Guild Fills Film 'Gap'
U-M Edition, The Ann Arbor News, Thursday, September 9. 1976
Guild Fills Film 'Gap'
BY RICH QUACKENBUSH
Arts Editor
The Cinema Guild is a campus or-
ganization that specializes in present-
ing films of "special artistic and so-
cial importance."
That's the description and "defini- •
tion of purpose" provided by Pat
Murphy, Guide member and past .
chairman of the Guild board.
While that's how and why the Guild
functions to''-- ».i..-"h,. i.,,,i ih,v ^.i...
cialization
of the hist i
The GUI!
early Ifl^
doubtful r i '; • .
knows how it really got started."
There's one version of the Guild's
founding, however, that "makes a lot
of sense," Murphy said.
That version has it thnt •l— " " --
ganization was formed li
footsteps of the somewha
... ... .-.^
guilds were to pro-
; ir the cinematic pro-
ducts of thr so-called left wing docu-
mentary movement of that decade.
"Tin' people who foiinrird tho.sr
"xplains Murp'r-
' the U.M. ••w
serious. But iney were films of real-
ism, which didn't attract audiences."
How does the U-M Guild fit into the
original guild mold?
Most Guild enthusiasts, Murphy
';iims, still see a gap between whai
'inmercial theaters show and whai
serious film viewers wan' *" •'""
'"And then there's 11;
ema Guild, which is a -
to v'li'ii ' original (L-M) (.iiiiii:
nn coming from." Mur-
". became in-
s and schedul-
-..„ ... .... -. ... ... . .culls "there was
quite a gulf between the commercial
and serious film tare available."
Murphy said h": '"••'-••'• "went in
.the direction of . 'CM and
'•American film,->. .. . was the
^Guild's thrust."
Wlilo past Guild seasons have In-fn
a virtual potpouri of recognized
American films great-
and past and recent
ports. Guild schedules ;i .., '; .;;
i some change.
' Today, Guild audiences are as likely
!to find Robert Altman ("Nashville,"
."McCabe and Mrs. Miller") or Mar
, tin Scorcese ("Mean Streets," "Tax.
^Driver") represented on a Guild sea-
son bill as they are to find such direc-
tors as John Ford or Ingmar Berg-
man.
"There arc a lot of good, current
American lilm.s." Murphy explained.
"Happily 'v sophistication
today in ilms. Directors
like Altnii... ,.n. .,,,.,,.ng the ranks of
the world's most respected film mak-
ers. That's why he's on Guild sche-
diilrv Aflcr ,ili. m:r most importani
: ,K| films."
''.in: vim 11; ;;ir iiiiild decides what
is a good 1'ilm"
Nominations for showing come from
the board of directors, which "is gen-'
erally maintained at about a dozen
Guild members, the majority being
students," Murphy said.
Guild members vole on the nom-
inees. The Guild. Murphy notes, ac-
tively looks for student members, al-
though it also includes members from
the Ann Arbor community. Notices of
Guild ni hip
proccdur. .us
early in '.I
„ Since the 1111.
operated in Ai, iditorium
in the old Arcl;i,.i;i.m.i Juilding at
Monroe and Tappan Streets.
Murphy said the Guild, through ii
box office rccoip' : " '- - ' • ,.wn
pro.iector and ^ iif-
lieves the vie\in .;.:.,' •.. nl-
fer is comparable to some uf the
smaller Cttmmercial theaters in
town."
The ,Guild charges admissions r'
$1.25 for adults and 75 cents for clui
dren.
Features of the con. ";ur-
phy said, will include .. .:ion
film festival and the Ann ,\ri>w prem-
iere of the controversial documentary
"Grey Gardens."
Complete schedules (if Guild ot'ter-
ings will be available and distributeil
^arly_n_he_allterm. ^ . ^ ^ ^,