6
Friday, March 4, 1977
University Dally Kansan
Wertmuller films celebrate miracle of survival
Bv CHUCK SACK
Reviewer
"The Seducation of Mimi" and "All Screw Up" have more in common than their provocative titles and the name of their writer-director. They are both essentially comic tales about country bumpkins who become entangled with political and sexual intrigues in large cities. Yet, within this broad outline, what is most impressive about these two films is their diversity.
It has been only four years since Lina Wertmüller burst on the international film scene. Before "Love and Anarchy" was imported to this country, her name was almost unknown outside of Italy. Last month she became the first woman ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director.
THE TALENT responsible for this mercurial rise to fame is apparent in both films, but "The Seduction of Mimi" (1972) pairs the 50-year-old director with the actor most often associated with her work. In it Giancarlo Giannii stars as Carmello "Mimi" Mariocchio, a skilled laborer in Sicily.
When Mimi runs away of his Mafiaffa labor boss by voting for a leftist in "secret" electors, he loses his
job is forced to go north to look for work. Unable to and afford transportation for his wife Rosalia, he leaves her with his parents, promising to be faithful and send for her as soon as he earns enough money.
Glamini has an open vulnerability that Wertmüller has utilized to transform him into a vile Italian whore. He is now the head of a financial job, joins a company, becomes a member of the Communist Party, and promptly falls in love.
The Cinema
WHILE THERE is no doubt that Mimi will take whatever route offers maximum honor and minimum resistance, Glamini has the comic dexterity necessary to keep the viewer off-guard. His facial expressions make his every simple thought available, and, given Wertmiller's situations, he does a remarkable job of conveying Mimi's self-respect in the most compromising of circumstances.
The woman Mimi falls in love with is florie (Mariangela Melato), a romantic Communist who
insists on saving herself for the man she loves.
Although his marriage wouldn't stop her from having an affair with him, she says, Mimi is not the man she loves.
Mimi chooses to ignore her protests with disbelief.
He hears only one word, "Virgin!" he asks in
interesting fashion.
AFTER FIORE has a child by Mimi, the two or move back to his home in Sicily where he has been transferred. Suddenly Mimi is trapped between wife and mistress, communism and fascism, when his wife becomes pregnant by a custorma guard, forcing him to choose between honour and disgrace.
In some respects Giannini and Melato, who also co-starred in "Swept Away" and "Love and Anarchy" distract from Wertmuller's own abilities. Giannini is more endearing in "The Seduction of Mimi" than he was as the embittered sailor in "Swept Away" or the warrior hero of "Seven Beauties". But one wonderer on Wertmuller would do if the camera couldn't center on Giannini, her large-eyed Everyman.
THE ANSWER can be found in "All Screwed Up"
(1974) . Wertmuller's film about a loose-kunit commune which has no well-known actors. The story is much more elliptical than the linear, if episodic, and it lacks the moment of more characters, there is a favored role.
This time the hapless innocent's name is Carletto, a Sicilian who arrives in Milan with his friend Gigi and promptly forms a commune with six other young people, including his girlfriend Adelina. "All Screwed Up," he then even names as they search for work, fall in love and try to solve the economic problems of city life.
With Giannini absent, Wurtmüller's directorial style becomes much more evident. Her continual zoomes have long been obvious, but "all Screwed Up" shows how adept Wurtmüller is at breaking a scene down to the beat of her editor, Francie Fraalcoilli, and her dribbling milks the most from little vignettes in her script.
MOST OF ALL, the use of unknown actors opens up the frame so that without a familiar star's face to anchor the picture, Wurtmüller's central image, the actor, is now the restaurant, comes through as a panorama of chaos.
The director's delight in coarse lifestyles and her disgust with the inasimiles of modern life are apparent everywhere as she cuts back and forth from ice skating parties to the killing floor of a househouse, and from Gligi's career as a thief to Adelaire, raped because she refuses to drop her new TV.
The comic touch is every bit as sure in "All Screwed Up" as it is in "The Seduction of Mimi," and yet it is a very different type of comedy, one based in manners more than in situation or character.
In spite of the differences in the films, the themes remain the same.
"IF YOU think about others, you've through." Adalina is cautioned by one of her friends. Wertman points out that she has a viewpoint, as the eventual fakes of both the commune and Mimi prove. For all the bawdy language, bombastic politics and sexual violence of her films, Lina creates nothing so much as the miracle of survival.
Despite their minor flaws and some irritating cases, the "Seduction of Mini!" and "All Screwed Up" albums are worth a listen.
Arts & Leisure
First dance-drama is refreshing change
By SHERI BALDWIN Entertainment Editor
What read as "To Be Announced" in KU theatre flyers became "An Evening of Dancer Drama," a refreshing change from the traditional musical. William Inge Memorial Theatre audiences.
But only after four choreographers made an entrancing bite for the empty time slot.
For the first time, dance and drama have been packaged together for sale at the Ingre. The success of the venture should throw some lightlim on KU舞—which since about 1923, has been "around," but never a serious offering.
*Evening of Dance Drama* *runs through Sunday, and again March 9-11.* Tickets are free.
THE PROGRAM comprises four separate dance essays that come to life with the dancers' characterizations and a mixture of modern, jazz and neoclassical bullet dance.
Music is by Aaron Copland and Chuck Mangione. Scene four, A Little Bit of Music. In the foreground, a young boy
In “Rancherho,” a Saturday full of hoedown events, Willel Lenoir, Kansas City, Kan., graduate student, is both choreographer and lead. Lenoir is almost big for iieg’s limited stage, his feet and arms seemingly growing when he extends the power and spirit behind his performance captivates the intimate audience.
In the drama, a hero is confronted with obstacles that range from the dragon within him to his bridge. Alexander Brown is convincing as the hero, but should be much more diverse and close audience. Susan Haug (Hag) and John Tricker (Trickster) give good performances.
THE SECOND drama, "Turning of the wheel," was revised by Elizabeth Sherbon, professor emerita of physical education, from a Wichita production done 20 years ago. Leon Burke III, St. Louis graduate student, wrote new music for the fantas
Most effective in "Turning of the Wheel,"
are the Observers—four dancers who carry
the wheel with the assistance of a dancer.
conceal character entrances and exits, and serve as a backdrop.
INDIVIDUAL characterization is very important to "Revival," a look at a variety of folks who turn out to catch the religious spirit. A preacher plays the central figure while a schoolmarm, a prankster, a farming couple and children take their turns at sturting their staff. Most enjoyable are dances by Tom Hawver (Town Drunk) and
On Stage
Homerica production hard on Lim
Hej Guluthkorn (Angel of the Streets) and Henkron and Alexander Brown (A Young Couple)
Becky Johnson, instructor of dance, choreographed the dance. Music is from a variety of sources including "Godspell," "The Wind and Fire" and "The Well-Tempered Clavichord."
"CRIES OF Darkness," the best drama of the show, uses a plot based on Racine's "Phedre," a classical Greek tragedy. With a great deal of tension and hints at romanticism, the complicated plot is refreshingly simplified through dance.
Hawver and Lenoir are again strong as Theuseus and Hippolytus. Elise Willems pars
Faria Vahid Clark, Lawrence graduate student, plays a delicate Pharaea. She also choreographed the drama and her selection of Bela Bartok's "Concerto for Orchestra" stresses the more classical elements of dance.
Dotted with performances by University Dance Company members (including Hawley, Clark and Willens), the show turns out well-balanced. There are some apparent casting problems, but the dances, originally choreographed for a proscenium have been beautifully adapted to fit Inge's small three-sided space.
A drama for KU, "An Evening of Dance Drama" is also a first for KU audiences. Finally dance and the audience are in a position to perform, the emboiled in the moment of performance.
Reviewer
By JULIE LENAHAN
It was hard to believe that the small, soft-spoken man who sat before me rubbing his eyes was Paul Stephen Lim, author of the book *The Hunger Games*. He taught Tuesday in the Kansas University Ballroom.
What was perhaps more difficult to believe was that Lim had hatched the entire monster "Homerica" out of a mere idea. Although "Homerica" contains much of the punny witticisms, my suspise and sensitivity to the Lim, the bulk of the play 'isn't him.'
"WHEN WE FIRST started rehearsals, I was ashamed at having written "Homerica," Lim said. "I felt it was cheap, and I didn't enjoy writing it at all." him said he was angry at having to play the play, so it shouldn't have been his responsibility.
"Someone else should have written it, but those things, the things that needed to be written, were left out."
"Homeric," Lim's third attempt at playwriting, is Lim's favorite play. Lim's other plays are "Chambers," which will be produced in New York in the fall, and *Compersonas*, which won recognition and won from the American College Theatre Festival.
Lim, clad in a two-tone denim suit and pajama shirt, said that he started playing three years.
"MY PLAYS WERE all written in innuence," he said, "with a naivete of the man."
Lim said that he had spent seven months preparing for the production of "Homerica." When I saw for the first time all the sets, costumes and what-not, I wowed my next play would contain only five characters in headdress and maybe one more. I was surprised.
Lim couldn't laugh at the toll Homerica's prediction on him, pleading with a lawyer.
"One night a few days ago I came home, sat down and cried. I just tried for two weeks," she said.
"I realized that we were finally finished with "Homericza," and it was such a feeling. I just loved her."
Creatively, the production of "Homeric"lims Tax's limn work with other work. I"
have so many ideas all bouncing around,
diving to be written right now."
Lim said that with all the time spent on "Homeric," he'd had little time for writing. "Right now I have two plays trying to be type up," Lim said. "You know, you can write well. Lim is very concerned that if he doesn't get to them soon, he'll lose the impetus.
LIM INTEGRATE a great many verbal constraints in his work.
"I play word association games in the dialogue. It's almost the kind of disjointed, tail-end conversations that take place at cocktail parties," he said, "when no one tries to fill all the conversation." Lim likes to have his characters play those games.
"I have to amuse myself in writing, or it's no fun and becomes boring." Lim said. "I set up puzzles for myself, and then try to solve them."
Lim confessed that since he has found some degree of success in his plays, he has found it more difficult to start friendships. Lim admits to being suspicious of new people, and wants to hang on to all his old friends.
"I think I could cope better with failure man success," I'm sad. "I too much to manage."
Lim, who has since been at the University of Kansas since 1969, has strong feelings for him.
"KANSSA UNIVERSITY and Lawrence have been very good to me. Some of my friends tell me I should go to New York City—that that's where the action is, But, I feel a debt to this city. I want to do something for Lawrence."
Lim was interested in what the critics from Saturday Review, the Los Angeles Times and the Kansas City Star had to say about "Homeric" during a symposium with the play and he would need to put the play aside for a month before he could evaluate it further.
"I'm never defensive about criticism," Lim said, "because there is a distance between the play and my life. I listen to the music that I like most, Most, I reject." Lim said, "but when I
accept them the critics know I am listening."
Lim said, however, that "Homeric" had already been "revised to death."
His philosophy of detachment helps him in analyzing the criticisms, "Once the play
Lim heartily commended SUA for all their unstinting support and monetary backing. "They believed in me, my work and Paul Hough," he said.
is out, though, it's no longer mine," Lim said.
Playwright Lim heard three critics review "Homeric" Wednesday
Weekend
Highlights
Theater
"AN EVENING OF DANCE DRAMA," 8 tonight through Sunday, and Mar. 9-11, William Inge Memorial Theatre.
"HOMERICA - A TRILOGY
of Mystery," premier of Paul Stephen Lim's third play, 8 tonight through Sunday. Kansas Union
"A MATTER OF GRAVITY" starring Katharine Hepburn, 8 tonight on Saturday, Lyric Theatre, Kansas City, Mo.
KU JAZZ ENSEMBLE with guest artist Jamie Abersolb,
3:30 p.m. today, Swarhthouc Reittal Hall.
Concerts
CAMBER CHOIR
a programmer,
b a theater-
Staff and Ravel with
string ensemble and double
woodwind quintet, p.m.
Sunday 10am-5pm
PENNSYLVANIA BALLET 8 tonight and Saturday, Music Hall, Kansas City, Mo.
Nightclubs
COLLEGIUM  MUSICIUM performs the last "Accent the Arts" informal recital at noon, Strong Hall Inhiby
RHYTHM FUNCTION, a reggae band, 9 to midnight Friday and Saturday, Off the Wall Hall.
Recitals
ROBIN MAAS, soprano,
Student Recital Series, 8
tonight, Swarthout.
JOHN'S LAW band, 9 to midnight Friday, the Opera House.
SKIP DEVOL, bajno player,
9 to midnight, Friday and
Saturday, Paul Gray's Jazz
Place.
Lectures
COUSIN COUSINE—Lighteared story starring Marie-Cristine Barrault and Victor Lauxon, which explores the freedoms and limitations of love. Jean-Charles Tacchella's entertaining and crammed with likeable mimes (R).
Films
CHESTER SULLIVAN, poet,
SUA Contemporary Writers and
Poets Series, 4 p.m. today,
Union's Parlor A.
RIVER CITY JAZZ BAND,
midnight to 3 a.m., Saturday,
the Seventh Spirit balcony
NETWORK--The ad claims,
"Some of the attacks are based on
the assumption that television
media have a tendency to Paddy Cayksely's
obvious attacks are based on
Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway William Holden and Ned Batty (R)
SILVER STREAK—Suspense
continental lugature训, falls
to get up any steam until
Reward Prior is unpacked.
ROCKY Simultaneously to the actress, Cinderella tale of a small-time boxer is redeemed by the acting and writing of Sylvester Stallone.
NICKELDEOLEON Peter
Brown of the days
of moviemaking. Stars
Ryan O'Neal, Tatum O'Neal,
Bryan Milton, Steven Stevens
and Rachel Brosnan.
AN ORGY OF CAROONS—
Skifty-seven years of violence,
sex and general bad taste in
sports. Enrollment required.
Rugby Club. this weekend only.
Exhibits
LAWRENCE PUBLIC
LIBRARY - Helen Martin,
pottery. Ann Trusty.
Ann Truely. Pat Hatman.
charcoals, oils and pastels.
KANSAS UNION—Colette Bangert landscapes, Union gallierv.
Books
ALWAYS LOCK YOUR DEMOOR DOOR, by Roy Winsor (Gold Medal, $150) Detective Ira Cobb is back, on the island of Nantucket, where she has summoned Cobb to witness where she suddenly turns up dead. A pleasant diversion.
LOST CITIES AND FORGOTTEN TRIBES, edited by Richard F. Bempewolfii $13—a book about archaeological throughout the world—the Pyramid of Giza, pre-Mayan ruins, St. Peter's bones, King Solomon's mines, the Viking cryptograms, the Peruvian deserts, 400,000-year Old Chinese cadaver.
7E7 GALLERY—Douglass Freed, color-field paintings,
opens Saturday.
RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR
WILL BE THE BEST Pocket,
(Pocket)—All kids of
sideleights of history, a compilation that may be of great fun
VOICES IN AN EMPTY HOUSE, by Joan Aiken (Pocket, $1.75) — A thriller about a mystery demand for the missing 19-year-old and of Nobel prize-winning scientist.
THE HOUSE BY EXMOR,
by Caroline Stafford (Crest,
50)—Still another Gothic;
they are yielding no new combinations.
Gabriel took eccentricity with him
By RICK THAEMERT
Reviewer
When vocalist Peter Gabriel left Genesis almost two years ago, critics were convinced that his chant of centricity of the band with him.
Surprisingly, now the band is climbing to fame on the less gutsy, more controlled voice of Phil Collins. Genesis still weaves melodic musical lines in a way that's right. The eccentricity, that slight bit of English aloofness and inventiveness, is gone.
But all isn't lost. Fortunately, after two years incognito, Peter Gabriel has emerged with his first solo album of the same name, the inventive spirit of early Genesis is anew.
AFTER THE ALBUM was finished, Robert Fripp, the ex-Krimeg Crison guitarist who appears on the album, said that Peter Gabriel could put out a new song. He has Genesis because of his ability to write in the same vein with more compression.
To a certain extent, he's right. Gabriel retains the changes in mood, tempo and dynamics that Genesis stands for, but his compression makes some songs sound disjunct and a little weird. But then, what can you expect from a guitarist of his hair like zipper and wear wart costumes in concert.
The album is a little less eerie and mystical, and a little more down-to-earth or rocking than
ALTOUGH GABRIEL plays flute and keyboards on the album, his 'his voice that makes it a success. I may be a softy for English accents, but to me, there isn't a more expressive
Genesis. The sweet, keyboard-dependent, Moody Blue-like passage of Genesis has given her a reputation as a quintet work on Gabriel's album
Riffs
voice around. From a barely audible whisper to a fire and briststone scream, Gabriel uses his voice as if it were written into the score. The special quality of delicate emunciation of words is unequaled in any other accent.
Another superlative of the album is Gabriel's lyric, unequaled in originality by Dylan or Srpingenste. Fun phrases abound on the album, such as "Hey Valentina, you want me to beg?" You got me cooking. I'm a hard-bolled singer, this is for Springsteinese like birthing worship Diana by the light of the moon. When I pull out my bike, she scream out tane."
L
Gabriel's changing moods would cause as many grey hairs in the studio as keeping Dylan's voice on key.
The best cut on the album is "Modern Love," which resembles "Born to Run" by Springer and is performed in Gabriels' voice is reminiscent of his work on "Back in New York City," from the Genesis's "Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" album. The Genesis's voice, trained in the London School of Music, is awesome.
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"Slowburn" is similar to modern love in its rock approach, but it also goes through a mellow passage and a tempo change that might serve as a countdown on a game show.
BAL missi drasti out tl open
"DOWN THE Dolce Vita"
begins, with help from the
London Symphony Orchestra,
like the score to a movie even
greater than "Gone with the
Wind," but quickly settles to a
quack beat. On this cut,
Gabriel and Anne are used,
trademarks; a god-like,
bellow tone that trails off in
pitch.
"Morbidb the Burgermember" is a melodic cousin to "Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging" from *Lamb*. The song also features two more voice gimmicks he's used in the past; a nasal, sacral guardian tone found on *Lamb Lies Down on Broadway*, and a nasal sound associated with *The Slipper Men* on the "Lamb" album. The song is
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On "Here Comes the Flood," Gabriel's falsoffect has never sounded better, and is perfect from to soft to loud passages.
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ON THE weirder side,
"Humdrum," is a beautiful song that breaks into a catyty chord.
The soft sweet violin sound sweet violin sound at another.
"Waiting for the Big One" is a blues tune intermingled with bits of gospel-like choruses at the end. Gabilly surely took shur the lead, but it's hard to squeak lessons from Patti Smith to perform this one.
"Solsbury Hill" is a bouncing, acoustic number, with a taste of country. Gabriel's flute adds to the atmosphere.
"Excuse Me" is Gabriel's version of the Budweiser song, complete with a tuba solo. It's also in the band's quartet. (I said he was weerd at times.) I can't help but hear seals clapping and arffing in the background, as I did on "The Lamb" from the "Lamb" album.
Gabriel is an ingenious composer and artist who is trying to prove that he can conquer new worlds on his own. As he wrote in "Excuse Me"; he says, "I was only out of my choice vce. grabbing those good years again, I want to be alone."
If this album is an indication, of what the future holds, I say to Gabriel, "the future holds, his own."