'U' official had hand in 'Amistad'

"Amistad," Steven Spielberg's highly anticipated new movie, has ties to the University through music, the "language of the world."

University Associate Provost and School of Music Prof. Lester Monts is being applauded by the University community for his contributions to the musical score of the film. "Amistad" is scheduled to be released Friday.

"Honestly, my involvement was sort of minimal," Monts said. "But as far as I know, I was the only one that was really consulted, in terms of creating a very ethnic sound."

Monts

The $70 million film follows the 1839 journey of 53 Africans on the Spanish slave ship La Amistad, and their subsequent imprisonment and trial for killing some of their captors.

Monts, who specializes in ethno-musicology of Sierra Leone and Liberia, said he sent samples of his work to Amistad co-producer Debbie Allen at the suggestion of Patrick Pieh, associate director of the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives.

Allen contacted him to say she was interested in soliciting his help with the musical score. While the movie's theme music was actually composed by John Williams, who is known for his music in the Star Wars series, Monts was a key player in communicating African sounds - offering advice and samples of authentic music and chants.

Pieh himself is no stranger to the film. He is a descendant of some of the slaves aboard the original La Amistad, and Pieh's brother had a small role in the film.

"It's always good, when you have a movie like this, to have the music complement the real history. This is a great accomplishment for Dr. Monts," Pieh said.

"The type of work Dr. Monts has done for the movie can only increase the credibility of the movie," Pieh said. "The mere fact that he was invited to view the movie in (Washington), D.C., with the president himself shows that they did recognize Dr. Monts and the University in this important historical scene."

Although "Amistad" is scheduled to open in theaters around the country later this week, Monts said he has already seen the film at a premiere screening in Washington, D.C., with President Clinton and the First Lady.

"It was really exciting to go to the special showing," Monts said. "I met Steven Spielberg, and I got to hug Debbie Allen. There were many congressmen and Supreme Court justices that attended."

Music Dean Paul Boylan said he is excited about Monts' achievement and impressed with his ability to juggle University and film responsibilities.

"It is wonderful, and I'm very pleased," Boylan said. "Dr. Monts is a very noted ethnomusicologist and has conducted very extensive research on African music. He is a well-respected scholar and I'm amazed that he's found the time to do this work, along with his duties as an administrator and professor."

Monts said he was satisfied with the way the story is portrayed on film and with the way the music balanced it.

"It's important to recognize that Hollywood is now looking to scholars to verify authenticity and the fact that things can be done in a manner that shows respect to the culture from which it emanates," Monts said. "The film is very powerful. It is a story in our history that really needed to be told, and I am proud to have had a role in it."

"Amistad" is currently surrounded by controversy as Barbara Chase-Riboud, the author of a historical novel "Echo of Lions," claims the movie plagiarized her work. She requested an injunction to delay the opening of the film, which was denied by a judge yesterday.

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