Page 6-The Michigan Daily/New Student Edition-Entertainment - Thursday, September 10, 1992
Your filmic rtunities
Where, when, why and how to see movies in this town s
by Michael John Wilson
When University students are
starved for entertainment, they
choose movies more often than
anything else. And why shouldn't
they? Ann Arbor is a great place to
see great films, though 10 years ago,
it was probably as good as Paris or
New York City. B ut there are still
plenty of opportunities to watch
classics from the '30s and dogs from
screen in a darkened theater - the
way it was meant to be seen.
Instead of watching widescreen
epics like Lawrence of Arabia on
video - with the lights on, the
phone ringing, and the frame
cropped - see it for three bucks in a
theater on campus. It's the chance of
a lifetime, really.
Unfortunately, the future of cam-
pus cinema looks dark at the mo-
the '90s, on campus and off. Most
importantly, Ann Arbor gives you
the chance to see films you might
never have a chance to see again.
Here's a rundown of Ann Arbor's
filmic (yes, filmic) resources:
CAMPUS CINEMA
What separates this campus from
any other are its film societies.
Students, faculty and staff team up
to show movies cheaply to you.
Their films are shown in the large
University auditoriums, like Angell
Hall Auditorium A, and the prints
they rent are usually 16mm (as op-
posed to the superior 35mm you're
used to).
So why would you want to pay
money to watch a grainy old movie
in your Psych lecture hall on a
Saturday night? Because the films
that are shown are among the great-
est ever made. You may never get
another chance to watch Stanley
Kubrick's mindblowing masterpiece
2001: A Space Odyssey on a big
ment. Several years ago, the films
groups presented movies every night
of the week. Now, many of them
have folded due to a lack of support,
and the societies that remain only
show on weekends. It's up to you to
keep this valuable Ann Arbor re-
source alive by supporting them with
your ticket dollar.
Here's a rundown of the variety
of campus cinema groups. Keep in
mind that these groups always need
new members; give them a call, it
might be the niche you're looking
for.
Cinema Guild has been around
for over 40 years, making it the old-
est film society in the country, let
alone on this campus. It's known for
showing the great Hollywood and
foreign classics, from Godard's
Breathless to Capra's It's a
Wonderful Life. The most consistent
of all the film groups, you usually
can't go wrong with a CG presenta-
tion.
The Ann Arbor Film Co-op is
more erratic in the quality of their
films. They're also a hell of a lot
more daring, and might be called the
cult film society on campus. Though
most of what they show is extremely
cool. Where else could you see a se-
ries of films by Haron Farocki and
Sergei Paradjanov in the same year?
Yet not surprisingly, the rather lim-
ited appeal of their showings has
brought them financial difficulties.
They've recently had to resort to
surefire moneymakers like Blonde
Emanuelle, a 3-D porn film. (You
know a film group's in trouble when
it starts showing porn.) The Co-op
deserves and needs your support.
Take a risk sometime and see some-
thing you've never heard of - they
must be showing it for a reason.
M-Flicks is a branch of UAC, the
University Activities Committee. In
other words, unlike the above groups
which are self-supporting, M-Flicks
receives a wad of money from the
University every year which they
can blow on whatever they please.
They don't have to worry about los-
ing money or making a profit.
Instead of using this freedom to
show truly great films that might not
make money, M-Flicks spends the
bucks on the most expensive films
possible: recent Hollywood hits like
Die Harder. In the past two years,
however, the groups has improved
considerably in their choices by
showing more Hollywood classics
and even holding a John Waters fes-
Peter Greenaway's Prospero's Books was quite possibly the most confusing, arty, film shown in Ann Arbor last year
tival! Let's hope the trend continues.
Hill Street Cinema shows good
films (hell, no campus group shows
consistently shitty movies, unlike
Showcase, see below). The problem
is that they use their own auditorium
in Hillel, instead of paying for
University buildings and projection-
ists. As a result, their folding chairs
are uncomfortable, and their projec-
tionists are often clueless. Still, for
those willing to endure a little sore-
ness and some lousy reel changes,
Hill St. has its gems. Last year they
were the only place to show
Korczak, the latest film from the
great Polish director (really, check
him out) Andzrej Wajda.
And then there's the Michigan
Theater. Built to show silent movies
in the '20s, restored in the '80s, it's
the crown jewel of film in Ann
Arbor. The Michigan shows quality
second-run films like T h e
Commitments a couple months after
they come out, as well as art films
like Prospero's Books and classics
like Apocalypse Now. The screen is
huge, the seats are comfortable, the
setting is lovely - get to know it.
Last year's triumph was the once-in-
a-lifetime presentation of D.W.
Griffith's 1916 restored silent clas-
sic, Intolerance, with full chorus and
orchestra.
For those with more experimental
tastes, the Michigan hosts the Ann,
the time, and it's especially cheap on
Tuesday. Don't be afraid to walk a
few blocks to discover it.
In addition to all these unique re-
sources, Ann Arbor does have its
massive multiplexes to provide the
0
Instead of watching widescreen epics like
Lawrence of Arabia on video - with the lights
on, the phone ringing, and the frame cropped -.
see it for three bucks in a theater on campus.
It's the chance of a lifetime, really.
Arbor 16mm Film Festival every
March. The 30-year-old fest is one
of the most prestigious in the coun-
try for independent filmmakers.
FIRST-RUN FILMS
Moving away from campus, a
few blocks down form the Michigan
is the Ann Arbor 1 & 2. It's the clos-
est we have to a first-run art house.
Gems like Europa Europa, Barton
Fink and Naked Lunch play there.
Student discounts are available all
finest in first-run Hollywood enter-
tainment. They're big, they're im-
personal, they're expensive -
they're just like the University.
Unless you have a car, it's also quite
a paint to get to them (hint: become
friends now with someone who has a
car - they'll serve you well for
years).
Showcase has all the ambiance of
an airport terminal, including long
See FILM, Page 8-
Despite the down-to-earth presence of our favorite, John Goodman, Barton Fink still managed to annoy us.
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Hear Rostropovich
for only $11
.
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Hear Sweet Honey In The Rock
for only $6!
See the Shanghai Acrobats and
Dance Theatre for only $7!
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I *11
50% Off
Student Ticket Sale
Saturday, September 26
8:30 a.m. to noon
Burton Memorial Tower
Take 50% off the price of selected tickets to
concerts including recitals by violinist Midori and
cellist Mstislov 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!
sb
oV
s
"
"
"
"
"
Valid Student l.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 -
J
University M+
usical Society
I
Ulrich's has been serving U of M students since 1934.
Our Book Dept. stocks the course texts (New and Used)
for your classes. We buy from lists submitted by your
instructors. We stock more School Supplies then you can
imagine. Our Art & Engineering Dept. carries everything
for the student, amatuer or professional. The Print, Poster
& Frame Dept. on the second floor has everything for your
walls. When it comes to shopping for everything that's
Amaizing Blue, Ulrich's has one of Ann Arbor's largest
selections of UofM Memorabilia. And don't forget the
Electronics Showroom for name brand calculators.
All this lust for You!
/\/
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
LA l T
Ann Arbor Civic Theatre
Second Stage Productions
1992-1993 Season
"A Macbeth
rnard Shaw by William Shakespeare
.15-17 Adapted by Charles Marowitz
Mar. 11-13 18-20. 25-27
But for really cool pretense, you just couldn't beat Peter Weller in David
Cronenberg's stunning, (complete with talking ass hole) Naked Lunch.
k
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A
-Candida
by George Bev
Oct. 1-3, 8-10,
V.
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