Award-winning
'Sting' comes to
Russell House
By CHUCK CROMER
and SAM L. IRVIN JR.
Gamecock Staff Writers
CAMPUS FILMS
THE STING (1973) The film that won seven Academy Awards for
some unknown reason makes its debut this weekend in the Russell
House for three unglorious days. On the surface, it has Scott Joplin for
the music lovers, Robert Redford for the horny women, the 1930's for the
nostalgia oriented and Paul Newman for all the "cool" USC students.
The movie follows the attempt of Newman, Redford and a host of others
as they avenge a friend's death by conning a gangster czar for %-million
dollars. The Sting is most notable as the first film in which Robert Shaw
(star of Jaws) gets bit. Tonight, Friday and Saturday nights, $1. Also,
there will be a special showing Friday at 3:30 p.m. * *
A PAGE OF MADNESS (1926( Directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa.
Recently rediscovered surrealistic film about the efforts of an asylum
janitor to free his wife after she has been committed for attempting to
drown herself and her baby. Monday (Reprinted from the Cinematic
Arts Fall Calendar)
BOUDOU SAVED FROM DROWNING (1932) Written and directed by
Jean Renoir. Boudou is not the tramp the middle class would like him to
be. He defies rehabilitation. Saved from suicide by drowning, he is
invited into the home of his wealthy benefactor. However, Boudou
turins his home into a shamble, becoming obstinate to the point of
seducing the benefactor's wife and his maid. As Pauline Kael wrote,"
Renoir is an unobstrusive, unselfconscious storyteller. Boudou is a
simple shaggy-man story told in an open way. It is the openness to the
beauty of landscape and weather and to the varieties of human folly
which is Renoir's artistry. He lets the movie breathe." Tuesday.
VAMPYR AND FREAKS (1932) A special horror double
feature. Vampyr is one of the earliest and finest attempts at creating a
visual representation of a strange nightmare world. The story follows
the attempts of a young man to rid an area of the dark shadow of a
vampire who has taken the form of an old woman.
Freaks is much more grotesque. The freaks of a circus join together
to protect one of their own-a midget who marries a treacherous female
trapeze artist--as the midget's wife and her strong-man boyfriend are
plotting murder for his money. Wednesday.* * *
HARRY AND TONTO (1974) Art Carny's Academy Award per
formance of a man and his cat. Coming Sept. 25, 26. $1.
DOWNTOWN FILMS
THE WILD PARTY James Coco plays a famous, silent film star in the
late 1920's, who does not have the voice for the new "talking" pictures.
As his career comes to a screeching halt, he decides to throw a huge
party for all the Hollywood big-shots, hoping to boost his career. The
party itself gets out of control, and a horrifying climax prevails, Jeading
to the ultimate scandal and fall of the silent film actor. Raquel Welch
plays the star's mistress, Queenie, and critics are hailing this as
Welch's best performance. Perry King and Tiffany Bolling co-star. Fox
Theatre.
TOMMY Ken Russell directed this overdone, glossy version of the
Rock Opera. No diaglogue exists-everything is sung and Oliver Reed
just cannot carry a tune. Elton John is briefly on hand doing his Pinball
Wizard number, while Jack Nicholson makes a pointless cameo as the
lover of Tommy's mother. Ann-Margaret gives the best performance as
Tommy's mother and Roger Daltrey is alright as Tommy. Tina Turner
is wild and wonderful and good support is given by Robert Powerll as
Tommy's father. It is great to look at, but as a total movie, it is far too
pretnetious for the subject matter. Gamecock 1. * *
SHAMPOO This highly overrated Warren Beatty vehicle is
nothing more than a fairly entertaining situation comedy. The pseudo
heavy social comment consists of several references to Nixon that seem
nothing more than trite after the first one. Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn,
Lee Grant and Jack Warden give good support, but the film is not very
witty or profound. Gamecock 2.* *
BLUE WA TER, WHITE DEATH As a documentary, this film is
quite good. It deals with scientitsts studying sharks. There is much
underwater shark footage and some fantastic sequences with two Great
White Sharks. Unfortunately, the advertising Implies that the film is
not a documentary, and that It is all about Great White Sharks. The
audiences are being disappointed because they expect another "Jaws."
Richland Mall 1. * * *
A DELICATE BALANCE Tony Richardson directed this
filming of Edward Albee's famous play starring Katherine Hepburn,
Paul Scofleld, Joseph Cotton, Lee Remick and Ka,te Reid. The per
Please See FILMS, Pagre Si
entert
Farcical British film r
centers on medieval se~
By SAM L. IRVIN JR.
Gamecock Staff Writer
Mpnty Python and the Holy Grail
is a film that will have you aching
with laughter. It is a British farce
made by the same group of crazies
who put on the popular British
television series Monty Python's
Flying Circus.
It would be cruel to give away
any of the gags or jokes in the film,
and without those to speak of, there
is virtually nothing left to talk4
about. The credits themselves are
worth the price of admission.
THE BASIC PLOT is a medieval 3..
quest for the Holy Grail (a devine,
golden mug) by Sir Lancelot, King
Arthur and all of that lot. Along the
way, they meet up with many
obstacles including dragons,
giants, wizards and a house of lusty
women. And that is just in reelTe iyGalmko'el.'lo i
three.
The lunacy created is unique, Evrtig scaidto n h
and because of this, the movieexrm,adtegsae d
succeeds brilliantly. Thebaialcon.Btbeusth r
photography, sets and serious mkr aebe oivniead i
costumes are on the level with Kendeiaewtthprcdng,vn e
Russell's The Devils; it looks like tewrtjkscm cos hy I
an epic. However, the budget wasdi no jut hrw tsflm j
very small, and when something tgte.i
too costly must occur (such as a I STTLYulk n fte f
dragon attack), they revert toMeBrosomsbcuefa T
some very imaginative animation lc flmtto. Wehri
that adds to the production's apass rnt lzn ade
overall umoa.edi have me oition and just
dk1lnment
Kenny Kramer, a
contemporary
rock- comedian
end spokesman
for the National
Organization for
the Repeal of
Marijuana Laws,
will appear at
g:30 tonight in the
Golden Spur. The
show is spon
ored by the
Contemporary
Sounds Com
mittee and is free
to USC students.
01ot
irch
ke anepic. einema
w far it could go with comedy. It
Id have a full plot; everyt'hing
Rated to the finale when the town
blown up. Holy Grail does not
ten have the limitations of a story
ne. There is no middle or end
ist total lunacy. Also. Brooks puts
a bit of social comment in his
tins that works on a serious level.
he parts of Young Frankenstei
ancernin g the ph ilosophy
reator and creation were
aIenas see GRIL .ag S...m.