13 Sect on 3 Ch eapo Trtve. Monda. 22. 1575 TV-Radio Death Wish5 a bit too deadly for TV? Gary 1 Deeb TV-Radio crftc A it V' 1 -DEATH WISH" if the braUl BMvie ta Urh Charles Bronson singlehanded'y tripes out a sleary assortment of miugers, rapists, and smalltime boods who prey on Dice, law-abiding folks In the big city. The Bronson character is an urban vigilante who executes suspected criminals on the spot after tricking them into trying to So a number on him.
The theater crowds cheer with lust every time Bronson blows somebody's brains out. He is a "hero." But, according to Brian Garfield, the author of the book of the same name, from which "Death Wish" was adapted to film, that's not the way he wrote it. "MICHAEL WINNER (the movie's director crucified my story," Garfield charges. "He ad-libbed it In the book, the character Bronson portrays is presented for what he is a vigilante and a murderer. He's supposed to be evil.
But in the movie he's a knight on a white horse." Garfield is particularly outraged because CBS has purchased the picture for probable telecast next fall. He feels the film's message that violence is OK as a solution to crime could be socially harmful when pumped into millions of homes on a Friday night. "To put that movie on prime-time TV would be irresponsible and potentially dangerous to society," he fumes. "There are many impressionable viewers, particularly young people, who tend to emulate the heroes they see on TV." GARFIELD RECENTLY took his argument to Federal Communications Commission chairman Richard Wiley. "I told Mr.
Wiley that the film is a menace to society. It's the kind of picture that has contributed to the 10 million violent crimes in this country. I didn't suggest that the film be censored. I am opposed to censorship. But if this picture must be brought into the cation's living rooms, it should be in a late-night time clot where children will be less likely to see it." Beyond that, Garfield says he'd be even more delighted if CBS simply would forget about telecasting "Death Wish." He claims he wouldn't mind forfeiting the $50,000 fee that he collects when the movie plays CBS.
CERTAINLY GARFIELD'S public anger has ruffled the corporate feathers at CBS. But don't expect the network to take his advice aod forget about a movie that stands to draw giant ratings. Tom afford, the chief CBS censor, does concede, however, that "Death Wish" will undergo some editing before telecast, and that the film likely will be preceded by "advisories" to alert viewers to its violent content. Which brings us to the question: Is Brian Garfield sincere about all this or is be a publicity seeker with an ulterior motive? IT'S HARD TO SAY for sure. Every time he blasts CBS or the producers of "Death Wish," Garfield slips in a plug for his latest book, "Death Sentence." "Death Sentence" is the sequel to "Death Wish." Garfield says it shows what happens to a man who takes the law into his own bands.
He also says the book soon will be adapted into a movie. And, yes, Garfield will write the screenplay himself this time, so as to avoid staging a repeat of what happened to "Death Wish." Whatever the reason for his outburst, Garfield's statements are fraught with contradiction. HE INSISTS, for Instance, that he's against censorship. Yet he takes his beef to the FCC boss, an opportunistic man who inspired the censorial "Family Hour" that has emasculated some of TV's finest comedy programs. My guess is that Garfield wants "Death Sentence" to be a big hit both as a book and as a movie.
And the best way to guarantee that is to start squabbling with the producers of another hit. In this case, "Death Wish" fits the bill just fine. FLASH! Informed sources at WGN-Ch. 9 report that Ladonna Tittle is being hired to team up with Jack Taylor as coanchor of the station's 10 o'clock news. Charles Bronson: Urban vigilante in "Death Wish." Tittle currently is the 6 p.m.-to-midnigbt deejay at WBMX-FM.
Channel 9's ratings at 10 p.m. have been in a deep freeze for years, usually hovering at 10 or 11 per cent of the audience. THE LOCAL LINE: The Vermeer String Quartet presents its annual "Gift of Music to Chicago" in a Christmas Eve concert at Goodman Theater. The one-hour performance is broadcast live by WFMT 98.7 starting at 10 p.m., rather than midnight as in previous years. George Spink, a big-band fan who's been collecting Glenn Miller records since age 9, broadcasts the best of his personal collection for two hours beginning at midnight Saturday over WWMM-FM 92.7.
Spink's special kicks off a new WWMM series called "Collector's Corner." And the recent 20th birthday celebration at WTTW-Ch. 11 drew 18,000 new viewer-subscribers who pledget $314,000. The Discount Department Store I I open daily and Sunday 1 ITftE" uHl I Mt ln by'the'epeciaiiy! liWlr 'nj. II cl ISli i''-. I I designed woofer In the operating range, vV III vnrli tri nviftno 1 1 i it i I 4 i -J" 9- Good looks good taste all wrapped tip inoEe.
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