Fort Hays State University - Reveille Yearbook (Hays, KS)

Page 30 text:

Martin Shapiro, professor of musk, is the driv- ing force behind the Classic Film Series which brought the movies Carmen, Broadway Danny Rose, Dante ana The Horses Mouth to Fort Hays State. 26 CLASSIC FILMS

Page 29 text:

Richters draws on nearly two years of research on Mark Twain when does his im- personation. Richters make-up transformation takes three full hours to complete and ages him 50 years. When Richters takes to the stage he looks nothing like the man he was just hours before. For props, Richters used a chair, table, lighted desk lamp, coffee and a dozen cigars. But it was not the make-up or the setting that made the delightful character believable. It is in the words that the audience found the real man — even when the words weren ' t realty his. Only Richters ' had some idea of what Mark Twain probably would have said. Twain ' s keen observa- tions, taken from the author ' s writings and Richter ' s own interpreta- tion of the character, were funny, yet pointed out the failings of the human condition. Religion, politics, old age, and even himself were not spared satirical jobs. Many of Clemens ' jokes were localized. According to the salty old gentleman. Big Creek runs right past Hays without even stopping to look. ' Secondly, University Preside nt Gerald Tomanek was renamed ' Tomaniac ' in a series of jokes about the school and the president ' s application for employment. I ' m glad I could make you laugh ' Twain said, reclining slowly in his chair and relighting his cigar, rr | came to Hays for that reason — so I could make you laugh. You laughed at things you knew, like President ' Tomaniac ' , ond even at God, he said. ' ‘Some don ' t like to laugh at God, ' cause they think he doesn’t have a sense of humor. But took at the person sitting next to youl r Tve been told that one out of four people are ugly. If there are four people sitting at your table, figure out which one of you it is. I don ' t have anything against ugly people, as long as you don ' t go around touchin ' me or nothin ' ! As everyone laughed. Twain was at once serious. We don ' t laugh enough at ourselves — silly creatures that we are ’ he said. We are filled with self-importance. I know something children, that all of us wish to grow up and become adults. But the older you get, the more important you think you are, ,r l came to make you laugh, so you wouldn ' t be in such a rush to grow older. I went back to the cave in Hannibal that I used to play in as a child. I used to pretend I was a pirate searching for treasure. I told you about some of my adventures in the book Huck Finn. 11 In those days when nothing seems 10 uc the way it is supposed to, just close your eyes and be a pirate again and everything will again seem worthwhile. If you want something deep inside your heart, just keep on praying .. Samuel Longhorne Clemens advised. ' Twain soon got tired, voicing his farewell and shuffled off the stage. Summed up in the immortal words of Mark Twain: ! am never more tickled than when I laugh at myself, Since his death in 1910, Twain still continues to bring laughter and wisdom to millions of readers around the world. Actor Ken Richters ' per- formance provided a fresh portrayal af the celebrated author, reminding many that life must be enjoyed to its fullest. MARK TWAIN 25

Page 31 text:

■ ' ■ f Martin Shapiro Brings C lassic Film s To Fort Hays State Four films ranging from humorous to historical were offered to Fort Hays State University students as a port of the Classic Film Series Dr Martin Shapiro, professor of music, is the driving force behind the series which brings many films to the Hays area, films many people might otherwise not have a chance to see, I was serving on the recruiting committee of the Hays Arts Council and thought that it might be a good idea to have more things to offer to prospec- tive members 1 Shapiro said ' That combined witf my long interest in films helped to develop the idea, He said he tries to get good films which many times do not come to Hays, Some of the films are available at the Felton Start Theatre. Many of those films are classic or older films Last year many of the film-goers suggested newer films would appeal to a wider audience. This year’s series featured three films made in the last few years. The first film of the year, Carmen, was one of the newer films It was made in 1983. The second film, Broad- way Danny Rose, is one of Woody Allen’s latest works and it was also filmed in 1983. Allen stars in this story of a small time talent agent whose clients in- clude a roller skating rab- bi and a parrot who sings f Gotfa Be Me. Mia Far- row co-stars as a fast- talking, gum chewing gangster s moll The third film, Danton, which is set during the French Revolution, was shown in conjunction with Dr. John Klier ' s, professor of history, western civilization class It s hard to get involv- ed in history from a book ’ Shapiro said, So the film was shown about the time the class was stu- dying the French Revolu- tion, The Horse ' s Mouth, shown in May, coincided with the HACs Spring Arts Festival, There were 15 to 20 other eyents held at that time which were related to the festival. The Horse ' s Mouth is one of the best films about what it is like to be an artist ’ Shapiro said Although other people and organizations have an interest and may con- tribute ideas to the film series, Shapiro makes the final decisons on what films will be shown. Besides trying to get a wide range of shows with appeal to a large au- dience, Shapiro also has to take the film s availability and cost into consideration when he makes his choices. The HAC underwrites the cost of the series. This year they and the Kansas Arts Council provided several hundred dollars to help defray expenses FHS paid for the prin- ting of posters to publicize the series There are also several businesses which donate money or services to the series The total cost of the series each year is around the $1,000 figure. Each film costs from $100 to $300, The older ones are less expensive, but newer ones are more in de- mand, Shapiro said. Films Inc., Janus Films and Swank are the com- panies Shapiro orders films from. The films hove to be reserved in advance, and Shapiro said he feels lucky FHS has been able to get some of the more recent films such as the Woody Allen film shown in the fall Shapiro hires student projectionists from the MUAB Video Lounge Series to work the machines at the showings He also hires students to usher. Last year some of the films were held in Stroup Hall, This year all of the films were held in either the Black and Gold Ballroom of The Memorial Union or Felten Start Theatre in Malloy Hall by Denise Riedel CLASSIC FILMS 27