The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Page 39

Vintage Stern on re-issues Favorite word games That Intriguing Word Game with a Chuckle Page 46 Page-4T- Page 41 mmmmmmfi mpismsg op Tuesday, April 24, 1 979 Page 39 (Linenl ex JL -o-at; V' i awesome 18-theatrei complex ultimate in selection This one of Cineplex's 18 theatres seats 119 patrons a ticket ($3.50 for adults) and keep a running count on how many tickets have been sold in each venue, ensuring against overselling. It would be presumptious to call Cineplex the greatest exhibition achievement to hit (he cinema in years. Such hyperbole was actually making its way around the opening ceremonies. Visual clarity is still the name of the game, and that is one of the few week spots. But, it is still an incredible achievement, and all film-goers should applaud Taylor and Drabinsky for gambling on such a noble idea.

up 18 cinemas in 40,000 square feet of space all 18 cinemas employ back-proj-' ection, a technique that involves putting the projector behind the screen and beaming the image on a transparent pane of glass. The crowd sees the image on the glass surface from the other side. The technique suffers for visual clarity, looking more like a television image. The idea of smaller, more intimate screening rooms is a fascinating and much-overdue one in Canada, eliminating as it does much of the noise and confusion of a foreign film market gets too tight, don't be surprised if some of Cinbplex's 18 screens are turned over to second-run Hollywood efforts. As a technical facility, Cineplex offers viewers, a better-than-average sound system, and poorer-than-average picture.

The M-4 sound system, developed especially for Cineplex, with its low ceilings and intimate atmosphere, makes for a satisfying sound experience. The picture quality is unfortunately not as proficient. Because of massive- architectural problems in setting loud popcorn-chewing audience. But don't worry. Popcorn is available.

And, so are many foreign delicacies served at the Cineplex 200-seat international restaurant. As well, there is a small art gallery in the main foyer that will feature artworks by young and established Canadian artists. The foyer also features another new Cineplex wrinkle: a computerized box-office that enables the filmgoer to book a ticket for any one of the theatres anytime of the day. The computer will issue By Ted Riley Journal Correspondent The Cineplex, Toronto's new 18-cinema movie centre, which opened late last week is the ultimate in film theatre design, offering its patrons an almost frightening range of choice. Not only will the centre give Toronto audiences more than their fair share of top quality foreign and domestic films, but it promises to turn Canada's film business on its ear at the same time.

The downtown Eaton Centre complex, to put it mildly, is awesome. To this date, the largest number of cinemas housed in one building is six, (including Ottawa's own Brittania Six). The Cineplex's 18 screen rooms arc all quite small; seating from a maximum of 137 to a minimum of just over 50 The concept of smaller cinemas, developed by one of the Cineplex's directors, Nat Taylor, a pioneer of film exhibition in Canada, is a revolutionary one in Canada and around the world. For years, the Hollywood product has flooded our theatres and has taken a large chunk of our entertainment dollars. But in recent years.

North American audiences have finally become aware of the plethora of fine films produced outside the Hollywood dream factory. The foreign film crowd, while constantly growing, still constitutes a risk to the traditionally conservative commercial exhibitor. Why program a new Hungarian film when Burt Reynolds is sure to pack them in? Cineplex's response to this is quite simple, but risky: show these foreign films in small, intimate theatres, thereby increasing box-office percentage, and giving exhibitors the flexibility to change the theatre when the film's popularity begins to wane. Then, duplicate this process over 18 cinemas. The idea is simple; and highly plausible, hinging of course on Cineplex's ability to land a steady stream of interesting foreign films.

They have begun strongly with eight solid new features playing (some will play in two or three rooms to begin), but it remains to see whether the financial backing of Cineplex is enough to continue this buying To create Cineplex, its owners, Taylor and Garth Drabinsky, a Toronto lawyer-entrepreneur, set up their own distribution company, and virtually bought the film rights to those eight films they are showing. While at first this seems like a good idea, it sooner or later is bound to alienate Toronto's growing independent distribution market (notably Linda Beath, whose New Cinema Enterprises has gone a long way in cornering the foreign film distribution market in Canada.) Intense competition for new films is likely to ensue, driving prices up and making it difficult for Cineplex, and everyone else, to make a profit with foreign films, never an easy task. Drabinsky hopes to get around this problem by setting up more Cineplexes in the future. However, I would imagine that the future is a long way off, and if the 1 Box office, mini art gallery, left, and confectionary counter, right. Obvious opera ABC axes five shows Dramatics save Carmen from flimsy French NEW YORK (UPI) Battles-tar Galactica and five other shows have been blipped from the ABC 1979-80 fall schedule, the network announced Monday.

Getting the ax will be Starsky and Hutch, Delta House, What's Happening, Makln' It and Welcome Back, Hotter. The future of four more shows remained in doubt Salvage How the West Was Won, Carter Country and The Osmond Family Hour, although it seemed likely Salvage would move into the Osmond Sunday night hour. The network, the first to announce its fall schedule, also said the 20-20 news magazine would begin appearing on a weekly basis May 31, and continue In the fall. CBS and NBC are expected to unveil their fall lineups within the next couple of weeks. The new' shows to take the place of those axed Include four comedies.

One Is In the romantic-adventure genre, starring Robert By Jacob Siskind Music and Drama Critic TORONTO The Canadian Opera Company's production Bizet's Carmen, which opened Monday night at the Royal Alexandra Theatre here is a fascinating exercise in compromise. Lotfi Man-souri, the artistic director of the COC, has directed the production with an awareness of limitations of both his cast and his audience. It Is being presented in French, with the original spoken French dialogue rather than the usual sung interpolations, by a cast and before and audience that clearly does not understand the language. As a result, Mansouri has opted to offer the work as obviously as possible, dramatically, so that there can be no confusion about the actors' motivations and actions. This presentation of Carmen is a broad study of two characters, the gypsy Carmen who seeks freedom above all, and Don Jose, the spoiled son of a good family who sacrifices all, even his honor, for the love of this proud girl.

What the show lacks in subtlety it more than makes up for in dramatic intensity. Lyn Vernon's Carmen may seem coarse but her passion for freedom seems genuine enough. Frederic de Marseille's Don Jose may seem wooden at times but there is a credibility to this soldier that makes you sympathize with him Over his loss of self-respect. The production Is carried by these two players whose singing Is generally of a better than acceptable standard. Indeed, the singing of all of the principals In this production Is generally on a much higher level than that heard last week In the Theatre de la Wallonle's presentation of Carmen at the Place des Arts In Montreal.

The comparison is appropriate since both companies are about the same level of accomplish- period of about two weeks. It features three sets of principals and three conductors. The opera company from'Liege in Belgium also came to Canada with three sets of principals, but with only one conductor. The major differences between the two shows lie in the artistic direction rather than the cast. Kenneth Montgomery, who conducts the Toronto production is musical enough but lacks the experience to be able to cope with a singer who gets a full measure away from the orchestra.

It took him the better part of a complete aria to get orchestra and soloist back on the same wavelength. Jesus Etchevewry, the conductor for the Bel-glum ensemble had a similar experience on opening night in Montreal but he had things back on the rails in less than two measures. He also knew well the limitations of his singers and never forced the speed to the point at which they were merely humming along and leaving out the something that happened too often in the show here last night. The other main difference lies in the stage direction. The Liege production was almost hysterical in its activity.

The Toronto show is much more conservative in Its use of movement. However the poor French diction by the Toronto cast made a mockery of many of the opera's most dramatic moments and Indeed one wonders how. In this day and age, how any Canadian company presenting a performance In the country's second language could come up with a show so badly prepared. My copy of the program did not list a language--and diction coach. One Is desperately needed by the COC.

The single basic Toronto set works well and Is economical. Performances continue until May when the next opera to be presented will be Rossini's jlll imJ I i wagner ana oieiame rowers as jetset husband and wife detectives. There's also a spin-off of Soap starring Robert Gulllaume as the butler, Benson; another about life In a law office. CP photo Principal players llitziii a lie i covii uji a iui i a popular audience. Carmen Is being offered in TamuiIa Attain et 4Iia -aTW'a cninrr iaacnn tnm a Lvn Vernon as Carmen and Frederic de Marseille as Don Jose.