Well, dear readers, I am ready for bed. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, I, BK, am ready for bed and therefore I shall write these here notes in a hurry so I can scurry, for my eyes are blurry and I don’t like curry, but don’t worry, perhaps I’ll sing the Surrey (With the Fringe on Top) whilst talking to a man named Murray. What am I, a rhyming dictionary all of a sudden? I must say, yesterday is a blur (rulb, spelled backwards). I had a really good night’s sleep, got up, and knew that I had to get everything done for our next release, as I wouldn’t have time to do it today or before I leave for New York, New York, the city that never sleeps. So, I began by writing cue titles. The tapes we had didn’t have any real logs, just cue numbers, and the slates on the tapes were also just cue numbers. So, I listened to the music, and with the aid of the pressbook for the film, I came up with some most amusing cue titles. Again, I have never seen the film from whence the score comes, and I think I’m pretty safe in saying very few people have seen the film. Due to its content, it’s doubtful it had any TV showings, and it’s never been out on home video in any form. There are no clips on You Tube. On the imdb, there is almost no information at all, save for about two credits, including the composer. On Wikipedia there is nothing. There is one reference to the film on some site, but only a couple of lines. Thankfully, I had the pressbook, and that had stories and faux reviews in it, that exhibitors and newspapers could use during the run. That gave me enough information about the nature of the film, although I already knew about the nature of the film because it’s part of an interesting genre of film. In any case, that took me almost three hours to do, and then I had to go eat some lunch – I had matzo brei and a bagel at Jerry’s. Then I went and picked up one package and one important envelope, after which I did some banking and then came home. Waiting for me was a Facebook post from Mr. Robert Morse, praising our new mix of Sugar. That was great to see. I then began writing the liner notes and about two hours later I was finished with the first draft. They were fun to write, but not easy considering I did a lot of vamping. Then I did a two and a half mile jog, and whilst jogging I came up with two better track titles – in fact, not only are they better, they’re really funny. I sent them to the designer who wrote back immediately and said he thought all the titles were really funny. I rewrote some of the notes, and then sent those along. After that, the day was just about done and I thought I deserved a treat, especially as I’d eaten lightly and jogged two and a half miles. So, I went over to Yum Yum Donuts and got me an apple fritter and a chocolate buttermilk bar – that was dinner. Whilst there, I witnessed an incredible scene of stupidity and entitlement, which you can read about in yesterday’s posts. I shall not regurgitate it up again in the notes. Then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I finished watching the Blu and Ray of Jean-Pierre Melville’s wonderful film, Le Cercle Rouge, a French film from France, starring Mr. Alain Delon. It’s basically a heist picture, but artfully done in Mr. Melville’s deliberate style – it’s very slow-paced and the pacing works perfectly. The robbery itself is wonderfully done and goes on for quite some time. It’s a long film at 140 minutes, but I really like Melville and this is one of my favorites. The transfer, a Studio Canal Collection region B Blu-Ray is, for the most part, terrific. It’s a little grainier than most of their transfers, and no, amateur Blu-Ray reviewers, grain is not to be applauded or raved about. I see that in every “review” now – because these guys all read about grain somewhere and have so subverted what was said it’s not even funny. What IS funny, however, is that in all the years of DVD “reviews” by these self-same people, grain was NEVER mentioned at all. Yes, that’s funny. In any case, the color is great and it’s very sharp and a very pleasing transfer. I compared it to the Criterion DVD, which for years everyone has raved about, and next to the Blu and Ray it is practically unwatchable.
After the movie, I wasn’t in the mood to watch another, so I just wasted three hours fooling around on the computer. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because it’s been a long been a long been a long been a long day and I must get my beauty sleep.
Today, I shall hopefully be able to proof and approve the packaging for our next release, and get it sent off for approval. Then I’m having lunch with dear reader Jeanne in West Los Angeles. Then I have a couple of errands and whatnot to do, I’ll jog, and then I have an early evening meeting with a singer, after which I’ll watch the new episode of Mad Men.
Tomorrow, I have to go listen to some mixes for an upcoming release we’re doing. I’m really not happy with the sound right now – the recording is not optimal and I’ve asked the composer to consider rerecording some of the guitar with our very own Mr. Grant Geissman, and to perhaps add a reed or trumpet to a few tracks – that would go a long way to help the poorly recorded drums and piano (piano via synth). Tuesday the helper will be here and we ship some more stuff and I’ll give her instructions for watching the house while I’m gone for three days. Then I’m taping that thing I was supposed to tape last Tuesday – it’s for the book, but I’m not sure exactly what it is. Wednesday I shall try to do nothing other than pack and calm myself for the trip to New York. Please keep sending those excellent vibes and xylophones for good weather all the way, each day, until I’m back in Los Angeles.
Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the mambo, because today is the birthday of our very own beloved elmore. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own beloved elmore. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN BELOVED ELMORE!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, have a lunch, approve some packaging, have a meeting, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland.