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Flash Gordon lacks magic By Victor Stanton The movie Flash Gorâ€" don is like a lot of toys children will receive this Christmas â€" a no velty that fascinates for a short time but which possesses no quality to make it an endearing faâ€" vorite “Wâ€"WWW e m i o 7 s W e e e T ’TW x0 m i 2 JP E: T Oc onl o o n it y ce $ Ma 9e . £ ,“.‘adn;» e pare e e PeC PP 'g;, WA mA 4’ e Nx Wikh 2 48 . awens, 9 ammemsmrnesrin. ; # ® % % 3 a ud - o @4 : , ; 7 Based on the same comic strip which inâ€" spired three cliffâ€"hangâ€" ing serials â€" first shown in theatres in 1936, 1938 and 1940 and in recent years frequently featuâ€" red on television â€" the new picture falls lightâ€" years short of achieving anything like the magic. excitég;gnl of fun of a Star Wats or Superman Star Wats or superman Part of t‘{\e problem with Flash â€" Gordon seems to be that those responsible for the writâ€" ing and directing of the movie were unsure of just what approach to take with it. At times, it seems that something like the juâ€" venile campy TV verâ€" sion of Batman was inâ€" tended, specially in the use of principal theme music. composed by rock band Queen, which vocalizes the hero‘s name. Other times. the inâ€" nuendo is purely of an adult nature, particularâ€" ly in scenes involving the delectable Princess Aura. And while the basic story is one of galactic adventure. with inâ€" dividual scenes closely imitating ones in Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, the fanâ€" tasy elements tend to be more silly than imaginaâ€" tive. The plot has Ming the Merciless, ruler of a disâ€" tant planetary empire called Mongo. whimâ€" sically bringing about the destruction of Earth by means of a variety of unusual weather condiâ€" tions, induced by some neverâ€"explained energy beam. To the rescue come eccentric scientist Dr Zarkoff, New York Jets quarterback Flash Gordon and tour guide Dale Arden One presumes that most of the picture‘s $25â€"million budget would have been spent on speâ€" cial effects. but, while providing a fancifully decorative _ background gloss at times. the speâ€" cial effects in Flash Gordon aren‘t all that memorable As the blonde hero. screen newcomer Sam Jones never manages to b‘e much more than an attractive hulk, while Canadian native Melody Anderson as Dale Arden can‘t bring much sparâ€" kle to a character which keeps alternating beâ€" tween the oldâ€"fashioned helplessâ€"andâ€"swooning heroine and a weaponâ€" wielding. martial arts expert. Max Von Sydow. the Swedish actor who‘s been a stalwart in many Ingmar Bergman films. plays the merciless Ming with some sense of outrageous villainy. But again the part has been underwritten somewhat. particularly if one comâ€" pares it to the serial role played with such dominâ€" ating malevolence by Charles Middleton Israeli actor Topol iniâ€" tially brings some flash â€" forgive the pun â€" to the picture as Dr. Zarkoff. The action scenes. noâ€" tably ones towards the end of the movie which involve hordes of winged men attacking Ming‘s palace, are visually imâ€" pressive but only mildly exciting. Flash â€" Gordon _ is always _ predictable. even to the youngest viewers I suspect, and of course inevitably ends in such a way that a sequel is possible It‘s doubtful, however, that there will be much impetus to turn this into a bigâ€"screen series after such a relatively lackâ€" lustre beginning. Arts council ‘ announces grants The naughty little pupâ€" pet Pinocchio will dance out onto the stage of the Humanities Theatre. University of Waterloo. and right into the hearts of a young audience this Saturday The latest movie version of Buck Rogers lacks that spec Three local _ arts groups and one Waterloo resident are among the provincial artists and arts organizations that recently received grants totalling $1,922.601 from the Ontario Arts Council in Toronto The Central Ontario Art Association of Waâ€" terloo has received $1,975. the Kitchenerâ€" Waterloo Opera Guild received $2,000 and the Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Chamber Music Society from Waterloo received Riensi Crusz. who will have a book of poetry published later this month. _ received _ a writers award of $500 from the Council. He is a reference librarian at Area dance company to present ‘Pinocchio‘ The Black Walnut Balâ€" let will present this tiâ€" meless story as part of the UW Arts Centre‘s Magic World of Theatre series for children presâ€" chool to 8 years old. This ballet for chilâ€" the University of Waâ€" terloo and lives on Duâ€" pont St. E. in Waterloo Grants amounting to $308 .200 were awarded to 54 provincial magaâ€" zines at the same time In addition. 17 magaâ€" zines with a circulation under 1.000 per issue were awarded marketâ€" ing supplement grants amounting to $12.000. acâ€" cording _ to . Arthur Gelber. chairman of the Council. ‘"The total budgets for these magazines are just over $4â€"million with betâ€" ter than 37 per cent toâ€" wards labor costs, 51 per cent for printing and tyâ€" pesetting plus 11.5 per cent for design. distribuâ€" tion and promotion .‘ Gelber â€" said. _ ‘"Our dren was originally comâ€" missioned from the Black Walnut Ballet by the Guelph Spring Fesâ€" tival for May 1980, and has been restaged for this presentation . grants assist a combined circulation _ of _ over 450.000 of these magaâ€" zines which are proâ€" duced up to 12 times a vear." At least 110 Ontario residents are directly employed fullâ€"time by these publications. Gelber said. *Often for less than the price of one theatre. dance or concert ticket. an annual periodical subscription can be purâ€" chased. That‘s real value in today‘s dolâ€" lars." Gleber added During the 198081 fisâ€" cal year the Council exâ€" pects to award $12.5â€" million to various proâ€" vincial arts groups and individuals. Featured in the role of WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1980 â€" PAGE 15 ial magic, according to Chronicle reviewer Vic Stanton. Gepetto. Pinocchio‘s father. is the former Directorâ€"inâ€"Residence at UW. Maurice E. Evans. The ballet, which is one act long. has been adapted from the story by C. Collodi. Music is by Ottorino Respighi with arrangement by Rossini. Sarah Jane Burâ€" ton. artistic director of Black Walnut Ballet has done the choreography . In the ballet. we find Pinocchio. an engaging, funâ€"loving little fellow. filled with the joy of simply being alive, havâ€" ing some problems with his conscience. called Cricket, and with his father. He is easily tempted by the pleasure of the moment but eventually discovers the deeper meaning of love and graâ€" dually develops his own conscience so that he is worthy of becoming a real boy. Pinocchio is over one hundred years old. but the character _ still exudes a youthful charm and ageless spirit, espeâ€" cially so in this lively dance production, full of many characters, all in colourful costumes deâ€" The Black Walnut Balâ€" let Co. was formed in 1976 under the direction of Bernd Juche. It apâ€" peared with the Toronto Regional Dance Co. at the Humanities Theatre in 1977 and in 1978 shared the bill with the Ottawa Dance Theatre. In 1979, the Company‘s repertoire was large enâ€" ough for them to make a solo appearance at UW. Since 1978, Black Walnut has performed programâ€" mes for several thouâ€" sand school children in Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo, Cambridge and London, and has performed with the Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo and London Symphony Orchestras. In addition to the Gueliph Spring Festival appearance with Pinocchio, they performed at the openâ€" ing of The Centre in the Square, danced in the opera Die Fledermaus, and appeared in the World of Dance series at the University of Waâ€" terloo signed by Dean Hall Tickets for the Dec. 13 afternoon performances are available at the UW Arts Centre Box Office, Humanities â€" Theatre (885â€"4280).