Haines Logo Text
Column Archive
October 11, 2008:

THE PHLEGM AND THE HOARSENESS

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, the raw and scratchy throat has given way to the phlegm and the hoarseness. The Phlegm And The Hoarseness – that’s the title of my next novel, which has been optioned by Miramax. I’m hoping that my voice holds out for today’s LACCTAA event, which I’m moderating, so please send excellent vibes and xylophones for BK’s voice. I’m quite logey when I feel like this, and it is hard for me to concentrate because my head feels like it’s going to explode, like David Cronenberg’s Scanners, and the phlegm is driving me crazy and I’m coughing and hacking and also hacking and coughing, whilst drinking way too much liquid. I’ve been nursing a Diet Snapple for the last couple of hours, because my wonderful ENT man says it’s got Electrolites and is much better than water. I only did one bottle of water today, and that was early on and with EmergenC in it. I’ve been sucking on Ricola’s and did pop a couple of Coldeze lozenges, too. It’s no wonder I’m in a haze of a daze. Speaking of a haze of a daze, yesterday was quite a pleasant day except for the fact that I felt like edrem (merde, spelled backwards). I got up too early after a fitful night of sleep, I somehow got up the energy to do the long jog, and then I did quite a few errands that needed doing. When I got back, I began writing the questions for our LACCTAA panel – I don’t have enough yet, but I’m hoping more come to me whilst I’m doing the long jog today. I ate a foot-long turkey sandwich from Subway for my meal o’ the day. I really had no appetite at all, so aside from the sandwich and some chocolate licorice and later some melon balls, that was all I ate. Our new Kritzerland title went live around two-thirty my time, and I had an instant online store order for half of the 1000 CDs. That gives me quite a comfort zone, and that, coupled with other online store orders and the sales we’ve had so far, brings us down to only about 320 copies left – amazing in ten hours. And most people don’t even frequent the film music board over the weekend, so I suspect more orders will come in on Monday, plus whatever we pick up on the weekend. And a lot of people do order from the other sellers online – however they sell, it’s great. I also wrote the final verse to the new number I’ve been working on so that’s pretty much finished now. Finally the day was done and I sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched two count them two motion pictures on DVD. The first motion picture on DVD was entitled Stranger On Horseback, a low-budget oater that probably played the bottom half of a double bill. I really miss double bills – I miss the low-budget films, which sometimes were more interesting than the main feature. Movies were so much more fun back in those days. But enough nostalgia. Stranger On Horseback stars Joel McCrea, Kevin McCarthy, John Carradine and a whole slew of great character people. It’s directed by Jacques Tourneur who, with McCrea, would do the much better Wichita one year later. But I liked Stranger On Horseback a lot, mostly because I think McCrea is one of the finest screen actors in the history of cinema. The running time also helps – sixty-six minutes. The transfer is fine but the source material isn’t – apparently the negative is lost, and the only print that could be used for the transfer was from the UK, held by the BFI. Unfortunately, that print is either 16mm or a dupe of a dupe. The color (color by Ansco) is actually okay, but the image is so hazy and soft it borders on unwatchable. I then watched the second motion picture on DVD, which was entitled War Games, starring Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, John Wood, Dabney Coleman and a large group of players. The central story idea of the film is still good, but the film has, of course, dated badly, but that’s what happens when the film is dependent on the then new technology of computers. Besides that, the writing is not very good, but the actors go a long way to making it all play. John Badham, the director, seems to not be sure what tone to take at times, so there’s some pretty silly stuff to wade through. But it’s a good time-passer and I was never bored by it, but of course it just doesn’t pack the same punch it did when it was originally released. Transfer and sound are fine.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because it’s almost time for me to take my ENT-recommended midnight cocktail of Allavert, Mucinex, and Ny-Quil. If that doesn’t put me out, nothing will. And I shall pray that I awaken with no trace of The Phlegm And The Hoarseness, which is also a novel by Irving Stone.

Today, I shall get up and do the long jog, shave and shower, and then be on my way to our third LACCTAA event, an Entertainment Industry Panel Discussion (with a twist), which goes from one to three. I’m looking forward to doing it and hope my voice holds out and hope my questions are interesting and even a little provocative.

After that, I’m not sure what I’m doing. I suppose it will depend on how I’m feeling and whether I have an appetite. I wouldn’t mind going out and having a nice meal, but I also wouldn’t mind bringing in some chicken soup from a deli and watching DVDs. We shall see.

Tomorrow, I may or may not go to the Shrine Auditorium for a comic book convention, to see a couple of dealers I know. If I go, I won’t stay very long, and then tomorrow evening I’m seeing a documentary about LA in the movies. Really looking forward to that.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the long jog, do a panel discussion, and perhaps eat out. Today’s topic of discussion: Easy – computer games. What were the very first computer games you ever played and in those very early days what were your favorite arcade video games? And what are your favorites today, if you still play them. Let’s have loads of lovely postings shall we, and if you haven’t ordered your Elmer Bernstein limited edition CD, hie yourself to www.kritzerland.com and check it out. Meanwhile, I’m about to have my midnight cocktail and then shall go to bed and all I have to add to that is begone The Phlegm And The Hoarseness.

Search BK's Notes Archive:
 
© 2001 - 2024 by Bruce Kimmel. All Rights Reserved