Well, dear readers, just as we began our Countdown to Christmas last week, so we begin our Countdown to 2006. 2006 – can you believe it? Weren’t we just counting down to 2005 like ten minutes ago? Where in tarnation did this year go? It just sped by like a gazelle in cotton underpants, didn’t it? And yet, when I actually stop and think about it, I got quite a bit accomplished this year. For example, I wrote Rewind – I began it last February and finished it eight weeks later. It practically wrote itself, and those who’ve read it probably know why that is. As soon as I finished that, I began writing short stories, which I’ve continued to do all throughout the year. I also wrote the new play, back in April. As if that wasn’t enough, I then co-created and directed Mr. Kevin Spirtas’ one-man show, Night and Days. As if that wasn’t enough, I also co-directed the LACC benefit for the 75th anniversary of the theatre arts department. As if that wasn’t enough, I began working with Miss Cindy Williams and Miss Linda Purl on one-woman shows. As if that wasn’t enough, I also began directing the new play. And if all that wasn’t enough, I also started up a new record label, Kritzerland, and put out five releases, two of which were albums I personally produced. That latter was very exciting for me – to finally be back in that world I love, and there will be more CDs coming in 2006. My intention is to finish the short story I’m working on, then write two more, and then, if the fancy strikes me, I may publish them early next year. As for what’s in store next year, I’ll be writing about that as we get closer to the weekend. Yesterday, I spent a rather relaxing day watching a DVD or three, and then supping with a friend, after which I came home and sat on my sofa like so much fish, eating various and sundried desserts leftover from the Christmas Eve Do. I also had to attend to some play business – like finalizing certain things for the program. And I finished the book on Gower Champion, which I found tiresome and annoying, but also interesting. I wish it weren’t so riddled with contradictions and flat-out errors of facts – errors that are so ridiculous that you wonder if anyone actually edited and/or fact-checked the book.
Yesterday, I watched three count them three motion pictures on DVD. Two of them we can dismiss quite quickly – King Kong Escapes and King Kong vs. Godzilla, two extremely silly motion pictures from Toho Studios in Japan. I’ve actually never seen the original versions of these films – these DVDs are the American version, which have additional scenes featuring American actors, lousy dubbing and, in the case of King Kong vs. Godzilla, music from the Universal stock library (including The Creature From The Black Lagoon music). The transfers are excellent and they’re bargain-priced, too. I then watched the third motion picture on DVD – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the completely unnecessary remake of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t good, it was just there. Johnny Depp is most peculiar as Willy Wonka, but I liked him. With his eyeshadow and lipstick, I thought he rather looked like Faye Dunaway. The children were all very good, and Tim Burton did his usual “thing.” The songs by Danny Elfman (with the original words by Roald Dahl) were the typical Elfman business, and I’m just bored to tears by it. Mr. Elfman does one thing, and he does it over and over and over again. His meandering tunes really make you appreciate Mr. Newley’s songs from the original film. I’m glad I saw it, and it certainly looks well on the DVD, although I’ve grown completely weary of these CGI-fests. Transfer is, as you’d expect, perfection, as is the sound.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because the Christmas break is over and there are places to go, people to see, and things to do, not necessarily in that order.
Did any dear readers get any good bargains yesterday? If so, tell us all about them.
Today, I shall be doing many errands, I shall be writing, I shall be updating the Deceit script, I shall be having a light meal, and I shall be back in rehearsal for the play.
What else can I tell you? I feel there is something else I should tell you, and yet I don’t know what that something is. I mean, you know it’s Tuesday, even though it feels like Monday. You know that 2006 is just around the corner. I could tell you that I’ll be seeing our very own Juliana A. Hansen on Wednesday – she’s been away in New York, and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of her since summer. I can tell you that on Thursday I’ll be supping with some old friends that I haven’t seen in four years. That should be fun. I can tell you that our set is being loaded into the El Portal on Wednesday and Thursday. I can speak of cabbages and kings, not necessarily in that order. For example, perhaps I’ll have some sweet-and-sour cabbage soup this week. And perhaps whilst I’m shlurping said sweet-and-sour cabbage soup I’ll pretend I’m King Louis of France. There, I’ve spoken of cabbages and kings. I ask you, where else on all the Internet can you find such a sentence on cabbages and kings? Nowhere, that’s where.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must hurry and scurry and wear my glasses so things won’t be blurry, although if they’re blurry I shan’t worry, and maybe I’ll have some curry, and have a posting flurry, not to mention dance like Arthur Murray. There, I’ve said it and I’m glad. Today’s topic of discussion: Continuing our best-of lists, what were your ten favorite television programs of 2005, along with your ten favorite TV performances? And what was the worst of TV this year? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, as we begin our Countdown to 2006.