Uabe id jigun dlg An anthropologist at Rackham The brilliant and insightful Oliver Sacks reads at Rackham Amphitheatre tonight at 7:30. Sacks is the author of "An Anthropologist on Mars," whose life was depicted in the film "Awakenings." Sacks' latest work deals with some of his extraordinary patients and friends, and delves deep into the human mind. Admission is free. Tuesday March 26, 1996 5 Charming' By Kelly Xintaris Daily Arts Writer Wit and wisdom converge in "The White Balloon," an irresistibly simple film that looms high above Hollywood's current spring lineup. Iranian director Jafar Panahi was awarded this year's Camera D'Or and International Critics' Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for his impressive debut. he White Balloon" is a gem that lppeals to a wide range of audiences, despite its surface simplicity. While other films merely rehash the joys of youth, this one suspends you in the perspective that childhood brings. The spunky star of the story, Razieh (Aida Mohammadkhani), is a girl with a mission. It's New Year's Day (March 21) in Teheran, and families buy gold- fish and exchange presents as part of *adition. Seven-year-old Razieh, un- satisfied with her family's school of skinny fish, sets her sights on a marvel- ous goldfish she sees at the market. The problem is that the huge, white creature, whose four fins move as if to Balloon' floats on screen REVIEW The White Balloon Directed by Jafar Panahi with Aida Mohammadkhani At the Michigan Theater "dance," costs 100 tomans. Her mother tries to convince her that their own fish are good enough, but to no avail. Be- cause the girl has eyes that would thaw the coldest heart, her mother finally shells out her last bit of cash. As she takes off with a 500 note in her fishbowl, Razieh meets snake charmers along the way who swindle her out of her money. A sympathetic old woman helps her locate the note under the grate of a store basement. A shopkeeper, the pet shop owner and even a charming soldier can- not help her, though she learns more about adults than she probably realizes. Immersed in Razieh's world, you want her to get the note as much as her brave brother, who saves the day with the help of an Afghan balloon-seller. Intherole ofRazieh, Mohammedkhani glows with an innocence that stirs emo- tions and invites reflection. Each time her soulful eyes well up with tears, it's as if the weight of the world were on her shoulders. Like a modern day version of "Little Prince," Razieh seems to know more than the adults, despite her youthful naivete. In the end, only Razieh soars high on euphoria, much like the white balloon that presumably is sold after the final scene. The camera follows her through a 90- minute time span, lending a documen- tary feel to the film. By isolating the events in real time, Panahi allows you to feel as if you are right next to Razieh, plodding through the city streets. Her small adventures are worth savoring, for they reflect the fleeting moments of childhood itself. Razieh moves through the drab, debilitated cityscape like a ray of sunshine. She and her brother form a formidable team - at one point, they sit on the grate in despair as if they are waiting for Godot. Although Razieh stops at nothing to get her goldfish, her determination seems admirable rather than selfish. Screenwriter Abbas Kiarostami punc- tuates the dialogue with a keen insight into her way of thinking. By focusing on every detail of how Razieh interacts with people, Kiarostami has exposed a time when things that now seem trivial used to mean everything. In the grand scheme of things, the importance of a little girl and a fat gold- fish is not exactly monumental. How- ever, the story offers more than the super- ficially "cute" nature of the tale. The sort of wishing depicted here is relegated to childhood and a universally human expe- rience. Whether it was for a goldfish, a Cabbage Patch Kid or something else really makes no difference. Boldly uncomplicated and delicately refined - like the unforgettable experi- ences of childhood - "The White Bal- loon" will etch itself into your memory. "Man, this telepathy thing is neat, but I sure wish we were able to talk. Oh, and nice lipstick, buddy." assC en-Hur St scores big Mohsen Kalifi and Aida Mohammadkhani in Jafar Panahi's "The White Balloon." By Kristin Long Daily Arts Writer Taking a film of the 1920s and pre- senting it to modern society is not an easy task. Films of today thrive on the blood and guts of fearless warriors; we like our romances passionate and steamy; we enjoy the special effects that only modern technology can bring. But who says films from the early years of the motion picture industry lack any REVIEW Ben-Hur Directed by Fred Niblo with Ramon Novarro, music conducted by Gillian Anderson At the Michigan Theater of these elements in their own style? "Ben-Hur," a movie that previously premiered in 1925, is a prime example. It was made before Hollywood created talkies and before stunt doubles had a great chance of surviving their roles. Although we cannot hear what the char- acters say verbally, we understand their every movement and emotion. On Saturday, the Michigan Theater ran the original epic for the first time with a restored score and a live orches- tra. Under the direction of conductor Gillian Anderson, the Michigan Sinfonietta provided the sounds and aural effects that replaced the emotion ofthe actors' voices. Audiences had the opportunity to experience a remarkable film of yesteryear-- without the tech- nology that often clouts the films of modern day. Although watching "Ben-Hur" was truly a remarkable experience, the gap between themes of today and yesterday was quite obvious. For those unfamiliar with the plot, it ex- amines the life of a Jewish man of biblical times, Ben-Hur (Ramon Novarro), who is caught in a bitter struggle between the Roman conquer- ors and his people. As the Romans enter his city, Ben- Hur is reunited with an old friend, Messala (Francis Bushman), who de- fends the enemy. Throughout the film, the two clash as they defend theirhonor. A man exiled from his beloved village, Ben-Hur encounters his share of ro- mance, brutality and victory as he searches for his forgotten mother and sister. A majority of the scenes are in the classic black and white fashion; due to high costs at the time, only scenes that depicted events from the Bible were shown in color, to enhance the effect. Each Technicolor scene was made possible through the welding of two thin strips of film using intri- cate artistry. The cinematography of the film is amazing - true work ahead of its time. The classic is known for its as- tounding work in a sea battle and for the ever-famous chariot race, which both exemplify the finest in Holly- wood productions of the 1920s. Perhaps one of the most notable as- pects of the presentation is the musical score. Using various sources, Gillian Anderson recreated the original sounds to reinstall the effects of the film from its first release. She collaborates the sound effects with visual images, pre- serving its vintage persona. The sym- phony filled the void ofthe actors' voices with comparable emotion and tension. Because verbal communication be- tween the stars was absent; their body language told the complete tale of their feelings. The subtle, yet occasionally overemphasized movements, revealed more than a descriptive conversation ever could. The hardest part of watching this film was recognizing that films from the day of Rudolph Valentino just have a differ- ent tone than ones from the day of Sylvester Stallone. Without changing one's perspective when viewing such a masterpiece, realizing its true value can be a bit of a challenge. The film, which, given inflation, cost proportionally more than the recent Kevin Costner release "Waterworld," made a phenomenal presentation in its original and recent run. "Ben-Hur" re- veals that films of old aren't entirely sentimental fluff that only older genera- tions can appreciate. It is a classic, to be revered by moviegoers of all ages. It tells a tale of thrilling romance, bitter revenge and classic filmmaking without ever saying a word. E R E CA I E lTIId ASETA 4 EE 'Braveheat takes Oscars by storm By Joshua Rich Daily Arts Editor After nearly 20 years in and out of the Hollywood mainstream, Mel Gibson finally has tangible proof that he's wined the respect of his peers. His riod epic, "Braveheart," nominated for 10 Academy Awards, won a total of five - including Best Picture. "Like most directors, now what I really want to do is act," Gibson quipped when accepting the Best Director Oscar. He first arrived on stage to present the award for Best Foreign Language film to the Netherlands' "Antonia's Line." This win was one ofthe few surprises in a night that honored many worthy nominees. The art house phenomenon, "Restora- on," began the evening with victories in Costume Design and Art Direction. "Braveheart"'s deserving man-behind- the-camera, John Toll, took home the coveted cinematography statuette. Disappointing, however, were the few accolades given to some of the year's most acclaimed films. "Apollo 13," with nine nominations, won two prizes - for Sound and Editing. Both longshot ndidate "Babe" and heavy favorite Sense and Sensibility," with seven nominations each, took home only one Oscar- "Babe" for Visual Effects and "Sense and Sensibility" for Adapted Screenplay, as written by virtual shoo- in, actress Emma Thompson. That was to be the only grand praise given to the film adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel that triumphed in many previous award contests this year. Thompson, was edged-out ofthe Best Actress category by perennial nominee Susan Sarandon forTim Robbins' mov- ing death row drama, "Dead Man Walk- ing." Unfortunately, Sarandon's was the only award her film received. Favorite Nicolas Cage won the Acad- emy Award for Best Actor - also the only award his film, the acclaimed "Leaving Las Vegas" received. As it turned out, the greatest sur- prises arrived in the early stages of the program - a tight, well-written and intelligently conceived affair produced by Quincy Jones and hosted by one- time winner Whoopi Goldberg. Mira Sorvino ("Mighty Aphrodite") shocked many with her triumph in the Best Supporting Actress category. Similarly surprising was the victory of relative longshots, Kevin Spacey for Best Supporting Actor and Christopher McQuarrie for Best Original Screenplay, both for "The Usual Suspects." Nomi- nated for only two awards, the indepen- dent film that was the rage of the film scene in 1995 won in both categories. When receiving his prize, Spacey joyously proclaimed: "For me, Keyser Soze - the man who pulls the strings who gives us breath - is Bryan Singer, the director of this film." He was, of course, referring to the enig- matic figure who dominated Singer's new-age masterpiece. With that, and all the other mysteries of the evening solved, Hollywood and film fans alike could sleep soundly, knowing that worthy filmmakers are appreciated and - though some have doubted it - excellence in movies still thrives. EUROPE BY CAR One Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10020 (212) 581-3040 /(800} 2231516 wwurewvbycar.com Mention this ad for Special Student Teacher Tarff 0 RENTAL 0 LEASE 0 PURCHASE School__________ I _ 0 i I work ing Cedar Point has over 3,500 job openings for the summer of 1996. Plus, we have housing available for employees 18 years of age and older. But more important, interviews for all summer jobs are coming up soon, and the sooner you interview, the better your chances of getting the job you want most. So come talk to us, and you may find the answer to that nagging question. AP PHOTO Actor Nicolas Cage covets his Oscar. Interviews will be held at: University of Michigan - Dearborn University Mall U Wednesday, March 27 12 noon - 7 p.m. Sandusky, Ohio No appointment necessary. EOE. For more employment information, call i-8oo-668-JOBS or visit our Web site: http://www.cedarpoint.com f'I London................$504 Paris .............................610 NMadrid.....................738 Fran fu t...............68 C CNE Sometimes going to class just isn't enough. Electi on Days: -h. 97th