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June 21, 2011:

AND THAT’S A GOOD THING

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, it was a push me-pull you kind of day. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, it was a push me-pull you kind of day, which mostly had to do with the audio of Nudie Musical. The lab called me and asked if I could come down and listen to the optical negative with a filter on it, to see if I felt that helped. I suggested that I also bring two copies of the first reel – my mint but totally faded print, and another print that I have. Fortunately, both those prints were in the garage so it was easy to do so. I’d already heard the “raw” version of the optical negative, which was beyond horrific – totally distorted and shrill every step of the way. The reason for that is because audio transfers are normally not done from that sort of element because when that element is used for printing to 35mm all those issues smooth out. So, I arrived at five-thirty and the really nice audio guy, James, put my mint reel one up. Sadly, the result was similar – total distortion on both music and dialogue, although it was much better than the optical negative. He felt we could either find a filter and EQ to make it listenable and thought we’d squeak by. He also said it could go through a process called Sonic, which is very costly and time-consuming. He was confident that would fix everything to my liking. It didn’t really make sense to me that the audio on my print would sound like it did, given that there really should have been no deterioration as it was only run once, I think. And the film certainly didn’t have any distortion in the theater. Then, as I left, he said he wanted to try one more thing – a one-light sound reader in a different room – that machine sometimes reads the sound of older prints better than the new machines. That kind of made sense to me.

He called me later last night and said he’d transferred about six minutes from the one-light machine and said I was going to be very happy. We set up a time for me to come over today, but I suggested since he works the night shift that I come over right then and bring him the other four reels of that print. That I did. And what he played me was great – no distortion at all and nice tonal quality – a million times better than what I’d been hearing. And that’s a good thing. He’d applied a minor little filter to it, and I approved it and he’ll now do the rest of the audio transfer on that one-light machine. That was the best kind of news I could have gotten and I can now breathe easier about the audio and it’s not going to add yet more money to our already stuffed budget. And speaking of that stuffed budget, if you haven’t made your pledge to the Kickstarter campaign, well, every dollar counts and helps, so I’m just going to remind often, in case we have some lurkers who have missed a few days of notes. Rather than print the link all the time, just find me on Facebook or search “The First Nudie Musical” on the Kickstarter sight. You can also find it via Google. And that’s a good thing.

Other than that wonderful news, the rest of the day was fine. I got up at six and announced the new Kritzerland project, after which I printed out a nice number of orders as they came in. I went back to bed at eight and slept another couple of hours, which was good to do. Then I got up, printed more orders, then went and had a small turkey sandwich and no fries or onion rings – I am on a serious diet right now, as I have to appear as narrator in the LACC show and I want to be back to my svelte self. After lunch, I jogged, picked up one teeny-tiny package at the mail place, did my banking, and that was basically that until I left for the lab. I did have time between lab visits to sit on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Hair. I first saw Hair on Broadway in 1969. Since I really didn’t care for hippies and flower-power, I didn’t really care for the show, although I did like some of the songs and the cast was good. I missed the film version from 1979 and never had any desire to see it. But I figured it was either high or low time to rectify that and rectify it I did last evening. The film of Hair is a very different beast than the stage show. Michael Weller’s adaptation attempts to give it more of a structure and tries to make the songs fit that structure, which they nicely do. The cast is good, with Treat Williams quite energetic as Berger. However, I ultimately had the same problem I always have – I don’t like the characters. Also, I really missed Frank Mills. Milos Forman is a terrific director and his visual approach to the film is excellent, and Twyla Tharp’s free-seeming choreography is lots of fun. So, not a disaster, but nothing I ever need to see again. The transfer is just what it should be. One noted reviewer who used to be a regular on this here site, said that the opening was very dirty and had drained color and was noticeably softer than the scenes immediately following. Note to former regular – the entire opening is an optical – hence the dirt, which has always been there, and hence the drained color, which was a choice of the director and WHY it’s an optical (at least two generations of opticals, as the sequence also sports the main titles). It is NOT a fault of the transfer.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’m a little overtired and need my beauty sleep. And that’s a good thing.

Today, I shall hopefully arise after a good night’s sleep. Then I have some writing to do and I’m also going to try and figure out the order for the Gardenia show so that it’s done much earlier than usual, which will enable me to write the contextual commentary. Then I’ll eat something light but amusing, I’ll jog, I’ll hopefully pick up a package or three, and then I am seeing a friend’s short film at the New Beverly Cinema at five-thirty. After that, I’ll come home and watch something.

Tomorrow, I have a rehearsal with the thirteen-year-old and then other stuff, Thursday and Friday I’ll be at the lab, hopefully finishing the picture and audio transfer (if we don’t finish, we finish the following Monday), and early Friday evening is another rehearsal. Not sure exactly what’s happening on the weekend.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, write, figure out the show order, eat, see a short film, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite flower-power movies and your favorite flower-power songs? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where the audio shall be nice and clear with no distortion whatsoever. And that’s a good thing.

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