Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Review Bangla By DAVID SIMPSON Staff Writer Last August, George Harrison assembled several music notables, including Bob Dylan, Ravi Shankar, Eric Clapton, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, and Ringo Starr, in a benefit concert for the Pakistani refugees. Harrison did a fantastic job in producing such a large concert and it was a great success. The suc cess, however, does not continue in the film version of the concert. The picture, co-prr.dued by Harrison, fails to generate the excitement of such an event and in doing so fails as a movie. Much of the blame can be placed on the technical aspect of the film. It is undoubtable that much of the crew had little prior experience in filming a concert, for the cameras are often fumbled and the focus adjustments are played with, creating useless distractions. The sound department also had their share of the problems, for there are several flaws in the quality of the sound. One may argue that this is due to the Across from USC ROUNDHOUSE Largesi tapes i Stereo Lear Je HOLDS 24 Ci SColors - Red Brown, Blue Posters, Pat< Incense, Neci Accessories Now twc 2602 Dc (4 blocks Ph. 253 lesh loses complexity and the problems in recording a concert, but even WOODSTOCK'S sound was far superior to this. One must also remember that WOODSTOCK was recorded on a country farm, far from the convenience of Madison Square Garden. To round out the technical faults, the film editing is irratic and often poor, switching camera angles so drastically that one has a difficult time placing the location of the musicians. The main problem with the film, however, is the fact that it is tedious. For one hour and forty five minutes the camera follows the motions of the performers, which is nothing more than playing. After ten minutes the action bogs down. One reason for the success of WOODSTOCK and MONTERY POP FESTIVAL is because the camera got off the stage and into the people. Here, the camera caught the excitement conveyed by the audience, which is the all important factor in an event such as a concert. With BANGLADESH, the audience is viewed only briefly from the stage, clapping and jumping up and down, and generating to the viewer about as much excitement as a Carolina concert. The action on stage also lacks excitement, although Billy Preston livens things up with a good number on the organ and a dance TA WO selections.of 8 n the South. Equipment - Pa t, Electrophonic [T H OF M 8 TRACK TAPE CASES 4RTRIDGES. ,Python, Black, REG. $89! :hes, Blacklights, claces, Sunglasses stores to set vine St. 55 from 5 Points) (or. LE6761 P punch around the stage. Clapton's talents go to waste because of focusing on Harrison and Leon Russell. His quitar does appear, however, in "While My Guiter Gently Weeps." Russell appears on the screen as an obvious ego-tripper, trying not to look at the camera, while con veying the "I'm so great" looks. Harrison and Ravi Shankar put on good performances and Bob Dylan is Bob Dylan in an all too rare appearance. His rendition of "Just Like a Woman" almost makes the film worthwhile. But apart from his playing, there are no real dynamic performances. Ringo Starr confirms the fact that he cannot sing with is song "It Don't Come Easy," for it appears that he cannot hold a note longer than three seconds. The finale, "Bangladesh," is interspersed with shots of starving refugees. These scenes are poorly placed because the rythm of the song does not coorelate with that of dead babies. All in all, "A Concert For Bangladesh" is a disappointment because its production was badly handled. Even without the technical flaws, however, it would be questionable as to the success of the film. The success of a concert often weighs heavily on the ex citement generated by the audience. This excitement was lost in the conversion to film and, it shows all too well. P E RLD rack nasonic, Craig, AlY SPECIAL itrobe Lights, ,Tape Cases & vye you. 38 Forest Dr. Itside gate 2) i. 782-5456 Inquiry (Continued from Page 4) dedicated to the memory of Preston Brooks, (1819-1857), one of South Carolina's state legislators and alumni of USC. Brooks physically assaulted Sen. Charles Sumner, of Massachusetts, with a cane after Sumner insulted Brook's uncle, Andrew C. Butler. The ideal behind the society is that same spur of the moment action that left Sumner paralyzed for three years. The organization has been in the planning for several years, based on the goal to liberate the South from the military occupation that now exists. In simpler terms, this confederate organization wished to secede from the Union. Through the years, however, the purpose has become broadly based, and plans to oppose any Issue that the members feel should be opposed. Half of the protesters in the march protesting the widening of Pickens Street were members. Membership is open to all, thus making it the most optional political organization on campus. It is based on pure democracy, for everyone is a president. One may speak when brandishing a cane, sympolizing the cane ised to beat Sumner. The Society plans to get a charter in the fall and regular meetings will be planned then. Q) What happened to the Metropolitan Education Foundation? Name withheld A) The following statement is from William Caldwell, president of MEF: The Metropolitan Education Foundation has carefully analyzed its operation over the past four years, and has concluded that the bulk of the service it has to offer has indeed been subsumed by existing organizations, both public and private. This is evident particularly with regard to the summer day camp program it has sponsored, where it has been determined that activity of the sort it offered will be available during the summer of 1972 in all but one of the communities in which It operated. Because of the large number of good causes for which the people of the metropolitan area are encouraged to donate, the Board of Governors of MEF feels that to attempt a fund raising campaign to sponsor a program which might well operate in conflict with efforts of other established organizations would represent an undue burden. Therefore, the Board has determined that MEF will phase out its operation during the summer of 1972. The phase out will be accomplished by utilizing MEF's remaining assets to provide the following: (1) Operation of a restricted program in the one center not projected to have activity provided by some other agency (2) Support for the USC Volunteer Services sponsored summer day camp program at Bell Camp. The students of USC can indeed be proud of the accomplishments of MEF during its existence. It served as the catalyst it was designed to be and has been a strong factor in the community's continuing effort toward the goal of understanding. MEF would like to thank the thousands of people at the University and throughout the Columbia area whose contributions and efforts have made it possible for MEF to operate, and now, to retire confident that the work it has begun will be continued. William H. Caldwell President MEF Board of Directors Course explains physics and relationship By FRAN ZUPAN he said, "and it is not the scientist Staff Writer or em Do you know what a physicist btrte hti stepol does? wn. Eight students, half of them liberal arts majors, have been sinefrisonsk ihu finding out this semester in a new maig thrd "W ae course Physics 120. peetn h eut ihu First offered last fall, the two-shwnho teyaebaid, credit course is taught seminar h ad style by five or six members of the Soefthtpisdcuedn physics and astronomy faculty. ~h oreti eetrwr "The purpose of the course is to explain to non-physics quntm mehnis,ncla what physics is and how it reat strnm,csooyeaiiy to the world," assistant prefes pyis,bohsisrd itr addirector of the Obsrofeor anJ.lspy fpyis L. Safko said. The course was started because loIwa cuisabt,an there is a need for more people who toooysno aeMli ad have a sympathetic rather than "ncleew r ocdt antagonistic view toward science, seilz,adbcm arwi Safko, who taught cosmology and orotok hswsabodnn relativity this semester, expalined. exeice~ "Science is getting the blame for Thcoreaspovdsabtr the mifsaDDlication of technolouv." unesadgofw tisnvld hensaid,enandcitntsifot thekscientis the enginerogram miapyn ap butiratons ofa nucle eey Gunt."sad coure hause"moredesiged tha prest prsnn the nomlcleesudt" wito Acros trom hes feds,he said. US RUNHOSEoeoftned topic Pags)usdi