MOVIESReacting to Clinton: It was only a...

MOVIES

Reacting to Clinton: It was only a brief remark buried in a speech that went on for 81 minutes, but it was enough to catch Hollywood’s attention. President Clinton, in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, blasted what he called “the incessant, repetitive, mindless violence and irresponsible conduct that permeates our media all the time” and urged the entertainment industry to be more responsible. On Wednesday, Jack Valenti, head of the Motion Picture Assn. of America, said that the President was echoing the thoughts of some congressmen and senators, not launching a new attack on Hollywood. Still, Valenti said, “Beating up on television is easy because it’s a fat target.” And, he noted that the level of violence on TV programs is actually coming down from previous years. Others in the entertainment industry agreed with Valenti. Producer Marvin Worth (“Malcolm X”) asked, “How can you disagree? It’s such a generalization. Who can defend gratuitous violence?” Director Arthur Hiller said, “I agree with (Clinton). We do have obligations and we do have to be very aware of what can happen.” . . . Meanwhile, Pope John Paul II also called on filmmakers Tuesday not to focus on hatred and violence, saying in a statement coinciding with the centennial of motion pictures: “The cinema, while having the power and great merit to contribute to the growth of culture and the individual, can also . . . be used as a mirror for negative behavior with scenes of violence and sex that offends the dignity of the person.”

THE ARTS

Urging Support: Actor Charlton Heston intervened on behalf of the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities on Tuesday, prompting a burst of applause from a House Appropriations subcommittee after he urged it continue funding the two government agencies. The actor’s remarks followed testimony by two former NEH chairmen--William Bennett and Lynn Cheney--who advocated elimination of both agencies, saying they have been compromised by political correctness and intellectual corruption. “Art is good for the soul,” said Heston, who concluded his remarks with a recitation from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” A frequent spokesman for conservative causes, Heston also referred to the controversies that have plagued the agencies’ grant-making efforts, saying: “Both endowments have made mistakes, often grievous mistakes. Some of the grants have been simply indefensible. . . . But this does not, in my view, lead to the conclusion that the endowments should be defunded.” NEA Chairwoman Jane Alexander speaks on the issue today before the Senate Labor Committee.

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‘Scream’ Charges Filed: Four Norwegians were charged Wednesday in the theft of Edvard Munch’s masterpiece “The Scream,” Norway’s best-known painting. The men have been suspects since the 1893 painting, estimated to be worth $55 million, was recovered undamaged in May. Two were charged with grand theft and two with receiving stolen property, crimes punishable by up to six years in prison. The painting was stolen from the National Art Museum in Oslo during a 50-second break-in on Feb. 12.

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Museum Director Picked: As expected, the Laguna Art Museum board has picked Naomi Vine, 45, as its new director. Currently the manager of New York’s Parsons Dance Company, Vine was described by board president Teri Kennady as having “the skills, the talents, the savvy, the sophistication, the knowledge, to be the leader who will take us into the future.” The appointment is effective March 1.

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OCPAC’s Good News: Exceeding expectations for both ticket sales and donations, the Orange County Performing Arts Center not only has ended in the black for the ninth consecutive year but also reversed a downward trend that began in 1992. According to preliminary figures announced Tuesday by newly promoted center president Tom Tomlinson, box-office receipts came to $16.5 million last year, about $2 million more than anticipated. Concessions and other income raised the total to $18.8 million, and fund-raising brought in another $5.1 million, again far beyond the center’s goal. Expenses, meanwhile, came to $23 million.

QUICK TAKES

“Pulp Fiction” writer-director Quentin Tarantino will guest star on the Feb. 22 episode of ABC’s “All-American Girl,” playing Margaret Cho’s new heartthrob. The episode is called “Pulp Sitcom.”. . . Country star Garth Brooks has roped in the No. 1 spot on the nation’s pop chart for the fifth week in row, after his “Hits” collection sold an estimated 238,000 albums at U.S. record stores last week.