Well, dear readers, the Kritzerland site was launched yesterday at approximately 1:30 in the afternoon. Prior to its launching, we had to deal with a couple of buggy issues. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, we had to deal with a couple of buggy issues. But, the web designer took care of them, and all that is left to deal with is purchases for our International customers – paypal is very strange and complex, and my designer couldn’t deal with those International shipping complexities today – she’ll be taking care of that on Sunday, and all should be well on Monday. The reaction to the site has been lovely, and we even got a few orders yesterday. I’m hoping we get many more than we’ve gotten – as I will keep stating, these preorders are the life blood of any fledgling label. Yesterday was an incredibly busy day – first dealing with the site issues, which took about three hours of the morning. Then, I picked up the galley for my new book, which I must say looks rather good. We’re trying a new font for this book, slightly thinner and a bit smaller, and I like it very much. There are some fun “style” things, too. I then picked up some packages, then came home and began proofing the galley. That will take a few days, but I thought I’d just dive in. I then had a dinner meeting with Miss Tammy Minoff and her mother, and then I came home and sat on my couch like so much fish. I’m still fighting whatever it is I’ve been fighting – I do hope I win, because I do not wish to be ill. I’ve been drinking cup after cup of emergenC, sucking on Ricolas, and even drinking water. I shall not do anything today – just relax, watch DVDs, proof, and, at some point, finish the last two or three pages of the short story, which I never even had time to open yesterday. Now, if you haven’t journeyed to Kritzerland, you must do so immediately. We’ve got audio clips for both of our debut releases, we’ve got a lovely photo gallery for both albums, we’ve got an interview with Tony Walton, we’ve got video of the recording session for After the Ball, and more. So, check it out, buy a CD or three, and send us a test e-mail via the contact button.
Last night I watched a motion picture entitled Kansas City Bomber, starring Miss Raquel Welch, Mr. Kevin McCarthy, and, in a one-scene appearance, a very young Jodie Foster. First, let me say that the idea behind Kansas City Bomber, a film about women’s roller derby, was a great idea. A great milieu, a chance to have a lot of fun with a lot of colorful characters. Unfortunately, they didn’t make that movie. Instead, they gave us a lifeless, turgid, and terrible film. None of it makes any sense, the characters are completely uninteresting (no mean feat), and the roller derby sequences are so ineptly directed that they are laughable. It doesn’t help that the stunt doubles for Miss Welch and other leading women skaters are all men in bad wigs. It’s so obvious that you just sit there and scratch your head that such filmmaking could occur. I always want to like Miss Welch. I always root for her to be good. But, she never is. She’s a competent actress, I suppose, but all you see is the acting skirt showing, and I never believe one word she’s saying. The transfer is fine, and the film does have an interesting and nice score by Don Ellis.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because we’ve got a little thing we like to call the Unseemly Trivia Contest coming up in the next section.
I do hope you’re all finding Kritzerland. I know I have. And now, dear readers, it is time for our Unseemly Trivia Contest question. Here it is:
It was an incredible season on Broadway. No less than 10 plays and musicals that debuted that season were made into films. When was the last time that happened? In any case, one of the hit plays, by a well-known playwright, was turned into a film – but only one of its cast members would go on to recreate their original role in said film. In fact, the leading role in the film version of the hit play would go to another person who was starring in another play on Broadway at the exact same time. While that person got to play the leading role in the film of the hit play, that person did not get to recreate their role in the film of the play they were appearing in. Are we clear? Now, the person who played the lead in the hit play did go on to co-star in a classic film (and in that classic film was one of her co-stars from the hit play). That classic film was based on a novel by someone who also had a hit play on Broadway that season. With me so far? One of the co-stars of the hit play would, a few years later, go on to star in one of the most controversial and great plays of the 20th century. Oh, and the hit play would soon have another claim to fame. So –
Name the hit play?
Name the cast member who would recreate their role.
Name the person who played the leading role in the film version of the hit play, and name the play they were appearing in at the same time as the hit play.
Name the person who played the lead in the hit play, and name the classic film they would co-star in (to great acclaim). Name the co-star from the hit play who also appeared in the classic film, and name the author of the novel the classic film was based on, and the hit play that the author had on Broadway at the same time as the hit play of our contest.
What was the hit play’s other claim to fame?
Whew! Remember: DO NOT POST YOUR ANSWERS TO THE SITE. Send them to me at bruce@haineshisway.com (and don’t worry if it appears that your e-mail bounced – I do get them). You have until midnight on Monday to submit your answers. Good luck to one and all and also all and one.
I have to decide whether to go see Mr. and Mrs. Smith this evening at a private screening. Has anyone seen it? If so, let’s have your thoughts.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, proof my galley, I must write, I must pick up packages, I must relax, I must drink cup after cup of emergenC, and I must do some errands whilst driving about in my motor car. Today’s topic of discussion: Everyone always talks about their favorite year for movies (usually 1939) – in fact, we had that topic just a week ago. But, what do you think was the best season ever on Broadway – a season with the best new musicals and plays? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and let’s all visit Kritzerland and romp around like a gazelle ordering CDs.