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December 16, 2021:

THE DUNE AND THE SPICE

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, many moons ago in a far-off place I endured David Lynch’s film of Dune. I saw it at an advance screening at Universal Studios. I was a huge Lynch fan already, thanks to his wonderful film of The Elephant Man. I didn’t know from Dune – not the kind of book I’d enjoy. Well, within the first ten minutes you could feel the irritation in the room. So much plot, so much exposition, so much explaining the world of the film and who was who and what they were doing – it gave me a huge headache by the thirty-minute mark. At two hours and seventeen minutes that seemed like five hours and seventeen minutes, I literally thought it was never going to end. I found it a complete misfire and so did most of the critics and it pretty much tanked at the box-office. When it came out on DVD, I tried to watch it again, but I hated it even more. All this leads me to the new version of Dune by director Denis Villeneuve, which runs an even longer 155-minutes and is only part one of what will be a two-part film. Once again, I sat there listening to endless exposition, explanations of who was who and who was doing what to whom and again it gave me a headache. Of course, I think Mr. Lynch is a much more interesting director than Mr. Villeneuve, who, of course, had a much higher budget to work with – 165-million dollars to be exact. It’s pretty much what you’d expect of a today sci-fi film in terms of look and sound. They probably did a better job of explaining things but in the end, I still didn’t understand much of anything, and the mumbling actors didn’t help in that regard. I do know that Spice was mentioned, but I wasn’t sure what kind of Spice – oregano? Paprika? Cumin?  Was it decreed somewhere that Timothee Chalamet must be in every movie made? Because I’m quite done with this fellow and do not understand his appeal at all. The rest of the cast is also what you’d expect in a film such as this. I did watch to the end, which, of course, wasn’t an end at all. The Hans Zimmer score is a Hans Zimmer score with much thumping. The film’s color scheme consists of yellow and brown with occasional flashes of yellow and brown. I guess some people loved it. I also watched a little of the film noir, I Wake Up Screaming, a shoddy old transfer from Fox that Kino thought it was fine to foist on the public. Thankfully, I got it during their sale, and it was only seven bucks or something. It’s not a great movie, but it’s very enjoyable. I watched the first ten minutes or so and will finish it up today at some point.

Yesterday was another day of seven hours of sleep (better than six) and once again the visitor was pushed, supposedly today at some point. I answered e-mails, did some stuff on the computer, proofed two booklets, went to the mail place and picked up some screeners – the others were King Richard and The Tender Bar. I picked up a chicken Caesar salad at Stanley’s, came home, and ate that and it was excellent.

Then I did some writing, then watched Dune and began I Wake Up Screaming, made a little pasta with red sauce and ate it, and then began listening to the big box set of Andre Previn just because that’s where I was in iTunes or Music as they now call it. I really do like his work that he did for RCA, prior to his going to EMI. Now playing is the Shostakovich fifth, a wonderful performance of a great, great symphony. And the rest you know.

Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll have a visitor, then we’ll do some filming of the hands so we can start to get some charts done. Then I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll eat, probably just a sandwich or something, I’ll write, and then I can watch, listen, and relax.

Tomorrow is lunch with Richard Sherman, first time seeing him in almost two years. So, that will be fun. I also have to go to storage and drop off a couple of things to get shipped that I had here, otherwise I’ll write and stuff. Saturday, I got a ticket to see West Side Story, so hopefully the motor car will work properly. After the movie, I may stop at the new Amoeba and see what that’s like. I so wish they were still where they were. Sunday can be a ME day, and then after that it will be just some writing and also story notes for the new book.

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, have a visitor, film the hands, hopefully pick up some packages, eat, write, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What were the highlights of your 2021? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where perhaps I’ll dream of the Spice and what it actually is.

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