Well, dear readers, I must say I’m getting giddy with Christmas cheer and also surf and tide. My Christmas cheer produces whiter whites and sparkling colors. I’m makin’ a list and checkin’ it twice – in fact, I checked it five times, just to be sure I’d checked it twice. I said “Ho, ho, ho.” Yes, I am in the Christmas swing of things. Yesterday was an entire day of getting giddy. I woke up at six in the morning and officially announced our new titles. I then went back to bed and slept till nine, at which point I had an hour-long telephonic conversation that went very well. It was too overcast and chilly to jog, so instead I sat. I did some errands and whatnot, and then printed out lots of orders, more than I expected – in fact, these two titles are doing better than I thought they would, so that was a very pleasantly pleasant surprise. I then picked up four count them four packages, sent off the last of my Christmas cards, and then came home and relaxed. I listened to some CDs, checked out a couple of Blu and Ray transfers, listened to more CDs, and did a little cleaning, plus made a list (and checked it seven times) of what I need to get from Gelson’s this evening. Then our very own Miss Juliana A. Hansen came over and we went to the Studio Café and had some dinner. She’s been living in the UK for the last four months, studying acting, so we had a lot to catch up on. The food was yummilicious, as was the conversation. We then came back to the house and she wanted to watch a motion picture. She chose the newly-released Blu and Ray of Gremlins, her very first experience watching a Blu-Ray. I’ve read a lot of complaints about this transfer – the usual cries of “they didn’t do any remastering” “dirt and debris” and all that malarkey. So, imagine my surprise to view a lovely transfer that perfectly replicates what the film looked like – in fact, because they DID do a new transfer it looked better than the release prints did. There is no, and I say again, no dirt or debris, not even in the opticals. Yes, there is grain, as there should be, especially in the scenes with several passes of optical work. Yes, the image is occasionally soft due to diffusion filters, but that a) is not a fault, and b) has nothing to do with the transfer. I will say the sound is not that hot – I didn’t actually check to see what sound I was listening to – perhaps there is another option, but whatever the default sound is isn’t very punchy. Juliana loved the film. For me, it remains a mixed bag. I really like some of it a lot, but the tone shifts, which are sort of typical for director Joe Dante, are just all over the place, none more so than the Phoebe Cates monologue about her father dying. The film is filled with little Dante film in-jokes, some of which are amusing, and some of which just go too far. Gizmo is an adorable creature, and the mean gremlins are very well designed and operated by Chris Walas and his team. The score by Jerry Goldsmith is terrific – for me, one of his last great scores, filled with invention and melody and free of the bombast that would soon overtake everything he did. The actors are all excellent and it’s a very enjoyable film – just not a great one.
Whilst watching the motion picture, Juliana tried one of the cookies dear reader Laura sent me. That was one of the packages that arrived today – a huge baggie of homemade oatmeal and cranberry cookies – soft and luscious. I had two in the afternoon and I was bowled over (no mean feat) by how good they were. Juliana also loved her cookie, and she also had her very first Cherry Ripe, which she also loved. She went on her merry way, and then I put on some music and printed out more orders and answered e-mails.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below whilst we get giddy with Christmas cheer.
Today, I have a very light day. In fact, the only thing that is on the schedule, and it’s only a maybe at this point, is me taking the Empire Of The Ants booklets to be signed. I should know if that’s happening in the morning and if it happens it will be some time in the afternoon. If it doesn’t happen tomorrow, then we’ll do it on Saturday. It does look like we’ll probably ship the two titles before the end of the year. Other than that, the only other thing I have to do is have a telephonic conversation with the co-author of the long musical to give notes on the scenes he’s just rewritten. And I will start typing up all my notes (and there are pages of them) for the new book, which I will start writing on January 1, 2010. And then tonight I’ll be doing my shopping for the Christmas Eve Do.
Tomorrow is also light, with only my lunch with Jason Graae. I do have some packages to ship, and hopefully some packages to pick up. Thursday, of course, I will be cooking and cleaning and also cleaning and cooking, all the livelong day and then at six the Do begins. We will, of course, have a full report and actual photographic evidence that it took place.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog if the weather permits, I must do a few errands and whatnot, I must maybe have booklets signed, and I must shop for the Do. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your ten favorite motion pictures from 2009? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we continue getting giddy with Christmas cheer.