Well, dear readers, I am tired of always opening these here notes with the first paragraph. Can’t I just once open these here notes with the second paragraph, just to shake things up? Oh, I know it would be confusing as all get out, and I think we all know just how confusing all get out is. For example, what if I opened these here notes with the next section? Would confusion run rampant? Would rampant run confusion? These are the questions that are fluttering about in the windmills of my mind. Oh, well, I can’t open these here notes with the second paragraph today, since I’m already in the throes of writing the first paragraph today. But one of these days, I’m tellin’ ya, I’m gonna do it, baby, I’m just gonna up and do it, and let the chips fall where they may, which will hopefully be near the salsa. I must say that the opening of today’s notes is quite outré. Speaking of outré, yesterday was quite an outré day or, to put it another way, a day outré. I awoke at six o’clock in the morning, and what sight was I greeted with? A movie location shoot being set up on my very own street (just three houses north of me). I never did find out what it was for or who was in whatever they were shooting. I was far too busy doing other various and sundried things to concern myself with a movie location company. I had a lovelier than lovely luncheon with Miss Tammy Minoff, and then I had to do quite a few errands prior to having my afternoon meeting about the LACC benefit. But, the big news is that my proof copy of the softcover version of my book arrived and I’m happy to say it looks splendidly splendid. The hardcover did not arrive, but I may have to just go ahead and order my copies this morning. That way, I should have them by the end of next week and I can ship a good week prior to the original shipping date. So, if you’ve been holding off let off go and get your order in – there is still a little time to be one of the first fifty to order on the book website, and if you are indeed one of the first fifty you’ll be getting a little sparkling something-or-other with your book. I must say, it’s always quite a thrill to hold the actual book in my hands for the first time. It just gets me all goose-bumpy. The LACC meeting was two hours long and then I was finished with my work for the day, although I still had to make a few telephonic calls.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Black Narcissus, a film that we were discussing the other day on this very site. I’ve had the Criterion DVD since the day it came out, and I was pretty damned happy with it, as it surpassed in quality any other home video presentation of the film. But, yesterday I received the new region 2 DVD of the film – this new transfer was taken from a newly restored negative directly from the camera negative. I really didn’t think it could be all that much better than the Criterion and I was quite incorrect in that assumption. In a word, wow. In two words, wow wow (wow wow, spelled backwards). This new DVD really does replicate what it’s like seeing Black Narcissus in Technicolor. It has the truest colors ever, and the sharpness is beyond belief. You can see every thread in every fabric, and details pop out that you’ve never seen before (the pale makeup used on all the nuns). The color really is spectacular, and it just leaps off the screen into your eyeballs. To my mind, Black Narcissus is one of the five greatest color films ever made, thanks to the amazing photography of Jack Cardiff. As to the film itself, it remains one of the greatest masterpieces of film ever created. It’s a completely one-off film – there literally has never been anything like it. Every single aspect of the film is brilliant – from the script, to the direction, to the camerawork, to the art direction, to the score, to the costumes. It is still mind-boggling to think that the entire film was created in a studio. The cast is faultless – Deborah Kerr is perfection as Sister Clodagh (her performane is so filled with nuance that it requires several viewings to catch them all – I especially love the flashbacks to her pre-nun days, and the almost orgasmic look on her face as we cut back to her in her habit remembering her fiancé). No less perfect is the glorious Kathleen Byron as Sister Ruth. The last fifteen minutes of the film is a visual tour-de-force the likes of which you’ve never seen, and Miss Byron, in her red dress and her red lipstick is something to behold. The lighting in those scenes is brilliant, and the way the images work with the music results in one of the most bravura pieces of filmmaking ever done. Am I gushing? You bet. If you have a multi-region player, the DVD is a must-have. If you don’t have a multi-region player, the DVD is reason to get one. All I’ve done since finishing it is walk around my house like so much fish, saying “Sister Clodagh, Sister Clodagh!” over and over again. In fact, let’s all say it together, in unison, right now, shall we? On the count of three (in a slightly deranged tone of voice): One, two, three – “Sister Clodagh, Sister Clodagh!” There, wasn’t that fun?
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because maybe the next section holds something interesting.
Nope, the next section doesn’t hold anything interesting. It might have if I’d started this section with “Well, dear readers, here we are in the first paragraph, which I’ve decided to put in the second section.” That would have just made everyone sit up. That would have been an attention grabber. Oh, well, if wishes were horses. That can’t be the whole saying, can it? If wishes were horses WHAT? Where are the saying people when you need them? Sister Clodagh, Sister Clodagh!
Only two short days until dear reader Hisaka arrives. I shall have to figure out an excellent dining adventure for her first evening.
Today I really must do two or three pages of my new short story, which I’ve been giving short shrift to. Or is it “to which I’ve been giving short shrift?” Oh, who cares – I like a little dangling participle every now and then. I cannot remember what else I must do today, but I know there are a few important tasks to attend to. Hopefully, I’ll remember what they are at some point.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, I must do errands, I must remember what other things I must do, and I must order books (and so must you if you haven’t already). Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like, and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers, along with loads of lovely posts. And don’t forget to say “Sister Clodagh, Sister Clodagh!” to anyone you come in contact with.