Well, dear readers, here it is, already Friday, the end of another week. Yesterday, I did quite a lot of things, although I can’t remember any of them, except writing. Let me think… Oh, yes, I took the Writer’s Block CD to get copies made – I’ll have them tomorrow. Oh, yes, I took the cover for the CD and I’ll have those tomorrow night. Oh, yes, I joined my friend Barbara Deutsch, and two of her friends for a drink at Hugo’s (they were having a late lunch). One of her friends who was there was Mr. Kevin Spiritas, who was Mr. Hugh Jackman’s stand-by for The Boy from Oz. He never got to go on, not one time. He’s a very nice chap, and we all had quite a nice time. Oh, yes, I drove to Hollywood, California in my motor car. Today I have an equally busy day of writing, meeting with our Japanese lurker at noon, booking flight and hotel for New York, and picking up a few packages from my mail place. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too?
Last night I finally watched Broadway: The Golden Age. I was wary, oh, yes, I was wary, especially after having watched Broadway: The American Musical which, as you know, I really didn’t care for at all – in fact, I detested most of it. The reasons for that were simple: It was made by a director (or a committee) who seemed to have zero passion for their subject. It had no point of view, it just sort of ambled from thing to thing with no sense, and worst of all tried to be “hip” and pander to young people and today’s style. That’s the kiss of death. I gather that’s what PBS wants these days, to pander to the youth audience – that’s the kiss of death for PBS, frankly. So, I was wary. I needn’t have been, however, because Broadway: The Golden Age has exactly what Broadway: The American Musical doesn’t have – heart, soul, a point of view, and a filmmaker with passion about the subject he’s making a film about. Unlike the other show, this one moved me to tears on several occasions. The stories were great – funny, moving, informative and colorful. You just sit there and marvel at what New York and Broadway were and what they’ve become. They occasionally flash to the Times listing of shows playing in the fifties, and it’s just filled with great actors doing great plays and musicals, all in one season. People could afford to go to the theater then – for the cheap seats it was less expensive than seeing a first run movie. Even though a lot of the shows were events, they didn’t have to be. You just went to the theater, because it was fun, it was New York, and it was affordable. Sondheim points out that people give shows standing ovations now because they feel it justifies having spent a small fortune on them – it makes it seem like an “event” even though the show may stink to high heaven or low hell. I also loved the section where they talked about how understudies never got to go on because performers (especially the mega-stars) would rather have died than miss a performance. As Kaye Ballard points out, today they miss shows for any reason that can be drummed up – they have a tummy ache, their foot hurts, they have to walk their dog, they booked a concert, they have to film a commercial – I mean it’s nauseating. There are some amazing “home movies” of classic plays and musicals. You can imagine how thrilled I was when they showed a home movie of scenes from the original Broadway production of Li’l Abner. I had to watch that three times in a row. Rick McKay did a wonderful job with his film, clearly a labor of love, and he richly deserves all the kudos he’s gotten. Earlier, on another website, I’d read a criticism of his film – the fellow who was doing the criticizing was saying “why didn’t he talk about more directors, or the Actor’s Studio or the Group Theater or this or that.” You just want to bitch-slap that guy and say, “Why don’t you get off your butt cheeks and make that movie.” Rick McKay clearly made the film he wanted, and it’s one of the best things I’ve seen this year. Bravo to him and his entire team. The people who made Broadway: The American Musical should have done a bit more than just trying to come up with a copy-cat program with a similar title – they should have learned the meaning of the word “passion.” It makes all the difference in the world.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get crackin’, oh, yes, I must get crackin’.
Now what shall I write about? I have no idea really. It’s the same problem I had yesterday, of front-loading these here notes. One must not front-load the notes or one will most certainly find themselves in a dither and a conventional one at that. Yes, dear readers, you heard it here – I am in a conventional dither because I front-loaded these here notes. Oh, well, I guess I’ll just have to be in a conventional dither which is, I suppose, better than being in an unconventional dither. Perhaps I’ll tell the story of The Randy Vicar and the Hub Cap. That’s a fine story, if a bit on the randy side.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must go hither and thither whilst being in a conventional dither, and I must go hither and thither before I wither. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player, and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, Alex North’s marvelous soundtrack score to I’ll Cry Tomorrow (which also has the songs from the movie). Also, the new Decca soundtrack to the Paramount film, Anything Goes, with Donald O’Connor, Mitzi Gaynor and Bing Crosby. I’ve never seen the film, but the soundtrack is one of the worst things I’ve ever heard. It sounds terrible, and the arrangements are so annoying that I almost took the CD and hurled it out the window of my motor car. DVD, next up Conquest of Space, a film of George Pal and Byron Haskin. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we. As for me, I am in a conventional dither and that’s all there is to it.