10
Djily Nebraskan
Friday, February 18, 1933
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One quality of the Rolling Stones is
their ability to appear as if they are going
through the motions while simultaneously
giving the impression that, at times, they
are not quite sure what they are doing.
In Hal Ashby's "Let's Spend The Night
Together," this is about the only inquiry
into the ambiguities of this historically
dubious band.
The Rolling Stones 1981 concert tour
was the premiere rock act of the year,
if not the entertainment event of the
season. "Let's Spend The Night Toget
her" (originally titled "Rocks Olf
catches a good deal of the energy of two
Rolling Stones concerts, one shot at the
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Mick Jagger
Meadowlands in New Jersey, the other
at Sun Devil stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
The film is cross-cut between the two
shows, beginning with the fading light
of a desert sunset revealing an absolutely
sold-out Sun Devil Stadium, and the sight
is quite stunning.
The film is beautifully shot and well
edited, capturing the essence of Mick
Jaggcr's prettyugly stage presence. His
serpentine style is still true to form, while
prancing and dancing, daring the cameras
to keep up.
"LSTNT" does not set any new filmic
conventions, neither as a film nor a concert
film. But rarely diese days does a Holly
wood film set any artistic precedence,
for it is the star quality that matters
most (in a Hollywood film), this film
obviously being no exception.
The trips backstage arc few, sporadic
and without reason, and show Jagger and
guitarist Ron 'Wood warming up by getting
some makeup and imbibing in a little
liquid inspiration. Some questionable
detours are taken, such as a sped-up set
up of the revolving indoor stage to the
sounds of "Going To A Go-Go." which
is boring and too long. A shot of starving
children in bad taste, without a point,
comes out of nowhere in the laziest
attempt a film has made to identify with
some period of the past. The selection of
the cutaways, other than, those of the
concert, seems to have been done as an
afterthought, but does not take away
from the show.
Ironically, the music is one of the best
reasons to see this film, considering the
actual crowd in attendance seemed
primarily satisfied with a live look at the
Stones, music second. Nearly all the
classics are performed, both past and
present, with excellent versions of
2 free studs may ease paiin
of $25 ticket and mo Valeimtioe
Juliet had just gotten her hair trim
med. She drove through downtown in
her $350 army surplus tank (a 1070
Kingswood station wagon with yellow
rust-prevention spots, a yellow fender,
and a 166,000 miles reading on the
front panel).
Juliet couldn't wait to arrive home.
There, in her mail box, she knew the
Valentine or, perhaps ever Valentines,
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that had not arrived on Monday, lues-
day, Wednesday or Thursday would
surely today, Friday, at this very
moment, be awaiting her. The Valen
tine from, from, from anyone . . .who
cares . . .just a Valentine.
Juliet looked under her fingernails. . .
cheese, lettuce, tomatoes ... she smell
ed like onions . . . she thought to her
self that maybe next year she could stop
suffering for her art. She would be out
of the restaurant grind, she would have
a different job - but probably not. She
smiled.
In the rear view, a car moved closer
and closer. Juliet watched as the tailer
followed her across the intersection.
The street lights flooded the night and
Juliet saw the red cherries of a police
car reflect in the darkness.
Juliet panicked. Was it the one head
light, the lack of turn signals, was she
speeding? No, that wasn't possible the
license, it had to be the license plate -they
were 4 months old maybe five
. . . six?
This was the perfect time to turn
right. Juliet turned right. The police car
turned right, Juliet turned left. The
police car turned left. Juliet tried to
outrun the police car - the station
wagon died. The red lights went on.
Juliet felt ill.
"Did you know your license plates
are expired?"
"My license plates?" .
"They were expired in October."
"October?"
"Of '82."
Trying to be casual: "Do you guys
put real bullets in your guns?"
"Could I see your license and regis
tration, please?"
"Well, you already saw my license."
A feeble laugh.
"I was just kidding - joke joke -OK,
my license and registration."
Juliet fumbled through the glove
compartment ... a mint, a window
scraper, ketchup, Kleenex and a registra
tion - license out of the purse.
"Here you are."
"Did you know you had improper
registration?"
"Well, yeah, kind of. I've been wait
ing for my withholding tax - I've been
waiting, UNL's been waiting, the gas
company, my sister - everyone's wait
ing for my withholding tax."
"Well, here is your license and regis
tration and ticket. The ticket will cost
you $25 and you have 15 days to renew
your plates and registration."
"Thank you?"
"Drive carefully, one of your head
lights is out."
"Goodnight."
Juliet arrives home. Someone must
have rummaged through her mailbox,
taken the Valentine's and left the phone
bill . . .well, maybe next year.
In the meantime, Juliet recalled a
sign in a- downtown jewelry store
window two free studs with every ear
piercing , . . who, in this day and age,
could pass up a bargain like that.
She smiled.
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Mick Jagger and Keith Richards revel on stage during a show from the Stones'
1981 tour of the Americas.
"Jumpin' Jack Flash," "Neighbors" and
"Little T and A", the latter being crooned
in "the fuck me honey drawl" of Keith
Richards. Richards stalks the stage in his
mangy, menacing style, tugging at his
guitar strings as if he were starting a chain
saw, and at times appears to be in a world
of his own, as detached from the scene' as
his wireless guitar is detached from the
sound system. Yet he plays masterfully
when he does play.
Given Jagger's antics and presence,
some of the more memorable moments
are due to Wood, whose instant impro
visations help balance out the performance.
At one point, about 50 "Honky Tonk
Women" grace the stage, and Jagger out
, dances them all. The Stones' live shows
resemble a circus and "Let's Spend The
Night Together" captures the full product
ion. The Stones have also become a slick
act and, maybe, even respectable.
The film was recorded in 24-track
sound but is unfortunately running at the
Plaza 4, where it is playing at insufficient
volume.
A. A. Miioie's Wiminiie-tlhi-Poolhi:
Foremost Western spokesfoeair
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Easteo'Bi uaoostthouslhit
The Tao of Pooh
Benjamin !loff
Dutton
A Jly cant bird, but a bird can fly.
A fish can't whistle and neither can I.
Ask me a riddle and I reply;
Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie.
Winnie-the-Pooh
Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh,
in the last scene of A.A. Milne's
classic series, were out walking on a sunny,
hummy sort of day.
Where were they going? Pooh asked.
Nowhere, Christopher Robin s.aid. It
sounded like an agreeable place, and they
headed there.
What was Pooh's favorite thing to do?
Christopher Robin asked. Pooh pondered
and said what he liked doing best was
being offered honey at a friend's house.
Christopher Robin said his favorite thing
to do was nothing. Pooh agreed that was a
good thing to do.
They came to an enchanted place at the
top of the forest. The spaces between the
trees, like nowhere else, were not cluttered
with underbrush. E.H. Shepard's last
illustration depicts the bear sitting peace
ably under a tree, the world spread below
him, as if he had found Tao.
Taoism is implicit throughout the Pooh
series, Benjamin Hoff points out in a fun
little book called Vie Tao of Pooh. Hoff
contends Pooh is the foremost Western
spokesbear of Eastern philosophy.
Tao is an ancient Chinese term meaning
"the way," as in the way to right living
and inner attainment, the way of the
universe. Centuries later, Buddha borrowed
much of his philosophy from Taoist
thought.
Pooh, spelled p'u, is another ancient
term. It is a central image in the premiere
piece of Taoist literature, circa 200 B.C.,
Tao Te Clung (The Way and Virtue)
by Lao Tzu (Old Man).
The modern Chinese dictionary trans
lates pit as "natural, simple, plain and
honest." In ancient texts, it is translated
as "the uncarved block." The Chinese
character is composed of two radicals
and translates literally as "Wood uncut."
Continued on Page 1 1
THE TAO OF
VI II I J I JiJ
1 V.VV-1 1 f
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Benjamin Hod
