Well, dear readers, here we are on a Monday. Yesterday we had a very good show despite the heinous (heinous, do you hear me?) sound problems. But at least we now know that I was correct all along – that the problems were not microphone-related, cord-related or mixing board-related. As I posted yesterday, I have felt all along it was a speaker issue because the odd fluctuations of level and the way certain people would sound great in one number and have no reinforced sound a few minutes later couldn’t have possibly meant anything else. But, that’s what they tried to tell me – over and over. They finally began to believe me last Friday night when I told them definitively that a speaker had been out. However, when they did a check after the show they were both working (natch). Again, they tried to tell me I wasn’t hearing correctly or that it was a board or microphone problem, and again I said I didn’t think so. Saturday night was a bit better but we still had moments where I could not hear a miked sound. Well, it’s the speakers. Both of them are dead as doornails, or were for our Sunday matinee. I’ve told them I will not play another performance until they’ve a) fixed the problems by getting new speakers, which we then have to test thoroughly, and b) by giving us some financial recompense for the problems we’ve suffered for the last week. What I don’t want is for them to put Band-Aids on the existing speakers. If they do that, we have no way of knowing if they’ll give out again and I’m not taking that chance. We are paying top-dollar for the three-performance weekend and top-dollar means I get a theater in which everything works the way it should. I’ll keep you posted on the outcome.
Last night, I watched two motion pictures on DVD, both film noirs from Universal. First I watched a motion picture entertainment entitled Black Angel. It’s not a great film, but I do enjoy it because of its cast – Dan Duryea and Peter Lorre and Broderick Crawford. It’s directed very well by Sherlock Holmes helmer Roy William Neill. But the script is but a pale shadow of the brilliant novel on which it is based – Mr. Cornell Woolrich’s Black Angel. The transfer is very sharp if not a bit on the dark side. It is film noir, I understand that, but it’s just too contrasty at times for its own good. Then I watched a great film, This Gun For Hire, starring Mr. Alan Ladd and Miss Veronica Lake, along with Mr. Laird Cregar. It has a really good screenplay by Albert Maltz and W.R. Burnett (from the novel by Graham Greene) and it’s well-directed by Frank Tuttle. Oh, how I do love Miss Veronica Lake. She’s the berries and she’s wonderful in this film. In fact, she’s divoon. The Divoon Veronica. Mr. Laird Cregar is always fun to watch, and Mr. Ladd is at his best in his role as a gun-for-hire. Miss Lake’s love interest is played by a very young Robert Preston. I can’t recommend this film highly enough. The transfer is the best of these Universal Noirs – luscious-looking, sharp and excellent mono sound.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below so I can say more about why I love Miss Veronica Lake who, as I’ve said, is both the berries and divoon.
Yes, Virginia, I love me my Veronica Lake. Or, I suppose it could be, Yes, Veronica, I love me my Virginia Lake. I fell head-over-heels in love with Miss Veronica Lake the first time I set my eyes on Mr. Preston Sturges’ Sullivan’s Travels. If you’ve never seen her or her peek-a-boo hair, run, don’t walk, to your nearest store and get either Sullivan’s Travels or This Gun for Hire. Once you’ve seen The Divoon Veronica you will feel as I do.
Don’t forget, tonight is our Unseemly Live Chat at six o’clock Pacific Mean Daylight Savings Time. Be there or be round.
I’m looking forward to relaxing for the next couple of days, and clearing my head to begin work on something which I’ll talk about soon. I also have to do the final corrections of novel number four. I’m also, at some point this week, being driven down to Costa Mesa to see Alet’s ever-lovin’ Andy Taylor in The Producers. They were kind enough to ask me and Tammy as a little show of gratitude.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must relax, I must clear my head, I must head my clear, I must eat, I must watch a DVD or two and whatnot. Have I mentioned that I love me my divoon Veronica Lake? Today’s topic of discussion: Who are your favorite movie goddesses from the Golden Age – say 1920-1960? You know, the ones that made your little hearts go pit-a-pat or the ones you thought were the most stunningly beautiful, both looks-wise and acting-wise. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we? We shall.