Well, dear readers, today is the “official” launch of kritzerland.com, the day we post that the site is up and running. We actually had a nice number of preorders over the weekend, which was lovelier than lovely. I also sent out a huge mass e-mailing and heard back from some terrific folks who are very pleased about the new label. This week I’ll start taking the specialty shops’ preorders, and we’re going to try to find out what the online sites will want, product-wise. I’m being very conservative on the number of units I press, so if it begins to look like I underpressed, I’ll have plenty of time to rectify the situation, oh, yes, I will have plenty of time to rectify the situation. The reaction to the site itself has been great – everyone loves the design and especially the ease of it. I now have good news for our International hainsies/kimlets – you can now preorder your CDs, too – the International shipping option is now included on the main page and on each of the CD listing pages. Despite taking NyQuil last night, I spent most of the nighttime hours tossing and turning and also turning and tossing. I slept during that time, but I awoke completely at five in the morning. I got up, made a post, drank some hot emergenC, then got back into bed, fired up a DVD, and within fifteen seconds of the movie’s beginning I was fast asleep. Prior to that, I’d tried to talk myself to sleep by telling myself the story of The Randy Vicar and the Fruit Compote, but it was such a randy story that I stayed awake for the whole thing. Thank goodness I fell asleep to the movie. I managed to get another four hours, which I really needed. Yesterday, I only left the house briefly to pay a visit to my nearby DVD store, where I got some more early copies of DVDs – Hustle, Starting Over, Lifeguard, and Race With the Devil. Otherwise, I was in the home environment taking care of myself. I proofed most of the galley, I finished the short story I’d been working on for the last few weeks, I attended to some business matters, and I ate an odd assortment of foodstuffs, but unlike The Randy Vicar, did not partake of the Fruit Compote. Oh, and I watched a few DVDs. To wit:
The first motion picture on DVD I watched was entitled Planet of the Vampires, a 1965 sci-fi film directed by Mario Bava. It’s quite a strange little film, but it’s stylishly directed by the great Bava – very colorful photography and interesting sets. The cast is okay – Barry Sullivan and lots of Eyetalians. The DVD I watched was a new region 2 release from Germany. The film is out in the US from MGM/UA but, as usual for that company, it’s in its proper ratio but not enhanced for widescreen TVs – this German release is enhanced and looks grand. I then put on a DVD just to check out the transfer, but I ended up watching the whole film because it was so delightful. The motion picture was entitled It Happened In Naples, which I’d never seen. It’s very amusing, beautifully played by Clark Gable and Sophia Loren and the little boy whose name I don’t know. Also, amusing support from Vittorio de Sica as Gable’s lawyer. I think this film is one of Loren’s best – she’s sheer delight in every frame. Gable is completely charming as well. The best part is it was all shot on location in Italy in beautiful Technicolor and VistaVision and this transfer is spectacular. In fact, I would say that, of late, Paramount has become my favorite studio releasing DVDs. All of their recent transfers are great, and their lack of extras is actually a blessing. I am quite done with extras. Paramount never gets its due – all the pundits on that well-known and ridiculous DVD site spend all their time and energy praising Warner Bros. In fact, it’s most amusing reading comments on the new Warners Film Noir Box 2. I gather the source material for the transfers is occasionally rough, but all the little butt kissers there just excuse it because it’s Warners. If those same exact transfers had been put out by Columbia or Fox or Universal you would hear screams and squeals of protest about how awful and shoddy they were. But, it’s Warners, so they pardon them and say, “The source material is rough, but that’s not Warners’ fault.” Can’t play that game that way, butt kissers. Sorry to tell you. I seem to have gone off on a tangent, haven’t I? Where was I? Oh, yes, Paramount is now my favorite studio releasing DVDs.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below, because I have one more DVD to tell you about, and also other various and sundried things.
The final DVD I watched was entitled Bride and Prejudice (a ridiculously cutesy title). The movie isn’t terrible – it’s just a strange pudding of a film – not really Bollywood but trying to be that and everything else. Some of the dancing is fun, but too often the songs don’t sound Bollywoodesque at all – they sound like typical US pop. The actors are all fine, but it just never engages, and it meanders along good-naturedly for its too-long two hour running time. Transfer is excellent, as is sound, but, you know, the film is, at best, a time killer.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? I sure do wish my sore throat would go away. It’s really annoying me. I sick of drinking emergenC, and popping Ricolas. And now, the the unseemly cough has made its presence known, as it always does during these sorts of illnesses. It’s really annoying me.
Today, I shall finish proofing the galley, I shall still have to stay in and relax, because tonight I have to attend a meeting at LACC about this fundraiser I’ll be co-directing come November. I also have a lot of Kritzerland business to attend to, including getting out press releases, as the person who was supposed to do that, didn’t do that. I also have to find someone here in LA who will come and do shipping for me part time – yes, there will be pay.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must proof, I must make telephone calls on the telephone, I must feel better, damn it all, and I must attend a meeting, and I must find time to eat something edible. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite amusement parks and what are your favorite amusement park rides – the best, and also the worst? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I try to banish once and for all this ridiculous illness that’s got its icy fingers on me. Damn them, damn them all to hell.