Tired of Seeing Flimsy Films

Having just read an article in Salient about the Fijian-entred international evening, I feel moved to comment. Although I was not present and thus did not see the film in question, I understand that this film was so appalling that it moved the Real Fijians in the audience to get to their feet to explode the touristy image of Fiji conveyed by the film. The organisers (an informal group of students and staff, by the way) were themselves displeased by the film and are making every effort to obtain better films for future international evenings.

However, in my mind, your article represents fair criticism and raises two points which I should like to discuss briefly.

Firstly, the contrast of the 'tourist myth' being propagated by the Fijian government, with the deflation of that myth by those who are clearly in a position to know the situation, is one of the aspects which I am pleased to see emerging through the International Evenings. These occasions are intended to bring together overseas and New Zealand students. How many Kiwi students would have been sucked in by the film's image of Fiji? Quite a few I guess. So to my way of thinking to show such a film and then destroy the image it presents can only be a positive step. This I feel is one of the benefits which can be gained from arranging International Evenings. Mixing overseas and New Zealand students cannot but be mutually beneficial since (to steal a line) 'communication is the beginning of understanding.'

Secondly, the writer of the article might do well to ask himself why this film was chosen for screening. The answer of course is that no other films on Fiji were available. In fact, tourist-orientated films seem to be the only ones New Zealanders can get hold of through the usual channels. Obviously, the 'usual channels' see no benefit in providing more realistic films: they couldn't afford to admit to the realities of life in their countries because, guess what? they'd scare those paunchy Yank tourists and the Good Keen Kiwis away from their shores. The availability of good films in this country is one of my grouches. Glance through any film catalogue (National Film Library. Unicine) and you'll find precious few films worth showing. On the other hand, how come the Wellington Film Society and the Sydney Film Co-op have catalogues which make you drool and quiver with jealousy because it's impossible or at least Extremely difficult to get hold of these films. These bodies are both independent of commercial distributors and the latter thus create giant hassles to attempt to prevent anyone from seeing their films. Read the Salient series of articles by Bruce Jesson and you'll see why.

Anyway, I'm tired of the dreadful stale of the film industry here. Good local film-makers are leaving because no-one here can use their services, and obstacles are being placed in our way to prevent our importing good overseas films independently of the commercial stranglehold. There are a few of us on campus who are interest in altering this situation at Victoria. If You too are tired of seeing the same old commercial trash, if You are disillusioned about the stale of films in this country, then call in to the Students' Association office and tell me about it. As your Cultural Affairs Officer, I need your support if I am to work on your behalf.

(PS Where have all the Salient letters gone this year? Diana Ford, where are you?)

The Personal Touch

Today (26 March 1975) I had the misfortune of visiting the Liaison Office, number 34 Kelburn Parade; hat in hand, ready to pour out my woes. The virtual indifference and lack of anything positive in the interview was astonishing!

At a time when students are being herded more than ever, any gesture no matter how small, of sympathy, empathy or understanding is infinitely better than a shrug and being made to feel like a faceless being.

I am a Person! I have a name and a personality, and I resent being treated as if I were a category or a number. Should a liaison officer's attitude be like this? I feel that the negative attitude of the people filling crucial jobs around the university contributes to the sterile atmosphere that pervades this place.

Any attitude is better than apathy!

Rock On?!*...**...yeah!

Concerning that ubiquitous gentleman who, should we credit his own utterance, has the rare experience, has had these visitations, large winged lizards indulging their peregrinations around the inside of his head; concerning the stylish leader of our very own KCORROCK renaissance; concerning the king, no less, of the KCORROCK pages .... only a direct address will suffice me here: What are ya, Brian? Like, I mean it, many of us here in KCORROCK land are wondering. We spend our nights [unclear: o] churned up, trying not to play our borrowed copies of Elton John LPs, trying not, out of sheer perplexity, to stub cigarettes out in each others ears, trying not to cry out, falsetto 'Who's the man behind the smile? Who laughs like a Taniwha down the drains in town? With as you can sec, no more success than Uri Geller has, projecting Dragon in quadrophonic sound round the mountains of the moon.

Ah, but these stone-age dreams I have of you, maestro ... this is a fan letter, I cannot hide it. This last, shattering my sleep, with all the force of 15 Newman's buses, stuffed to the limit with pubescent Hawkes Bay schoolgirls, all on their way to Saxony, all with their knickers off and singing Do Wa Diddey Diddey, And you conducting madly from your tricycle and I kept asking, 'Where is Dustin Hoffman in all this? Where is he?' And on the corner a sad-eyed 30 year old peddling back copies of Rolling Stone ...

So that, the gist is, I got problems, we got problems and only you can help. Last Tango in the Populaire Milk Bar indeed; but can we somehow go outside of all this, sit for an hour on the ruined balcony above the sea, drip fat, gin-heavy tears on the programme nods and talk a little. Can we?

Concert Rip-Offs

With the amount of concerts at present being staged here in Wellington and all the subtle connotations of rip-offs by promotion firms one has to ask whether it really is worth-while to support these so-called artists and their entourage of money hungry 'hangers on'.

Let the cry go out throughout the land for a second renaissance where art in all its forms can once again be perpetrated freely in the streets.

I Want My Coat

With winter approaching faster than summer a few students who consider foresight a virtue along with a lack of scruples, are getting prepared by stealing other students' coats. I warn all students who leave coats hanging in public places of the risk they take. I also offer a $20 reward to anyone who can supply information leading to the recovery of my own coat which was stolen from the library foyer. It is a full-length, leather coat of 1938 vintage (given to me by an old friend) dark brown, six black buttons (double breasted) and black satin lining. Information can be given in at Salient or to the Students' Association or to Brian Cook (PRM 7877)

Wider Aspects of Education

SRC has in the past shown its concern for government action in a broad field of education policy, including such areas as pre=school education state aid to private schools, special education programmer for racial minoritires and so on. This concern lies expressed in various policy papers, in the form of motions and resolutions brought down by SRC or at an AGM'

I would have preferred our march on Parliament to have originated from a demand for total government involvement in all areas of education, and not on a single issue which so happened to affect us.

SRC should now consider its stand on other pressing aspects of education policy, and furthermore, the action it intends taking.