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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1987)
Beauty and the Beast Can men and women ever be friends? Probably not. B Y E L E A N O R M A L 1 N RATE IT X Interviews with defensive guys Directed by: Lucy Winer, Paula de Koenigsberg May come again sometime to the Clinton St. Theatre ate it X received strange reviews, to the effect that it wasn’t a very good movie, but fascinating, none theless. The subject matter revolves around advertising that “ exploits” women by showing them as pumped-up, pristine, blue-eyed blondes, aiming to sell any old .& *te *«*— thing to seemingly berserk male customers. Comprised of interviews with men only, most of the talk centers around why women were chosen to dress up ads for such diverse products as cars and com puters, and why they were displayed in such a vulgar way or otherwise trivialized. No woman is ever interviewed as to why she appeared in such an ad, and no woman was consulted as to how she felt about the French lingerie ad that shows three women in their underwear being arrested. The interviewers are conducted by one or the other director. We hear a voice ask ing leading questions. We see, occasion ally, a blazer-and-jeans clad body creeping in at the edge of the frame, holding the mike in a gloved hand. The interviewer always sports eyeshades. Guess this moral blight is catching. The message of this movie seems to be that men are choosing to make these ads to titillate each other to buy products, even though there is no logic to draping a blue eyed blonde over the hood of an expensive car. A subtler subtext might be that women shouldn't display themselves in this man ner, and should know better than to partici pate in this type of soft-core pseudo-pom wares peddling. The type of advertising that appeals to the libido of straight males apparently makes thinking women see red. Only the underwear ad in the movie was geared to women. But a thumb-through any “ wo men’s” magazine turns up many ads depicting women in provocative poses, using products that are supposed to make them feel sexy; many of these ads have suggestive headlines and text. No lesbian or gay pom or ads were mentioned. Some Christmas cards with scantily-clad women were flashed to a group of young men who all affirmed enthusiastically that they liked the cards, and didn’t think the women were demeaned by the depiction. The cards were not shown to women, and no FROM THE DIRECTOR OF 'GET OUT YOUR HANDKERCHIEFS' AMD 'GOING PLACES.' 'O R IG IN A L UNSETTLING, c r a z i L Y t FUNNY beige, paddling the canoe, reading him a liturgy on the necessity of his mating. Later she appears at a fast food restaurant, showing her plastic surgery, inflamed eyeball, and talking about her fanny tuck. Toward the end of the film, she has gone blonde. Apparently, many women will do any thing to get on film, including stripping, talking provocatively, bragging, and ex hibiting and discussing in gruesome detail their infirmities. Coyly smiling, flirting at lens contact, these women at all times are aware of where their cheekbones and breasts are in relationship to the camera. Though McElwe appears on camera, performing monologues on his relative hominess and lack of fulfillment (amongst his harem of available females), often he, too appears around the edges of frames, as SHERMAN’S MARCH do the interviewers in Rate It X. Some type Interviews with predatory females of denial is going on with these interview Film by: Ross McElwe ers — some self-effacing defense mecha Now playing at: Clinton St. Theatre nism or reluctance to participate. But recently uncoupled filmmaker gets McElwe and the women interviewers of Rate It X get what they go for. Straight men a grant to make a film about Sher look dumb drooling over anonymous man’s march. He ends up being bombarded with eligible young Southern women, and straight women look, to be charitable, needy when showing off for the females, some tendered by his family; camera (anonymous men). Inadvertently some he encounters randomly; as he gets into it, some of them he looks up from the hilarious comments are made by inter past. All are single, and looking for some viewees, and every so often, McElwe slips thing. All are eager to please, to entertain, in a sardonic one-liner. The choppy editing and questionable production values actu and they go to great lengths to attract and ally add a homespun quality to Sherman's hold that camera lens. There’s the actress March, a good documentary approaching who swims by the boat he’s in; who later skates for his camera, then, after an intro true folk art. Surprisingly, by the end of the film, you duction, demonstrates her cellulite, and do know a lot about Sherman and his the exercise that’s supposed to get rid of it. march. You have learned a lot about mar- She could do better if she were wearing riagable females, particularly of the underpants. (Ohhh-kay!) Southern persuasion, and you have had a There's the linguist, who lives alone by the seashore, who suns herself in the nude, jolly good time! talks about sex, mutters gibberish about Should Rate It X and Sherman’s March linguistics, and dumps him when he stays turn up as a double bill, take everyone you away too long. At one point she is shown know, load up on popcorn, and kick back examining her body intently for ticks. McElwe’s sister transforms herself dur for a trip you’ve not taken before. Just don ’ t forget the dramamine. • ing the film. At first she’s herself, rather cards of beribboned males were shown to men or women for comment. I’d like to know why it’s not demeaning for men to pose in a little ribbon and some spirit gum. Clearly, men feel guilty about the enjoy ment they get from sexy ads, and they sound incredibly stupid when they discuss the subject. But, clearly, women must not all have such strong feelings against such advertising, or there wouldn’t be so many willing models. The political stance of the filmmakers seems to be that if only men would shape up, stop exploiting women, selling war toys and perpetuating that silly macho facade, the world would be a better place. Maybe so, but, ladies, it’s going to be a long wait! A Round Midnight Just the best , that’s all. ••• IW ASN7 EXACTLY PRERRRED FOR THE DEMENTED DELIGHTS O F MENAGE' ...A FARCE O F BREATHTAKING ENERGY AND DISORIENTING REASON.” - VINCENT CANDY. NEW YORK TIMES apartment with Francis and his young daughter. Berangere. TLC and the youth Starring: Dexter Gordon and enthusiasm of Francis and Berangere Directed by: Bertrand Tavernier move the musical genius into a better Dedicated to: Lester Young & Bud Powell frame of mind. Pretty soon he is speaking Playing at: KOIN Center more French than, “5/7 vous plait, deux vins rouges.” Soon enough he’s standing inematically satisfying; strongly up to play. Not long after that, he’s got him constructed. Round Midnight some sides. delivers a lovely, emotional filmic don't have to be a jazz fan to enjoy experience. The story of a proud but this You movie. jazz standards are done shopworn jazz musician living out the last well; but it is The story that makes the months of his life convincingly recounts the movie. It’s so the endearing, so human. The loneliness of a sad genius, vastly talented simple-seeming camera work is thoroughly but under-commercialized. Kept, literally, evocative. There is one shot, when Francis under lock and key in Paris, where he has must hear news he has dreaded — the gone upon the death of his partner, he is camera pans 360°. Straightforward; delivered every night to a jazz bistro. The, at first, curious, jazz buffs rapidly turn into supremely haunting. a regular and substantial crowd. The acting is consistently fine. The At first it seems as though this saxo young Frenchman, Francis, as mentor, is phone player will not be able to keep away profoundly involved in the playing out of from alcohol. A guest notes, on the man’s the bittersweet proceedings. Berangere, first appearance, that he can’t even stand the pubescent daughter, is innocently up to play. nurturing and timelessly mature. As the He meets Francis, a Frenchman, most musician. Dexter Gordon is beautiful. His likely his biggest fan. Francis gives him work is subtle and sensitive. He gives one support, unabashed love and adulation. He of the best performances of 1986, in one of even liberates him, moving him into a new the year’s best films. • B Y__ E L E A N O R o film by C BERTRAND DUER GERARD DEPARDIEU MICHEL DLANC MIOU MIOU MMI CUITMAM PMStNTS MfMAM A FILM 01 MUTILANO III* A VIT» M AAftO OfMLMMIU MIC Mil I LA MC M KXIM KXJ MUSIC P> O A IN U O U M CO FROOUCED 0Y MACMfTTI PM M KM 6 CO. - 0 0 PMOOUCTTOM3 CIMI VIALS* (o n t M M Cmeeom 'M * ( M c o a M o iM T m i M a n v w m i NOW PLAYING Just Out 20 February, 1987 MHUPM DUSSAAT SAM MA L I N