Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to the Miklos Rozsa score to the film Providence. Clearly, Alain Resnais, its director, had some lovely musical taste, what with Sondheim and Rozsa scoring two of his films. This was another one I saw in New York and had to run out and buy the import soundtrack release the next day. It’s Rozsa doing Rozsa but with one of his best themes ever. He didn’t do much in this era, but he did this one and then later Time After Time, which was also a great later-in-life score. I’d like to see Providence again – I’ve only seen it the once and I remember liking some of it, but now have no memory of what it was actually about. But the music is glorious. Prior to that, I did manage to watch a motion picture on Blu and Ray – Audrey Rose. I keep hoping that someday I’ll find something to like in it, given its director and two members of its cast, but it’s just a hopeless dud in every way. Of course, those who’ve read GEE know that reincarnation resonates strongly in me. But this film is so poorly written (from a novel with the novelist doing the screenplay) in terms of its dialogue – in books you can forgive bad dialogue if the straight prose is good, but you can’t forgive it in a film, where it just sounds risible. Robert Wise fails the film utterly in every way. If he’s responsible for these performances, then he gets the blame – if he just let the actors do whatever they felt like then he gets the blame. They’re all acting in different movies. I love Marsha Mason, but all she does here is weep and then weep some more. Anthony Hopkins gets the worst of the script and great as he is, he can’t overcome it. The normally wonderful Robert Walden is over-the-top as a lawyer, and all the other supporting players are just plain awful. But the worst prize goes to square-jawed John Beck, playing Marsha Mason’s square-jawed husband. He’s so irritating at every turn that you want someone to just get in his face and tell him to shut up. The little girl’s performance gets knocked a lot, but she’s fine – just mis-directed and saddled with terrible words to say. They also mis-sold the film and tried to make it seem like the audience was in for another Exorcist, but this movie is nothing like that film in any way, shape, or form. It’s more of a sudser than anything else. Its one plus is the score by Michael Small, which is great and which, of course, we issued on Kritzerland. The transfer is the usual ancient MGM/UA thing – it’s just awful, barely an uptick from the DVD. And now, it’s just Miklos and me. Speaking of Miklos, I think my first real Miklos score where I actually took note of his name was Ben-Hur and I played that beautiful soundtrack to death – the stereophonic box set from MGM Records – it sounded amazing on my Columbia House Stereophonic Record Player with Detachable Speakers. And right after that came King of Kings, which also got the MGM Records box set treatment and which I liked even better. Of course, then I got to know all his classic older scores, too. What a composer he was, and his classical stuff is also aces.
Yesterday was actually kind of irritating on certain levels. Once again, I fell asleep around three-thirty but woke up around six-fifteen. I couldn’t get back to sleep, so I got up, and at seven-thirty went to CVS for some Claritin-D. Then I came home. I locked the car and didn’t get the “beep”, which usually means trouble. I opened and closed the door and then got the “beep” and thought all would be fine. Then I finally got back in bed around eight-thirty and slept until eleven-thirty but fell right back asleep until the phone rang with my noon o’clock telephonic meeting. Once I got my faculties together that went fine. Kerry O’Malley is throwing together a little nightclub thing with her friend, who’ll be here doing the tour of My Fair Lady. So, she wanted my help in choosing her material and giving her advice how they should structure the evening. I came up with something I think will work well, so that’s most likely what they’ll be doing.
After that, I did some stuff on the computer and then it was time for my haircut. I really needed it badly and now I’m coiffed and feeling much lighter in the head, if you get my meaning, and I know you do. Then I wanted to do a quick Gelson’s run but – the battery was drained, which was my fear. I called the AAA who informed me I was now going to be charged to get a charge because it’s my fourth time this year. I said, “What about all the other years where I didn’t use AAA once?” But I had a very uncooperative and kind of cold-ass woman on the phone and there was no dissuading her from the charge for the charge, so I paid it – ninety wasted bucks. The guy arrived fifteen minutes later, hooked up his cables and it started right up. I took a photo of the portable small machine they use and he told me I could buy one on Amazon and so later that’s exactly what I did and it will be here on Saturday and then this won’t be a thing anymore. I just need a new car, that’s the long and the short of it. To have them do an electrical system diagnostic is very expensive and then it would be equally expensive to fix whatever these problems are. At some point, you’re just throwing money down the drain.
I did a Gelson’s run and came back home. By that time, it was after six, so I had indeed fasted all day. I had two tuna sandwiches for food, along with two small potato pancakes. All of it was good. Then I watched the movie and the rest you know.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, then I’ll relax until it’s time to sup with the Pearls. We’ll meet at five-thirty so we can have a nice leisurely dinner, then we’ll go see the opening night of London Suite at the Group Rep. You have to show proof of vaccination to get in – I took a photo of my card, but I also went to the government website, because they send you one with a scannable bar code, so I got that, downloaded to my iPhone and there it is under “Files.” Easy/breezy. There’s a little after party, so I’ll attend that for a bit.
Tomorrow, I’ll be up early as she of the Evil Eye will be here and I’ll go have an early breakfast and after that I put together a box of Blu-rays, DVDs, and CDs to sell/trade. I’m really trying to clear out stuff I don’t need anymore. Then I’ll come home and I’ll do nothing at all but watch, listen, and relax. Sunday will be more of the same and I have ingredients to make a little pasta with red sauce. Then next week is very busy.
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, hopefully pick up some packages, sup with the Pearls, see the opening night of London Suite, attend the after party, and then right home to sleep. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray player? I’ll start – CD, lots o’ stuff. Blu-ray, who knows. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, not thrilled about being charged for the charge.