Well, dear readers, I must say that I have been easily agitated lately. Not easily assimilated, mind you, no, I have been easily agitated lately. I’m not quite sure why, but I must try to curb my easy agitation because frankly my easy agitation is starting to agitate me and that is agitating. Perhaps if I assimilate my agitation or, conversely, agitate my assimilation, then I would be less agitated and/or assimilated, not necessarily in that order. What the HELL am I talking about? You want to know what agitates me these days? Well, yesterday, for example, I was continuously agitated by drivers with their heads so far up their rectal cavities they could probably see out of their own mouths. That was charming, wasn’t it? One driver after another doing the stupidest things, like cutting in front of me and almost causing a collision. It happened five times yesterday, and each time I got more agitated. The problem is that while you can rant and rave about it, no one hears you. One woman came across a median divider because she hadn’t gotten over in time to junction on to the 405 south. She came within an inch of creaming both me and my motor car. And she couldn’t have cared less and blithely and blissfully ignored my honking and my agitation. That just made me angrier and more agitated and I let her have a good honking for about a mile. But it was like that all day – perhaps it’s a full moon or perhaps Mars is in Uranus or Uranus is in Uranus – certainly these drivers were in Uranus rather than here on planet Earth. Other things agitated me yesterday, although I can’t remember what they were or I’ve blocked them out. I got up early, and did a two-mile jog, which is all I had time for. I got ready and then had to toddle off to my lunch meeting, which was at the Santa Monica branch of El Cholo, a very good classic Mexican jernt. That drive is where I had most of my annoying drivers. Once I was there I calmed right down and had two yummilicious cheese enchiladas (with a teeny-tiny bit of guacamole and sour cream spread over them). We had a very nice time, good conversation, and then I headed back to the Valley, thankfully beating the traffic. I would have liked to beat several drivers, too. I stopped at the mail place to find no packages and no mail – several things are now really overdue and that is always cause for agitation. Then I finally came home, answered a slew of e-mails, had a couple of telephonic calls, and then finally sat on my couch like so much fish after eating some delicious cake that my lunch meeting companion had made for me. It was some sort of cake thing but not a cake, really – you know, like squares, and it had chocolate and a little peanut butter and it was ever so excellent.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled The General, a classic comedy film starring Mr. Buster Keaton. I’ve written about the film before – it is an exhilarating, brilliant comic film with amazing performances by Buster and leading lady, Marion Mack. The gags are amazing, and the fact that the actors did all their own stunt work on moving trains is equally amazing. There is not one shot with rear projection – they were doing all that stuff and it’s pretty breathtaking to watch. Which brings us to the transfer. The Blu-Ray is from Kino, and people have raved about it without having actually seen it, based on some screencaps. Well, as you know, you’ll get the real skinny or, at the very least, the real fat here at haineshisway.com. Is it sharp? For the most part, yes, amazingly so for a film made in 1926. Is it pristine? No. Is it perfect? No. Could it be better? Absolutely. This version is tinted – sepia for daytime, blue for night. But the transfer that was done for the French MK2 DVD was the first time I’d ever seen this film without tints, and for my money it’s much better that way. And the MK2 transfer was pristine – apparently they’d found an incredible negative somewhere – the Kino has lots of print damage and an occasional jump due to a splice or missing frame. The MK2 is fantastic-looking and one can only hope they get around to doing a Blu-Ray of that transfer. The Kino has a choice of three scores – I listened to the orchestral score by Carl Davis. It’s good, but relies a little too much on “comedy” scoring and obvious quotes of music of the period in which the film takes place. The MK2 DVD has a score by the great Joe Hisaishi, and that functions like an actual movie score, and I much prefer it. But, if you love The General, you’ll be reasonably pleased with the Blu-Ray. I am, until the day that the MK2 transfer is put on Blu-Ray – at that point I will have no need for the Kino.
I then began watching the Region B Blu-Ray of The Red Shoes. I can’t figure out if two different restorations have been performed on this film – no one really is clear about it, but there’s this Blu-Ray from a very recent photo-chemical restoration, and then there’s one my neighbor and friend Bob Gitt worked on at UCLA that is getting raves from some theatrical showing. I’ll write more when I’ve finished, but this Blu-Ray has some pretty ravishing moments of such Technicolor beauty that it takes your breath away.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because frankly this section is starting to agitate me.
Today, I have a few errands and whatnot to attend to, and I must do the long jog, pick up my dry cleaning and hopefully some mail and packages, but other than that it’s a pretty light day. I’m meeting Mr. Barry Pearl and some others at a restaurant in the Dean of Pasa prior to attending the opening night of the show he’s in – Baby, It’s You at the Pasadena Playhouse. We’re going to a restaurant I’ve never heard of, so that will be fun.
Tomorrow I’ll be taking a long drive to some place called West Hills to get 100 Inspector Clouseau booklets signed by composer Ken Thorne. I’m very much looking forward to meeting him and I’ll wait whilst he signs them and then I’ll come home. Other than that, I’m staying put and relaxing.
Sunday, Mr. Cason Murphy comes over to address packages, which hopefully won’t take too long, and then the rest of the day and evening are mine all mine. Next week is not quite as hectic and that will be nice.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the long jog, do errands and whatnot, sup, and then attend an opening night. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player, and your DVD/video/Blu-Ray player? I’ll start – CD, various and sundried upcoming Kritzerland projects. Blu-Ray, The Red Shoes, followed by Antonioni’s Red Desert (I think it’s ever so much fun to watch Red movies on Blu-Ray). DVD, Five Against The House, based on a Jack Finney story, and starring Guy Madison, Kim Novak and Brian Keith. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I try to refrain from agitation.