Tteanjor inTERvi mini John mayall PoeMs A PI bv COlieen 0 | stories Registration game "ytime as? MUSIC 3ofer> Qy 2 Michigan State News, East Lftnsing, Michigan EDITORIAL MSI 's motivating philosophy of education, denuding to section I. I.I of the I endemic hee.dom Report, holds that "the basic purposes of the I niversity are the enlargement. dis¬ the super university semination and application of kmnvl- syndrome page 3 edge." I lie student's right lit learn, the report emphasizes, is best promot¬ ed through prorision of "the envir¬ onment most conducive to the many- the registration faceted activities of research, teach¬ game page 4 ing and learning!' The purpose of any university is to give the consumer— [he student —what he came to school to get: that is. nil education that is the blues and john not only superior but constantly seek¬ ing improvement of the community. mayall page 5 Tragically—and, perhaps, typical¬ ly—many of Michigan State's insti¬ tutions work against this very philo¬ who does the sophy. The danger inherent in John llannali 's"best for the m . » ' SYNDROME ILIUSIMTED BY-DOUG Tn"slu)rtlTnie t\ie new student begfl» adjusting to living and studying in the dormitory and undergoing stimulating interaction with people of his own age 4 Michigan'State News, East Lansing, Michigan have no classes on your section reser¬ vation enrollment card. And we all know what that means. That's% a no-no! I'm afraid you'll have to be detained in the Pre-registration booth until the Dean of your college decides what to do with you." But you see we were working with the Teacher Corps this summer. "Enough! All ^ hear all day long is excuses. What do you students think you M&kX f m4 have are . only students. Just students. Rights or something'' Do you hear that? The next thing you know you'll be wanting all your guaranteed You Constitutional freedoms. And 'as every¬ one knows a progressive educa¬ tional institution can't be bogged down witn such petty nonsense as student rights, the entire educational system would become complete chaos And we've worked years on just building up University College. Enough said " But." "Save it for the Student-Faculty Judi¬ Editor's note: \tost of us have recently from their honeymoon to join us on ciary! Take them away1 suffered the indignities of registration, The Registration Game' A group of volunteers from the audience- with its hold cards, delayed scholarships We cut away for a commercial, then moved by the mc's words-cart off Greg and snafus. Tom Chapman, Lansing senior, rejoin Horace King amidst a niagra of and Shirley probes a little more deeply into the applause spilling over from the gallery "Bad news for couple No. Lester "gamy" side of "The Kegistration Game." above. and Maureen You've failed to fill out Remember players, the object of the ' the religious preference card. game is to beat the system." King ex¬ But we're no pref! By Tom Chapman plained. "Everybody ready'?" "It's just a little technicality for which Hello. everybody. and welcome to The four couples respond as one, "Yes." you will probably go to hell But until The Registration Game.' I'm your host "Okay, players, but remember not to your judgment in the other world comes, Horace King This is the show that brings say the secret word. Couple No. 1 come we'll punish you here at MSU. Just in together four couples who met at reg¬ up and get your registration cards." case the good Lord should somehow over¬ istration and have since married for mutual They do so hurriedly. "Here is your look it. Take them away to the chapel. protection. Now. let's meet today's players!" name card, your home address card, From nowhere. the booming voice "Couple No. 4 your schedule card, your local address "Just a minute," shouts Howard, "you're of a Registration Aide calls out: Couple card, your tee payment card, and . .oh, acting as though everyone here was a |» No. 1 from Spartan Village. Bob and oh . here's a HOLD card. I'm sorry subversive." Mary Lou White Bob and Mary Lou have Bob and Mary Lou. but you'll have to "What that you been married two terms and met when was said? Your last word, see what comes up at the A5 table. ." what it?" was King asks. Bob tripped over Mary Lou who was "Subversive." crawling underneath the canvas in the "I'm dirt arena looking for a lost IBM card." sorry. Howard. You've said the secret word. " Mild, polite laughter and applause Somewhere from the lead into the next couple. ceiling drops a duck on a string whose head bears an Couple No.2 is Greg and Shirley Bron- • incredible resemblance to President ski, seniors living in an Avondale cottage. Hannah In the duck's mouth is an ex¬ At registration Greg s home address card pulsion card. Almost at once 120 MSU accidently hooked onto Shirley's sorority police in riot helmets with pistols drawn pin. By the time it came to turn the card surround Howard and tell him to give in. Greg and Shirley had struck up quite up in five minutes. a friendship, and decided not to register "I'm sorry, Howard," says King pulling that term. the card from the duck's mouth, "but "Couple No. 3 is Lester and Maureen in accordance with the President's new Page. Lester and Maureen met at counsel¬ directive you must be expelled. " ing clinic registration when thev were "But I didn't even know I had "But for what!" an overdue accidently given the same student number. "For interfering with the game by using book!" Bob shouted. They explained the mistake to registration "It's not that. Bob. According to our such words as "subversive" which might officials, but the University would not lead to unrest among the students. You files you got into a football game freshman recant on its decision that Lester and see. Howard, there is always a chance Maureen were Siamese twins. They have year claiming you were in Ulock S when the other students might actually under¬ been married for one term and are you had actually forgotten your studnt ID. stand what you're saying. And we can't You didn't tell the truth so yau living at 242 Williams Hall, " have have that, can we? So we're going to have to pay the consequences. Which "Couple No. 4 Howard and Lesley is to expel you " Labeau met and qualified as in-state ... standing in line for three . weeks at the Administration Bldg.. which, "But you can't. I go to Lansing Com¬ students while waiting for their hold of course, will make you too late to munity College." cards to be processed at registration. "Oh, an outside agitator. How delight¬ enroll. Moving right on They soon discovered they had a mutual .. ful! We get to call in the FBI!" Bob and Mary Lou are hustled off by interest in education and have since tran¬ The several Registration Aides. campus police immediately seize sferred to Lansing Community College. the announcer's bullhorn. Howard and Lesley were married Tuesday "Moving right along to couple No.2 "Alright, keep in line, no shoving. " and kindly consented to take time off Greg and Shirley. I see here that vou "Howard and his wife are dragged away yelling such words as: "conflict of in¬ terest" and "featherbedtiing". "This is Horace King, saying that's all the time we have for today. Tune in next time for "The Registration ame'. The audience applauds wildly HI \h ll il Once/trem hling touch dried hollow, smooth like timeless sands, quivers again, a uet tongue oj hands, straining belly, mni/lti lrt ceaseless tears. —Mary McKenney Tuesday, January 14, 1969 5 By Cliff Kachinske John Mayall, then, is an English blues musician. He plays a number of instru¬ Writing about the blues, I am reminded of a Jules Feiffer cartoon that features a ments: guitar, harmonica, piano, and some¬ black man saying, "First I dug jazz- times he plays them very well. The then Whitey picked up on it," and proceeded difficulty, however, is that, 'having a whole range of blues history to choose from, he to list all the things in our white culture is unable to decide just how archaic or that have been pre-empted from the black contemporary he wants to be. For example, culture. Now Whitey is beginning to pick on "Blues Alone" an album which he has up on the blues, too. And the danger is recorded by himself except for some drum that, in finally absorbing the blues into the white culture, we may get much that accompaniment, he combifies an early urban blues harmonica rhythm with a very much is imitation, second-rate, or downright bad As an illustration, when the blues became earlier country guitar part. The result is somehow unsatisfying. a part of the major-record-companv-big- Mayall is at his best when he is able to money-market game, the major labels make his styles fit together, when he is recorded nothing but archaic country and able to give all of his instruments the city blues, unamplified and performed by same degree of "agedness." When he white musicians. Performers like Dave manages the trick, he does it very well, Van Ronk and Dave Ray sincerely tried but even then the finished product is not to give us a worthwhile music, but it was somehow extremely ersatz with Lightnin' contemporary, nor I suspect, is it the best of its kind. Hopkins and Leadbelly so close at hand. The real difficulty with Mayall is that At any rate, the point is that we were we are unable to form a true and meaningful given and accepted something that is ar¬ chaic and imitation. Some critics were conception of what the blues are today from listening to him. There are other able to accept only these archaic copies, artists who are able to give us a much and think of electronically amplified blues better idea of what the blues today is all as somehow "tainted" or "too commercial." about, and some of them should be men¬ The sort of mentality that prefers the tioned, along with a few albums: The archaic blues to contemporary blues seems Butterfield Blues Band, "The Resurrection to predominate in England, the home of Of Pig Boy Crabshaw." "In My Own John Mayall. A few years ago some very Dream:" Muddy Waters, "Electric Mud:" aged and alcoholic blues musicians made a tour of England, drank a lot of gin and B.B. King, "Lucille," "Blues Is King;" Buddy Guy, "A Man And The Blues." played sloppy blues in concert halls, being This is hardly a comprehensive discography, helped on and off stage. The audiences but it will give some kind of a standard loved it, which is fine, but they were by which to judge Mayall's interpretation hearing neither the best nor the most of the blues. contemporary in blues. EDITOR'S NOTE: The interview with John Mayall was done through the courtesy of WMSN and Mr. Allen Mitnick of London Rec¬ ords in Detrot. MSN: On your latest album what way would you say your music is going, with a heavier sound or more harmonica? JM: Well the difference is that through the albums things have built up to a big band thing and when it has appeared live, of course, it's been a distribution of soloists, which is getting away from what a blues singer is. Basically, it's a solo artist and that's really what we are going back to now. Sort of to enable me to play lead. MSN: So your next album won't feature the group that much together? It will be a look at each of the guys individually? JM: No, it's one unit but it's less of them, you see. MSN: Why did Eric Clapton leave? JM: Because he wanted to. MSN: Are you going back to England after you finish your tour in the United States to do a tour there? JM: See, in England it's not termed as being a tour, you just work five nights a week and that's it through the year. MSN: Is there a particular place outside of England that you like well, or where the au¬ dience seems particularly to know what is going on? JM: For me. anyway, the audience is wherever we play. It's the same audience, because it just draws through its members on people who know what they come to listen to. MSN: How do you feel about what Eric Burdon is doing now as compared to what he was do¬ ing in England in the old days? Now of course he's living in Hollywood and is more or less in a San Francisco bag and is getting away from the Blues. JM: I don't think he was ever in it. He's just a bad singer. He's a friend of mine but you know- Try and put your finger on silence and press it down. MSN: Who are some of your friends that stu¬ dents at MSU would identify with0 Do you Somehow it slips away and transcends any one set .know any of the Rolling Stones very well? of words. JM: Yeah, Mick. He's the only one that's still t or silence contains all, but by itself is nothing. with us in this world. Mick's the only one who Silence passes restlessly with a lapse in conversation hjn- ="jv sort ,nf a head left. He's actually work¬ between u boyitvf!or timidly-*: s.kitten # ing. MSN: John, getting back to Eric Burdon again. approaches a ball of string. He said that he moved fromEngland to Cali¬ fornia and he spoke about hew the Beatles and especially the Stones, since the Stones (continued o'irpage eight) 6 Michigan State News, East Lansing, Michigan By MARION NOWAK unrestricted opening of the east wing car very- easily be justified. However, ir Editor's note: Marion Nowak, COLLAGE practical terms, this is not just unreason staff writer, is a Justin Morrill junior able but ridiculous. The east wing, being majoring in American intellectual history. designed for limited-access, lacks brows This article is the result of extensive ing aisles, study areas and general facil research and an interview with Richard ities. The design is functional only ir limited-access terms We cannot, as twe Chapin, director of MSU Libraries. A university cannot be great without a leading opponents of the proposed system great library. Director of Libraries. Richard have suggested, tear down the entire E Chapin said. Library; nor can we at this point entire And MSU's library system is most ly renovate the east wing. And the new system will throw barriers between the definitely not great. books and the students. In addition to a There are many flaws in the system, and the correction of these flaws is not at paging system, a pl^n permitting under all aided by false controversies. The grads to receive east wing access permits (with permission from an instructor) will long-term cause of the flaws is. as al¬ be enacted. Thus, the interested student ways. due to the official lack of money. The more immediate causes are the catch¬ any interested student, can get at the materials he needs, while the student nol all scapegoats of bureaucrary and apathy. in need is screened out. The entire Their effect on our libraries has been significantly deep. controversy, then, has reached a level sc The current great controversy centering disproportionately great that the true on the Library-the fiasco concerning the problems of the Library have been ob¬ scured in its light. grad stacks- is a virtually false con¬ One of the most significant of these troversy. The major decisions in setting up limited-access are complete, perhaps true problems, and one ol the most im mediate rauses ol the mediocre service regrettably so. but most cei lainl.v irre¬ offered it the Library, -is the under versibly so. The major factors of the conflict, nevertheless deserve review staffing present throughout the system. Those favoring the so-called "closing This problem, due of course to lack ol off'" of the second, third and fourth floors money, nas been hampering the libraiy of the east wing back their belief with system for more than the past decade. One of the most significant by-products five justifications: of the lack of adequate staff is illustrated One. that the Library is committed to in the switchover to the Library of Con the provision of diverse services to the academic community (which of course is gress system of classification. The switchover, due to lack of sufficient per¬ an argument for both sides i: Two. that most large libraries (e.g.. sonnel, has taken over ten years. The classification and shelving of newly ac¬ the Detroit system, the University of Michigan system i are now and have been quired volumes (one hundred thousand new books are purchased annually t is operating successfully with a limited stack system; similarly hampered. New books are Three, that limited access will not pre¬ simply not appearing on the shelves. vent the issuance of books on request . Operating with one-third the necessary Four, that original funds for building staff has created problems to such a were partially obtained from the federal degree that the Library's most vital life functions are maintained at a poor government to specifically build a limited- efficiency-at best half-adequate. The access iiDrary and change in the program essential Freedom Report-guaranteed right could result in retributive measures: to learn is obstructed not by seeming And finally-and perhaps most important¬ ly—the east wing is not capable ot hand 'discrimination" but by penury. The ling the heavy trattic of unrestricted use. process for correcting the need is. at Those in opposition to restricting the the very best, tortuous. Significantly, in order for the problem to be alleviated, east wing offer an argument based chief¬ the nature of that problem must first ly on the concept of student academic freedom. In theory, the limitation of the be determined-not popularly, but official¬ ly. grad stacks to graduate students and under- graduates-with-permits. plus the original decision concerning the building of the east wing, violates student rights. The original decision, they contend, ignored the students' voice. based perhaps on some degree of deliberate discrimination, it restricts one specific student group from a form of learning, and violates the Academic Freedom Report by cutting off some of the diverse services'" that a "Library most provide. How these lac- tors affect the situation must be con¬ sidered in the light of the standing situa¬ tion. The final three points of the defense of the new program are. however, the determining factors of the entire situa k tion. It is interesting that the government commitment through funding has not yei been publicized. The justification of avoid ing federal retribution through cutting-ofj of ard is. uri fortunately. all too true . If. any system' oepending on money merely to exist, the possibility of eradication ol any aid represents a significant threat And the most unfortunate circumstance in idealistic terms, is that the new wing is already completed. Following great concepts of equality and freedom the Tuesday, January 14, 1969 7 Assume that the Library needs to in¬ Who does the stacking? Ultimately two emphasized. The nature of a library crease its staff. groups are responsible. The first and reflects on the nature of its university, seemingly most powerful is the adminis¬ and therefore on the nature of its stu¬ First, a survey must be taken to de¬ tration. Controlling the pursestrings, dents. Can Michigan State students hon¬ termine how the staff shall be increased, its failure to respond to, or even to in¬ estly permit the implications of a mediocre and even if there actually is a need to increase it. Only after this survey has vestigate, the need of the Library for vast library system? The student voice, stu¬ improvement is a glaring source of blame. dent action, student demands better than been conducted can even a request for And this is further compounded by past past apathetic attempts for this direct funds be made. The same holds true for any improvement in the entire sys¬ overlooking of proven needs, as in the improvement in the education process must late-hours experiment. The inaction of be made. Ignoring the false issues, tem. And even a survey illustrating the this body may require a catalyst before they must be made now. The state ol powerful existence of a need may not be the university--and acted on. Such a survey, conducted from steps can be taken. the state of its stu- December 1967-January 1968, reported on The second group holding responsibility dents-cannot honestly be left to medio^ the need to keep the library open until in the state of the Library is the group crity. The decision to do the stacking 1 a.m. for study purposes. An average most immediately affected by its worth: may not rest with us, but we can take it the students. One of the major factors into our hands. Speak out. of 657 students per night used the of academic freedom emphasizes the re¬ Library between 11 p.m. and 1 a m Yet even so, with the need so powerfully sponsibility of all groups in the academic illustrated, no extra funds were allotted community. The responsibility of the stu¬ for this need This true controversy be¬ dent in such a scheme cannot be under- came lost in the shuffle of finals, to be obscured by the disproportionate flurry over the grad stacks and another peren¬ nial false controversy. This controversy, one of the more perennial issues, centers about the competency ot chapin. Director of li¬ braries at MSU since 1955. he has been accused of ignorance of modern library science methods, misuse of funds, de¬ liberate anti-student discrimination: in short, he is regarded as the absolute tyrant of libraries who is trying very hard to keep the six books in MSU's possession away from the students. Chapin's record as head of a system everyone expects to be great on inade¬ quate resources serves, on investigation, to emphasize his personal integrity. In a system where a laughable budget for¬ bids most short-term improvements. Cha- pin is attempting to make a series of long-term improvements (which in turn will result in long-term university im provement). At the same time he stands almost in the position of a double scape¬ goat. Chapin must answer both to the administrative community and the student community ip providing library services. On the one hand, he is underfunded, on the other hand, he is overdemanded Library underfunding additionally obstructs the few long-term actions being taken (such as recataloging. limiting stacks and acquir- Is silence tin> enveloping emptiness of ft forest covered nw' uy&n. Caupht be/wee" the factors of immediate student demands and nonimmediate administrative cooperation, Or. is it a feeling yon get by a Inke on a still, clear the director's reputation has suffered sig¬ evening, when even the waters cense to lap on the shore? nificantly. Yet though he makes the plans. Chapin does not do the stacking in the University Library system. 8 Michigan State News, East Lansing, Michigan John (continued from page five) Mayall: music, and what you're doing now that somehow that you haven't had It seems quite the Oh Well, and he's they're getting very very popular popular and he's popular and Blues can't get back into the country are missing is coming in." When for/in actual fact, the ra¬ exposure that some of the other groups have cial thing is so tremendous over here that it's an important part of life-not being able to had. And I know that people like you and. for get back to California or into the l.S. and completely off balance. You go to the South settle down for a while. Of course, all the example. Bert Jansch. You mention their side of Chicago and the whole ghetto is load¬ name and unless someone is a connoisseur of Beatles and Stones have spoken very highly ed with Negro Blues talent. There's no gigs and music they don't know what you're talking of California. Do you think this is true0 Do you no white people that go down to the South about have any desire to stay in the States0 Or are Side to go and be able to hear them Its like JM: Well, it's a connoisseur's music isn't it? you happy where you are in England" two separate worlds all over the country with Not sort of a big show business thing. They're JM: Well. Los Angeles is my place That's my the exception of the West C'.iast. which is not marketing a new sound or a new group town. You caji search the world and find slightly freer in that respect-in the music bound for the top and jus* " some place that's not suited to you LA's the just c'orrfing op -rt h side " goes back down to the bottom again. I should place where everything suits me in every hate to be marketed the same way the Cream aspect. would be marketed, which is one of the factors SI I IIOHSh I \/> /'/ \ / MSN: How do you find it here in relation to for Eric leaving-cause he just can't stand that upper England in particular, audience-wise sort of thing because, it puts unbelievable (for lurry. limy. carid. Hilda, jane and the type of set-up you have business-wise charlie and niulcolni ) with the people here, like at the Grandy and pressures on the musicians to say that you will Filmore in San Francisco. You played at the play with him and him and him. This is the sort of thing you will do. If you don't feel Avalon Ballroom. I think, a little while ago Wednesday through like playing you still go and go through all (San Francisco) Do you think you get more woods those things as if you were enjoying it. It's response from the managers and audience like, if a thing gets big. it becomes a trap for water ran in particular in the U.S. as opposed to Eng¬ you. because then you have to play what in land or is there any comparison0 JM: The audience is the same wherever we people expect of you and you have less free¬ roices (me dom to do anything you like. plav-It does strike me that there are a lot of MSN: Is there one thing that you would like to couldn 't promoters over here that don't seem to know do. I mean that you haven't done. Is there he sure what they're doing-running business very some goal you have? that badly I think probably Bill Graham's the only JM: Oh yeah. There's always goals. They come proper promoter in the whole country. He's up all the time and never reach anything where last time a businessman and he runs things properly. you can be satisfied. Either with daily playing those MSN: Would you say the major portion of your or with things to do. Over here-there's a lot of lin ked in audience is like. 18-25 age group or 16-21° work to be done over here-in the Blues music JM: I've never checked em out. but I think green thing-cause it's very bad over here. You get they're reputed to be between 16 and 30. I ouId heal people appreciating things. Like, you get the u really wouldn't know, they're just made up of talk of an upsurge of Blues revival in this coun¬ or anyone discerning enough to appreciate mu¬ try. when in actual fact it isn't at all. It's sic. the popularity of American white groups, play¬ J'i ml a MSN: Back to this audience thing-Do you think ing what they label as Blues. And people say. way the people here really appreciate your type of to talk Wednesday through Richard J. tmorasi BOOKMARKS Paperbounds on your reading list? M (h MHF.R. X (Curt Johnson. Editor. Box 274. Western Springs, 111. 60558). 212 pp. $2.00 A SEARCH FOR THE TR JTH This is December's tenth anniversary issue, BY RUTH M3NTGAMERY an age seldom reached by independent "lit¬ tle magazines." That it has come to maturity PAPER3ACK 95 . . /( Il*l It,ink <»/ hisli. is a strong, sure (Please read carefully. Violation of any rule may result in rejection of your entry.) collection. Traditionally, a good lyric poem in some way reflects the poet writing it the 97 poems of this book are very much of a piece, each one jwleilgos hi' ..ssent to (he ri.it-> jnil n, uutiom easily recognizable as Vander Molen's. Each entr> must t>e <•*-.•! .ii .»"•) uri^ubhsh*-1 yet seldom repetitive. It is the range of submission (f ;>r Devins contest : Except approach that impresses me-many poems ci a I Rules below.) uhmitted 4. Each entry or manuscript mus are about fishing, literal good old Michigan c Ai>. V -t Digs into the hill and rakes the grass. appear on two typewritten i < b There is the sense of fishing as a ritual pastime, almost in the way Hemingway used it. or the satisfaction of fishing equated with sexual pleasure. There is the further metaphor, as in Bloodless.'' the poem from which 'Caught the book EXCEPTIONS AND SPECIAL RULES title comes: Ice on Lake Michigan a refractory Of green lights if individual poems previously pubin Several stories deep newspapers are mi l-.id.»cJ. poet rnr. envelope (containing hi5 name and black sharp public ition They spear ot all such previous, Sturgeon and you hold an invisible ? All three ci-p'ts ->l suhmiv.ions Lost book of deep ocean fish must be separately t,.'und and si" i must appear on outside cover of •: Whose eyes protract for the slightest 3 Devins Manuscripts w.H be re'ur Echo of light under pressure enclosed in sealed envelope. Your eyes are dull Green eyes Reprints of this announcement may be obtained by sending a self-:idare on camped And under sail boats envelope to: Poetry Contest Directors. S201 Holmes Road. Kansas. City. Mo. 6413] With sparks racing rails intersecting To cut even fingers Lying bunched on unmoved snow A sprinkle ot brooding oaks Vander Molen Writes many short. You are nothing contradictory In the alley never Imagiste kinds of poems, reminding me Or unreal ^ Ready for snow of Williams "No ideas but in things Smoking cigarettes nudf To borrow his own words. Vander Molen's Many longer poems are sequences of With your curtains dyed green poems come through in just that way- brief impressions like: The sand kicks the surface So dark as chestnuts "nothing contradictory. Or unreal." Real -and good. When the woman Walks hugging a woman shadow. Vet even these lyrics are marked with the poet's characteristic irony and under statement r my skin has been in the room too long. "But it wasn't so much. SCRAPBOOK In April. I gave up writing" i. It is Vander Molen's voice, not a tired echo two albinos shovelling snow of Pound or HD. for these are un¬ How can you grieve a cleansing mistakably idiom" poems. The low-keyed when it's all washed away diction strikes me as appropriate to the laughing poems as well as to the poet. Without the gJue being sensational. Vander Molen's language till it hurts is apt-apt and easy. He seems to have that held you squirming to a no reticence about using 1 in his work, damp page the mark often of a pretty mature poet. disguising a crowded tear In another sense, his won] choice is quite :crackled ships active, with verb forms utten used in that somehow place Df modifiers and nouns ("the wind sprung:- turns to battering. changing months. slipped leaving dust-cheated a white , v.; , , Most important of ail. Vander Molen s out/ mood hero-cool yet caring-is important. rectangle box It's right. We need to read these glimpses of honest involvement with people, nature, -John knapp II an abstract embarrassment life. We need to share the reality of poems we call like Big Sable River and First Person. Interesting, But By VALERIE RESTIVO technical Censored difficulties in the South of Sweden sexual intercourse. But footage has been cut before; why not in this instance, when "I am Curious (Yellow )" a film during the last hour The lovers the substance of the text is significant discuss Lena's portrait of Franco, whom by Vilgot Sjoman Translated from the she hates, and her blackboard. " The Great and socially relevant? Some viewers might Swedish by Martin Minow and Jenny Boh- Scandal Board." on which she writes the be offended by on-film intercourse. Some man drove Press. Evergreen Black Cat number of days that have passed since her might be inspired to try their lu< at Book. 1968. $1.25 father's return from the Spanish Civil War. love-making. I think as many would war Very interesting . but CENSORED There are also photographs of Vietnamese to try their luck at nonviolence, whic. That was the verdict passed in May of war victims. There is a file of Lena's is really the message. If the New Y ;>rt 1968 by seven men and five women, in censors had insisted on their "'morality,' lovers-23 of them ( "but the first 19 were the U.S. District Court, southern dis¬ no fun"). The movie is interrupted by they could have cut a few scenes without trict of New York. Until two weeks ago. totally destroying the message of "I Am an imaginary meeting (still another level when the decision was reversed, the film Curious." Instead, they denied the entire of "reality") of the Board of Film Cen¬ I Am Curious < Yellow i" could not be sors in Stockholm, who check the rules film entrance to American theaters. Now seen in this country. The scenario, with to discover whether it is immoral to have that they have reversed their decision, it many photographs, was printed in an will be interesting to see if the film has 23 lovers. "adults-only" edition. been cut. Lena's search for soul, self, and society T Am Curious" illuminates a less- is climaxed by a Yoga-style retreat, (she After the "story" is over and Lena than-Utopian society in a .countrv whicjj , discovers she is poor at executing 'the- ax?d Borje have, broken off,their relation¬ many of us have long admired The film ship, the actress Lena sees Vilgot Sjoman Yoga poses for meditation). She posts in the studio with his next leading lady, is primarily a document that examines pacifistic messages on trees and walls. Swedish political, economic and social She makes a shrine of a portrait of watching Lena on screen. Still on film, norms? Why censorship'.' About one- "the real Lena" hands Vilgot his apart¬ Martin Luther King and a broken rifle, third of the printed text of the film deals in contrast to the anti-shrine of Franco ment key, meets and embraces Borje with some form of (you know what I the actor, who has been waiting for her in her bedroom. When Lena's hideaway mean > to return the key. They happily descend is invaded by the amorous Borje. she . . . . . . The film opens with closeups of actress in the elevator, as we hear slogans: grabs the rifle from the altar of nonvio¬ Lena Nyman and director Vilgot Sjoman. lence and aims it at him. Violence is Buy our film/. . . Buy the yellow/ with the title. I AM CURIOUS. They Buy the Blue/ Buy our film for there are swiftly undermined by love-but the cen¬ are going up in an elevator, and a rather, two/ Exactly the same movie, yet each sors objected to the expression of love dour lady answers the titles: "But so different. as oral sex. I'm not. We discover that there are "I Am Curious (Yellow)" is uniquely The last image is a button with slogan two editions of the film, a blue and a "Make love, not war" and the nonviolent explicit in its photographic presentation of resistance symbol. yellow, the colors of the Swedish flag. We are to view the yellow edition. The book includes excerpts from the The film that follows is a series of censorship trial, in which all the witnesses scenes involving several levels of reality, declared the film's social validity. Sjoman reminiscent of Pirandello's "Six Characters Orange berry in my palm, explained the concept of the two versions in Search of an Author." There is the of the film. There are the same lovers, initial relationship between Lena and Vil¬ I pulled you from your mother Lena and Borje and the same situation, got. before the filming of "I Am Cur¬ To share your wax and stem with Lena the interviewer-reformer. The ious"; there is the actress, Lena, por¬ Between the sun and I. story begins and ends the same, but the traying a character. Scenes supposedly blue and yellow films depict different sides acted are interrupted by the participation of Swedish life. Sjoman's approach to of the film crew in the action of the story, Orange berry I toss you softly in the air the love scenes is as frank and "curious" as when the crew gets down on the grass And watch you arc against the sky another sun: as his approach to the political prob¬ and shows Lena how to perform various lems; it is his censors who have been And catch you at dusk Yoga positions with which she has diffi¬ inconsistent. Whatever his real motives- culty. The effect is to erase conven¬ With tender fingers of fascination. and we have seen the fickleness of reality- tional conceptions of what is actual and -Richard Forstner Sjoman has created a work which he can what is in the script. justify socially and artistically. Sjoman thinks Lena incredibly naive about political matters. As the script requires, she becomes a self-styled in¬ terviewer-reformer who. in her immense naivete uncovers more truth than the politically "aware" sophisticates. She interviews young workers who think it is fair that they are underpaid. She talks with ombudsmen who reply in doubletalk. She becomes very upset when she dis¬ covers. after interviewing several young men an an induction center, how little military people know about non-violence. In the film. Sjoman's slogan technique is very effective. During a scene in which Lena opens an institute for non¬ violence three slogans are flashed on the screen: NON-COOPERATION SABOTAGE ERATERNIZATION Other slogans appear during various scenes throughout the film. In the midst of dis¬ cussing "Nyman's Institute" for non-vio¬ lence. Lena and girlfriend Ulla casually talk of methods of masturbation. Now we know the film will be sexy-or do we9 The censors may have been disappointed here, because the unsexy action continues. Lena makes a large, jilack bag labeled The Guilty Conscience of Social Democracy," which she plans to fill with everything she finds that belongs in it. Again, slo¬ gans: SHARPEN YOUR MEMORY SHARPEN YOUR MIND WHAT IS LENA HIDING IN THE BAG? Lena and her fciends proclaim in the i mother breathes easily as her noic-quieted baby sleeps streets that the conservative paper is "a peacefully in his cradle. newspaper with gout An old woman never notices as her urinkled husband Finally, Borje arrives and the movie has a love-interest. Lena closes "Ny¬ dies silently in his sleep. man's Institute" for lunch (all afternoon) It hat is silence? Silence contains all, yet by itself to enjoy their love-making. After the two is nothing. are exhausted, a television announcer ap- wars U- i^oort "a faty\*,v coupling Man's mind alone fills in where sound has left off We are sorry that we have had some and speaks aloud the mea mnf> of silence. w 7 7( .m.p pU" .naJ trA hO" radnelC ,.m.p woH" yretn C nohtnA "stirA sgniwarD" . m.p yuqol C ,erta hT , C A P »01 I ,YADIRF gnimaT" dna eht nwoD .)muirotdA YADSRUHT )13 tahW ,yadseuT ",yrelaG isalBeD gnuoY muirotdA ytilauxeS hguorht .m.p ylevoL 9 no 8 dna .naJ vnohtA noW .NAJ fo \b a NAJ 11 71 .m.p "esacritS sgnitoP "raW «ht eht i 61 naI "r«;W 4( 8( )ydorB "werhS :71 hgurht egs rK( hsitrB anerA( \b dna )91 fo 9 9 9 I" 7( n.p woH" ehT" )anerA sionlI .m.p ehtp .m.p ehT" sionlI .m.p .,03:7( gniltserW ",surpyC gnixaT. , s c i t a n m y G gnimaT" ,.m.p ISM dna )muirotdA treboR ynohtnA sleW "rezinagO )muirotdA "werhS sleW "rezinagO 9 fo 901 I noW 801 .m.p , Y A D .NAJ R U T S I 03:7 'ISM nwoD )nosliW fo eht 801 ,.m.p eht eht "esacritS :stnevE .M.I .sv .sv )l aH 7( 81 ,.m.p I sivaD "raW 7 )anerA nrehtuoS )darnoC "werhS nrehtuoS 7( 8( 8( )l aH dna .M.I 03:7( dna )l aH dna • I ,yes !T )aviK ,CAP hO .m.p etatS ,)anerA CAP hO" 51:8( cisuM roineS r e l d i F " , Y A D N O M s e l p o P , Y A D N U S 51:7 . m.p reld iF" tepmurt t a h W ) . d u A , Y A ) I S M t a h W sregniS .NAJ .m.p ylevoL a fo ( .laticeR .NAJ 12 51:7 .m.p a ylevoL "foR )muirotdA no eht . 02 N A J ) h c r u C 4( 91 51:8 hpesoJ yraunaJ eht )muirotdA W \troB< "raW "foR .m.p -kcoD sredno iaW 51:8( .m.p I( 9 H hO" oT" 901 oT" 801 .m.p tuohiw woH" )anerA .C\ ,.m.p a VD1RF ynohtnA laminA" .mp9 ri* sleW ,.m.p "anosreP .)muirotdA YADSRUHT ug ri^ e ot tahW )ydorB htiw laH "mraF )nosliW htiw laH ylaeR decuS .NAJ )muirotdA 7 7( 51 a ihP .NAJ ) 42 ,.m.p ylevoL "evoL 03:7( ) 72-41 "evoL dna 7( 9 ,.m.p 03:7( "gniyrT ni seniuB ydorB "raW dna ,.m.p 7 ( cinomrahl 32 dna 51:8( )aviK CAP( hO" 901 9 8( 801 901 . m.p .yekcoH cisuM oT" ,.m.p riS sleW "anosreP ynohtnA "ehcuotraC ,YADRUTS ecI ,hcileorF etaudrG 51:7 tahW ynohtnA "ehcuotraC )darnoC htiw )laH laH "evoL 7( dna 9 ) 7( dna 9 .NAJ 52 ISM )muirotdA )anerA .sv ,laticeR ,.m.p )laH dna onaip 51:8( a ylevoL 7( 9 7( l»na ,.m.p ,.m.p nagihcM .m.p erdnA lenoDcM "raW ,.m.p ( )aviK ,CAP( hO" 8( ).duA lieN . m.p yuqol C ,YADNOM ,mahrG etaudrG .m.p ,YADNUS 51:2 ) m u i r o t eltsreG nedwS" ,.m.p ,labteks B dna 51:7 tahW olec dnomaiD .NAJ )muirotdA ( ,,.m.p laticeR )muirotdA dbnoaB no a .NAJ USM 03:7 72 4( 62 )nosieJ ",dnalpL ,.m.p ylevoL .sv ytilauxeS gihciM ¬duA hplaR ,.m.p 7( c^uM treboR peS r, . • n lenoDcM ".aW V