Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan · Page 29

- " II I Timnril lWMMy Mimiltt iLHKfelmaaH! j- DETROIT FREE PRESS Wednesday, Feh. 28, '73 5-C 1 0 $SSy in iaa.i4.ti; . t A, Chronicle: The Black Experience WATTSTAX ' Studio H and Talmt Theatm ' Columbia Plrturae raant t tian-Wolww turn, produced by Larry Srww and Mai Vlu.ri and Wrartad by AAal Stuarti axacutlva pnoducari, Al Ball and David Wot-P. "Irh laaac Hvm, ft Siapta imgare, Carl Thomai, Lulfitr In. tram, Albart Kino, tr Emolioiw. ho Ranca Allan Groun, Iha Ora-matlea, Rufua Tfiomoi, jwnma Taylor, and Ulcltard Pryor. In color. Ratad: R, BY JOHN WEISMAN Praa Prui Staff Writer Once In a while, a muslc-orl-ented film can transcend the ordinary and become a chronicle of a social mood Instead of an on-film record of a concert. It was that way with "Monterey Pop" and "Woodstock;" it Is that way with "WATTS-TAX." Ostensibly, "WATTSTAX" is a film of the seven-hour concert In August 1972, sponsored by Stax records and a national brewery to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Watts conflagration. YET THE producers and director of "WATTSTAX" man-age to do more than Just render a concert onto film. Intercut with the performers are Waifish Kid from Brooklyn Comes On Strong at Elm wood BY CHUCK THURSTON Praa Prou Staff Wrttir . The time has come for Julie Budd to sit down (quietly if she can) and sort out who, where and what she is. The miniature Streisand singing at the Elmwood Casino this week is all overpowering energy, shouting song after song in an electronic sameness that makes the audience squirm nervously and erupt into only mild applause. She could do better if she didn't try so hard. With restraintlots of it Miss Budd could become Julie Budd herselfa slightly waifish k i d from Brooklyn with some depth and emotion to her singing. y NOMINATED FOR aJACADEMYAWARDS YOUNG WINSTON yg TODAY AT. 1:00, 7:20 & 9:45 PM NEW POLICY-NO RESERVED SEATS Advanea tickata an aala far Frl. t Sat. avaninga only. Jowtpl Theatre ... .... . He's more than i man, WED. IS LADIES' DAV-75 TO 6 . " " " 'i f ,7 . , .. K I i IaDULTSONLY IN' COLOI-i. II WV OVERitt r i THE TRUTH FROM THE , YOUNG WILL SHOCK YOU! feel at . 11 ifillDi 6JI PLUS ADDED ADULT FEATURES Chick Movit Guid Excluiivd Drivfrln VAN DYKE South of 14 Mila SL 1-1313 f aW ' JEK. Jackson led 'Wattslax' throngs in unity cry . . . " ,4Af; AM BLACK." several bull sessions in which the residents of Watts discuss the changes (or lack of them) since "Burn, baby, burn!" became part of the American vocabulary. And as a final counterpoint to both Watts residents and musicians, comedian Richard Pryor talks about his own black experience, in some of the most devastating funny, witty, and cynically true mon- Julie pets her act going with a promising soft touch of "Chasing Rainbows" before she begins to scream the words. After a pair of clutching, clawing song adventures, she cools down to sing a nursery rhyme she learned in kindergarten not too many years ago. The break Is pleasant, but short-lived. The first chorus of "When I Fall in Love" is at a tolerable level, but then it's back to the rock concert style the second time around. Her "Love Ma Tonight" is a command instead of a seduction. Miss Budd's civic audito Another Pair of Hits from 'AT THE CIRCUS Tuc4U- THE BIG STORE" Now Showing StedioN en Center! 3,4 M W. Grand TM 4-MM Ht't a death machine! IS no longer a child , a a not yet a woman. find out how the young about love 1 - Showlng WAYNE Mich. Av. Ml. W. Of Mlrtdlabalt PA. 1-31B0 ologs ever captured on film. Of course, tho core of "WATTSTAX" is supposedly the music performed by such soul staples as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, Detroit's Dramatics, Luther In-gram, Monroe, Michigan's Ranee Allen Group, Carla Thomas, Albert King and Johnnie Taylor. But what "WATTSTAX" demonstrates o beautifully and aptly is that music is right at the core of the black American experience. It reflects the black man's world: The gospel roots of his church; the back alley moan of his blues; the side street cool and sweat-stained funklncss o f R&B music; the heavy-handed wah-wah pedal that identifies Isaac Hayes, supercool "Shaft" score all these are central to the black experience; all are covered In "WATTSTAX." THERE ARE optimistic and beautiful images, too: The sight of 100,000 people cheering the concert -n 100,000 black souls who filled the Los Angeles Coliseum to overflowing coming together to repeat the Rev. Jesse Jackson's words when he stood and shouted 'I AM; I AM BLACK!" It's an affirmation that, for too long, rium-type fever is too strong for the comfortable people who haunt the Elmwood Casino. for the sensually i OoCK lO DdwKS rr r I JQINTHFrM! SHBFf m (BJL 1 X !- S I V Ull IP ' ' Will 'U-lft- ' I I' SHOWINGlf "- P. 3 i.-rwTiimrrri- mipTT MB Hiqhul quality Adult tilmi. in lh most f leqant of nurrountjingi OTEN 10 A M WEEKDAYS 1 2 NOON SUNDAY M OH i S Mr A 'Hi Wood id w 6 Vila Every MOTHER-Every FATHER MUST SEE TEENAGE Dijliibuird bvCINEMATION INDUITPJli NOW ALL NEW - 1ST Tim .Ui ,0) T i rim f rC'" J f j't a a RTTfr ' l black people have been afraid to make proudly, according to the film. And there is, in "WATTSTAX," the careful editing and montaging that makes this film special; not just another series of diatribes against whites or yet another phonily created music flic. "WATTSTAX," like the problems it MASONIC ILDITCLQILM UIMMS l.i Mcch 1 JO pm. t MUflOK MISINTI GINA BACHAUER Quaan af eniia I 10-14 eO-l Id Sat., March 10 120 p.m. Jtriki up thi grindi FERRANTE & TEICHER $1 SO 4 SO II Id mi k tr . MCH))kM 70, m SUN . MARCH 2S - pm , m MAZ0WSZE nn4 S bttlli.nl tnmpm, at 100 danci'l. lngr ft, mult'int SO- M 0 . M 10 IU YOU !lCtf$ NO AT Miiokic Avd'lO'm" I til I I Hudion t GhmII t Ho ti liberated adult KHlNDlMlCflKNOOOR Mlla'tal t " I'm O ladj a liflavnni WHAT'S BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR? What s your wildest fantasy? Be Imaginative. ...THINK h A S lis 10 8 ICO -Every DAUGHTER -Every SON SEX REPORT! DETROIT SHOWING! UlAltL? km m W, lai,lll. . a , J L.i.m, mi a ii 1 alii ill tiiliLi -mini talks about and like the black experience it begins to explain is for real. FINAL 2 WEEKS! OUSffCIAlGKOUMATiS cmjr.9ii 10114 NII...ytMUtOr TUl. IIhuFRI 8 PM Sat 7 S 10 30 Sun 3 A 7 3D mm ALL THE BUTTERMILK PANCAKES YOU CAN EAT Uncl uncleN I VdOHNV THE RED GARTER BANJO BAND IS CELEBRATING THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE CAFE CAPRJCH INTO DOWNTOWN'S a HAPPIEST SPOT. JOIN THEM! Mondey-Friday 4:30-8:30 Sheraton-Cadillac Hotel FROM THE JUNGLE ID THE HAIL CAESAR Godfather of Harlemll ...The cat with the ts vuiiwvi viuvvgi HELD GRAND CIRCUS DOWNTOWN 981-3240 ladiai'. Day Wad. 75 to P.M. aiiaaaBiaaaaaaaiaaaaaaaaaaH FRED WILLIAMSON tV m-.w oiNt(if-junov.Mn5 - dimaiimi.n nominated for 2 Academy AluorHc Includins BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS niiai uj riA waiicr . MI AA.'t . r a mii-i. ijinj in jiii in inn nil w i wt wu. ii.Mu.iw.yiuj i m m 'wiaw 4. V-v. i-. ' 1 -4h ivuxtuxtxu Dumeu I "Pctcn'Tillic" All tboul low andmarritjBl ' A Univerul Picture Technicolor Pjnvlion' PG NOW SHOWING! tHicK tmtcioit rot iKtui noMsotr wmt poikkii TONIGHT THRU SAT. 8:30 Now thru Sot. Mor, 17 Mali. Wad. and Sat. 2 P M. Sunday, Mar 4 at 7 P.M. tor Intormalinn Coll $ 73 4400 inee 5)c Por Person EVERY WEDNESDAY All DAY 22711 KELLY ROAD at Nina Mila - 1S32S W I MILE RO Juit E.if of G-.nli.lcj WOODWARD AVE , 14", Mila Rd 10001 TELEGRAPH naat Plymouth Rd GYM. ..HE'S THE GREATEST! I v. OVER! MERCURY tchaaiar Nr. Mila UN. 3 ttOO M.im.a Wart. - II to 6 P.M. j j Geraldine Paee a varoi 13KI niCTfiflnliinii I awiiiTI ""'i in I' : . : & - tr - - " 4 ,lfli E'ifcgfr rft!p"r lf Zsietet X Aft Off WtUHa "An action thriller-sexer! A bang-up exciter of a tfAs movie k BURT KVNOLK, NOW SHOWING! tHICI (KtlCIT 101 WWl IDMUIt KITHll WIKKII r"xn 1 . . 1 1 1 1 r 1 1 1 i - j x ib.ii.i.i .j1! 1 1 mi BEST PctcrOToole Sophia Lorcn and James Coco : dreamThe Impossible Dncam' in an AlthurHIHernim ': j"Manof 'JMancha, TODnV HI 2:00 & 0:15 Pill RESERVED SEATS AT TICKtTS EXCEPT FOR SAT. EVE. ALSO AVAILABLE AT ALL MAJOR J. L. HUDSON, SEARS AND GRINNELL STORES ft trill bit! if Special Ttiln Party UltmiliM GwtKt lilt Dim It ill-Ult Northland inum tn i l huowh emvi r moitkunb cintu . iu utt ONE 0? THE YEAR'S 10 BEST! -KEN BARNARD, DETROIT -NA TIONA L OBSER VER -READER'S DIGEST -LOS ANGELES TIMES -GROUP W RADIO NOWi THEATRES: ABBEY 3 KEDFORD TEL-EX CINEMA ORIVMNS:- ALGIERS BEL AIR EAST SIDE FORD-WYOMING FORT GEORGE GALAXY HOLIDAY OAK TROY T aBafcL flip Jap pV ?T A I nftxr 1 LadyLazus i rvf 4kt I f PflU I rruTso 4 IMIIH) Mil " .iWaWlP'liW N BUUuwvtinll kiaf i, -ft i paaHPaaapaHBav!ua 1 c o L O R at all 4 theatres matinee AD FOR FULL DETAILS a CO HIT WINSTIM. '. - avj r. Pott DVN1 CAnnon gaaaPtWMaa ""I1 H!" II pi'ij: w i 1 f!iiiaaiM ICinirC -' FILM THIS YEAR!' "Bill Crty. Dtt. Ntwi tlmlid Aptittl BOXOFFICE OR BY MAIL! BOX OFFICE OPEN NOON TO 9:00 PM NEWS "Robert Redtord 'Jeremiah Johnson" PknawMn Tchnco'0( from tfimtt trot A Wrnr Communcttioni Compaq jpQj mmwaaniawiiani- J '3nd. pf- the results are "wilo" in 3fC. X thi? t X EROTiCALLY INFECTIOUS, 'IIAR.OUS, (rUTSy nacomed You Mutt e 13 : Ovur - PIUS COLOR SPECIAL TOP FEATURE mmmmmmti mtMwmummmmmmunm