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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 1983)
Monday, August 29, 1933 Daily Nebraskan Page 31 J Li L Vb IX L U. IX IX IXLh, IX v J U. oreign, domestic films set for Sheldon series By Eric Petersen A tribute to the late German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder and a look at some first-run films by independent filmmakers will be among the featured parts ol the semester's Sheldon Film Thea tre scries. "The selection is very eclectic," said Dan Ladely, director of the theater, noting that this fall's films will have their high quality in common. Film is "exhibited here just like painting or sculp ture," Ladely said. Some Sheldon film series, like the recent summer retrospectives on Nicholas Ray and Jacques Tati, are intended to give a historical pers pective on film development as an art form, he said. One change in the Sheldon film program from recent years will be the general absence of Holly-ee4ls-kgBkgomai-g to &ta Hie iM- classic productions," Ladely said. "Most young peo ple aren't familiar with the stars." Interest in older American films is cyclic, Ladely said, and they will become more popular in the future. But running standard classics is not the aim of the Sheldon Film Theater anyway, he said. The mixture of foreign and American films shown this fall may not be shown at any other theaters in the state. "They wouldn't really get shown in Nebraska if they weren't shown here." Sheldon's non-commercial basis makes possible another kind of cinema, Ladely said. Commercial theaters downtown don't show what has become a feature of the Sheldon film program, independent cinema, or small non-Hollywood and non-industry pictures. Ladely said that attendance and potential income are taken into account in film selection, but not as the main criterion, as it is for many theaters. Reviews aid in selection Ladely said he uses various sources in forming the film program. "I rely on a lot of reading," he said, using reviews in film journals to help in the selec tion. People who have seen movies in other cities make recommendations to him, and now that the Sheldon Film Theatre has a travel budget, Ladely himself can see new films at various festivals, such as the film festival in Telluride, Colo, in October. The popular Foreign Film Series is not directly a part of the Sheldon program, although the films are shown at the Sheldon. The UPC Foreign Films Committee selects the films for the series, and stu dent committee members manage publicity and other operations. The first Sheldon film this fall will be "Lianna," directed by John Sayles. It will show Tuesday through Sunday. Sayles also directed "Return of the Seacaucus Seven." "Lianna" is a highly praised film dealing with homosexuality and academia. Peter Gothar's Time Stands Still" (Hungary, 1982) follows from Sept. 9 to 12. "Before the Nickelodeon" will show Sept. 13 and 14. It will be part of a FilmVideo Showcase, in which the film director will make a personal appearance in Lincoln at the showing of the film to discuss the work shown. In "Before the Nickelodeon," Charles Musser looks at the very earliest stages of filmmak ing. "Historically, it's very instructive, and it's a lot of fun," Ladely said. "Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" will show Sept. 15 to 19. Made by Robert Alt man, the film is about a Jimmy Dean fan club that hasn't been seen very much at all around t he coun try," Ladely noted. "It got very mixed reviews." "One From the Heart" is unique in that it was directed from a trailer house on an almost entirely artificial set. The Sheldon Film Theat re will have a collection of independent films by First Run Features Nov. 10 to 14. There's quite a real good mixture of feature films and short films, documentary films . . . and social commentary films," Ladely said. "It's too bad these kind of films don't get shown in commercial houses. What they lack in slick appearances, they make up in story and performance and soul." Among the independent films featured will be "Chicken Ranch," about the brothel (actually in Nevada) that the Dolly Parton film "Best Little or.ehouKe.JUiJIeyasls-ba?. Staff photo by Dave Bentz Dan Ladely, director of the Sheldon Film Theatre. meets in a small Texas town near where the Dean film "Giant" was made. The picture stars Sandy Dennis, Cher and Karen Black. "Alt man is always very popular here," Ladely pointed out, refering to an Altman retrospective several summers ago. "Smithereens" by Susan Seidelman,, made last year, has a punk rock feel to it, Ladely said, and shows a young woman work against the obstacles to her career. It will show Sept. 22 to 24. Kohei Oguri's "Muddy River," made in Japan last year, will be at the Sheldon Oct. 6 to 8. Tribute set for filmmaker There will be a two-film tribute to Rainer Werner Fassbinder in the middle of October. Fassbinder, who was "one of the world's most prolific and prob ably one of the best filmmakers," according to Ladely, died last year. "Veronika Voss" which will show Oct. 13 to 16, parodies Hollywood melodrama in its depection of a movie star fallen on evil days. "Veronika Voss" was the second to last film Fass binder made. Ladely said that the Sheldon Film Theatre will show his last film, the controversial "Querelle," as soon as it is released in this country. The second film in the Fassbinder tribute is directed by Wolf Gremm, but stars Fassbinder. "Kamikaze '89" will be shown Oct. 20 to 22. "One From the Heart," which will show Nov. 3 to 5, was directed by Francis Ford Coppola in 1982. "It "Vortex," another in the independent series, is a punk rock picture directed by Scott and Bee B. It is their first 1 6mm film. A series ticket will be available for $10 for all the independent films, w.hich would cost much more separately under regular admis sion prices of about $3. Mini film festivals possible Ladely said such film mini-festivals have had vary ing degrees of success. A series of Chinese films last year did not fare as well in attendance figures. "I don't always count the success of something like this by the attendance, necessarily I count the quality of experience." A documentary on gospel music called "Say Amen, Somebody," directed by Geroge T. Nierenberg, will feature Thomas A. Dorsey and Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith, and show at t he Sheldon Nov. 1 7 and 1 9. There will be a FilmVideo Showcase Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 of new French films which have not yet been seen in this area. Francois Reichenbach, a French documentarist, will be present at some of the show ings. The final film this semester will be "Britannia Hospital," an English film by Lindsay Anderson, which will be at the Sheldon Dec. 8 to 12. Ladely said the film satirizes socialized medicine. Ladely said he would like to continue to expand the film program further in some of the directions it is already heading. The Sheldon Film Series on NETV has been "very well received," he noted, and will continue. Sheldon has had a film touring program which Ladely would like to see expanded, by which films are shown at numerous small cities and towns in Nebraska, sponsored by the Nebraska Arts Coun cil and local community organizations. The Sheldon Film Theatre has a film equipment cooperative which has made filmmaking equipment available for independent or student projects. "I think there's a lot of potential for film in this state . . . I'd like to see more done to attract big productions like 'Terms of Endearment' and independent pro ductions." Ideally, there could be "enough equip ment and enough people to have a permanent small production company" at the university, Ladely said. The Sheldon Film Theatre has not had quite the budget pressures that other university projects have suffered. "Most of our money comes from out side the university. So far we've been lucky . . . we've been sort of walking the thin line." Ladely noted that a community support organization, the Friends of the Sheldon Film Theatre, has been valuable in keep ing the various Sheldon film projects going. Kimball concert series features variety, quality By Kathy Glenn Whether it be music, dance or theater, the Kimball Performing Arts Series once again is ready to provide Lincoln with a season of quality enter tainment. The 1983-84 season will fea ture some returning favorites as well as newcomers to the Kimball Recital Hall stage. The Kimball Performing Arts Series began in 1972 as an attempt to stimu late community interest in the arts. At that time, the UNL School of Music and UNL Cultural Affairs Committee coor dinated their efforts, and today the result is a series of 15 events featuring world-famous artists. This talent is brought to Lincoln through Kimball's independent efforts and with the help of the Mid-America Arts Alliance, a group that brings per forming artists to the Midwest. Kim ball's location in the middle of the nation also makes it a convenient tour stop for many groups who travel from coast to coast. The Kimball Performing Arts Series is unique to Nebraska, and Lincoln has become a very supportive community. Amy Meilander, Kimball publicity and box office Vnanager, said she expects to fill an average of 85 percent of the available seats during the 1 983-84 sea son, with many possible sellouts. Sea son ticket sales began in April this year and season tickets can be purchased until Sept. 25. A 15 percent discount is given when tickets to four or more events are ordered. . The Kimball box office opens today for regular ticket'sales and business is expected to be brisk. Meilander said her next goal is to generate more UNL student interest in Kimball. A student can buy tickets to any performance at a reduced rate. Every effort is being made to keep ticket prices down to encourage more students to attend performances, she said. Continued on Pass S3 Actress Pat Carroll will recreate her Broadway role as writer Gertrude Cteln Cept. 25 as part cf the 1CC3-C4 Kimball Performing Arts series.