Well, dear readers, I can barely keep my eyes open so I’d better write these here notes in a hurry so I can get to the bedroom environment for what will hopefully be a good night’s sleep. I hadn’t gotten to bed until one-thirty and for some reason I woke up at five and was up till six-thirty and then finally went back to bed and slept till just before nine. Isn’t this fascinating? If these here notes don’t put me to sleep, nothing will. Nothing like a little laundry list of boring detail. So, moving right along – I had quite a busy day yesterday, beginning with the arrival of CDs (Sadismo) and helper (Sadismess). I did work on the computer whilst she packaged up CDs and filled the bigger orders. She got everything done quickly, but before we could take the stuff to the postal office I had to do a telephonic radio interview for the syndicated radio show Jeanne Wolf’s Hollywood. It was supposed to last fifteen minutes, but we were having so much fun and she was so on top of things (she’d obviously read and enjoyed the book – this was not Jeanne Wolf but someone named Mary who, I guess, does the interviewing), that we talked for fifty minutes. I have no idea how long it will end up, but it was one of the most delightful of all the book interviews I’ve done. After that, we went to the postal office, then the UPS Store. Then the helper left and I went and had a sandwich and fries. Then I came back home, did more work on the computer, and watched an hour of the three-hour movie I had to watch so I could write liner notes. I got enough information from that hour, though. Then David Wechter and I went over to Marie Callender’s for a meeting to discuss the first third of our script. He’d already made five pages of cuts, and we still need to make an additional ten to fifteen, but I know exactly where to make them. We discussed the middle third and divided up the first two scenes and now we’ll both write our respective scenes. I had a nice piece of coconut cream pie with extra whipped cream – it was mighty fine. After that, I came home and sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Beauty and the Beast. I first saw the film in its first screening when it was the unfinished work print. That was a very special evening. Then I saw the finished film and found it breathtakingly done, and very emotional. Later I had the laserdisc, then the special edition DVD. The Blu and Ray is, in a word, spectacular. I only watch the theatrical version – the extended version with Human Again is not of interest to me at all. Since the film came out, the Pixar films and all their imitators have basically taken conventional animation out of style. So, what nineteen years ago looked amazing, looks like it should look – conventional animation, but for anyone expecting absolute perfection like Pixar, well, don’t. The colors are gorgeous, the sound is robust (which serves Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s score especially well), and it remains one of the greatest animated films in history – and the only conventionally animated film to be nominated for Best Picture, a nomination well deserved. My friend Paige O’Hara is perfection as Belle, and Robby Benson is wonderful as the Beast. It’s funny to think how many of these Disney gals I worked with – Paige, Jodi Benson, Judy Kuhn, Susan Egan – I think I only worked with one Disney guy – Jonathan Freeman. Anyway, if you have a Blu-Ray player this is a no-brainer.
After the movie, I sat down and wrote the liner notes – these were difficult, but in two hours they were done. Then I took a hot shower, and then it was late and time to write these here notes. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because this laundry list called the notes is making me so tired I may fall asleep right here at the computer.
Today, the helper will be here at ten, and we’ll be going to storage to pull the music for the next two Gardenia shows. After that, we have some errands and whatnot to do, and then she’ll be on her merry way and I’ll probably do a jog (which I never had time to do yesterday) and then eat something fun.
Tomorrow, she of the Evil Eye will be here all too early and I shall probably mosey on over to The Hollywood Show to eyeball whatever celebs are there, and hang with some dealer friends. Not sure what’s the haps tomorrow night. Sunday, I have a screening at the DGA of that Facebook movie, which I hear is terrific – I think it’s called The Social Network. So, I’ll be seeing that.
Next week is super busy, with meetings and meals and also the important Book Soup signing and reading (which I hope our LA denizens will attend), and then the opening night and pre-show partay for Cabrillo’s production of Happy Days, which our very own Mr. Barry Pearl is co-producing.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, get the music from storage, do errands and whatnot, do a jog, eat something amusing and then who knows what? Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – Blu and Ray, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is up next. CD, various and sundried upcoming Kritzerland releases and assorted other soundtracks. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I wrap up this laundry list of notes and hit the road to dreamland. Tomorrow’s notes will have the usual pith quotient, fear not.