Well, dear readers, what a wonderful haineshisway.com anniversary we had yesterday. This really is the most wonderful place on all the Internet. Between that and the decision not to send the strong e-mail it was just a lovelier than lovely day and evening. The e-mail conundrum weighed so heavily on my mind that I didn’t fall asleep until two-thirty and then I woke up at six and could not get back to sleep from thinking about it. But thanks to lots of good advice here, and one very helpful telephonic conversation I made the decision and once I’d done that everything felt much better. It’s sometimes frustrating to take the high road when others are taking the low road, but it’s really the only way – you just let it go and that’s that. The other thing that was on my mind had to do with the season premiere episode of Outside The Box. There was one other shot that I began to question – the shot has a reveal in it and in thinking about it I began to feel that it split the viewers focus. I’d not really thought about it before for some reason just because I was used to it – and truth be told it was perfectly fine that way. But I called Marshall Harvey, our editor, and discussed it with him and told him what I was feeling and he kind of agreed with me and then he came up with a really good solution, which was to hold the reveal until the second verse of the song. That sounded like a great compromise, and so an hour later we were back in the editing room. He did it (it literally took two minutes) and then we showed both versions to another editor who was passing by – and he definitely, without hesitation, liked the new version better. So, we made new Quick Time files and put them on the hard drive. I still have the first version if I should change my mind, and I may show it to someone today just to solidify it, but I think we’ll go with the new version.
After that, I went to the Coral Café to meet with Dan Guntzelman – he’s doing one of the episodes next week, and he also directed the excellent documentary on the Kentwood Players that aired on our local PBS stations. We had a preliminary chat about Kritzerland putting it on DVD and Blu and Ray. We’ll see how it all shakes out. Then I picked up no packages and no important envelope – I truly hope it shows up today or there will be hell toupee. The people from whence the checks come are out of town this week and next, but they assured me several times before they left that the checks were already written and would be sent. If it’s not here today, they’ll get a very strong e-mail and if they haven’t sent it they’ll have to overnight both weeks’ checks on Monday because I am drowning in a sea of Kritzerland bills that are due. Then I had some more telephonic calls, did a few more errands and whatnot, and then I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Saboteur, the first movie in the new Hitchcock box set. I’ve always been very fond of Saboteur – it’s colorful and fun, has some really good dialogue and moves along at a steady clip. It’s not one of Hitchcock’s masterpieces but as entertainment it gets the job done. Robert Cummings is fine, and Priscilla Lane is spunky, and Otto Kruger is a really charming bad guy. But the best performance in the film is given by Vaughan Glazer as Lane’s blind uncle – he’s just wonderful in his one scene. The transfer is lovely.
I then finally finished Mon Oncle on Blu and Ray, a region B release from the UK. Jacques Tati had a truly unique comic vision – there has never quite been another filmmaker like him. His films are like beautifully staged ballets, and the visual gags are subtle but very funny if you’re in tune with them. Watching his films alone is not the best way – with a full audience they’re really something else. Mon Oncle is a wonderful movie, maybe my favorite Tati film. It’s just so weird but I love the visual style and what he does with sound, and the many scenes that take place in the then home of tomorrow are brilliant. Tati’s Hulot character always looks like he’s on the verge of falling over – he’s very endearing and strange and again completely unique – never going for an obvious laugh, just letting things occur as they do, although it’s obvious it’s all very well laid out. The score is also great and perfect for the film. Of course I watched the original French version (there’s not really all that much dialogue and none of it is important) – it runs just under two hours but somehow never seems slow or labored. The Blu and Ray also includes the English version, which was prepared at the same time – titles in English and the dialogue dubbed. But the big difference is it’s almost twenty minutes shorter and has some completely different takes that move things along faster – not better – just faster. Tati isn’t for everyone, but if you’re in tune with his visual style, I really recommend this Blu and Ray if you have a multi-region player. If not, I have no doubt that it will be coming soon from Criterion.
After that, I buckled down Winsocki and wrote a press release for our new season of Outside The Box, sent it off to the proper places, then prepared an eBlast to the Kritzerland list that I’ll send out on Sunday, once the first episode has been posted on You Tube. Also, I finally got word that the last part is now cast for next week’s shoot – the wonderful actor, Nick Santa Maria. So, that’s a big load off. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I really must get a good night’s beauty sleep as I’m pretty wrecked, overtired-wise.
Today, other than writing liner notes, I’m doin’ nothin’. I’ll hopefully get up after a good night’s beauty sleep and I’ll hopefully pick up some packages and an important envelope, do some errands and whatnot and, depending on if some dinner plans come through, eat a cobb salad. IF the dinner plans come through, then I’ll wait until then for my meal o’ the day.
Tomorrow I attend the opening night of Intimate Apparel at the Pasadena Playhouse – I’m going with Mr. Barry Pearl and I’m sure we’ll dine prior to the show. Monday I have to relax and do as little as possible, because starting Tuesday it’s going to be absolutely insane – working with the East Coast Singer to hastily assemble and direct a Christmas concert for her, and then shooting two Outside The Box episodes on Thursday and Friday. Crazy. But hopefully it will all go smoothly and will be fun.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, hopefully pick up packages and an important envelope, write, and then either eat lunch or have dinner with friends. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite cheeses – exotic and plain and whatnot. And how do you use or like cheese in various food dishes? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have let it go so I can dream lovely dreams.