Well, dear readers, it is midnight at the oasis and it’s time to put my Kimmel to bed, but first I must write these here notes because I have let time get away from me and now I must go catch time so that time is on my side or at least my front. First of all, is Midnight at the Oasis not one of the weirdest pop songs ever written? And now, I am sitting here like so much fish listening to Bartok whilst the ticking of clock accompanies the Bartok. They’re not exactly in sync, but then again, who is? I did manage to watch a strange TV movie from 1977 on Amazon Prime, one I’d never heard of and yet I was a huge fan of TV movies of that era. This one was called The Spell, and it begins with a total rip-off of the opening of Carrie. And yes, it involves telekinesis. But unlike Carrie, this one is mostly terrible. I sat watching it and wondered who the inept director was, because most of this type of TV movie from that era had very good directors. Not this. And as soon as the director’s name came up at the end it was apparent why it was so inept – an inept actor named Lee Phillips became an inept director and I happened to have worked with him on a Partridge Family and he was the only director on that show I found insufferable. I don’t think he was asked back, either. I found his dismissive behavior to Danny Bonaduce awful and I actually called him on it. I will give him credit for having directed a good TV movie called The Girl Most Likely to… but that was more due to its writer (Joan Rivers) and its star (Stockard Channing). He just didn’t get in the way. Anyway, Lee Grant is always a pleasure to watch, James Olson reminded me how uninteresting an actor he is – he’s serviceable and has done okay work, but never quite delivered a great performance – I suppose Ragtime was the closest he got. The telekinetic Carrie-like girl is played by newcomer Susan Myers, whose most interesting subsequent credit was Revenge of the Nerds. Most fun was seeing the very young girl who played her little thirteen-year-old sister – someone named Helen Hunt. She was terrific even at that young age. Anyway, feel free to skip it. After that, I had a long telephonic conversation, and then time got away from me, I had to go catch it, and here we are, already twelve-thirty.
Yesterday, I got about six hours of sleep, I answered a lot of e-mails, had several long telephonic conversations, had a chicken Caesar salad from Stanley’s for the main meal, along with the last of the bagels. I never did leave the home environment. I did some work on the computer, proofed the two booklets that are now on their way to the printer, then I watched the movie, had a BLTA for the snack, and that was that.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, one of which will be the test hardcover, so that will be nice, I’ll eat something fun, and then I’ll get around to the show order and commentary, which I never got to yesterday, and after that, I’ll type some run-on sentences like this one, and then at some point I can watch, listen, and relax.
The rest of the week is more of the same, but mostly I’m going to prepare the Indiegogo campaign, which takes a bit of time. I have to shoot a video, get the perks figured out and listed, write all the blurbs they require and set the whole thing up. I’m hoping we can start it next week at some point. There’ll also be a work session for the Kritzerland show, and then we actually begin rehearsals on Sunday.
Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the Twist, for today is the birthday of our very own beloved dear reader Jeanne, who I’ve known since she was a wee bairn of fourteen, I believe. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own beloved dear reader Jeanne, who I’ve known since she was a wee bairn of fourteen, I believe. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN BELOVED DEAR READER JEANNE, WHO I’VE KNOWN SINCE SHE WAS A WEE BAIRN OF FOURTEEN, I BELIEVE!!!
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, eat, do the show order and write the commentary, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite TV movies of the Golden Age of TV Movies? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, now that it is after midnight at the oasis.