Well, dear readers, it’s back to the hustle and bustle of life as we know it. Yes, Virginia, the day of rest is done, and now it’s back to the hustle and bustle. I do imagine some people are having a very long weekend, but not the likes of me. The likes of me will be hustling and bustling, not necessarily in that order. Speaking of hustling and bustling, yesterday was a lovely day of not hustling and bustling, although I did do a few little things here and there, and also there and here. For example, I got up. Actually, I got up at two-thirty in the morning because I had an upset stomach. I could not go back to bed until four-thirty, and then I slept until about ten. I puttered around the home environment, writing a bit of content for our soon to premiere alumni association website. I answered a few e-mails, but actually had no telephonic calls at all. I don’t really remember doing anything else, but suddenly it was time to go to my neighbor’s 4th of July party. It’s always a lovelier than lovely do as hosted by Tony Slide and Bob Gitt. We had the usual array of guests, including the usually present Norman Lloyd, Jack Larson, Marsha Hunt, Sue Slutzsky, and others. This year, LA Times film critic Kevin Thomas was in attendance, and I mostly hung out with him, Jack, Norman, and Sue. I’d never gotten to tell Kevin how appreciative I was of his nice review of The First Nudie Musical, so that was nice to do. I saw a copy of Tony’s new coffee table book about original painted movie posters of old – it’s quite a beautiful book and I’m looking forward to getting a copy. I didn’t eat, as I had some things to attend to, but the food did look yummilicious. The only melancholy note was the absence of the recently deceased Curtis Harrington. I attended to what I had to attend to, and then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled The Prodigal, starring Miss Lana Turner, Mr. Edmund Purdom, Mr. James Mitchell, Mr. Louis Calhern, and a cast of thousands. I know many find the film deadly dull, but frankly I didn’t mind it so much – no, it’s not a good movie, but I liked the sets, and I really like Mr. Calhern, and some of the dialogue was so ripe that I got a kick out of it. There is an amusing comment from one of the usual yokels on the imdb about Miss Turner being a bit long in the tooth to play a siren. Miss Turner was all of thirty-four – note to yokel: You are an idiot. She’s lovely looking in the film, but she’s sort of anti-dramatic and her performance almost put me to sleep. I know Mr. Purdom didn’t ever achieve stardom, but I thought he was pretty good in this film. The film has a loud and busy score by Bronislau Kaper, not one of my favorites of his. Those who read these here notes on a regular basis, know how I usually have to take Warners to task for their color transfers (especially on films pre-1970). They’ve made brown messes of some of my favorite films and I find it unforgivable. But, the usual Internet “reviewers” praise those disasters to the skies, because they simply have no idea what the film originally looked like. So, imagine my surprise to read reviews of The Prodigal that actually criticized the color of The Prodigal as being slightly faded. Note to “reviewers”: For once, Warners got it right, and the color on The Prodigal is excellent – maybe not perfection, but much better than they’ve done on some of their classics. These guys just don’t get it – and they never will. In fact, all of the transfers in the four box sets of Cult Camp Classics from Warners are good, which was a delightful surprise. Not perfect, but the colors are what they should be for the most part. And the “reviews” just haven’t been stellar regarding the color, and it just goes to show you that they really know not whereof they speak and they and their websites do no one a service by posting these “reviews” publicly. I’ve gotten quite a bit of enjoyment out of these box sets and they’re relatively inexpensive so check ’em out. And tell ’em Bruce-O sent you. Oh, and a head’s up – next Tuesday, one of my all-time favorite film noirs comes out – The Woman In The Window, directed by Fritz Lang. Grab a copy – it’s really great, with top-notch performances by Edward G. Robinson, gorgeous but dangerous Joan Bennett, creepy Dan Duryea, and Raymond Massey.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because the likes of me must be ready for today’s hustle and bustle, which starts very early in the morning.
Today, I have an early-morning meeting with Richard Berent, the musical director of The Brain in LA. We’re going to talk about him doing the November benefit. We’ll see if schedules and whatnot are compatible. After that, I go directly to rehearse with Joan, or at least that’s the plan – I haven’t had confirmation. Then it’s back to the home environment, and a plethora of telephonic calls, and filling out contracts and getting them mailed, and starting to see casting lists, and trying to find set and lighting people, and trying to also set a costume designer, as well as doing some paperwork for Kritzerland, and on and on. I’m also hoping we can lock down a general manager today, but I have no idea if they’re working or off on a long weekend. Some things may have to wait until next Monday.
Tomorrow is more of the same, and then the opening night of Can Can, at the Pasadena Playhouse – looking forward to seeing it and hearing all those nice Cole Porter ditties. Saturday I may be having a work session with David Wechter to adjust the few things we weren’t that happy with during the last run, and to discuss another project we’ve been trying to work on for three years. I can’t remember if I have anything on for Saturday night or not – I sort of hope I don’t. Then on Sunday I’ll be supping with my dear friends, Liz Larsen and her ever-lovin’ Sal Viviano. Liz has been in town doing a play at the Falcon. I haven’t seen them in ages, so it will be great to have a meal and catch up.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, meet, eat, rehearse, work, work, and work, not necessarily in that order. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your all time favorite Cole Porter ditties? I’ll just mention my favorite – it’s my favorite because I find its music breathtakingly audacious and its lyric technically brilliant – Anything Goes. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and soon it will be the weekend and hopefully the likes of me will be able to rest a little bit from the hustle and bustle before going into what will really be a non-stop week of all manner of work on all manner of projects.