The Michigan Daily - Weekend etc. - September 24, 1992- Page 5 I wmmmmmm i a Noble 'Sarafina!' collapses into cliches by Aaron Hamburger It is very difficult to make a chal- lenging, intelligent movie about South Africa. There have been many noble attempts by acclaimed direc- tors like Richard Attenborough ("Cry Freedom"), Euzhan Palcy ("A Dry White Season"), and Chris Menges ("A World Apart"). Unfor- tunately, these attempts, though they each had their own strengths, ulti- 11 FILM REVIEW 1 Sarafina! Directed by Darrell James Roodt; written by William Nicholson and Mbongeni Ngema; with Whoopi Goldberg and Leleti Khumalo. mately failed due to their self-righ- teous nobility (and perhaps because their stories centered around white, rather than Black, resistance to Apartheid). For the first hour or so, when "Sarafina" concentrates on the per- -sonal story of the title character's growing up under apartheid, the movie succeeds. Unfortunately, "Sarafina" eventually collapses into cliched rhetoric that we've seen be- fore and has little to do with the much more interesting and affect- ing part of the movie which deals with Samfina (Leleti Khumalo) as W G( d Whoopi Goldberg (left) discusses s I an individual, rather than as the stock character of Noble Sufferer. Sarafina (Leleti Khumalo) is a young girl growing up in the Black township of Soweto. Like most teen- age girls, she has a favorite teacher (Whoopi Goldberg) and has a crush on a young man (Mbongeni Ngema). Unlike most teenage girls, however, Sarafina must stay out of trouble with the police, fend off the advances of the local town boss, and every week must travel to the white section of town where her mother works as a maid for a prosperous family. Prob- lems arise when Goldberg attempts to teach her students a sense of pride in themselves and their history. Her ar- rest leads to heightened tensions and eventually riots and even murder. The movie is based on the interna- tional hit musical which received five Tony nominations on Broadway. In- deed, "Sarafina" begins right off with afantasy Hollywoodproductionnum- ber, complete with chorus line, danc- ing, and theme song. The film fre- quently moves back and forth be- tween advancing the plot and pauses where characters suddenly burst into song and dance. These transitions should not work, but they do, due to the strength of the buoyant musical score and the exuberant Leleti Khumalo, in her film debut. Khumalo's appealing performance forms an emotional center which ties the film together and even helps "Sarafina" over some of its many rough spots. The interaction between Khumalo and Goldberg is one of the best parts of the movie. The actors shine, and you can tell that they genuinely like each other. Unfortu- nately, Goldberg disappears half- way into the movie, and in rushes the self-righteous South African movie cliches that seem to be requi- site to apartheid films these days. Although it is important to know about these events, our minds have become numb to images of riot-torn township streets in South Africa. I would have rather seen the film spend more time detailing the life of Sarafina and her relationship with Goldberg, and then end with the truly heartbreaking image of Goldberg attempting to salute her students as the police hustle her into the back of their van. This subtle image has more power than ten riot scenes. Though "Sarafina" is not a total failure, like its predecessors, the film's nobility eventually under- mines its strengths. SARAFINA is playing at Showcase and Ann Arbor 1 & 2. Hear Rostropovich for only $9! Hear Sweet Honey In The Rock for only $6! See the Shanghai Acrobats and Dance Theatre for only $7! 50% Off Student Ticket Sale Saturday, September 26 8:30 a.m. to noon Hill Auditorium Saturday, September 26 8:30 a.m. to noon Hill Auditorium Take 50% off the price of selected tickets to concerts including recitals by violinist Midori and cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, the Royal Philharmonic with Vladimir Ashkenazy, the Guarneri and Tokyo String Quartets, the Chicago Symphony Winds, Sweet Honey In The Rock, Les Grand Ballets Canadiens, New York City Opera National Company, Mummenschanz, Mark Morris Dance Group, and 28 more performances! " Valid Student I.D. required " Limit 2 tickets per event -but choose as many events as you wish! " Avoid Rush Ticket Sellouts " At least 50 tickets available for each event " Visa, MasterCard, checks, and cash accepted " First come, first served I schoolwork with Sarafina (Leleti Khumalo). I Chelsean Cows on their way by Nima Hodaei The Holy Cows are one of this area's best, and oftentimes, most ne- glected bands. Composing a sound that could be compared to that of the e t Minneapolis rockers (The Replace- ments, Soul Asylum, and even traces of Husker Du), the Cows do it bigger and better than most bands since. The Chelsea-based group's latest release "Get Along," throws them into a spot- light they rightfully deserve. The Cows combine ingenuity, fun, and gusto into one package. Not un- like The Replacements (especially on later albums), the Cows perform a gamut of tunes, from slow country- like ballads such as "We Never Waltz," to fast-paced tunes like the Pretenders' cover of "The Wait." The Cows are passionate yet not exces- sively so. Decorations and other flow- ery arrangements to their music are left at the door. Vocalist Michael Feeney sings straight ahead vocals in a gritty and husky style, with a hint of Westerberg, that comes across as re- markably personable. While charg- ing through a tune like"Thank God It's Wednesday," he still manages to slow down the tempo and belt out the strong ballad, "Space." John Popovich's guitar playing is worthy of anything this side of the 'Mats based on pure adrenaline alone. His energy and emotion in concert are still present (though to a lesser de- gree) on this album. Whilemany bands attempt to hide their influences, the Cows are loud and clear about it. They remain true to the music they grew up listening to, without idoliz- ing it to the point that it becomes See Cows, Page 6 Hindu Students Council Emerson String Quartet David Shifrin, clarinet Saturday, September 26, 8 p.m. Rackham Auditorium Midori, violinist Thursday, October 8, 8p.m. Hill Auditorium Made possible by a request from William R. Kinney Keith Brion and His New Sousa Band Saturday, October 10, 8 p.m. Hill Auditorium Presented in association with Ford Motor Company Fund Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Coppelia Saturday, October 17, 8 p.m. Sunday, October 18, 3 p.m. Power Center Shanghai Acrobats and Dance Theater Thursday, October 22, 7 p.m. Friday, October 23,8 p.m. Power Center Frankfurt Radio Orchestra Dmitri Kitaenko, conductor Cho Liang Lin, violinist Sunday, October 25, 4 p.m. Hill Auditorium Marcel Marceau, mime Friday, October 30, 7 p.m. Power Center American Indian Dance Theater Saturday, October 31, 8 p.m. Power Center Kirov Orchestra of St. Petersburg Valery Gergiev, conductor Vladimir Feltsman, pianist Sunday, November 1, 4 p.m. Hill Auditorium Chanticleer Wednesday, November 11, 8 p.m. Rackham Auditorium Sergio and Odair Assad, guitarists Saturday, November 14, 8 p.m. Rackham Auditorium Royal Philharmonic Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor Monday, November 16, 8 p.m. Hill Auditorium Presented in association with Jacobson Stores Inc. Arditti String Quartet Ursula Oppens, pianist Saturday, November 21, 8 p.m. Rackham Auditorium Handel's Messiah Saturday, December 5, 8 p.m. Sunday, December 6, 2 p.m. Hill Auditorium Sweet Honey In The Rock Friday, J anu ary 8, 8 p.m. Hill Auditorium Sign Language Interpreted Mstislav Rostropovich, cellist Sunday, January 10, 4 p.m. Hill Auditorium Presented in association with Parke-Davis Research, Warner Lambert Company Tokyo String Quartet Thursday, January 14, 8 p.m. Rackham Auditorium Urban Bush Women Saturday, January 16, 8 p.m. Sunday, January 17, 3 p.m. Power Center Little AngelsChildren's Folk Ballet of Korea Sunday, January 24, 4 p.m. Power Center Presented in association with Regency Travel Vienna Chamber Orchestra Philippe Entremont, conductor and pianist Thursday, January 28, 8 p.m. Hill Auditorium .Krasnayarsk Siberian Dance Company Monday, February 1,8 p.m. Hill Auditorium Hqracio Gutierrez, pianist Saturday, February 6, 8 p.m. Hill Auditorium Andre Previn Trio Saturday, February 13, 8 p.m. Hill Auditorium Presented in association with Edward Surovell CoJRealtors Leipzig Chamber Orchestra Sunday, February 14, 5 p.m. Rackham Auditorium Mummenschanz Mask and Mime Troupe Wednesday, February 17, 8 p.m. Thursday , February 18, 7 p.m. Power Center Skitch Henderson and the New York Pops Tuesday, March 2, 8 p.m. Hill Auditorium Presented in association with Ervin Industries New York City Opera National Company Bizet's Carmen Thursday, March 4, 8 p.m. Friday, March 5, 8 p.m. Saturday, March 6, 8 p.m. Power Center Presented in association with Great Lakes Bancorp Endellion String Quartet Sunday, March 7, 4 p.m. Rackham Auditorium Orchestra of St. Luke's Roger Norrington, conductor Arleen Auger, soprano Sunday, March 14, 4 p.m. Hill Auditorium Mark Morris Dance Group Saturday, March 20, 8 p.m. Sunday, March 21,3 p.m. Power Center Chicago Symphony Winds Sunday, April 4, 4 p.m. Rackham Auditorium Cecilia Bartoli, mezzo-soprano Saturday, April 10, 8 p.m. Hill Auditorium Vermeer String Quartet Sunday, April 18, 4 p.m. Rackham Auditorium Guarneri String Quartet Sunday, April 25, 4 p.m. Rackham Auditorium Presented in association with Curtin & Alf and Michigan National Bank The King's Singers Sunday, May 2, 4 p.m. Hill Auditorium Detroit Symphony Orchestra David Zinman, conductor Soloists TBA The University Choral Union Sunday, May 9, 4 p.m. Hill Auditorium Presented in association with the Handleman Company University Musical Society of The University of Michigan NIGHT &DAY You ARE THE ONE (313) 764-2538 Burton Memorial Tower, Ann Arbor, Ml 48109-1270 Underwritten by ' . q 1 i k pE a i The N'~aioal Forum Providing Opportunities *o Learn Abourt Hindcu Heritc,!e andci C uhfWr'e MASS MEETING - - -