8 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 10, 1995 'Country Life': A gripping look at humanity A member of the University Symphony Orchesta plays. KRISTEN SCHAEFER/Daily Fgting wor from worldly*composer By Dean Bakopoulos Daily Arts Writer In Michael Blakemore's new film, "Country Life," the opening credits re- veal that the story is "suggested by" Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya." Blakemore is right to use the term "sug- gested by." Most of the film is highly original, and it only loosely bases itself on Chekhov's stage play. However, Blakemore's work does have some par- allelsto Chekhovian drama; that is what makes "Country Life" a first-rate film from the Australian director. Like Chekhov's works, "Country Life" paints a vivid cast of characters whose unsatisfying lives lead to both comedic and heart-breaking conse.: quences. The year is 1919 and the set- ting is the Australian wild, where the Dickens' family farm has been run by Uncle Jack (John Hargreaves) and his admirably strong niece Sally (Kerry Fox). While Uncle Jack and Sally con- tinued the family business, Sally's fa- ther and Jack's brother-in-law, Alexander (Michael Blakemore), was in London, leading the leisurely life of a drama critic and socialite. Tensions tighten when Alexander and his beautiful and much younger bride, Deborah (Greta Scacchi), arrive at the farm on a holiday. She finds the rustic and often vulgar frontier life vastly dif- ferent and vastly unappealing compared to her own. The ensuing family ten- sions even draw in an outsider, the rugged and idealistic Dr. Max (Sam Neill), who enters the familial conflict after he is smitten by the cosmopolitan beauty of the very seductive - and very married - Deborah. Deborah's charm and grace, a rarity in the outback wilderness, also envel- ops Uncle Jack, the hard-working but hard-drinking head of the household. His emotions begin to tear at him and he falls into a drunken stupor, enraged by the idea that Deborah is wasting her life with the older and increasingly repug- nant brother-in-law. This central web of tension snowballs into more highly- charged conflicts, and soon the entire house is a veritable time bomb of mis- communication and suppressed emo- tions. Blakemore's decision to use a work by Chekhov as the inspiration for the film is a mere act ofcommon sense. Just like many of Chekhov's pieces, "A Country Life" excels in presenting the lack of communication and openness Country fo Drected by Michael Blakemore; with Greta Scacchi and Sam Neill At the State Theater with a certain amount of humor and warmth.Moreover, he manages to main- tain a crushing Chekhovian sense of heartbreak; by the film's end, the heavi- ness of the struggle the viewer has just witnesses is close to immeasurable. There is no happy resolution in most of Chekhov, and there certainly is no happy resolution in "A Country Life." Despite its occasional humor, this is definitely not a some "feel-good" flick. A key element of the film's success, and a crucial link to its Chekhovian influence, is the fact that no one charac- ter dominates the story line. Even move importantly, no one character absorbs all of the viewer's sympathies. All tlie characters are flawed, all the charactets have inner vulgarities and weaknesses. From theopenlyunlikeableAlexandr, to the seemingly ideal, but deeply flawed Dr. Max, Blakemore's decision not to idealize or favor any of the charactets lends a pioignant sense of realism to the movie. Just as in real life, there are no clear cut heroes; all the characters aie capable of being both endearing a4d unlikeable. Perhaps the most interesting character of the film is John Hargreaves' Uncle Jack. More than any other character, lie embodies this duplicity of inner self. 4t times he comes across as sober, industrl- ous, responsible, andgentle; atothertimes he becomes besotted with whiskey and emotion, incapable ofdealing with realify and overwhelmed by his own passions Uncle Jack best symbolizes Blakemore's (and Chekhov's) major theme: A hopeless inability to act en emotion in a rational way. Thus, the ex- tremely intense Uncle Jack becomes ini- tional enough to push himselfto the bri4k of emotion and,even more frightening, to the brink of murder. Blakemore's film does have its flaws, including a sometimes glaring reliance on superfluous feelings. But in ap, Blakemore's directorial restraint and ~f extremely capable cast make "Country Life" an encompassing look at the many layers of tensions that can develop among human beings when their emotions r@- main stifled. It's a gripping look at tihe human inability to overcome the limits our emotions and our environment plaae upon our ambitions. By Emily Lambert Daily Fine Arts Editor . The sounds of Beethoven's Ninth Sym- phony spill outofRehearsal Hall andintothe hallways of the School of Music. Curious students and faculty pause often at the door tp listen to the orchestrapreparing its part of thegreat"Choral"symphony for Tuesday's concert. Kenneth Kiesler, the University's new Professor of Conducting and Director of University Orchestras, is at the podium. "Come on, give it energy," he implores the orchestra. "It has slow movement-itis. One last time at measure 90." When class is over, the members of the Oniversity Symphony Orchestra grab their istnument cases and head for the practice rooms. Their conductor gathers his belong- ings and heads for his office on the second floor. "I just did the Beethoven Ninth several times with professionalorchestras in the last few weeks," said Kiesler, "on four rehears- als. I can expect a greater technical profi- ciency from a professional orchestra faster, but I expect the same or better over the long haul from this orchestra -this concert and every concert in the future." These are fighting words from one who's conducted the USO for less than a month, andfromamanwho'smakinghisfirstretum to academia after years in the professional world. That's what you can expect from Kiesler, who will make his Ann Arbordebut with the largest undertaking of University ensembles since aperformance ofBenjamin Britten's War Requiem in 1986. Following Barber's"EssayNo.2,"tonight's Beethoven rendition will combine the efforts of the USO, the Chamber and University Choirs and the Men's and Women's Glee Clubs. "I guess people see [Beethoven's Ninth] as ambitious. I see it as a great Beethoven Symphony," said Kiesler. "This piece does several things forme all at once. Itallowsme the opportunity to work with the orchestra, the choruses and the faculty members alto- getherrightatthebeginning. Italsoprovides the opportunity to work with the orchestra on the kinds of orchestral issues that Beethovenpresents. Plusthetextisaboutthe reconciliation,brotherhoodandoneness... I like the idea of starting with something that has a message to it, and is ennobling and enriching. It'sagreatpieceandIjustcouldn't think of any better piece to start with." Kiesler, successor ofthe well-respected Gustav Meier, spent September adjusting to his new home, positions and myriad of responsibilities. Besides conducting the USO, Kiesler supervises all the Univer- sity orchestras and leads one of the most prestigious conducting programs in the nation. "We're getting to know each other and this is an opportunity formeto setthetone KENETHIESLER Where:H il Auditorium When: Tonight Tickets: Free Show starts at 8 p.m. of what I expect in rehearsals and in terms ofthe orchestral discipline... It's said that all you need to do to get to know some- body is go on vacation with them, but I think going through the experience like the Ninth Symphony will bring us to- gether very quickly." Academia is a change for Kiesler, who is accustomed to the world of professional music-making, but it is a welcome change. "Ann Arbor represents to me a big expan- sion of my horizons," he said. "There's a limit to how collegial one can be with or- chestramemberswhenyou'rethehiringand firingperson. So it's a great pleasure to have suchwonderful colleagueswho aresupport- ive ofthe orchestra program andwhoare all experts themselves." For the time being, he remains the Music Director of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and the Artistic Advi- sor and Conductor of New York State's Saint Cecilia Orchestm. Yet Kiesler is not prepared to lower his professional-level musical expectations. "Though there are some differences, I expect from the USO what I expect from any orchestra," he said. "I expect people to realize that they're at the service of a great art... I expect involvement, aware- ness, skillful technical playing as well as an understanding ofthe piece and a com- mitted approach to excellence." The well decorated walls of Kiesler's officereflecthisdistinguishedcareer. There's an "Illinois Orchestra of the Year" award, and a program from Kiesler's first appear- ance with the Chicago Symphony. Two posters from memorable Jerusalem con- certs are hanging, as is a photograph of Kieslerand Leonard Bernstein atthe latter's 70th birthdayparty. A medal fromKiesler's first marathon also has a place ofhonor, and a severed arm hanging out of the piano provides even more variety. ("People are so serious when they come in here. They need to lighten up.") Kiesler is eager to influence the next generation of musicians. Above all, he un- derstands the goals and future duties of his pre-professional pupils. "Coming from the world where I was hiring people who go to schools like this one," he said, "I know what they're looking for. Iknow what I'm looking for. So I have apretty clear sense of what I'd like people to know when they leave. "I would like to have some effect on the young people who come to play in the orchestra at the University of Michigan. And that effect would be to say that playing in anorchestraisneverajob, it's aprivilege. Being paid is no definition of professional. The definition ofprofessional is committing your life to the cause of the art; to under- standingit,tocontinuingtoprobeevenwhen you don't understand it, to communicating with the audience, to carrying on the tradi- tion ofthe great musicians who camebefore us andpassingit onto others at the end of our musical lives." .4- He y, Jude Singer/songwriter Jude Cole will be performing his up close and personal rock at 7th House In Detroit tonight. After several years of Inactivity, Cole h4s emerged with a new release "l Don't ' K~now Why IlAct This Way." You might ; remember Cole's late '80s Top Forty hit "Baby, ft's Tonight," but since then, Cole has grown emotionally and musically. "Artists Ike Paul Simon and Randy Newman have one thing in common for: me," Cole said. "When you put their records on, even after 20 years, it's ahnost like they're sIttIng In your living room. I wanted to capture that Intimacy so 1 tried to keep the singer/songwriter focus on the whole record." Tickets are. $10 for Cole's show tonight, and doors; open at 8 p.m. at 7th House in Pontiac,: .JI Kepone Skin Quarterstick This second album from Kepone, a band fronted by Gwar's former bass- ist Michael Bishop, is a definite evo- lution from their first album. While acceptable, the first album was a bit pedestrian. "Skin," on the other hand, moves along at a much improved pace. The songs seem tighter and more pal- atable. Depending on the song, Kepone is reminiscent of everyone from Megadeth to Alice in Chains. Bishop's slit-chord vocals have more of that Dave Mustaine feel than is probably good for them, but so it goes. Musi- cally, Kepone finds their niche in that dangerous area between speed metal and indie rock. "Blue Devil" has cer- tao timing elements that resemble a Queensryche ballad, but at the same time-has discordant guitars and nearly monotone vocals which keep the band from actually sounding as if they be- longed to any given genre. And songs like the instrumentals "Ed's Sad Party," a drum heavy (almost march- ing band so) journey into sound, and "Idiot Ball Drop," a piano instigated mood piece, prove the band's ability to go their own way. But Gwar fans should take note that this is not the Beefcake the Mighty you may remember. Gwar's singular energy and humor aren't really found here. While still quite adept at their craft, Kepone bears little relation to their Gwar roots. It's different from that, but it's still pretty good. - Ted Watts Yornv parents wer e rigtlk Yurr IB.A. is good for se1ling hamburgers LEO BURNETT COMPANY, INC. Imagine the look of delight on Dad's face when you tell him you're working for McDonald's - at Leo Burnett, Chicago's largest ad agency. Of course, you might work for Oldsmobile. Or Kellogg. Or Reebok. All of our accounts demand intelligence, the ability to communicate, and a curiosity about, well, almost everything. Just the qualities you'd expect a talented BA to have. So come and learn about a career in Client Service. And tell your parents it'll be okay. i I E I U i