Well, dear readers, this week is flying by, like a gazelle eating a fishburger. How can it already be Thursday? But being Thursday, I’ve decided that Thursday is video day here at haineshisway.com. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, get your fishburgers and hunker on down because we’ve got us some video entertainment for your eyeballs. First up in our video entertainment for your eyeballs is the opening number from our holiday show this past Sunday. We’ve done four holiday shows and this has always been our opening number, but this is the first time it’s being done by two young people. The song is Be A Santa from Subways Are for Sleeping, made popular by Michelle Nicastro and the ever-elusive Guy Haines, who also recorded it with the never elusive Sandy Bainum.
Wasn’t that delightfully delightful. That was Brennley Brown on the left and Sami Staitman on the right. Next up, we have adorable Madison Claire Parks (or Maddy, as we like to call her) doing the beautiful Jule Styne/Bob Merrill song Winter Was Warm from Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol.
Now we have Sami doing My Simple Christmas Wish. I threw several last-minute changes at her and she just handled them so perfectly.
And here’s little ten-year-old Hadley Belle Miller doing That Man Over There Is Santa Claus from Here’s Love. She’s just been cast as the voice of Lucy in the new animated Peanuts movie.
Here’s Maddy again, this time doing my song This Christmas. She is a shiksa, after all.
Finally, from our Sherman Brothers New York show at The Triad – here’s the opening number, Ten Feet Off the Ground with Jenna Lea Rosen and Sami Staitman.
I have more videos that I’ll post another time. And now, some notes. Yesterday was kind of a nice day any way you look at it and I looked at it sideways. I got up after about eight and a half hours of sleep and had a lovelier than lovely telephonic conversation with our very own Sandy Bainum. After that, I had several long telephonic conversations about our indiegogo campaign, which we really need to kick into high gear. I had the page redesigned, moving text around, adding photos, and making it more appealing and we’re hoping that will help, along with constant updates. After that, I went and had a cup of soup and a chicken salad sandwich and no fries or onion rings. Then I picked up no packages. When I got home I happily got another screener and this one I can’t wait to watch – The Imitation Game. I did some work on the computer, chose some songs, did some writing, had yet more telephonic conversations, and then finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I finished watching Bunny Lake Is Missing, a film of Otto Preminger starring Keir Dullea, Carol Lynley, Laurence Olivier, Noel Coward, Clive Revill and Martita Hunt. One interesting thing I noticed is the credit An Otto Preminger Film. I’m thinking this was either the first time that kind of credit was used or among the first times. At some point, I do know John Frankenheimer and David Lean used it, but I do think Preminger may have been the first with this film (or perhaps he took that credit even earlier). I saw Bunny Lake when it first played (maybe at the Vogue Theater in Hollywood) and I remember being a bit disappointed with it, especially its final fifteen minutes or so. I did enjoy the actors and I do remember loving the black-and-white scope photography, the music, and Mr. Preminger’s direction. But there was just something about it that didn’t work for me as well as I wanted it to. I’ve watched it a few times over the years and I always enjoy it until the last fifteen minutes and then I just think it goes on too long for its own good.
Watching the splendidly splendid new Twilight Time Blu and Ray was a wonderful experience. Fifty years later, the film seems much, much better than it seemed back in the day. The pace is terrific, the performances hold up, especially Olivier and Coward (the latter is hilarious), and the whole atmosphere is fantastic. I still love the photography and Paul Glass’s score is one of the best things about the film. Ironically, just before watching it, Mr. Glass had called me to tell me how much he loved the CD of Overlord and Hustle. We’ll be doing another CD of two of his scores early next year. The screenplay is mostly very good and Mr. Preminger, who was out of fashion with cineastes for decades, has suddenly become something of a darling of theirs again – they conveniently forget their past disdain, which is disgusting but typical. The main titles are unforgettable and by the master – Saul Bass. One of the problems back when it came out was the casting of Keir Dullea. His big debut film had been three years earlier – David and Lisa – in which he played a disturbed young man and played it very convincingly. That film had been a huge surprise hit. So, when coming to Bunny Lake one had that memory fresh in mind, so at that time there was no real surprise where the story was going. There still isn’t, really, because Mr. Preminger is having sport with his audience at two distinct points not too far into the film. In both scenes, as the character is talking, a cuckoo clock is going “cuckoo” in the background – not too subtle, but fun and noticed by me for the first time with this viewing. The final fifteen minutes is still too long for its own good, but I just loved watching the whole thing. It doesn’t hurt that the transfer may be the best black-and-white scope transfer I’ve ever seen. It is spectacular and reason enough to own the disc. Highly recommended by the likes of me.
After that, I went to Gelson’s and got some of those egg roll things and some cucumber roll thing for my evening snack thing. I then played on the computer, uploaded the videos you saw in these here notes and that was that.
Today, I shall do a few things that need doing, choose more songs, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, and relax. Tomorrow is more of the same and then it’s a birthday dinner at Ruth’s Chris with the Staitman clan. I’m really looking forward to that sizzling in butter New York steak. Saturday is a ME day, and Sunday I have a short meeting and then am supping with Kay Cole and her ever-lovin’ Michael Lamont.
Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the Shipoopi because today it the birthday of our lovely dear reader Ginny. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our lovely dear reader Ginny. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR LOVELY DEAR READER GINNY!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, choose songs, eat, hopefully pick up packages and relax and watch The Imitation Game. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films of Sir Laurence Olivier and your favorite Noel Coward plays? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping you have enjoyed the fishburgers and videos.