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February 10, 2008:

BK SAYETH

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, Sunday, sayeth the BK, shall be a day of rest. Yes, you heard it hear, Sunday shall be a day of rest sayeth BK. And when BK sayeth something you can bet your sweet oleander it will be. Yes, I shall rest and relax all the livelong day, sayeth BK. Why is BK suddenly sayething so much? Methinks BK taleth too mucheth. Speaking of too mucheth, yesterday was also a very relaxing day. I got up and left the home environment whilst she of the Evil Eye did her thing. I then came home and did my thing, which was relax. I did a few things, of course, but mostly I just sat around and took it easy, as I still wasn’t quite at 100%. I then toddled off to an early dinner at Nate ‘n Al with my pal Jim Brewer from San Francisco way. We had fun catching up, and we both had the New York (pastrami, cole slaw and Russian dressing) and it was even better than two weeks ago and two weeks ago it was perfection. The kishka was also better, which was hard to believe. I must say, it was jammed at five o’clock on a Saturday afternoon. Jim may be flying in to audition for The Brain at the Chance Theater. After our lovelier than lovely meal, I went home, where I sat on my couch like so much fish.

Yesterday, I watched two count them two motion pictures on DVD. The first motion picture on DVD was entitled The Gay Deceivers. I somehow missed this epic when it was first released in 1969. The back of the DVD case promised shots of the Hollywood that used to be back then. So, let’s get this right out of the way at the beginning – other than the front of a house and the rear entrance to a nightclub, there is exactly ONE exterior shot in the entire film. Bravo, box writer. However, that ONE exterior shot is a doozy – it’s a huge closeup of the Kelbo’s on Fairfax. For those familiar with the Kritzer books, you will know that Kelbo’s was a favorite of the Kritzer family, albeit the one on Pico. But it’s the same sign design and it looks faboo, right at the corner of Fairfax and 1st across from CBS and just up from the Farmer’s Market. As to the film, well, I’m afraid it’s a completely unfunny bit of business, with a lot of witless writing, bad direction, and farcical situations sans the farce. It’s about two boys who pretend to be gay to get out of the draft. The only upside of the film is Michael Greer, who gives a charming, funny performance. A quick visit to the imdb will get you the usual suspects saying the film is a masterpiece (I kid you not), and one of the great comedies of all time, and not only that, it’s touching, too. I don’t know what film the usual suspects saw but it certainly wasn’t this one. I then watched the second motion picture on DVD, which was entitled Portrait In Black, a Ross Hunter sudser/potboiler disguised as a wannabe thriller. I wasn’t quite prepared for its badness, but it does have some charms, notably its decors, its wardrobe, and Miss Turner’s lovely visage. Sadly, it’s certainly the nadir of Mr. Anthony Quinn’s career – he is quite bad in this film, although it’s a completely hopeless role. Miss Sandra Dee is lovely, but it’s just an overlong, turgid bit of nothingness. The transfer is a bit of a muddle – listed at 1:85 it’s got thin black bars top and bottom, which render it more like 1:96 or some other number. The first thirty minutes has color fluctuations for greenish to bluish, and then those stop and it gets better. Some of the color looks fine, and some of it looks extremely lifeless, and some of the transfer is a bit too dark and murky.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because BK sayeth ’tis the thing to doeth.

As sayethed, today I shall be relaxing and resting. Then, this evening I think we’re trying to do a hainsies/kimlets gathering with Mr. MBarnum at Genghis Cohen. If you’re in LA, come on down – I think we’ll be convening at around six, but check in the posts to make sure that time is good. I do intend to watch a movie or three on DVD – perhaps Tammy And The Bachelor (the transfer looks very nice indeed) and Madame X.

This upcoming week is very busy, what with meetings and work sessions and meetings and meals and whatnot, culminating in two days at the Hollywood Collector’s Show, signing photos, CDs, and bookeths. I have to take the long drive to Anaheim Hills for our first production meeting on The Brain tomorrow evening. Tuesday morning, a work session. A meeting on the charity event in June that I agreed to help with. And many other items.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, relaxeth, and then have a get-together with Mr. MBarnum and company. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings because BK sayeth we shouldeth.

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