Well, dear readers, Grease is the word. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, Grease is the word. Last night, I attended a special screening at Paramount of the new Grease sing-a-long. I attended the event with Mr. Barry Pearl who, of course, plays the role of Doody in the film. We arrived at about seven. Director Randal Kleiser was there and we chatted with him for a while, and then with actor Bruce Davison and his wife. There were quite a few young people there, too. Now, I will admit here and now and also now and here that I have not heretofore seen Grease on the big screen. Somehow, I missed seeing it back in 1978, although how I have no idea. So, I first saw Grease on laserdisc. I thought it was okay, but I certainly didn’t love it. I next saw it on DVD, and felt the same, and then on Blu and Ray, and felt the same again. But seeing it on the big screen, looking great and with an audience is a whole other kettle of churros. I finally understood the appeal of the film, and especially appreciated the absolutely electric performance of John Travolta, and the understated but equally terrific performance of Olivia Newton-John, who is unbearably lovely and lovable. And that’s the thing – casting director Joel Thurm (who I remember well from that time period and who sat next to us at the screening) found just the right people for the film for every single role. Even though Stockard Channing was really a decade too old for her role, she’s so good in it, and actually creates a pretty complex character. Jeff Conaway was so good, and it’s so shocking what’s happened to him in recent years. Barry is wonderful, as is Michael Tucci in a somewhat ill defined role. My pal Didi Conn is great, as are the other Pink Ladies, Dinah Manoff and Jamie Donnelly (also in attendance and also sitting next to us). And having Eve Arden, Sid Caeser, Dody Goodman, and Alice Ghostly doing what they do best was inspired. The sound in the theater was very loud, which I don’t love, but the score sounded better than I’ve ever heard it sound. Which brings us to the raison d’ete of the evening – the sing-a-long. I’ve never been to one before, and it was fascinating to me. First of, Mr. Kleiser has designed the sing-a-long graphics and they’re very clever and very fun. This was all done in the digital domain so there is no loss in generations – in fact, they have cleaned up the film beautifully. It took me about five minutes to figure out exactly what was going on during the sing-a-long portions – they’ve rather cleverly added voices to the soundtrack itself – so, it sounds like the audience is singing along even if they aren’t – it helps prompt them to sing, and there is a lot of them in the surround channels. I don’t know if that’s what they’ve done with others, but it’s pretty clever here. The audience loved the film and we all had a great time. Afterwards, I found my friend Annette Cardona, who plays Cha Cha in the film – she’d arrived just after the movie started. We had a nice chat after, and then she and her friend and Barry and I and two nice fellows, one of whom is a busy costume designer, went across the street to Lucy’s El Adobe Café for some food. I once again was reminded that Lucy’s is truly one of the worst Mexican restaurants in the city. Their chips and salsa are awful. I had a simple tostada salad – just beans, lettuce, and dressing, with a little guacamole and sour cream – it was okay at best. But the company was grand and I had a great time. After that, it was home, James, and then it was so late I had to jump right into these here notes.
Earlier, I’d had a good night’s sleep, got up, answered e-mails, had telephonic calls, and done various and sundried things around the home environment. At around noon, I moseyed on over to the Apple Store – that’s when it was suggested to me that I arrive – suggested my an Apple employee who’d told me the lines would have abated somewhat by then. Well, I arrived to be told that the wait was six hours. SIX HOURS. And people were standing there like lemmings, willing to spend their entire day so they could be the first to have the new 4G. The lines began forming at five in the morning. The Apple guy said he hoped they’d still have stock by today, and I’ll go back, but I’m not holding out much hope. And if they are out and can’t do the exchange, then I’ll return my 3GS, activate my old 3G and wait until they get them back in. After that, I went and had a turkey sandwich and no fries, after which I came home and began doing the arduous task of doing an editing road map for an upcoming release that includes two scores on one CD. It really takes forever to do it, and the fact is I never really finished – I still have twenty minutes of the film to watch, so I can identify the cues and title them. And that’s just the first film – then I have to do it all over again. Then I made a quick deal on another project, which I think will now be our next release. It’s a fairly short album also with two scores, but the two scores barely come out to thirty-two minutes – however, both scores are basically complete, so that’s all there is. But it’s two movies I’m very fond of (by the same director and the same composer), so I’m happy to do it.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’m quite tired and Grease is the word and I must hit the road to dreamland.
Today, I’m supposed to return a huge number of boxes to the tape vault, but my tape transfer guy didn’t return the five tapes he has, and until he does so I can’t return anything. He was supposed to leave them by the front door last night, but didn’t – I’m hoping he has them with him and can drop them by in the morning, otherwise I fear I shall have to go to Hollywood to pick them up, which is very irritating and totally out of my way, and then I’d have to go bring everything to Glendale. We’ll see how it plays out. Then I’ll finish the road map, then I’ll head out to the dinner I have to go to.
Tomorrow and Sunday are both postage days – I have to print out, I don’t know, four hundred more postage strips and then I have to put them all on the boxes. I’ve had no luck finding a helper, either. I will definitely have a new helper after July 4th for at least a few months. But I’ve got to enlist someone to help at least for the shipping day.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do some sort of jog, I must return boxes, I must finish an edit road map and I must have dinner. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player, and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, various and sundried Kritzerland projects. Bedroom DVD – Edge of Darkness, the British mini-series. Blu and Ray, not sure what’s up next. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we all sing Grease is the word, coming soon to a theater near you.