Well, dear readers, you won’t believe it – I can hardly believe it myself, and yet I must for it is true. What can’t I believe and yet I must for it is true? Well, I’ll tell you what I can’t believe and yet I must for it is true: Today is the first day of a brand spanking new month, a little month we like to call February. February is a short month, but we hope it will be a potently potent and wonderfully wonderful month. For me, it is already a month on non-stop activity – from the Disney gig to the musical theater workshop to prepping and doing Miss Linda Purl’s act, along with quite a few other things, like the continuing run of Deceit, and putting the finishing touches on all the short stories, at which point I have to decide whether to publish them or not. I’m guessing that I will, perhaps in the summer. So, here we are, on the first day of February and I for one say hoo and ray. I can tell you one thing I’ll be doing on this first day of February, and that is eating some Chinese food, for which I have a craving. I will have to get some almond chicken, some orange chicken, and some white rice. I won’t be having any wonton soup, at least not now. And do you know why? Because “not now” is wonton spelled backwards (I learned that from Wayne Wang’s film, Chan is Missing – apparently Mr. Wang has an affinity with Benjamin Kritzer). Speaking of wontons, I had a very odd last day of January. I can’t really put my finger on why it was odd, but it just was. I did write two really good pages for the new short story (which I am really enjoying – it’s about a subject dear to my heart – books), I did eat a reasonable luncheon at Koo Koo Roo, I had both annoying and good news, and I found out that our very own Miss Tammy Minoff and her friend Lauren successfully registered for the musical theater workshop. I’m in desperate need of a haircut, and may try to get one if Teddy can work me in today, tomorrow, or Saturday. I’ve also put our next Kritzerland release in the works, and we’ll probably start taking preorders for it in a couple of weeks – the release is the live recording of Mr. Kevin Spirtas’ Night and Days show. That will most likely be followed by the first CD release of Schmidt and Jones’ Philemon – not the cast album that was released on LP, which its authors hate, but the soundtrack from the Hollywood Television Theater version. I can also tell you that Kritzerland will be doing a new release of Joan Ryan’s album (formerly on LML). It’s not well-known that I produced the album (I chose not to take that credit – that will be fixed for the new release), but it’s one we’re both proud of, and since we may be working together very soon, Joan thought it should have its home on Kritzerland. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too? Isn’t that excruciatingly arch?
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because it is the first of February and one simply must click on the Unseemly Button on the first of a little month we like to call February. It’s just done.
Last night, I managed to watch two count them two motion pictures on DVD. The first motion picture on DVD was entitled Lust for Life, starring Mr. Kirk Douglas and Mr. Anthony Quinn, and directed by Mr. Vincente Minnelli. I’d actually only seen a few bits and pieces of the film. I must say I found it a crashing bore, save for the full-bodied score of Miklos Rozsa. Mr. Douglas and Mr. Quinn were apparently vying to see who could out-ham each other. The film, which should look glorious thanks to the brilliant Freddie Young, doesn’t, thanks to a lackluster transfer from Warner Bros. The colors don’t leap out at you, it’s not sharp enough (certain shots and scenes are better than others) – I mean, this is a film about art, and there’s descriptive narration about bursting colors that simply aren’t evident in this transfer – it should dazzle, but it doesn’t. The sound is very good, though. I then watched the second motion picture on DVD, which was entitled Junebug. Reading the imdb, you’d think Junebug was amongst the ten best films ever made. Junebug is the sort of independent film that critics and audiences love to love. They think it sets them apart from the rest of the movie-going public. I think the director must be a fan of Eric Rohmer, for the film is paced very deliberately, much like a Rohmer film. It’s too long, shots are held for an eternity for “poetic” reasons, and it just ambles along in an annoying fashion (leopard-skin pants and a leather top). The one thing the film has going for it is Amy Adams’ performance as a loopy pregnant woman. I don’t know if it’s Oscar-worthy, as I haven’t seen most of the other nominations, but she’s very good in it. For those with keen memories, Miss Adams did the costumes for What If, and we’re all very proud of her nomination. I really tried to like the film, but it’s sort of everything I loathe about independent filmmaking today (independent filmmaking not really being independent filmmaking anymore – just cheaper but polished smaller films released by majors).
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? I’ll be interested to hear other opinions, of course, so do feel free to speak up.
Today, I will be screening another couple of Doodlebops episodes, looking for a couple of sound bites that I need. I also have to arrange to have all the masters at the editing facility on Friday, and whatever audio and graphics we need. I also have to type up my time code lists, even though some of them are notated on the scripts, which were approved yesterday without further changes. And, of course, I will be eating Chinese food, although not in bed.
Now wait just a darned minute. I’ll be hornswoggled if we don’t have two count them two birthdays today – so quick, let’s put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s dance the Hora and the Hully Gully, for today is the birthday of dear reader Kerry and dear deejay Donald. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to dear reader Kerry and dear deejay Donald. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO DEAR READER KERRY AND DEAR DEEJAY DONALD!!!
And dear deejay Donald is back from vacation and he has a brand spanking new radio show up for your listening pleasure.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, eat Chinese food, write, type up time code lists, and do a plethora of other things. 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, shall we, whilst we welcome a little month we like to call February with open arms.