• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1967-12-12_Vol33_No18_05

1967 Christmas Edition THE WESTERN CAROLINIAN Page 5 CRITICOSCOPE Reflections On "Reflections 99 "Reflections In A Golden Eye" is a film that will be alternately praised and condemned for the same reasoning: "Reflections" is the most faithful cinematic rendition imaginable of Carson Meddlers novella, Understandable, then, those who can appreciate and understand MissMcCullers imaginative work will hold Uie film a sensitive work of art while those who dismiss Uie book as pretentiously contrived sensationalism will likewise view John Houston's film version. For those who argue Miss McCullers second novel to be little more than a hodge-podge of perversity, there is a case to be argued by merely glancing at a summary of Uie story. All the themes and ingredients to insure a pot-boiler are treated in this brief work: homosex- uality, adultery, voyeurism,and self-mutilation. Set on a small Southern Army post of depressing regularity, "Reflections" recounts the steps that lead up to a bizarre murder involving two officers, a soldier, and two women. Playing a latent homosexual Army Major married to a pro- miscious beauty (Elizabeth Taylor), Marlon Brando attempts to gain the physical attentions of a strange young private given to sunning and riding bareback while nude. Unknown to the major, however, is the irony that his wife is the object of the voyeuristic attentions of the same private. Add another officer having an adulterous affair with Miss Taylor whose best friend is the man's self- mutilated wife and the story is set for an unusual, disturbing chain of events and resolution. As you can well imagine, Harold Robbins or Irving Wallace would have a field day turning a similiar story into a gloriously vulgar mass of morbidity. In Uie hands of a consumate artist like Carson McCullers, though, the incidents of "Reflections In A Golden Eye" take on a seriousness of purpose that insures an almost tragic intensity. This is largely due to Miss McCullers restrained, idiosyncratically original style Uiat allows her to treat complex emotion, usually- lurid situations, and abnormal relationships with compassion while maintaining an esthe- tically objective distance. One need only read passages from "Reflections" or her more famous "Heart Is A Lonely Hunter" to evidence Uiisassertion. Miss McCullers' style also casts over her work a brooding, moody spell peculiar and particular to the Southern school of writing Uiat condenses Uie awfulness and distortions of life into an artistic moment. The chief virtue of the film, therefore, is that it is able to capture Uie mood and unas sumine simplicity of Miss McCullers* novella. Scripters Chapman Mortimer and Gladys Hill are to be congratulated at this point for their difficult job of transferring the late Miss McCullers' work to the screen without over-elaborating on Uie contents. One can imagine how tempting it might have been to play up the homosexual or adultery angles By Steve Guimond of Uie book to insure a seething box office. The generally restrained acting also helps tremendously to capture Uie quality of Miss McCullers'story, Quite naturally, the film can't develop Uie char ■ acters as intricately as those of the novella, but the essential qualities have been retained, each actor playing his char- ater appropriately unaware of the effect of his actions and behavior of Uiose around him, Mr. Brando is—as usual -a bit sporadic in his portrayal of Uie homosexual Major while ElizabeUi Taylor, Brian Keith, and Julie Harris are more than satisfying in their skeletal roles. Director John Houston deserves the largest amount of praise for this film. Houston has done everything ixissible to capture Uie essence of Me Cullers' work, restraining his actors and setting Uie mood expertly with an unusual photo graphic technique. The color has been "washed" from the film casting a hazy, muted effect over Uie proceedings with only scarlets and reds appearing their abstracted natural shades. This viewer was completely satisfied with "Reflections In A Golden Eye" as a film. Let me qualify this compliment by saying this is not a film for anyone with little imagination, patience or unwillingness to explore more Uian surface reality. Aivyoneacceptingthe story as a literal portrait of Army- life or a step-by-step well- made melodrama is in for a deserved let down, Brando doesn't go screaming after Uie private and Uie film ends -as it artistically should—like Uie novella, Personal observations aside for Uie moment, "Reflections" is an excellent barometer for measuring Uie drastic, but welcomed, changes made in Uie American cinema within the last five years, For the first time in a seriously undertaken film released by a major American studio, a star's nude scene (Miss lay tor's) has been retained for American audiences anywhere to see. Tastefully done, Miss Taylor's strip as well as the an natural scenes with the private left no one around this viewer gasping witli moral, shocked indignation. Accepted equally as well by most audiences has been Uie treatment of homosexuality, a taboo never before ixissible or acceptable in the American ci nema as late as 1964, Even Uiose viewers refusing to accept "Reflections In A (rolden Eye" for its suggestive, stimulative qualities must ad • mit that this film is another step towards European maturity of Uiematic material for American films. A Dark In The Lightness By John Roper Much criticism has been leveled at student government this year, This is encouraging in one way because much has been deserved. The only real objection which can be made is Uiat most of Uie criticism has been of Uie people least deserving of it, A very good example of this is Uie Woman's House Govern ment Association, It seems Uiat there is absolutely no excuse for Uie fact that two classes of Women students lost thirty minutes in the evening four nights a week. Although it would be nice to have this thirty minutes back, shouldn't one look a more closely at what has been done Uiis year, Freshman women would not remember when counselors had disciplinary power of their own. Though many exercised it well, there were also many occasions when it was abused, this could be attested to by Uie women who have been here for some time, .Some of these upper classmen maj even bv able to remember as far back as a year, when individual women's dorms made their own indlvi dual rules and added them til those designed for all women students Perhaps someone may even remember when all women had to be in at ten thirty on week nights and when it was mandatory Uiat freshmeii women double date, The double dating rule is in Uie process of revision, As for Men's House , it is conceded that the search of rooms in Moore Dorm was pretty high handed and that a little more could be asked in the way of alcohol regulation (maybe that should be a little less), Perhaps we could begin by stating Uiat the search In Moore was not only not under the auspices of Men's House but was not even known to them until it was completed. As a matter of fact, there was even criticism of the President be • cause a letter distributed by him "disregarded" a ruling of Uie hall board in that it stated Uiat Uie students in Moore would not have to sign out and in. It might also be mentioned Uiat Men's House Uiis year has managed to hear six cases as opposed to one heard during Uie whole of last year. The Cat's Paw Mud-slinging, dirt-throwing, throat-slashing time is just a- bout over for another season. For anyone too stupid to realize it's formally called formal rush. And this year it has been better (worse) than ever. The campus is endowed with eleven such organizations Uiat gird themselves for battle every December when freshmen are eligible to pledge. It all starts with the IFC rush smoker and Panhellenic reception. There one either shakes hands or smiles prettily ceaselessly. Then the fun starts. The sororities go through a tedious, nerve-wracking two weeks of parties, eliminations, more smiling, some crying and the hope Uiat some other group doesn't charge thorn with'dirty rush*. Chances are it will happen anyway, for sorority women are not allowed to speak to women even registered for Panhellenic rush, save an occasional greeting, But some girls can't keep their mouUis shut - Uie Paw looks for trouble. To carry it further, the fraternities have been models of co-operation this quarter, A few examples: ...As always, Uie kidnapping and refusing to let other fraternities into a rushee's room. ...At least two fraternities sent certain future pledges t/j other smokers ... to do dirty- work. ,.,To hear two organizations tell it, another two fellow groups are loaded with homosexuals. ,.,Just ask any fraternity man; he can tell you how bad the other five groups are. Surely the fraternities and sororities are the most active groups on the campus. They add most of the spice, and all of the spirit, to whatever happens in this college community. But if Uiey are going to function, why not do it right? A restricted formal rush with an equal shake for everybody is By The Inimitable PAW the only answer for fraternities. The wrinkles would be worked out in time. But thank Uie powers that be Uiat it's over for a while. Now everyone can go home and buy hundreds of Christ ■ mas cards to send to persons in Uie other groups. It's the genuine sincerity that counts, you know. THE PAW'S PLATITUDE That which you cannot say in Greek, you should not say atall. FOOD FOR THOUGHT Was registration funny, or was it really just a bad joke? What student government we possess may have suffered another setback last week (Or, people should mind their own business.) Anybody been flooded in Uie Establishment lately? Where there's fiame, it's FIRE, Old Gripe. The campus needs more lights and less mud. Somebody Uiat takes pride in his vocabulary of profanity - go listen to the construction workers around Uie student center. Whew! Send Uie dormitory maids back to school. They need to learn how to TALK ~ not whistle in codes, Is it possible that an important campus minority is about to be slighted in the yearbook? Back the Cats, BACK THE CATS. Student support has been great at ball games so far. Catawba hurt us, Presbyterian was more in line with Death Valley competition. And of course the Cats hxik the Holiday Tournament, The small Union College jinx was broken, and Montclair and Belmont Ab bey fared even worse. See the tats piay and have a foot- stomping good time. Now is your chance to become part of the heritage of Western Carolina University, You can design Uie flag which will become the official flag of Western Carolina. As part of the growing traditions of the ! niversity, Alpha Phi Omega Ser vice Fraternity is s|x>nsoring open competition to students and faculty for Uie creation of a WCU' Flag, A committee is being carefully gathered from interested college officials and student leaders to make Uie selection from Uie entries. After pass • ing final approval by Uie Student Senate, administrative committees, and the Boardof Trustees, the chosen design will be made into a flag with Uie recommendation that the flag be hung in the new Hinds University Center. A plaque will be presented to Uie winning designer and another plaque will be placed beneath the flag which will include the designer's name. Entries should be submitted either by drawing or by detailed description along with a sketch. Students should place their design in a sealed envelope with only the student number on the back. Faculty may use their social security number. Place name and student number or social security number in a separate sealed envelope.' Mall these together to: Wayne Carver, Box 465, Cullowhee, N.C. Closing date u for entries Is January 31,1968. My now this must seem to be a general statement of approval of the workings of Student Co ■ v ernment Uiis year. If so, I offer my sincere apologies. The Student Senate last year seemed to be as completely apathetic on Uie whole as it was ixissible to be and still function. Well, so much for making conclusions wiUiout all the facts. Last year it seemed that a few of the senators were doing the work for Uie entire b< >dy. This year may bring about the end of Uie problem, The number of senators who could be convicted of work, even on the basis of circumstantial evidence, is so small that next year brings hope Uiat no one will do anything. If you stop and think a moment, however, you may realize that Uie whole student body has a lot to do with Uiis situation. Those people mentioned previously have certainly been doing at least Uieir share of the work and they have been the ones dodging rocks and criticism all year. Perhaps, in Uie future, the proper form of camiwigning will be something like this: "I stand on my own record; I have shown that I will not bother anything." If the student body is going to adopt the attitude of criticizing the every move of those people who do design to work, then perhaps you should simply reelect Uiose who do nothing. One must accept the fact that most of the senators are in- cxiK-rienced this year, but one must also accept the fact Uiat one third of the school year is gone. If Uie President of the U. S, required one third of his term to gain experience, well, let's hope we could find someone else to fill in. There are enough experienced people on the Senate and in the administrative branches to give any needed advice to the new comers. It is interesting to note here that the Presidents of neither house government nor the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee (all of whom are doing a lot of work) has been in office in student government before. As a matter of fact, it may be worthwhile to note that three of the past four senators chosen as outstanding senator of the year were in their first term. In short, it seems that a lot of criticism needs to be reevaluated a)td re-directed. Lets help the people who are trying to further student government, not those who dont care.

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University’s student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1967-12-12;
  • Date digitized: 2017-10-26
• Extent
  • Dimension: 15.75" x 11"
  • Pages: 20 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1967-12-12_Vol33_No18
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library