The Journal Herald from Dayton, Ohio • 26

26 THE JOURNAL HERALD Dayton, Ohio July 17, 1982 I Woocy Allen's admirers will like his 'Sex Comedy' no matter what Negative but nice i Woody Allen gets the best bad re 4 'J III Terry hiJdj Lawson fellow who appears to have it all to-, gether only to watch "it" erode or become meaningless. It's the same turn in film after film and It's becoming tiresome. The most interesting performance here is Ferrer's, who manages to turn the stuffy stereotype into an understandable, near-sympathetic human. Of the females, Julie Haggerty (last seen in Airplane) fares the best, mostly because her free-thinking, laclvious character is something of a newcomer to Allen's films. Mary Steenburgen does less well as Andrew's wife because she is so-ill defined.

We see her only in states of sexual disinterest or denial. But one has to feel very sorry for Mia Farrow, whose part is reduced to a blatant Diane Keaton Imitation by Allen. Farrow Is a fairly talented actress, but nothing of her previous work survives in her portrayal of the walfish seductress Ariel. Gordon Willis' sumptuous, Impressionistic cinematography often turns her into a Raphael-like beauty, but Allen di-mishes the effect by turning her into Annie Hall In antique dresses. If Allen misses Keaton so much, he should hire her, or marry her, or something, but it Is great disservice to both the actress and his own movie to let his longings loom so apparent.

I must admit, though, I laughed a -lot, despite the film's lack of jokes, and that there were momnets when I became lost in a Midsummer Night's languid, wistful mood. It is minor Allen, but It Is Allen, making it a movie-going situation akin to spending an off-night with a valued friend. Now, Isn't that the most encouraging negative review you've read lately? Allen could repay his fans for their indulgence by doing something more taxing for himself and us, but perhaps he's just waiting for the weather to become more conducive. A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy views of any filmmaker In the business. If critic types don't always think that what Allen does is up to snuff and they haven't with three of his last four films they always say so very nicely, very respectfully.

Thus the following assessment of A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy will follow the established pattern. So, If you're not an Allen admirer you might as well stop reading after the next sentence. The operative line here Is "this isn't Allen at his best but I liked it anyway." Actually, A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy is stylistically very distinct, If not particulary original. Once again, Allen is paying homage to films and classical situations he admires. The most obvious model here Is Smiles of a Summer Night, directed by Allen's idol, Ingmar Bergman.

(His only strict drama, Interiors, was little more than a love letter to Bergman.) But narratively, there is also a bit of Jean Renoir's Rules of the Came here too, and also some of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Thankfully, there Is also a healthy dollop of Allen himself. The Allen that shines through the rigid structure of this period-piece comedy of manners Is a very different fellow from the depressed, death obsessed malcontent of Stardust Memories. This Allen is full of hope, imagination, even charm. Allen often claims that critics too often confuse him with the characters he plays, so we shouldn't presume that he has drastically changed any attitudes in the 18-month period between his films.

But for a man who professes to hate the country, the pastoral beauty of A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy comes as something of a shock. We keep expecting Allen's character to start smacking at mosquitos or complaining about the heat. He never does. Allen plays Andrew, a Wall Street broker who fancies himself a "crackpot inventor." Among his creations are a flying bicycle and a machine that de-bones fish. also puts the bones back In fish, If you would want to do He's married to Adrian, a proper turn-of-the-century woman played by Mary Steenburgen.

They're vacationing at his upstate New York the honeymoon so they can see Thomas Carlyle's grave) and she too fantasizes about her non-consumated romance with Andrew. She also has an animal gravitation to Maxwell, who duly falls head over heels for her, ignoring Dulcy. Dulcy gets her share of attention from Leopold, who turns out to have a thing for young girls. By now you're probably getting the idea. In the course of this movie's fleeting 85 minutes, everyone plays at least one round of musical partners, and at some point, everyone gets caught in one situation they shouldn't be In.

But as usual, Allen Is concerned with other matters besides sex and Its infinite mysteries. There is also the afterlife and the spiritual world to contend with. One of the Andrew's stranger inventions is something called a "spirit ball," which he aptly describes as a truly magical magic lantern. This whirring, glowing object has the ability to capture Images of either the past or the future Andrew hasn't figured out which, of course and project them in the still summer air. Ultimately, It also has the ability to settle the question of the existence of a "spiritual reality beyond the five senses" that Is postured throughout the film, and it does it in a whimsical, reassuring manner that runs quite contrary to Allen's usual doominess.

Not only does A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy not tell us the sky is falling, it tells us it's full of faeries and benevolent little spirits that Intend to watch over and amuse us. But if there were any confusion about this being an Allen film, the performances bring us back. Allen makes a slight return to his pre-Annie Hall days, playing a fellow less neurotic and more comic than his contemporary characters. Putting Tony Roberts in collared undershirts and boaters, however, changes him not a whit: He's still the archtypal Allen best-friend, the Woody Allen: Taking bits from Bergman, Shakespeare and Woody Allen People are talking about Star 80, Bob Fosse's first film since All That Jazz, which began filming in Vancouver, B.C. last week.

Vancouver was the original home of Dorothy Stratton, the Playboy Playmate of the year who was brutally murdered by her estranged husband two years ago, and Star 80 is Fosse's version of her biography. Eric Roberts of Raggedy Man and King of the Gypsies plays the manipulative manager-husband, and Cliff Robertson portrays Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner. Stratton will be portrayed by Mariel Hemingway. Star 80 was the inscription on Stratton's personalized California license plates. Nancy Allen has been signed to appear with Susan Sarandon and Richard Dreyfuss in something called The Buddy System.

Embassy Pictures will release Beginners, a love story starring Jane Alexander, Robert Carradine and Elizabeth McGovern. McGovern will next be seen in Lovesick with Dudley Moore. And McGovern's co-star In Ordinary People, Timothy Hutton, will next work for director Sidney Lumet In his film version of E. L. Doctorow's The Book of Daniel Brian DePalma and John Travolta have aparrently dropped the idea of doing the Jim Morrison story as a flose-like roman a clef.

This was their alternate plan after the executors of the Morrison estate, thinking Travolta wrong for the part, effectively blocked them from doing an unauthorized biography by refusing permission for Doors songs to be used in any film besides their own. Instead, Travolta is said to be mulling the idea of a sequel to Saturday Night Fever in which Tony tries to make it as a Broadway dancer. TERRY LAWSON Manor theaters. It is rated PG, with a sexual theme. Sports results Dial 225-2411 Porky also fattens up 6 3 I hings already a millionaire Authentic Hungarian CABBAGE ROLLS Gi))05 BAKED CHICKEN jQl and Drafting EACH SPAGHETTI (M.otbolli Ixfra) All Include Two Side Order, Bread and Butter witntnis summer home, and they've invited two other couples for the weekend: Adrian's impossibly stuffy and boorish cousin Leopold (Jose Ferrer), and his bride-to-be Ariel (Mia Farrow); and Andrew's best pal, a doctor named Maxwell (Tony Roberts) and his young, liberated nurse, Dulcy (Juli Haggerty).

If you know anything at all about Allen's movies, you'll know that Andrew and Adrian have a sexual problem. She apparently has simply "cooled off and Andrew fears her passion for him is gone forever. That makes the arrival of Ariel, an old friend, a bit forboding. Years before, he had passed on a chance to bed her. The thought of missed opportunity haunts him.

Ariel Is not really In love with philosophy professor Leopold (who wants to take her to London for Open Sunday 9 to 9 Serving Breakfast All Day 703 Witervflet 258-1374, 2564140 "Bail Kill Saorat la Daytaa- check the weather, Depending good weofner? CHeck to tH if fht weqfntr temce hoi ft tuft fti plant. i officer of Disney. "We did very well In large cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, but we're weak In the medium-to-small cities where Disney Is usually strong. We'll change the ad compaign there for more of a 'Walt Disney presents' approach. "We've had umpteen spies at the theaters and the word-of -mouth has been tremendous.

We're hoping that will transform Into a continued good business," Bagnall said. ner. It took 17 weeks for 20th Century Fox's Porky's to surpass $100 million. The comedy continues to play in 696 houses. Bad reviews from financial analysts for TRON sent the Walt Disney Productions' stock downward at first.

But after the film opened in 1,091 theaters it amassed a day total of $4.8 million in three days. "I think we're off to a good start," said Mike Bagnall, senior financial HOLLYWOOD (AP) E.T. and Porky's passed the $100 million mark and Disney's computer animation movie TRON had an "encouraging" opening, according to a weekly film box office survey. Universal Pictures reported a 31 -day total of $106.7 million for E.T, The Extraterrestrial, which is playing in 1,374 theaters. Steven Spielberg's saga of an visitor from another world has been averaging $3.5 million per day and remains by far the summer's win 4614 Wilmington Pike TOP SIRLOIN STEAK for TWO a a mimm BBBBt.

I (cinema I CITY CAnLY BIKU ALL SHOWS STARTING Plus a bottle of wine V7 iSt-fi MATINEE SPECIAL PHIORTO6 00PM iiv citsniv I SUKDAY SATURDAY After 4:00 293-1051 RADIANT "A fabulous masterpiece that leaves all who see it with a warm and radiant glow of optimism and joy." Rtx Heed. N. Y. Daily Sewi KON TIKI CINFMAS 1-3-3 4100 SALEM AVE 278 4706 I I 7:4. STEVEN SPIELBERG'S "TP the Extra- tu picwni wm m.

las -J BARGAIN MATINEES -ALL StAIS Sl OO ENTERTAINMENT GIFT BOOKS NOW ON SALE AT KON TIKI (L Terrestrial Nn Pacca Thi Fnnanempnt universal rTTTTT 1 I TTTTTTTTTTTTT71 I ft ft 3 3 13 5caver Valley! CINEMAS 426-8611 SEE ALL OF BARBI BENTON! mi, ne, i ira 11:10. 2r44. fee, 4S. 12:00 7:11, fiM, llrM nr. 1 i fnl hi miIMZmsHS classical Disney-style animation; i.e.

the raindrops have highlights, and the animals move like animals. Rocky III Beaver Valley, Dayton Mall, Salem Mall Big dumb sensitive white guy boxes again, even though he doesn't need the dough. He does it for pride. Big nasty-tempered black guy with Mohawk hair style fights not for dough, but for honor and recognition. So why Is It so easy to tell who the good guy is? Violence.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Beaver Valley, Cinema Centre Clean fun aplenty as this sequel abandons the philosophical claptrap of the original film In favor of the good spirit and childlike positiveness of the old television series. The original cast members all return and do and say all the corn-ball things we expect as they take the Enterprise after a bad guy called Khan, who Is played with terrific comic-book relish by Rlcardo Montalban. Some violence may make this unacceptable for small children. TRON Beaver Valley, Cinema South, Southland 75 Disney Studios attempts to return to the big-leagues with this visually stunning but dramatically empty picture about a programmer whiz who gets zapped inside a real computer to compete in life-and-death video games. The computer-generated spe-clal effects are truly astonishing, but the performances are bush-league and the entire enterprise has a rushed-to-market look and feel.

Nice try, but no stuffed animal. (Note: If you must, see It in the 70mm version playing at the Tri-County In Sprlngdale, north of Cincinnati, off 1-273.) 1U -vJ It irrii 21 K3ht VZTkl a ar a ja i :1 I It rfT 1 If 5verVJIyj Screenplay By Terry Lawson JeumH HeraM Mm Crfflc Excellent Good Fair Poor Not reviewed Family films Annie Dayton Mall, Kettering, Salem Mall All the charm, whimsy and irony of the long-running stage play Is overwhelmed In the effort to make Harold Gray's plucky Depression orphan some sort of fantasy figure to today's adolescent. Aileen Quinn is fine in the lead, and the adult roles are played by such true talents as Albert Finney (Daddy War-bucks), Ann Reinking and Carol Burnett (Miss Hanni-gan). But John Huston's direction is misguided, the numbers are curiously flat and diffused and the entire enterprise seems pretentious and overblown. Worse, Sandy's best work was left on the cutting-room floor.

Mild profanity. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Beaver Valley, Cinema North, Southtown Simply one of the very best family movies ever made. Director Steven Spielberg Joins the ranks of such genuine American originals as Ford and Hawks with this space-age fairy tale about a visitor from another planet and his native-born pal, Elliot. The film Itself Is beautiful to behold, the special effect are marvelous, the performances are near-perfect, but It is the visual storytelling skills of the director and writer Melissa Mathlson that give E.T.

Its classic qualities and, more Important, lu soul. Warning to strong men: Bring a hankie or a mask. Poltergeist Beaver Valley. Salem Mall, Southtown Steven Spielberg serves up a classic, bone-chilling ghost story in an unlikely suburban setting: Likable, engaging American family learns to believe In life beyond limestone when evil spirits Invade their home through the American altar, the television set. Poltergeist Is funny and charming, but never leu either attribute Interfere with scaring the panu off you.

Warning: One scene In particular could render It too violent for young children. Raiders of the Lost Ark Belmont Auto, Cinema Centre, Cinema North, Dixie, Falrborn, Miami Cruise-In And Raiders makes three: Three four-star Spielberg films showing currently, that Is. That makes It almost certain backlash will occur soon. In the meantime, see this again, as If you could avoid It. They're calling this a re-release, though Its only been off local screens two months since Its release last summer.

Violence. The Secret of NIMH Dabel, Dayton East. Kon-Tlkl Animator Don Bluth, a defector from Disney Studios Is the sparkplug behind this family adventure, which Is being billed a a return to the Ma.ll CINEMAS 837-3306 1 IM. 4.11. 74, Mm ffsy CINEMAS 426-8611 "ILU.LU.Lji; iee, i tee t-it.

tree FAST AND FURIOUS FUN." iSSjMlW Vltf 31 THIS HOUSE II A WM nM frrt KJ Adult- films -V nni 1 STALLONE rg wa fl -iTTft I LP.U'IIJ.ig ir patwnitt Stlem MaIII 5ever VaJley CINEMAS. ONEMA8 837-3306 I 426-8611 liM, lie, iii, iiee, it. hie. Tie, e-ee, n-et Me, int. ee $CCRET Flrefox Page Manor, Washington Square, Melody 49 Clint Eastwood's annual action outing has him as reluctant spy dropped Into the Soviet Union on a mission to steal the fancy-dancy "killing machine" aeroplane of the title.

Cold-war claptrap, redeemed a bit by some exciting flying sequences near the end. Violence, vulgar language. Hospital Massacre Captain Kldd, Salem, Sherwood Miami Valley charges 1 1 1.50 for a plastic urinal, Aetna won't cover It, and an emergency out-patient goes amok. Violence. Young Doctors la Love Beaver Valley, Dayton Mall, Salem Mall, Southland 73 Television producer Garry Marshall makes his directing debut with this Alrplane-Wnt genre parody of young doctor films.

Strip away the vulgar sex and dope Jokes and the sit-com silliness, and there's some smart humor and likable characters lurking underneath. Marshall also gets able assistance In the form of a good, young cast that includes Michael McKean and Pamela Reed. Brief nudity, vulgar language. Dabrl CINEMA 6114 I let, Irft, fcN.tilt, I 837.3306 IMe MIW J. 1 Ml I Km crx'wer roi whr man hot ovr bn.

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