Well, dear readers, some films are so far ahead of their time it’s not even funny. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, some films are so far ahead of their time it’s not even funny. Last night, I watched such a film, one I’d never managed to see entitled David Holzman’s Diary. I’d always thought it was a real documentary, but, as it turns out, it’s the granddaddy of faux documentaries, or what they call mockumentaries now. At the time of its release in 1967, cinema verite was popular and this film has sport with that, of course. But its prescience is more than a little astonishing, prefiguring (in a way) blogging, reality TV, obsession with self, and, of course, You Tube. The fact that for first-time viewers the film seems so real until they see the end credits is a testament to how well director Jim McBride pulls off his film. Basically, it’s about a guy who films himself talking to the camera, films his girlfriend constantly (including while she’s sleeping nude) until she can’t stand it or him anymore, films himself walking on the street, in the subway, basically a week in the life of this guy until, his camera stolen, there’s basically nothing left for or even of him. L.M. Kit Carson plays David Holzman wonderfully – he went on to also write several films and he’s the father of Hunter Carson. His girlfriend is played by Eileen Dietz – that name sounded so familiar to me and then I remembered she doubled Linda Blair in The Exorcist. The film is a wonderful time capsule of the Upper West Side of New York, specifically Broadway and 71st. So, if you’re in the mood to see where all this stuff really began, check out this film – it might take some getting used to in terms of its pace, but it’s very well done. The Blu and Ray transfer is excellent (the film was shot in 16mm).
I had an okay day in the documentary known as my life. I got up after eight hours of sleep and finally got hold of someone at the Screen Actors Guild who was actually helpful and totally understood my frustration with the guy who’s supposedly handling my web series. So, today I’ll be dropping off the paperwork and that should be that. The guy who is not helpful never told me anything – not how this stuff works, not what to do as we do new episodes – the new guy told me everything I needed to know in about two minutes. Then I did the four-mile jog, after which I picked up no package (one arrived an hour after I was there, but no one called me and I didn’t know until I checked online). I answered a whole slew of e-mails, continued my search for a camera and sound person (none yet), and after seeing the CDs released this week, decided to change next week’s release, since it involved a composer that was one of the CDs released. I just don’t think glutting the market with two releases by the same composer in the same week is smart, so I moved up the release that was to follow that, and that was that. I had a nice chopped salad for lunch.
I also listened to over two hours of material for an upcoming release. This score from a well-liked musical film has already had two CD releases, neither that thrilling. But for this I went back to the earliest version of the album masters (they made several copies at later dates), and I also found all the playback tapes – those aren’t of particular interest as they’re in mono, but they do include three things that weren’t on the original soundtrack LP, so I’m including those. Plus, I’m grabbing a couple of things from the Blu and Ray release of the film, and I’ve got a few composer demos as well as the complete cover version of the score. So, it will be a very nice package. It could end up being two CDs, or we might just squeeze by with a jam-packed single CD. We shall see.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because it is late and I must get these here notes posted so I can get some semblance of beauty sleep.
Today, I shall do the four-mile jog, then drive down to SAG and drop off paperwork. After that, I have a lunch meeting, then I’ll pick up a package or three, then continue my search for a camera and sound person. I’m at the point where I’m thinking about putting something on Craig’s List. And if anyone knows where I might find on Craig’s List people offering video and sound services please point me to it – I couldn’t find that, only the listings where people are SEEKING such services. I found it easily on the New York version, but the LA version seems to be eluding me.
Tomorrow, I have another lunch meeting and then a potential work session with Vicki Lewis and Joan Ryan. Friday is yet another lunch meeting with the old helper, so it will be fun to catch up and finally hear the entire story of her travails. Not sure what all is happening on the weekend.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the four-mile jog, drop off paperwork, lunch, go to storage and get two charts, pick up packages, and search for camera and sound. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to 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 and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall dream sweet dreams of the documentary known as my life.