University of Virginia Library

CINEMA

Down With Sex, Up With Cougars

By Susan Hardwicke
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

"Cougar Country." The very
title oozes with good, clean fun. I
expected to be sprayed with
disinfectant before I was allowed
in! The producers proudly brand it
a "Rainbow Adventure," entirely
dependent, of course, upon the
connotations of "Rainbow."

Anti-Ads

"Cougar Country" is
probably the first movie to
anti-advertise on a large scale. Its
creators proclaim it to be a movie
anyone can see and understand;
they attack the recent trend of
promiscuity and exhibit patriotism.
"America the Beautiful" resounds
in the theatre as the picture zooms
in on beautiful scenery and people
of all walks of life, all races on
earth. How refreshing!

One could additionally
interpret the film as a lesson in
ecology, since man is viewed as a
lazy destroyer of nature. But being
a "Rainbow Adventure," a certain
amount of escapism creeps in, since
there is a lack of the world's
"realities"-sex, symbolism, and
people. This kind of escapism is
unusual for a film nowadays, and is
exhibited well in this one. The
scenery is beautiful, the animals are
very much alive and charming,
however incredible.

The story centers around a big
actor named Whiskers and his
"friends." His quest for food, the
game between the hunter and the
hunted, comprises the plot, and
that's reading a lot into it!
Seriously, however, it is a nice,
family picture - one you can take
your parents to-or children, as the
case may be.

Peanut Gallery

The only annoying aspect of
the film was the audience.
Obviously, the kiddies' mommies
and daddies didn't remind them to
put on their Sunday manners. One
urchin ran up and down the aisle
counting the number of rows in the
theatre, while others yelled for
money to buy candy or for
mommy to explain what happened
while they were under their seats.
One personage, in reply, narrated
the entire action with the narrator.

Second Childhood?

Curiously enough, the
parents seemed to enjoy "Cougar
Country" more than the kiddies.
Does the generation gap occur at so
early an age? Perhaps the children
just weren't interested in cougars,
or they were too accustomed to
Saturday morning cartoons.
Whatever the reason, I sensed the
older generation's desire for some
good, clean fun like Walt Disney
used to make. And if that's what
they want, jet 'em have it!

(Now at the Barracks Road)