Art s
Thursday, May 13, 1982
The Michigan Daily
Page 7
-A selection of campus film highlights
In this film, Allen showed he was
Woody Allen Film able to extend a single plot
Festival throughout an entire film. The jokes
are used to support the plot, rather
A collection of films from one of than, as in his earlier works, the plot
America's most popular comedians existed only to string together the
will he shown at the Michigan stream of one-liners. In this Russian
Theater this week. Covering Allen's epic, Allen and Keaton get involved
career from Casino Royale, in which in duels to the death, war, living a
he appeared as an actor, and con- peaceful country life, and plotting to
tinuing with Take the Money and assassinate Napoleon. Filled with
Run through Annie Hall, film-lovers the magical music of Prokofiev.
will be able to see changes in style (Saturday, May 15, 3:00, 8:00;
and temperament away from his Tuesday, May 18, 4:00, 7:30).
'early, funny films' to his preoc-
cupation with human relationships. Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977)
Although the clues had been there
from the start, nobody could have
imagined that a slightly balding
C a m p U S stand-up comic could manage to
create a film that was as relevant as
I it was funny. Allen stars as a
neurotic comedian who is trying to
sustain any sort of relationship with
a woman. Keaton is the naive girl
Casino Royale (John Huston, et al, who blossoms during her life with
1967) . .Allen, but has to decide if she wants
This sprawling, joke-ridden, spoof of to remain with him. The ultimate
the spy film genre hits the mark comedy romance, and deserved
about as much as it misses., winner of Best Film, Best Actress,
Featuring a host of big-name actors, Best Director and Best Screenplay
the film ultimately sinks under its Oscars. La-di-dah. (Saturday, May
own weight like a fallen souffle. 15, 6:15, 11:15; Monday, May 17,
(Thursday, May13, 4:00, 7:45). 5:45, 9:15; Tuesday, May 18, 5:45,
Take the Money and Run (Woody 9:15).
Allen, 1969) Richard Pryor Live
Starring as an inept bank robber, in Concert
Allen demonstrates a flair for put-
ting his stand-up-comic's one-liners (Jeff Margolis, 1979)
onto the screen. But through all of More laughs per minute than almost
the sight gags and intellectual puns any other movie you could name. It
you can see Allen beginning to get seemed likea risky thing to film live
interested in personal relationships. performances of a comedian and
The scenes with Louise Lasser, distribute it nationally. But through
playing his wife, foreshadow his the comedic gifts of Richard Pryor,
desire to break away from strict nobody seemed to mind - they were
slapstick humor. (Thursday, May all laughing too hard. Pryor doesn't
13; 6:15, 10:00). seem as on stage as he does in the re-
Bananas (Woody Allen, 1971) cent Live on the Sunset Strip, and
Allen's first political film displays a that adds to the wonderful humor of
strong anti-political stance. At least the film. Watch out for the f-word.
that's the theory behind the mad- (Friday, May 14; MLB 3, 7:00, 8:30,
ness. This time our spectacled hero 10:00).
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Uncertain tone
makes 'Partners'
unsatis fying
changing opinions on sexuality and por-
By Richard Campbell tray a real character. The script,
however, won't let him get very far.
ONeal is limited to comparing himself
TSEEMS like only yesterday when to a woman after being harassed by
the newspapers were anxiously another man. One line does not a
reviewing Making Love, a serious character make.
treatment of homosexual love. Hurt comes off better simply because
Then came Personal Best, and his part is more strightforward. He
audiences were again given a look at presents both a caring, fragile per-
modern sexuality. sonality ' and a resoluteness that
Now, Partners is out to clean up on reminds us he's a cop. The film almost
the humorous side of the story, as it at- works due solely to Hurt's acting
tempts to become the American version presence.
of La Cage Aux Folles. There's one moment in the film that
Partners is the story of tWo cops, one sums up this review. After the first few
gay and one straight, who are assigned nervous days of living as a gay couple,
to live as a gay couple in order to track O'Neal begins to get used to Hurt's
down the killer of a male model. mothering attitude. As ONesl leaves the
Yes, this movie is a comedy, but with apartment to pick up some groceries,
all the dramatic overtones it just can't he unthinkingly gives Hurt a peck on
decide how flippant it should be. Some the cheek. Hey, this is the dramatic
scenes are played for laughs, while moment of which good movies are
others are played for a police-thriller's made.
tension. And, for a moment the film does
La Cage Aux Folles was able to pause. But then someone comes up the
create two real people in the midst of stairs and bumps into O'Neal and the
the relentlessly fanciful farce, but Par- moment is gone. We almost got a real
tners has the basic problem of not hav- reaction out of this film, but instead
ing its own tone. As it is, the film lur- James Burrows, the director, opted to
ches awkwardly from scene to scene - show the humor, what little there was,
this one is comedic, that one dramatic. of the situation.
In all of this Ryan O'Neal and John This film could have told us
Hurt gamely try to act in a vague at- something new about gay life. And it
titude somewhere between melodrama could have been funny. Instead, Par-
and comedy. O'Neal, as the stright cop, tners wimps out and leaves and audien-
really trys to develop his part's ce unsatisfied.
loses his job as a product-testing
company and becomes involved with
a South American revolution.
Sporadically brilliant and just plain
amusing. (Friday, May 14, 3:00,
7:45; Sunday, May 16, 3:00, 6:15,
9:30).
Everything You Always Wanted to
Know About Sex ... (Woody Allen,
1972)
The Woodman's paean to good,
clean fun. Taking questions from Dr.
Ruben's best-selling book, Allen
gives detailed answers, in comedy
sketch form, to the pressing
problems of today's explicit values.
He also manages to mangle film
styles, language, and medical scien-
ce. (Friday, May 14, 4:30, 9:15;
Saturday, May 15, 4:30, 9:45; Mon-
day, May 17, 4:00, 7:30; Wednesday,
May 19, 5:45, 9:15).
Sleeper (Woody Allen, 1973)
Turning his sights to the distant
future, Allen, as a cryogenically
preserved 20th-century man, in-
volves himself with a plot to over-
throw the government. Diane
Keaton also stars in this attempt at
sci-fi-humor. (Friday, May 14, 6:00,
11:00; Sunday, May 16, 4:30, 7:45;
Wednesday, May 19 4:00, 7:30).
Breaker Morant
(Bruce Beresford, 1979)
One of the main reasons that the
Australian film industry is stirring
up so much interest is films like
Breaker Morant. Stunningly
photographed, beautifully acted,
and with a tight, polished script.
Some said that this story of soldiers
court-martialed for doing their duty
was a bit tired - obviously the same
critics who slept through Jaws.
(Friday, May 14; Lorch Hall 7:30,
9:30).
Nosferatu
(Werner Herzog, 1979)
Herzog remade the original silent
movie Nosferatu, based on the Bram
Stoker novel, but didn't add as much
as it took out what life there was in
the film. It's the pure Dracula myth
that is covered, roaming through the
plague ridden Germany of the 17th
century Dracula searches for some
peace of mind and a good source of
liquid protein. Although given a
brooding stmosphere, Nosferatu
lacks any real tension that would
make it equal its namesake. (Satur-
day, May 15; MLBAj7:00, 9:00).
Pryor released from
Louisiana hospital
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -
Comedian Richard Pryor was released
from a hospital Wednesday after a
week of rest from his busy shooting
schedule on a movie being made here, a
hospital spokesman said.
W. S. Devillier, spokesman for Our
Lady of the Lake Hospital, said Pryor
had been treated for respiratory
ailments.
Pryor was treated for a cold and
released May 1, then re-admitted May 2
for a mild respiratory ailment. He was
originally listed as suffering from
pneumonia, but that was lated amen-
ded. The film's producer said he asked
Pryor to check into a hospital for a rest.
Pryor and Jackie Gleason star in The
Toy, currently being shot in Baton
Rouge. Pryor has starred in such
movies as Stir Crazy and Silver Streak. Pryor
Pryor underwent six weeks of
hospital treatment in 1981 for burns he - . . rested up
said he received in a fire started when Pryor currently has two films
he mixed cocaine with ether in -an. at-.. showing at theaters - Richard Pryor
tept to; 'f'ree base" the drugIt ,a .'Live on Su'nset Strip ad Sn me Kind of
more potent form. lero.
ove-and DejW (Wc4yAllen, 1975) ' ompiled by Richard Campbll-