ARTS
Page 10 Saturday, June 18, 1983 The Michigan Daily
Duvall shows'Tender Mercies'
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I could probably do nothing better to explain the
appeal of this film than to attempt to described the
T HERE IS SO much that is wonderful and true in voice of Robert Duvall, the film's star and
Tender Mercies, the latest film from Australian coproducer. His is a marvellous vocal instrument,
director Bruce Beresford, that it's difficult to resist alternately gruff and soothing, haunting yet
calling it the best, most accomplished motion picture dignified.
to arrive in Ann Arbor in the last nine months. To replace the gusto and bravado he displayed in
This remarkably gentle film is meant more for Apocalypse Now and The Great Santini, and the un-
adults than, say, Return of the Jedi or Superman III. derplayed intensity of Network and True Con-
There may be little in the way of breathtaking action fessions, Duvall has fashioned a wiry, occasionally
here, though a great deal does take place; and though wispish, leathery voice that not only cracks but
there is not much in the way of humor, it would be seems also to emanate from the deepest recesses of
thoroughly incorrect to charge Tender Mercies with his being.
oversolemnity. Clearly, these sounds show more than just a clever
mimic going about his work, for while listening to the
quiet insistence of his words, it's possible to hear the
pain and the scars this film takes as a given. An even
closer, possibly a more careful listening divulges -
yes, those two little words - the small and tender
mercies that accompany the great sadnesses of life.
In Tender Mercies, Duvall plays a once-down and
out, former country and western singer named Mac
Sledge. The film opens, in fact, with a short prologue
of sorts that serves to both identify Sledge's recent
past as well as to set the elliptical tone of the
narrative to follow.
The first image is that of shadows or silhouettes
See nDUVAL.P ae ii
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The Dream Syndicate draws crowds and threatens everything.
Return of the Dream
and making just as much whiten
By Joe Hoppe the other guy. A drummer witht
name of Duck sitting back the
HE WORD from outside that bored, and his steady beat. Ken
. the Dream Syndicate's back in beautiful bassist sittingi
town again, drawing a crowd and background on an amp; she ref
threatening everything. If you're all sing her song on their Wine an
wondering just where you fit in, it's at debut album; "Too Little, Too
Joe's Star Lounge, Thursday the night (She's not with the group now
of the 23rd, because that's when and don't know what they do about
where this great L.A. band - "the best done)
band to come out of L.A. since X" - line).
All coming from a band
can be seen. original purpose was to "play loz
I'm just trying to remember - songs in the basement." They pt
what it was like at the Dream Syn- four song EP a week after they f
dicate's premiere Ann Arbor perfor- together, though, and it's been+
mance; great long loud and distorted acclaim ever since.
songs, seemingly going on forever. A psychedelia," said the critic
Joey Ramone long-and-skinny guitarist compared them to the Velv
shoving his guitar into the face of derground, Bob Dylan, The Byr
ceiling-suspended speakers, twisting the monstrous Grateful Dead
and turning it on the ends of long arms music is kind of mutated r&b, or
as peals of distortion ring out. The lead down punk," responds singer/g
singer and other guitarist yelping out in Steve Wynn, the one who they sa
his said-to-resemble-Lou Reed's voice, ds like Lou Reed
noise as
the last
ere, un-
dra the
in the
fuses to
d Roses
Late."
, and I
a bass
whose
ng, loud
Lut out a
irst got
critical
"Neo-
s, and
et Un-
ds; and
. "Our
slowed
uitarist
y soun-
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u ic vuicc .
JUNE 22-25
J(7LYDIA
MENDELSSOHN
Ann Arbor Civic Theatre THEATRE, 8:00 p.m.
presents Sat. Matinee 2:00 p.m.
For Ticket Information
Call 662-7282, or
tickets may be picked up at
M idsu m er the Ann Arbor Civic
M iis m m erTheatre office,
338 South Main Street
N ight s D ream Ann Arbor, Michigan
by William Shakespeare
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