Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 22

1 -67 Austin American-Statesman Saturday, October 6, 1984 Review Austin police force unveils talent in art as show starts today Big band wail inventive jazz at Ritz Theatre "1 f' Iplifilll i A-V Willi! V- lipiilpil By MIKE COX American-Statesman Staff An art exhibit opening today features the works of Austin police of-' fleers and Police Department n-employees. The exhibit A Brush with the Law will be at the Dougherty Arts Center through Oct. 28, said police Sgt. Jack Leo, who coordinated the exhibit. The art center is open from 1 to 4 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. "We want people to know police do something besides investigate wrecks or drink coffee," Leo said. "A police officer sometimes has to be a lawyer, a doctor, a psychologist, and a hostage negotiator.

Some of them are also artists." Leo said 23 officers and employ ees have contributed 120 pieces for display at the art center. "There is no judging, no prizes, no admission price," Leo said. "The only prize offered is a chance to show off their work." Some of the officers sell their work, but a lot of them do it as recreation, Leo said. "It takes their mind off their hectic work," he said. The works featured in the exhibit range from oil paintings and watercolors to woodcarvlngs and handcrafted jewelry, Leo said.

"We have pen and ink sketches, from landscapes to abstracts, ceramics, pottery, examples of woodworking, metal sculpture, graphics, and photographs," the detective said. The Dougherty Art Center is at 1110 Barton Springs Road. Teachers stars Ralph Maccio, left, and Nick Nolte deliver good performances. Low mark Comedy and exaggeration undermine 'Teachers' Review Disabled San Antonian starts handicapped parking patrol By MICHAEL POINT Special to the American-Statesman The 14-member Vienna Art Orchestra made its Austin debut at the Ritz Theatre with a program that combined inventive compositions and immaculate playing. In the process, the orchestra destroyed the modern stereotype of European jazz primarily created by the rise of ECM records as emotionless and technique-conscious.

The Vienna Art Orchestra is more than just an inordinately talented big band. The music the orchestra plays, all written by Mathias Ruegg, is inventive and eccentric. Ruegg personalizes his compositions through the use of unusual instrument combinations and peculiar, shifting contexts for solos. Vocalist Lauren Newton, the secret weapon of the orchestra, takes higher-register lines to places rarely heard outside the band. Newton, who holds a tuning fork to her ear before singing, treats her voice as just another instrument She flies along with the sound of the massed instruments in ensemble passages and solos, with an ease that is unusual for anyone attempting to integrate such a vocal instrument into the modern big-band context Her showcase tunes brought the house down at the Ritz.

RUEGG, AS FOUNDER and mastermind of the group, is an active conductor in concert, shepherding his music with an involvement rare for leaders of big bands. He stays out of the way of the musicians, but is quick to dash on stage to cut short an overlong solo or to count off the time before changes. The band is stocked with superb soloists, and that makes Ruegg's job of maintaining uniform musical excellence relatively easy. Every member of the band displayed admirable solo capabilities in the Thursday show. Although the sax section stood out a bit there really was no drop-off, no matter who played.

The most popular solo, besides' Newton's explorations, was a jazzy piece by Herbert Joos on Swiss alpenhorn, a 10-foot instrument usually heard only from the top of European mountains. THE VIENNA Art Orchestra is indeed a first-class musical act and Austin is particularly blessed with the opportunity to see it twice, an opportunity not offered in any of the other cities on this North American tour. i Overpraising a group in print is frequently the of death for credibility, but underpraising a band as musically significant and artistically successful as the Vienna Art Orchestra is a serious dereliction of critic cal responsibilities. The orchestra is at least equal to the praise it is getting, as it more than demonstrate Thursday. The Vienna Art Orchestra will perform at at Symphony Square.

Tickets are $5. By PATRICK TAGGART American-Statesman Staff Teachers is a shrill attempt at comic drama from director Arthur Hiller and screenwriter W.R. McKinney. The film chews up a large and impressive cast and manages to do for education what And Justice for All did for law. Remember that little excursion into hysteria? That was the film that had Jack Warden, playing a mentally unstable judge, trying to blow his brains out in the courthouse men's room while lawyer Al Pacino screamed that the client he was defending should go straight to jail." Teachers treats us to the equally unsightly spectacle of Richard Mulligan, playing a mental patient posing as a history teacher, parading through the halls as George Washington.

Elsewhere, Nick Nolte, and JoBeth Williams take turns delivering maudlin speeches about "doing what's right" and arguing over whether a school is responsible for itself or its students. The premise, at least, is straight out of the headlines. Officials at John F. Kennedy High School are being sued for awarding an illi-. terate student a diploma.

Nothing goes right at this dump of a school. The staff psychologist has a nervous breakdown in the main office. The principal, played by William Schallert, runs to his office at the first sign of trouble. Teacher absences outnumber those of students. A successful suit will surely close the school doors.

Enter JoBeth Williams as Lisa, the idealistic lawyer representing the plaintiff. In the course of her investigation, she runs into one has filed at least 12 cases against people who have violated city parking laws, said Luis Garcia, chief prosecutor for Municipal Court. Zimmer, 50, who must use a cane to walk, said, "It's hard to describe how I feel about handi- -capped people. I want to help them and this is my way because no one should park in those spaces except those who need them." I'm not out to get anyone," he said. "I have love for everyone.

But, for someone to use a parking space designated for others who truly need it is wrong. It is as wrong as wrong can be." SAN ANTONIO (AP) A disabled man, disgruntled by bodied motorists who park in spaces reserved for handicapped people, is waging a one-man war against the situation. Anthony Zimmer of San Antonio spends most of his days on parking lot patrol, driving through parking areas at malls, restaurants and businesses. He records the license plate number of any vehicle illegally parked in a handicap space. He then takes the tag number to Municipal Court and files suit against the car owner.

In the past two weeks, Zimmer of her former teachers, a sleepwalking has-been played by Nick Nolte. Though the central conflict would appear to be the lawsuit, it is really about how the burned out idealist, Nolte, and the newly hatched idealist, Williams, come to join forces. There is also an important subplot involving the gifted but uncaring student played by Ralph Macchio. Macchio, who is much more persuasive here than he was in Karate Kid, represents those millions of American youths who, for a variety of reasons, seem unable to realize their scholastic potential without close attention from unusually dedicated and sympathetic teachers. The film is not without compelling and funny moments, and they all come by virtue of a truly excellent cast that includes, in addition to those mentioned, Lee Grant, Judd Hirsch, Allen Garfield, Royal Dano, and Art Metrano.

One half of the schizophrenic Teachers wants to be a serious look at what's wrong with public education. The other half wants to be a rip-roaring, outrageous comedy. The comedy not persuasive, and it throws water in the face of the serious issues. Call it a minus, and let's go to recess. Teachers, rated PG for profanity and nudity; at Highland Mall Cinema and Mann Westgate.

DWI arrests Mary Ellen Bennett, 24, of 1301 W. Ben White Blvd. William Alan Perez, 24, of 11605 Shoshone Drive. Victor Garcia, 54, of 2219 Haskell St. Naji H.H.

Mohladdin, 32, of 2010 Burton Drive, Apt 2001. Jose Angel Michel, 29, of Baytown Kenneth Stephen Gaona, 20, of 8203 Stlllwood Lane. Dede Leigh Dunham, 26, of Dallas. William Boyd Lee, 50, of 1605 New York Ave. Teresa Kay Aldrlch, 27, 600 Barwood PaYk, Apt 513.

In response to heightened awareness of the problem of drunken driving, the American-Statesman Is publishing all driving while Intoxicated arrests In Travis County. This Is a list of those booked Into jail by police officers. Formal charges may change In the judicial process. 1 Steven Lee Harris, 29, of 5406 N. La-', mar Apt 27.

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