Well, dear readers, perhaps I should get the ball rolling by announcing right here and now and also right now and here our new limited edition soundtrack release. This one is particularly exciting for Kritzerland and myself as it’s a huge favorite and a film I have loved for many, many years. So, let me just quote a line from the film and I’ll be you’ll know exactly what the movie is: “Klaatu barada nikto.” Yes, it’s the classic Bernard Herrmann score to the classic sci-fi film The Day the Earth Stood Still. The score was originally available on CD from Arista but that was twenty-one years ago and it wasn’t complete. The complete score surfaced on a CD that was included with the laserdisc. Then four years ago, Varese Sarabande release their Bernard Herrmann at Fox box set – 1000 units at a very high price, which sold out in three or four days. Therefore, many fans of the film and its score didn’t have the chance to get it. Mike Matessino has finessed the sound even further for our new release and the result is astounding. The score is one of Herrmann’s greatest and completely unique and subsequently oft imitated. The orchestration is one of the most interesting ever done for a film score – no strings, no woodwinds, two theremins, two pianos, harp and brass and electric violin (played by Felix Slatkin). It is a score that literally sounds like no other. I encourage everyone to order quickly – we’ve upped our usual 1000 to 1200 but given the iconic status of both film and score and the number of folks who either missed it or who didn’t want or couldn’t afford the huge box set, we think it will move fairly fast. Here is the cover.
In other news, yesterday the earth stood still, so I said “Klaatu barada niktu” and then I felt the earth move under my feet. I was up at six, fell back asleep at seven and slept till eleven, so about nine hours. I got up, answered e-mails, did some work on the computer but mostly relaxed. At some point I decided to have a meal since I knew I didn’t want one at The Federal, so I went and had some tenders of chicken. Then I came home and sat on my couch like so much fish.
Yesterday I watched the first thirty minutes of the new Blu and Ray of Kiki’s Delivery Service, my favorite of all the Miyazaki Studio Ghibli films. It looks beautiful and sounds beautiful. There seems to be some brouhaha about the subtitles on the Japanese version – they are supposedly what are called “dubtitles” but I had the Japanese DVD of Kiki’s and whatever these are are very similar to those so I have no problem whatsoever with it. The film is just wonderful and I’m looking forward to finishing it later this afternoon.
After that, I got ready and then moseyed on over to The Federal to see a club act. It was a first-timer and the act had the plusses and minuses that all first-time acts normally have, most of which has to do with structure and storytelling. Everyone thinks this stuff is easy, but it’s not. The actress/singer is very talented and is just starting out, so I’m never quite sure what the benefit of these just starting out actors headlining a show is, but I suppose there are things to be learned if the performer is open to learning them. This performer was part of the talent contest that I judge every year – she was one of several talented young women this year and she’s not cookie cutter, which hopefully will be a good thing for her. I sat at a table up front with her folks who are very nice. I’d met her mom before because I used the singer in the anniversary Kritzerland show in the ensemble that did the What If bits. Anyway, we all had a good time, the jernt was packed with her USC pals and I had an artichoke and a few maple-glazed tater tots.
After that, I stopped at Gelson’s, got a small snack to take home, came home, ate the small snack and got everything ready for our six in the morning announcement.
Today, I shall be up at six in the morning to announce our new CD release, after which I’ll probably go back to bed for a bit. Once up, hopefully I’ll print out a LOT of orders, the helper will be by for invoices and maybe if she has time we can do a Costco run, I’ll eat, hopefully I’ll pick up some packages, and then I have some work to do on the computer and then I’ll relax and finish Kiki’s Delivery Service and then watch the Blu-ray of The Day the Earth Stood Still – I got it when it came out and never have watched it.
Tomorrow I have a lunch meeting, Wednesday is a work session, and then it’s Thanksgiving with Barry Pearl and his ever-lovin’ Cindy, then I’m not doing anything at all for the next three days other than think about the book I’ll start in January.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, announce a new title, hopefully print out a LOT of orders, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite scores to science fiction films? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, after which I shall arise and loudly proclaim “Klaatu barada nikto.”