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July 9, 2010:

BITING THE DUST

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, another week bites the dust. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, another week bites the dust. Have you ever bitten the dust? If so, did the dust bite you back? After all, turnabout is fair play and is tit for tat, biting the dust-wise. Being that there is always tit for tat I wonder if there’s ever been tat for tit? Just asking. Well, I think we’ve had just about enough of that, don’t you? Perhaps now would be a good time to tell the tale of The Randy Vicar and the Ink Blot. Perhaps not. In any case, I had a perfectly pleasant yesterday. I got up early and prepared myself for my ten o’clock telephonic interview for Marilyn Beck’s online column. Her associate did the interview (Marilyn is retired) and she seemed to really love the book and said she found it a breath of fresh air, which I very much appreciated. We talked about the book, about what I’m doing now, and all sorts of things. It’s always hard to predict how these things will read in print, but I’m hoping for the best. After that, I did some work on the computer, and then I went to Hugo’s in West Hollywood, where I met my pal Lauren Rubin. This is the longest we’ve ever gone without seeing each other – over six months, so it was really fun to catch up with her. After that, I came back to the San Fernando Valley and picked up a few packages and shipped a couple of packages. Then I came home, did more work on the computer, including rewriting the Promises blurb and getting all that information to the web guy. He also showed me the design for what will be the next Kritzerland release and it’s his usual splendid work. I then got word that Capitol/EMI has finally approved our second title (two more to go in this batch) and, for me, it’s a bit of a holy grail and I’m really thrilled we got it. I’ll be picking up the master tape on Tuesday and having it transferred then. I had a few more telephonic conversations, and then the day, surprisingly, was at an end, at which point I sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched a documentary on DVD entitled Chris and Don, which is the story of the relationship between Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy. It’s a very sweet film, marred only by some cutesy directorial “recreations” that are completely unnecessary. This thing is filled with the most beautiful home movies in gorgeous color so we didn’t really need the recreations at all. Bachardy is delightful in telling the story, and Isherwood is a tremendous presence thanks to the home movies. There’s also some lovely bits with Don painting today – I had to laugh when a young man came in and stripped off his underpants and posed – that’s exactly the way it was told to me, what I’d have to do if I went to pose. I was hoping for some movies from the 70s, but that decade was basically skipped over, so only one mention of neighbor Elsa Lanchester early on and nothing about Elsa’s Sunday brunches, the ones I attended regularly. I must say, as the camera roamed around the Isherwood/Bachardy residence I recognized the rooms immediately, even though I’d only been shown around once. It’s funny what remains in your memory banks. I then watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Steamboat Bill, Jr., starring Mr. Buster Keaton. Let’s just say that Mr. Keaton was the greatest physical comedian who ever lived. Let’s just say that strongly. That said, for all of its bravura last fifteen minutes, Steamboat Bill, Jr. is, for me, not my favorite Buster film. It’s nowhere near as great as The General or, again for me, Sherlock, Jr. or Seven Chances (the one I’m really waiting for on Blu-Ray). But those last fifteen minutes or so, the hurricane sequence is beyond brilliant. It actually takes one’s breath away to see what Buster created – some of the greatest stunts ever, and all without CGI and all very dangerous. I could watch that sequence over and over again and never cease to be amazed by its virtuosity. The musical score is merely okay, which is part of the problem. When these silent films get a really good score, like Joe Hisaishi’s wonderful score to The General, then it’s a whole different story. The transfer is reasonable and pretty sharp.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below as this section is about to bite the dust.

Today, the helper is coming over at ten and we have quite a bit to do, organization-wise and migrating to the computer-wise. She’s already finished with the invoices, so that’s done. She’s really diligent and communicates wonderfully – in other words, completely different from the nightmare helper. After we’re finished, I may go to the Dale of Glen to have my first car servicing. They have an express service for the first time and it only takes about forty-five minutes. I have a couple of things to ask about, but I’d like to get it out of the way, and while they’re doing it I can go to one of the many restaurants nearby and have a light lunch.

The weekend is fairly light, I think, which is exactly what I need. I may see if there’s a theater that’s decent that’s showing The Girl Who Played With Fire, which I’m interested to see if it’s subtitled. And I’m in the midst of planning the first Kritzerland at the Gardenia show, so that will continue.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, work with the helper, maybe take my car in for servicing (if not, then Monday for sure), and then do some errands and whatnot. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, the soundtrack to A Single Man. Blu-Ray, Jason and the Argonauts. DVD, more of the noir collection, currently Nightfall, which is a favorite of mine. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland and this paragraph bites the dust.

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