Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much procrastinating fish, listening to the Alban Berg violin concerto, which is rather like having your four wisdom teeth pulled without being put under. Prior to that, it was the Schoenberg violin concerto, which is rather like putting a burnt umber crayon up your nose. Yes, this is music to commit hari kiri by and that suits my mood just fine, oh, yes, that suits my mood just fine. Prior to this exhilarating and life-affirming music, I watched a motion picture entitled Once Upon a Time in America. I didn’t mean to and I actually began it the night before, but I was sucked in and watched the balance of it tonight. It’s the long version but not the super long version that was released to Blu-ray a few years ago. And being the standard long version (which is actually Sergio Leone’s cut – the super long version is horrible, and I truly believe Mr. Leone would be appalled by that so-called “extended director’s cut” – since he didn’t make it), it’s the transfer used for the first Blu-ray release and which is included with the new cut. That one, while not as detailed as the new cut (scanned in 4K) is still the only one you want to watch. The new cut is so bad, color-wise, that it made me want to vomit on the ground. And yet, there are complete film idiots who think that’s what Mr. Leone wanted, color-wise. These complete film idiots have clearly never seen the original long version in theaters – no, it was not sepia and brown and yellow EVER. The color is perfect on the standard long version and all you have to do is take a gander at both to know what a joke the new cut is, color-wise. Each era depicted in the film has a different kind of color scheme – it’s in the production design but you’d never know that from the new cut because it all looks the same. I think they did it to minimize how awful the additional footage is, taken from heaven-knows-what but certainly not the original camera negative. In so doing, they simply ruin Mr. Leone’s stunning film. The childhood section is a masterpiece of filmmaking and the best sequence in the film. The film goes back and forth between eras and that works fine and the whole film has a dream-like quality, which is, of course, on purpose. The performances are mostly excellent, especially De Niro, whose make-up for the older version of his character is terrific, but it’s also the way he carries himself in those scenes that sells it so well. Not so successful in that regard is James Woods – very good in the film but never convincing as the older version of himself – same with Elizabeth McGovern, who is a wonderful match for Jennifer Connelly’s younger version of the character, and McGovern is wonderful in the non-old-age scenes. Tuesday Weld is also terrific. The photography in the version with proper color (and no one dare argue with me about the color for this film, which I saw many times in the theater and I owned a pristine 35mm print) is breathtaking (Tonino Delli Colli), and the production design is, too. And the score, oh my, the score – one of Ennio Morricone’s greatest if not his absolute greatest. Deborah’s Theme is one of my favorite movie themes of all time.
I first saw the film in its bastardized American release, cut down from 229 minutes to about 139 minutes with all scenes in chronological order. I knew nothing of the longer cut so I felt no outrage at the time. I loved it despite knowing it was a bit clunky and that many things didn’t make any real sense. But the photography came through loud and clear, and the childhood sequence was mostly intact. I saw it four times at the Vogue in Hollywood during its very short run there. Then I found out about the longer version and became obsessed with knowing everything about it. And when it finally was released a year later, I saw that version about six times and it was fantastic. But I still had a soft spot for the short version for various reasons. It is totally abhorred by every cineaste and everyone of those cineastes I guarantee you never saw it. It’s never been issued on home video save for a very limited release on Beta and VHS. I own the Beta of it and am going to have it transferred to DVD so I can see it again, just for fun. And I like to think I’m completely responsible for Jennifer Connelly getting her second film, Seven Minutes to Heaven. Its producer, Fred Roos, told me he was having a huge problem casting a role in the film for a young teen girl. I told him to immediately hie himself to the Vogue – he did, he brought her in and she got the role. And now, we’ve moved on to a couple of Mendelssohn symphonies, a much more pleasant sound world and wonderfully done by Mr. Mitropoulos.
Yesterday was okay, mostly me in organization mode and trying to think things out. I did get ten hours of needed sleep, got up, answered e-mails and a text, experienced lethargy and procrastination, not necessarily in that order, and then around four-thirty ordered an Eyetalian sub from a place called Fat Sal’s. It arrived about thirty minutes later and was really good, a world apart from Subway or Jersey Mike’s in terms of freshness and flavor. It wasn’t too huge, just the right size and I just enjoyed the HELL out of it. In fact, I might just have it again today. I also decided since I’d had no sweets in over a week, that I’d have a cheat day and I had some ice cream, which was also good. That was my food for the day – a reasonably-sized sandwich and the ice cream, so not too bad. The fact is, I could go for another sandwich right now, but I shall be strong. Then I watched the movie, which took most of the night, then did some work on the computer, but not the work I needed to, due to lethargy and procrastination, not necessarily in that order and then listened to the comedy duo of Schoenberg and Berg, which put me in the mood to put a power drill in my ear.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing and what needs doing is finishing liner notes and writing the Kritzerland blurb, although I’m feeling like I should cancel the show, which I know would be very disappointing to the wonderful cast we’ve assembled. I think we could use some very strong most excellent vibes and xylophones around these here parts, so send ‘em. I’ll hopefully pick up some packages (hoping hard and softcover test books will be here sooner than later), I’ll eat, then at some point I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
The rest of the week is dealing with stuff I don’t want to deal with and making all manner of decisions I’d prefer not making.
I already miss our marvelous and wonderful cast. What a pleasure they were. Thankfully, I know several performances were taped – haven’t seen any of that yet, but I’m sure I will at some point.
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, finish liner notes, write a blurb, hopefully pick up packages, eat, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films of Mr. Robert De Niro and Mr. James Woods? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, having listened to Music to Commit Hara Kiri by.