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April 1, 2005:

NO NOTES TODAY – OOPS, APRIL FOOL’S!

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, here we are on the first day in June. Oops, April Fool’s. No, seriously, here we are on the first day in April, a very special day for the fools of the world. To have the ability to be a fool sometimes is a wonderful thing. Yes, Virginia (who is a fool), it is April Fool’s Day and I, for one, welcome in April with open arms and closed feet. And, the final day of March turned out to be lovelier than springtime – oh, a Frank Loesser reference. I arose bright and early, and then did some things that needed doing around the home environment. I then picked up the newly printed copies of the book manuscript. Of course, this morning I made three more little changes, so I had to write those in in pen, but I shall now print up yet two more copies. I then had a splendidly splendid luncheon with Miss Tammy Minoff and her friend. The food was excellent, the conversation was sparkling, and we even got some work done on their TV movie treatment. I then picked up a nice big package, which contained a really cool piece of illustration art from an early sixties Dell paperback entitled The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart. The art is by a legendary paperback artist, Victor Kalin. I’ll take a photograph of it before I cart it off to the framers for framing. I then picked up a couple of advance copies of DVDs, including the most important release of the year, me-wise – Li’l Abner. I was so excited I behaved, I’m afraid, like a kid at Christmas. I took a late afternoon swim and spoke to some people via telephonic communication. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too?

Prior to putting Li’l Abner in the DVD machine, I finished watching a motion picture I’d begun the night before. This motion picture was quite strange. It is a Japanese motion picture entitled The Face of Another, from the director/writer team of the critically acclaimed Woman in the Dunes. This film has a certain affinity to the Georges Franju masterpiece, Eyes without a Face, although it is completely different in tone and intent. The Face of Another is a very slow, very methodical, and very surreal film. It is also a visual tour de force of filmmaking. Tetsuya Nakadai turns in one of this finest performances as the man without a face (hideously burned in an accident). It’s compelling viewing and even though it is quite long at two hours, it is never boring. It won’t be up everyone’s alley, but for those with a taste for foreign language art films, and for those with an all-region DVD player, it’s worth a look. I then could barely get in the Li’l Abner DVD fast enough. Since the film is the only thing on the DVD and since there are no language options other than the film’s original mono track (it was only released in mono), I dove right in. I will preface my remarks by saying the only way one could see this film heretofore was on VHS tape. That tape was full-frame, ugly, yellowish, and completely soft and almost out-of-focus, which is sort of disastrous for a film as colorful and VistaVision sharp as Li’l Abner. The minute the Paramount and VistaVision logos came up I know I was in for a treat. Sharp, vibrant, and perfect-looking. The film is, of course, presented in 1:85 and anamorphically enhanced for widescreen TVs. The first shots in the film are great-looking – in fact, the entire opening credits and opening number are great looking. Until, that is, we meet Daisy Mae. The entire length of her shot is slightly soft and out-of-registration, then the image immediately gets better on the next shot. This proves to be a recurring problem for about ten percent of the transfer. But, oh, that other ninety percent is splendidly splendid and I’m very happy with the DVD. It does fall short of perfection, but what’s there is pretty darn cherce. I haz spoken. The film, which I’ve written about at length, is a fairly faithful recreation of the Broadway production, complete with a recreation of Mr. Michael Kidd’s dances. Most of the play’s cast recreate their original roles, too. Newcomers are basically Stella Stevens and the divinely divine Miss Leslie Parrish. Every performance in the film is wonderful – you just don’t see timing like that anymore. Watch carefully as Mr. Stubby Kaye and Mr. Howard St. John nail every laugh and every double take. Watch carefully and you’ll see two chorus girls who would both go on to play in hit TV series of the seventies – Valerie Harper and Beth Howland. Can anyone hold a pig like Carmen Alvarez as Moonbeam McSwine? Certain jokes in this film cause me to roar with laughter for minutes at a time. Peter Palmer IS Li’l Abner – there could not be more perfect casting. Julie Newmar as Stupefyin’ Jones is so stunning your eyes practically pop out of your head watching her. Billie Hayes and Joe E. Marks are the perfect Mammy and Pappy Yokum. But, for me, the film belongs to Leslie Parrish as Daisy Mae. Not only is she stunning and delectable and as gorgeous as anyone I’ve ever seen on the screen (and don’t we love her outfit), she’s really terrific in the role – she’s funny, she’s real, and most importantly, she’s touching, so you really feel for her and Abner’s plight. My guess is that that element wasn’t as strong on stage with Edith Adams. Miss Parrish, of course, doesn’t do her own singing, but her voice double sounds like Leslie looks, so it works out fine. The score is a four-star delight from opening number to finale. Gene de Paul’s music is toe-tapping, catchy, beautiful and hummable, and Johnny Mercer’s lyrics are as good as it gets. To wrap it all up in a big pink ribbon – it’s grand to finally have Li’l Abner on DVD, especially looking and sounding this good, small caveats aside.

That was a love letter, wasn’t it? Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because in the next section I am finally going to reveal the title and plot of my new book.

Oops, April Fool’s! I tell you, I am going to act foolish all the livelong day and evening. No one will play the fool better than I. I shall be foolish in everything I say and do, and I shall flit about like a gazelle in short-shorts.

I have quite a full day ahead of me. First, I must go to Mr. Grant Geissman’s home environment to hear the two new tracks he’s done. After that, there are only three more to go and we’ll be ready to do vocals and our horn date. Miss Jessica Rush will be there to rehearse her duet with the elusive butterfly of love, Mr. Guy Haines. As soon as I’m done there, I shall hie myself to the Hills of Beverly to attend an auction with my pal Mr. Nick Redman and his pal, Miss Julie Kirgo. That should be fun. Then I shall hie myself home and find someone to eat and be foolish with.

Oh, have I mentioned that an extremely cute twenty-three year old has proposed to me? Oops, April Fool’s! Big time.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must make tracks to hear tracks, I must rehease with Guy and Jessica, I must attend an auction, and I must eat foolishly with a fellow fool or three. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player, and you DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, some classic Beach Boys albums I’ve been meaning to play, part of a UK box set (three albums) in mini LP sleeves. Very enjoyable, as I tool about in my motor car with my newly purchased trendy sunglasses. Video player, episodes of John Cassavetes’ Johnny Staccato. DVD, Teacher’s Pet, with Mr. Clark Gable and Miss Doris Day. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we all act as foolish as is humanly possible. It’s the one day we’re allowed, so let’s take advantage of it. I shall be parading around my new svelte body – I’ve lost thirty pounds, you know. Oops, April Fool’s!

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