l*age 6 Portland Observer OCTOBER 19, 1989
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ENTERTAINMENT
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★
★
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iB R C A cm y
IBCUNID
CIFIPCCl
by Garland Lee Thompson
A TASTE O F "SUGAR CANE
ALLEY " IN "A DRY W H ITE
SEASON"
A rare new "wine” is coming
out of "Sugar Cane Alley" of Martin­
ique. Euzhan Palcy is a French-
speaking colony in the Caribbean.
She wrote and directed "Sugar Cane
Alley," which brought her critical
acclaim in international film circles.
For that film she won the Silver
Lion Award, and Best Actress Award
at the Venice Film festival and the
Cesar (French Academy Award) in
the Best First Film category. This
was a "first" for a black woman in
the world film scene, to our knowl­
edge.
This new film-maker, whose
latest release, "super-starring"
Marlon Brando (1st film in nine
years) and Donald Sutherland, "A
Dry White Season," is the current
critically acclaim antiapartheid film
of the 1989 season.
Euzhan Palcy came out of
working in television in Martinique
and directed a film, "La Messagerc,"
in 1974, moved to Paris to study at
the famous French film school
Vaugirard, and also at the Sorbonne
where she studied literature. She
was a film editor on the film ver­
sion of the black South African
Broadway hit, "Sarafina," and as
screenwriter she produced "La
Raison," and "Dionysius."
THIS FILM TAKES UP
W HERE "CR Y FREED O M "
LEFT OFF
If you saw the earlier Richard
Attenborough film, "Cry Freedom,"
you may appreciate the Stephen
Biko story-based film, tackling the
issue of apartheid and the racial
terrorism that epitomizes South
Africa under the rule of the white
A frikaners. But this new Euzhan
Palcy film gives everyone his "day"
in "A Dry White Season." Apart­
heid never looked uglier, tougher,
more racist, nationalistic or more
viciously like total nazism, to the
general American public of view­
ers, who may have even started to
grow "tired" of the seemingly never
ending problem in world race rela­
tions in Southern Africa. The con­
stant bad press numbs and assaults
The authenticity of the set and
location, including getting very green
Zimbabwe to look like barren Soweto
in June (Palcy's film crew spread
flour dyed red with food coloring),
to the look of the homes in Soweto,
showed everything representing a
monumental international undertak­
ing. It was a huge project. On loca­
tion in several different countries,
it has literally a cast of thousands,
many of whom never acted before.
This monumental achievement,
like "a Cecil B. De Milles" film
epic, belongs to a black female
director and film-maker, "who may
well represent the greatest single
directorial, cinematic achievement
yet, for a black director both in
theme, scope, size and commitment
at authenticity," according to Am­
sterdam News critic, Abiola Sin­
clair. The planning for the film had
to be awesome and tougher than
planning a "coup d'tat in Panama,"
for MGM producer, Paula Wein­
stein, Palcy, who co-wrote the
screenplay with Colin Welland, from
the book by Andre Brink.
With a cast of white superstars
as well as some of the one o f South
Africa's best known actors, who
now lives in exile in America. He
plays "Stanley," a cab driver, and
underground political activist, who
knows "the Special Service Branch,”
the secret police of the South Afri­
can government, may get him
someday. How "Orwellian" can you
get with this maovie and not be
"sci-fi?"
M A R K ET T H E A T R E
Producer Weinstein, betting a
"bankroll" and her career, sent Palcy
to Africa at 1 thjre she vras deter­
mined to gather a strong black south
African cast to play the major roles,
the new black director with a "vi­
sion, contacted South Africa's now
famous Market Theatre, the same
theatre that produced the famous
South African play, "Woza Alberti"
One of the actors hired there was
Winston Ntshona (he plays "Gor­
don Ngubene," a black gardener
whose very young son is falsely
arrested, beaten and later killed in
detention after the Soweto upris­
ing)
the human senses of more than a
quarter of the Twenticth Century of
white supremist rule in that key
part of Africa. The final part of "the
triangle" of European-rule on the
continent of Africa (from Portug­
ese Angola, British Rhodesia to the
Dutch Afrikkancrs)., Is it the be­
ginning on the end for apartheid?
"What blacks who even acci­
dentally get caught up in thye wheels
of oppression endure, their unre­
lenting suffering, is vividly por­
trayed in this "barc-ass" proof of a
powerful picture, "this film does
what Cry Freedom,' did not do. It
takes up where 'Cry Freedom' left
off," according to the New York
Amsterdam News.
A BLACK VERSION OF "1984
ORW ELLIAN TER R O R IN
C O LO R
I had always v/ondered about
the impact of the infamous "Soweto
Children's Uprising," on history and
South Africa. Here a host of black
school-children numbering in the
thousands were let out of school in
Zimbabwe (aptly in the former
British colony of Rhodesia) to stage
the filming of the historical Soweto
tragedy.
I first saw Winston Ntshona on
stage in New York, appearing in "Sizwe
Banzi is Dead," and The Island," after
they formed the Serpent
Players in 1967, together (they
actually wrote the two hit plays) with
John Kani (he portrays Julius, a black
clergyman of little help due to his posi­
tion). They both won Tony Awards for
Best Actors on Broadway that year that
I saw them perform for Best Actors on
Broadway that year that I saw them
perform live for the first time before an
American theatre audience.
Janet Suzman brilliantly plays
Donald Sutherland's wife, "Susan de-
Toit," the white South African woman
who "just wants her family as it was."
The actor, Sutherland is equally bril­
liant as the white employer, "Ben duToit,"
who has his eye "opened" by the farcia-
cal "whiteman's court" Suzman, the
actress is a co-founder of the inter­
racial, Market Theatre, as well as an
accomplished actress in British theatre.
A MUST-SEE FILM FOR MAR­
LON BRANDO FANS
Everyone in the movie industry
and me alos, is asking, "how did she get
"bi9g, bad Brando," who is rich beyond
one's wildest dreams for an actor who
"hates" acting now, to play a "huge,"
noted white South African civil rights
attorney?
Some in the film business say: "It
took a little brave woman of color, a
real burning issue and cause celebre, to
sign the aging "warhorse," Marlon, the
male "diva," Brando, who plays out,
with his careful "method-acting" bril­
liance, the endless "farce" of South
Afrikkan "justice" and the black and
white men and women, who dared to
"test" it. Even when he knows it won't
work and he can't win the case, he takes
the case to file the inquest into the
torture and police murder of "Gordon
Mgubene," who tried to recover his
son's body and protests the fact, until he
himsself is arrested and dies like so
many have before his.
i have a problem with the "holly-
wood" simplistic ending of the film
(some people applauded), but you be
"the judge" in this must-see political
and art film of one of the world's newest
"super" film-maker. Write on, Euzhan
Palcy, I can’t wait to sec you and Nelson
Mandela, the Lion, "free" to do your
next and "his thing," in life.
Only then can we all feel any true
"freedom" for all of us. This is why such
art, as this film is so powerful, and is
"banned" in places like Johannesburg,
South Africa. And to write about it also
is rare! Write on, for freedom! "Woza
Albert!" (Rise up!)
On The Money
Black Businessmen Insist Bid To
Buy Denver Nuggets Is Still Alive:
Despite the fact that last week the con­
tract to purchase the Denver Nuggets
for S65 million had expired. Chicago
businessmen Bertram Lee and Peter
Bynoe are confident they will seal a
deal sometime in the next month or so.
Some, however, are not so sure, point­
ing to the fact that this is third closing
deadline the investors have failed to
meet. The deal, should it go through,
would make the Denver Nuggets the
first major franchise to be owned by
minorities. By all accounts, Nuggets
owner Sidney Shienker is committed to
selling to minorities, and as yet there
are no other solid offers for the team. In
fact, accoridng to a spokesman for the
black investors, this is no more than a
delay. "There were a few documents
that were not completed, so the dead­
line for the agreement lapsed. We ex­
pect the documents to be completed
soon, and we fully expect for the sale to
be closed in the very near future." In­
deed the contract lapse merely means
that the period o f exclusivity extended
to the investors has ened and the team
may entertain other offers.
Long Road To F ortune For Blacks
In T V: Aside from the fortunes of those
like Steven Spielberg and Michael
Jackson, you'll find little argument in
the fact that a majority of the fortunes
being made in the entertainment indus­
try spring forth from television. Just
think of it - the deal that put the "Cosby
Show" into syndication netted Bill Cosby
over S50 million alone. Yet while Cosby
has been the exception to the rule for
blacks in TV, there are many success
stories. That of "A Different World" co­
executive producer Thad Mumford, Bill
Boulware who heads the spirited writ­
ing team of "227," or Married With
Children's co-producer Mike Moye Still,
blacks have no real power in generating
and getting TV's large revenues. "People
prefer the company of those who share
a like background and that almost auto­
matically creates an aobstaclc that blacks
have to overcome." That's according to
Ron Taylor, who ptiched and sold TV
pilots before joining Walt Disney Stu­
dios as a producer. However, Taylorad-
ded that the industry "was quite open to
black creative talent -w riters, di­
rectors and of course, black actors. There
arc black writers in this town that do
extremely well." Taylor is right. At
least one good example is the success­
ful writing team of Steve Duncan &
Travis Clark. The two who created "Tour
of Duty" (CBS) before going on to co­
produce and develop "A Man Called
Hawk " make up one of the hottest black
writing teams in Hollywood. Said Clark,
"we can not get comfortable when we
become successful. It's been a long road.”
Fact is, in an effort ot write and create
positive imjkages, the two recently struck
a deal with Black Entertainment Tele­
vision, "supporting bob Johnson in his
efforts to create positive images and
making that our nctowrk, because it is
our hope. We also need to start partici­
pating in the process, -w riting to the
networks and telling sponsors we are
going to stop buying their products."
Said Steve Duncan, "power in this in­
dustry is measured by how much money
you make and the deals you make.
Duncan was first paid to write by high
school chums who wanted something to
say to im-press girls on the phone. Today,
he says the biggest obstacle "is getting
somebody to read your material who
can actually do something with it if it's
good. Just like any other business, you
have to be able to communicate well
and build relationships with key people."
How much money can one make? An
hour-long dramatic TV script can bring
up to $40,000.____________________
PATTI LABELLE AND
JAMES INGRAM
Two of the music industry's classiest
and most original performers, Patti
LaBelle and James Ingram, will head­
line the 1989 Michelob Class Acts 20-
city R&B lour.
LaBelle and Ingram kick off the tour
November 17 in Chicago. Other cites
on the tour include: Kansas City, De­
troit, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Norfolk,
R ichm ond,
A tlanta,
M iami,
Pittsburgh,Buffalo, Memphis, New
Orleans, Los angcles, Seattle, Oakland,
Baltimore, Boston, New York and
Washington, D.C.
Rather than large auditoriums, the
Michelob Class acts tour is scheduled
for many of the nation's most intimate
theater venues. Among them are Cleve­
land's State Theater and the Orpheum
Theater in Memphis.
"When contemporary adults think of
Michelob, words such as 'special' and
'elegant' come to mind. The same is
certainly true of Patti and James." said
Peter C. Rozzell, senior brand man­
ager of the Michelob family. Last year’s
tour played to rave reviews and sold-
out houses. This year's tour will con­
tinue to establish Michelob as the beer
of choice among contem porary
adults.Spanning nearly 30 years, Patti
LaBelle's varied musical career is best
summed up by the title of her newesr
album, Be YourselLLa
LaBelle can be consistently counted
on to dazzle music fans with ther stun­
ning voice and flamboyant hair and
clothes.
The versatile singer and actress is also
very active in civic and charitable
organizations such as Big Sisters of
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Music Millennium Has
Record Release Party
The San Francisco Mime Troupe’s
Arrives "Seeing Double"
Music Millennium will have an
official Record Release Party foir Port­
land's own U-KREW (formerly the
Untouchable Krew) on October 31st at
4:00 p.m. This Rap/Hiphop band’s debut
self-titled Enigma Records Release will
be arriving in store on this day (Hallow­
een) and U-KREW will play a live set
plus be available for autographing. There
will be free Halloween refreshments for
everyone and anyone in costume will
receive a prize. Many additional sur­
prises in store. The event will be held at
the 32nd and East Burnside location of
Music Millennium.
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of The Funding Exchange (a
national network of progressive foundations) and the McKenzie River
Gathering Foundation's thirteen years of service to Oregon, a presentation
of the new play, "Seeing Double," a performance of the world famous Tony
Award-winning, San Francisco Mime Troupe. The performance in Port­
land is made possible, in part, by subsidy from the Western States Arts
Federation (WESTAF).
The performance will be in the Graned Ballroom of the Portland
Masonic Temple, 1119 S.W. Park Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97205, on
Saturday, October 21, 1989 at 8:00 P.M.
"Seeing Double," is one of the latest of the San Francisco Mime
Troupe. This highly acclaimed play was written by SFMt playwright, Joan
Holden, in collaboration with as Israeli, a Palestinian .Jcwish-Americans,
and Palestinian-Americans. Reviewers have said that this play is an even-
handed attempt to dramatize humorously the volatile Israeli-Palestinian
conflict. The sensitive performance explores a potential solution that
focuses on the need for the two peoples to communicate meaningfully and
build trust. The production uses true Mime Troupe style - one that draws
freely from such theatrical froms as commcdia dell’artc, melodrama,
mystery-thriller, and the Broadway musical.
The Mime Troupe’s intent is to make the Palestinian experience real to
the Jewish people, and the Jewish experience real to the Palestinians, and
both experiences understandable to a wider audience.
Tickets will be $ 12.00 at the door and S10.00 in advance at A Woman's
Place Bookstore, Catbirde Seat Bookstore, Laughing Horse Bookstore,
Artichoke Music and Music Millennium.
For further information, call 233-0271.
PORTLAND OBSERVER
’’THE EYES AND EARS OF THE
COMMUNITY”
Oregon Women in Travel, Inc.
2nd A nnual
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CASINO NIGHT
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COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Portland Airport Holiday Inn
John Q. Hammons Trade te n te r
8439 NE Columbia Blvd.
The Board of Directors and Staff
of
N O R T H -N O R T H E A S T
Community Mental Health, Inc.
invites you to the
DEDICATION
of our new location at the
GARLINGTON CENTER
4950 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Monday, October 23, 1989 2:00—6:00 p.m.
Ceremony at 2:00 p.m
followed h\ Open House
N Refreshments
America, Save the Children and the
United College Fund.
It's Real, James Ingram's newest al­
bum, embodies both funk roots and the
smooth balladry that first brought him
to international attention. A double-
Grammy
award winner, Ingram's distinctive,and
often imitated styule is alive in It's
Real selectikons such as 1 Wanna Come
Back" and "Someday Well All Be Free."
Please join uy
for this
community e%ent.
Saturday, November 11, 1989
7:30 pm - 11:30 pm
Tickets are just $15 each, or two for $25!
Ticket* available through your travel agent or the follow ing outlets
Larry's Sports Centers
Catalyst Book Store, 406A \W 23rd Avenue
American Express Travel Office, 1100 SW 6th Avenue
O r write: Oregon tVomen in Travel, P O
Box 821), Portland, OR 97207
Proceeds to Benefit
f
BRADLEY A
f . INC,
A non-profit organization providing «belter n.rd related service*
to battered women and their children
’ Continental V A destination* served by the participating airline
Technical A im ta n c « Donated by
P u b lis h e d Im a g e s. In c.
D etkto p Publishing