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Ent No decline in movie quality*critic They‘ve taken another one of those polls in which people deâ€" clare that the movies are not as good as they used to be, and that, what‘s more, they‘re too sexy, violent, profane and expensive. As a result, the polisters discovâ€" ered, people are watching their VCR machines more and going to the movies less. There are a few facts that would seem to fly in the face of this poll. For one, the box office has never been stronger than this summer, and indeed the box office take has been setting records for the tast five years. For another, movie goers demonstrate an overwhelmâ€" ing desire to see movies containâ€" ing sex, profanity and violence â€" and stay away from Gâ€"rated films with such a vengeance that stuâ€" dios throw in a few fourâ€"letter words just to be sure of the PGâ€"13 rating. What people say and what they do are often very different things, and this is never more evident than in surveys like a wireâ€"serâ€" vice poll of 1,084 Americans. On the basis of the questions asked, the answers could have been predicted without the necessity of conducting the poll. were in the year of 1939 â€" which saw such productions as "Gone With the Wind," "The Wizard of Oz," "Wuthering Heights" and "Gunga Din‘"? The poll found, not surprisingly, that most Ameriâ€" cans thought the movies had got worse in the last 50 years. For example, the one question movie critics hear over and over again is, "Are the movies better than ever?" Or, as the pollsters asked, are they better than they The first thing I would want to know is, how many of the responâ€" dents were over 65? That would have made them 15 years old in 1939, a reasonable age for judgâ€" ing the movies. Remember that the polisters were, presumably, asking about the general run of movies of 1939 â€" not just "Gone With the Wind." So we would want someone who had gone to the movies frequently in that Carlisle offers starâ€"studded country weekend _ By Deborah Crandall Well pardnerz, if the lineâ€"up of performers coming to Carlisle this weekend isn‘t enough to twang the heart strings of even the most discriminating country enthusiast, I‘ll be hogâ€"tied. _ To see talents such as those appearing at Courtcliffe Park (off Highway 6, south of the 401), one would usually have to saddle up and head to the likes of Kenâ€" tucky, West Virginia or Nashvilâ€" Scaggs and Charlie Pride appearâ€" hardâ€"pressed in any part of muft:bhfi':m ::-gmmmu music ever lc-lfi md’"w mm"_flfi.&:fildmm is Lauds "We fls hoh taep 'F and na s a 6: C Mhb-hm'@x&mb’ To see such artists as Waylon â€" WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY JULY 26, 1989 year. And who, of course, still goes to the movies frequently today, so he would have a basis of comprhrn.. f My guess is that none of the 1.084 respondents of the poll "i â€" I&M is that moftbfi 3 po mumgmw, what the poll sample was really what the poll was really uyin,v-th:l‘l‘&eWiththe Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz" were better than the movies they had seen recently â€" such as, perhaps, "Weekend at Bernie‘s" and "Ghostbusters 2." We are exposed to all of the movies of the present, but only the best movies of the Est Peorla forget that it would be possible to put together a long list of 1939 movies that were even worse than "Ghostbusâ€" ters 2," hard as that might be to believe. The questions about sex, vioâ€" lence and profanity come up in movie polls all the time, and the answers never fail to amaze me. Without exception, Americans declare that the movies have too much nudity, violence, sex and profanity. And yet when they vote with their box office dollars, they go to violent, sexy, profane movies with great cheerfulness. This is an example of the univerâ€" sal human tendency to be censoriâ€" ous on the behalf of others, while retaining full freedom to sin for the self. What the respondents What I‘m suggesting is that ordinary moviegoers have a cerâ€" tain fondness for sex and vioâ€" lence, but don‘t want to admit to it. Another possibility is that those people who dislike sex and violence never go to the movies anyway â€" and this is borne out by the fact that wholesome, Gâ€"rated family movies rarely do signifiâ€" cant business unless they are Disney animated cartoons. If peoâ€" ~ple don‘t like sex and violence, why is Eddie Murphy a bigger star than Benji? I am also curious about the wording of the wire service article when it reports that people were are really saying is that dirty movies are OK for them, but not for other people. e sold (by the performing artists)." Although this is the first counâ€" try music festival to be held at Courtcliffe Park, Blugrass Festiâ€" vals have been held there annualâ€" ly for on 20 years. The country musi¢ festival is in response to what Lamb calls a resurgence in traditional country music. "More radio stations are turnâ€" ing to a country format, because country music goes with every lifestyle," she said. "It appeals to all age groups in the family." In keeping with country music‘s family tradition, the event‘s and by providing activities for ily audience by offering free rission to children under 12, Critic Ebert says modern films such as the Indiana Jones series stack up w i m e well the m&mmg-mw.wmmmmmmmuw-u | i hP fia""‘w watching their VCRs more and of that great year, in which swashbuckler â€" but so are the *\ mmumm,%,mdumbkwdo j:Indun--lnga-” . And if® try‘s own much more farâ€"reaching Ning: wrong. And indeed it Gone m“mr'”flk polls indicate that VCRs have was impressive to read the names greatest epic of its time, the actually got people MORE inâ€" of the great films of 1939, and to industry has produced some great volved in current movies. Espeâ€" reflect how sadly movies had épics since, including "Lawrence cially in the overâ€"30 group. People declined since then. of Arabia," "Apocalypse. Now" who had stopped going out to the _ But think. Any good movie is a and "2001." movies have started again, bee miracle, since so many forces I do not argue that the movies cause their interest has been Strain to make it fail. Movies are ATC "better than ever." I am reawakened by the movies they good not because of the year they concerned that Hollywood has see on tapes and discs. It is also Were made, but because of the grown better in recent years at true, although the wire service people who made them and the marketing movies than at. makâ€" didn‘t say so, that most video Struggle they waged. "The Wiâ€" ing them. Theaters are mired this rentals are of recent box office zard O'fOl" is one of the great S}IInmermnhanl'ulofmultimil- hits â€" so the stayâ€"athomes are â€" fantasies of all time, a film with lionâ€"dollar sequels and action watching the same movies as the Uuniversal appeal. But the other productions, and if moviegoers mmf"m' night I was watching Steven tell the polisters they are discourâ€" All of this begs the question of Spielberg‘s "E.T." again, on vidâ€" aged after seein{,“Ghoatbusters whether "the movies" are better . eodisc, and I venture to say it will 2" or "Star Trek V," I agree with or worse in 1989 than they were Stand the test of time as well as them. in 1939. A newsweekly did a story "The Wizard of 0z" has. "Gunga I also agree, to a degree, with not long ago on the 50th.anniverâ€" Din" is a great melodramatic (Continued on page 20) presenting newer contemporary country music artists, such as Canada‘ Prairie Oyster and South Mountain, as well as more traditionl artists, such as Carroll Baker and Charlie Pride. "We have enough of a mixture to please everybody â€" enough of the old stuff and enough of the new. If you like country music, then there‘ll be something here for you," Lamb said. Among the many artists to hit the stage throughout the weekâ€" end will be country music‘s rising star Kathy Mattea, who‘s single 18 Wheels And A Dozen Roses mlwardode#h' Of The Year by the Country Music Association rive â€" going from being consisâ€" te:flyincho'l‘oploddulls. country charts, to the number one spot with two different singles (in This was Mattea‘s year to arâ€" of that great year, in which %,mdumbkwdo fing: wrong. And indeed it was impressive to read the names of the great films of 1939, and to were made, but because of the people who made them and the struggle they waged. "The Wiâ€" zard of Oz" is one of the great fantasies of all time, a film with universal appeal. But the other night I was watching Steven Spielberg‘s "E.T." again, on vidâ€" eodisc, and I venture to say it will stand the test of time as well as both Canada and the U.S.), from her forth Canadian LP release (fifth overall), Willow In The That album‘s release, and her increasing public attention, has led Mattea to a number of opporâ€" tunities for wider exposure. She has become something of a perenâ€" nial favorite on The Nashville Network‘s Nashville Now, and earlier this year, she made her Mattea‘s break came in 1983 _ agvan, when she was signed to do her Country selfâ€"titled album laid a solid base days of for those that followed: From The =~ sopyeq a; MW&MWU%W cost â€" $5( Blows, Untasted Honey and now Sunday Mattea performs at Courtcliffe thre Park on Saturday, July 29. .. â€" etron or on Hollywood "Gone With the Wind" was the greatest epic of its time,. the industry has produced some great épics since, including "Lawrence of Arabia," "Apocalypse Now" and "2001." I do not argue that the movies are "better than ever." I am concerned that Hollywood has grown better in recent years at marketing movies than at. makâ€" ing them. Theaters are mired this summer in a handful of multimilâ€" lionâ€"dollar sequels and action productions, and if moviegoers tell the pollsters they are discourâ€" aged after seein(i“Ghoatbusters 2" or "Star Trek V," I agree with under. way Friday, with Canada‘s own Ronnie Hawkins, who will be joined by Canada‘s newest counâ€" try group, South Mountain. Show time that day is from & to 11 p.m. Saturday‘s allâ€"star lineâ€"up feaâ€" tures Waylon Jennings, (‘_)l_gnrlie Oyster and Mattea. Show time is from 1 to 11 p.m. < Topping off the weekend wi}l D€¢ Tammy Wynette, Buck Owens, Carl Perkins, Ricky Skaggs and Carroll Baker. Advance tickets for the Carlisle Country Camp Out weekend are $40 per person (inchiding three days of camping in zadfl re served areas), Tickets at the gate cost $50 perâ€"person, and the off the weekend will be V eaiiece