Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to music (the wonderful music of Franz Schreker – highly recommended by the likes of me), and I just nuked an endless paragraph about the pandemic because who needs to read more about that – not me? We all have our own perspectives on it, how it’s being handled, what we’re being asked to do, how long people are willing to do it, blah, blah, blah. All I wish for is that the endless barrage of negativity and doom and gloom stop for even a day or two. One cannot exist in that kind of world, it’s too much. Everyone needs hope and light and positivity, and I will hammer that home whether people like it or not, and I have to tell you there are many who simply don’t want to hear a single positive word, which I find both odd and odd. End of shorter screed. We do need a screed every now and then. Indeed, a screed can serve as a creed and breed, a screed can be something to heed and lead, agreed? A screed must be freed so everyone can read. I no longer have a clew as to what the HELL I’m talking about, but it’s better than the page-long screed I wrote first.
Yesterday was a day, I think. I’m no longer sure what constitutes a day, frankly. I did get eight hours of sleep. Once up, I answered e-mails, did some work on the computer, then went and retrieved a couple of packages, then came home. I ended up making a batch of Wacky Noodles and that was very good and filling. After that, I sat on my couch like so much full fish.
Yesterday, I began my viewing with a viewing of Carry on Cleo. I saw Carry on Cleo back in 1964 at a sneak preview at the Four Star Theater on Wilshire Blvd. I found it ever so funny for most of its running time but thought it flagged towards the end. I think I saw it one other time when it opened. Then I watched it again when the DVD came out – well, not all of it, just the first ten minutes. Then I got the region B Blu and Ray and other than checking out the transfer, never watched it. But I watched the entire thing yesterday and I have to say I was laughing out loud for most of it – perhaps I was just in the mood for that silly humor and the puns and stuff, but I just had such a good time with it. Kenneth Williams is hilarious as Julius Caesar and has the best lines. But the whole Carry On bunch is great and Jim Dale is really charming. The transfer is pretty terrific. If you like silly English humor, seek out Carry on Cleo. It’s my favorite of all the Carry On films I’ve seen.
After that, I watched The Naked Face on Blu-ray. I’d watched it when I got the region B disc and I went back and read what I wrote, which was basically I thought it was one of the worst movies ever made. So, I thought it would be fun to see if I still felt that. And the answer was no, I didn’t think it was one of the worst movies ever made, I think it may BE the worst movies ever made. Bryan Forbes, the writer/director started out with several really good movies to his credit, but as his career went on he got worse and worse and The Naked Face is the worst of his worst. Roger Moore has no chance with how stupidly his character is written. He plays a therapist with very strange patients. Then one dies, his secretary is tortured and murdered. And in comes Mr. Rod Steiger. Now, Mr. Steiger could be very good in his loony method acting way – some of his 1950s stuff is fine, I love him in No Way to Treat a Lady and In the Heat of the Night and Duck, You Sucker, but he can really be over-the-top and awful and this film is a perfect example of just how bad he can be – you have never seen a performance like this – an extra-large ham sandwich with double ham, with no scenery left unchewed. No cop would act the way he does, and he pretty much screams for the entire film. Truly terrible. Then there’s Anne Archer, who seems to have been cast because she looks like the director’s wife, Nanette Newman. The only person in the entire film who escapes unscathed is Elliot Gould. The score is horrid – a surprise, as I like the composer very much – Michael J. Lewis. But the minute you hear the electronic drums you know what you’re in for. The Sidney Sheldon novel on which the film is based was written in 1970 and the gay stuff was pretty novel back then. But in 1984, when the film was made, it was a whole different world and Mr. Forbes was tone deaf not to change it because it is truly offensive. All in all, highly not recommended by the likes of me.
Then I proofed a track, did a fix session, and then began watching a motion picture called Brides of Dracula, which I’ve never seen, yet another Blu-ray bought way back when and put on the shelf. I’m actually enjoying it quite a bit, and the transfer is really pretty good, with great color. Martita Hunt gives an incredible performance in the first thirty minutes of the film. I’ll have more to say when I’m finished watching.
Then I got the fixed track, which is still not right, but it’s at least close now and won’t take more than ten minutes to fix. We knew this would take a bit since there’s no music. So, hopefully we’ll do that when I get up in the morning. Then I took a twenty-minute drive and then relaxed and listened to music and wrote a very long screed, which I then nuked and replaced with a short screed.
Today, I’ll be up by eleven, I’ll do the fixes on the track, and then there’s just one song left and that one’s very easy, so we’ll get that one done and then everyone will have everything and we’re still three weeks to show time. I’ll eat something fun that I’ll bring in, and then I’ll finesse commentary, then watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, I really have to find out the deal on the hardcovers. My gal hasn’t responded, but it’s stated seven to ten days – well, it’s been nineteen days and even if you don’t count the weekends it’s still well over the due date. If I don’t hear from my gal tomorrow, I’ll call the order department and see if they can find out something. At this point, I think they should expedite the shipping. The rest of the week is Kritzerland show stuff, including getting the two group numbers done.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by eleven, do fixes on the track, get the last track done, finesse, eat, watch, listen, and relax. 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, happy to have nuked the long screed in favor of the short screed.