KWSAN REVIEWS
FILMS: Another peep show
BY RICHARD GEARY
Assistant Arts & Reviews Editor
Most X-rated sex-exploitation films seem to be made for audiences of masochists: those who are willing to sit through what seems like hours of painfully bad movie for a few seconds of poorly filmed sexual titilation. Eroticism on film can be healthy and refreshing, but it needs to be surrounded by reasonably good cinema.
"The Libertine" seems, at first, to be of higher quality than its predecessors. For one thing, two name stars top its cast list: Catherine Spaak and the excellent French actor, Jean-Louis Trintignant; in addition, it sports a fairly sophisticated advertising campaign, and Italian production, rather than American or, worse, Swedish. Most skin flicks fall outside the realm of regular film criticism, but this one apparently asks to be taken seriously as legitimate entertainment. But can it?
No one will be too surprised to find the normal, atrocious dubbing, abominable acting (except for Trintignant), and abyssal photography (This one's in color). But the story holds the germ of something quite intriguing: a young widow discovers that her husband led a double life as a sado-masochistic sex pervert; her reaction is of disappointment that she was not included in his revels; so she begins to study and dabble in various types of exotic relationships; and is finally brought down to earth by a level-headed young doctor. Promising comedy material, if only it could be handled with intelligence. The script is filled with double entendres of a subtler nature than usual, and it has a few lines—and one or two scenes—that are genuinely funny. But the subject cries out for consistency of style and an eye for character, not to mention technical competence, and above all, the filmmakers need to realize that nudity and sexual activity presented without taste and imagination can look downright ugly.
A good smutty movie should be exhilarating, not depressing.
BOOKS
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AND CONSCIENCE: A CONSTITUTIONAL INQUIRY, by Milton R. Konvitz (Viking Compass, $1.35)
—A scholarly essay on an important subject by a man who
has written, or in some cases assembled, several worthy volumes in recent years on First Amendment questions. In a time when conscience has driven some young men to Sweden and Canada and others to prison, and when the Supreme Court has come under attack for positions taken on church-state questions, the book is particularly timely.
Feb. 27
1970 KANSAN 5
"VIVA MAX"—Pretty childish comedy about a modern-day Mexican general who recaptures the Alamo. Peter Ustinov, Jonathan Winters and Harry Morgan give it intermittent life.
The Weekend Scene
"THE REIVERS"—Superb little comedy-drama, in its third week.
"THE LIBERTINE"—See review this page.
"LOCK UP YOUR DAUGHTERS"—Bawdy British comedy, trying to catch the "Tom Jones" wave about six years too late.
"WAY OUT WEST" (SUA Popular Film—Fri. and Sat.)- Western spoof with Laurel and Hardy; 1937.
"HORSEEATHERS" (S UA Popular Film—Fri. and Sat.-The Marx Brothers decimate a college in one of their best movies; 1932. (Both films shown twice.)
ROCK CHALK REVUE (Fri. and Sat.)—The biggest thing on the weekend schedule, this hopefully will prove to be original, entertaining and well done. All Greek fans are especially urged to attend.
"THE COMPUTER WORE TENNIS SHOES""-The Disney version of fun on a college campus.
RECORDS: Doors' album welcome change
By KENNETH CUMMINS Kansan Reviewer
The Doors' new album, "Morrison Hotel," is a welcome change from their last album, "Soft Parade." They have kicked out the brass that had seemed to put a strain on their style and philosophy and have gone back to the erotic type of music of their first two albums. In fact, "Hotel" approaches their first album, which has become a classic and would be extremely difficult to equal since it ushered in the innovative style of the group.
The key to the music of the Doors' is eroticism—sexual eroticism. The philosophy comes through in the vocals of Jim Morrison. This philosophy is love is sex, sex is death, and love is the only spiritual death we can hope for. Hotel doesn't reach the same erotic level of the boy-gets-girl climaxes of the first album, but it has its moments.
This philosophy comes through best on "Maggie M'Gill and Roadhouse Blues." The latter features the erotic strains of a harmonica against a driving blues guitar and the piano playing of Ray Manzarek. The Doors have added a more definite blues tone to the music since their appearance three years ago.
In "Waiting for the Sun" guitarist Bobbie Krieger contrasts melodious strains with a hard driving rhythm. Morrison is telling us to cast off those things in our life which we know are false and wait for the sun.
"This is the strangest life I have ever known," he sings, and then screams his plea to get back to the simple truths. Again on "Ship of Fools" he urges us to climb on board and sail away from a smog-filled world to a place where we can see the sun—and ourselves.
Krieger has developed the uncanny talent of being able to play so slow that the listener isn't even aware of his presence in the composition. When you suddenly realize it you rise up, thinking you have discovered a hidden truth in the music. And this gives you another reason for liking the Doors. Krieger displays this technique on the selection, "Ship of Fools."
This technique is nearly switched to Manzarek on the cut, "Indian Summer," where a soft, haunting organ creeps along behind Morrison's images of fragrant, prenatal summer days.
The imagery of the music comes alive before us in "Queen of the Highway," a song about the brutal love cycle. Morrison is telling us that we, the epitome of evolution,
have descended from savages. The erotic climax brings to the mind images of savages "dancing in a whirlpool." In the strong rhythm and blues number, "You Make Me Real," Morrisson again speaks of identity through sex and survival as a sex desire.
"Land He" is another song that talks of going back. This time the going back is a return to the adventurous life of the sea. "I'm going crazy from living on land," Morrison sings.
Much of the message of the Doors' music is not found in the words, but in every part of the total composition. They are the masters of eroticism in music, and to convey their message successfully they must be captured at the right moment when their music is reaching its fresh, erotic climax, and before it becomes stale from repetition. That moment depends as much on the musicians reaching their climatic state. This album, captured at just such a moment, presents a vivid, listening experience.
CAUTION!
THIS THEATRE IS OFF LIMITS!
During the engagement of "CAN HEIRONYMUS MERKIN EVER FORGET MERCY HUMPPE AND FIND TRUE HAPPINESS?," we must advise our patrons that the picture Playboy Magazine devoted 10 pages to is
DEFINITELY NOT FOR EVERYONE!
There are some scenes so explicit, so realistic, so natural that "IT MAKES 'BLOW-UP' LOOK LIKE SHIRLEY TEMPLE IN 'LITTLE MISS MARKER'!"
Anthony Newley · Joan Collins · Milton Berle
"Can Heironymus Merkin ever forget Mercy Humppe and find true happiness?"
co-starring Bruce Forsyth · Stubby Kaye and George Jessel as "The Presence"
A Universal Pictures Limited, Tarah Corporation Production · A Regional Film Release · Technicolor"
"BARBARELLA"
The Space Age Adventure Whose Sex Ploits Are Among the Most Bizarre Ever Seen
Starring Jane Fonda Special Guest David Hemmings
Bonus Saturday "LADY IN A CAGE"
I-D REQUESTED
Starts Tonight
EARLY BIRD SHOW
SUNDAY 6:30
Show Starts Friday and Saturday
9:00 MERKIN
7:00 BARBARELLA
Sunset
DRIVE IN THEATRE · West on Highway 40
Coming A Film By Richard Brooks
Starring Jean Simmons Nominated "Best Actress" NEXT ATTRACTION