Well, dear readers, here I am at the airport, waiting to board an aeroplane. I left the hotel at 10:45. The traffic on every city street was horrible and it took fifteen minutes to get to the east side and the midtown tunnel, but once there we had no further traffic and we were at the airport fifteen minutes later. They had the extra-special legroom line open so I was at security one minute later and through security five minutes later. Now I’m at the gate and one hour from now we will hopefully be boarding the aeroplane. I shall, of course, continue these notes on location from the aeroplane.
Here I am, continuing these here notes on an aeroplane. We got on our way on time. For this return trip I am in the bulkhead. Across the aisle from me are a man and a woman and a teeny-tiny baby named Willis. They purchased the third seat so they could put Willis’ baby seat there. In fact, with the baby seat, their rather gigantic two pieces of luggage (how they let these things on the plane when they barely fit in the overhead is anyone’s guess), and two big baby bags which would fit under no seat anywhere but because they’re in the bulkhead ALSO get stored in an overhead bin, they made everything way too crowded. Next to me I have a young touchy-feely couple. They seem quite close, holding hands, his hand on her knee, hers on his, and yet their continuous conversation is as if they’ve never spoken before. It’s like a Pirandello play. I had two bags of mixed nuts and whatever was left of my small bag of chocolate licorice. Between the mixed nuts and the chocolate licorice I now actively want to vomit on the ground. Other than that, I had quite a lively and fun time in the city that never sleeps. In fact, it was one of the most enjoyable trips I’ve had in recent years. Seeing some dear readers, meeting some new folks, watching the act come together and eating some nice meals with nice folks, and also seeing the wonderful The Best Man, it was just a nice four days. But upon my getting home I will have to buckle down, Winsocki and catch up, especially with the Kritzerland show. The first order of business will be getting everyone tracks and sheet music – I’m hoping I can do the bulk of that as soon as I unpack and eat something. Once that’s done, then it’s just answering e-mails, returning calls, having some meetings and meals and seeing a couple of things. I also have the Dr. Chew visit sometime this week. They always thoughtfully call the day before to remind me.
Have I mentioned that I actively want to vomit on the ground, thanks to the noxious mix of two bags of mixed nuts and about nine pieces of chocolate licorice? Oh, and I recognized one lady who boarded the plane and she recognized me and said hello. I think she used to work at the UPS Store, but if not, she used to work somewhere that I frequented. As the Sherman Brothers once said, it’s a small world after all.
Well, I suppose I shall continue writing these here notes from the home environment. I’ll probably try to post them early as I’m sure I’ll be VERY tired.
The flight was very nice and arrived thirty minutes early. I was whisked home and was unpacked by four-thirty. I then turned on the big computer and let it load everything, then I sent music to all the singers, after which I went and had an omelet and two bagels and hash browns. Then I came home and opened a few packages and some mail, which included the important envelope. One of the packages I opened contained an original script from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. It’s an amazing piece, even better than my original Rear Window script. This one has typing on the back of several script pages – the typing contains complete camera set-ups for several sequences, plus there are two loose separate pages for the elaborate bell tower sequences. The script itself is entitled From Among the Dead, the literal translation of the book on which the film is based, D’Entre les Morts by Boileau and Narcejac (authors of the book that was turned into Diabolique). The two loose pages are titled Vertigo, however, so between the time of the final shooting script dated September 1957 and the two loose pages, dated end of November 1957 the title had changed. The script also contains what has been erroneously called “the censorship ending.” That little coda to the film was not created because of censorship – it was part of the script, always. It was shot and cut in the editing. It’s included in the supplements on the DVD. Anyway, it’s quite something and I’m thrilled to have it. Then I got the singers mp3s of their songs, so all that is done now. Then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled The Wayward Bus, the story of a wayward bus, made the year after another bus film, Bus Stop. I saw the film when it came out originally – I was nine years of age, and why I would have liked it is anyone’s guess, but I really did and my memory of it has stayed with me for all these years. So, I was happy to find that my memory was and is correct – I really like this film a lot. It’s a potboiler based on the John Steinbeck novel, but I just love films where they get a bunch of disparate characters and put them in an enclosed space, like The High and the Mighty or Stagecoach. These characters all have their problems and secrets, and that’s the film. I think one of the reasons I liked it so much is that it rains a lot. I loved any movie wherein it rained a lot because I loved rain as a wee sprig of a twig of a tad of a lad of a youth. The direction by Victor Vicas is really good – it’s a shame he had such a weird and uneventful career. I also love black-and-white scope films and, thanks to a stellar transfer from Fox, beautifully authored by Twilight Time, it looks grand. The cast is really wonderful – Miss Joan Collins gets first billing, but it’s a true ensemble film. The most surprising turn is from Miss Jayne Mansfield, who made this film directly after The Girl Can’t Help It. She’s very real and touching in this. Dolores Michaels, an actress I knew and know nothing about, was really wonderful as was Rick Jason in the male lead. And I was really taken with the score by Leigh Harline, a truly great composer who’s almost virtually forgotten today, and would be if it were not for our very own Nick Redman’s continuing efforts to get his scores released. And I will tell you, The Wayward Bus will be released. Highly recommended by the likes of me.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’m really tired and really need a good night’s beauty sleep. It’s good to be home.
Today, I must be up by ten, do some banking, then mosey on over to Dr. Chew for the fitting of the porcelain crown. I’m really surprised that I booked this appointment for the day I returned from a trip, but I did. After that, I’ll eat something light and lively, then I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, put some gasoline in the motor car, and do some errands and whatnot, as well as write liner notes for an upcoming release.
Tomorrow, I have a lunch meeting, then must write and begin writing the contextual commentary, then I have a dinner party to attend, which I’m looking forward to. The rest of the week is meetings and meals and a couple of events to attend.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do some banking, get a porcelain crown, eat something light and lively, hopefully pick up packages, and write. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your all-time favorite films where a disparate group of people are all in one confined place for most of the film? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland happy to be back in the City of Studio, for there’s no place like home.