Mailbox .. . .
Overreaction
Roger Sharpe's tirade against
the film, "Tilt," (Duck Pinball!
Here Comes "Tilt"! Feb. 15, 1979)
is predictable. from an industry
man, but it is an extreme
overreaction in light of the
movie's mediocrity.
Apparently, Sharpe has read
only the Dell paperback, an
undoubtedly juiced-up version of
the original Rudy Durand story
used in the movie, which was
categorically tedious.
I have seen an advance screen-
ing of the movie and, as an
operator and citizen, I must
inform Sharpe that "Tilt" is no
threat to the amusement in-
dustry. "Tilt" doesn't even in-
elude the sex alluded to in his
article. A little "Pretty Baby"
influence in t his film starring
Brooke Shields could only help
the plodding pace.
It should be noted that "Tilt"
has been vacillating between t he
film editor and the film can for
two years. Columbia Pictures (D .
Gottlieb's parent company, ironi-
cally) recently signed to release
the film this spring, but the
studio's committment to "Tilt"
seems shaky at this time, ac-
cording to people close to the
film.
Sharpe's call to arms is un-
necessary. Any area that would
let a movie like this affect
passage of pro-amusement ordi-
nances is better off without
amusement equipment, and so is
the operator.
Nothing is more frustrating
than operating within a set of
hostile and prejudicial regula-
tions in towns that don't want
you. And I highly doubt that any
area trying to liberalize amuse-
ment game rules will be in-
fluenced negatively by this virtu-
ally plotless movie.
Let's face it. Even though our
industry has done much in the
1970s to clean up its reputation
and become more accepted na-
tionwide, it's unrealistic for any
of us to act as if gamblers and
sleazy people don't sometimes
gravitate toward pinball games.
So, I think operators would be
making fools of themselves by
picketing theaters showing the
film , as Sharpe suggests. "Tilt"
simply doesn't have the impact or
authority to threaten pinball
ordinance decisions. The only bad
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publicity "Tilt" promises to stir
up is its own.
"Tilt" is artless, scriptless , and
a waste of talent, time, and
expenses. It's not the kind of fare
that will spur anybody into
Roger
C.
act ion-including
Sharpe when and if he sees it.
Paul M. Thiele
Los Angeles,
California
No worry
Roger Sharpe's lament about
the possibility of the movie "Tilt"
giving our industry a black eye is
well taken and as per usual with
Roger, it is well written .
However, I would not worry
too much about any movie
destroying the image of our
industry or even hurting it. In
spite of the fact that "Tilt"
associates pinball with gambling,
dope, and other vices, I do not
think too many people will apply
the guilt by association rule to
pinball games.
Miss Brooke Shields is still
considered a nice, little girl even
after "Pretty Baby" and "Tilt ;" so
we can say t he same about our
flippers. They are still innocent
per se.
I have not seen the movie yet,
but the words of the main song
from same seem to be what
pinball games really mean to the
masses t hat play them.
Here are the words to the
song "Pinball, That's All": It's the
challenge you've always wanted/
But you're finally in control/You
don't have to dream about it/ It
doesn't matter if you're young or
old/ It's every man's chance to
finally hit the ball/ It's pinball/ It's
my music, it's my T.V./It's the
lights of Las Vegas/ It's Disney-
land to me/ When it puts its back
• · to the wall/ No matter if you're
: short or tall/ It's every man's
: chance to finally hit the ball/It's
pinball- that's all. / Now it may
be just a game to you/ It's
everything to me/ It's pinball.
So, to Roger and everyone
else, all I can say in closing is that
any movie that has a song like
:: this cannot be all bad.
g
I
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6
New
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PLAY METER, April , 1979