Well, dear readers, over the years I’ve owned a rather large number of dye transfer prints, ranging from classics like The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain, and Vertigo, to the Bond films to The Court Jester, and many, many others. In my top ten of lustrous and stunning dye transfer prints was always Bonjour Tristesse. It was spectacular, with its black-and-white (printed on color stock) weaving into the most glorious IB Technicolor – want to know what skin tones look like or blue skies or the ocean, look no further than Bonjour Tristesse. But so few film transfers get the dye transfer look correct and I’m always nervous about it, especially with a favorite like Tristesse. Well, I’m more than happy to tell you that this transfer is a stunner. It is crisp and clear as can be, with wonderful contrast. But the best thing about it is the color. And yes, it really does capture the dye transfer look. Those BLUE skies, that deep BLUE water, Jean Seberg’s RED bathing suit, it all leaps off the screen with such incredible saturation, which is just the way it should be. If anyone anywhere says, “Wow, this is oversaturated” you call them a ninny immediately. They won’t know what a ninny is, but just tell them they are one, because they are if they think this is oversaturated. The black-and-white sequences (all the “present” scenes are in black-and-white) look sharp as a tack and are gorgeous. A lot of that can be laid at the feet of the amazing Georges Perinal, the cameraman, whose work here is incredible. Preminger never gets enough credit, IMO, as a great director, but Tristesse tells the tale – his work is elegant, stylish, and simple, serving the story perfectly. The cast, well, David Niven, Deborah Kerr, they’re great, as always, but there’s also Jean Seberg, who is just so fresh and breathtakingly beautiful, and Mylene Demongeot, who walks way with every scene in which she appears. The score by Georges Auric is a big plus. The screenplay by Arthur Laurents does have its precious moments, but there’s just something about the film that’s hypnotic and mesmerizing. Frankly, it’s worth purchasing the Blu and Ray JUST for the transfer – JUST to see what dye transfer used to look like – this transfer is like looking at my dye transfer print – that’s how good it is. I think you’ve figured out that this is highly recommended by the likes of me.
What’s truly amazing is that the novel on which Bonjour Tristesse is based was written by Francoise Sagan when she was eighteen years old. She’s failed her exams and then wrote this novel, got it published, and it sold over 200,000 copies. But it was a different world then. Today, a simple under 150-page book about not all that much would be tossed in the trash. And to have your first novel filmed, and then your second novel filmed (A Certain Smile) and then your fourth novel filmed (Aimez Vous, Brahms – or Goodbye Again), well, it’s pretty heady.
Yesterday wasn’t a bad day at all – in fact, it was quite okay. I got up after eight and a half hours of blessed sleep, answered e-mails, then wrote the blurb for the Christmas album and prepared its release announcement, so that’s all done and ready to go. I also got the web guy the audio samples, which include the song I wrote for the album – a perk of being the producer AND the label. Then I did some errands and whatnot, had a quesadilla, picked up a package, came home and continued on my quest to cast the next two episodes of Outside The Box. The good news is I think we have our ensemble. But it’s just daunting trying to cast this thing in LA. I’m waiting on word from a New York performer who may just be in LA when we’re shooting – if that works out that would be great. And I’m waiting to hear back from another actor, this one based in LA and someone I’ve worked with several times. If both said yes, then the rest is a piece of cake. I also talked to another actor I really like, and he really wants to do an episode, but the timing for these two isn’t good as he’ll be off getting married, but I may let him do the one I just finished writing – he’ll be back in time for that one.
Okay, may I just say that I really loathe the people across the street from me – yes, Annette Funicello’s daughter. They have been doing work on their house for four months. It’s been noisy, their workers have taken up all the parking spaces, while daughter and husband conveniently were living elsewhere. Last week the work seemed to finally be finishing and last night we finally knew what all this was about – a Halloween party for over 100 of their closest friends. They had the final coat of house paint done six hours before the party – I doubt it was even dry. And now, their obnoxious party guests are on the street where I live, shouting, being gross, and it’s really off-putting and it had better stop VERY soon.
Where was I? Oh, yes, casting. Then I watched a motion picture on a home grown DVD entitled The Blue Angel, starring Curt Jurgens and May Britt. Kritzerland, of course, just issued the soundtrack, and I must say I found the film to be very good. It’s not the Dietrich/Von Sternberg, but on its own its very well done, well directed by Edward Dmytryk, and Mr. Jurgens is terrific, and May Britt – who knew she was so captivating? Well, Sammy Davis, Jr. knew it. It would be lovely to see a nice print of this film in Cinemascope, because the pan-and-scan atrocity I watched was not pretty. Then I watched Bonjour Tristesse, and you know all about that, and I even watched the first twenty minutes of The Rains of Ranchipur, and that, too, is a lovely transfer.
I went to Gelson’s and bought about six hundred pieces of candy to give out on Halloween, and I got a couple of chicken tenders for my snack, and around seven-thirty I went out and did a three-mile jog. And that was pretty much it for the day and pretty much it for the evening. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get another good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I do have to do a little liner notes writing, and then I’m going to The Federal at one-thirty to do a video test to make sure our screening there will work as I want it to work, then I may go visit Druxy again at Monsterpalooza and maybe we’ll even grab a bite to eat after.
Tomorrow, we announce the Christmas album, then I go to the editing room to finalize the cut of episode one and make sure I’m completely happy with the sound mix. Once that’s done, we’ll put it on the external hard drive so I can get it on my computer, and we’ll also burn it to DVD for the showing at The Federal. Then in the evening we have to do two little fixes for Juliana Hansen’s live show recording – one lyric flub and one other tiny thing I can’t remember. Tuesday, I go to the DMV to renew my license, and then we have our first Kritzerland rehearsal. The rest of the week is meetings and meals, the second Kritzerland rehearsal, casting, the stumble-through, sound check and our show – oh, yes, and a new month. Oh, yes, and Halloween. Oh, yes, and I’m doing a duet with Jason Graae in the little show he puts together for his mom’s retirement home.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, write, check out the video at The Federal, visit Druxy, and eat. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall dream in glorious Technicolor.