Well, dear readers, this week has flown by, like a gazelle in calypso pants. Did you know that I, BK, had not only calypso pants but a calypso shirt and that I wore both items proudly as I walked down Pico Blvd. to my beloved Lido Theater. I mentioned it, of course, in Benjamin Kritzer, but it always makes me smile when I think of myself proudly wearing my calypso pants and shirt. I loved Harry Belafonte and my favorite of his was, of course, The Banana Boat Song (Daylight Come and Me Wanna Go Home). Much later, in my musical Feast, which is about food and food lovers spending a weekend at a food event, I wrote a number called Cheap Food Calypso – it went something like this:
Food! Me say food, me say food, me say food, me say food
Oh, how we all love de cheap food
I love de tacos and I love french fries
I love de malts and shakes and de chili size
But when I’ve all them I simply must come back
(Must come back)
Daylight come and me wanna Big Mac
Why in the sweet name of Betty Lou Keim am I talking about the calypso? And where else on all the Internet can you find someone invoking the name of Betty Lou Keim, who I adore having recently seen her in The Wayward Bus. Did you know, for example, that Betty Lou Keim retired from the show business when she married actor Warren Berlinger? They had four children and remained married up until her death two years ago. I used to run into Mr. Berlinger when we were both doing the Ray Courts Hollywood Celebrity shows – really nice guy. Well, enough about the calypso and Betty Lou Keim, I believe I have some notes to write.
Yesterday was quite a busy day. I got up at nine-thirty after nine hours of blessed sleep and some truly weird dreams. I finished making the show order for the Kritzerland show, then continued to write the liner notes for our next release, which I finally finished and sent on their merry way. Then I went and had some chicken tenders and a bagel, after which I picked up one little package and one book catalog. Then I came back home, answered e-mails, then listened to the raw tracks for an upcoming release – just gloriously glorious music. After that, the piano tuner arrived and tuned the piano, which is a good thing for a piano tuner to do. He left, and then I attended to all the beginning details of getting the new Blu and Ray of Junior High School ready to go to the printers and filling out all the forms and permissions documents with the pressing plant. Releasing Blu and Rays is much more complicated than CDs. Then I wrote some checks (hate that), and then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched the final episode of Those Who Kill, and it was quite good. I’m sure by the time they filmed it they knew the show wasn’t getting picked up, because there was a plot development that was quite dramatic and shocking, which they would not have done had it been coming back. I’m not really certain why it didn’t catch on in Denmark, as it was a very well done series. I then watched the first of a two-part Wallander movie entitled Firewall. This is a whole different thing that the Wallander Swedish TV series – there were a series of Swedish films beginning in the 1990s that were all adapted from the actual novels of Henning Mankell – these films didn’t star Krister Henriksson, who would do the series, these starred Rolf Lassgard. Four of the films have just been put on DVD in the UK – they’re the final four made in the mid-2000s. I’ve been able to find two others from the 1990s, but the other ones haven’t appeared anywhere with subtitles – hopefully they’ll all come out at some point. Like most things, one always, at least usually always, prefers the first person they’ve seen in a role – in my case, it was the TV series’ Krister Henriksson, who I felt was just fantastic in the role of Wallander. I cannot stomach the portrayal of Kenneth Branagh as Wallander. Rolf Lassgard took some getting used to, because I’ve been watching him as a different character in the Beck movies. But he’s quite good as Wallander, but I still prefer my first, Krister Henriksson. Part one of Firewall was excellent. I’d seen this story in the Branagh version, where it was pretty terrible, thanks to them mucking about with the story – this seems like it’s truer to the book. Of course, I recognized several actors from other Swedish shows I’ve seen, including one excellent actress who went on to play Krister Henriksson’s short-lived romantic partner in the TV series. I’m glad these came out and I’m sure they’ll all be very enjoyable.
I also watched the first thirty minutes of the new Twilight Time Blu and Ray, As Good As It Gets. It’s such an odd movie, but I wanted to check out the transfer because the usual suspects on one board in particular are doing their nasty business over the transfer. I can only tell them that they are completely out of their minds – they are screaming about contrast boosting and clipping, and it’s just mind-boggling. The transfer looks just like the movie has always looked. Several of the people doing the loudest complaining haven’t, of course, actually seen the disc. I’ll have more to say after I’ve finished viewing the whole thing.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get another good night’s beauty sleep so I can be fresh as a daisy for all my Friday doings.
Today, I have to begin writing the contextual commentary, which I’d love to finish so that I don’t have to worry about it during the busy upcoming week. I may or may not have a dinner to go to, but I do have errands and whatnot to do, hopefully I’ll pick up some packages and an important envelope, and there are a bunch of other things to attend to, including watching the new check disc of Junior High School so I can make sure they’ve done all the little fixes I asked for.
Tomorrow, I hope to have a ME day, and then I’m thinking I have a dinner engagement. Sunday I may have to go to an event if I can clear some other stuff out of the way. Next week is insane, with Kritzerland rehearsals, the East Coast Singer’s rehearsals and two shows, our stumble-through, and then sound check and show. And July – for heaven’s sake – JULY!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, eat, do errands and whatnot, hopefully pick up some packages and an important envelope, watch the check disc, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, many Kritzerland projects and a few other soundtracks from other labels. Blu and Ray, As Good As It Gets, DVD, early Wallander. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall fall asleep to the strains of the calypso.