Well, dear readers, there are too many words in my head right now, all swimming around in a hopeless jumble. This is what happens when I go on a writing jag and then have to write these here notes on top of that. Basically, by the time I begin writing these here notes, usually around eleven-thirty in the PM, I am written out, so I sit here like so much fish, vamping until I can sort out all these words that are swimming in my head in a hopeless jumble. Was that a rant or a diatribe? Or was it a diatribe or a rant? It was something, but I’m not sure what. Speaking of what, yesterday was a long day that began early and ended late. I got up early, packaged up some orders, and shipped them out, all by nine-thirty. I then came home and jogged, then began writing. I always begin rereading and smoothing out the previous day’s writing, which in this case was a little over five pages. I then took a break, ate some lunch, picked up some mail, then came back and began writing again. Then I realized I was about to have to do some descriptive prose and I needed to have some details, so I drove down to La Brea and took a lot of notes as I drove from Sunset to Santa Monica Boulevard, and then west on Santa Monica for a half-mile. I took notes, then came back home, sat down, and wrote another three pages using the detailed notes. That took most of the rest of the afternoon, and then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish, bleary-eyed, but satisfied with the day’s efforts.
Last night, I watched two count the two motion pictures on DVD. The first motion picture on DVD was entitled When A Woman Ascends The Stairs, a film by Mikio Naruse, a director I was completely unfamiliar with. This film, made in 1960, is, in a word, superb. It tells a simple story of a thirty-year-old bar girl (geisha) who has reached the age where she needs to either marry or open her own bar in the Ginza district. We just follow her and her relationships with her various clients. It’s all in the telling, and the story is told beautifully, with superlative performances by everyone, including several regulars from the films of Ozu. The black-and-white TohoScope photography is gorgeous, and the jazz-oriented score by Toshiro Mayuzumi was fantastically fantastic – not available on CD as far as I know, and that’s a damn shame. The transfer from Criterion is incredibly sharp, with great contrast, but there is quite a bit of distracting flickering throughout. I then watched the second motion picture on DVD, which was entitled Twinky. Twinky is a Brit film shot in London and New York. Its US title was Lola. The film stars Charles Bronson and Susan George as unlikely lovers, then marrieds. Unlikely because he’s a middle-aged man who writes pornographic paperbacks and she’s a sixteen-year-old schoolgirl. It’s an odd film, totally of its era (1969), and it’s basically almost unwatchable. It was directed by Richard Donner, who I’m sure would like to forget all about it. Susan George is beautiful, and I always enjoy Bronson, and the supporting cast is pretty interesting, what with Michael Craig, Honor Blackman, Trevor Howard, Robert Morley, Jack Hawkins, Paul Ford, Kay Medford, Orson Bean, Barney Martin, and a host of others. The film is in the public domain so there are tons of cheap copies floating around (most under the Lola title), and all hideous. This region 2 DVD is better than most of them, quite obviously taken from an IB Technicolor print (probably a 16mm print), because IB Tech doesn’t transfer well, because of its density. The color is perfect and rich, but it’s muddy and hazy-looking because the density of the print is simply too heavy. The perky music is by my pal John Scott, and there are three songs written and performed by none other than Jim Dale. An interesting relic.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below, because there are too many words swimming around in Ye Olde Cranium and I cannot process the words into sentences for much longer.
I believe I’ve got dranium of the cranium. I simply cannot focus on the Word document in front of me. So, I’ll just get through this section of these here notes as fast as possible.
Today, I have a meeting with Miss Joan Ryan and Mr. Kirby Tepper, after which, I’ll come home, jog, write, and then I’ll be on my way to a little supper and then seeing the US premiere of some French film at the American Cinematheque. I will, of course, have a full report. I also have to ship an order or three.
Tomorrow has turned into a completely crazy day. I have a rehearsal with Miss Merissa Haddad and our musical director, Mr. John Boswell, followed immediately by a work session with Mr. Kevin Spirtas, followed immediately by a dinner/work session with Mr. David Wechter. I will get no writing done, but that’s okay because my muse Margaret will be reading forty-five new pages and I’ll be awaiting her comments, which will hopefully be positive.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, ship, jog, write, meet, eat, and view a French film. Today’s topic of discussion: What old clothing have you kept over the years – those items that, for one reason or another, you cannot throw out and that you still, in fact, might even wear? Tell us why you’ve kept them, why they’re special and all that stuff. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I now try to relax my cranium that is swimming with too many words.