The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 318

CORRESPONDENCE CALENDAR 1 MOVIES Gregg Kilday The Great White Void I just returned from seeing "Star Wars," for the fifth time and each time I've seen the film, I've ignored the obvious, and that is the terrifying realization that black people (or any ethnic minority for that matter) shall Cast and crew of Robert Alt not exist in the galactic space empires of the future. The invisibility was most apparent also in the following films, "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Logan's Run" as well as many others. It is terrifying because the creators of these films dealing with the future consciously, I'm sure, have all kinds of rationalizations to justify our lack of visibility. Where else but the future can we hope to be completely free? Free socially, politically and man's "A Wedding" have joined in spirit to form almost familial ties. 1 MUSIC Martin Bernheimer With more than a few ups and downs, "Allegro II" became a cruise of critical note.

1 1 MAXI DRIVER Charles Champlin Like some of his film characters, Martin Scorsese seems driven. But in his case it's compulsive creativity. 40 BEHIND SCENES Barbara Isenberg One of the largest movie audiences 3 million plus per year is pulled in by three back-lot tours. 54 FEIFFER 56 STAGE Wanda Coleman Black playwrights have a way to go but, as seen in three local plays, giant strides have been taken. Darth Vader Lawrence Christon 57 STAGE performances scheduled during the Greek's Classic series.

ROSILIE GABRIEL Rancho Palos Verdes Zeppelin Fan Wants More Robert Hilburn's review of Led Zeppelin (View, June 23) was great, except for his objection to Zeppelin's lengthy show. He must remember that people go to concerts to enjoy the performers, not to write for newspapers. As a Zeppelin fan, I hardly consider Jones, Bon-ham and Page's solos as "uneventful." All three are brilliant musicians whose solos are well appreciated. Zeppelin fans who attended their concerts will agree with me when I say that Zeppelin could have doubled the length of its performance and still it wouldn't have been long enough. SUSAN J.

DRYDEN Bell I listened to one of Robert Hilburn's "infectious" albums (i.e. Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, the Band) and I am not infected. Where do I send the hospital bill? KEN JONES Torrance I think Robert Hilburn has been listening to too many punk rock disks and apparently it has affected his brain! To grace punk rock groups with his precious YES and deny Shaun Cassidy the same is ridiculous! Cassidy sets a marvelous example for youth of today. His songs are light and catchy, and deal with dating, fun and love. There is no mention of sex, drugs or violence.

When my kids play his album, I find it enjoyable. I have never found myself cringing at the noise and brashness that some of the other YES groups make me feel. DELORES BUTEYN Los Angeles Changes in 'Tosca' It is not surprising that Daniel Cariaga was unable to find anyone representing the Ambassador Auditorium who was willing to discuss the alterations in the American Opera Company's production of "Tosca" (View, June 20). Anyone attempting to defend the actions of Ambassador College's administration in this matter would set himself a difficult and embarrasing task. The "religious convictions" which prompted the proprietors of the Ambassador to demand that the staging of "Tosca" be changed must be very strange.

What sort of religious belief finds it morally wrong to represent on stage the interior of a Catholic cathedral yet has no objection to enacting on the same stage scenes of physical torture, murder, capital punishment and suicide If the owners hope to stage operas in that facility, they ought to reconsider their narrow, moralistic attitude toward the art form. At least they should have the professional courtesy to notify their tenants in advance as to exactly what will be allowed in their theater. In the case of "Tosca," the law was laid down after the final dress rehearsal. As a member of the cast, I learned that we were staging a non-Catholic "Tosca" a half-hour before curtain time. DAVID DUNLAP Los Angeles 75 MUSIC, DANCE NEWS Daniel Cariaga 78 POP MUSIC Robert Hilburn A critic's midyear Top 10 plays no favorites.

Few are chart -busting albums. Dennis Hunt 79 POP NEWS 82 JAZZ Leonard Feather John Klemmer has horned in on the best of all possible jazz worlds by blowing a variety of styles. 84 ART William Wilson The fiery romance between the Paris and New York art schools is immortalized at the Pompidou Center. 85 ART NEWS Josine lanco-Starrels 87 COMMERCIAL SUCCESS Sally Helgesen "I listen for the hidden messages," says Ernest Dichter, the father of image advertising. 88 ROUNDABOUT Lois Dwan Three culinary stops on a trip to San Francisco provide welcome relief from the dullness of driving.

92 CIRCUS MAXIMUS Clarke Taylor It's a long way from the gypsy circus to Ringling Bros, and Bar-num Bailey's big business under the big top. artistically. If ever there is to be a time that we can create without having to worry about acceptive norms of our present racist society, it must be the future. Then why in the Force's name must our film creators continue to perpetuate the terrible destructive ideals that put man against man, brother against brother and nation against nation? D. W.

Griffith's film "The Birth of a Nation" perpetuated the idea of blacks being vile, dangerous and evil. I find it somewhat rather curious that the role of the evil Lord Vader of "Star Wars" is played by the voice of a black actor. So what change has there been? Here we find the same thoughts from the early 1900s to the dawning of the 21th century. Yet, if these particular film creators were called racists they would deny it vehemently. And perhaps, rightly so.

For at least an out-and-open racist would acknowledge our visibility in the manner he related to us. But by not acknowledging us at all, the film creator is worse than any racist. It is my earnest hope that some of these film creators who have the power to make change will have the courage to contribute to the advancement of racial and cultural thought. Using the great film medium will lead all people into a future devoid of hatred and fear and truly teaching love and understanding for each other. RAYMOND ST.

JACQUES Beverly Hills 'Welcome to LA Part III My thanks to Rubin Carson for his brilliantly funny piece (Calendar, July 10, 'Welcome to L.A.' With Apologies to the Valley." Written humor has become as rare as the nickel cup of coffee at a time when we are bombarded daily with reports of homicide, rape, hijacking and disasters of every description. CHARLES LEE Studio City I'm compelled to respond to Rubin Carson's rather shallow and academic perception. His myopic view of the film as a part, rather than as a whole, is glaringly evident. First of all, I am certain that Encino is full of all kinds of marriages with all kinds of problems and resolutions to those problems. Second, although the film passionately depicts real people in real situations, it seems to me that the writer, Alan Rudolph, took a certain amount of poetic film license in making his characters lyrical, yet real and searching like the rest of us.

SARA KENDALL North Hollywood When Creek Meets Pique While I 'realize there are any number of situations beyond the control of management given the unique environment of the Greek Theater (i.e. the Goodyear blimp overhead and the cat fight at the rear of the theater during Marcel Marceau's performance) I was appalled at the apparent iack of sensitivity both to the production members and the audience on the occasion of the Joffrey Ballet's return of Los Angeles after several year's absence. Up to at least five minutes before the first intermission, latecomers were still being seated! It was a continuous stream of people, coupled with disruptive arguments over who was in the right seat. This policy might be tolerated in a rock concert, it's absurd to think it simply isn't noticed during the type of James Brown 94 RADIO FENWICK by Mai Hancock Rene Marceou did it all for KXLU-FM and set the station firmly in the classical programming ranks. 95 GAME LAD Burt Prelutsky With his droll English humor, Richard Dawson wins the prize as the ideal game -show host.

BE PWIEHT, I uJllT TELL MDU THE KAtmiUG OF UFE JUST SOON ft LISTINGS BEGIN ON PAGE 36. CHARLES CHAMPLIN, Arts Editor WAYNE WARGA, Assistant Arts Editor IRV LETOFSKY, Assistant Arts Editor and Calendar Editor DAVID KISHIYAMA, Calendar Copy Editor.