'Time Bandits' humorous
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6fThe Daily Tar HeelFriday. November 13. 1981
Jazzman Metheny
plays 'pure 9 jazz
By VICK (jRIITIN '
1)111 Staff Writer
The trouble with much of the contemporary jazz heard on the
radio today is that it's so predictable; to drop a few names. Bob
James, Earl Klugh and the Crusaders. Let's face it, popular jazz
has become so pop-ular that a musician would be cutting his
own throat if he broke away from his tested pattern for success.
Still, there is hope for jazz purists, in the name of Pat
Metheny. His latest album, As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita
Falls, is a collaboration with Pat Metheny Group keyboardist
Lyle Mayes and Latin percussionist Nana Vasconcelos. Not re
stricting himself to any formulas, Metheny has put together a
collection of pieces which provide a musical montage of past
works while exploring new ground.
albums
Metheny and Mays, given equal billing on the cover and in
credits, challenge the listener from Wichita's start. Side one is
composed entirely of the twenty minutes-plus epic title cut. This
song opens with the unintelligble sounds of a crowd, perhaps the
fall of Wichita. The piano and guitar slowly build on the
opening riff which leads into an Oriental-like melody. And this
becomes a mass of swirling percussion and synthesizers. Here
Mays gets to show off a bit, including several bars complete with
a recital hall organ. The moods and tempos in this song change
easily, finally building to a wall of electonic sound and the
voices of excited children.
While side two is ndt as ambitious in its construction, the
songs are more complete in themselves and are performed with
energy. The interaction between piano and acoustic guitar are
especially fun to hear. And Metheny and Mays take turns car
rying the melody while the other provides lively underpinnings.
"September Fifteenth" is a particularly moving piece de-
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dicated to the late jazz pianist Bill Evans. Metheny and Mays
must have spent weeks listening to Evans' works, because they
have captured his lyrical mood down to the last chord. "It's For
You" takes the listener back to 1979 and Evan's extremely suc
cessful American Garage with its bubbly organ and crisp elec-
trie guitar. And the album ends with a short postscript called
"Estupenda Graca," composed mostly of extended choral
progressions, birdlike percussion, and vocals by Vasconcelos.
Metheny and Mays are consummate ensemble players. They
don't try to outdo the other; instead, they play with musicians,
not against. Metheny's greatest asset is that he listens to what he
is playing. Like Miles Davis, Metheny knows that silence can be
as important to inusic as the notes themselves. And in Wichita
silence and notes combine for an extremely fine jazz album.
By GUHA SHANKAR
IITH Staff Writer
The trademark of the British comedy
ensemble, Monty Python, is its ready
willingness to satirize, caricature, and
otherwise humble the most hallowed and
sacred institutions and characters in his
tory. Python fills its films and television
show with cowardly knights, blundering
messiahs, and buffoonish members of the
Royal Family.
Time Bandits is not a Python collabo
ration, but the new fantasy film reveals
the same iconoclastic philosophy and
wildly irreverant humor that marked the
group's previous efforts. This is due, in
no small measure, to the presence of pro
ducer and director, Pythonite Terry
Gilliam, who also wrote the script with
Michael Palin, another Python alumnus.
Gilliam's crazed story begins with the
unexpected visit by six dwarves to the dull
suburban home of 1 1 -year-old Kevin
(David Warnock). Offered the chance to
escape the confines of his sterilized, pack
aged little world, Kevin jumps on the op
portunity with both feet, as would any
adventuresome young kid. Soon the seven
travelers are popping into and out of time
holes in the fabric of the universe, visiting
places and people out of time and legend.
cinema
This is the stuff of standard fantasies,
but Gilliam's heros have' warts on them
and are less than perfect. Ian Holm as
Napoleon reveals a raging complex about
his lack of stature, and John Cleese as
Robin Hood is a snobbish, bland twit.
The little people finally come face-to-face
with the Evil Genius (David Warner).
Warner's portrayal is one of the out
standing performances among a host of
good ones. Nobody could go wrong with
absolutely priceless lines like: "God isn't
so smart. He invented 43 types of parrots
and nipples for men. I would have in
vented computers and microchips."
Before Evil Genius can blast the
dwarves into oblivion, the Supreme Being
(Sir Ralph Richardson) comes along and
saves the day. This is the only natural
turn of events in any good fantasy evil
always gets its just reward.
While turning essentially a children's
story inside out, Gilliam manages to pre
serve the feeling of wide-eyed wonder and
adventure that Kevin feels. But above all,
Time Bandits provides two of the fun
niest and thought-provoking hours of en
tertainment in this or any other year.
UN C students' films to he shown
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Film is a democratic art. You don't
need a multi-million dollar budget, big
name stars, or the backing of a major
studio to be a filmmaker. All you need is
a camera, some film and an idea. Film-
Show to have
new wave beat
A concert featuring the bands Human
Sexual Response and Mondo Combo will
be held at 8 p.m. Nov. 23 in the Great
Hall.
Mondo Combo is a new wave band,
that is, until it utilizes its horn section. Its
music then resembles ska, similar to that
performed by Madness. Human Sexual
Response specializes in new wave music.
WXYC is sponsoring the concert. "If
it's successful, we would like to do it
again," Bill Burton, station manager, said.
Tickets are $4 in advance and $5 at the
door and may be purchased from the
Union box office of from Bulletproof
Records on Franklin Street.
making goes on all around us though
most people ignore this fact and limit
their idea of cinema to Hollywood and
other major sources of output.
But to think this way misses out on
much of the most original and fun
filmmaking going on. One of the infinite
hidden creative pools of filmmaking is
here at UNC and at 8 p.m. Sunday in the
Union Auditorium, there will be an op
portunity to see films made by a number
of UNC students.
The evening promises to be a lively, en
tertaining and even at times thought-provoking
smorgasbord of cinema done in
both 16mm and Super 8. Among the high
lights will be Classroom, the tale of a day
dreaming student co-directed by Todd
Davis. He describes Classroom as "a clas
sic subtle blend of Cilligan's Island and
James Joyce's later works. Another film
The Yardwork, offers some revelant
social commentary in its story of two so
cialites who walk across the lawn as the
yardworker is having .some trouble with
the lawnmower. And Apres Le Deluge
presents a view of the post-apocalytic
world. Another highlight promises to be
It's A Mad Mad Nostril which its direc
tor, Nissen Ritter, has enigmatically
called "a bizarre dream of a GI Joe."
SEND THE DTH TO SOMEONE AT HOME
RATES: $2.50 per week for 1st class postage
. $1.00 per week for 3rd class postage
The Spring semester of 1982 is 14 weeks long
Please al low 2-3 days for 1 st class, 1 0 days to 2 weeks for 3rd class
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THE EXCEPTION
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17
California Stereo Liquidators, Federal No. 95-3531037, will dis
pose of, for a manufacturer's representative, their inventory surplus
of new stereo equipment. The items listed below will he sold on a
first-come first-served basis at . . . Sunday, November 15, 1981
HOLIDAY INN WEST 9:00 A. M. to 2:00 P. M.
Hillsborough Rd. at US 15, West Durham, N.C. ONLY WHILE QUANTITIES LAST
5 Only AMFM Cassette
Car Stereos, In Dash
Disposal
Value . Price
$159. $29 each
5 Only AMFM 8 Trk
Car Stereo In Dash
$139 . $29 each
20 Only 8 Track Car
Stereos, Underdash
$69 $19 each
20 Only Cassette Car
Stereos, Underdash
$75 $25 each
32 Only AMFM8 track
Car Stereos In Dash (Best)
$165 $59 each
30 Only AMFM Cassette
Car Stereos In Dash (Best) $189 $59 each
20 Pair Only Modular
4 Way Speakers
$179 $89
pair
22 Pair Only Coaxial Car
Speakers Giant Mags
Value
Disposal
Price
$89 $29 Poir
20 Pair Only Triaxial Car
; Speakers, Giant Mags
$119 $49
pair
18 Only Graphic Equalizers g -merk a0
For Car, High Wattage $159 $39 each
23 Pair Only 2 Way Car
Speakers. Dual Cone
$49 $19
pair
10 Only AMFM in Dash
Cassettes For Small Cars
$225 $89 each
22 Only AMFM Cassettes
For Car with Auto Reverse
$225 $89 each
27 Only Power Boosters
For Stereo, High Wattage
$89 $29 each
ALL BRAND NEW MERCHANDISE WITH FULL 2 YEAR WARRANTIES!
Buy one or alt of the above qualities listed The Public is Invited
VISA, MASTERCARD, CASH or PERSONAL CHECKS WELCOMED
ONE DAY ONLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15 ONLY WHILE QUANTITIES LAST!