Well, dear readers, twas the night before Halloween and all through the house, the creatures were stirring including the mutant mouse. Yes, tomorrow is Halloween, which begs the question – why am I talking about it today? I am jumping the gun, I’m ahead of the curve, I’m putting the horse before the cart. What was I thinking of? Well, I was thinking of Halloween, hence I mentioned it. I’m not mentioning it again, because I do not want to jump the gun, to be ahead of the curve, to put the horse before the cart. Speaking of the cart, yesterday I had a gloriously glorious day doing nothing. And I’m here to tell you that I did nothing very well. I needed a day sans telephonic calls, so I didn’t turn on my cell, nor did I even look at my home phone when it would occasionally ring. I didn’t even use the computer much. No, I needed a clearing the brain day, so that my brainpower is on high as I begin to block The Brain. I did reset the couple of clocks that did not do so automatically. I did jog. I did eat various and sundried foodstuffs, and I did take a nice drive. Other than that, I just sat on my couch like so much fish, twiddling my thumbs, carefree and unaffected by the passing parade.
But, then there’s that mutant mouse. That mutant mouse is SCARY. And when I’m scared, I think of Halloween. However, I will not write of Halloween because that would be jumping the gun, that would be ahead of the curve, that would be the horse before the fershluganah cart. Where was I? Oh, yes, I was sitting on my couch like so much fish.
Yesterday, I did manage to watch three count them three motion pictures on DVD – one masterpiece, one excellent film, and one of the all-time worst movies ever. How’s that for variety or, at the very least, the Hollywood Reporter? The first motion picture I watched on DVD was entitled Letter From An Unknown Woman, a film of Max Ophuls. I could wax euphoric for hours about this film – suffice it to say that it is perfection, an complete masterpiece from its first frame to its last, and, for me, one of the finest motion pictures ever made. It has two wonderful performances from Miss Joan Fontaine and Mr. Louis Jourdan, and the photography of Franz Planer is amazingly amazing. To put it simply, Letter From An Unknown Woman is motion picture poetry and should not be missed by anyone who professes to love film. Unfortunately, it’s not available on DVD in the US, but it has come out in a beautiful transfer from the UK. I then watched the second motion picture on DVD, which was entitled Physical Evidence. It is rare for me not to have ever heard of a film, but I sure hadn’t heard of this one. It looked intriguing – Burt Reynolds, Theresa Russell, and Ned Beatty were the stars, Michael Crichton directed, score by Henry Mancini, made in 1989. It’s a hopelessly bad motion picture – terrible script, awful direction, and Miss Russell, who I occasionally enjoy, is really bad in this movie. Mr. Reynolds is fine, and Mr. Beatty has such a poorly written role that there’s nothing he can really do. The “plot” is inane and the dialogue is risible. The only saving grace is Mr. Mancini, but his attempts to be hip occasionally are rather annoying – but his theme and his suspense music are very good. I then watched the third motion picture on DVD, which was entitled The Earrings of Madame de, another film of Mr. Max Ophuls. Many consider this film Mr. Ophuls finest – I don’t like it nearly as much as Letter From An Unknown Woman. It’s excellent, though, with gorgeous direction, wonderful performances, and an always-interesting scenario. The DVD is from the UK, and the transfer is decent but not stellar like Letter From An Unknown Woman. Next Ophuls will be The Reckless Moment, starring James Mason.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because twas the night before Halloween and all through the house, all the creatures were stirring, including the mutant mouse.
Have I mentioned the mutant mouse? The Mutant Mouse – that’s the title of my next novel.
Today, I shall be returning telephonic calls and e-mails that I didn’t return on account of I was clearing my brain, and then I shall begin blocking The Brain’s opening number (along with its reprise at the beginning of act two). It will be a long rehearsal, probably until eight-thirty or so.
I’m still not sure about what I’ll be doing for Halloween trick or treaters. I suspect that I won’t be here for them, for the first time in years. I just don’t see finishing rehearsal before seven, and by the time I could get home, the bulk of the kids will have come and gone. I’ve also been invited to see Sister Act, The Musical, and that’s probably what I’ll be doing.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, attend to things that need attending, write, rehearse, and, at some point, eat. Today’s topic of discussion: Your favorite Halloween memories – best and/or most outrageous costumes you devised, best parties, best trick or treat experiences. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we tremble in anticipation of Halloween and the appearance of the mutant mouse.