Well, dear readers, we had a lively and sparkling Unseemly Live Chat last night, with much excellent discourse on a variety and also a Hollywood Reporter of topics. We discussed the TV version of The Music Man, we discussed Miss Barbara Cook, we discussed many, many, many (that is three manys) things and we had a lovely time doing so. The room was quite full and I feel that soon we will be the most popular site on all the Internet.
Last night I finished watching Mr. Robert Siodmak’s The Killers and I must say it’s rather a splendid film. It was Burt Lancaster’s starring debut and he’s terrific, and it’s also an early film for Miss Ava Gardner, and in my opinion she’s never been better than in this film. There is a realness and simplicity to her performance that I’ve never seen in subsequent performances, where she really “became” Ava Gardner. The supporting cast is superb, every single player, and I can never say enough about Edmond O’Brien. The transfer is lush black-and-white, which really shows off the photography beautifully. Then I watched Mr. Don Siegel’s The Killers, which I’m not nearly so fond of. Then I watched the first two-thirds of Mr. Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. If you’ve only seen this film in fifth generation dupes of fifth generation dupes you are in for a bit of a shock. The film has been painstakingly restored from elements uncovered all around the world. There is a nice documentary included on the restoration – every frame of the film was restored digitally by hand and the results are not only amazing they are astonishing. It’s like ten pounds of accumulated dirt and grime have been wiped away and the image is breathtaking. The film doesn’t jump about in the gate, there are no lines or streaks, the contrast is unbelievable and watching it you simply can’t believe it’s over seventy years old. The film itself is a phantasmagoria of incredible imagery (ripped off many times for other less-interesting films) and is a must-see. This version has the original orchestral score written for the film’s premiere, wonderfully recorded and in 5.1 stereo sound. It’s also been restored to its proper length – where footage is still missing, they’ve put in title cards to explain what is missing. Get it, watch it, and be as amazed and astonished as I was. Perhaps I should have these notes restored. Can you imagine? Years of grime and dirt wiped away to reveal the sparkling sheen underneath? Yes, let’s restore these here notes immediately.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Isn’t today a holiday? Shouldn’t we all be clicking on the Unseemly Button below? We should, we shall, and we will, not necessarily in that order.
Now, because several of you have been errant and truant, I really recommend you read the weekend notes because there are many interesting and amusing things there and you will simply not be in the know if you don’t. For example, there is an Unseemly Trivia Contest. There are revelations revealed, posts posted, and words written.
I shall be relaxing on this holiday Monday. I shall be taking notes (if the sun manages to come out, I shall be taking notes in the yard), I shall be eating various and sundried foodstuffs and I shall be watching motion pictures and listening to music. What will you dear readers be doing?
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do all of which I’ve mentioned in the paragraph above thereby negating the point of this paragraph entirely. What on earth was I thinking of, that’s what I’d like to know. I should be flogged like Judge Turpin. Today’s topic of discussion: Tell us your thoughts on last night’s TV version of The Music Man. Did you love it, did you hate it, tell us everything. I’ll be checking in to see your excellent posts so post away, my pretties.