Well, dear readers, yesterday was the day of The Strange Case of the Bumper Cars. I went to my local DVD store, went to park my car on the side street in front of another car, and somehow, for the first time ever in all my years of driving, I clipped the car I was pulling in front of. I heard that sickening sound one hears when two cars decide to get together. From what I could tell, my bumper must have gotten caught on the other car’s bumper and it practically pulled that bumper right off that person’s car (a headlight came undone, the part holding the license plate was completely off the car – I mean it looked like a train had hit the bumper of the car, rather than someone just clipping it lightly. Now, this car was a BMW. I tell you, dear readers, it was as if the bumper on the BMW was made of paper. I have an Infiniti, and while the side of my bumper did come loose a bit, that’s all that happened – that and a tiny scuff. So, Infiniti’s are manly cars, and BMWs are WUSSBURGER cars. In any case, I began drafting a note to the owner of the car, telling her to call me, but she came out as I was writing it. She had a young child with her, which she proceeded to put in the car seat. I went up to her and said I was sorry, but she hadn’t even noticed the damage yet. Her eyes practically popped out of her head when she saw it. I explained to her what happened and how weird I thought it was that such damage to a bumper could be caused by so little. She was very nervous about it all, but I gave her all my info (which I’d already started to put on the note I was writing), and her friend came by and said it was refreshing to see someone so honest. I gave her everything she needed, including the name of my insurance agent and his number. And thus concluded The Strange Case of the Bumper Cars. I’m sure my insurance company will cover everything, and I know, of course, that my premium will go up because of this. It is, however, the first time they’ve ever had a claim against me – and I’ve never filed a claim, so hopefully after ten years of being with this agent, that may weigh in my favor. I’m sure the BMW dealer will attempt to get as much as possible, but I’m sure my insurance agent will ask for two estimates, one of which will no doubt be more favorable.
The rest of my yesterday was not quite so dramatic. I spent the morning hiring a set designer and having a lunch meeting. I then had a cast meeting at LACC, and that was lots of fun. I think I got the kids pretty jazzed about the opening number. I then came home, did some things that needed doing, and then went to Mr. Donald Feltham’s to tape the radio show devoted to our new CD of Stages. Miss Linden Waddell was with me, and we told many anecdotes about the show, played songs, and we laughed and laughed until we thought we could laugh no more, and then we laughed again. The show will begin airing on Sunday, so do give it a listen – it’s loads of fun.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button, whilst I continue to ponder how the bumper on a BMW could be so cheaply made. When I saw it, I should have said in my best Faith Dane voice, “Somethin’ wrong with your bumper?”
Last night I finally got around to watching the new DVD transfer of Mr. Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. I wrote about seeing Vertigo back in 1958 in Benjamin Kritzer. I didn’t really understand the film back then, but I really liked it anyway. I was, as I recall, riveted. I’ve seen it over 100 times since, and I find it one of Hitchcock’s greatest films. It’s haunting, beautiful, obsessive, and filled with wonderful Hitchcockian touches. The new transfer is finally anamorphic, and is an improvement on the first DVD issue. But, not enough. It’s certainly sharper, and it’s a bit brighter (but not bright enough), so that’s good. But, the color is still off – the skin tones are the biggest evidence of it – everyone looks pale and pasty-faced. I owned a gorgeous 35mm IB Tech print of this film, and it had spectacular color – vivid and bright and unforgettable. Unfortunately, that print is what’s etched in my memory. For people who don’t know what the Tech prints looked like, this transfer should be acceptable. I just wish that even back when the restoration was done, that someone would have had an IB Tech print there as a reference, although in those days they didn’t have all the digital tools they have now. I wish Universal would go back to the original elements and redo this from scratch – with all the current technology it could be spectacular once again, like the DVD of North By Northwest. Want to see great skin tones – just pop that baby in. The best part of the new DVD is the inclusion of the film’s original mono track. While the mono track is occasionally not in great shape, the original sound mix is miles above the wretched remix done for the restoration. The sound effects, the balance between voice, music, and effects, are finally, gloriously correct again. Just do a comparison of the first scene and you’ll know exactly what I mean – the new foley is a joke compared to the original mix. I’m not trying to be too negative, because the film remains great, and the transfer certainly isn’t a disaster – it’s acceptable, but Vertigo deserves the best, and this isn’t it.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Don’t I have some bumpers to demolish? Somethin’ wrong with your bumper?
Today, I have to ship a bunch of packages (we had a flurry of orders for Kevin’s CD single, which is getting a lot of radio play right now), and I have to begin organizing all the Starfighter orders so that they’re ready to ship as soon as the discs come in. Everything is at the pressing plant as of yesterday, so we are on track for discs to be here by November 1st. I must also get some writing in – I’m in the midst of writing a wonderful scene (based on real life), and I must finish this sequence. Then, I must audition an LACC alum who’d like to be in the ensemble. I must also do several errands and whatnot. Hopefully, I will not be saying, “Somethin’ wrong with your bumper” today.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must do all of the above and more, not necessarily in that order. 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 and loads of lovely postings, whilst we all put on our best Faith Dane voice and say, “Somethin’ wrong with your bumper?”