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September 29, 2010:

MISS OTIS REGRETS SHE’S UNABLE TO RANT TODAY

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I was going to do one of the patented BK rants, but I think I’ll save it for tomorrow’s notes so that I don’t rush through it – one simply can’t rush through one of BK’s patented rants because one simply must savor the flavor of such rants. I had a rather simple day yesterday, and one that was ever so slightly off due to waking up at six in the morning and then going back to bed at seven-thirty for three more hours, which sort of had me both discombobulated and discomgeorgeulated. I printed out some orders, answered some e-mails and then it was already time for a sandwich and no fries. I also did some errands and whatnot, picked up three count them three packages, and then came home. I had more work to do on the computer, which I did. I had several fun telephonic conversations, the Sam Bobrick/Ron Clark meeting got pushed, which was fine by me, and I had a long chat with my mastering engineer about several upcoming Kritzerland projects and the order in which they’ll appear. It’s going to be pretty busy around these here parts, and I got a little more discombobulated when I realized I booked a LACCTAA event the same day that I’ll be in Portland doing JMK’s event. So, I had to undo that and reschedule, which involves a few people, so I’m working on it. I was also asked to be in a student film that David Wechter’s son is making – normally I would have said no immediately, but I really like him and the dates sort of work (just two days and one rehearsal day). So, I told him to send me the script and if I don’t have to learn a lot of dialogue then I might say yes. If it’s more dialogue than I want to learn, then I might ask him if we can leave bits of paper around the set with my lines, just so I have them at hand if I need them. Anyway, we shall see what we shall see, and if I don’t do it I’ll find him someone really good. Then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled King Kong, the one-and-only original version. I first saw King and Kong on the television back in the late 1950s on Channel 9’s Million Dollar Movie. I loved it back then – it was so unique and fun and even a little horrifying to my ten or eleven-year-old self. I’ve only seen it three or four times since – on laserdisc, on DVD, and then the special edition DVD from a few years ago. Seeing it on Blu-Ray again I just got sucked right in from scene one. It’s really an amazing film, especially in the context of when it was made. The effects are still breathtaking and for my money better than some of the CGI stuff I see. In fact, some of the effects are really audacious. And the sound effects are brilliant, and when you consider the technology back then, they’re doubly brilliant. There there’s the bombastic score by Max Steiner, whose work was so bold and groundbreaking – yes, today it sounds like Mickey Mousing but then Mr. Steiner was basically writing the book for how dramatic scoring would work in film. The acting is very much of its time, but Fay Wray is comely and fetching and adorable and the best screamer ever. But it’s the transfer you want to hear about and the news is good – it looks grand. Yes, it’s overtly grainy at times because the source material is a couple of generations or more away from the original negative and there are a LOT of opticals in the film. But it’s really sharp and detailed with excellent contrast. Part of my rant was going to be about the “reviews” this has been getting on “those” sites that I am so very fond of – not. But we’ll save that for tomorrow’s notes. I can’t imagine anyone with a brain being disappointed with this Blu-Ray.

After that, I had to go over to the Kritzerland designer’s house to meet with his daughter, who’s editing two ten-minute clip reels of ME for the Portland event. The first is called The Acting Part and has some clips from Happy Days, The Partridge Family, Tabitha, and Nudie Musical (I think). The second is called The Writing and Directing Part and features clips from Nudie, The Creature Wasn’t Nice, and the Likely Stories’ segment of the faux musical of The Elephant Man – Elephant! I made some changes, shortened a few things, and moved stuff around, but it basically works and does what it’s supposed to do. So, in the next week we’ll lock it, import it onto DVD and then send it to JMK. When we were done, the Kritzerland designer and I went to Marie Callender’s – I was starving, having not eaten since before noon – I had their very calorie-friendly lemon pepper-crusted salmon, with rice and vegetables – the whole deal is only 670 calories. And it was really good, too.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get my beauty sleep, for the helper is coming at nine to help.

Today, I don’t know what is going on. Something is going on and I’m sure it will all come back to me at some point. I know I have an important telephonic meeting at two-thirty about some potential Kritzerland projects. I do have some errands and whatnot, and hopefully I’ll pick up a package or three, but I think that’s about it.

Tomorrow, I’m having dinner with my pal Lauren Rubin – haven’t seen her in a ‘coon’s age, and it will be fun to catch up – she’s asked me to help her on a little project and we’ll see if we can make it work. Friday, we have another Kritzerland at the Gardenia rehearsal. Not sure what the weekend holds yet, but I do have to prep our next release and write its liner notes.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, pack up and ship a bunch of orders, and the helper and I must do some organizing of things to bring a little more order to the dining room, I must do errands and whatnot, I must have a telephonic meeting, and I must do a few other things. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you can ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers, shall we, whilst I keep my rants in my pants until the ‘morrow.

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