Well, dear readers, how can September be half over already? And on that note (Bb), the notes (Bb A D Eb). This month is flying by, like a gazelle playing the autoharp. Does anyone still play an autoharp? And why is an autoharp called an autoharp when one has to play it by hand and there is nothing automatic about it? Or did they call it an autoharp because it was designed to be played in an automobile? These are the questions rolling around in the windmills of my mind. And on that note – yesterday. It was certainly a day, that much I distinctly remember. I do remember getting up early and going to see Teddy to get newly beautified and I now have been Teddyized and his assistant proclaimed whatever concoction he used to be a masterpiece of something or other. That took about two hours and then I headed back to the San Fernando Valley. I then had to drive to the Dale of Glen to return some heavy boxes of tapes and to pick up some not-so-heavy boxes of tape for a couple of potential releases. I then picked up one tiny package and no mail, came home, answered e-mails, printed a few orders, and then went for a sandwich and onion rings. People everywhere were marveling at my sparkly new hair design. Oh, at lunch, sitting in the next booth were former child actor Billy Mumy and that woman from Lost – you know, the one who lived in the jungle and had the child – what was her name? Oh, yeah, Danielle – Mira Furlan. Then I came home, listened to a couple of mixes for a new show album we’ll be doing at some point in the next few months (not a reissue), had a couple of telephonic conversations and then sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Mulholland Drive, a David Lynch film, starring Naomi Watts. I’ve written about the film before when it had its DVD release, but, for me, it looks more and more like a masterpiece every time I watch it – it is wildly addictive – I’ve seen it four times now and it gets better and better with each viewing. Once you catch on to what Mr. Lynch is up to, structure-wise, then the film becomes easier to understand, although I still see new things with every viewing. But whether you like the film or hate the film, one thing is clear – Naomi Watts gives one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen. What she’s asked to do in this film is so complex and she does it brilliantly, never missing a beat. She not only should have been nominated for Best Actress, she should have won. There was not one performance that year that came within a country mile of Miss Watts and it is criminal that the rather stupid Academy voters did not nominate her. In fact, the film’s only nomination was for Mr. Lynch as director. The film is sort of a culmination for Mr. Lynch and it, for me, is his finest hour. The film is like stepping into a dream, and the score by Angelo Badalamenti is very helpful at sustaining the dream-like feel of the film. The rest of the cast is just wonderful, and it’s lovely that such a terrific film turned out to be Ann Miller’s swan song. The transfer on this region B Blu-Ray is just about perfect in both sound and image. And on that note (C#) I’m going to give Miss Watts the haineshisway.com for the performance of the decade. That’s how great I think she is in this. If Miss Watts would like to contact me I can give her her statuette, a wonderful gold statue of Guy Haines (the back of him, of course).
After the movie, I watched a couple of the extras, including a French fellow’s deconstruction of the film and his idea about how all the puzzle pieces fit together – he’s pretty much on the money, although there’s one shot in the film that still baffles me, and in all of the Internet pontificating about What It All Means, and everyone’s theories, the one thing they all NEVER mention is this one shot and it’s because there is, as far as I can see, no explanation for it. I keep hoping I’ll unlock that last little puzzle part, but maybe it’s just there to fool everyone or keep them puzzled.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must be up very early tomorrow – so, on that note (E), click away.
Today, the helper and the Sugar CDs should both be here at nine, and we’ll be shipping out about 800 CDs. It’s probably going to take two to three hours to do it, but we’ll get them all over to the postal office. Then we have to go to storage to look for a couple of Rebecca Luker charts, which I hope to heaven are there and not at the bottom of a pile. Then I have to figure out a rehearsal schedule for our merry troupe of Gardenia performers – I also booked our four-gal ensemble (they do two numbers) – Shannon Cudd (Donna in the Chance production of The Brain From Planet X), Lily Kershaw, Ashley Palmer (she was in The Roxy), and Tyler Olshansky (she works at the Studio Café and was in Cabrillo’s Cinderella).
The weekend got a little busy, but Sunday I’ll be having a nice, relaxing lunch with dear reader Jeanne, so that will be fun. Next week will be crazy – and we need your best and most excellent vibes and xylophones for good weather on the East coast for my flight there on Thursday and my return on early Sunday morning. Send them now, send them daily (believe me, I’ll remind you), and send them often. Nice, sunny days, please, for my entire trip. That’s the ticket.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, ship 800 CDs, find some charts, do some errands and whatnot, and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, TV Omnibus, a CD box set of some wonderful TV scores. Blu and Ray, The Twilight Zone, Season One, and the Jean-Pierre Melville film, Une Cercle Rouge. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and on that note (G#) I shall hit the road to dreamland.