Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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entertainment BY SAM L. IRVIN, JR. Of The Gamecock staff If anyone loves films of the thirties and forties, you can be sure that director Peter Bogdanovich is one of them. His films over the last few years have included "Targets," "What's Up Doc?," "The Last Picture Show," "Paper Moon," and "Daisy Miller", all of which are in one form or another, tributes to a certain genre of the bygone film era. His newest film, "At Long Last Love," does not mark a change in his attitude toward films of the past. It is a tribute to the musical romances of the thirties when Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell danced through elegant back-lot sets bursting into song at every turn. Bogdanovich does have a problem, and it is a serious one. He has an eye for talent. Madeline Kahn was given her first big break in "What's Up Doc?," and she has risen to be perhaps the greatest comedienne of the past twenty years. She is nominated for an Academy Award this year for her hilarious Marlene Dietrich im personation in Mel Brook's "Blazing Bogdanovic] stars Cybil again -Bleah surrounding himself with virtuoso talents, he has also acquired a tendency to hire Cybill Shepherd for major roles in his films. It comes as no surprise that she is his real life girlfriend. It all started with "The Last Picture Show." Shepherd was cast in a major role and she gave a passable per formance. However, her part was hardly demanding. Her one exclusive break away from Bogdanovich was in "The Heartbreak Kid," for which she gave another mediocre performance in a role of little difficulty. Then, the romance clouded Bogdanovich's eyes. He cast her as the lead in his "Daisy Miller." This time her part was very demanding. She gave without a doubt, the worst starring role performance in a major, professional film, that I have ever seen. Not only was Shepherd a laughing stock among critics, but Bogdanovich lost much of his renowned reputation by this inexcusable display of personal emotion toward a girlfriend. "Daisy Miller" has faded under the carpet, just as Cybill Shepherd should have. But, as if in direct defiance of critics, Bogdanovich cast Cybill Shepherd in the leading female role of his most current release, "At Long Last Love." I can almost hear him saying, "I am not going to let those critics get away with calling my girl a dud. I'll show them. I'll make her give a good performance in her next film if it kills me." Well, he should have died, because Shepherd falls flat on her face again in this film. She not only attempts to act, and I use the term loosely, but she also tries to sing, dance, and be funny. She succeeds in getting laughs. It is too bad we are laughing at her and not with her. Before the release of this film, which contains a complete score of Cole Porter songs, Peter Bogdanovich produced a debut record album featuring Cybill in all her singing glory. The album was appropriately titled "Daisy Miller Does It. . .To Cole Porter." The same can be applied to the film."At Long Last Love." It also stars Burt Reynolds, all talking, all-singing, all-dancing. Believe it or not, he is good. Perhaps with Shepherd around, anything looks good, but he was not bad. His voice is not going to shatter a crystal glass, but it is surprisingly passable. Reynolds plays a millionaire who is bored with the whole shebang. He falls in love with Shepherd, but she is in love with Duilio Del Prete. Del Prete falls in love with Kahn, but she is in love with Reynolds. All the glorious romantic cliches and twists prevail. As mentioned above, Kahn gives another fantastic performance. She plays a music hall singer, obviously written for her with influence from her role in "Blazing Saddles." Del Prete comes on like a young Maurice Chevalier and is a very promising leading man. Supporting parts are played by Eileen Brennan, John Hillerman, and 1 Mildred Natwick. Brennan, who was in "The Last Picture Show," "Daisy Miller," and "The Sting," almost steals the show from Kahn in her best per formance to date as Shepherd's com panion and maid. Hillerman playes the stuffy butler and chauffeur of Reynolds. Brennan has fallen lustfully in love with Hillerman, who initially could care less and would rather she leave him alone. He gives a per formance to match hers. g Natwick, who was also in "Daisy Miller," appears briefly as Burt Reynolds' mother. She gives her usual charm. Bogdanovich has put together a film with astoundingly long takes. Each musical number is done in one long shot, or at the most two shots. This means that the cast had to know an entire dance routine perfectly from beginning to end. This is rarely practiced in Hollywood any more. Directors usually teach their stars small segments at a time, shooting each one separately and then editing them all together for a musical number with thirty or forty shots. Another technique Bogdanovich revives in his film is having the actors actually sing while the camera is rolling. The usual practice today is to have the songs recorded prior to shooting, and then having the actors lip sync their recordings for the camera. - Bogdanovich and his cast should be commended for successfully doing this. Sets and costumes are magnificent; the color scheme basically being sparkling white. I. haven't seen sets that look so bright and clean since the good old musical days of the thirties, and I am sure Bogdanovich planned it this way. The viewer will recognize most of the Cole Porter songs in the score. It is interesting to note that two of them can be found in Mel Brooks' last two films. "I Get No Kick From Champagne" was sung in "Blazing Saddles", and "Puttin' On The Ritz" was sung in "Young Frankenstein." All in all, there is so much to offer in this film for just good, fun en tertainment, that I can even put up with Cybill Shepherd. if you feel nostalgic, "At Long Lat Love" uill satisfy you. Classic Ke comedies o BY CHUCK CROMER Entertainment Editor CAMPUS FILMS CABARET--Before the spring film schedule is finished, Germany of old will rule the Russell House. Cabaret is based on the Fred Elb John Kander Broadway musical. Liza Minnelli stars as Sally Bowles, an American girl caught in the phony glitter of pre-war Berlin. Michael York, Helmut Grien and Joel Grey also star. Thursday and Friday, $1. NIGHT OF THE HUNTER--The only movie famed actor Charles Laughton ever directed has Robert Mitchum playing a psychopathic killer hunting for a cache of stolen money and menacing everyone standing in his way. Sunday. THE SORROW AND THE PITY -An incredibly ambitious documentary about France's performance during World War II is a total success. The film never becomes dull, in spite of its four and-one-half-hour length and even though the bulk of the footage is s devoted to interviews with those who lived through the Nazi threat. s Marcel Ophuls, the director, will be at the showing to answer questions. Check with the Russell House for special show times. Monday. THE NAVIGATOR--This is the first of two full-length films and E four shorts comprising the Buster Keaton Film Festival to be shown f Tuesday and Wednesday in the Russell House. Tonight's movie follows the exploits of Keaton and his girlfriend on a deserted and drifting ocean liner--definitely one of his most famous works. Also, the Keaton shorts, "The Goat" and BUSTER KEATON "The Scarecrow" will be shown. Tuesday. THE CAMERAMAN--A mar velously funny and inventive comedy with Keaton as a news photographer hoping to win his fortune and a pretty girl while learning the business intricacies. You'll see an inspired pantomime sequence as Buster journeys to what was then an empty and newly built Yankee Stadium, "Neighbors and "The Boat," excellent Keaton shorts, will also keep you laughing. Wednesday. AMERICAN GRAFFITI--The movie that helped start the 50s and 60s nostalgia craze will be on campus for three glorious days next weik. Apr-n t o , e aton ,,ome LIZA MINNELLI DOWNTOWN FILMS AT LONG LAST LOVE--Can lurt Reynolds and Cybill Shepherd ing? Well, in my opinion, they can ardly act. Anyway, Peter logdanovich's latest flick is a 'musical comedy" with thest two tars "singing and dancing" their vay through extravagent movie ets in the old days. Oh cinema - :ing grant your grace on thee, and :eep Reynolds and Shepherd away rom me. Jefferson Square, G. LENNY--Nostalgia of a different iature has Dustin Hoffman as mall-time satirist Lenny Bruce letting his brains knocked out by a Irab, unsympathizing society. The >icture was shot in black and vhite, but that doesn't affect the nticing beauty of Valerie Ierrine's body. Fox, R. THE GREAT WALDO PEP "ER--Robert Redford flies his way nto your heart, or I should say, the ypical female's heart. Portraying i second-banana stunt pilot Ireaming of becoming top banana, Naldo flies through the air with the greatest of ease. Or does he? )utch Square, PG. THE FOUR MUSKETEERS Every bit as good as "The Three MIusketeers" because these two novies were filmed at the same :ime with the same cast. An ex ~remely funny yet highly colorful, exciting entertaining movie where >ur four heroes duel Cardinal Richlieu as henchmen for control ,f France. Don't miss it, as it starts Friday. Oliver Reed, M~ichael York, Faye Dunaway, Raquel Welch, Christopher Lee, Richard Chamberlain and Charlton Heston participate. Richland Mall 1, PG. SH AMPOO--Warren Beatty stars as a high-fashioned hairdresser who has affairs with most of his rich and beautiful customers. It's basically a character study of Beatty and the hypocritical relationships of the wealthy couples he knows. Julie Christie and Goldie Hawn costar. Palmetto, R. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN--The funniest movie to come to Columbia in almost a year. Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman and Peter Boyle star in this Mel Brooks masterpiece spoofing classic hogrror movies of the 30s and 40s. Miracle, PG.