primitive force-he tells Sue that
he doesn't care about politi -
cal/social issues-and Sue stands
for the refinement and culture of
civilized life. Yet the characters
do break their stereotypes at times,
as when they pursue each other ro-
mantically.
And it's easy to laugh as the two
discover how different are their
ways of life. In one scene, for
example, when two New York
hoodlums try to hold up Dundee,
Charlton panics whereas Croco-
dile causes the punks to turn tail
like animals in the jungle.
Suprisingly, these character-in-
a-new-environment jokes don't
wear out despite how many of
them appear.
Which is not to say that this
movie is flawless. The script
contains some technical prob-
lems; for instance, the love
conflict is presented rather late in
the movie. Also, the role of
Dundee's sidekick, Walter (John
Meillon), is virtually useless.
But on the whole, Crocodile
Dundee is a fun form of October
entertainment. Think of it this
way: this may be the last good
adventure-comedy until May or
June '86.
Right: Linda Kozlowski (center), as reporter Sue Charlton, causes
culture shock when she introduces 'Crocodile Dundee' (Paul Hogan) to
the natives of Manhattan. Above: Hogan enjoys much safer waters in his
hotel room.
THE MUSICAL THEATRE PROGRAM PRESENTS
A New Musical
Book and Lyrics by Music by
Garry Trudeau Elizabeth Swados
a a
Director & Choreographer Music Director
Tim Millett Eileen Condon
TUESDAY LUNCH LECTURES
12NOON
at the
INTERNATIONAL CENTER - 603 E. Madison
October 7: "WHAT'S HAPPENED AT CHERNOBYL?"
Speaker: PROFESSOR WILLIAM KERR, Professor of Nuclear Engineering
University of Michigan
October3, 4 & 6
October 5
8:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
Trueblood Theatre (State St. at Huron)
$5 General Admission
$3 Students with ID
Tickets available at the League Ticket Office from 10-5 Monday-Friday and
1 hour before curtain at the door.
Sponsored by the
ECUMENICAL CAMPUS CENTER
Lunch Served
1
.
.
The Center for Japanese Studies
Presents:
OCCUPATIONAL
TRANSFORMATIONS:
JAPAN AND THE U.S.
A Brown-Bag Lecture by
MACHIKO OSAWA
Professor of Economics, UM-Dearborn
Professor Osawa will lecture on the changes undergone
in both Japan and the U.S. in the recent past.
- -f KT __ A /^ 1T W WR W1 _
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