Well, dear readers, when one needs sleep, one needs sleep and I suppose that’s why I slept for eleven-and-a-half hours and probably could have slept for more. But I did not, because I didn’t arise until three o’clock in the afternoon and therefore there wasn’t much day left. I am currently sipping on a Diet 7-Up and listening to some music by a fine composer named Ernst Fischer. He wrote a lot of light music, orchestral pieces, popular piano pieces, film music, and operettas. Wonderful tunes. I had no idea who he was but heard something on YouTube a few months ago and grabbed everything I found – currently listening to an orchestral piece called Kansas Story, which is utterly delightful and can be found on the forementioned Tube of You. Actually, I just found several more pieces, which I’m grabbing now. Prior to that, I finished watching Ballet 422 about young whippersnapper choreographer Justin Peck creating a new ballet. It was okay. I’m not a huge Peck fan, based on what I’ve seen, and based on what I’ve seen I’m not a huge Peck fan. Gregory, yes, Justin not so much. Tiler Peck, yes, of course, because she’s one of our own here at haineshisway.com, Justin not so much. Interestingly, Tiler, no relation to Justin, stars in the titular ballet, number 422 created just for New York City Ballet. It’s set to music by Martinu, his sinfonia di La Jolla, where we used to occasionally go in the summertime. Of course, they don’t show you the actual ballet, so I have no idea if it was good or not, but apparently, it’s more formal than his more recent stuff. That said, apparently, I’m more formal than my more recent stuff. I don’t know that that means, but I like the sound of it. Listening to a couple of Fischer pieces that I just grabbed and they’re as delightful as the other stuff, formal or otherwise. His piano/orchestra is jazzy like Gershwin. Where was I? Oh yes, Justin Peck. I think he should create a ballet entitled A Bushel and a Peck and a sequel, Hunt and Peck. Then I watched a thriller entitled Don’t Say a Word, however I must say a word and perhaps more than one. This film is based on a novelist I’ve enjoyed reading, Andrew Klavan. I saw this particular film soon after it came out, on DVD. That was two decades ago, back in 2002. I went back and read what I wrote about it, and I pretty much felt the same watching it again. It’s a decent thriller that’s neater and tidier than Mr. Klavan’s book, which is a lot nastier in terms of its villain. The cast is very good, which helps things because you root for the characters – Michael Douglas, Famke Jannsen, Brittany Murphy, and young Skye McCole Bartsiak as the eight-year-old daughter of Douglas and Jannsen, who is kidnapped. Where the film totally fails is in the casting of its villain, the ubiquitous Sean Bean, who I find to be a completely uninteresting actor and yet he’s always cast as a villain in something or other. He has no color and therefore is no threat at all. Thrillers need great villains. And the casting of the lady police detective was also lackluster. I’m also no fan of the director, Gary Fleder, and his “style” – but this one’s a bit better than some of his other films. It moves right along and has a satisfying conclusion, and I didn’t mind seeing it again. Shockingly, both of its young actors, Ms. Murphy and Ms. Bartsiak both died very young. Murphy died at thirty-two of pneumonia and a lot of over the counter and prescription drugs in her system. Bartsiak died at twenty-two – mom said it was epileptic fits, coroner said accidental drug overdose. Mom said daughter didn’t drink or take drugs.
Otherwise, I didn’t do very much else. I had two tacos from the local Mexican jernt I like and those were very good. I had a couple of telephonic conversations and that was pretty much it and it was pretty much that, not necessarily in that order.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll eat, but mostly I’ll be choosing songs for the January Kritzerland show, after which I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
The rest of the week is more of the same and just trying not to have stress and drama prior to the big birthday. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
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 packages, eat, choose songs, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films of Mr. Michael Douglas? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a long sleep’s journey into day and night.