Well, dear readers, dum dum dum dum, dum dum dum dum – dum. Yes, you musically astute dear readers have already figured out our musical quote, haven’t you? You musically astute dear readers have already hummed the dums and come up with the theme from Dragnet. Stay with me here. Now, what is Jack Webb’s character’s name on Dragnet? Yes, you guessed it – Friday. And since we deal in just the facts, ma’am, today is, in fact, Friday. My goodness, that was an obtuse way to begin the notes, wasn’t it? I ask you, where else on all the Internet can you read such a sentence as dum dum dum dum, dum dum dum dum – dum? Nowhere, that’s where. Speaking of nowhere, yesterday was a Thursday kind of a Thursday. I got up early, answered e-mails, went to storage and restocked a few titles, shipped several packages, and continued slowly proofing the new book. I then had an early supper at the Gaucho Grill (not great), and then I toddled off to the DGA to see two count them two French motion picture entertainments. I will say that the DGA house manager finally took control and made proper lines for both theaters. The idiot Aaron was still running around like an uppity fool (and no, Virginia, I am not the only one who thinks that), but less so than the previous two times. I met some nice people on line and so the time flew by. I got my favorite seat for both movies, even though they did clear the theater after movie one. My allergies were being most annoying, but I got through the evening okay.
The first French motion picture entertainment was entitled The Singer, and starred Mr. Gerard Depardieu and Cecile de France. It’s a nice little film, too long, too slight, basically a character study, but the actors are wonderful, especially Depardieu as an over-the-hill singer. He does his own singing, and he’s very endearing, and Cecile de France is fetching in a Jean Seberg sort of way. We finally get a good musical score courtesy of Alexandre Desplat, and mercifully, the film is not in scope. I then saw the second French motion picture entertainment, which was entitled Could This Be Love? It stars Sandrine Bonnaire and Vincent Lindon, and it was a very enjoyable lightweight romantic comedy – not a great film, but sweet and occasionally amusing. It took a while to get going but once it did it was entertaining, and I’d see anything with Miss Bonnaire, who’s one of my favorite French actors. There was a nice solo piano score, but I never did see who wrote it, because the composer wasn’t credited up front, and they shut the film off as the end titles began (because they were having a Q&A – still, rather a rude thing to do). So far, Can This Be Love was the film I liked best, but I’ve yet to see any revelations.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below whilst we all sing the theme from Dragnet in unison. On the count of three: One, two three – DUM DUM DUM DUM, DUM DUM DUM DUM – DUM!
I have a lot to do today – some shipping, a lot of proofing, some errands, and I must plan next week’s rehearsal schedule with Miss Joan Ryan and Miss Alet Taylor – it’s going to be daily sessions with Joan, and a Wednesday session with Alet. Plus we have our dinner on Tuesday night, and the Courts show on the weekend. I have a 5:15 screening of another French film today, one I’m looking forward to because of the cast – Jean Rochefort and Charlotte Rampling. And then I shall sup afterwards. I have another French film at noon tomorrow, and one final one on Sunday and then I shall be done with French motion picture entertainments for a while.
I will say it’s last call for CD orders, so if any of you lurkers out there want a chance to get some good bargains, now will be the final chance – after this weekend, everything that’s left goes back into storage.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, ship, proof, see a French motion picture entertainment, and sup. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday (just the facts, ma’am) – what is currently in your CD player, and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, a Pino Donaggio collection of scores from De Palma movies, and a demo CD from this musical I’ll be doing a reading of in June. DVD, The Larry Sanders Show. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we? Dum dum dum dum, dum dum dum dum – dum.