New Pittsburgh Courier from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 6

PAGE 6, THE COURIER, JANUARY 25, 1973 by Althea Fonville (Courier Staff Writer) It is said that "As suddenly as an earthquake begins it ends." Regardless of whether or not the saying holds any truth, this is the case which prevails throughout the movie, "Earthquake." The sensurround system has tremendous impact as it greatly facilitates audience participation with what goes on in the film. After just so much participation with the screened characters, in seeing rubble profusely toppled onto more rubble, and blood splattered toward your face, (some of the filming techniques are baddd) bodies knocked around, you begin to wish the sensurround system was cut off. The movie starts with the normal, everyday course of events which are typically projected for the Los Angeles scene: 1.) Bourgeois housewife fakingly You Are No Different Than Me You are no different than me! You are my brother, you are me! 1 am your sister good brother; I am you. We are no different from each other. Yes we are individuals How beautiful individuality is.

The Pleasure Of "Earthquake" attempts to commit suicide in order that she may capture negligent husband's attention; 2.) half crazed cop chases speeding foreign car through main arteries of city, after it's just hit and knocked a little girl six feet in the air, sending blood everywhere; 3.) gang playing pool in the neighborhood pool room, brawl breaks out involving everyone; 4.) same negligent husband lunches with child like mistress; 5.) people working, shopping, kidding around; city authorities ridiculing the idea of warning citizens of predicted earthquake. All of the tension builds for the anticipated climax. Suddenly there it is, the tragedy and horror of the phenomenon is thrust upon your lap, and you must deal with it, or get up and walk out. The vibration of the sound is such that you feel as if your rocking, and there develops' in the center of your chest, a definite throb. Starring At The Holiday House January 17 26 Take My Hand.

tar Mi Be strong, ambitious and persevering and by all means preserve your beauty. Respect! We are not like the carbon copied cold, technological, self concerned Monsters. We have minds and souls. So beautiful because we love. I shall assume the aggressive, competitive pragmatic, materialistic ways of the Monster and achieve my individual goal And then my good brother I shall reach for your hand.

You are my brother. Good people! and I shall respect you and love you by Wrena Watson copyright 1974 When Lome Greene, who plays the part of an older successful businessman, doubles up in pain as he lowers victims from an upper level of a devastated building, onto a lower and more safe level, when he does this, it seems obvious to the audience that he's having a heart attack. This apparentness to the viewers can be attributed to the audio system. That same heaviness in the chest that he acts out, can probably be felt by everyone viewing the film. To give an idea of how dynamic the system is, it was rumored last week that its resultant structural vibrations had begun to do noticeable damage to the interior of the Warner theatre.

Although Warner representatives did not go into detail, they did not deny that the composition of the ceiling and walls had been weakened, jarred loose, and were thus crumbling. They said that they had however ad i 1 4k4 justed the system. The movie itself shows two earthquakes. Besides showing man's helplessness and vulnerability to nature's forces, the picture deals somewhat with the inevitability of "poetic justice." The super selfish, money hungry capitalist depicted in the film was killed; and Charlton Heston, the man who usually plays the heroic role, did so again. However, he was that negligent husband cited previously.

After helping to unearth hundreds of people from the remains of a building, he chose his death in an attempt to save his wife, that is, after he had exhumed his mistress. To the dismay of his mistress he just would not forsake that first woman. But all in all, and on the whole, I must say that the sensurround employed, made the movie. It was magnificent in performing its duty, the duty of bringing the film closer to you. Freda Payne: 'A Band Of Gold' And Rising Stardom Freda Payne is one of the more important new American entertainers to achieve international stardom during the past several years.

Freda has risen to the top via best selling recordings, critically and publicly acclaimed engagements in the world's top night clubs and concert halls, a motion picture and. numerous television appearances. Within the past three years she has had million selling recordings, of "Band of Gold" and 'Bring The Boys as well as three best selling albums, "Band of "Contact" and "The Best of Freda Payne." Her success on recordings have in turn led to headline appearances in such world famed night clubs as the Copacabana, New York; Mr. Kelly's, Chicago; Harrah's, Tahoe; The Coconut Grove, Los Angeles; Harrah's, Reno; The Flamboyan, The Carribe Hilton and El San Juan in Puerto Rico; The Persian Room and The St. Regis Maisonette, New York; and in the world's leading theaters and concert halls.

Even before rising to national prominence through her hit recordings, coupled with night club and other appearances, Freda had caught the eyes and ears of Broadway producers and audiences. As Leslie Uggam's understudy in "Hallelujah Baby" she had frequently been called upon to substitute for Miss Uggams in the starring role, to excellent notices, and standing ovations. Then, in 1973, she displayed still another facet of her varied talents, when she made her debut as a dramatic actress in the motion picture "Book of a Brut production co starring Raymond St. Jacques. As her career advanced, Freda has also gained recognition as one of the world's best dressed and best coiffured women, and as such has been the subject of stories in such publications as Cosmopolitan Magazine and Women's Wear Daily.

She has also emerged as a favorite of the international set, and there have been many stories and photos devoted to her dates with Omar Sharif and Afghanistan's Prince Hassai Durrani. Early in 1974 considerable press attention was also payed to the fact that their Royal Highnesses, Prince Bassaraba von Brancovan and Princess Brancovan of Romania, had sponsored Freda's elevation to Dame of Malta, a tribute to her devoted fund raising activities in behalf of such causes as Sickle Cell Anemia and March of Dimes. She is the first black woman to ever achieve this honor. Today an international favorite who is regarded among the most versatile of all singers, Freda Charcilea Payne was so painfully shy as a child that her mother had to seek the aid of a child psychologist to help bring her out of her shell. The sessions with her psychologist, combined with the fact that she began to gain added self confidence by performing on the piano and singing at amateur recitals and church socials, did the trick.

Born in Detroit into a middle class family, Freda and her younger sister Scheme were raised in an ethnically mixed neighborhood. Their father was deputy sheriff for Wayne County, and their mother worked as a clerk for the city. Today their parents are in semi retirement and own a cocktail lounge in the motor city. "I was early turned on by applause," Freda recalls. As one who had been withdrawn as a youngster, she discovered so great a sense of self fulfillment in performing, that she knew even before entering high school that she would seek her future in entertainment.

It made her feel important, and of I IK si tit "1 fered the possibility of fame and fortune. Her world, as a teenager, was one of singing and dancing. At 18 she entered the ranks of showbusiness professionals as a member of a chorus accompanying Pearl Bailey in a night club engagement. She was then offered a 10 year exclusive contract by Duke Ellington to be his band's singer a job she refused because it would tie her down for too long. Instead, she accepted an offer from Quincy Jones to.

join him for a tour, with a troupe which included such personalities as Redd Foxx and Billy Eckstine. Following her tour with Quincy Jones she embarked upon a tour of military base and clubs all over Kurope Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Britain and Spain after which she joined Bob Crosby's orchestra for a tour of the Orient. Upon her return to the U.S. she auditioned for and landed the assignment as Leslie Uggam's "Hallelujah Baby" understudy. Soon afterwards she starred off Broadway in the role of "Linda'; in "Lost In The Stars." Her success on recordings shortly followed, opening the door to her rapid ascent to stardom.

As such she has been in great demand as a tv guest star, and has appeared on such programs at The Wayne Newton Special, The Mike Douglas Show, The Tonight Show, The Merv Griffin Show, The Dick Cavett Show, The David Frost Show, Midnight Special, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Glenn Campbell Show and others. In still another sense the "single" life is the one Freda prefers. A bachelor girl, Freda admits that she so enjoys her single life that she has no desire to marry. "I'm somewhat of a loner," she explains. "I have suffered the scars of two broken romances, and have observed the anguish of friends who have gone through bad marriages," she says.

"As a result, I somewhat fear marriage. At the same time, I am well able to support myself, love the idea of dating when I please, or staying home when I please, and not having to answer to a husband. I dig being single. A girl is a girl. I want the mink and diamonds, but I can get them myself without marrying." At the same time she mingles comfortably with people in all walks of life and in all economic leVels.

"What pleases me the most." she told an interviewer recently, "is that as a performer I seem to be reaching all groups, rather than just one ethnic group. Although I know I haven't attained the musical maturity of an Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan or a Billie Holliday, I am trying artistically to shape myself somewhat in their mold. I feel I am growing daily, both a a performer and as a person." Like them, she goes the varied musical route of jazz, soul, show tunes and pop and, unlike them, adds rocks. Recently described by a national magazine as "Freda Payne of the great body, great looks, great talent." Freda (whose favorite game when she was a child in Detroit was catching frogs at the lake shore), guesses that the keys to her looks and her figure are sleep, exercise, health foods, and good cleanliness habits. Freda currently records on the ABC Dunhill label, which recently released her newest album, "Payne and Pleasure." Freda will headline the show at the Holiday House starting Friday, January 17.

She will be in the main room of the Monroeville showplace through Sunday, January 26th for two shows nightly. Award Winner On IKC Series Charles Abramovic, 20 year old pianist from Forest Hills, will give a rectial at the Jewish Community Center in Oakland, 315 S. Bellefield Ave. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 8: 15 P.M.

The gifted pianist who was chosen the 1974 75 Passamaneck Awards Winner will perform a challenging program featuring the Sonata in Flat by Beethoven, Pictures at an Exhibition by Moussorgsky, and Twelve Etudes by Chopin. Mr. Abramovic is now in his junior year at the Curtis Institute of Music and although he has performed frequently, this concert will mark his local debut on Pittsburgh's only major recital series. Recently a critic of the Philadelphia Enquirer in reviewing a concerto This recital is the fourth in a series of seven given annually by the IKC Music Society. Mildred Miller, Rudolf Serkin, and Michael Grebanier have previously given much lauded concerts this season.

Concert ticket information is available by calling 521 8010. performance by Abramovic with the Curtis Orchestra wrote that the pianist "demonstrated not only superior technique, something one almost takes for granted nowadays, but complete aplomb and a gratifying musical maturity.".