The Michigan Daily - Weekend etc. - September 17, 1992 - Page 5 At last, a view for M Merchant Ivory by Aaron Hamburger Ask typical film students who their favorite director is, and you're likely to hearnames such as Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, and Gus Van Sant Jr. You're not likely to hear the names Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, a producing and directing duo that have quietly produced a body of work that represents several of the great films of the past ten years, including "A Room with a View," "Mr. and Mrs. Bridge," and their current film, "Howards End." One reason the Merchant Ivory team is not as well known as "names like Woody Allen, for example, is that they are elitists in the best sense of the word. While directors like Scorsese and Lee rely on violence and stylized camera angles to make their points, the Merchant Ivory team uses * subtle but expressive camera work and language to accomplish their ends. In fact, they are often so subtle that their films invite several viewings, and critics who often miss their point have dubbed them the "Masterpiece Theatre" of movies. Merchant Ivory tends to film ad- aptations by renowned British novel- ist Ruth Prawer Jhabvala of novels by authors like Henry James and E. M. Forster, and goes heavy on British accents and prestigious actors like Anthony Hopkins, VanessaRedgrave, and Maggie Smith. Their films ad- dress the question: what happens to the natural instincts of sexuality and passion in civilized society? In the case of Vannessa Redgrave's Olive in "The Bostonians" (1984)' Olive channels her "impure" love for another woman (Madeleine Potter) into becoming a militant feminist at the turn of the century. Redgrave sug- gests all the layers of hurt and repres- Dump Mike and go with Siren FOOD Continued from page 2 thermorefrugal gourmets will want to stick to the sandwiches; many sal- ads, like the shrimp and tortellini in pesto sauce, cost well over $10.00 per pound. Amer's puts a slightly different slant on the Mid-Eastern items. The falafels are stuffed in a pita rather than being wrapped by one, and the myste- rious "vegetable hamburger," the key constituent of falafels, is crunchier than at other Mid-Eastern restaurants. The Baba Ghannouj and Tabbouli are slightly tangier than normally ex- pected, but the baklava has just the right combination of honey and flake. The decor at Amer's is the same combination of black and white tile, lacquered wood, exposed brick, and colorful art that one can find in any Williams-Sonoma, Crate and Barrel, Merchant of Vino, or Gloria Jean's. Come to think of it, the people are the same too. Not that Amer's hosts a modish crowd, but it gets busier be- foreandafterFellini filmsattheMichi- gan Theater. The restaurant's earlier- and later-than-usual hours (7:30a.m.- midnight weekends/7:00a.m.-mid- night weekdays) are a definite plus if you and your date just want an "ice capp" after a concert or movie. The service is uneven as is typical with new restaurants. If you complain about a lack of vanilla in your vanilla latte, they might add more, give you a new one, orask you what planet you're from depending on who's working. The system where they call your name to bring out your order can get annoy- ing at times. If you happen to be blessed with an unoriginal name like Mike, Jenny, or John, it might be better to declare that you're Soren, Indigo, or Wolfgang during the busy hours. Most of the new cafes in Ann Arbor are identical. The same food and drink is offered in the same atmo- sphere to the same crowd at the same price. Amer's distinctive combina- tion of cafe and deli makes it worth trying. If any of the new restaurants becomes a mainstay in the city, it will be this one. Amer's Mediterranean Deli 312 S. State St. 761-6000 When to go: After Marcel Marceau Live at the Power Center. Who to bring: That special someone from your cultural studies class. What to talk about: Definitely not why you volunteered for Pat Buchanan. What to wear: Ditch the Spring Break '92 Daytona Beach t-shirt. How to eat: Legs crossed and awl fully nihilistic. U Ivory and Merchant (yes, the real people) consult with Vanessa Redgrave. Thursday Li Special Shepard's Pie a hearty beef stew covered with mashed potatoes and served with homemade French bread only $2.99 1 1:30-3:00pm unch Thursday Dinner Snerial sion that lie underneath her iron exte- rior. The film is visually stunning, particularly a memorable sequence shot on the Long Island shore. "A Room with a View" (1986), probably the best known Merchant Ivory film, is also their funniest. The plot of this comedy of manners, a young girl's trip to Florence awakens the sensual side of a young woman named Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter), who is tied between the man she loves (Julian Sands) and her dim-witted fiancee (Daniel Day- Lewis, in one of his early perfor- mances). The film, however, also has dark undertones, especially in Daniel Day-Lewis's performance. He clev- erly plays up the caricaturistic side of his character until his final scene, when he proves incapable of reveal- ing the depth of his feeling for Lucy. Merchant Ivory returned to the theme of repressed homosexuality in their adaptation of E. M. Forester's posthumously published novel, "Maurice" (1987). James Wilby plays the title role, a young gay man who struggles to find fulfillment in Edwardian England, when homosexu- ality was a crime punishable by life imprisonment. Part of the pleasure of the film is letting your eye roam the incredible setdecoration which recre- ates pre-World War I England. From the glamorous settings of Florence and London, Merchant Ivory traveled to mundane Kansas City of the 1930's with their next film "Mr. and Mrs. Bridge," the story of an All- American family whose lives are about as passionate as a can of tuna fish. This film, my favorite of 1990, con- sists of a series of amusing vignettes which seem to do little more than detail the squeamishness of the title characters (expertly played by Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward). At the heart of the film, however, is an examination of how stubbornly and in some cases, tragically, Ameri- can middle class values refuse to gibe with human nature. Hey that's David Lynch turf! Only Merchant Ivory manages to communicate the same themes as Lynch by just telling agood story without resorting to stylish tricks. Now that "Howards End" is a hit, suddenly Hollywood has come court- ing with financing for the next Mer- chant Ivory film, an original screen- play titled "Jefferson in Paris," and a Mike Nichols production (to be di- rected by Ivory with many of the cast members from "HowardsEnd"), "Re- mains of the Day." The question is not why Hollywood has finally recog- nized the talent of these filmmakers, but what took them so long? R1CSTAUJDANF ANO PUB * ARao*, Mi.- 338 S. State - 996-9191 :.00pm Ln . Beer, Long I ine $ Black Pepper Pasta with Italian sausage, hot peppers, sun dried tomatoes and fresh garlic $6.75 Drink Special: 9:00 pm-Close Happy Hour: 3:00-7 $1.00 off Pints ofF Well Drinks, Wi sland Iced Tea 2.75 a pint PM 1 You are invited to the Scandinavian ;% Studies Social . 4. .r h -'i Thursday, Sept. 17 5-6:30pm Ii Michigan League, 2nd floor Kalamazoo Room r is Meet your student friends, r; exchange students, - Scandinavian Studies faculty. J.-' Refreshments."' r, Sponsored by the Scandinavian t Studies Program. Information: 747-0408 4 - :fS - :tS - " :.r- - .. ..-r:.,. . -$10.00 OFF METAMORPHOSIS jHighlights " Lowlights - Permas H A I R"- S A L O N with a haircut With coupon. Please mention ths ad Exp es 12/31/92 663-3991 - - - -1-. -- - 121 E . L ib e rty College Haircuts Every Day-F9- Sat9-6 I ColegeHairuts veryDayEarlier or later hours by appointment. no coupon needed lproductseiscmewian Includes Wash - Blowdry - Complete Style owner-backed guarante..-Oarlene Strasburg I ymust be 18-23 years old Exnerimnced hair desianer oponrtunities available. r ORVIS BROWNING plus fine American and European Antique Furniture 803 N. Main o Ann Arbor 761-9200 Mon. - Sat. 10-6 The New Two-Story Cafe on South University . * TresIiy Squeezedl uices Espressos and Cappucinos Sandwiches antSalas Cakes and'Pastries !J.[dagen-'Dazs Ice-Cream Open until 3:00 AM Everyday 1110 S. University 761-8600 T BACK TO CLASS SAVINGS AT MARTI WALKER Present this coupon at Marti Walker's State Street store September 11t1-30", 1992, and receive a 10% discount on your purchase. You are free to, buy as many items as you wish. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. -.-,. i i ....: ............... . : 'iai'h. . : ..:" ..'s* ^.'dJ +C:+ htiiX i: }:Sig, :.: is=: : . _