CINEMA.
Songwriter
Alan Rudolph's Songwriter is a
frenetic, fast-paced comedy set in
the world of country music. Willie
Nelson stars as Doc Jenkins, a
composer/musician/self-styled
outlaw with a "burning commit
ment to succeed by his wits with
out stooping to work." Kris Kris
tofferson is his best friend and old
singing partner Blackie Buck, a
country rocker who still tours
even though Doc has given up the
road for a cushy producer posi
tion. Melinda Dillon is Honey
Carder, retired country superstar
and Doc's ex-wife. A good ten
years of their lives together is cov
ered in the opening credits se
quence before the story starts in
earnest, but the introduction sets
the style and tone for the film as
well as the background. The
opening shot has Doc and Blackie
performing together in a southern
styled bar, but a split second be
fore their faces come into view we
see a beer bottle hurled into the
Review
chicken wire that surrounds the
singers. Like this opening image
we never know what to expect.
Blackie narrates the sequence with
an informal attitude that carries
on through the whole film and in
particular sets the eclectic narra
tive approach. Whatever precon
ceptions one might have had
before coming in, Rudolph erases
in quick bold strokes. This is his
film all down the line.
Songwriter is a clever satire of
the music business and a celebra
tion of the people at its heart — the
singers and the songwriters. Doc
is a particularly famous song
writer, but he hasn't written a
verse since signing an exclusive'
contract with Nashville mogul Ro
deo Rocky (Richard C. Sarafin), a
wheeling-dealing entrepreneur
who has Doc by the balls and
won't let him go. Doc is content to
play around in his music studio
until Rocky digs the screws in. It
turns out that Rocky owns the
studio, the master tapes, Doc's
personal cash flow and, in effect,
Doc himself. No more alimony
payments, no more dub tapes, no
more money until Doc writes
more songs or releases an album,
and Doc refuses to let someone
else take his songs.
The plot gets a little compli
cated after this, but it can be nice
ly summed up in Doc's declaration
to Blackie: T got cheated and I
want to get even." This is no or
dinary revenge tale, though, not
from the hands of Alan Rudolph.
He makes the most of the oppor
tunities afforded in Bud Shrake's
witty script with his eclectic ap
proach and his fine ensemble cast.
Nelson is a natural as the happy
go-lucky Doc, and Kristofferson
brings an easygoing presence to
Blackie. But by far the most out
standing (and funniest) perform
ance belongs to Rip Torn, who
plays the sleazy but admirable
Dino McCliesh, a would-be mogul
who just can't get it together. Torn
has been an underrated actor all
his career, but this is a particularly
crazed performance, meshing per
fectly with the assortment of char
acters populating this tale. Ru
dolph pulls the unique individual
performances togetner (whICn in
clude a genial singer played by
Leslie Ann Warren and the sweet
est of all people in Dillon's Honey
Carder) into a great ensemble pre
sentation almost as good as his
last film Choose Me.
There's a lot here, in fact, that
merits comparison to Choose Me:
the personal, honest style; the
satirical wit that doesn't leave
anything (or anyone) untouched;
the humanism that allows you to
like all of the characters —flaws
and all. Songwriter may not be as
slick or stylish as Choose Me but
its energy and drive and sheer
amiability put it in a different
category. Topping it off is the
music. You don’t have to like
country to enjoy Kris and Willie
crooning their country rock be
cause they just have so much fun
performing. Their enthusiasm is
as infectious as their spontaneity.
Songwriter is a welcome fea
ture, a genuinely adult comedy
that is witty, honest and intelli
gent, a satire that isn't too venal so
as to forget the innate beauty of its
characters. It may not be as per
fect or as formally beautiful as
Choose Me, but I certainly haven't
had as much fun at an American
comedy in a long time.
— SeanAxmaker
Oregon Repertory Theatre presents:
FINAL
WEEKEND! F
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a comedy by
Jaston Williams, Joe Sears, Ed Howard
A hilarious send-up of nearly everything!
Come prepared to have a good time!
Directed by ORT’s guest artist Phil Scarpaci
November 15-17; 20-23 At the Hult Center
For Reservations 687-5000
Stop Making Sense, a performance film of The Talking Heads, opens this week at the Bijou.
NOW
SHOWING
Agim Of God: A court-appointed psychiatrist
(Jane Fonda) Investigates whether a young nun
(Meg Tilly), charged with murdering her newborn
baby, is capable of standing trial. Anne Bancroft
plays the mother superior. McDonald (344-4343).
Back to the Future: A boy trips back to the
past, and meets the teenagers who'll become his
parents. West 11th (342-4142) and Springfield
Quad (726-9073).
Bad Medicine: Comedy. A pre-med student fur
thers his education at a shady foreign medical
school. Stars Steve Guttenberg (Cocoon) and Alan
Arkin. West 11th (342-4142).
Death Wish III: Charles Bronson Is back on the
streets, doing what he does best. Playing with
Sweet Dreams at Mayflower (345-1022).
Jagged Edge: Murder mystery. Glenn Close as a
lawyer wondering whether her client deserves love
or prison. Co-stars Jeff Bridges. Cinema World
(342-6536).
Kid Colter: Starts this week at Springfield Quad
(726-9073) and West 11th (342-4142).
King Solomon’s Mines: Adventure. Richard
Chamberlain looks something like Indiana Jones
while searching for African treasure. National
(344-3431).
National Lampoon’s European Vacation:
Chevy Chase and family rip the continent. Playing
with Summer Rental. Fine Arts (747-2201).
Once Bitten: Comedy. Lauren Hutton plays a
vampire in need of virgin blood. What, in Califor
nia? Springfield Quad (726-9073).
On Magic Christmas: Non-animated holiday
fare from Disney. Starts this week at Springfield
Quad (726-9073) and Valley River Twin
(686-8633).
Pes-Wee’s Big Adventure: TV nerd Fee-Wee
Herman stumbles onto the silver screen, where
he's out to recover stolen goods. Showing with
Real Genius at Oakway (342-5351).
Plenty: Meryl Streep as a woman reaching for
much too much while sliding deeper and deeper.
Playing at Cinema World (342-6536).
Rainbow Bright end the Star Stealer:
Animated feature for the little ones. West 11th
(342-4142) and Springfield Quad (726-9073).
Real Genius: A brilliant college prankster gets
even with a nasty professor. A mind is a terrible
thing to waste. With Pee-Wes’s Ng Adventure.
Oakway (342-5351).
Songwriter: Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson
poke tun at the country music business. Lots of
original songs round out this satire. Directed by
Alan Rudolph (Choose Me). Cinema 7 (687-0733).
Stop Making Sanaa: The performance film of
wonder David Byrne and the Talking Heads. Starts
this week at the Bijou (686-2458).
The Stuff: Comedy. A very strange, delicious,
yet evil dessert has a bizarre effect upon Its con
sumers. Cinema World (342-6536).
Summer Rental: John Candy takes his family for
a stressful vacation at the beach. With National
Lampoon’s European Vacation. Fine Arts
(747-2201).
Sweet Dreams: Jessica Lange portrays country
western singer Patsy Cline. Co-stars Ed Harris.
Plays with Death Wish III. Mayflower (345-1022).
Target: A father and son search tor their ab
ducted wife and mother. Arthur Penn (Bonnie and
Clyde) directs Gene Hackman and Matt Dillon.
Springfield Quad (726-9073).
That Was Than, This is New: Two boys grow
up as brothers, then come to a time for change.
Starring Emilio Estevez (The Breakfast Club, Repo
Man), who also wrote the screenplay. Valley River
Twin (686-8633).
To Live and Die In LA.: Action-drama. Secret
Service agents on the trail of a murderous counter
feiter. Cinema World (342-6536).
—Michael "Senseless" Sussman
NENAT
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NOVEMBER 22-28
SONTL
"A very fun, very entertaining movie”
Gene SIskel
SHOWS FRI & SAT 7:15 & 9:00 PM
SUN thru THURS 6:45 & 8:30 PM
SUN BARGAIN MATINEE 4:30 AND
ALL SHOWS MONDAY $3.00
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RESTAURANT'
RESTAURANT1
4740 MAIN ST.
SPMNGFHLD,ORECON
747-7900
T W
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Expires 12-31-85
Kitchen
Korner
CHEFS SPECIAL
Acrylic combination pepper
grinder & salt shaker... $9.95
Come in! Have some coffee
and browse around.
"For the Chef in all of Us!" In the
Fifthpearl Building at the corner of
Fifth and Pearl.
343-4170
Mon-Sat 10-5:30 • Sun 12-5
Validated Parking
BIJOU
492 F 13th
186 2458
4 Blocks West of Campus
Back By Popular Demand!
1 WEEK ONLY
Must End Wed.. Nov. 27th
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$83
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[SHOWTIMES:
Nightly 7:30 6 9:30
General Adm. $3.75
Students w/ID $3.25
Miser Monday $3
Bargain Mat. Sat & Sun— 4 pm $3
Tuesday Nisht-FREE POPCORN
Thurs 11:30 pm $2.50 V7AL
Fri-Sat 11:30 pm $3.00 ‘*W9
Next: Dance With a Stranger
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