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Cr(CS 70A76 vwfs.
sharpen egos, pens
doilu
There's a mini-war going on in the world of movies and it isn't
on the screen, in the box office or behind the front desks. It's
taking place in nearly ever important newspaper and magazine in
the country and it involves the countless, unacknowledged battles
among filmdcm's eternal purveyors of analysis and sometimes ego
tripping-the movie critic.
Writing about films has become a diversified mode of
creativity. With the best it is almost an art in itself, and reading
some movie columns is almost as much fun as seeing the films
themselves. Everyone likes to quote their favorite critic (one that
happens to agree with them). The range of critic's responses is so
varied that one thing is soon apparent you can hold any opinion
on a movie because somewhere there'll be a critic to back you up.
The biggest power block in criticism today is in an influential
East Coast coalition revolving around two groups The National
Society of Film Critics and the New York Film Critics Circle.
Both, incidentally, have 14 members in common.
Sitting atop the heap in terms of respectability, depth and an
amazing film insight is Pauline Kael of the New Yorker. She
writes long but fascinating articles and reaches an understanding
of films in perspective both past and present that is seldom
matched.
Unlike many critics, Kael can draw on film history without
sounding like she read up on the subject the night before. One
swears she has seen just about every film in the world.
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Andrew Sarris, a film professor at Columbia who writes for the
Village Voice, is as good as he is eloquent. One of the original
auteur theorists, he is, in many ways, a critic for the cultists
filmgoer. He does not hesitate to champion some of history's
overlooked filmmakers and is-often a surpiv'singly. vehement critic
of other big names usually considered tesfccret-lo'defame.
The sharpest tongue in criticism today comes from Esquire's
controversial John Simon. Using scathing phrases like "ghastly
claptrap" and "crush ingly boring," Simon is a master at finding
something wrong with nearly everything. Almost as opinionated,
taking the prize for the most "I's" and "my's" that appear in his
overlong columns, is the Rolling Stone's new contributor, Jon
Landau.
Stanley Kauffman of the New Republic and Vincent Canby of
the New York Times are two of the last of an old breed in the
tradition of Otis Fergueson and, perhaps the greatest film critic
ever, James Agee,
In contrasts. Time and Newsweek have Jay Cocks and Paul
Zimmerman, both comparitively young. Zimmerman's style is
'iced with a distinctive humor and Cocks, especially, is gaining
yell earned respect.
There are, of course, other well known names: Judith Crist,
TV Guide's offering to middle class tastes; Rex Reed, formerly
an in figure but now aimost forgotten;, and Roger Greenspun,
recently fired from the New York Times, who took his complex,
you-have-to-resd-them-through-twice reviews to none other than
Penthouse. A magazine isn't a magazine anymore if it doesn't
have its own film page, be it the Wall Street Journal, Creem or
Women's Wear Daily.
All the critics hava varying ideas as towhat their function is. Is
it to educate, interpret, maintain standards, be a consumer guide
or even elevate tastes? Perhaps Judith Crist described the makings
of the movie critic best when she said he must have "3
education, 5 intelligence, 2 style and 90 gall and egomania In
equal parts."
.3
Amateurs'
plays go
on stage
Thursday
By Meg Greene
Three high school playwrights will see their works on
stage Thursday at Southeast High School at 7 p.m. The
plays are the result of the Lincoln Public School's Year of
the Arts playwriting class.
The class, under the direction of instructor Royal
Eckert, was thinned out to 20 from 40 students.
Students found themselves responsible, for all work done
in the class.. Besides' forma! writing sessions Morjrvt talk
sessions were held to discuss their works and problems.
The plays to be presented are The Aristocrats, by
Elizabeth Knoll, Beehives, by Catherine Lyon and Man's
Destiny is Never Forever, by Frank Burden, all from
Southeast. About 150 students tried out for the 1-act
productions. Choices for players were made by a committee
with recommendations by Eckert." '
The playwriting project was funded by the Nebraska
Arts Council, the Junior League of Lincoln, and the Woods
and Lincoln Foundations.
UNL drama professors Joseph Baldwin and Tice Miller,
and the managing director of the Lincoln Community
Playhouse, John Wilson, will be at Thursday night's
performance for a critique.
The plays are free and open to the public.
Tab e make I's ' focus: versatility
Review by Diane Wanek
Tabemakel by Jan Akkerman
Jan Akkerman is an extraordinary guitarist
and also a man who is intensely serious about
his rnsuic. As guitarist for the group Focus, he
has proved that he knows as much about
classical music as anyone, though he claims to
be the rockpop influence behind Focus' music.
His five years of classical training comes
through powerfully in Tabemakel. He plays,
acoustic and electric guitars, lute and a little
electric bass. The music covers a wide range,
from Baroque compositions arranged by
Akkerman to his own "Lammy," which swings
through everything from flashy guitar riffs, pop
rags and Moody Blues type stuff to Gregorian
chants and a beautiful medieval chorus.
Akkerman has listed classical master Julian
Bream as his only guitar idol, pointing out that
"Bream is now 45 or so and he's still
swinging. . .it's the feeling he plays with.
Technically, there are better guitarists, but that
doesn't say anything to me."
It's all true of Akkerman as well; he
certainly is not a technical virtuoso, but he
plays with such sensitivity and creativity that
it's easy to see why he has topped many
international polls as best guitarist.
He's a composar too, and a good one. The
best cut on this album is one of his own
compositions entitled "Javeh." It's a beautiful,
medieval sounding melody. Other cuts on the
album include several tunes by John Dowiand,
one by Thomas Morley and one by Laurencini
of Rome. It makes for an unusual bunch of
music, and very enjoyable.
hingers
of doom
coming to
n
unco
iw f iittim nairan
It is rumored that the late Bruce Lee
referred to this man's fingers as the
original ten digits of doom. He is also
called the king of the feedback guitar. He
can break glass onstage with a single note.
Who is he? Ted Nugent, of course.
Nugent and Amboy Dukes will be at
Pershing Auditorium Sunday at 8 p.m.
. Nugent has always had a dream: to
appear on ihe Ed Sullivan show.
Unfortunately, TV's durable toastmaster
gave up long before Nugent had the
chance to realize that goal.
"Now I'd like to play miracle guitar
licks so that, people literally form a cult,"
he said. "Not admiring me, cf course, but
admiring what my guitar can do because I
want to piay th? fastest lick in th?
world-and the loudest and the fastest.
I'm a person of extremes!"
At 25, Nugent is not a superman, but
he definitely possesses some enduring
qualities. The Amboy Dukes began back
in 1SC5 and first appeared on vinyl in
1887.
They proceeded to cut four albums for
Mainstream, including the much heralded
Journey to the Center of the Mind Two
more discs for Polydor followed, the last
released in 1971. Since than, Ted and the
Amboy Dukes have spent their time
assembling and writing material for their
latest release. Call of the Wild
Nugent feels Call of the Wild is closer
to Journey to the Center of the Mind
than anything else he's done. But he adds
that it's not the same, but is rather a
levies! musics! evolution.
"When we play soft, it's almost
inaudible; when we play loud, it. can be
paintul; when we play slow, it's very
bluesy and when we play fast, it's scary,"
Nugent explained. "We also have to bg
very careful to watch ourselves and stay
in the groove. We're atom-like and have
to be properly harnessed."
Now this doesn't mean the Amboy
Dukes raise a din requiring cotton in your
ears, but perhaps it does explain why
Nugent is fond of saying:
"Instead of singing you a lullaby, we'll
kick you in the teeth and roll right along,
playing music that makes you forget the
pain. Our music is one of extremes
because my life is one of extremes. It has
a lot to do with foreplay and everybody
getting off together in the end."
Tickets for the cunce: i are available at
the Nebraska Union south desk and at tha
Pershing Auditorium Box Office. y
thursday, february 28, 1974
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