Monday, February 7, 1972
5
'Guess What': Dirty Dud
By BARBARA SCHMIDT Kansan Reviews Editor
There's something peculiar about a dirty movie like "Guess What We Learned in School Today?" No matter how hard it tries to be racy, it usually succeeds. In being a child, we are often attempts at humor, more often than it fails flat on its family.
"The Love Machine," "Beyond the Valley of the Bulls," certainly not the scummitest of the lot, are prime examples of the dirty move duel. None was a threat to any of them, any of them could have aroused in a self-respecting viewer as a core of idle vengeance in the war.
"GUESS WHAT WE LERNED IN SCHOOL
WE LEARNED IN LAWRENCE's current offering of impotent voyeurism. It would be too cruel and too simple to call its makers garbage man. After all, it was easy for? The lonely, the bored and the sexually deprived for the most part. Filmmakers like David Gillman and John Waters and directed "Guess What." know better than to waste quality and 'art' on audiencees who are unsuccessful in the dirty movie business in merely titillating the libidos of undernourished mastersmen and tired masturbators.
The trouble with "Guess What"? is that it is based on a workable idea that could have been invented by the filmmaker—motion-film—of a third of the trite jokes and half of the sleaziness would have been left on the cutting board.
THE MOVIE STRIVES to be a put-on of both the usual skin flick and the hypocritical attitudes toward sex running rampant in the city, which also causes squad detective who tracks down prostitutes by luring them into bed with him; the 17-year-old mama's baby who is killed to sleep in her bed when she reads booko books out loud; the militant army officer who makes it with his secretary while driving to suburban mommies who turn on to grass and then to each other; and, of course, the old maid sex education teacher who hasn't seen you since she went through puberty.
People like these could have provided a barrel of laughs, but they haven't got a plot to work with. All they have are tons of body striking and a tendency toward ludicrous mugging.
American Civil Liberties letters, etc.) while eagerly reading the American Nazi Party's newspaper.
THERE ARE A FEEW good scenes, such as a restrained satire on the suburbs of T commercials (Mommy offering flowers and treats for the fresh-perked flavor that you love). "Daddy," Freddy dried, I hope. "And Jan Saint is demeanful man who goes through everyone's mail to throw away all the 'subversive' stuff."
But "Guess What!" is too disjointed and tasteless to either stimulate or intrigue. About all it seems to do is get people go see movies like this.
As a matter of fact, if some quirk of fate plops you into a seat at the movie theater, the movie is showing, there is a way to recoup your financial losses. Look around at the audience. They are all dressed in common at dirty movies: Each of the audience members, with few exceptions, falls into three categories.
THE FIRST, apparently afraid that someone might get the
a belly laugh during each overt sex act. This Good Humor Man tries so hard to stay above the curve, succeeding guffaw earns him a merit badge for aloof superiority. The worst thing he isn't the least bit aroused by pre-packaged eroticism and it'll be he'll be one of the first in line at
THE OTHER VIEWER is present by accident. He wandered in off the street thinking "Guess What We Learned in School Today?" was the latest Julie Andrews musical. He may blurb at every other song he listens to, stick around to see the whole thing.
A sociologist could make a big deal out of these audiences. But a
wrong impressions, sit rigly, avoiding the slightest outward reaction. As soon as the final bite is struck, his snapping quickly hits his desire is to get his kicks and leave him alone. He doesn't that this is how he gets his kicks.
KANSAN reviews
college reviewer is best by treating them as a pathetic curiosity, the kind that 'needs' you but never enjoyable to be.
The second, usually college-age in years or spirit, spits it up. It hears the name of someone suggestive look, smirks at every aggressive gesture and lets loose
Some may say that "Guesst what? it a dirty movie, that by jokes above their level. But "Guesst what?" doesn't quite make the grade and falls somewhere in the skin with similar cornball skin flacks.
Lewis Essay
Offers $500
First Prize
The Lewis Essay contest, in which students will promote the study of the Judeo-Christian ethical tradition applicable to social and political
The Office of Student Financial Aid announced that entries are being accepted for the Spring semester contest.
The essay part of the entry should typewritten and be written between two doublespaced Entries may take the form of a research paper, a proposal or design for some purpose, either by a supporting essay and led by a supporting essay and then by an authoring a well grounded and thoughtful personal statement, or a creative work such as a painting or photograph with an appropriate essay
The contest is open to all
University of Kansas students.
The deadline for entries is March
31. All entries should be turned
off Weimberg at the Office of
Student Financial Aid, 20 Strong Hall.
A committee co-chaired by James Woeelfel, professor of philosophy, and Robert Shilton. He served as chairman of the final decisions on awards.
'Cenci' Canceled by Director
By BARBARA SCHMIDT Kansan Reviews Editor
The Experimental Theatre production of "The Cent" has been originally scheduled to open April 6, was called off recently by Robert Findley, associate director of drama director of the Cent."
In an interview Friday, Dinai
said he cancelled the play when
he realized that the
circumstances under which
workers were attempting to work were
"artistically inhibiting."
"Originally we were going to two shows ("The Cenci" and "King Ubu"), rehearsal for the movie in both shows," Findlay explained. "This amounts to one enormous amount of work on behalf of the people after the two rehearsals." I came to the
conclusion that the experiment was not really feasible."
"The Cenci," by *Atonin Artaud*, takes a serious look at an evil, violent world. "King Ubu," by Alfred Jurry, is a parody of the character in the same actors were to be used for both KU productions, Findlay and Michael Nash, assistant instructor of speech and drama, were sharing the directorial Cenci", and Nash "King Ubu",
Finday had he realized that a "division of the company" would occur if the cast continued to work with two directors at the same time.
"If we were doing two essentially scripted plays, that would be great. But what we were going to do was essentially improvisatory, he said. It didn't take much time, that it would make to certain sarcifics and to make certain sacrifices and
Michael would have to make certain sacrifices. But each director needs to be his own man, needs to make his own decisions."
findlay stressed that no division had yet occurred among candidates, and it seemed seen a strong possibility of such a break happening later in the year.
"I think the cast was disappointed, but I think they worked," he said. "I worked," Findlay said. "I couldn't have made the decision after several weeks of rehearsal." He added that point it could have been done.
Although the play will not be given at KU this semester, Findlay said he was still interested in it. "I want to do an expository next year and I will apply to the Experimental Theatre Board to do it."
The department of photojournalism of the William Allen White School of Journalism will sponsor the Fifth Annual University of Kansas Photography Context beginning this
Photo Contest Opens
The contest is open to all full-time students enrolled for the Spring 1972 semester. The class is open to all five pts. in March, May, June, March 10.
Photographs may be submitted
right categories for the com-
pany's photography news, picture story or sequence,
sports, human interest feature,
entertainment, advertising or personality, abstract and an open category for non-photographic
photography.
First place winners in each category will receive awards of $10. A grand prize will be the overall winner for all categories.
Each participant is limited to submitting eight prints and an entry fee of $3 will accompany the SUA Office in the Kansas City Office.
Entry blanks and contest rules can be picked up at the photochromat lab, the SUA or the design office of the University.
Dinner Planned
The Association of University Residence Halls, in cooperation with the Students Concerned About Higher Education in will sponsor a Legislator's Dinner Feb. 17 in Tampa Hall.
"The purpose of the dinner": states a letter mailed to "to" is to "ask for information" for informal discussion between markers and Kansas college students.
Patronize Kansan Advertisers
National Environmental Law Society Needs You!
Join in the ACTION & Help Yourself!
Feb. 9, 1972 Room 305 7:00 p.m.
Kansas Union
ADM.
ELMO ZUMWALT
Chief of Naval Operations
WEDNESDAY, FEB.9
7:30 p.m.
Woodruff Auditorium
All University Faculty and Students are Invited to Attend
THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS