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7A - Monday, February 10, 2014

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Kevin Hart talks
'About Last Night'

95-year-old
captures Detroit
through the ages

Hart and Regina
Hall discuss
mature roles in
upcoming film
ByCARLYKEYES
DailyArts Writer
A contemporary spin on the
1986 film of the same name -
which was adapted from the 1974
play "Sexual Perversion in Chi-
cago" by David Mamet - "About
Last Night," follows two couples
in Los Angeles as they explore the
ups and downs of being in acom-
mitted relationship. This relatable #selfie
romp inthe world of datingarrives
just intime for Valentine's Day. explored a "leading man" charac-
The Daily recently sat down ter.
with two of its stars: Kevin Hart, "It's like I popped Kevin's act-
fresh off his hit movie "Ride ing cherry," she said. "I think we
Along," plays the role of Bernie saw a different side of Kevin Hart.
(originally Jim Belushi), a wom- Alot morevulnerabilityand aseri-
anizing, sex-crazed player, and ous side of Kevin's acting that's
Regina Hall, of last year's popular going to launch a whole new set
sequel "The Best Man Holiday," of opportunities in terms of what
plays Joan, (originally Elizabeth people know that (he) can do."
Perkins) Bernie's lover who wants Hart went on to describe how
more than just physical benefits this role not only gave him a
from their interaction. chance to play a dynamic char-
"I think this movie does a good acter, but the film's R-rating gave
job showing relationships in two him the opportunity to be a real,
ways with Danny (Michael Ealy, uncensored guy.
who starred with Hart in 2012's "It's fun. You get to be filthy and
"Think Like a Man") and Debbie cuss, and it's okay," Hart said. "It's
(Joy Bryant of TV's"Parenthood"), like somebody taking off the leash
and then with Bernie and Joan," for a change. Not to say that all
Hart said. "You're looking at two rated-R movies are better than PG
completely different perspec- movies because PG movies defi-
tives on a relationship. They're all nitely serve a huge purpose. But
eventuallygoingtothe sameplace, when you make an adult comedy,
which is a place of love, but how you want to be different and edgy,
they getthere is so different and so so people walk out entertainedbut
complex." atthesametime beableto relateto
While Hall has previous expe- a real point of view and perspec-
rience reviving a classic (2005's tive on what the problems are that
"The Honeymooners"), this is couplesgo through."
the first re-make for Hart, who Hall re-emphasizedthe authen-
described that taking on this char- ticity that comes with this "free-
acter marks a paramount entry dom of speech" in movies.
into new creative territoryforhim, "Well, when men are alone you
too. already clearly talk R-rated," she
"(This movie) gave me a chance said.
tobeagrownmanoncamera"Hart Hart agrees, but he argues that
said. "It's the first time you get to women are no different.
see me interact with a woman and "I heard Regina talkin' about
have levels of emotion from anger some guy's dick the other day, and
to passion. This is an adult role for I don't remember what she said,
me and achance tobe seen inadif- but it was something R-rated,"
ferent light. That's what you want Hart said.
is to always challenge yourself and "I just said a prayer (for him),"
grow as an actor." Hall joked.
Hall weighed in on what it was While Hart and Hall agreed
like playing opposite of Hart as he that Leslye Headland wrote a

great script, they firmly asserted
their right to improvise with the
material.
"The words on the page were
there, but you can't use me and not
allow me to improv," Hart said.
"That's cheatingyourself of what I
do. With anythingyou do, it's very
easy to be funny.As hard as people
may think that is, being funny is
not that hard."
HallcutHartoff, and she insert-
ed the fact that it's easy to be funny
- when you're a gifted comedian.
"Okay, that's coming from
Kevin Hart," she said. "That's like
God saying, 'Doinga miracle ... (is
easy).'
"I'm saying you can write
funny," Hartsaid. "In other words,
you have funny writers who can
write (dialogue), and an actor's job
is to deliver. So, you look at Rob-
ert DeNiro who isn't necessarily
a comedian, but you can't tell me
in 'Meet the Fockers' that Robert
DeNiro wasn't hilarious. Achiev-
ing what's on the page is onething,
but we wanted to make sure our
characters were grounded, (by
using improv) because the more
real they are the easier itisto relate
to them."
"About Last Night" promises
a very real depiction of the com-
plications of love - a heavy com-
bination of drama and comedy.
Discussing the fate of the couples,
Hall spoke on the notion of a token
"predictable" ending.
"('About Last Night') is still a
romantic comedy," she said. "I'm a
girl. I still go to see my happy end-
ing. Shit, I'm broken-up in real life.
I can go home and see that when it
don't work out. I've mastered that
scene."

ill Rauhauser was
15 years old when
he bought his first
camera for 49 cents - saved
from his earnings from working
at a small
grocery
store in
Detroit, in
the 1930s.
Little did
he know at
the time,
he would PAIGE
continue PFLEGER
taking
photos for
the next
80 years, his craft evolving
from a hobby to a gratifying
and successful career that is
archived through film.
Rauhauser's story begins in
1918 in the heart of Detroit.
He attended Cooley High
School on the northwest side
of the city, then earned his
bachelor's in architectural
engineering from University
of Detroit. He worked in that
field for about 15 years while
pursuing photography on the
side.
In 1947, Rauhauser went on
a business trip to New York
City and visited the Museum
of Modern Art. He was partic-
ularly struck by an exhibit of
photos by Henri Cartier-Bres-
son, and purchased a book
about the photographer that
included the quote: "Photogra-
phy isn't a hobby. It is the art
of seeing."
At the time, photography
wasn't a popular art form, but
Rauhauser managed to con-
nect with other photographers
through camera clubs. It was
there that he met the chair of
the photography department
at College for Creative Studies,
and was offered a job teaching
the history of photography as a
night class.
"I knew right then and there
that I needed to quit my job
and I went to teach photog-
raphy," Rauhauser said. "I
became completely immersed
in Detroit's art world."

Rauhauser credits his wife
with his sudden and drastic
career move. Doris, a kin-
dergarten teacher in Detroit,
understood her husband's love
for photography and support-
ed him throughout their 60
years of marriage, even if he
was late to dinner because he
was combing the city streets in
search of the next great photo.
"We met when I was 20 and
she was 17," Rauhauser said.
"I went iceskating, and she
skated up to me and asked if
we could hold hands and skate
around the rink. We did, and
we were together ever since."
Rauhauser taught three
days a week, and continued
on for many years, teaching
at Wayne State University and
the University of Michigan.
The rest of his time was spent
walking the streets of Detroit
and taking photos of people
going about their every day
lives.
"Most of the work I did,
people didn't notice me at
all," Rauhauser said. "I kept a
low profile and was shooting
with a small camera. It was
very exciting to track down
and hunt for those moments
of real significance in people's
lives. I didn't pose anyone at
all. I wanted to have them
unknown, doing their thing,
but they could still produce
images that were significant'
to show life in Detroit."
His favorite photo is exem-
plary of his practice - a black
and white photo of a soldier
sitting on a bench in front of
the Detroit River. To the right
is a woman that he is kiss-
ing, and to the left is another
girl "just waiting her turn,"
as Rauhauser said. "It turned
out to be an interesting event."
The photo was placed into the
1955 City of Man exhibit at the
MoMA and has been in New
York ever since.
The product of this style of
street photography resulted in
a mass of photos spanning from
the '40s until present day, dis-
playing Detroiters at their best

and their worst with the back
drop of a city decaying behind
them. The change over time
is part of what draws people
to Rauhauser's work, and may
be the reason he was just cho-
sen as the sixth winner of the
Kresge Eminent Artist award
- an award given to an artist
that contributes to the cultural
community and shows dedica-
tion for the city of Detroit and
its residents. And if anyone
knows Detroiters, it's Rauhaus-
er, a man who has been study-
ing them his entire life.
"I kept taking photos until
I had to stop," he said. "But I
used to spend the whole day
walking from morning until
night, stopping for a cup of
coffee and then starting out
again."
Rauhauser has
a collection of
thousands of
unseen photos.
Though his age sometimes
prevents him from pursu-
ing such a rigorous shooting
schedule, Rauhauser still
takes photos, adding onto a
library of about eight to ten
thousand images that have yet
to be printed. He keeps very
busy, planning upcoming gal-
lery shows, going to dinner or
the opera, spending time with
old students and visiting his
hometown of Detroit.
Though the elm-tree lined
city of his youth looks little
like the city that stands today,
Rauhauser is still optimistic
that Detroit will rise again,
as its city motto suggests.
"You can see a change taking
place," he said. "You can see it
happen."
Pfelger can see a change
taking place. To help out,
e-mail pspfleg@mich.edu.
IN HONOR
OF THE
OLYMPICS
BEING IN
RUSSIA.

Why cherish disgraceful artists?

ByKARENYUAN
Daily Arts Writer
When Alaric Hunt wrote
for his novel's bio that he
was "currently serving a life
sentence," he wasn't being
figurative.
Huntwrotehis prize-winning
novel, "Cuts Through Bone,"
while imprisoned for starting
a fire that killed a woman. The
novel, which won a mystery-
writing contest in January,
also landed Hunt a publishing
contract and a $10,000 advance.
Rather than follow the adage of
"write what you know," Hunt
wrote a private-eye story aided
by information gleaned from
"Law & Order" episodes.
Hunt is able to earn money
from his book sales, which leads
to this much-debated question:
Should a criminal be allowed
to profit from his writing?
In this case, the art isn't the
artist - the novel's content is
not about Hunt's past crimes.
However, news of Hunt's prize
has distressed the family of
his victim, Joyce Austin. In an
interview with The New York
Times, Joyce's mother stated,
"Knowing this creates a lot of
emotions I don't want to deal
with."
How separately should we
view an artist and their work?
The dilemma of Hunt and his
novel echoes the controversy
surrounding another author,
Orson Scott Card. Though

his bo
bestsel
wildly
loved,t
to be
racist
These
reflect
Game,
his bo
his bel
The
Allen's
adopte
recent,
contro
Hunt,
for hi
they're
more t
bigoted
differe

oks, which include the at 93 percent and "Manhattan"
oling "Ender's Game," are at 98 percent. The Guardian
successful and widely has named him the most
Card himself has proven recognizable director in the
both homophobic and history of film.
in multiple interviews. It's always difficult , to
personal views aren't reconcile a beloved piece of
ed within "Ender's work with an artist's unsavory
" but regardless, we read past. Our own ethics get called
oks with the shadow of into question: If the prizejudges
lefs cast over them. knew Hunt's background while
allegations of Woody reviewing his work, who's to
sexual abuse of his say someone else may have
d daughter are the most been selected as winner?
and well-known of these But how do we respond to
versies. Allen, unlike an artist's disrepute? Do we
hasn't been punished boycott his works by not buying
s alleged actions, but them? Not watching or reading
also actions - much them at all? Actively ensuring
than Card's opinions or others avoid his works? There
d words. It feels painfully aren't clear guidelines for us,
mt. the duped audience.
However we do respond, it
must recognize not only Allen,
[ow should who has had a platform to
speak to us for more than 50
ie respond years, but also Dylan Farrow,
who has only reached out this
an artist's month about the alleged abuse.
In Dylan Farrow's open
disrepute? letter to the New York Times,
she writes what we all need to
read:
"Imagine your seven-year-
dy Allen has won old daughter being led into an
le Oscars and directed attic by Woody Allen. Imagine
such as "Blue Jasmine" she spends a lifetime stricken
"Midnight in Paris" with nausea at the mention of
and "Manhattan" his name. Imagine a world that
People love these celebrates her tormenter.
. On Rotten Tomatoes, Are you imagining that? Now,
Jasmine" is rated at 91 what's your favorite Woody
t, "Midnight in Paris" Allen movie?"

@MICHIGANDAILY

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