Well, dear readers, I must write these here notes in a hurry for she of the Evil Eye will be here all too soon. It’s somewhat amazing to me that she of the Evil Eye has been with me for over a decade now, and probably closer to fourteen years, which is almost as long as haineshisway.com has been around. I do love that our handy-dandy search box for the notes actually works – I searched for something tonight and found all references to my search instantly. What I was searching for took me all the way back to this time in 2004. At that time, I’d just discovered a wonderful French movie called L’Appartement (The Apartment, for those who don’t speak French), made in 1996 and directed by a first-time director who somehow managed to make a brilliant film his first time out. I was nutty for the film and watched it three times in three months (twice in a week, the first two times). I could not believe that a filmmaker that talented had not, as of 2004, made a second film. I’d pulled the French DVD out a couple of weeks ago so I could revisit the film and last night I finally did so. And I’m happy to say it was as brilliant as ever – I’d forgotten some of its many twisty plot turns, but I hadn’t forgotten at all the wonderful performances, music, and above all the elegant direction by Gilles Mimouni, definitely channeling Mr. Hitchcock, but doing it in a respectful, non show-off way, unlike the other director who loves to channel Mr. Hitchcock, Brian De Palma. This is highly recommended by the likes of me for any of our newer dear readers – you will thank me. BEWARE however the US DVD from Lionsgate – its subtitles aren’t regular subtitles but those subtitles for the hard of hearing and they make watching it difficult. None of the DVD releases are stellar but the best of them is the French DVD, which has lovely subtitles and is probably very cheap by now. And certainly beware the ubiquitous and horrible American remake, Wicker Park.
Prior to watching that wonderful film, I’d once again only gotten about six hours of sleep. I got up and had my early morning work session for the Kritzerland show – that took about two hours, but was pretty effortless. There are several songs in this particular show that aren’t all that familiar to me, and that’s always a treat. After that, I went and had my meal o’ the day – a cup o’ chili and a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich. After that, I did some work on the computer and got ready for the little afternoon meeting.
I knew the meeting wasn’t really going to be anything other than me trying to keep various folks on a positive path, and I think I succeeded in that regard. It lasted only about thirty minutes. Then I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I finished watching the remake of Lolita (Lolita, for those who don’t speak French), this version directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Jeremy Irons, Melanie Griffith, Frank Langella and Dominique Swain as the titular Lolita. As most here know, I am very fond of the Stanley Kubrick version of the film – love James Mason, Shelly Winters, Peter Sellers and Sue Lyon as the titular Lolita. Of course by 1997 the movies could be a little bolder than in 1962, although Hollywood despite its raunchiness and obnoxious comedies, had actually gotten a lot more puritanical on certain subjects – do we think that Louis Malle could make the same film of Pretty Baby today? They’d run him out of town on a rail. I believe Miss Swain was about to be sixteen when this film was shot, but she looks fourteen, which is younger than Sue Lyon looked, even though she was fifteen or sixteen. I’ve never thought Mr. Lyne was a great director, but I find this film his best – not great, but okay. He only really errs completely in the film’s penultimate scene with Mr. Langella, which is so over the top that it just becomes an irritant. Jeremy Irons is a very good Humbert Humbert and Melanie Griffith does okay with Charlotte Haze. Peter Sellers, in the original film, was allowed to improvise and have quite a bit to do – that is not the case with Mr. Langella, who just doesn’t really have much of a presence in the film until the end. But any movie of Lolita also has to succeed in the casting of that role, and Miss Swain is terrific. She really throws herself into the part, sometimes, for some people, I’m sure, rather uncomfortably so – but that’s the character. She can be kittenish, she can be childish, she can be flirtatious, she can be, well, the nymphet she is supposed to be. While I don’t love the film overall, I do like it (last night was only the second time I’ve seen it), and it does have a better sense of the nightmarish road trip that is the middle third of the movie. And the Ennio Morricone score is very nice, too.
After I finished that, I did a mile-and-a-half jog, then watched L’Appartement (The Apartment, for those who don’t speak French).
Today, I shall be up and jogging early, then I’ll go eat an early meal o’ the day, hopefully pick up some packages (well, I haven’t been to the mail place since Wednesday and I know at least two packages are there), and then just relax and watch motion pictures.
Tomorrow I guess I’m lunching with the Staitmans and then seeing Bye Bye Birdie. Monday we have our first Kritzerland rehearsal, and then I have some meetings and meals, including an important one on Thursday morning, for which I’ll need your strongest most excellent vibes and xylophones, then our second Kritzerland rehearsal then our stumble-through and then sound check and show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, eat, pick up packages, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite types of crackers, both old-fangled and new-fangled. I’ve always been a cracker fan and you’ll be hearing about my favorite cracker in tomorrow’s notes. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, after which I will reveillez-vous (wake up, for those who don’t speak French).