The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 20, Ed. 1, Friday, November 4, 1983 Page: 3 of 10
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Zelig' another zany Allen movie
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The name Woody Allen has long been
synonymous with Innovation in film-making.
After spending his past few years on a binge of
more serious films mny fans have doubtless
wondered if Allen would ever return 16 his old
style of offbeat humor. While his latest film isn't
gms packed with laughs as some of his ncAv-classlc
Efforts "Zelig" does show a decided glint of
.Woody Allen's timeless humor.
;; "Zelig" is rated PG and is showing at the
Westwood Theater.
"Zelig" tells the story in documentary style
of Leonard Zelig a fictional 1920s character who
became world-famous as "The Chameleon
Man." Allen stars as the unfortunate Zelig
whose traumatic childhood led to severe in-
securities as an adult. Zelig so desperately wants
to fit in with his peers that he develops the eerie
ability to take on the physical appearance of
flther people around him.
9-- The story is told of course with tongue firmly
da cheek. Scratchy black-and-white newsreel
(dips show us Zelig looking like gangsters
.'blacks fat men Greeks and even transforming
into a rabbi before our eyes in an amusing scene.
' -Mia Farrow then steps in as the dedicated and
:dowdy spinster psychiatrist Dr. Eudora Flet-
cher. Dr. Fletcher is determined to cure Zelig
-and to ltave him treated not as a sideshow freak
'but with human dignity. Of course tlie two fall in
.love in the midst of therapy leading to an old-
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rachelweems
fashioned romance with a twist of two.
The concept behind "Zelig" is admittedly
risky. Doing a feature-length film completely in
documentary style will probably alienate much
of the movie-going mainstream who want action
not commentary. But Allen not surprisingly
Kulls off another tricky idea rather well and with
is usual flair.
Technical execution and attention to detail are
admirable in the film. Editor Susan E. Morse
manages to spike and superimpose Allen and
Farrow into film footage of the 'acta with com-
plete believability. In .addition footage of Allen
and Farrow is aged to match the quality of 0-year-old
clips. Scenes are painstakingly
scratched and spotted; the sound is carefully
embellished with authentic-sounduig static and
skips. Dick Hyman's musical score; tinny-
sounding and tacky is right on the money as
well.
Acting performances while understandably
low-key because of the documentary flavor are
good. Allen in particular shines in his rote.
Unrivaled in his portrayal of the soft-spoken
neurotic Allen gives Zelig a whimsical klutzy
sort of cham nothing we haven't seen before
but irresistible as always.
Farrow looking like a librarian on the lam is
less fun but the necessary and adept straight
man for Allen. The supporting casts' boasts' a
slew of notables in cameo "commentaries"
including Saul Bellow and Susan Son tag to name
a couple.
"Zelig" fe no knce-slapper but some very
funny moments do emerge here and there.
Probably the best scenes are the "White Room
Sessions" tapes of Dr. Fletcher's psychotherapy
sessions with Zelig. Allen is at the top of his
comedie form in these scenes. Other fleeting but
terribly funny moments include a description of
Zelig's traumatic childhood footage of an or-
thodox Jewish version of "A Midsummer Night's
Dream' and an interview with Dr. Fletcher's
mother.
"Zelig" is without a doubt a distinctive film
with a style emphatically its own It may well be
one of those infamous films the public either
loves or hates. I wouldn't be at all surprised if
"Zelig" bombs at the box office but those with a
taste for subtlety will like the film's .quaint ap-
peal and Allen's feather-light but decidedly
droll touch of humor.
! j ; . i ; ' .
Videos
Music's latest innovation takes several forms; ;
experts doubt visual rock's staying power vl
Logo computer
aids teachers
DALLAS (AP) Five-year-old James Eric
Martin was intent upon moving a stick body to its
proper place beneath a head on the computed
screen.
"Move it up up by his bead" instructed his Si-year-old
classmate Stephen Nash. ;
"Why?" asked James Eric manipulating the
keybord of the terminal placed on a pint-sizeti
table in tne kindergarten classroom.
.'.'.'When it was first discovered that sound
reproduction could be imprinted on vinyl
'records the music industry was very excited
'but the first records of this genre didn't sell all
' that well at first A few stores had them as
. novelty items but it wassn't until the sale of
stereo phonographs that they caught on.
''.'Today a similar thing is happening with music
Srfdeos. Music Television has created a huge
Jftterest in rock-pop videos. At first videos were
flfcromotional tapes sent to MTV. In fact the first
bne they played appropriately was titled "Video
Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggies. But now
.'almost every Top 4 band has a video of some
Jkihdut.
Some stars $en have produced video albums.
OTivia NewtonrJohn's "Physical" Btondie's
JjEat To The Beat" and "Duran Duran" are
.examples of these compilation videos or series
"'of short videos accompanying a song. These are
juicily successful and "Physical" and "Duran
Vpuran" have already been certified as gold
'Sellers. "Duran Duran" currently is airing on
dable Showtime.
'A few bands have gone into feature-length
Forte
mark mcdowell
video productions but the cost of these is rather
prohibitive and the return on investment k not
very high. However Pink Floyd did it with "The
WaU'and.a.band called ABQJbas just released
"ManTrap" i '; W
Rock documentaries or roektjmentanes are
another form of video music being popularized
today. These consist of concert footage and in-
terviews primarily without as much emphasis
on fiction. "The Kids Are Alright" by The Who
and "Jim Morrison: A Tribute to the Doors" are
excellent examples of rockumentaries.
Rockumentaries pending releases are "The
Compleat Beatles' "Cool Cats" and "Girl
Groups."
Yet another type of music video is the video 45.
This relates more to MTV and record singles. A
video 45 consists of two or three songs and videos
by a particular band on either VHS or Beta
videotape. These video 45s are just like the ones
you see on MTV but are available for private
ownership. Video 45s are selling for between
$15.95 and $19.95 and most suppliers say that
they are outselling their supply. Still sales are
not overwhelming just promising.
Sony shipped eight of these video 45's recently
including Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the
Wolf" and "Girls On Film" ex-Monkee Michael
Neemith with "RioV and "Cruisin'" and Elton
John's "Breakin' Down tBarrier" "Just Like ..
."Belgium" and "Elton's Seng." Sony announced
that they plan to release two or three new video
45's every month if sales continue as they are.
Controversy surrounds the music video in-
dustry and some question its prominence and
staying ability. But with the number of homes
acquiring video equipment growing every day
there is a good chance that music videos will
cause a big revolution in the music industry.
"Because that's his body" said Stephen. !
Children teaching other children even $
year-olds is a cornerstone of the computer
program at the Lamplighter School a private
school that has more computers per pupil than
any school in the nation.
The school has field tested a computer
language' called "Logo" developed by
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
researchers and adapted to Texas Instruments
terminals by a team of MIT and TI program-
mers. Lamplighter's 447 students ranging from 3
year-olds to fourth-graders have been using 5Q
computers donated by TI for three years.
Although no studies have been conducted at
Lamplighter 'on whether tWeomputers speed
lrnlirD'AngeldWKlVficlirftctor Pat
Mattingly said they were convinced the prograrn.
has improved the children's logic. k
"They have to think through where they're
going; they have to see the end result In their
minds and then figure out the steps to get there';
said D'Angelo who taught math and science for
25 years before joining TI five years ago. j
Logo was revised and refined after the study
was completed at Lamplighter about a year ago
Jackie still capturing cameras eyes and hearts of an adoring public
i
y EILEEN PUTMAN Her life has become quiet reclusive. The
Associated Press Writer mystique remains.
tl NEW YORK (AP) She still has the whispery She works in Manhattan as an editor at
voice; the wide eyes the chestnut mane and Doubleday & Co. Inc. (promoted last year from
ine aura now m twice wraowea sne is sun one associate ecutorj ana maxes occasional pumic
appearances to promote books she has edited or
to try to help save city landmarks.
On those occasions Jackie who still uses
Onassis as her surname is a master of the low
profile slipping in and out of freight entrances
and putting off questions with a chilly regal
smue.
tt( the most regal most fascinating and most
private women in the world.
Jacqueline Lee Bouvkr. Jacqueline Bouvier
Kennedy. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis.
v'i Jackie. She is woman for whom a first name
p enough even today 22 years after she and her
dashing husband walked into the White House 30
years after her blood-stained pink suit signaled
. .the end of an era and 15 years since she stunned
curls out of sight. She declined to be interviewed
in connection with the 20th anniversary of John
F. Kennedy's assassination.
And whether jogging in Central Park having
her hair done at Kenneth's or pressing her
complaints against persistent photographers
Jackie remains aloof often behind huge dark
It to a quality that has puzzled and captivated
biegraphers and acquaintances.
"Wken you're on a one-to-one basis with her
slows."
That glow dazzled the American pubfic when
Jackie became first lady at age 31 moving info
the White House with 3-year-old daughter
Caroline and infant son John. ' f
Although she said her job was "to take care "of
the president so he can best serve the people"
Jackie also had distinct ideas about her role as
first lady. With little interest in politics she was
dedicated to the style and grace that had marked
her life since childhood.
As first lady Jackie displayed just that
the nation by marrying an aging Greek shipping Vineyard retreat where "No Trespassing" signs
tycoon. stand at one end of a 2000-foot driveway that
she's rather shy and seems rather frightened
She knows how to protect her privacy. Two and a little wistful and hesitant her eves darting devoting her energies to travel redecorating the
years ago she spent $3 million on a Martha's around the room" says biographer Stephen White House and replenishing her designer
Birmingham. wardrobe though some said a hit ex-
But at public appearances he adds "She just travaganuy.
Candy costs up
HERSHEY Pa (AP) Hershey Bars
likely will cost a nickel more in December.
Hershey Foods Corp. said Tuesday it will
increase wholesale prices on its standard bars
Dec. 19 and expects the change will add a
nickel to the retail price.
- Company spokeswoman Deborah Ryerson
sakl the Increases vary from wholesaler to
wholesaler depending on the volume they
buy. She said the company has no control over
retail prices
In most markets she said the regular size
mmsBtmOM
Hershey Bar tells for 30 cents. The price in-
crease will affect candy sold under the Her-
ihey and Reese's labels. Hershey's Kisses and
ether bagged candies will not be affected Ms.
Ryeratd
r She said the increase was due to steadily
rising coce bean prices which are un 20
percent over last year's levels as well as
Rig her prices for sugar and almonds.
. The. company's last prke change was in the
spring but that was partially offset by a size
increase in each candy bar.
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 20, Ed. 1, Friday, November 4, 1983, newspaper, November 4, 1983; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth96092/m1/3/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.