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Maelstrom’s film is 1979’s most complex
T'ha* R«*d a ml Hla< k. Friday. Miin h '.tit, l!»7'»
I'ag* 7
By JOHN SIMIAN
Stiff writer
I'he Death of the Fisherman
in the Itaths of t aracalla while
the Rain in Spain Kell Mainly
on the Plain with a Million
Dollar Baby in a Five and Ten
Cent Store, the latest film by
the renowned Swedish director
Lars Maelstrom, is perhaps
the most absorbing and com
plex motion picture to appear
this year Maelstrom’s films
may appear totally incoherent
to the untrained, casual
viewer, but the experienced
cinematist will uncover a
mother lode of hidden mean
ings
There are many images and
symbols in Death Perhaps the
most striking image occurs
when Bjorn returns from the
war missing a leg. while Sven
returns from the war with an
extra leg. This is one of the
most significant images to
appear in modern cinema—one
that is idelibl) etched in one’s
memory.
Fisherman's images are
created by Maelstrom for
symbolic purposes. The se
quence in which Bo rubs a live
chicken on the face of a
policeman is one such sym
bolic image When Pastor
Kcklund is catapulted by the
angry mob through a stained
glass window depicting the
slaughter of the innocents and
lands in the bondage section of
the Smutska Adult Bookstore.
X_' v
Mali pholu-Sall> Krnehnkr
Striking images in "Death” powerfully symbolize
the power ol siuli symbolic
juxtaposition impresses one
Ifcvond one s previous impres
sions
One also admires Mael
strom's art in the lengthy
sequence of Baths of Caracalla
devoted to Olaf s dream Olaf
dreams he is a contestant in
the Miss Bikini Stockholm
competition when a group of
nuns suddenly disrupt the
contest by brandishing salad
forks and putting out flaming
homosexuals with soda acid
fire extinguishers The nuns
leave, and Olaf is the sole
survivor As a reward for his
fortitude and good fortune, an
angel of God gives Olaf a
coupon for a free permanent
wave.
One is further impressed by
the beautiful pictorial compo
sition of cinematographer Sven
Starkyst. Particularly enthrall
ing are the scenes illuminated
solely by the light from four
fireflies These visual images
created a stark, but moving
metaphor
Mainly on the Plain is the
richest, most valuable film of
our time. The philistines will
no doubt gawk stupidly at
Million Dollar Baby, but the
intelligentsia will realize that
Maelstrom is a supreme artist
who presents one with the
truth stripped bare His
symbolic films symbolize life
ilfdl H«* peaks to the
ubiquitous universal, omni
present soul everywhere One
should sec* this film for one’s
own enlightenment, for one
will carry \ Five and Jen ( ent
Store for the remainder of
one’s life
Presley rises again with new album;
stunning comeback marks new sound
By HOBBY BYRD
Who doesn’t like anything
Now that rock is entering its
third decade*, comebacks
amongst fallen stars are
becoming commonplace The
Allman Brothers. The Animals.
has returned to a rock sound,
with some success.
The highlights ol the I.P .in-
three cover versions «»t soiui'
that, when placed again''
Presley’s dormant stale, m-m
stunningly appropriate ll.
Bee Gees' “How Can N
Presley
Comes Alive!
Elvis Presley
DO A Records
the nucleus of the Byrds—all
have made resurgent efforts in
the last year, and all with
limited success
But now. the man who
started it all. the King of Hock
and Roll, is hack. Presley
Comes Alive! is a stunning
reemergence from America’s
best-loved corpse.
Presley Comes Alive! is a
change in direction for The
King Forsaking the sappy
Lettermenesque sounds of his
past dozen or so albums, he
Mend A Broken Heart' ob
viously refers to The King's
failing health in the summer of
77 Elvis issues a furtive plea
to George Nickopoulos. his
personal physician, as he sings
‘Help me mend my broken
heart—and let me live again
The power and emotion are
inescapable, as you can feel
the pain in Presley's heart
Andy Gibb adds a definite
authenticity to the song by
duplicating his brothers’ trade
mark harmonies
John Prine’s sardonic
Please Don't Bury Me Down
In That Cold. Cold Ground” is
1 « n a light, almost humorous
urli. with a fine uptempo
riff from longtime Pres-
•' musician Jerry Scheff. The
•|H iimg lines set the tempo—
Woke Dp this morning put
"M my slippers -went to the
kitchen and died." The King,
always known for an ability to
»ake life's little problems in
stride, shows that he can deal
with death's little problems as
well
Bui Elvis has lost none of the
sensitivity that made him a
beloved friend to fans the
world over. Backed by the Joe
Guercio Orchestra, he delivers
a touching sendup of Rod
Stewart’s “I Was Only Jok
ing.’’ both addressing the
sadness that marked his life
and offering a clue as to what
really happened at the funeral.
“I was only joking, my
dear." he croons, “Looking for
ways to hide my tears—What
kind of fool was I?—I could
never win...." The conclusion
is inescapable that Presley
may have, after the funeral,
smiled at his aides over the
joke’s success, changed his
clothes and gone out for a Big
Mac
The LP’s main difficulty,
however, lies in the three
original songs included. Elvis
seems less comfortable with
the new material, sounding
stiff and cold at times, as if
he’s unsure of himself Songs
such as “Formaldehyde
Blues." "Rockin' At the
Mausoleum" and “Get Those
Souvenirs Outta My Front
Yard" are so unsubtle that
Presley's efforts to come to
grips with his own demise are
severely hampered
Elvis seems embarrassed by
the three songs, making you
wonder why he picked Barry
Manilow to author them in the
first place. “Souvenirs” is
particularly offensive, with
lines like “They’re selling
trinkets in my front yard—
They give me a pain in the
head- People .nay call me a
tub of lard—But remember
that I’m still dead.”
But. in the final analysis,
Presley Comes Alive! is a
quintessential!^ important al
bum. (I call it quintessential,
because that’s my favorite
word, and I haven't used it
yet ) It's hard to be too critical
of the album, because although
it’s heavily flawed, it’s an
album that we thought we'd
never hear at all
Elvis is one of our great
artists, and it’s nice to have
him tack AS far as the King
goes, it’s better late than
never.
Readers really get into
Playboy’s ‘Christina’
H> MJKVELL SM RDBFRG
( ontributing muckraker
I gently Idled ( hristina’s Surrender from the shelf and gazed
longingly at its smooth, supple cover A strange, primal force
seemed to swell inside as I felt myself being uncontrollably
guided toward the dark, overstuffed chair in my dimly lit
bedroom Suiting into the chair. I emitted a deep sigh,
surrendering myself to what 1 knew would shortly ensue
The book lay in my lap. its cover coquettishlv bent at the upper
right hand corner, exposing a tantalizing set of pages Thev
seemed to tease me with a promise of things to come. With great
force. I suddenly flung open the cover The first page lay
trembling before me in all its exquisite naked whiteness It
seemed to glow in the soft yellow light
Quivering with anticipation. I lowered my face into the book
Christina's
Surrender
Blakely
St. James
Playboy Press
The faintly pungent odor of newsprint stung my nostrils I gently
parted the pages The book readily yielded to my desires as I
slowly liegan to read
I was seized by a sudden, unspeakable ecstasy at the sight of
the first word My breathing became halted and shallow. I turned
the pages—slowly at first, then more quickly The words seemed
to surge forward with increasing fervor My expert four-inch
fingers flipped the pages as thev had never been flipped before
As my eyes vigorously swept the pages, the text tenderly but
firmly manipulated my mind. Characters, situations, conflicts,
and imagery rushed before my eyes I began to turn the pages
more quickly, yet assertively and rhythmically My senses
blurred The book and I seemed to become one as I eagerly
continued reading My palms sweated as the excitement
mounted, and 1 grunted with unrestrained pleasure The binding
suddenly bent backward as the story was brought to a crashing
climax I gasped as I greedily gripped the book's corners,
refusing to sacrifice a moment of the explosive sensation.
With a deep exhalation. I slowly closed the cover The book
rested contentedly in my lap as 1 fell back in my chair, limp
with lanquid ecstasy.
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“WHY DO THE HEATHEN RAGE?'
Psalms 2:1 and Acts 4:25
Last weak we wrote of the retribution that follows evil
doing "Be sure your sin will find you out." Numbers 32:23.
History reveals the truth of that statement. Only a very few
examples are given as follows:
“The domestic peace and prosperity of the good old
patriarch Jacob was sadly marred He la compelled to
become at an early age. an exile from his father a house — to
flee before the aroused wrath ot his brother — to suffer a long
oppression and wrong In the family of Laban, hit kinsman:
and no sooner is he relieved from these domestic afflictions,
that suddenly he Is bereaved of hit lavortte wife — Joseph la
violently tom from his embrace by his own tons — and at
length Benjamin, the only object on which the aflections of
the aged father seemed to respose. must be yielded up to an
yncertain destiny, and nis cry is heard: “All these things are
egetnst me!"
• David was a good man, yat he tinned a great tin And his
sin was of a domestic character. And how grievously was he
afterward afflicted in hit domestic relations, his subsequent
history remains the sad memorial. The Voice ot God an
nounced. "The sword shall never depart from your house!
His son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar. Absalom, her
brother, killed Amnon! Later on Absalom u. urped hit
father's throne and drove him out. etc., etc. Yet D ivid was a
• man after God s heart" — a man after God's he «rt In the way
he repented and accepted the severe judgement of God.
reminding one ot the words of Job: “Yea. though He slay me.
yet will I trust Him!"
Examples crowd upon us from every quarter: every
neighborhood furnishes them! Haman was hung on the
gallows he built lor Mordecai. Dogs ate the carcass of Queen
Jezebel, and licked up the blood of her husband. King Ahab.
The Herods furnish fearlul examples. But consider Pontius
Pilate: many of us quote his name every Sunday in public
worship: "Suffered under Pontius Pilate!"
"Pilate, vacillating between the monitions of conscience
and a miserable time serving policy, delivered up Jesus to be
crucified. He believed him to be Innocent: yet that his own
loyalty to Caesar might not be suspected, he did violence to
his conscience and condemned the innocent. He mutt
secure his friendship of Caesar, though It be at the expense
ot the most appalling crime. But how miserably he failed: and
thare was in the retribution which followed a striking fitness
of the punishment to the crime, 'te hesitated at nothing to
please his Imperial master at Rome. Yet but two years
afterward he was banished by this same emperor Into a dis
tant province, where. In disgrace and abandonment, and
with a burden on his conscience which was at the burning
steel, he put and end to an existence which was too wretched
to be borne!" "BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT!"
"He that confetaelh and torsaketh his sin shall find mercy."
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