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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 12, 1981)
Films Wise Blood Starring Brad Dourif Directed by John Huston Playing at the Bijou Every once in a while a film comes along which embodies the highest qualities of Hol lywood art, and yet manages to leave a commercial ripple in its wake. Wise Blood, directed by John Huston, is such a film. Huston is a prolific film direc tor, responsible for such renowned productions as Moby Dick, The Man Who Would Be > King, and such Bogart classics as The African Queen and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. But even with these greats under his belt, it s not surprising that Huston is proclaiming Wise Blood to be one of his finest. Huston’s production is a con vincing visual replication of Flannery O'Connor’s penetrating novel of the same name. Brad Dourif portrays the fanatical atheist Hazel Motes. In an effort to free his soul from the shackles of religious bondage, Motes undergoes a search for truth through his new-found church, The Church of Christ Without Jesus Christ. But Motes must struggle against the caus tic realities of Southern life, permeated with religion. In affirmation of his lack of religious belief, Motes immerses himself in a sweltering vat of sin, paying homage to Leora Watts, a 200-pound prostitute. This is the beginning of his life-and death quest for meaning and salvation. Motes is in a world where dualities of truth and deception, sin and innocence, and sight and blindness play together, hand-in-hand. Preaching from his pulpit — the hood of a clunker Chevrolet — Motes rips the air to the ci tizens of Taulkinham with the fervid truth of his new church: "I’m a member and preacher of that church where the blind don't see and the lame don't walk and what's dead stays that way. The Church of Christ Without Jesus Christ.” Motes is able, however, to procure only one member, the fawning Enoch Emory. Emory has what he calls “wise blood" — a feeling he gets of "knowing things I ain’t ever seen." The problems of Motes’ life are compounded by the advent of Asa Hawks, a supposedly blind preacher who, in a moment of redemption, was to have blinded himself with lime. Hawks is accompanied by his precocious daughter Sabbath Lilly, who makes blatant advances towards Motes. Motes, however, is indifferent to her, abandoning himself instead in an attempt to discover the haunting mystique which lies within the preacher’s scarred eyes. Huston, retaining the novel’s disjointed visage, expertly slips back and forth between the in nocent, almost childish antics of Emory and the more impassiond motives of Motes. Motes becomes the target of religious shuckster Hoover Shoats, who finds in the church an enterprising way to make money. Shoats hires a drunk to Staffbox, Thursday Revue, ODE — Stories here, stories there — always tardy Oh well, it all builds patience (I hope) Things are coming round upstairs at the Emerald as the world falls apart. Hope we don't miss too much while away Spring break's just moments away, and I know I've never desired a time-out more: Yippee! Winter '81 s been a pretty horrendous term! The next Thursday Revue is April 9; it'll be what we call a "cinema supplement." If you see any great movies over the break, and are dyjng to do an outrageously ingenious review, give me a call before the 2nd maybe we can make a deal. Otherwise, all other copy material to be included in the April 9 section (both calendar and general advances) needs to be in my box by the 2nd. Got that? Nothing's changed: We run a week ahead of what you see Well, have a nice meager 10 days of vacation. Kirk sends his love and continues to cut out too many things and forgets to replace them with the appropriate symbols/words, but that's okay, we still like him. Sandy and the Prodo staff are patient maybe I should take lessons. And I’m ready to take a trip Toodles, Erz MATINEE SAT.-SUN. 2 P.M. EVENING 8 P.M. -Starts Frl.— Open wk days 7 pm Sat A Sun 1 pm. Call for times FINE ARTS SPFLD. 747-2201 the ultimate trip STANLEY KUBRICK'S 2QO|:ASPACE ODYSSEY r—Starts Fri.— Adults $2.00 11 and under $1.00 OAKWAY CINEMA OAKWAY MALL - 342-5351 MGM SUPER FANAVISI0N®- METR0C0L0R |q| WALT DISNEY productions1 imitate Motes, and Motes responds with the only compelling force he has left: violence. Starkly intense, a gross distortment of the human con dition and punctuated with poignant stabs of humor, Wise Blood is vintage O'Connor, which Huston, utilizing the author’s robust dialogue and profound sense of characte rization, brilliantly brings to screen. Wise Blood runs March 12-18. Call the Bijou theater at 686-BIJU for specific times and admissions. James Jiler f._. ■— ■■ . THE KIVA ®| BOOKSELLERSGROCERS & WINE MERCHANTS Spring Wine Sale 70% off ANY SINGLE BOTTLE 15 % off CASES over 900 wines to choose from just 7 blocks from 136 E. 11th campus 342-8666 An exceptional personal bookstore representing the best in American Quality publishing — Modern & classic fiction, natural science, art & gift books. Special Orders? 651 E. 13th Gladly & Efficiently! Eugene, or J J 343-3551 kdobdooga ■ Catch our vast & immense Sci Fi Sale Sci Fi and Fantasy books reduced 20 to 40% Off retail price. This week only\ March 9 through 14 ■ M 13th & Kincaid Mon-Fri 8:lS-5:30 BOOKSTORE Sat io:oo-2:00 Upstairs in the Book Department Only at the UO Bookstore l.muted to stock on hand Cash register sales only. Textbook-, 686-3520 • Genera! Books 686-3510 • Supplies 686-4331
