The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 18

Woody Alloa COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE (1970, 91 mins, AO, Rpt). This yarn, set in modern-day South California, is about Count Yorga an dthe fate that awaits visitors to his imposing mansion. The house is complete with three resident female vampires and a mysterious medium. Lock the doors and bolt the windows and watch it with a crowd if possible, as this tale is convincing with Robert Quarry as the devilishly clever and sophisticated Count Yorga, with good support from Roger Perry. Michael Murphy and Michael MacReady.

ATN 7, Tuesday, 9.30 pm. THE WILD ONE (1954, 79 mins. Rpt, bw). This movie, though a little outdated and. now quite tame, was banned before its release.

The film stars Marlon Brando in one of his best known roles as the tough leader of a bikie gang who leads them into a small town looking for trouble. They leave a trail of destruction behind when the local policeman fails to control them or their rival gang. The excellent acting from Marlon Brando and Lee Marvin, performing unforgettably evil roles, makes the film great viewing. ATN 7, Tuesday, 11JI pm. THE GREAT HOUDINIS (1976, 93 mins.

A). Paul Michael Glaser, alias Starsky in the TV series Starsky and Hutch, plays the part of the great Harry Houdini, the famous illusionist, and escape artist whose emotions were torn between his mother and his wife. After his mother's death, Houdini began his life long obsession with the occult which led to him telling his wife that he would contact her from the grave. The film seems to seek sensationalism in true soap-opera style but is nevertheless entertaining. ATN 7, Wednesday, 8.30 pm.

SATAN'S TRIANGLE (1974, AO. Rpt). The mystery of the Devil'sSatan's Triangle has come in win a Jxt that they can complete a trip around the world in 80 days. ATN 7. Friday, 830 puL THE GIRL WHO CAME GIFT WRAPPED (1974, 84 mins A).

This romantic comedy starring Richard Long, Karen Valentine and Louise Sorel tells of a publisher of a male-oriented magazine who has everything but happiness. This changes rather dramatically when on his 40th birthday he is given an uunsual "gift" a beautiful girl who turns his life upside down. For cliched comedy this film is quite delightful with some very "funny moments if you can forget the predictability of it alL TCN 9 Friday 9 pm. IRONSIDE (1967. 98 mins.

Rpt). This film was the pilot for the successful TV series starring Raymond Burr. A great performance by Burr in this movie and tight direction emphasise the sympathetic and sus-penseful story of a San Francisco police inspector who is shot by a sniper while on holiday. The bullet hits his spine and he becomes paraplegic. Even so, he becomes a special officer with the police depaitment and is assigned to find the sniper who shot him.

Also stars Geraldine Brooks, Wally Cox and Gene Lyons. ABN 2, Saturday, 9 JO pm. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1973, 94 mins). This movie, although it may not have the impact of an actual stage production. is really good viewing with great voices and equally good back-up, plus of ccurse the score.

The story itself re-enacts the key episodes in the last seven days of -Christ's life. Events are seen largely from Judas' point of view, with Christ presented as a star personality who apparently overreaches hiimelf and loses his fickle public's adoration. Ted Neeley stars as Jesus with Carl Anderson as Judas and Yvonne Elliman as Mary. TEN 10, Swday, 830 pm. for more discussion than probably most unexplained phenomena.

Here it is again in a movie starring Kim Novak, Dou McClure and Alejandro Rey. The story is about a sailing boat with an assortment of passengers, that runs into trouble in the haunted region, leaving a sole survivor a beautiful woman whose bizarre story is unbelievable. With inadequate acting from Kim Novak, and the unconvincing storyline, the film is less than convincing. TCN 9, Wednesday, 9 pm. YOUNG BILLY YOUNG (1969, 89 mins, Rpt).

Robert Mitchum stars in what could have been just another standard western but with his good performance and good support from Angie Dickinson, Robert Walker and David Carradine the movie is justified. The story tells of an aging deputy-marshal who once again puts, on his badge to track down his son's murderer. But unfortunately his police work is not quite what it was and he unknowingly arrests the murderer's son, which results in a showdown between him and a dozen hired gunmen. TEN 10, Wednesday, 10 pm. PLAY IT AGAIN SAM (1972, 87 mins, AO).

If you like that hilarious twosome. Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, you will love Play It Again Sam, their first movie together. This delightful adaptation of Allen's play tells of a film critic, Allan Felix (Woody Allen) who is riddled with all sorts of neuroses and is solely devoted to Humphrey Bogart movies. He is completely thrown off balance when his wife walks out on him declaring that he is not making her laugh any more. Allan's friends, Dick and Linda (Diane Keaton) come to his aid in a number of disastrous match-making attempts.

Although this movie is more conventional than most of Woody Allen's, the individual comedy and satire is as precise as always. TEN 10, Thursday, 9 JO pm. HOTEL (1967. 124 mins, Rpt). This adaptation of the novel by Arthur Hailey, like most other adapt- ations of Hailey's novels, seems doomed to failure because of the almost endless stream of characters that flows through it.

The set for the film (probably its one redeeming feature) is an amazing mock-up of a New Orleans hotel, which is the centre for a take-over bid. The main storyline of the film revolves around the owner. Warren Trent (Melvyn Douglas) with a smattering of subplots involving the guests to try to maintain momentum. There are some good scenes involving Melvyn Douglas but lesser performances from Rod Taylor, Catherine Spaak, Karl Maiden and Richard Conte. TEN 10, Friday, 830 pm.

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (1956, 178 mins, Rpt). This light version based on the book by Jules Verne offers plenty of entertainment for all ages, even though the shine of the film may have dulled a little in 21 years. And for the movie buff there is plenty of star gazing with 40 cameo appearances which include Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Boyer, Noel Coward and Buster Keaton. David Niven is great fun as Phineas Fogg who sets out with a friend from a London club to Pool MidMMl Gtosor A mellow Chicago RECORDS reviewed by CHRISTINE HOGAN Am I sorry now! After' listening to this double album. I am now a converted Chapin fan.

This' album is sardonic, clever, witty, wise, hysterical and calm. South African group called Osmosis (remember the song The title track is excellent, as is Whole Lotta Monkey (Mr Fowler, where are you?) and Back Street Crawler. The single. Cold Out Tonight, is more in the same vein. He is obviously still obsessed with sideshows viz Virginia and the Circus Sideshow.

IN FULL BLOOM by Rose Royce (Whitfield Records WH3074X Rose Royce was one of the bands, along with Foreigner and the Little River Band, nominated as the best new band in the US Rock Awards held recently. This album has been released for about a month, Most of the songs on the album were written by Gamble and Huff, who always weave a nice tune and often come up with a real winner. The MFSB strings and horns join the O'Jays on this album to make it one of the most pleasant albums in this genre released so far this year. PLAYING TO AN AUDIENCE OF ONE by David Soul (Private Stock Records, PS7001). David Soul is such an attractive person that is is often difficult not to wax enthusiastic about his singing because of that fact But be sings seriously enough even does concert tours and has released two albums.

It is difficult to imagine such a voice being given a recording contract had it not been for the runaway success of the television program, Starsky and Hutch. Still, it is good publicity even if he does have a voice which is most kindly described as ordinary. He can bold a tune and is rarely off-key but he is equally rarely anything but pedestrian. He plays acoustic guitar on the album, his girlfriend Lynn Marta sings harmonies. The last single.

Goin' In With My Eyes Open, is recorded here, as is the new hope Saver Lady. I quite like the album but it is certainly not to rate. A few recognisable musicians, good back-up vocalists and top-notch songs might help if be tot a new arranger. Horry Chapin CHICAGO XI (CBS SBP 237022) If there had never been a Chicago this album would have been the best ever made by these perennials. But as it is.

the latest Chicago is the second best so far produced by the band. But really that debate is only a quibble over degrees of excellence. "Skinny Boy" Robert Lamm, Terry Kath, James Pankow, Peter Cetera and the other four who make up Chicago just, go from strength to strength. The first single lifted from this album is Baby. What A Big Surprise, a lovely up-tempo ballad for which Chicago is now famous.

It is clearly in the style of If You Leave Me Now, but never quite achieves the impact of that single from the Chicago X. Baby is Peter Cetera's big (and only) number on the album. The fact that it is not If You Leave Me Now is unfortunate, but the song is still beautiful. The other big and beautiful ballad on this album is Take Me Back to Chicago, appropriately enough. It was written bv Danny Seraphine and David Wol-inski, and treated to the unique Chicago harmonies.

Robert Lamm sings the lead vocal and is joined in the end by the incredible Chaka Khan. Lamm also wrote and sang lead vocal on one of the more unusual tracks for this album, Policeman. He always had a deft and sensitive touch with a lyric, but with this one he has really surpassed his songs. Chicago XI is an album which should never be far from the stereo. At the moment it is getting equal time with Frank Sinatra Live at the Sands and Harry Chapin's new double album.

DANCE BAND ON THE TITANIC by Harry Chapin (Elektra, 9E 301). First, perhaps, I should sav that I have never really been fond of Harry Chapin. In fact, I gave away my copy of his Portrait Gallery album only a few days after its release. ten for his son. but there are so many cross references throush it, it gets a little difficult to tell.

One of my favourite tracks on the albums is My Old Lady, a title sufficiently patronising to be surprising in its text This is a concept album, bound together by the Titanic disaster, which does its job properly. With his brother. Steve, who produced the album. Chapin has turned out a first rate work full of emotive narratives. It is an infinitely better album than I could ever have credited him with.

GOLD AND IVORY by David Essex (CBS WBP 237035). The cover is terrific. The album is verging on very good. Now if you like David Essex (I thought he was wonderful in That'll Be The Day and Stardust) you will like this addition to David Essex and All The Fun Of The Fair. He has a distinctive style which is continued throughout this album.

That style is a little hard to describe but it is breathless in a fashion popularised for me by a And that's only the lyrics. The music, macked, one presumes bv a group of musicians who did not go down with the Titanic, is masterful and beautifully complementary. The title track is a superb piece which is eventually sung with gurgling noises and repeated in a kind of reprise at the end of side four. Side four is covered bv a song I think he has writ so 1 decided it was time to have a listen. I think that I was originally put off by the Chaka Khan look alike.

Rose Nowalt who sings lead vocals. But just one track of side one was enough to convince that the band deserved to be recognised as one of the best new bands for the year. Nine musicians make up the band, with a good brass section to brighten up the backing tracks. Wishing on a Star is one of those songs that you bear now and then which has all of the ear marks of a top piece of music. It has a nice, commercial sound which should make it popular somewhere.

That is a Billy Calvin song, but most of the other tracks on the album have been penned by Norman Whitfield, who produced the album and released it TRAVELLIN AT THE SPEED OF SOUND by the O'Jays (Philadelphia International Records, PL3015). Having only listened to the first half of this album, I was delighted to find not only the up-tempo type music guaranteed to drive me to the aspirin first thing, but some of those beautifully harmonised "soul" tongs the O'Jays do to well. Big screen, small 1 I 0sJ screenor remote control, you owe it to yourself to talk toVisionhire first VISIOWHIRi 4 I 1 I I 't and autillclMrf h. Ftirfu Sons Limited, of uuwaia Eleven albums and Chicago i getting better and better. sircvi.

vroaowar. StFMt. IreMMr. The SMH Monday Guide, October 24. 1977.