Well, dear readers, today is Monday and Monday is going to be a day, let me tell you that. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, Monday is going to be a day which, I suppose, is better than Monday being a pair of socks or a gerbil. I’m actually very excited about today, but I shall temper my excitement for the time being, oh, yes, I shall temper my excitement for the time being. For the time being I shall talk about yesterday which, of course, was also a day. As I suspected, I got very little rest and relaxation yesterday. I did actually sleep in till nine o’clock at which point I arose like a Phoenix, Arizona. I then took a brisk gog, and then toddled off to Mr. Grant Geissman’s home environment, where I spent the next three hours recording Brain tracks with pianist Ross Kalling. I sang each song, but will be going back this week to fix some incorrect notes and anything that was ragged, since everyone will be getting a copy of this from which to start learning their material. We’ll also be making a copy sans vocals to use for certain rehearsals when we will be sans musical director. That kind of concentrated non-stop singing really exhausts me, so I toddled off to have a meal at Du-Par’s, said meal being quite nauseating actually, except for the yummilicious cream of chicken soup. I finally came home where I immediately sat on my couch like so much fish, but only after reading dear reader Jrand’s lovely review of the new book. That actually made my day.
Last night, I managed to watch two count them two motion pictures on DVD. The first motion picture on DVD was entitled Deadfall, and is part of a three DVD Michael Caine release from Fox (the other two being the already written about Peeper, and The Magus). In a nutshell, Deadfall is dreadful. Really and truly dreadful with one exception and that exception is a very nicely done eighteen minute robbery sequence, which is intercut with a musical performance of John Barry’s Romance For Guitar and Orchestra, written especially for the sequence and conducted in the film by Mr. Barry. It’s a wonderful marriage of music, direction, and editing. If that sequence is a marriage, I’m afraid the rest of the film is a deevorce. The director, Bryan Forbes, was in full pretentious and arty mode and it’s excruciating to watch (the photography and locations are pretty, though). The film has a terrible script, a bad performance by its leading lady, and nice performances by Mr. Caine and Mr. Eric Portman as a quite gay man before such things were the norm. I must say, Mr. Caine has been in some of the most appallingly bad films ever. The transfer is splendid. I then watched the second motion picture on DVD, which was entitled Merrill’s Marauders, a film of Samuel Fuller. I’m a fan of Mr. Fuller’s, but I didn’t love this film. Much of it plays like a TV pilot, even though it’s shot in scope and color (by the great William Clothier). It features Jeff Chandler in his final screen role, and a bunch of Warner Bros. TV players. I think the film would play better were it not for the mind-bogglingly bad score by Howard Jackson, whomever he may be. It’s non-stop bad music for almost the entirety of the film’s ninety-four minute running time. Still, at regular intervals we suddenly get a wonderful Fuller-esque scene, and that makes the film worthwhile. There is an especially nice ten minute sequence in a Burmese village. But, overall it the marauders meander, doing endless walking on their way to the big battle the film spends its entire running time leading up to and then not delivering. The region 2 disc from Warners in France is in its proper scope ratio, enhanced, but the colors are a bit off, which a simple turn of a dial or two would have fixed – this just seems to be beyond the technicians working in the Warners telecine room.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Isn’t this a Monday and don’t I have to do a lot of interesting things? Why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button so I can tell you all about it or all about Eve.
So, this morning I have a breakfast meeting with Miss Joan Ryan – we’re putting her on the fast track and have started to seriously decide on material. After that, I must come home and do an hour’s worth of Brain work, deciding which cast members will be reading all the incidental roles for today’s meet and greet and read-through (we may also have a dog and pony show with a model of the set). We do have to start the reading no later than three-thirty because one of our guest actors has to be to work by six, and the read-through will probably take about an hour and forty-five minutes. I’m looking forward to the reading, to hear all our many changes and to hear the actual cast read the actual lines. I’ll be playing and singing the score.
After the reading, I have to meet with our publicist at some point, so basically I won’t be through with the day until the evening. I may try to push the publicist meeting to Tuesday, which is a somewhat lighter day.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, meet, eat, greet, have a read-through, have another meet, and whatever else comes my way. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite classical choral pieces – I don’t know all that much about classical choral pieces, so I’m curious to know your likes and dislikes and recommendations. I do like the choral music of Howell’s and Faure. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we?