Newspaper Page Text
October, 1976 - SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT - Page 3
Greased , ;
by Amanda
Lightning Seward
The scene was on the track at
Macon Speedway where a host of
celebrities stood ready to take their
cues in Warner Bros, new produc
tion, “Greased Lightning”.
Actor-comedian Richard Pryor
heads the all star cast in the film
depicting the life story of black rac
ing car champion Wendell Scott.
Actress Pam Grier, Beau Bridges,
Cleavon Little, Vincent Gardenia,
Richie Havens, Minnie Gentry and
Gene Witham make up the starring
cast with State Senator Julian
Bond in his first motion picture
debut and Mayor Maynard
Jackson appearing in a cameo role.
The film is directed by Mike
Schultz of "Cooley High” fame
and produced by Hannah Weins
tein. Ms. Weinstein also produced
“Claudine”.
Pryor plays the part of Scott
while Miss Grier plays his wife,
Mary. State Senator Bond plays, in
his own words, “a small town civil
rights lawyer”. Mayor Jackson, as
a minister, marries Scott and his
wife. The screenplay dramatizes
how Scott, always intrigued by fast
cars, returned from World War II,
married the town’s prettiest girl,
got into moonshine running and
eventually onto stock car racing
tracks.
Scott, now 54 campaigned the
South’s stock car circuits for two
decades as the only black com
petitor and in 1963 won the
NASCAR Grand National Cham
pionship at the Jacksonville 100.
According the Warner Bros., Scott
is the world’s only black champion
stock car racer. Scott joins Pryor
and a stunt man in some of. the
driving scenes.
Inspite of the talented cast and
high budget, all has not gone well
with this production. Filming
started this summer in Madison,
Georgia under the direction of
Melvin Van Peebles, author, film
and stage producer and director.
He was soon relieved of his duties
and Schultz took over. Schultz
revised much of the material, and
some shooting had to be redone.
An assistant director said the ma
jor difference between the two is
the Van Peebles emphasized the
talents of the comedian side of
Pryor in the role of Scott and
preferred humorous characters.
Schultz’s version is more serious.
The film has now cost over one
million dollars and it is not certain
whether box office returns will
meet the expectations of the film
company. The movie is expected to
be released in March, 1977.
Happenings
September-October
ARTS
Friday, Oct. 15 - ’“Mayor’s Week
for the Arts” Oct. 15-24. Celebra
tion of the visual and performing
arts in Atlanta.
Atlanta Ballet, Carl Ratcliff
Dancers, Atlanta Contemporary
Dance Company, Atlanta Dance
Theatre present “Evening of
Dance”, Civic Center, 8:30 pm.
♦The Georgia Opera Company
presents “The Crucible”. Alliance
Theatre, 8:30 pm.
Saturday, Oct. 16 - The New Day
Community Festival. Educational
arts and crafts exhibition spon
sored by the Nation of Islam. Pitt
man Park, 950 Garibaldi Street,
Noon-8:00 pm.
Sunday, Oct. 17 - ’Handshake
Gallary, 401 West P’tree at
Peachtree Summit. "Bicentennial-
A Black Perspective" featuring
works of Black artists of Atlanta,
through Nov. 3. Mon-Fri, 10-4,
Sun. 1-6.
Monday, Oct. 18 - ’The Atlanta
Dance Theatre will give a free per
formance in Central City Park,
5:00 pm.
Tuesday, Oct. 19 - ’Artists and
students from the Neighborhood
Arts Center, 252 Georgia Ave.,
S.W. will hold an exhibition. Amos
Johnson (Auburn Ave. murals)
will give a demonstration of his
techniques in the exhibition space.
Wednesday, Oct. 20
’“Doculanta”-A photography ex
hibit of productions of local
photographers. Peachtree Center,
through Nov. 15
’The Atlanta Art Workers’ Coali
tion, Ltd., will present a multi-
media exhibition in the Omni
International Complex, The Upper
Mall Level on Northside, through
October 24.
Thursday, Oct. 21 - ’“Without
Words”. Works by well and lesser
known southeastern artists.
by Angela Phoenix
Ground floor of the Colony House
Condominiums at the 15th Street
side of Colony Sq. through Nov.
17. Daily 12-7 pm. except Monday
Friday. Oct. 22 - ’The Academy
Theatre in Buckhead presents “AS
YOU LIKE IT’’ (William
Shakespears).
The Atlanta Children’s Theatre is
sponsoring two performances of
“Legend of the Silver Arrow” at
the Alliance Theatre, 10 and 12
am.
Sunday, Oct. 24 - ’“Tropical
Madness” Open City Theatre. 8:30
pm.
MUSIC
Saturday, Oct. 16 - ’Kids Krazy
Kulture Karnival - Theatre,
Dance, Movies, Clowns,
Skatemobiles, Games and more.
Performances by Open City
Children’s Theatre, Dance Unit,
Marching Abominables, The
Disco Kids and many more. Civic
Center, Noon-4:00
Sunday, Oct. 17 - The Isley
Brothers. The Omni, 8:00 p.m.
Ticket information: 577-9600
Wednesday, Oct. 20 - Natalie Cole
in concert at the Civic Center.
Chicago in concert, the Omni (681 -
2100)
’“Jazz America”. Central City
Park, noon-until.
Thursday, Oct. 21 - ’“Jazz
America” Central City Park,
noon-until
Saturday, Oct. 23 - Ray Charles in
concert. Civic Center. 7:30 pm.
TIC-X-PRESS for tickets.
’Georgia Grassroots Music
Festival, Oct. 23 and 24 in
Underground, Noon-8:00. Presen
tation of traditional music ranging
from blues to ballad, Modern jazz
to soul.
Sunday, Oct. 24 - ’Atlanta
Symphony Orchestra will perform
at Civic Center.
Recently, Hubbard pulled a
chameleon-like change at the New
port Jazz Festival in New York.
Usually a soft almost dull per
former in the past few years, Hub
bard sat in for the never present
Prince of Darkness (Miles) at the
Herbie Hancock Retrospective (a
tribute to Herbie). Along with Ron
Carter, Tony Williams and Wayne
Shorter, Hubbard blew with fire
and articulation reminiscent of his
brilliant performances in the early
sixties.
Likewise, the next night with old
boss Art Blakey, Hubbard again
responded with a virtuoso perfor
mance; the type that made critics
proclaim him heir apparent to
Miles some time ago.
Unfortunately, this latest album
is the antithesis of those recent per
formances. Frankly, Windjammer
is Freddie’s worst album.
Previous recording efforts plac
ed Hubbard in the role of major
composer and soloist. By contrast.
this album contains only two Hub
bard originals and focuses on trite
re-makes of Gary Wright’s Dream
Weaver and other uninspired
works.
By comparison to Freddie’s
classic Black Angel, Hublones or
even Red Clay, Neo Terra and the
title tune have little substance.
Freddie has played on more than
five hundred sessions in his career
and it’s my contention that unlike
Miles or Monk, he has
motivational problems.
Bob James produced and
arranged Windjammer and it bears
the usual watered-down charts
with trepid strings. Thus, with all
this pre-packaged attempt at
music, the album generates no feel
ing. If you like the Blackbyrds, dis
co or a lot of water in your drink,
Windjammer is right up your alley.
If you enjoy a light challenge at
times, forget it; let’s give Freddie
another year.
Neyeswah