Well, dear readers, this week has flown by, like a gazelle with a pierced nose. Can it be Thursday already? I only just got back on Monday and now it’s Thursday. Weren’t there supposed to be some days in between? Yes, it’s been a whirlwind week and I’ll be glad for the weekend when it arrives in but a moment. Djt leknt lakeut eit eh. Hmmm. See what happens when you put your fingers in the wrong place on the keyboard? Without even meaning to you type something so profoundly profound that it boggles the mind. Djt leknt lakeut eit eh, is, of course an ancient Dutch saying that roughly translates to “The stagnant waters are a bore.” I mean, where else on all the Internet can you read such a profound statement as “The stagnant waters are a bore?” Nowhere, that’s where. Yes, when I want to impress people I always say “Djt leknt lakeut eit eh” and they stare at me with quiet awe. You know, if anyone has a clew as to what the HELL I’m going on about, do let me know. Speaking of a clew, yesterday was infuriating, fun, slightly less infuriating, productive, and ultimately okay. For example, I got up. That was fun. I then had to answer a bunch of e-mails. That was infuriating. I then rehearsed. That was fun. I then had some telephonic calls. That was slightly less infuriating. I supped. That was okay. After several more telephonic calls, we’ve decided to tough it out and do the fundraiser. It’s going to be non-stop work for many people, but we’ll do our best to put on a good show and hope we fill the house. While I think I avoided being sick, I do have an awful hacking cough, which is truly obnoxious and is really making me angry. And that was the day. Somewhere around seven I finally sat on my couch like so much fish, with constant interruptions from the telephonic device.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Spider Baby, starring Mr. Lon Chaney, Jr., Miss Jill Banning, Miss Mary Mitchell, Mr. Quinn Redeker, and, in a very brief appearance, the great Mantan Moreland. Spider Baby is Jack Hill’s supremely weird, wacky, and way out first feature. Shot in 1964, it wasn’t released until four years later because the producers went bankrupt and the film sat in a vault for four years. It’s a typical low-budget ($60,000) 60s film, in those halcyon days of moviemaking when you could just gather some dough and make any kind of film you wanted and yes, get it released to theaters and even develop a cult following. Today, that world has, I’m afraid, completely disappeared, because all they do today is make Indie films that resemble studio films, so while there are occasionally what you’d call quirky low-budget films, they are not quirky or low-budget in the way the quirky and low-budget films of the 60s and 70s were. Spider Baby simply wouldn’t exist in today’s filmmaking world, which is a pity. No, it’s not a great undiscovered masterpiece, but it is so weird and outré that it’s really fun to watch, and the actors all do a wonderful job. There’s a terrific score by Ronald Stein, and excellent black-and-white photography. The special edition DVD is fantastic-looking, with an excellent transfer right off the camera negative. In fact, if you look at the clips in the supplementary features, which are gray and washed out, you’ll see just how great the transfer is. The short featurette about the making of the film is very interesting – no film scholars, just participants of the film, Joe Dante, and the fellow who programs for the American Cinematheque.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below, because as I always say, Djt leknt lakeut eit eh.
Today, we’ll be rehearsing the opening number of our fundraiser. The Brain choreographer, Mr. Adam Cates, has come in to do those honors. This first day, we’ll just be structuring and mapping out the number, and getting the ensemble used to the songs (it’s a clever put-together of two songs, one by Menken, and one by Schwartz, that have a connection). We haven’t had a music rehearsal for the ensemble, so they’ll be learning as we go. After rehearsal, I’ll see if Mr. Cates would like to sup.
Tomorrow, we continue blocking the number, and also sketch out what the four ensemble boys will be doing in the Bruce Vilanch number. I’ll also be on the telephonic device many hours, trying to book our other performers.
Saturday, I’ll attend the Hollywood Collector’s Show – there’s a very interesting array of celebs there, and I know several, so I’ll go be supportive and visit, and say hello to my dealer friends.
Yesterday, I got an order for the CD of The Brain From Planet X from Japan, but the person’s name and address were written in Japanese characters. So, I wrote the person and asked for the name and address in English. They wrote back with the English name and address, and said they’d seen the show at NYMF and loved it. Isn’t that funny? And nice?
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, Xerox music, rehearse, sup, make telephonic calls, pick up packages, and drive about in my motor car. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite super-low-budget films, those films made on a dime that somehow just work or somehow spoke to you and made you think or laugh or just sit there and shake your head that such a film could exist? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and if you want people to think you’re profound, just tell them, Djt leknt lakeut eit eh, and they will most certainly look at you with quiet awe.