91 Page 10-The Michigan Daily- Friday, October9, 1992 A collage of perverse animation by Jon Altshul It's a sorry day when Spike and Mike are censored. Well, maybe not "censored," but certainly abbreviated. Gone are such classics from last year's animation festival as "Baby Story" and "Jesus Visits New York," leaving us with a slightly less disgusting, but still hi- 1ariously raunchy final product. Despite this year's glaring omis- F I I Sick and Twisted Animation Festival Various Artists sions, "Sick and Twisted" is ar- guably the most side-splitting thing to hit the silver screen since "Fletch." Released last winter, "Sick and Twisted" is a crotch-grabbing col- lage of perverse animation sketches. Under Spike and Mike's auspices, its international assortment of anima- tors have created an utterly random and incoherent scrapbook of sopho- moric fun. Inbred farm boys and fes- tering penises get top billing in this raucous wet dream that presents it- self with about the same political correctness as a Pat. Buchanan rally. It revolts while it delights, and of- fends while it enlightens. Swallow your morals and throw away your guilt, because this hodge- podge of cartoon clips isn't meant to be understood, only enjoyed. Be forewarned, however, the show isn't for everyone - don't bring a date. In fact, "Sick and Twisted" is about as romantic as a six-pack of warm beer and a stack of Penthouse mag- azines. Indeed, even the atmosphere at the festival is unique. Boasting near sellouts at virtually every screening, Spike and Mike seem poised to usurp "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" from the throne of late night licentiousness. The show opens with "Dog Pile", a light, yet sphincter-clenching sketch that deftly examines the in- herent dangers of pets and lawn care. The festival then proceeds to Mary Newland's perennial classic "Bambi Meets Godzilla", a short, poignant analysis of power and how it can be used. From there, Spike and Mike guide us through a roller coaster tour of animated horror and human anatomy. "Bladder Trouble", "Lull- aby", and "Woeful Willie" are all amusing but easily forgettable, while "One of Those Days", "The Mutilator", and "Hello Dad I'm in Jail" teeter on sheer stupidity. The real strengths of "Sick and Twisted", however, lay in "No Neck Joe", "Lupo the Butcher", "In Bred Jed", and "Deep Sympathy". All four, which run the gamut from Saturday morning fun to masochistic necrophilia, shine in their originality and unbeatable animation. "No Neck Joe" charts the life of a child born without a neck and the terrible tribu- lations he is forced to endure as a result of this mutation. It is a light- hearted treat that plays nicely with simple images and first-grade hu- mor. "Lupo" and "Jed", meanwhile, present the realities of working class America with chunk-blowing per- versity, examining closely the rela- tionship between language and provincialism. Finally, "Deep Sym- pathy" portrays the more unnerving facets of hominess, with a strong emphasis on the graphic. "Sick and Twisted" belies mere description. It flows with the grace of an offensive lineman and the style of a hard-up fourteen year old. So grab a beach ball and lots of munchies, because life is too pre- cious to miss Spike and Mike. SPIKE AND MIKE'S SICK AND TWISTED ANIMATION FESTIVAL is playing at the Michigan Theater. 01 After practicing 18 hours a day for 20 years, Ali Akbar Khan has become a pretty good sarod player. India's greatest musician I . I Plan to attend... LAW DAY Monday, October 12, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm Michigan Union The University of Michigan Career Planning Placement 1992 -Meet with admissions officers from US law schools -Investigate employment options available to graduating seniors -Gather information on law related campus organizations and services by Chris Wyrod Ali Akbar Khan is acknowl- edged by many as India's greatest living classical musician. He has become one of the most sought after and visible importers of Northern Indian music since his first performance at the M.O.M.A. in 1955. These Signature Series record- ings provide an unobscured aural Ustad Ali Akbar Khan Signature Series vols. 1 & 2 AMMP gaze into the fired intensity of Khan's masterful technique. Al- though the sarod is one of the world's most complex stringed instruments, Khan's tactile dex- terity creates delicately fluid yet intricate melodies. Dauntingly composed of 25 strings of differ- ent gauges, the sarod can be di- vided into four main strings carry- ing the melody on a fretless, steal fingerboard, four jawari strings tuned to the principal notes of the raga, two chikari drone and. rhythm strings tuned to the tonic to pattern and color the main melody, and fifteen sympathetic strings called the taraf. Khan's master musicianship did not come easily. His teacher and father, the renowned Allaud- din Khan, set a grueling schedule of 18 hours of practice every day, which continued over 20 years! All six ragas on these two CDs mold unique musical landscapes. The basic ascending and descend- ing tonal orders provide the boundaries for extended improvi- sation, infused with intense emo- tion. It seems impossible to pas- sively listen to these evocative ra- gas with out becoming enveloped in the mood they create. The en- ergy is infectious, especially as the pieces escalate in rhythmic coin- plexity and fervor. In volume two, Khan combines the ragas "Loin," H-lamir," and "Malua Kedar" into the soft and subtly darting "Rag Medhavi." Its poetic serenity is in honor of Sri Rabindranath Tagore, the poet lau- reate of Khan's homeland, Bengal. Because of the spaciousness of this rag, the virtuoso tabla accom- paniment of the late Mahapurush Misra shines through. His total control of the rhythmic contours shapes and envelopes Khan's sarod. Perhaps the direct emotional impact of ragas the can only be felt during a live performance. Ali Akbar Khan will make this Satur- day's performance a truly interac- tive experience, since the ragas are seldom pre-chosen. Instead, Khan spontaneously picks them from a repertoire of 75,000 ragas accord- ing to the mood of the audience. ALI AKBAR KHAN will perform Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Power Center. Tickets are $15-$30 in advance. Call 763-7KTS. 0 01 Special Presentation... Law School following the Law Admission Day forum S Monday, October 12, 1992 3:10 - 4:00 pm Kuenzel Room, Michigan U Panel [nion -Increase your understanding of law school' admissions -Gather tips to enhance the quality of your application -Ask your questions about the decision making process Sponsored by M-Flicks I U 0 0 I I KIDDER, PEABODY & CO. Incorporated cordially invites UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LS&A SENIORS to attend a presentation of the two-year INVESTMENT BANKING FINANCIAL ANALYST PROGRAM Tuesday, October 13, 1992 6:00 - 8:00 P.M. Michigan Union, Anderson Room Reception to follow presentation 01 1 -.:....t:}~: < ; ... .....; . . .4' . -...-:. ~'. . I 1