Well, dear readers, this is the week. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, this is the week. This is the week we will finalize casting on the kids show. This is the week that we continue tech and dress rehearsals for The Brain From Planet X. This is the week The Brain From Planet X opens. This is the week I turn a brand spanking new age. In short, this is the week. I’m excited, I’m anxious, I’m hopeful, I’m nervous, and I’m looking forward to every minute. Speaking of every minute, yesterday had many minutes. For example, I woke up during one of the minutes, after having gotten a gloriously glorious nine hours of sleep. I jogged, which took twenty of the day’s minutes. I packaged up over two hundred CDs and put them in baggies, ready to be taken to the postal office today or tomorrow. I did some errands. I ate some foodstuffs. But mostly, I took the day, which was beautifully beautiful, with blue skies and warm weather. I also sat on my couch like so much fish.
Yesterday, I managed to watch two count them two motion pictures on DVD. The first motion picture on DVD was entitled Who Was That Lady? I haven’t seen that motion picture since the day it came out, when I attended a showing at my beloved Stadium Theater. I remembered it being the height of hilarity back then, and back then it probably was. It’s not quite so funny now, but it was fun to see it again and I was surprised at how much I remembered. Some of it is still funny, especially the droll and subtle performance of James Whitmore. The two leads are anything but subtle – Tony Curtis and Dean Martin, but they’re able farceurs. Janet Leigh is very pretty as the wife of then real-life husband Tony Curtis. And any movie that has a ten second cameo by Jack Benny is aces in my book (Chapter Three – A Ten Second Cameo by Jack Benny Is Aces). Of course, the film’s attitudes are archaic by today’s standards, but I don’t care about such things. Within five seconds of the main titles I knew the score was by Andre Previn, so recognizable is his style. I then watched another early 60s film, My Geisha, starring Miss Shirley MacLaine, Mr. Yves Montand, Mr. Edward G. Robinson, and Mr. Bob Cummings. It’s a standard issue plot and back in 1962 my tastes in film were beginning to change and I remember not loving it (I enjoyed it, but back then it was unusual for me not to love a film that was glossy and with a good cast). My Geisha is better than I remembered – in fact, much of it is delightful. First of all, it’s directed by Jack Cardiff – not a great director, but one of the world’s greatest cameramen. So, it’s no wonder the film looks lusciously luscious (much of it shot on location in Japan). Miss MacLaine is really terrific in this, especially when impersonating the title character. Because of the makeup and her acting, you actually believe the flimsy premise of the film. Mr. Montand is Mr. Montand, Mr. Cummings is, well, Mr. Cummings, but Eddie G. is always great to watch and he’s adorable in this film. The transfer has wonderful saturated color (as it should) but has some weird flickering occasionally. It’s mostly very sharp, but not consistently so. I don’t normally go in for the new 5.1 tracks of mono films, but I had to listen just to hear the beautiful Franz Waxman score in true stereo.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because frankly this is the week.
Opening night is shaping up to be fun. Not only will there be a couple of hainsies/kimlets in attendance, but we’ll also have some interesting celebrities, such as Miss Cindy Williams, Mr. Curtis Harrington, several 50s B-movie people that MBarnum had us invite, Miss Leslie Ackerman (the ingénue from The First Nudie Musical), and others that I’ll announce in a day or two. Remember, if you’re a West Coast lurker, do come and see the show. Half price tickets are available on Gold Star, and it’s cheaper than seeing a motion picture.
This morning we are having our final casting session on the kids show, after which I must run to our band and cast rehearsal – the first time the cast will sing with the band, which is always fun and exciting for everyone (if a little unnerving). After that, I’m going to hang around and try to look at the light cues with our designer, and then at six we begin our tech. Tomorrow night is our first dress, Wednesday our final dress, and Thursday our one and only preview. If you know folks in LA who would like to see the show for free, the preview is the perfect time. I believe it will start around seven, but I’ll confirm that by tomorrow.
I do wonder what sharing my birthday with the opening night of The Brain will be like. I guess we shall see what we shall see.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, try to have an early-morning jog, I must attend a casting session, I must attend a band rehearsal, and I must attend a run-through. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Shirley MacLaine films, and what are your favorite films of Tony Curtis and Dean Martin, not necessarily in that order? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and remember, this is the week.