Film-maker hopes sex, violence will fade out

Press, 14 October 1986, Page 4

Film-maker hopes sex, violence will fade out

By

MARGARET BAKER

Softly spoken Ken Zemke is not the hardnosed glamorous type you expect an Emmy Awardwinning Hollywood filmmaker to be.

The quiet American with 18 years film editing experience in the world of Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount and C. 8.5., talks hopefully about removing violence and gratuitous sex from the movie screen, and bringing back some integrity to the film industry. “People have become so conditioned to the violence that now they expect it, and the producers keep rolling out the sensation to keep the audiences — a wholesome movie doesn’t even appeal to kids anymore.” Zemke, a member of the Baha’i faith, is in Christchurch this week to show his film on the Baha’i and to speak at a public meeting on violence and sex in the media.

Zemke, originally from Buffalo, New York, moved to California when he was aged 18, and made

a successful career in film editing. Some of his credits include the classic television series, “Hogan’s Heroes” and “Barney Miller.” He was twice nominated for an Emmy Award, winning for best editing for a drama series, “Medical Story.” As his career took off, he became more and more disgusted with the growing violence and sex taking over movie screens.

He became a Baha’i in 1971, and found that his business did not mix with his faith.

“We were going in two different directions, fun and games for the film industry meant smashing vehicles and sex blazoned across the screen, while I was wanting to put a little of the dignity and nobility of humankind back into films.”

So, partly to make films on the Baha’i, and partly because Baha’is believe they are “citizens of the world” and it is up to the individual to spread the word, Zemke and his wife, Mary, and their three children came to live in New Zealand in 1981.

“We were looking for a country that had a film industry and spoke English.”

Apart from producing, editing, and directing three films on his faith, Zemke has made a promotional film about Wanganui, and this year won a New Zealand film, industry G.O.F.T.A. award for best editing of the feature, “Came a Hot Friday.”

He thinks New. Zealand film-makers have concen-

trated too much on violence but hopes the trend will reverse itself.

“People will gradually get sick of being insulted when they go to the movies, I’m optimistic that things will change.” While he may not agree with the subject matter, Zemke praises the craftsmanship and knowhow of the film industry here. “The pity is they won’t have any films for Cannes next year, the Government’s money has been taken away and they are finding it hard to keep going.”

He is also optimistic that the industry will survive and do well.

He heard yesterday that a screenplay he had submitted has been accepted and the film, “Connections,” will be made in January. It is .about a young girl who journeys from the South Island to the North Island in search of her father during the Depression — and is unlikely to contain any violence or blatant sex:

Zemke will speak today at the Stringleman Room of the Canterbury Public Library at 8 p.m.