4 • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
CAMPUS AND TOWN
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2003
Filmqives twist to Civil War, slavery
By Lindsey Ramsey
lramsey@kansan.com
Jayplay staff writer
One KU assistant professor has gone to great lengths to show the world an alternate view of the Civil War.
Kevin Willmott, assistant professor in film, has been working relentlessly for three years on his film, Confederate States of America or CSA, which premieres tomorrow at Liberty Hall.A story of a Confederate victory at Gettysburg and how slavery continues today. CSA is out to turn heads.
The film deals with a lost history and puts slavery back as the centerpiece of the war, Willmott said.
"Usually Civil War films deal with battlefield memories, but by putting slavery at the center you can't escape what the Confederacy really meant," Willmott said.
Filming a movie like CSA wasn't easy. The production took countless nights and weekends to complete, but the film's writer and director kept everyone in high spirits.
"Kevin managed to convince everyone in the cast and crew that this was an important project, a story that needed to be told," said Matthew Jacobson, assistant professor in film and CSA's director of photography. "No matter how crazy things got and things can get pretty crazy on a low budget film like this-I have yet to see him lose his cool on the set."
Whatever problems the cast and crew encountered, they still agreed the filming process was rewarding.
Willmott's favorite part of working on the film was working with the people, who were KU students and a combination of professionals from Lawrence and Kansas City.
"It was really an eclectic group of people that came together to make the film a reality." Willmott said.
Photography director Jacobson said he enjoyed recreating historical footage.
"I was able to recreate not just the look of famous — and infamous — historical filmmakers like Thomas Edison and D.W. Griffith, but also capture the look of 1950s educational films," he said. "If someone watches this movie and says that they can't tell the difference between actual historical footage we've used and our re-creations, then I've done my job."
The filmmakers weren't the only ones working hard to prepare for the opening of their film. Chris Martin, Prairie Village senior, has also been hard at work on a look behind the scenes of CSA. As the producer of a local film show, Out of Focus, he has been trying to cover all aspects of the local film scene. He was interested in documenting the making of CSA.
raises very sensitive issues that our society needs to think about, while at the same time the film maintains a sense of humor about the whole thing." Martin said.
As the filmmakers anxiously await the world's response to their film, the cast and crew think they have created a story worth telling and hope viewers will keep an open mind to something new.
Jacobson said many of people would feel uncomfortable with certain aspects of the film, but he wanted the audience to walk out of the theater talking about the message the filmmakers were trying to communicate.
"When all is said and done, I think that this film won't let those people down," Jacobson said. "CSA might be loved or hated, but I'm pretty sure it won't be ignored."
"I think it is a great idea for a film, it — Edited by Erin Chapman
Tsunami sushi makes waves
By Cal Creek
ccreek@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
In January, a tsunami of raw salmon, imitation crab and California rolls engulfed the Market at the Kansas Union.
The tsunami is actually Southern Tsunami, the new sushi stand located between the Pizza Hut counter, and the soups, which opened Jan. 22 at the Market.
David Thu, Tsunami manager, said the stand had the potential to attract more customers.
"We have a small case. Many people don't know we have sushi here." Thus said.
Tsunami also sells products from Wescoe Terrace and on Monday the company opened a stand in the Burge Union's Crimson Cafe.
Including Wescoe Terrace sales, the sushi stand sells about 100 to 125 packages a day, said Jay Glatz, director of food services for the Kansas Memorial Union.
"I'm pleased with the whole concept. We should grow with the addition of Wescoe and the Crimson Cafe," Glatz said.
From the SeaBreeze Salad at $2.99, to the Rainbow Roll at $8.95, the menu offers a variety of options, both in flavor and price.
They serve traditional items such as the rice-filled soybean pockets, inari and eel rolls along with California-style rolls, spicy rolls and vegetarian rolls. Tsunami can also do made-to-order specialty rolls and party trays that range from 20 to 52 pieces.
The staff already has favorite items. Thu likes the Rainbow Roll, a sushi roll that
includes rice, crab, cucumber, avocado, tuna and smoked salmon, while Glatz prefers the sushi with tuna.
Tsunami receives its shipments from its parent company AFC Corp. in California and all ingredients are originally frozen.
Once thawed, the three-person staff makes all the items 24 hours in advance. The misconception of sushi is that it is all raw fish. The only raw, or fresh items, that Tsunami serves are salmon and tuna.
Glatz said that the stand was there in response to customers who have asked for a better variety of healthy foods.
Glatz said he was interested in bringing sushi to Lawrence after seeing the success Southern Tsunami had at other universities, such as the University of Iowa.
— Edited by Leah Shaffer
Brandon Baker/Kansan
Sherry Fowler, Japanese Art History professor orders Inari from the sushi bar at the Kansas Union in the Market. Fowler said the sushi was good and for the price you pay.