The Times-News from Twin Falls, Idaho • 14

7 C-2 Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho Friday, October 6, 1995 Rating octor offers options to impotent man ry Dear Abby Abigail sttJ VanBuren DEAR ABBY: Recently, a 70-year-old widower wrote to you saying that he was dating a half-dozen women with whom he had platonic relationships. He says that he avoids giving them the impression that he has a romantic interest in them because he is impotent and is somewhat embarrassed by his condition. You replied that many women in that age group would consider a non-sexual status a plus and that holding, caressing and doing "everything but" can be sufficiently satisfying to some women. Your response implies that he should just accept his condition, without even considering medical treatment to correct it. Abby, I want to point out that sexual dysfunction is treatable, and help is available to allow for a satisfying sex It is possible that this man's impo-tence is related to a medication that friend who found a $5 bill in a pair of jeans she had purchased for $1 at a yard sale.

She immediately tele-' phoned the original owner and gloated over the windfall. Abby, that story could have come directly out of Jewish folklore, Once, a rabbi purchased a camel from a trader at the bazaar. When he arrived home, he discovered a valuable diamond in the camel's saddlebag. He immediately returned the diamond to its rightful owner and said, "Sir, I purchased a camel, not a diamond; the diamond is still rightfully yours." The moral of that story is clear. We have an obligation to be honorable in all transactions.

By the way, I used this story as an illustration to my Sunday school children this very day. With affection and best wishes RABBI ARNOLD STIEBEL, RENO, NEV. DEAR RABBI STIEBEL: Thank you for writing to share that wonder-j ful fable with my readers. DEAR ABBY: I am hoping you can clear up some confusion that has been going on for some time. Many years ago, my parents divorced and my father married my sister, "Nancy." They had a daughter together and named her "Kirsten." Everyone in the family is on friendly terms, and my relationship with Kirsten is super.

Technically, what is my relationship to Kirsten? -BAFFLED BARBARA, HOLBROOK, NX DEAR BAFFLED: Kirsten is your half-sisterfirst cousin. I am pleased that you get along so well relatively speaking. I I P.S. To complicate things further your Aunt Nancy is also your, step- mother which reminds me of the! old song, "I'm My Own Grand- paw." could be adjusted or changed. If this is not the case, there are treatments that include counseling, injection therapy, vacuum devices and prosthetic surgery.

N.H. COLEBURN, M.D., ST. LUKE'S-ROOSEVELT HOSPITAL, NEW YORK DEAR DR. COLEBURN: Thank you for a letter that should be helpful and encouraging to many. (It is estimated that 10 million men in the United States suffer from impotence or some form of sexual disorder.) Readers, the doctor to consult is a urologist.

DEAR ABBY: "Feeling Foolish in New Hampshire" wrote about a Briefly in the arts Continued from C1 after a two-week run in Ketchum's Movie House and has yet to play in any other theater in south-central Idaho, is by far the most expensive, widely distributed and highest-grossing NC-17 movie released since the rating was created five years ago. Its director and writer are Paul Verhoeven and Joe Eszterhas, who last teamed up for "Basic Instinct," which pulled in more than $117 million in North America after it was re-edited to take it from an NC-17 rating to an in 1992. In deciding to back "Showgirls," MGM UA not only abandoned the major studios' longstanding policy of prohibiting directors from turning in an NC-17 movie, but it also approved a $38 million budget for Verhoeven to make it. That figure is more than triple the amount that any previous NC-17 movie has earned in the domestic theaters; "Henry June," the only other major-studio NC-17 release, took in $1 1.5 million at the box office in 1990. "Showgirls," which so far has played in just four Idaho theaters, tells the story of a young Las Vegas lap dancer who seeks stardom as a topless dancer in a high-powered nightclub.

Excerpts made available for screening snowed Berkley in graphic sexual situations with both male and female characters, augmented by blunt sex violence and skin, skin, skin. "It's audacious, it's provocative, it's showing much more nudity and erotic sexuality than you have seen in a mainstream movie," Verhoeven said. The rating didn't start out as shorthand for the last letter in "sex." Shortly after the rating was established in 1968 along with the rest of the MPAA system filmmakers crafted such highly regarded adult movies as "Midnight Cowboy," "A Clockwork Orange" and "Last Tango in Paris" without shame or fear of commercial kamikaze. But because the MPAA didn't trademark the as they had the PG and pornographers started emblazoning it on their product at will, often in triplicate. As the rating became associated with the likes of "Deep Throat," many newspapers and television stations quit carrying ads for movies, malls wrote leases prohibiting theater owners from showing them and major studios all but quit releasing them.

Many directors who turned in movies tagged with an such as Alan Parker, with "Angel were banished to the editing room until they returned with an version. Filmmakers, theater owners and critics beat the drums for a new adult rating free of the taint of X. They thought their call was answered in the fall of 1990, when the MPAA unveiled the NC-17, a decidedly unsexy abbreviation of "No Children under 17." Universal' Pictures had pushed the new rating because it wanted neither to accept an for its film "Henry June" nor to edit it to an R. "Henry June" became the flag-bearer for what was expected to be a parade of new adult-oriented movies. Then a Boston suburb, declaring NC-17 was really just an in disguise, pressured a local theater to cancel "Henry June." Other restrictive leases merely substituted "NC-17" for and Blockbuster Video, the nation's largest video retailer, announced it would treat NC-17 films like films and not carry them.

Although "Henry June," Philip Kaufman's highbrow account of Anais Nin's affairs with writer Henry Miller and his wife, was not designed to be a commercial bonanza, its relatively weak box-office showing offered little incentive for stu-, dios to risk controversy for the sake of artistic vision. "It has not panned out the way we had hoped," admits MCA vice chairman Tom Pollock, who headed Universal when it released "Henry June." Richard Heffner, who chaired the film rating board for 20 years, blames NC-17's failure, to gain acceptance on the MPAA's sticking with the "pejorative" for too long. "It was a mistake to call it at the beginning; it was stupidity not to correct the error earlier," he says, also pointing the finger at Block-, buster's refusal to carry NC-17 movies while stocking some material that had refused an NC-17 and come out unrated. "The greatest hypocrisy of all came when Blockbuster announced that policy." The few NC-17 movies that have made it to the theaters have come from independent studios. Meanwhile, the gamesmanship to avoid NC-17 ratings has become so pronounced that a recent Entertainment Weekly story reported that for his upcoming movie "Casino" director Martin Scorsese shot a gross-out' scene of a character's head being crushed in a vise just to have a bargaining chip to toss out if the film didn't get an R.

Jack Valenti says he would like nothing more than for the NC-17 rating to carry no onus other than simply denoting that a movie shouldn't be seen by children. He condemns the distributors of "Kids" for refusing an NC-17 rating and releasing it unrated with the more lenient suggestion that viewers under 1 8 be admitted only if accompanied by a parent or guardian. "I think it would be very useful to have a film that is very clearly NC-17 rather than playing around with editing it," Valenti says. "I think it would be more honest to put out the film as an NC-17 and say it's meant for adults rather than trying to manipulate the system." Enter Paul Verhoeven and Joe Eszterhas, whose combined box-office clout enabled them to insist on the NC-17 for "Showgirls" that they weren't allowed for "Basic "'Basic Instinct' was supposed to be an that was in my contract and it of course was an NC-17 when I gave it to the MPAA," Verhoeven says. "They sent me back nine times before they accepted the cut as an which was a pretty crucifying process." Pollock says Universal was offered "Showgirls," but agreed to make it as an NC-17 only if it had a smaller budget.

"We said, 'If you want more money, it's going to have to be an Pollbck says. Still, Verhoeven says, the deal with MGM was nailed down within a couple of weeks. "It went pretty smoothly, in fact," he says. As for Blockbuster, company spokesman Mike Caruso reiterates, "We don't carry NC-17 movies. I don't think we'd make an exception just because it did good box office." But David Bishop, executive vice president for MGM UA home entertainment, expresses confidence that other video retailers will pick up the slack.

Although Verhoeven says he did not set out to be a pioneer, he hopes the movie, if successful, can result in more artistic freedom for directors. "It will also probably upset the studios to a certain degree because if it works, then more directors would like to have an NC-17 in their contract, which diminishes the power that the studios have over the artistic interpretation of the director," he says. Pollock, while "applauding" MGM for having the courage to release an NC-17 movie, doesn't envision "Showgirls" opening the floodgates. "I think that it's a rarity because this is an expensive movie that's NC-17," he says. "I don't think there are going to be too many expensive NC-17 movies no matter what happens." But others contend that "Showgirls" can't avoid changing the way adult films are "accepted.

"I think it will help because they have this pegged as a movie that will make a lot of money," says Eamonn Bowles, the chief operating officer of Shining Excalibur Pictures, which released "Kids." "You notice that the rules generally get changed when great money is involved." March 1, 1996. Teachers, administrators, parents and community members are invited to attend the three-hour workshop, where they will receive information and materials necessary to submit a quality grant application. Admission is free. Copies of the 1995-97 Arts Education Directory, which contains arts education program information, grant application forms and lists of professional artist-educators, will be available at the workshop. The directory also may be obtained by calling 1-800-ART-FUND or (208) 2334-2119, Ext.

34. The Idaho Commission on the Arts is a state agency dedicated to making the arts available to all Idaho people. It is governed by 13 citizens appointed by the governor. Discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age is prohibited. Dilettantes choose 'Sound of Music' TWIN FALLS The Dilettante Group of Magic Valley has selected "The Sound of Music" for its 38th annual production in the spring of 1996.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's is set during World War II in the Austrian hill country. The book was written by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse; it is based on the lives of the Von Trapp family. Some familiar songs are "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," "Edelweiss," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" and "So Long, Farewell." The show provides fine family entertainment, and people of all ages are needed for the cast. Auditions will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. Oct 15 and 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Oct. 16 at the Immanuel Lutheran School on Filer Avenue East. Those trying out are asked to have a prepared piece of music to sing; an accompanist will be provided. Some adult non-singing roles also are available. Everyone is asked to bring a small photo to attach to the audition form.

For more information, call Lori at 733-9105 or Helen at 324-4014. CSI selects Nutcracker dancers TWIN FALLS Dancers this year's Nutcracker performance have beea selected by the College of Southern Idaho Continuing Education Division. Those chosen from auditions held Sept. 29 are as follows. Sarah Almand, Alea Leavitt, Lacey Head, Erin Bundy, Alex Gray, Ashley Irons, Nicole Johnson, Emily Stevens, Rebekah Papac, all of Twin Falls; Bridget Murray and Sierra Kerbs, both of Burley; Kayla Warr of Rupert; and Sarah Bevan and Kelsey Jesser, both of Kim-berly are the mice.

Angels are Lauren Almand, Chelsea Irons, Robin Critchfield, Kayla Marie Savaria-King, ISU instructor gives concert today TWIN FALLS Idaho State University organ instructor Paul Barte will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. today at the First United Methodist Church, 360 Shoshone St. E. Admission is free, and the public is invited. BSU film premieres at The Flicks BOISE "Not This Part of the World" will premiere this weekend at The Flicks, 646 Fulton St.

An all-Idaho cast stars in the full-length feature film about a contemporary western boom-town on the edge of a cultural frontier. The film was written directed and produced by Boise State University Theater Arts Professor Phil At-lakson. Actors include Adam West, Matt Letscher, Christina Lang, Ashley Martell and Arthur Glen Hughes. Todd Dunnigan composed the film score, which features the music of KMFDM, Built to Spill, five Boise-area bands and individual artists. The film traces a day in the life of a group of high school friends trying to overcome a generic culture that doesn't allow them to think and feel for themselves.

It is supported by grants from the Idaho State Board of Education, US West Foundation, BSU and the Whittenberger Foundation. A free pre-premiere party hosted by Magic 93 begins at 5 p.m. today, followed by the film's premiere at 7:15 p.m. at The Flicks. Tickets for the showing are $10, and advance reservations are available by calling 385-1 191.

Regular showings begin at 9:30 p.m. today and continue through Thursday. Admission is $6 at the door. Bands whose music is featured in the film will play at 9 p.m. today at the 111 N.

1 1th. Admission will be charged at the door. A free panel discussion on the future of filmmaking in Idaho is planed for 1 1 a.m. Saturday at The Flicks. The panel consists of Atlakson, cinematographer David Klein, filmmaker Michael Hoffmin and Christian Gaines of the Sundance Film Festival.

BSU Communication Professor Peter Lutze will moderate. Sponsors of the discussion are the Idaho Film Bureau and the Idaho Film and Video Association. Arts education workshop planned TWIN FALLS A workshop in arts education planning and grant-writing is planned for 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Twin Falls Public Library (downstairs), 434 Second St. E.

Liz Gould and Jayne Sorrels, arts education staff members of the Idaho Commission on the Arts, will present the workshop. Grants help to fund Artists to Schools, Artists in Communities, Special Projects and Professional Development projects. The deadline for current grants is Brittany Ward and Ashley Root, all of Twin Falls; LeEllen Garner of Kimberly; Kiley Marie Johnson of Hansen; Amy Huddleston of Filer; Kelsi Goodfellow and Kira Tate, both of Bur-' ley; and Holly Bywater of Paul. The bon-bons will be Sarah Parrisly Toni Leonetti, Jessica Hartley, Stephanie Ward, Anna Victor, Karen Victor, Jessica Seppi and Taylor Chapin, all of Twin Falls; Jennifer Hol-loway of Burley; and Alexis Fairchild of Paul. Bethany Scott, Lonnie Hoshaw Hatch, Erin Johnson, Emily Anderson, Morgan Levings, Jessika Bastow, Jennifer Phipps and Tasha Mc- Curdy, all of Twin Falls; and Matt Prescott of Jerome will be the party guests.

i Waltz of the Flowers dancers are Tiah Stark of Shoshone; and Alyson Krai, Lisa Levings and Melissa Papac, all of Twin Falls, Idaho Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker is planned for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15 in the auditorium at the CSI Fine Arts Center. Tickets will be available after Nov. 7.

For more informa-, tion, call 733-9554, Ext. 2270 or 2268. Scholarship set up for musicians TWIN FALLS The Twin Falls Music Club has established a Mary Jane Kinney Memorial Scholarship Fund for young classical musicians. Kinney was one of the founders of the Twin Falls Music Club in 1951. She served in many capacities, including president and vice president.

Because of her interest in the encouragement of young musicians, she was one who initially urged the establishment of the Twin Falls Music Club Foundation a tax-deductible fund that began in 1983. Donations may be sent to the Twin Falls Music Club Scholarship Foundation in care of Linda Aufderheide, Treasurer, 156 Brooklane Twin Falls, ID 83301. i Salmon River Art Guild sets show RIGGINS The Salmon River Art Guild has planned its annual art show for Oct. 27-29 at the Riggins City Center. Adult artists, both amateur and semi-professional, from the area are encouraged to participate.

All media except crafts will be accepted. Judging by Vikki Wayne of Craigmont and one guild member will take place in three categories painting and drawing, sculptures, and photos at 7 p.m. Mountain Time Oct. 27. A total of $650 in cash prizes will be awarded.

Artists may submit up to six entries; cost is $5 per entry. For more information on rules and regulations, write to the Salmon River Art Guild, P.O. Box 5, Riggins, ID 83549, or call JoAnn Cereghino at (208) 628-3986, Irene Talent at (208) 628-3953 or Jill Smith at (208) 634-8381. 1 Compiled from staff reports unitea Matesw Jiioree CRAFT OPEN HOUSE FREE CONCERT Presented by Saturday October 7th Twin Falls High School Band JTheTimesfews 5 1 MONDAY, OCT. 1 6 at the JOHN ROPER AUDITORIUM Twin Falls The space age campus of the United States Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs is home to one of the most exciting military bands in existence today.

The Air Force Band of the Rockies strives for musical and military excellence in its support of the Cadet Wing at -formations, wing parades, athletic events and cadet dances. The band also presents free public concerts in support of Air Force recruiting and community relations goals. i.