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January 26, 2021:

QUICK TIME

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to Mussorgsky’s opera, Boris Godunov. Very tuneful and rousing at times, and I love the orchestral interludes thus far. It’s long – three CDs’ worth. This is the Decca recording with von Karajan conducting the Vienna Philharmonic and it mostly sounds excellent in this remastering. Prior to that, I’d listened to an opera by French composer Albert Roussel, whose music I really like. It’s called Padmavati and it’s really terrific – very tonal and beautiful with as much orchestral music only bits as singing bits. It’s very French in that impressionistic kind of way and I really loved it. Prior to that, it was Britten’s Peter Grimes, the sequel to Tammy Grimes. Now that’s the Britten I like, the tuneful, accessible Britten. Of course, I’d heard and loved many performances of the Four Sea Interludes from the opera and they’re even better in context. It was excellent and I loved the performances, and no one conducts Britten like Britten. Otherwise, I got a Quick Time of project one aka Tonight’s the Night and watched a bit of it and watched at least parts of all the songs – and it looks and sounds great on my computer and with my wonderful Audioengine speakers. Whole different ballgame and I was actually happy with the sound overall. But that’s gone to a sound engineer now and I’ve told him it should be a simple matter of smoothing out the levels between dialogue and song and I’m sure he’ll be able to help in other subtle ways, but I let him know that I’m very happy with it and not to do anything drastic. Then, when he’s done, Marshall and I will hear it and make sure we like it, and if we actually prefer the way it was, well, then that’s already saved and done. Hartley now has her three sequences to do – it’s just a single shot in the opening, going from the main title into the first production shot, then one song that requires her special effects expertise, and then the end credits. I’m hoping we can everything done by Friday. I’m either going to reveal this on Facebook tomorrow or Wednesday – maybe tomorrow to beat the press release that’s going out Wednesday morning. And two weeks from Wednesday we premiere this thing and I hope all you dear readers will be with us for the premiere and partay that follows.

Yesterday was an okay day. Had an unpleasant text to deal with when I got up – I’d arisen after only three hours of sleep, was up for ninety minutes, then went back to bed and got another four hours of sleep. I answered e-mails, did a few things on the computer that needed doing, checked out the Quick Time of project one aka Tonight’s the Night, then went and picked up some packages and mail, went to Staples and gave them the thumb drive with a PDF of the new book manuscript, so I’ll be picking that up today so I can start my go-through, I stopped at Gelson’s and got some ribs and a small Caesar for food, and then came directly home.

Once home, I ate the ribs, which weren’t as good as usual – something a little funky, spice-wise, in the sauce. They were okay. Then I listened to Peter Grimes and the Roussel. After that, I sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched a motion picture entitled The Life Ahead, an Italian film from Italy, directed by the son of Carlo Ponti and Sophia Loren, Edoardo Ponti. Let’s just say this – if Miss Loren doesn’t get an Oscar nomination then the Oscars are a complete joke. But it may not because I don’t know anyone who’s actually watched it, even though it’s on the Flix of Net. She should win, too. She gives a wonderful performance and the young boy who plays opposite her, Ibrahima Gueye should also win an Oscar – he’s terrific. I really enjoyed the film through all of its eighty-eight minutes (excluding end credits) – it’s well directed, the performances from everyone are wonderful, it’s well written, has a nice score by Gabriel Yared, and it’s very touching. After, just for fun, I checked out the reviews – while it mostly got excellent reviews, there was not a single four-star review, which I find astonishing. I think movie critics today are the worst batch in decades. But here’s what you probably don’t know about this movie: It’s had two other films made from it – it’s based on a Romain Gary novel called The Life Before Us, which first became Madam Rosa with Simone Signoret and then a TV movie. It was also the basis of the short-lived flop musical, Roza, directed by Harold Prince, which I saw here at the Mark Taper Forum. Anyway, I really kind of loved it. So, if you have Netflix, give it a whirl, if only for Miss Loren.

After that, I had my small Caesar salad, then I began listening to Boris Godunov – disc one is still playing as I type these here notes.

Tomorrow, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll continue planning the March Kritzerland, which I began doing yesterday, I’ll pick up the printed-out book, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll eat something light and amusing, I’ll begin my go-through of the new book, I’ll keep tabs on the progress of the various project one aka Tonight’s the Night components, and then I’ll watch, listen, and relax.

The rest of the week is more of the same. If outdoor dining reopens, which it might, then I can actually have a light breakfast on Saturday when she of the Evil Eye comes, and it won’t have to be eaten in my motor car – that would be very pleasant.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, plan Kritzerland, pick up the printed-out book, hopefully pick up packages, eat, start proofing the book, keep tabs on project one, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite barbecue dishes. What style of barbecue is your favorite and how many different styles have you tried? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy that the Quick Time looked so good and even sounded so good, even prior to the effects sequences and smoothed out sound.

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