OCR Text |
Show mm BUSHES By Jean Piatt No doubt by now you have noticed that the Opera House is down to one film a night. I had not seen a schedule, but heard a friend grumbling it seems that many merchants mer-chants who remain open until nine or so will now find it impossible to enjoy films. The eight o'clock time is a strange one in that it is late for school children and too early for many people who work in the evening. But it is a medial time to compromise between the two show times. Of course, the new schedule sched-ule is a case of economics-soon economics-soon Park City will enter its fall slump. It is a shame that the residents res-idents of this town will have to suffer by only having one feature, but from the businessman's busi-nessman's point of view, we are fortunate to even have one film to see. Attendance will probably be so low that the Opera House may lose money this fall. So we must be happy that they did not close down for the slow season. For this I, for one, offer thanks. With a limited film selection selec-tion in town, you may want to start venturing outside of town after you have viewed the week's film offerings. Salt Lake is flourishing with films, and is not much farther farth-er than Heber per mile. Besides, some films are worth the trip. Of course, few people are such hard core film goers that they see even one film a week, much less driving a distance to see a particular film. I must admit that the Opera Op-era House selection is usually a very good one, so often the film may end up right here in Park City. But often waiting for it can be tiresome. Besides, if you really like a film, you can see it again and again. With this in mind I journeyed jour-neyed to Salt Lake to see UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT, a new black film starrymg some personable beaten by even bigger blacks, and so forth. Poitier, being an actor of talent, must have been discouraged dis-couraged to see the black films evolve this way. So he has given us a comedy-a story of realistic black people who are the working class that everyone can identify with. The film deals with the robbery of Poitier's wallet on a Saturday night while the two friends have sneaked out for a night on the town. The wallet, it seems, has the winning lottery ticket worth $50,000. With this incentive, in-centive, the two friends set out to retrieve it, knowing that the police will never find it. They enter the black underworld and meet up with many desperate characters. All very funny especially Harry Bellefonte as a black Godfather. The film proves to keep the audience laughing without with-out the typical black stereotypes stereo-types that we usually regard as funny. A comment on the film's direction is needed. Poitier is a better actor than director. direc-tor. Many shots are poorly done, and the film actually is not a well directed one by open film standards. But viewing it as a step in the development of the black film, it is a great improvement. It is, by far, one of the best films done by the black moviemakers. It leads us beyond the 'hate whitey" culture to a mass m e d i a that appeals to both races. This is not a sellout, though, because Poitier has given the established black actor a chance to prove his talent. Now blacks will have a chance at the industry pie, and, hopefully will begin to cash in onsomeof theprofits until they are accepted as part of the industry. They have a lot to offer that has been overlooked too long. black actors, and directed by Sidney Poitrer, a black actor of no little talent. The film is an all black film with many great actors like Bill Cosby, Harry Bellefonte Belle-fonte (known better as a singer), and Flip Wilson. All are very funny men, aided by an excellent back up cast of many other very talented tal-ented men and women. You must realize that it is difficult for a black to establish estab-lish himself in the film industry. in-dustry. Until recent years, few roles beyond the step-and-fetch' it characters were offered. of-fered. What black films that have come out recently have been along the SUPERFLY line with big bad whites being |