Well, dear readers, the wheels are indeed in motion and so do send your strongest most excellent vibes and xylophones for the wheels in motion to lead to a lovelier than lovely miracle, and sooner than later, like perhaps even today, oh, yes, like perhaps even today. Otherwise, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to the wonderful score for Bell, Book, and Candle by George Duning. Mr. Duning’s music is always a pick-me-up and because I nervously await the possibility of a miracle, it’s the perfect antidote to said nervousness. Mr. Duning sure could write a theme and he always did something that’s fun once you’re onto it – he normally uses the title of the film broken down into musical syllables so, for example, his theme for Any Wednesday is four notes that sound like “Any Wednesday” – and he does that for most of his films. There are a few other composers who’ve done it and it’s always fun to hear. A most famous example is James Bernard’s theme to the Hammer Dracula, a declamatory three note theme that literally sounds like the orchestra is playing DRACULA as musical notes. Anyway, I’m enjoying Mr. Duning as I always do – he remains one of my all-time favorite film composer. I must pull out the Blu-ray and watch it again – not because it’s a great film, which it isn’t, but because it looks stunning and is beautifully directed by Richard Quine. And the fetching Kim Novack is very special in it. Prior to listening, I started the Studio Ghibli Hayao Miyazaki viewing. I currently have six of these beautiful steelbook releases from GKids/Shout Factory. Of course, I have the earlier Blu-ray releases from Disney, but from what I understand several of those have English dubtitles – in other words, not the direct translation of the Japanese language version but subtitles from the dubbed English, and those frequently are completely different in tone from the original intention. Let me just say right off the bat, no one should watch these beautiful movies with the English dubs. Ever. I began with my favorite of all Miyazaki films, Kiki’s Delivery Service. First off, it’s just a wonderful film, filled with great beauty and warmth and charm. Second off, it’s a gorgeous transfer. Third off, the subtitles are correct. I don’t know if it was ever corrected, but the Disney dub for this film was the worst of them – it was awful, with Phil Hartman’s smart-ass improving for the wonderful JiJi the cat, which in the Japanese version isn’t that at all. I know Miyazaki was upset about it as it subverted the entire tone of the film. Add to that that Disney didn’t think American audiences could deal with the frequent silences that make Miyazaki’s movies so special, and so they added music under all those scenes that played without in the original – they hired Paul Chihara to adapt Joe Hisaishi’s themes for those scenes and Chihara also wrote some of his own music. He shouldn’t have. Anyway, I loved seeing it again. I think it’s been – well, let’s just see how long it’s been, shall we? Long. April 15, 2003, to be exact. If I’ve watched it since, I haven’t written about it, so maybe I haven’t watched it since, other than to check out the Disney Blu-ray transfer of old. Anyway, it’s a beautifully beautiful film about a thirteen-year-old witch coming of age. There are no big action scenes, there’s not a single villain in sight, it just takes its sweet time, and it really couldn’t be more perfect.
Yesterday was an oddity. I only got six hours of sleep and was up at eleven. As soon as I was coherent, I made the telephonic call to be sure I did everything correctly, and then put the wheels in motion. Then I went to the mail place – well, not immediately because the car battery was dead – big surprise after all that had gone on the night before. I charged it and drove over to the mail place and picked up a package. Apparently, the ten minutes of driving wasn’t enough because the battery was dead again. I charged it again, sat for ten minutes, drove for twenty, and let it run another thirty once I was back home. It did beep right away when I locked it, so I’m hopeful it will be fine today.
Once home, I made two small ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches for food and they were very good – not so filling, but good. I had a few jellybeans for a sweet, but knew I’d have to have more food later. Then I had some telephonic calls and found out that the Broadway World nominations were out, so I put the word out to get some votes – yes, the winner is whoever has the most friends or acquaintances or theater company members to vote for them. I usually tire of the game after day one, but this time I think it would be really fun to get enough votes to win. I’m personally up for two directing – one play, one musical (Revenge and Tonight’s the Night), both of those shows are up for best production (separate categories), sadly they’ve dumped all genders into one best performer category, which I find really off-putting – I understand the why, I just don’t agree with it. Anyway, our two leads from Tonight’s the Night are up (how is that fair – one male, one female), and a few of our Revenge actors are up, too. The Kritzerland eleventh anniversary show is up for best special event, and L.A. Now and Then is up in the most outre category of them all – most anticipated upcoming musical. Well, we did get the vote out and we’re leading in most categories, but we have to keep at it, so if you haven’t voted, please do – just go to my Facebook page for suggested votes and the link. Send to your friends and let’s do this. Then I watched the movie, and then I began listening to Bell, Book, and Candle and have now moved onto Duning’s brilliant score for Picnic.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll pray for the wheels in motion to lead to a miracle (do send those patented vibes and xylophones – we really need ‘em), then I have a lunch meeting at two-thirty, followed by Cindy Williams coming over to work on the special material that I wrote for her. After we figure that all out, then we’ll go for dinner somewhere. Then I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, I have a lunch that’s over by Beverly Blvd. and La Brea – haven’t been down that way in ages and ages. I believe that’s at one-thirty and then I’ll try to get back to the Valley before the traffic gets crazy. I’ll take my special route, of course. Friday I’m not sure what’s happening – there may be a meal of some sort, just can’t remember. During all these days, I’ll also be writing for the project with David Wechter. Then on Saturday I see a youth production of Fiddler on the Roof out in Thousand Oaks or somewhere like Thousand Oaks or maybe it’s not quite that far, maybe it’s Calabasas, just can’t remember. Sunday, I think, can be a ME day.
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, pray for the wheels in motion to lead to a miracle, have a lunch meeting, have a work session with Cindy Williams followed by a dinner, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I will pray that the wheels in motion will lead to the happiest of miracles.