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mmmm swftai Nich By Maggie Fox Gamecock Staff Writer Old movie fans will be glad to know that there is an alternative to staying up late night to watch their favorites on TV. The Nickelodeon, located on the corner of Pendleton and Main, offers such diverse fare as Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Marlon Brando, and John Belushi. But the selection isn't limited to "oldies but goodies" ? recent releases like Days of Heaven are interspersed with foreign films like Fellini's Cnannntin nr A rtiorimn classics like The Iceman Cometh. Sponsored by the Columbia Film Society, the Nickelodeon is run by two students in USC's Media Arts program. Carl Davis, who is working on his thesis in film. serves as program director, while Linda O'Connor, a senior, is the business manager. There are also several other students from Media Arts who help out on a volunteer basis, but Davis and O'Connor estimate that they put in at least 70 hours a week apiece. Rather than being just another tneatre, the Nickelodeon is a film society. That means that films are shown to members only. A one year membership costs $10, which entitles the member to see films for $1.50 apiece. There is a two week temporary membership available for $2.50 for those who don't feel quite ready to go whole linrt nn..!o 1 " ?iug. uavis csuiiiaics mat mere are about 600 regular yearly members, about fifty-percent of whom are faculty and graduate students at the University. Davis says that the Nickelodeon was created to be an alternative to the big theatres in town. The main purpose, he says, is to offer films 'Kiss Mc i J enieriainin Town Theatre's premiere produc season is "Kiss Me, Kate", a musica rorier. me production is, quite simj "Kiss Me, Kate" is really a cor plays. The outer story is set in m concerns the stormy romantic rela producer/actor Fred Graham and Lilli VanessK The inner story re pliments the outer one by bringing tl an equally stormy relationship, that i/?*u?: ' ? rvctuid me in onanespeare s The Shrew. The cast is headed by adequate terson and Linda J. DuRant. Mr. Pa DuRant both have a good sense of c both fall short of projecting any feeling during their love scenes. Th Fred and Lilli are about as ardei beaver and a porcupine. Debra Haines Kiser plays the di Lane with great zest, but not mucl very sincerely to be a seductive, i who-just-loves-money, but she falls s Thp rocf /if thn paof ie paqIIi; ?t Crouch as Lois' boyfriend is pleasar and Bill Bowden as Petrucho's clun very funny. The outstanding moments in the pi; given by Gerald N. Cohen and Herb f gangsters who "persuade" Miss Van 'V - zelodeo r: > v < ^ ; " '. < ' . > ' ".'. |.':y .. > 5' 'j :' V* i : *" * - " " . # ^ ? : : . xv. S: > . ..s ; " i - * I I -i : 3 X , S , ? ^ * t / v ' * % If * , > ; , < - * I - ! -<< p&c g .v . >-:. #*- - I < .. ? 1 > * 4 : X . >; s .> * s .?-" ^ ? ? : - $ v; > ? < * hi- r i ? V% i : <: * :t & :V >! > ?. <5 Sii-KJ :'' ' < ' 1 I m |::i . ..... * r ! V V.. > ? ? ^ vs 2^!^ ^ < ^ * J " If* v ? V'^ s #v> *WKfc ? w*&* IK * *;* Jl.rtr*: Ss'-iifc."w^l 1 I ' J ^ 1 &$ i - t ill: if a Im-.s V .: j| t| that hauo rimrar oknum in r</i1..mU:n ?.MV ..u ?V ..Vfvi onutvil ill V/UlUlUUld before. He contrasts the Nickelodeon with the University's Russell House theatre:"We don't want to compete with them, we just want people to know that we can offer shows that the Russell House can't because their audience is so limited." The Nickelodeon puts on three shows a night, seven days a week, and next month Davis hopes to add a Sunday matinee. There is no set format, but in general, old classics like W.C. Fields and the Marx brothers are shown on Sunday and Monday; Tuesday and Wednesday are reserved for foreign films like s, Kate' onl g as Towns tion for the 79-80 the leading lady :1 comedy by Cole are the perfect )ly, nice. complete with gi nbination of two and fedora hats, odern times and Musically, the onnchin Kofmnnn ? ,1? ?1** uvinwu auiiiuaiiu). xvir. his leading lady voice, is stiff an fleets and com- He looks like he le two together in that4'So In Love' of Petruchio and Miss DuRant Y Taming of the she can't reach her low ones. Sh leads, Tom Pat- note range that tterson and Miss switches from he omedy, however, voice all too freqi real emotional Once again, th leir embraces as gangsters. Tli it as those of a Shakespeare", ii funny to listen b mh hlnn/ln I Ain ? * 1 iiw uiuiiuc ijWia ctiilUUUl UI Ilctlll. i skill. She tries The scenery ai spacey nice-girl- usual with Town hort of her goal. one jarring note lite good. Jerry Baltimore. it, and Lon Shull The pit orchest lsy servants are they don't play a On thp urhnlo ay, however, are Theatre's standa leeves, who play to spend an ev essi to remain as memorable abou >n, divei Mm I ||Jp| | | p* Z and Aguirre-Wrath of God; and weekends feature recent foreign films and American classics. Special programs are also offered occasionally. A horror film festival was held in mid-September and featured classics like Night of the Living Dead and The Texas Chainsaw Massacres, along with Bela Lugosi's White Zombie. Among the iirvnminn ...:n ???1 ? ut,w>iiuig itaiuics win ue lviarion Brando's Last Tango in Paris, Hound of the Baskervilles and Death in Venice. Davis says that he has no plans to expand the 70 seat theatre, although he does plan to buy some I., iy &i mill y ship openei in The Taming of the Shrew. They otomAf trrvAn t ' ovvi vwij pta vn mew I OIK IHKX1S, eat Bronx accents, three piece suits whole play is below Town Theatre's Patterson, though possesing a fine d posed throughout all of his songs. is about to burst into an aria rather las a very peculiar vocal problem ? her high notes, and she can't reach e sounds very nice in about a three is in ner chest. Unfortunately, she r chest voice into a pseudo-operratic uently. te high point is provided by the two leir song, "Brush Up Your s a very good nonsense song. It is o, and the two give it just the right irl (ho v> uiv woiuiiico aic vciy ^uuu, as is Theatre. The costuming does have ? a Clemson T-shirt in the middle of :ra is also very good. It is a pity that little louder. "Kiss Me, Kate" is not up to Town rds. It is a mildly entertaining way ening, but there is nothing very tit. rsejiUn eio&tj iHHHH new equipment to "make the place more professional." O'Connor added, "We don't want big crowds, that sort of thing is for the big movie theatres." They maintain a very intimate atmosphere. Along with the traditional concessions like popcorn and soda, patrons can enjoy hot coffee and fresh pastries, with Perrier water for the finicky. The members have input into future film selection. There is a nntphnnlr i n (ha l/-kKK?r ..vvvwva All HIV AYJKJKtJ VYI1U1C patrons can write down films that they think the Nickelodeon should show. The most popular ones get put on a list for top consideration. L 11 ill I J Russell K. Pace ? GAMECOCK The lobby, which is plastered with posters of old and new actors, also features a magazine rack stocked with journals like "Sight and Sound" and "Creative Camera". "That's a joint venture with the Joyful Alternative," O 'Pnnn At* * X/ UUUIIUI puillicu UUl, 1 lie magazines weren't selling there, so we took them." But the main attraction of the Nickelodeon is, of course, the movips.Programs are available at the theatre, and posters are always plastered on the glass-fronted lobby. And it seems that alter native theatre is a success, as Davis put it, "We're no longer novel - we're here." ? 3ADTCD C wniun j im ^ m w Wi'f ^ IP ft