Well, dear readers, it was the best of days, it was the worst of days, but in the end it was the okayist of days. It was just one of those days, completely unpredictable in just about every way. The day began with me getting up at six in the morning and announcing our new title, the complete and stereo David and Bathsheba by Alfred Newman, rather a landmark release. I was so zonked I went right back to bed. It took about an hour to fall back asleep and then I was out until eleven. I got up to lots of orders, so that immediately made it the best of days. I printed them all out, which took almost forty-five minutes, and then I went to Jerry’s Deli to have a 600 or less calorie sandwich. I was playing on the Internet on my phone when I saw a post on the film music site that said the Kritzerland site was down. That seemed odd to me, so I checked my e-mail and I had several e-mails to that effect. I then tried to go to the site and couldn’t. I texted the web guy – he said he could get on the site, but I told him to call our web host to see what the deal was. While he did so and was on hold, I saw a post that basically told the story. Some creep somewhere outside the US hacked into the host’s site and took it down, affecting what could be millions of websites and tons of small businesses like ours. And then the piece of dog snot bragged about it on Twitter. I truly hope they can compel Twitter for the guy’s information and can do something to him. So, that immediately made it the worst of days. I had to wolf down the sandwich and get back home to see what was what. By the time I arrived, the site was back up and orders coming in again, but in the ninety minutes to two hours we were down, I’d imagine we missed about fifty or sixty sales that went to other online stores. So, I was in a bit of a foul mood when Juliana and her musical director arrived, compounded by a really irritating and bluster-filled e-mail I received – I responded immediately and strongly. We’ll see where it goes from here.
Our work session was basically doing arrangements. I have a shorthand with certain musical directors but don’t with others, hers being one I don’t have shorthand with. So, it always takes longer to come up with stuff, but in the end we find something interesting, whether it’s a new vamp or an interesting rhythmic structure or a key change or moving something around. One of Juliana’s favorite songs was originally going to be her encore, but I felt it really didn’t work in that spot, so we were looking for another place for it. She’d come up with an idea that it might go well with another song. So, we ran the one song, then she went right into the other and I knew instantly it was not going to work, because the first song is so specific in what its saying and also very complete. That’s the thing about put-togethers – it can’t be arbitrary, it has to make dramatic AND musical sense, it can’t seem like you’ve scotch-taped two songs together. I was quite vocal about it, and she got quite vocal about it and our musical director was in the middle about it. In the end I told her it was her show and she could do what she wanted but that I, simply acting as an audience member, thought it would lessen the impact of the first song and render the second song meaningless. We moved on, did some more work, and when we were through, I saw where the hole was in our structure and where the song would fit, and she agreed immediately. It was a long but good session. We’d jettisoned one medley last time because it didn’t work at all, and I’d asked her to find some uptempo song she liked. But what she came in with, while certainly good songs, were too impersonal and didn’t really add anything. The musical director had a couple of suggestions, too, and again, while good songs, just didn’t seem to add anything to the mix. Then the musical director left and Juliana and I went to the Coral Café to go through the patter.
Basically, I just read through what she’d written, told her some cuts that we should do, and clarified the points of certain stories. I made lots of notes and now I’ll revise it for her and she’ll learn that, after which we’ll continue to finesse as we begin rehearsals. While reading through one story I thought went on too long, there was a little side story that didn’t seem like it fit in, so I said we should cut and/or move it, but as I was crossing it out I saw her reference to three musical influences she liked growing up, and I grabbed onto that and we instantly found our missing song – so that was very good. After that, I came home, printed out more orders, and then sat on my couch like so much fish, happy that the best of days and the worst of days was over.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Hillsborough, the story of a tragedy during a UK football game, where ninety-six people lost their lives. It was a very well done film, with excellent performances. It was written by the fellow who created Cracker, and it featured several actors from that show. After that, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled The Dark Mirror. If I’d seen the film before, which I don’t think I had, I remembered none of it. It’s a fine little noirish film about twin sisters, both played by Olivia de Havilland. Lew Ayres is excellent as a doctor and so is Thomas Mitchell as a cop. I quite enjoyed the entire thing, although the score by Dimitri Tiomkin occasionally devolves into silliness. The transfer is quite nice, with rich contrast, and it’s very sharp. The optical work on the film is really top-notch in the shots where they’ve composited two Miss de Havillands.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I really need to get a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, it will hopefully be the best of days with no hint of the worst of days. I have to do a bit of writing, I have some errands and whatnot to do, hopefully there will be more orders to print out, hopefully I’ll pick up some packages, I’ll eat, and then continue casting and choosing songs. I got the good news that the musical director for the last four shows will be returning.
Tomorrow is more of the same, then I’m having a business dinner, after which I’m seeing a play at the Falcon Theater. The rest of the week will be rehearsals, writing, and seeing some other stuff.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a bit of writing, do errands and whatnot, hopefully pick up some packages, pay some bills, eat, cast, choose, and hopefully have no more irritating and bluster-filled e-mails. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite film noirs? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, as I hit the road to dreamland, after which I shall hopefully awaken to the best of days.