Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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In Hitchcock's film. "TIip Vtirri citizens of a small town besiege one that is analysed in an Englist Major fla^ is Spanish By GLENN RAWLS Gamecock Staff Writer Any theatre production runs under the assumption that what they have to offer is entertaining (i.e., in some way fulfilling to the audience), and the script and basic concept is considered worthy of the time and effort involved in production. When the acting cast and technical crew work together, it is hoped that a "sparkle" or "cmil" usill Hbuolnn tn malta tho uv%u ??111 viv vivp IV iiiunv w?v show come alive. HOW DOES USC's production of "Much Ado About Nothing" live up to these standards? There is little doubt that William Shakespeare's scripts are entertaining. However, director James A. Patterson took some questionable liberties with Shakespeare's | script, changing the time and place of the events to the late 1920s in Havana, Cuba. While this does make costuming easier, it seriously crippled the impact of the show by mis-matching Shakespearian English with Ricky Ricardo accents and vivid 20s costuming. One wonders why Patterson did not go the full stretch of his idea and update the language as well. The clash between the visuals of the 20s and the drama of Shakespeare was too great to be ignored. The play should have been entirely updated or left as the original author intended it. In its half-breed state it was neither rtf n **/Ia n/>?* in/f an! ai io <1 vexiit,-?<ii uc iiui nigcmvuo. The major problem during the show involved the Spanish accent used by the villains and the humorous Constable Dogberry. Don Clark as Conrade and Karl Norman as Don John were lost in the accent and the audience was . , I. ^ '* W whiwm'VW j3T j "v-?"-Jv m- J4 >' - yii. /L Is," Rod Taylor Is one of the d by vicious birds. The film is i course next fall. w in play accent left hanging as they attempted to Horirihpr tho linAC ITnrtiinnfolu they were the only actors using the accent, and the majority of other lines remained unmangled. Charles R. Weisfeld, as Dogberry, used some effective body English. FORTUNATELY, most of the acting was, if not spectacular, at least solid. Kathleen Estes as Beatrice had the strongest hold on the audience, followed by acting instructor Joseph Totaro as Benedick. Although Totaro had some vocal problems toward the show's end, giving a somewhat irritating Paul Lynde effect, he gave a strong performance., Lindsay Alexandre as the effervescent hero was well-cast as were James Burton as Claudio and Wally Rodriquez as Leonato. The overall strength of the cast, when combined with the set and costumes, did indeed have its moments of "sparkle." Technically, the show was superb. John A. Olybrych designed a set that was appealing, functional and versatile. Richard Brooks lighting was well done, as were some _a. ii?i 4.. k.. * r sinning cusiuinra uy i-<yii v/turuu. TWENTIES MUSIC is in terspersed throughout the play as well as three-too-many dance numbers based vaguely on the Charleston. The play had an interesting concept, but like the earlier "Page 1," it didn't quite succeed. It is to the department's credit that it attempted new concepts with traditional plays. Hopefully, despite some failures, the department wili continue to try its hand at unusual concepts. The show was blessed with good acting and technical talent which relieved the poorly developed concept. . y-.v ' .,./ ' ' ' v% * *" . .. \ ; About Campus Hitchcock f By CHUCK CROMER Entertainment Editor Serious students of film criticism will have an excellent opportunity to intensify their cinema knowledge when "The Films of Alfred Hitchcock" is offered next fall semester by the English department. The course, English 566-C, will emphasize analysis of fifteen of the Hitchcock's most famous pictures. English 566-C will have three sections on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The sections are taught by: David Byrd at 9:30 a.m., Ina Hark at 11 a.m. and Benjamin Dunlap at 2 p.m. THE FILMS to be shown are "The Lodger" (1926), "Blackmail" (1929), "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (both the 1934 and the 1956 versions), "The 39 Steps" (1935), "The Lady Vanishes" (1938), "Rebecca" (1940), "Foreign Correspondent" (1940), "Shadow of a Doubt" (1943), "Notorious" (1946), "Strangers on a Train" Macn k.. KT?iu *?? Vi9ji/t nui hi ujr nui uiwtsi (1959), "Psycho" (1960), "The Birds" (1963), and "Frenzy" (1972). 13s vB I ^4 Giancarlo Giannini mailing th< murder victim in Lina Wertm 6 Seven Be; by renowr By TERRY DUGAS Gamecock Staff Writer Lina Wertmuller is probably the the world. Her latest film, "Seven four Academy Award nominatioi Language Film, Best Actor, Best Oi and Best Director. Wertmuller is t be so honored. Her first major success came in "Seduction of Mimi." The next Anarchy" was released. In its re "Newsweek," called Wertmu remarkable new talent from th< Bernardo Bertolucci." "Swept Aw tirsi American financial success. After viewing "Seven Beautie Simon, the conscience of the lib* ment, called Wertmuller "the mc director since Bergman." Obvi important is happening in the filr WERTMULLER IS not a newc< began her career in 1962 as ass Federico Fellini on "8V and m films in 1983 and 1964. These financial successes, but she a ban fn\i/ vMrc to umrir in tolovlainn m She has said her work is for the "s the Third Worlders, people who ai successful machinery of life. Ac muller, "Seven Beauties" is a 1 people. She says "tbere is a great) v:* M ? r. . ilms studied All films will be shown at 7 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday evenings in the Williams-Brice Nursing Auditorium. "The Lodger" is the first critically acclaimed Hitchcock film, even though he had directed several other movies before it. The plot centers around a male boarder in O Rrifich rAAminr* Uaupa Ill u a/i tvioil 1 Wining 1IUUOC W1IU Id suspected of being Jack the Ripper by the other tenants. This silent masterpiece that Hitchcock directed at the age of 26 is remembered for his use of lighting to create his trademark of suggestive shadows. "The 39 Steps" is regarded by many critics as the best film of Hitchcock's British period that was terminated when he migrated to Hollywood in 1939. Hitchcock describes this as one of his favorite films. HITCHCOCK once said "What I i:t,? "Tk? on ct. '' ? ?i? nrkc duuui iiic oicp wcic tut: sudden switches and the jumping from one situation to another with such rapidity.. The now classic w&i FS&M 5 pieces of his Beauties." Hie uller's "Seven Saturday at ttu auties' is la led woman it and a great fe light of consciou life." hottest director in It is a film ol Beauties," earned lessons that sue is: Best Foreign Pasqualino Fraf riginal Screenplay survives as a j he first woman to commits murde Italian prison by 1973 with the film asylum by revet year "Love and view of this film, ALTHOUGH Her "the most Mediterranean b continent since prisoner-of-war < ay (1975), was her His mother, sis becoming whore s" in 1976, John disheartening, a: ;ral art establish- point that in theii >st important film how to improve t ously, something stagnation; vital n industry. The film has n omer to film. She because of its coi istant director to form. All name ade her first two perfect. The edi early films were sound and lighti doned films for a roduction. THERE ARE ? perfect. "Seven .ub-proletanans, jn which everyth re not part of the disruption wouk cording (o Wert- fitm of the dec* warning to these The film wills ove of mankind in night at th* Kit) ' ? .. . '" . f - -^3 , -? :.a^ v . . ^ * [in course Hitchcock theme of an innocent man running to clear himself and expose the guilty criminals is first presented in this film. Hitchcock's first American film, "Rebecca," was produced by David O. Selznick. It won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1940. In the film, Fontaine is haunted by the memory of her nusoana s (Oliver) deceased first wife, as she compulsively seeks to emulate Rebecca and find the true facts about her death and her mysterious influence on her husband. "North By Northwest" is famous for two chase sequences. In the first chase, Cary Grant has to elude a cropduster over a barren stretch of flatland. The second if also his escape from spies as he and Eva Marie Saint race across the presidential faces on Mount Rushmore. "The Birds" is terrifying. A peaceful island town becomes the battleground between hundreds of unsuspecting humans and thousands of savage birds. r1 film shows today, Friday and e Russell House theatre. test film director ar that vitality not brought into t?e sness may bring death rather than F survival through vitality and the h survival should teach. The hero, uso, played by Giancarlo Giannini. unior Mafioso in Naples until ht r. Before that, he survives in an r feigning insanity and in an insane ding his sanity. DESCRIBED as a "sub-human lava," he survives in a German :amp by adapting to circumstances, ters and girlfriend all survive by Ditmntinl aJ o. a iic out vivai i/i uicac pcvpic lit > shown when Wertmuller makes the r drive to exist the characters forget hat existence. Thus survival leads to lity not developed leads to death. ot been labeled a masterpiece solely a tent. Wertmuller is also a master of ra work in the film is technically ting is highly imaginative, and the ng are truly inspired. FEW films which are genuinely Beauties" is the type of film, though, img wotkb in sucn narmony inai any 1 be disastrous. It may be the beat ,de.. how Thursday, Friday and Saturday HouaeriWatre n.' & ... Ik r *??