Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to some French musique by French composer and Frenchman Philippe Gaubert – very melodic and lovely French music it is, too. Tableaux symphonique – Les Chants de la mer is the piece and it brings to mind the many moods of the mer. I love the many moods of the mer, don’t you? I myself have never written a song about the mer or any body of water, at least that I recall. What I do recall, however, is that I am writing these here notes late so I must not waste any more time writing about the many moods of the mer, for time and tide wait for no man, woman, or beast, not necessarily in that order. I must write in waves. I must write like a what is it, fish out of water or these here notes will be a drop in the ocean, and we must have easy sailing, notes-wise. Earlier, I was writing a tune that tickled my ear – have no idea what I’ll do with said tune, but my ear has been tickled and is laughing up a storm. I did watch a bit of a funky old motion picture entitled The Walking Target, a grade Z motion picture from 1960 featuring the all-star cast of Joan Evans, Ronald Foster, and Merry Anders. It’s a typical heist film wherein the money is hidden, and people are after it. Shot in Los Angeles, California at the Samuel Goldwyn Studios on Santa Monica Boulevard, the robbery takes place on Formosa, right near the studio. Later, they’re purportedly in Arizona but those scenes and especially the house looked very Valley to me and indeed a little searching told me it was the Valley – Woodland Hills to be exact and that house is still there and looks exactly the same, save for the gate in front of it. It was directed by Edward L. Cahn, the man who gave the world Invasion of the Saucer Men, It! The Terror from Beyond Space, and The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake. No slacker he, in 1960 Cahn directed eight movies and in 1961 he made eleven movies. Those days are gone, sadly. This film opened in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday November 23, 1960, as the bottom half of a double bill – the top half being a little something called The Magnificent Seven. Here’s the ad for it.
The film only runs seventy-five minutes, which is the best thing one can say about it. Of course, the imdb has its release date as October and TCM has it as August. Close, but no cigar. The week this played, I know the two movie theaters I went to – the Lido, where I saw Man in a Cocked Hat with Peter Sellers, and The Big Chief with Fernandel. And at the Stadium I saw Sons and Lovers, which I’m afraid went right over my head.
Yesterday wasn’t much of a day. I got ten hours of sleep, arising at one. Once up, I answered e-mails, had telephonic calls, shaved and showered and it was time to mosey on over the hill to Genghis Cohen for an early dinner with Peyton and her mom. It was good to see them, and we had fun. The food, I’m sorry to say, wasn’t quite up to snuff – I suspect it’s the curse of the Sunday chef because it’s happened before. The orange chicken, while okay, wasn’t a patch on the butt cheeks of how good it usually is. Neither was the crackerjack shrimp. I ordered the cashew chicken, thinking I’d had it before, but I hadn’t and it was just weird. Next time, it’s back to garlic or Kung Pao chicken. Up to snuff was the steamed sole in a light soy/ginger sauce, and the green beans were really good. Anyway, it was fun.
After, I came right home, did some stuff on the computer, got the second proofer’s fixes, which I’ll start entering when I’m up this morning, I watched fifty minutes of The Moving Target, and then listened to musique.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll enter fixes until I’m done, I’ll finish up the liner notes, and I may Zoom with David Wechter. I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll call AFTRA about my errant and truant check, which is probably sitting in the wrong mailbox at the mail place, I’ll eat something light but fun, and then at some point I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
The rest of the week is more of the same, plus some meetings and meals and trying to lock down the rest of our cast for L.A. Now and Then.
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, enter fixes, finish liner notes, maybe Zoom, call AFTRA, hopefully pick up packages, eat, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite books and movies about the mer? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, as I wrap up these Notes de la mer.