University of Virginia Library

CINEMA

'Welcome To Bush Country'

By Paul Chaplin
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

There was a little mix-up last
week with "Vixen," now at the
Cinema. The first print had been
shown too many times and was of
such poor quality the management
withheld the film until a better
print could be obtained. "Vixen"
has arrived, and will be here
another week for all who missed it
last week.

After all I'd read about Russ
Meyer's nudies, I was sorry that
"Vixen" wasn't as shocking as I had
expected. In fact, Meyer's film has
about as much flesh as most "R"
films do. Worst of all, Meyer even
attempts to have a solid plot for the
last fifteen minutes of the film.

Actually, "Vixen" is a total
put-on-the plot, the narration
("Welcome to bush country"), and
most importantly the "eye-popping"
Erica Gavin. Miss Gavin's
acting produces a satire of all
heroines of skin films. The over
acting during sexual climaxes is
hilarious. Does anybody really
pound the wall with a fist screaming
"Take me! Take Me!," during
intercourse? Miss Gavin is particularly
enjoyable when seducing a
man by sucking on an uncooked
fish.

The problem with "Vixen" is
that it doesn't quite satisfy the
expectations of the male audience.

Can any commercial film for
that matter?

Love Making?

The film has three love making
scenes and one lesbian kissing
scene, all I found less shocking than
the rape in "Last Summer," and
less, arousing than the seductions in
"Women in Love." If commercial
films are just as daring as the
nudies, why should we pay good
money to see these quickly made
films definite psychological,
sociological on economic reason for
the existence of nudies, but I really
don't know what it is.

Let it suffice to say "Vixen" is
pretty tame, and by no means as
scandalous as the ads would lead
you to believe. If you don't go
expecting to be aroused, you'll find
it's really pretty silly and almost
enjoyable.

Zhivago Withdrawn

MGM has made one of the nicest
announcements in several years.
After this year, David Lean's version
of "Doctor Zhivago" will be
withdrawn from circulation for five
years. The film is currently at the
Paramount for a "farewell" engagement.
The studio is obviously waiting
for this generation to get married
and produce a few kids, so the
reissue will have the same nostalgic
and box office success that "Gone
With the Wind" has every ten years.

Mushy

Unfortunately, "Zhivago" has
less going for it than "GWTW"
does. There's no Gable or Leigh
here, but Omar Sharif and Julie
Christie in uninspired performances.
I could comment on the music, the
direction and the script, but
"Zhivago" is a nice mushy movie
that people including myself hold
to their hearts, and I will by pass the
usual sarcasm this time.