Well, dear readers, every day is an adventure and most poor fools are starving to death. No, that isn’t right. Every day is a day filled with interesting things and most poor fools are starving to death. No, that isn’t right. I don’t think it’s “Every day.” Is it “Life?” Yes, life is an adventure and most poor fools are starving to death. WHAT? That’s not right. Oh, I’ve got it – Life is a banquet and most poor fools are having an adventure. That’s not right. Ah – life is a banquet and most poor fools are starving to death. Or is it “feast” instead of “banquet?” Can someone call Auntie Mame and find out? It’s banquet, it’s banquet – I Googled. You know, I have lost the point. I had a point, but in this gigantic waste of a paragraph, the point has gone in hiding. I think the point was that every day is an adventure, and then I got waylaid and the point went to hell and back. Yes, damn it all, every day is an adventure around these here parts. Yes, that was the point and now we can move on with lucidity. I love lucidity. Speaking of lucidity, yesterday was a day and a half. There was so much going on I completely forgot what it was. I got up early, answered some e-mails, made some telephonic calls, then did some early errands, then went to a late breakfast/early lunch with Miss Merissa Haddad, and then went to Vinnie’s to put the final finishing touches on Susan Egan’s CD. After that, I had to do some more errands, and then I came home, where I spent the next four hours answering e-mails, making more telephonic calls, typing up things, and trying to just generally organize things. The hours just flew by, like a gazelle having a panic attack. I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled The Cowboys, starring Mr. John Wayne. I’d actually never seen it all the way through, and I must say I found it wildly entertaining. I’m not a fan of the director, Mark Rydell, but this is his best work. Mr. Wayne is at the top of his game, and that’s saying something. Mr. Bruce Dern is one of the most detestable villains ever, there’s a nice one scene turn by Miss Colleen Dewhurst, and a great supporting performance by the recently-late Roscoe Lee Browne. The script is excellent, with great structure and great dialogue, and the photography of Robert Surtees is wonderful. And what a score, thanks to John Williams – filled with great Americana and tunes. They don’t make ’em like this anymore and they probably never will again. The youngsters who play the cowboys are terrific, too, and it was fun to see Bobby Carradine in his first screen role. And when the kids use the philosophy of an eye for an eye at the end, it’s very satisfying. Frankly, I like an i for an i, but that’s just me. The DVD presentation is interesting – there’s an overture, an intermission card and music, and exit music. Since I didn’t see it in the theater I don’t know for sure, but I seriously doubt this film played with an intermission anywhere. Maybe someone who saw it upon its release can say for certain. The transfer is fine – not really as sharp as it should be, and one wishes it had just a touch more blue and a touch more contrast, but overall it does the job (interesting that on the dissolves, which are opticals, the contrast is great, as is the color).
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I don’t feel like writing one more word in this section, because I hear the next section is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death. Or something along those lines.
Today is another adventure and another busy day. I have an early-morning meeting with the head of LACC, then a rehearsal with Joan, then I must have telephonic conversations with a bunch of potential Brain people – that will take up the entire rest of the day, and then in the evening I shall roll around on the floor and drool.
Tomorrow, I’m seeing Teddy for a well-needed haircut, and then I’ll have a Joan rehearsal after that. I can’t remember if I have plans on Friday evening, but I hope not. I can’t remember if I have plans on Saturday evening. I can’t remember anything. On Sunday, I know I have a work session with Miss Alet Taylor. Next week is even busier than this week, and I must, by then, know who my line producer/general manager is, who my stage manager is, who is casting the show, and I must book my flight for the end of July to audition folks.
Hold the phone – let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the Swim, because today is the birthday of the designer of this here site, Mr. Mark Bakalor. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to Mr. Mark Bakalor. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO MR. MARK BAKALOR!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, meet, rehearse, and be endlessly busy. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your all-time favorite villainous performances, on film and on stage, male and female – you know, the ones where you just wanted to personally kill the character? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and do remember that life is a banquet and most poor fools are eating flan. Or something like that.