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Forget about the New Romantics, the
Post-Punk Graffiti artists, the Neo-Post
Modern Conceptual Minimalists. These in-
dulgent or unintelligible aberations are
enough to send one involved in the plastic
arts scurrying to the nearest office job.

If you think that it’s no longer possible to
depict lucidly the emotional and intellectual
pulse of our society, it may be that you’ve
been looking in the wrong place. The right
place during the month of October was a
small cafe on Denman St. called Tango’s (an
off-shoot of the Montgomery). As an eating
establishment it can only receive a very
guarded recommendation. But as a venue for
great art-at least during the month of Oc-
tober-it became vividly more interesting than
going to the VAG to view the adolescent
machismo of Giacomo Balla.

The drawings on display at Tango’s were
by a Vancouver artist, and one who recently
emerged from our own little institution,
Carol Wanderer. Wanderer did not study
painting at Emily Carr, but she may be the
most interesting painter from the school
since Attila Richard Lukas.

Wanderer draws and paints mostly the
face; faces that are neurotic, tense, frayed,
trembling and dissolving. They are the faces
of people who have stayed up all night drink-
ing and are then pouring black coffee into
rumbling stomaches. The drawing is angular

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and jarring; there are grid patterns, that seem
to emerge from them, that push the features
of the faces around in disconcerting and dis-
turbing ways. The lines of her drawing have
a subtle violence to them. The colours are
often muted and pastel, which provides a
very grave irony to the over-all feeling of the
image.

The faces in Wanderer’s drawing are those
of people who are unsure of themselves.
They are the faces of people trying to main-
tain a facade of collectiveness under over-
whelming odds. What underlies these faces,
like the disconcerting grid patterns, is an in-
dictment of our society. They are an indict-
ment of a society whose technological rapa-
ciousness has brought moral development to
a stand-still. They are an indictment of a so-
ciety which has imposed such a guilt-by-as-
sociation on its constituent members that the
individual is a nerve-frayed and exhausted as
the flagellants of 16th century Europe.

If you missed Carol Wanderers’ show at
Tango’s in October, word is she will be
showing new work at the Montgomery in
January. According to the artist, she is now
working on a series of drawings of people in
conversation. I trust they will be just as inter-
esting and intelligible as those seen in Oc-
tober.

by Kelvin Holland (2nd year painting)

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THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN
EMPIRE

Review by Michael S. Thorne

Many people will no doubt miss the sub-
tler meanings that lie under the “Hollywood”
surface of this important domestic film.
There surely are similarities here to such
films as “The Big Chill” but they exist only
on the one easily recognizable level of style.

The characters are divided by gender into
two camps of four. The women are in the city -
working out at the gym, and the men are at a
country house preparing an elaborate dinner.
Both groups occupy the time by recounting
their love affairs and sexual conquests.(In
the interest of fairness, it should be noted that
the youngest member of each group takes
part in such talk reluctantly, if at all-they are
in their twenties) Without the whole scenario
being spelled out, one can see that an inter-
esting situation will be born out of the reun-
ion of these two groups at the dinner.

One might think that this situational plot
would provide material enough for a decent
piece of comedy-and this is true. What sets
THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN EM-
PIRE apart from the pack is that these charac-
ters are all intellectuals and all involved with
the history department of a large Montreal
university. These people are learned, the
elite, the writers of history. The viewer is
being served some very substantial fare
along with seedy morsels of these characters
sexual preoccupations.

The dialogue (Quebecoise with English
subtitles) mirrors the many polarities dealt
with in this film. It can switch from a vulgar-
ity (“I always fuck my wife better when I’ve
cheated on her”) to an intellectual point of
considerable gravity (“The collapse of in-
stitutions, bureaucracies,...and the collapse
of the Marxist-Leninist dream”. There is a
very conscious attempt in the film to jux-
tapose the mental/intellectual world with that
of the physical/sexual. The revelation by one
of these professors that he’ll never be a fa-
mous intellectual and that all that is left to
him is sex serves to illustrate this conflict.

To this reviewer THE DECLINE OF THE

humanizing look into the mind game frivol-
ity of the Intellectual. Consider that much art
is criticized, categorized, and historicized by
this “cerebral-set”. This film deals directly
also with the “failure of Post-Modernism”.
(“No model exists that says ‘this is how we
want to live’”) Resolution of this condition is
hinted at by suggesting that itis impossible to
understand the age in which one lives and
that history itself is merely a perspective on
reality. The film’s last sentence is a telling
one coming from an historian: “I guess that’s
what happened-we’ll never really know for
sure.”

THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN
EMPIRE is playing at the Royal Centre
Cineplex downtown. It is a quality Canadian
film that addresses some of the more pressing
concerns of Modern North American life.

i ar\s Dream

THE NAME OF THE ROSE

Review by Martin Stein

Sean Connery as Father William does his
duty in the name of the rose, or rather, in the
name of the Rosicrucians. The Rosicrucians
were (and are) a rather obscure group of
priests, mystics and knights who believed in
the pursuit of knowledge and truth through
all avenues, not just the readings of Aristotle
as was the common practice in the Middle
Ages. They believed this knowledge could
be used to overcome life’s earthly problems.
And Father William certainly has his hands
full of earthly problems when he goes to stay
at an abbey in the mountains.

Aside from being one of the greatest lib-
raries in all Christiandom since the burning
of the library at Alexandria, it is also the
abbey with the highest mortality rate. No
sooner do the father and his apprentice Ajall
arrive than priests start dropping like flies, all
according to the Book of Revelations. Some-
thing’s not kosher in Christendom. Father
William’s job ts to discover the cause of the
deaths before an important debate between
the Papal emissaries and the Franciscans, the
outcome of which will decide whether or not
the Franciscans will receive official recogni-
tion.

The film basically deals with the pursuit of
Truth and Knowledge, and the fight against
those who would keep the Dark Ages dark,
and the Church in power over the land. The
library comes into play here, as does the In-
quisition and good old Aristotlean logic. It’s
elementary, my dear Ajall.

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The film also gives a fairly realistic por-
trayal of life in the years around 1212, the
time of the official recognition of the Fran-
ciscans. But, for all its good points, there is
one aspect of this film which is rather deplor-
able. Two monks, former members of an
order which advocated the violent overthrow
of the status-quo and the fair distrubution of
wealth are burnt at the stake as heretics.
Sounds kinda Marxist-Leninist, huh kids?
Well, we can’t have any of that in Reagan’s
America, we'd rather have nice moderate
liberals whom we can control, like Father
William. But that’s what you get when a film
is funded by Big Business.

All in all, though, the Name of the Rose is
one of the better movies so far this year. I
give it a four of five possible star rating.

The Name of the Rose is playing at the
Capitol Six.

KABLAM /

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GAFIN MCLEoD!
SED¢t 2 1 ly

Forget about the New Romantics, the
Post-Punk Graffiti artists, the Neo-Post
Modern Conceptual Min These in
dulgent or unintelligible ns are
enough to send one involved in the plastic
arts scurrying o the nearest office job.

If you think that it’s no longer possible to
depict lucidly the emotional and intellectual
paulse of our society, it may be that you've

place duri
smal eafe on Denms
off-shoot of the Mon
establishment it car
‘guarded recommendation. But as a venue for
artat least during the month of Oc:
tober-it became vividly more interesting than
going to the VAG 10 view the adolescent
‘machismo of Giacomo Balla
The drawings on display at Tan
by a Vancouver artist, and one who recentl
‘emerged from our own little institution

and ja arid patterns, that seem
that push the features
and dis:

y of her drawing have
a subtle violence to them. The colours are
‘often muted and pastel, wh
very grave irony tothe ove

h provides a
all feeling ofthe

1g oxids. What underlies these faces,
Tike the disconcerting grid patterns. isan in-
dictment of our society. They

ment of a society whose technological
ciousness has brought moral development to
a stand-still. They are an indictment of a so-
ciety which has imposed such a guit-by-as-
sociation om is constituent members thatthe
ndividual isa nerve-frayed and exhausted as
the lagellants of 16th century Europe.

‘THE NAME OF THE ROSE

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PLANET oF THE ARTS

Staton BF

The film also gives a fairly realistic por-

i)!

Carol Wanderer. Wanderer did. not study
painting at Emily Carr, but she may be the
‘most interesting painter from the school
since Attila Richard Lukas,
Wanderer draws and paints mostly the
face; faces that are neurotic, tense, frayed,
The}
‘of people who have stayed up all night drink:
ing and are then pouring black coffee into
1g stomaches. The drawing is angular

If you missed Carol Wanderers’ show at
Tango’s in October, word is she will be
showing new work at the Montgomery in
January. According to the artist, she is now
working on a series of drawings of people in
conversation. [trust they wil be just as inter

le as those Seen in Oc

trayal of life in the years around 1212, the
time of the official recognition of the
ciscans. But, forall its
able

Review by Martin Stein

ood points, there is
spect ofthis film which is rather deplor
Two monks, f bers of an
overthrow
of the status-quo and the fair distrubution of
‘wealth are burt at the stake as heretics,
Sounds kinda Marxist-Leninist, huh kids?
Well, we can't have a
‘America, we'd rathe
liberals whom we can control, like Father
William, But that’s what you get when a film
is funded by Big Business,
All in all. though, the Name ofthe Rose is
‘one of the better movies so far this year. T

‘Connery as Father William does his

the name ofthe rose, or rather. in the

‘of the Rosicrucians. The Rosicrucians

were (and are) a rather obscure group of

priests, mystics and knights who be

the pursuit of knowledge and truth th

all avenues, not just the readings of Aristotle

as was the common practice in the Middle

Ages. They believed this knowled;

bbe used to overcome life's earthly problems,
id Father William certainly has his hands

problems wher

fhe mountains.

by Kelvin Holland @nd year painting)

Reelwerg

Hiss om blag en oh powst (Gen aor NePoa a
fags Creeks We

‘THE DECLINE OF TH Zing ook no te mind game final. Gs Mall Crstndos sce he BUTIRE Ne of he Rowe i paying ate

EMPIRE ifthe telecual, Conidr atcha _ Sythe Mesh at leans, is alo te.

iscrticized, categorized, and historicized by
this “cerebral-set”. This film deals directly
also with the “failure of Post-Modernism”
‘CNo model exists that says "this is how we
want ro live") Resolution ofthis condition is
hinted at by suggesting that itis impossible 10
understand the age in which 0
that history itself is men
reality. The film’s last sentence is ate
‘one coming from an historian"
‘what happened-we'll never really know for
THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN
EMPIRE is playing. at the Royal Centre
Cineplex downtown. It isa quality Canad
film thataddresses some ofthe more press
concerns of Modern North American life

Sooner do the father and his apprentice Aja
artve than priests start dropping like lis all
according othe Book of Revelations. Some-
thing's not kosher in Christendom. Father
William's jo is to discover the cause ofthe
deaths before an important debate between
the Papal emissries and the Franciscans, the
‘outcome of which wil decide whether or not
the Franciscans wil receive oficial recogni
“Tie film basically deals with the
Truth and Knowledge, and the fi
those who would Keep the Dark Ages dark
the Church in power over the land. The
brary comes into play here, as does the In
«quisition and good old Aristtlean ogi I's
clement, my dear Aja

Review by Michael S. Thorne

Many people will no doubt miss the sub-
‘ler meanings that lie under the “Hollywood
surface of this important domestic film.
There surely are similarities here to such
films as “The Big Chill” but they exist only
‘on the one easily recognizable level of style.

‘The characters are divided by gender
‘ovo camps of four. The women are in the
‘working out atthe gym, and then
country house preparing an elaborate dinner.
Both groups occupy the time by recounting
their love affairs and sexual conquests.(In
the interest offaimess, it should be noted:

allthey are
) Without the whole se
being spelled out, one can see that an inter

Earl's Dream

est

Situation will be born out ofthe reun:

ion ofthese two groups at the dinner. T
‘One might think that this situational plot y

‘would provide material enough for a decent
piece of comedy-and this is true. What sets,
‘THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN EM-
IRE apart from the pack is that these charac-
ters are all intellectuals and all involved with
the history department of a large Montreal
university. These people are learned, the
elite, the writers of history. The viewer is
being served some very substantial fare

ra

along with seedy morselsof these characters | SOL =

sexual preoceupaions. Sloat
“The dialogue (Quebecoise with English — | S>~

subsites) miro the many poares dealt |

in this film. Itcan switch from a vulgar-
always fuck my wife better when I've

*) to an intellectual point of
considerable gravity (“The collapse of in-
stitutions, bureaucraces,...and the collapse

Of the Marxist-Leninist dream”. There fh a KABLAM/ || Boom > aay
‘ery conscious attempt inthe film to jus Ca Sy seria
tapose the mental/intellectual world with that ly . 1Q o i
ofthe physial/sexual, The revelation by one % S A
of these professors that he'll never be af Be Le
tous inelletual and that ll that i fel 0 ONS,
him is sex serves to illustrate this conflict. Wee el =
To this reviewer THE DECLINE OF THE BEES | Oe as
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