Well, dear readers, here it is, Friday, the last Friday in May. Soon June will be bustin’ out all over, which I find hard to believe. Even harder to believe is that half of 2005 will soon be over. But let’s not jump the gun. Have you ever jumped the gun? Did the gun go off? It is quite dangerous to jump the gun and, conversely, it is quite dangerous for the gun to jump you. I, of course, cannot jump the gun since I do not own a gun. Nor can I gun the jump since I do not own a jump. I do believe I have exhausted the topic of jumping the gun, don’t you? Yesterday, I had a lovely breakfast with a pal at the Farmer’s Market – this may become something I do every now and then as I find it quite enjoyable. I then stopped at Aron’s Records and spoke to my friend Brad, who is the buyer for show music there. He is very excited about the new label and he’ll be getting our titles a bit earlier than anyone else on the West Coast. Whilst there I picked up two new Criterion DVDs, Orson Welles’ F Is For Fake, and Truffaut’s Jules et Jim. I then drove down to the Screen Actor’s Guild office and reinstated myself. I have been errant and truant from SAG for eleven years – I saw no reason to stay. But, recently, I’ve been feeling I should be current with all unions, so now I am. I then came home, paid bills, did some errands, and then finished entering fixes and corrections into the book. Today I shall be going through again to make sure I didn’t miss anything, and then there are a few outstanding issues that I need to discuss with my friend and muse, Margaret. Once all that is done, then we begin designing the book and figuring out the cover. I suppose I can now tell you the book’s title. It’s called Rewind, a title I’m very fond of. I’ll release a few more details as we begin the design of the book. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too?
Last night I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled House of Bamboo, a film of Samuel Fuller. I’m a fan of Mr. Fuller – I find him an endlessly fascinating director, and one who is completely unique. House of Bamboo, for me, is not one of his absolute best, but it’s mighty entertaining, and it’s beautifully shot on location in Japan in Cinemascope and color. Robert Ryan, as always, is great, and Robert Stack is quite good as well. The supporting cast are all excellent. The film is not quite as kinetic as most Fuller films, but visually it’s great to look at, and the transfer is gorgeous – enhanced scope and vivid color. The four-track stereo sound is great, too. The release is one of three films noir from Fox – I think it’s stretching it a bit to classify this film as noir, though.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below before we all jump the gun.
I’ve been getting some mighty interesting e-mails. I got one yesterday from someone who said I went out with them in the mid-eighties. She mentioned some of what she called our “funky” dates – I remembered only one, but really could not remember who she was. I’m hoping she’ll send a photo, which may jog my memory. The real fact is, that I was so very unhappy for five or six years in the 80s, that I’ve blocked out most of those years. She wrote me because it turns out she’s studying piano with our very own Mr. Terry Trotter, and my name came up. I’ll keep you posted as to whether I remember anything further.
Now wait just a darned minute. I think we’d just better stop what we’re doing and put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons. I think we’d just better break out the ham chunks and the cheese slices, I think we’d better dance the Hora or the Lambada (the forbidden dance) because we’ve got us a birthday to celebrate. Yes, Virginia, today is dear reader Arnold M. Brockman’s very own actual birthday. So, let us give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to dear reader Arnold M. Brockman. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO DEAR READER ARNOLD M. BROCKMAN!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must have one more go-through on the book, I must go through the play again as well, I must begin a new short story, I must pick up a package or three, and I must do some telephoning and some e-mailing. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your DVD/video player, and your CD player? I’ll start – CD, still the new Guy Haines album. As I’ve said, I’m still finessing the order a bit. DVD, next up, The Street With No Name and Nightmare Alley. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and, just for fun, let’s all jump the gun.