Well, dear readers, be afraid, be very afraid. Why? Because this very evening is Halloween, and Halloween brings out all the spooks and goblins and creatures and I’ve got goose bumps already or, at the very least, sheep bumps. I have bags and bags o’ candy waiting to be given to the wee ones who come a’knocking at the door, and there are a lot of wee ones who come a’knocking because my neighborhood is Halloween Central, and people come from far and wide and also wide and far to trick or treat here. Just up the street from me is the famous Haunted House – I may pay a visit myself. I shall go as an elderly Jew, which does not require makeup or costume. Speaking of makeup or costume, yesterday was a scary day and it wasn’t even Halloween. For example, I got up. That was scary. I then had to answer a whole mess o’ e-mails. Then Cason came by and accompanied me to Anaheim Hills to meet the artistic director of the Chance Theater. After talking to him and seeing the space, I gave my blessing for the theater to do The Brain From Planet X next May as part of the Los Angeles Festival Of New Musicals. We’ve talked about my coming down to direct the show, which he thinks would be interesting for the company, but it’s really a trek and I have to give it some serious thought. I’m tempted, just because it’s a challenging space and I like the vibe there – I’ll decide in the next couple of weeks. Before heading home, Cason and I lunched at the nearby In ‘n’ Out, where I had a double cheeseburger and Cason had a single burger and fries. On the way in, I saw someone eating some curious-looking fries and I inquired as to what they were and I was told they were “animal fries.” I imagine that that’s part of their secret menu, so I ordered some. Animal fries are their regular fries with cheese and onions and thousand island dressing glopped over. I know it sound nauseating, but I’m here to tell you they were ever so tasty. We then headed home, and Cason went on his merry way, whilst I had to deal with one sort of annoying thing, and then answer another mess o’ e-mails. I began writing Cindy Williams’ intro to our event, and then had to toddle off to the Dale of Glen to proof the first draft of the program. The layout was fine, but I did a ton of corrections, and we’ll see a new version this morning or early afternoon. After that, I came home, wrote a little more, had several telephonic calls, got perturbed at some lack of telephonic communication skills, and then sat on my couch like so much fish, with a nice bowl of tomato red pepper bisque from Gelson’s.
Last night, I watched a “documentary” called O Lucky Malcolm, made by Kubrick family member Jan Harlan, about actor Malcolm MacDowell. It’s sort of an amiable mess, but thankfully there’s lots of footage of Malcolm holding court, and his stories are delightful and it all rolls along at a steady clip. I then watched a motion picture on DVD entitled A Clockwork Orange, directed by Mr. Stanley Kubrick, and starring the aforementioned Mr. Malcolm MacDowell. When the film came out, I was a huge Anthony Burgess fan and had already amassed quite a nice collection of his first editions. I liked the book of A Clockwork Orange, but not nearly as much as The Wanting Seed and a few of his other books. But, I loved Kubrick and I went to the film on opening day at the Warner Cinerama theater on Hollywood Blvd. (where 2001 had played). I was, of course, struck by the visuals of the film and I thought all the performances were wonderful. Despite the violent nature of the first half of the film, I just thought it was very well done and very clever and unique. The second half of the film from Alex’s arrest on made me fidgety and I did not care for it. First of all, some of it, especially the clips in Alex’s eyes, is really difficult to watch. But, I just felt it went on and on and on, and for me, the only saving grace of that section of the film was the great Michael Bates. I’ve seen the film many times over the years and my opinion hasn’t changed a whit. And when I got to the second half of the film last night, the same thing happened and I finally turned it off. Many people love the ending of the film, but, rather amusingly, the American edition of Burgess’s book omitted the English edition’s final chapter, and Kubrick didn’t even know about the final chapter until after the film came out. Burgess had a tenuous relationship with the film – I think he appreciated its success (it made him money), but had issues with it. Even Kubrick ultimately withdrew the film in the UK after he and his family got death threats. It’s still a visually unique film and I do like much of it, but I’m afraid I’ll probably never watch the last forty minutes again. The transfer is middling at best – yes, it’s finally anamorphically enhanced for widescreen TVs, but the image is soft and not at all what it looked like on it initial release. Warners should be ashamed of themselves, and even though people are falling all over themselves to praise these transfers, every one of them is lacking and they all could have been much better.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because soon scary things will begin to happen because, after all, it’s Halloween, and I may just have to have the scariest thing of all – more animal fries.
Has anyone noticed that this is the end of October? Holy moley on rye, where did this month go? It flew by, like a gazelle eating a bialy.
Today, I have much to do in the early hours, and then we have two rehearsals in the afternoon – first the lovely David Burnham, and then the lovely Bruce Vilanch. I’m quite certain that we’ll be having some fun around these here parts. Then the trick or treaters will arrive and I’m sure I’ll give out all fourteen bags’ worth of candy that I bought. Then I have to go through some stuff with Miss Patti regarding the fundraiser, and then I shall sit on my couch like so much fish.
I think today could just be the day when the books arrive. I have been remiss in pre-addressing envelopes but it’s on my agenda for this morning. I then have to figure out exactly how I’m enclosing the special something for all the pre-ordered copies, and then I shall try to get them all shipped on Thursday morning.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, address envelopes and prepare for shipping of books, I must finish writing, I must pick up boxes o’ books, I must rehearse, I must meet, and then I must sit on my couch like so much fish. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland and dream of scary animal fries.