Film at UO experiments with time
■ ‘La Jetee’ was the
inspiration for the 1995
film ‘Twelve Monkeys’
By Rory Carroll
Oregon Daily Emerald
This Wednesday at 8 p.m., the
UO Cultural Forum will show
French Director Chris Marker’s
1962 film “La Jetee” at 180 PLC.
Widely regarded as an influen
tial experimental film, “La Jetee”
is the story of a man living in the
wake of global nuclear holocaust.
Scientists submerged far below
the earth’s surface decide that,
with little hope for the future,
they must turn their attention to
recapturing the past. They see
time travel as the only escape
from the forsaken planet. The
problem is that no one has a
strong enough memory of the
time before World War 111 to travel
back. One man, however, has a
vivid memory of a tragic moment
from his childhood, and uses it as
a doorway into the former world.
“La Jetee” served as the inspi
ration to Terry Gilliam’s 1995 film
“12 Monkeys.” Gillian also made
“Brazil” and “The Fisher King.”
“La Jetee” is far simpler than that
high-budget Hollywood version,
according to Vladimir Solmon,
film coordinator for the Cultural
Forum.
“It is sparse in the plot line,”
Solmon said. “I’m a big fan of the
sparseness.”
The film is made up entirely of
stills that fade into one another,
along with some subtitles. The
absence of sound provided an av
enue for UO graduate Aaron
Trant to supply his own sound
track. Trant will perform his live
film score, playing percussion
that he has prepared to accompa
ny the film.
Trant said that his interest with
“La Jetee” first started with the
film “12 Monkeys.”
“I am a big Terry Gilliam fan,
and when I learned that ‘La Jetee’
was the original inspiration for
the film, I thought I should check
it out.”
Trant said his main goal with
the score is to enhance the overall
mood of the film.
“’La Jetee’ is a very dark story
and I try to capture that in the
score,” he said. “I also try to move
between different moods [love,
fright, violence etc.] with subtle
ness so that every mood is some
how connected with a common
thread.”
Trant has scored the piece for
vibraphone, bongos, bass drum,
two toms, various cymbals,
gongs, chimes and triangles.
“I have also included some not
so-mainstream instruments such
as mixing bowls and whistles,”
he said.
Two years ago, Trant performed
a live score to Fritz Lang’s “Me
tropolis” with a group called the
After Quartet. A University grad
uate who is currently working on
his Masters at the New England
Conservatory in Boston, he said
he enjoys returning to his alma
mater to perform.
It is sparse in the plot
line. I’m a big fan of the
sparseness.
Vladmir Solmon
film coordinator
Cultural Forum
“I have decided to come back
because I had such a great experi
ence there with ‘Metropolis,’”
Trant said. “This campus is also
very interested in new music and
new projects like this, and I
thought a lot of other people in
the area would be interested.”
Courtesy of EMU Cultural Forum
(Chris Marker’s 1962 film “La Jetee,” which was the inspiration for the 1995 film “12
Monkeys,” will be shown at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Room 180 PLC.
The show will open with some
short avant-garde films including
George Melies’ “Trip to the
Moon,” Marcel Duchamp’s
“Anemic Cinema,” Jean Vigo’s
“Taris,” Orson Welles’ “Hearts of
Age,” and Salvador Dali and Luis
Bunuel’s “Un Chien Andelou.”
Vladimir said that because “La
Jetee” is only 30 minutes long,
she wanted to show several open
ing films.
“I was trying to find things that
would fit,” she said. “I’m a fan of
early avant-garde.”
Although she admits that the
seats in PLC 180 are not exactly
luxurious, she said the sound
quality is surprisingly good.
The cost is $5 for students, and
$6 for the public. The show be
gins at 8 p.m. Wednesday in
Room 180 PLC.
c
UNIVERSITY
. an unqualified delight
from start to finish.”
, Paul Denison
wtrk Eugene Register Guard
THEATRE
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Part I: May 18, 25, June 1@ 7
May 20, 21, 27, June 3@ 1
Part II: May 19, 20, 26, 27 &
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May 28 @ 1
UTBox Office: 346-4191
EMU Tickets: 346-4363
Hult Center- 682-5000
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Cheap dates start in the kitchen
By Joe Walsh
Oregon Daily Emerald
The end of the school year is
near, and as summer break gets
closer, two things are likely to
happen.
For one, the sun will come out
more and stay out longer, which
means more to do outdoors. Sec
ond, all of us poor college kids
will only get poorer as our finan
cial aid accounts dry up.
Problem: There is more to do,
but less money to do it with.
Solution: Use what you already
have.
Here’s an idea for a cheap date
that won’t cost you anything, as
suming that you have the follow
ing bare necessities. And even if
you don’t have them, you can al
ways steal... err... borrow from
your roommates.
First, pack a simple picnic
lunch that you and your signifi
cant other can enjoy at a park.
Prepare a couple of peanut butter
and jelly sandwiches, chips, fruit
and juice or soda. It’s easy and it’s
stuff that most people should al
ready have around the house.
And although it’s basically effort
less, your date will think of you
as sweet and thoughtful. You
have plenty of time after the ini
tial dating period to prove him or
her wrong.
Next, take your date and the
lunch to a park. Washburn Park,
near the corner of 19th Avenue
and Agate Street, is close to cam
pus and just down the street from
the dorms. With lots of lush,
green grass, it’s the perfect place
to sit down and enjoy an outdoor
picnic. And with its large open
field, the two of you can enjoy the
next inexpensive activity.
When you’re done with lunch,
show your date your playful side
with something that even the
least gifted athlete can do with ac
ceptable proficiency: throw a
Frisbee. Almost everyone has a
Frisbee, or at least a friend who
has one. An easy game of catch
will lighten the mood and create
a playful atmosphere, which can
lead to good things later... such as
ice cream.
Just down the street from
Washburn Park is Sweet Treats
ice cream parlor at 1604 E. 19th
St. The two of you can cool off
there with some of the best ice
cream in town. And at less than
$2 for a single scoop, you won’t
need to take out another student
loan.
With the exception of the ice
cream, everything you need for
this cheap date should already be
in your cupboards and refrigera
tor.
Substitute as necessary, and
with a little resourcefulness you
should be able to enjoy a priceless
date at a minor cost.
00^'Pe
concern, or a
sto
ry i,
'c/(
Give us a call. 346-5511
Enierald
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