The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 19, 1982, Page Page 5, Image 5
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BY DOUG BELL <
Film Critic
Chariots of Fire is a better
film than some ot its critics
have suggested. Still, I feel
that its slot in this year's
Academy Award
nominations would be better
filled by Prince of the City, a
superior film.
:-i- -/ r-: In
j ^nunuis uj rirtr vuic: uuc
is from a poem by William
Blake) is based on the true
account concerning the
rather short journey of two
British runners to the 1924
Olympics in Paris.The least
sympathetic of these is
Harold Abrahams (Ben
Cross), a young Jew who
enters Cambridge determined
to overcome the
barrier of anti-semitism that
separates him from the
smug English society he so
keenly wants to join.
Running is a means to that
end as is, to a lesser degree,
his relationship with a
Gilbert and Sullivan soprano
played by Alice Krige (the
fair phantom from Ghost
Story). His motive is not
'Yer
; ?
BY MICHAEL
KOMATOWSKI
SUM Writer
Rebecca Koon is the best
actress to appear on a
(JolumDia siage m me pasi
several months, but her
talents were not enough to
^jf save Workshop Theatre's
opening night performance
of Yentl from being dull.
Yentl, based upon a short
story by Isaac Basnevis
Singer (who will lecture in
Charlie Peterson is
Theatre's 'Yentl/
Fea
>rth See
entirely, self-concerned; he
also wants to avenge the
memory of his father, who
was similarly spurned. And
there is a touch of national
and school pride? as well as
love (in Krige's case) ?
involved.
The characterization of
Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson)
is marvelous by comparison.
Liddell, the sturdy son of a
Scottish missionary, has
strong religious convictions.
WW ** ? - ? I I
tie leeis ne nas ueen
"called" to religious service,
but feels equally obligated to
exercise his God-given gift
for running.
Liddell trains diligently in
order to win "for God." This
sounds pretty spurious on
u..4 /^u: +
paptil, UUi v>i let I ic&uu piaya n
without a hint of sanctimoniousness.
His performance
is one of the film's
saving graces. Solid and
sincere, quiet but eloquent,
principled but not ponderous,
Charleson's Liddell
is a most admirable and
convincing portrait of a
Christian.
The complaint that the
itV Lac
Columbia in April), is set ii
o email To\i;ich villafJf1 il
Poland in 1873. The Jews ii
the play devote most of thei
lives to the study and wor
ship of God. There ar
several thematic conflicts
the two most importar
being appearances versu
reality, and religiou
tfnr?CIIC hi 1 m Q
u auuiv/no vi/iouo nuiiiu
nature.
Koon, in the title role, is
superb as the 19-year-ol(
girl, who after her father':
L Wi iWHwB
Avigdor and Rebecca K<
ture
Qm 0
dui
characters don't "develop''
is misguided. Abrahams and
Liddell are central to two
different stories and only
rarely cross paths. Could it
be that we are looking for a
Brian's Song - like
relationship to strike up
between the two leads,
through which they could
"develop" according to our
conventional expectations?
Actually, the characters
are sufficiently "developed"
when the action begins.
Their attitudes and motives
are remarkably strong and
deeply set. It is really the
viewer , who "develops" as
the movie proceeds; our
iamuianiy anu understanding
grow as we
watch them.
Still, the exposition is
weak. The recurring slowmotion
shots of the racers
breaking the tape are inflated
and unnecessary. And
the absence of any heroic
conflict in the runner's lives
makes for an indifferent
victory. The 1924 Olympics
end in a celebration inspired
ks Vibri
-i ? iu ?? I if
I utr tin, disguises ueiscrii us <
n young man in order to fre<
n herself from the restriction:
r placed on women in he
- society. Koon was com
e pletely at ease in a difficul
role; without her th<
it production would hav<
s crumbled.
s The viewer needs ur
n shakable powers of cor
centration to pick up th
dialogue (especially in th
i first act) and to follow th
j plot. Most of the actor
3 rushed through their line
wm^mt
>on is Yentl in Workshop
SUH Photo by C MRS BROV
Fric
COCk GNTGR
t Not W<
CHAR*
more by nationalistic pomp
than by cleansing
achievement.
Undeniably, the movie has
many assets, such as the
ancy
i and failed to speak clearly
s through their thick accents,
s The exceptions were Koon
r ana L.ucinaa namncts., wnu
- portrayed the beautiful, redt
haired Hadass.
e Another problem with the
e production was the drabness
of the scenery and
i- costumes; the props were a
i- dull brown and the male
e characters were usuall>
e garbed in black. While these
e colors may have lent perioc
s autheticity, they detractec
s from the visual impact of the
action.
One unusual aspect of th<
production was the revolving
stage. This made for quid
scene changes and woul<
have been a positive featur<
if not for the fact that thi
hands and arms of th<
backstage crew could oftei
be seen turning the stage.
Overall, the action lackc
tl n/iu Thorn \iloro q fo\
Viuiauv.jr. iiav/iv itviv m -v,,
good wedding dance scenes
and some semi-nudity whic
provided shock effect, bi
for the most part the cast di
not deliver the exaggeratio
that the plot demanded.
? ? * 1 -1- At
Iporiunaieiy, me citsi un
director Ann Dreher, of Ui
USC Theatre and Speec
Dept., have plenty of time I
improve on their Wednesda
night performance. Yen
runs through Feb. 28. F<
more information, call tl
box office at 799-6551.
U Singer's lecture will be <
USC's Belk Auditorium (
April 20. The lecture is beir
j sponsored by the US
Writers Scrips and the Sou
Carolina Committee for tl
vn Humanities.
lav
:TdlNhEMT
jrth An1
OTSOl
r . r y _ ? !T?1
periormance oi tan noun as
Abraham's fiesty manager
and the snobbish duo of John
Gielgud and Lindsay Anderson.
Additionally,
Vangelis Papathanassiou's
They'
Relaxi
BY MICHAEL 1
, Staff \
It would be easy for the n
, Series Committee to relax ar
; Annie, which sold out three si
I Auditorium, but such is not
i already at work lining up tn<
. series.
r Cultural Series Program I)
? mittee Chairman Bob Papke I
i Citv to review nossible acts foi
I J ? - -- -- s
j "Before Christmas we attei
; of Colleges, Universities
ministrations) convention,"
3 priority list of about 20 p
s presented to the series comm
\ with its budget to finalize the
j make up next year's series."
mi? ^
g lilt; cuniiiiiiitrt; ir> twui^i i
e students, said Fapke. "We r
e p.m. in Russell House room
n welcome; anyone who ma
meetings and demonstrates a
become a member," he said.
v He added that members mu
; full semester before they are
h the upcoming year.
Neither Singer nor Fapke r
(j for the 1982-83 series were,
n commitments had yet been n
us 'penciled in' on their tour s
d have to wait fox tbe Student
ie before we finalize anything."
h Singer is pleased with the g
[0 "As our audience grows, w
{y plained. "We can move to a 1
U in the near future, or we coi
)r For example, we could do fiv<
,e third option would l>e to sch<
instead of a single nignt.
at 44We have about 2200 mer
)n we're growing every year. I
!g the two-nights plan."
n This year's series still has
th artist Marcel Marceau will a
he in the semester by the D,
Chicago Chamber Brass.
Oscar
r"
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musical score is as unique
and surprising as his name.
Chariots of Fire is a film
worth seeing, though not
quite worth an Oscar
nomination.
re Not
ng Yet
ROMATOWSKI
iVri'i'r
nomhorc nf (hp I i Sif* Cultural
lIV.Illk'V.1 O V4 H?V/ v/?/v
id enjoy the recent success of
lows recently at the Township
the case. The committee is
; performaces for next year's
irector Rich Singer and Comiavfc
already been to New York
the 1982-83 series.
ided an ACUCAA (Association
and Commercial Arts Adcuirt
Vsina#?r "Wp lin l\
UM1" . - ?r- ?
ossible acts, which we then
ittee. The committee will work
i lineup of five acts which will
sed of approximately fifteen
neet every Monday night at 7
306. New members are always
!kes it to tnree consecuuve
i commitment to the series can
st serve on the committee for a
; qualified to select the acts for
nentioned what the possiblities
citing the fact that no firm
lade. "Several of the acts ha' e
chedules," said Singer, "but we
Senate to approve our budget
;rowing popularity of the series,
e have three options,' he exDigger
hall, which I don't forsee
ild change the nature of shows,
e straight Broadway shows. Our
edule two nights of each event,
nbers now," Singer said, "and
think our most likely option is
thrf?p rpmairiint* ovr-nts Mimo
ppear on March 7, followed later
ave Brubeck Quartet and the