Well, dear readers, we are marching inexorably toward Thanksgiving. Turkeys await. Their little behinds are ready to be stuffed. What fun we shall all have on Thanksgiving here at haineshisway.com. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves or even afoot of ourselves. Let’s take one day at a time, like Miss Bonnie Franklin. Yesterday I sent out many invitations to our New York signing, which I’m getting very excited about. I must soon make decisions as to what sections to read from the book – not easy because this book, unlike the Kritzer books, has gamy language throughout. I may end up reading short sections rather than longer sections like I do for the Kritzer books. If anyone who’s read the book has any suggestions, please e-mail them to me. Yesterday, I also picked up some items which may end up being Christmas presents for those hainsies/kimlets who’ve been good little boys and girls. Yesterday was quite a strange day – the sky was clear and bright blue in the morning, but within an hour the sky was completely overcast and remained so until three o’clock when suddenly the sky was clear and bright blue again. Go know. Right now I’m thinking of turkey and all the trimmings. Later, perhaps I’ll think of trimmings with all the turkey. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s take one day at a time, like Miss Mackenzie Phillips. I’m trying to be a good boy, food-wise, so I can be stuffed like the turkey, but I find it difficult to be a good boy food-wise. Yesterday, for example, I couldn’t decide what to eat and I kept driving in circles trying to figure it out, and then I got so annoyed I just stopped at the pizza place and got a few slices. I could have chosen something a lot less fattening, but there you are. However, the only other thing I ate was popcorn in the evening, so I suppose that wasn’t too too bad. Tonight I’m going with our very own Grant Geissman, who’s asked to go to Schwab’s. I will try to be a good boy, food-wise, but it’s difficult at Schwab’s, as I tend to like all the heavy stuff. But, maybe I’ll just have the Caesar Salad and a sandwich or a burger.
Last night, I watched a very strange motion picture on DVD entitled Blind Beast. This is a Japanese motion picture from Japan, made in 1969 (the year in which Writer’s Block takes place). It is a sick, twisted motion picture, but it’s very interesting visually, and the two lead actors are quite good. There is a lot of nudity for back then, and it’s all quite racy and demented at the same time. This director is the same one who gave us Manji, the wacky lesbian film, and the Frank Tashlin-like Giants and Toys. He certainly was eclectic. I then watched episode one of Fanny and Alexander, directed by Ingmar Bergman. This is the first time that the 320 minute TV version has been available here in the United States of America. I’m very fond of the theatrical version, and that’s what I’d started to watch. But, I decided to do the full-length instead. I can say that thus far I prefer the theatrical, but that may just be because that’s what I’m used to. At least half the footage of the first ninety minutes was excised for the theatrical version. I have the feeling that by the end of episode two I’ll be more in the rhythm of the longer version. Interestingly, the transfer of the theatrical version looks better to me – I don’t know if they’re the same or not, but it looks sharper and more stable. I then watched the first half of The Matrix, from the new Ultimate Matrix collection. I still don’t love the film in any way, shape, or form, but I must say this new transfer is reference quality – maybe the best of the year. I guess I’ll attempt to watch the second and third films, even though I hear I will like them even less than the first film.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below whilst we dream of turkeys running about in their booties.
Well, we had a few answers to our Unseemly Trivia Contest and all of them were correct. As this wasn’t that easy a question, kudos to those who guessed the answers. Here was the question:
This play was written by a writer who’d just a few years before had written an iconographic novel set in Southern California, said novel eventually was turned into a motion picture entertainment directed by someone who had directed a famous motion picture a few years prior, said motion picture which was turned into a flop musical. In any case, this play by the writer of the iconographic Southern California novel was a flop, only eking out a little over 100 performances on Broadway. The play was a “comedy” which no one found all that amusing. The leading man of the play was a beloved character actor who appeared in two well-loved films of the fifties, both of which were turned into hit musicals. Also in the cast was a young man who would go onto major motion picture stardom a few years later as a comic actor. Also in the cast was another character actor who, exactly ten years after this play would play a co-starring role (as a town official) in one of the most successful films ever made. The play was directed by someone who was related to one of the most well-known and beloved figures in musical theater.
Name the play
Name the author
Name his iconographic Southern California novel and its movie version
Name the beloved character actor leading man and the two films he appeared in that were turned into hit musicals
Name the young man who would go on to movie stardom
Name the character actor who would co-star in a hugely successful film
Name the director
And the answers are:
Absence of a Cello
Ira Wallach
Muscle Beach/Don’t Make Waves
Fred Clark – Sunset Blvd/Auntie Mame
Charles Grodin
Murray Hamilton (Jaws)
James Hammerstein
Congratulations to our winners: sgurey, machhus, jrand, Michael Shayne, and blueskyfox (Dan). I have put all their names into our handy-dandy electronic hat and the hat has chosen at random, blueskyfox (Dan) as our High Winner. So, if blueskyfox (Dan) will send his address to me, he will receive a sparkling prize. But a hearty back-slap to all those who got this difficult quiz – you’re all big winners.
Turkey, turkey, turkey (that is three turkeys), that’s all I can think about. I think about it morning, noon, and night. I’ve got a turkey on my back. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s take it one day at a time, like Miss Valerie Bertinelli.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must make more notes for my two upcoming projects, I must think about turkey one day at a time, I must do errands and then I must sup with our very own Mr. Grant Geissman. Today’s topic of discussion: We may have done this long ago, but let’s do it again – in the history of sitcoms, what are your favorite fall-out-of-your-chair funny moments from your favorite series? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and let’s have them one day at a time for there is nothing more unseemly than having tomorrow’s postings today.