Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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About Campus BY CHUCK CROMEF Social activity At any university most students will agree that the availability of social outlets are as necessary as academic interests. Studies show that each student has a psychological need to escape by participating in activities not related to academics. These activities allow students to relieve the tensions of a "rigid intellectual schedule," associate with friends, meet new people and to better educate themselves with social trends outside the university community. Some of the most common of these activities include watching television, attending a movie or concert, indulging in alcoholic beverages at a favorite bar, going to a sports event, visiting friends and throwing parties. All allow students to temporarily withdraw from the complexities of college life into a world of fantasy and relief. In essence these outlets are necessary to make students well rounded members of society. The entertainment page of The Gamecock has made several changes to better inform the students of the social opportunities that are available to them. The major additions to our page will be a section devoted entirely to television programs and a movie guide of Columbia and campus films. Since TV and the movies attract more attention than other forms of entertainment, it is only natural that we provide this service to our readers. The"Focus"column has been retired, but the coverage of Carolina's numerous programs will be continued and expanded. One form of this coverage will be more extensive reviews. In the past our reviews have received much criticism and caused considerable controversy. This is one trend that will no doubt be continued in the future. Curing apathy We imploie any organization that wishes to have a program publicized through our pages to send us the necessary information two weeks in advance of the event. The first few weeks of the semester will find most USC students trying to keep themselves occupied with activities not related to academics. The University Union Contemporary Sounds and Cinematic Arts committees offer the best diversions of that nature for the month of January. The Contemporary Sounds Committee is responsible for most of the musical bookings on campus. Its programming schedule includes dates in the Golden Spur, the Russell House Patio and Carolina Coliseum. The committee opens its spring schedule with two bands in the Golden Spur. "Uncle Walt's Band," a three-piece acoustic folk act featuring refreshing vocal harmonies and excellent musidlanship, will perform in the Spur today and Tuesday with shows beginning at 8 p.m. The Spur has developed a reputation of booking some of the best comedy acts in the country. In the past 18 months, Edmonds and Curley, the"Muledeer and Moondog Medicine Show," Steve Martin, and Darrow Igus, have entertained Spur audiences with their in sane humor. Keeping with that tradition, the three-man comedy team of "Divided We Stand" will appear in the Spur on the 22nd and 23rd of this month. Their best routines include uncanny imitations of slot machines and spoofs on the Catholic penchants for bingo. A cold beer and a good laugh will make any early semester problems seem small. Weak movie schedule The spring semester films schedule of the Cinematic Arts Com. mittee is possibly one of the weakest booked here in years. With the exception of a strong "pay film" list that includes Serpico, Passion of Anna, Paper Chase, Day for Night, and Deliverence, the spring schedule should do nothing more than fill up time slots at the Russell House Theatre. The January calendar, though, offers us some of the better movies of the semester. The semester begins tonight with one of the greatest musicals ever made-singing in the Rain. The film is set In the 20's and had Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds dancing, singing and creating general havoc in star-studded Hollywood. The original 1939 version of Beau Geste, starring Ray Milland and Gary Cooper, will be shown Wednesday night. Beau Geste is an ex citing tale of the French Foreign Legion that undoubtedly has lost some of its punch through age but can still stand up to most modern adventure films. Film for campus militants For all the former campus militants of the 60's, Rebel Without a Cause will 'ae shown Friday night. James Dean stars in this yarn about a 50's teenager who is not satisfied with the world. Deliverence, scheduled for Jan. 23-25, is the first pay film of the semester. It was only a matter of time before this homegrown ad. venture film appeared at the Russell House Theatre. Everyone knows the story, and who wrote It, but no one can explain why Burt Reynolds was not killed In It. Also planned this month are such films as Forbidden Games, The Terror starring Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson, the original 1930's version of Wuthering Heights and a Japanese film, Rashomnon. Front Pe BY TERRY DUGAS Of The Gamecock staff Throughout recorded history, times of political and economic unrest have been marked by ari increase in events providing comedy or spectacle. One of the most entertaining comic filmF released lately is The Front Page, starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, now playing at the Richland Mall Theatre. Most of the critical comments one hears about the film is true: the dialogue relies on an occasional obscenity for a cheap laugh, the development of the minot characters is often non-existent the plot is dated, the direction ih static and Carol Burnett's acting ic painfully bad. Despite all of thi. the film is amusing throughout often very funny and generall) entertaining. The story takes place on th( night before a politically motivated execution of a younj radical who accidentally killed s policeman in a struggle. The Columbia MONDAY DRAMA: ROOKIES -- After a recent TV news special thai showed S.C. having the mosi lenient gun control laws in the country, this segment is a must for our gun toting Carolinians. The story traces the path of destructiori wrought by the various o*mers of one small handgun. WOLO (25), 8 9 p.m. VARIETY: SMOTHERS BROTHERS - After a four year layoff, the famed Smother! Brothers return with a new variety show on NBC. The humor will noi be as biting and satirical as it once was, but should prove entertaining, Redd Foxx, Alice Cooper, Johnny Carson, George Burns and duelling banjos are featured. WIS (10), 8 -1 p.m. MOVIE: THE STERILE~ CUCKOO -- The debut of the ABC Monday Night Movie preview! with Liza Minelli as Pookie Adams "a campus gamin ripe for her firsi ige: press action is in the press room of the Chicago police station. One of the reporters present is Hildy Johnson, played by Lem mon, a man desperately trying to get married and escape from his managing editor, Walter Burns, played by Matthau. The sup porting cast ranges from a weak bladdered young reporter to the condemned man's streetwalkii g girlfriend. The setting, Chicago in the 1930's, is a direct appeal at nostalgia. Any fault in the film, however, is masked by the comic ability of Matthau. Matthau has returned to the role of a hardnosed, unethical man determined to have his way. It is in many ways reminiscent of Whiplash Willy from The Fortune Cookie. Walter Burns is a man who is a journalist first, a human being second. His primary concern is how to smuggle a camera to get an exclusive photo of the execution. His goal in life is to prevent Hildy Johnson, by hook, crook or false arrest, from ever leaving the paper. 'S televisin love affair." Liza finds It in Jerry Paine (Wendall Burton), a shy, strait laced entomology student. Even though this movie was directed by Alan J. Pakula of Kiute fame, this* 1969 yarn seems out dated and trite; the perfect soap opera for USC students. WOLO (25), 9 - 11 p.m. COMEDY: MAUDE - 'The Findleys, hoping for an in tellectually stimulating evening, wind up with a wife-swapping, swinging couple. WNOK (19), 9 - 9:30 p.m. TUESDAY MYSTERY: SATAN'S TRIANGLE - A 1975 TV movie with Kim Novak as the only sur vivor of a fishing boat disaster. A typical "supernatural" theme, but with beautiful Kim Novak in it, who cares? WOLO (25), 8:30 - 10:00 p.m. COMEDY: MASH - Hawkeye finally punches Frank out. The show is always funny. WNOK (19), 8:30 9:00 n.m. iinment comedy The film begins as a satire of the journalism profession. Reporters will stab each other in the front and back to scoop the opposition, and the opposition will say anything to boost sales. The satire sags noticeably with the presentation of David Wayne as a homosexual reporter and frustrated poet. As always, though, the very presence of Matthau glosses over the many weaknesses. What emerges by the end of the film is a character study of Johnson and Burns cast in the - mold of journalism. Lemmon has been proven in the past to be the perfect foil for Matthau. He comes dangerously close to overacting, though, in this film. It is only the force of Mat thau's cynical realism that prevents Lemmon's ravings from stepping into the realm of non sense. Overall the film is well paced, with Matthau providing a funny and endearing character. The film is the ideal show with which to escape from the seriousness of the world. highlights SPECIAL: NBA ALL STAR GAME - The 25th annual event where the best of the pro basket ball players are showcased. WNOK (19), 10:00 till. DRAMA: MARCUS WELBY -- For all the females who don't dig basketball, they can watch this drama about a girl patient of Kileys, who might die, due to a kidney ailment, before she can point the finger at the guy who raped her. WOWl (25), 10 -11 p.m. WEDNESDAY MOVIE: THE HATFIELDS AND THE McCOYS - A made for TV movie about the famed feud between these two rival families. Jack Palance, Steve Forrest and Virginia Baker star. WOWA (25), 8:30 - 10 p.m. POLITICS: - LUve coverage of the inauguration of aar.stnnlan James Edwards as governor of ows poor state. Highlights will be ah'ed at 8:30pn.m. ETV (35) 11:30 a.m.