Well, dear readers, I must tell you that my patience is being tried. Yes, you heard it here, that old saw, “You try my patience” is applicable to certain aspects of my life. My mother said that to me quite often – “You are trying my patience.” And my response was usually, “Here, try mine.” Have you ever tried anyone else’s patience? Did you like their patience? Was it better than yours? Have any patients tried any other patient’s patience. And riddle me this, all genders – why is patience spelled like that with all those useless letters in there? I would pronounce it pat-eye-ensse. Why didn’t the inventor of the word spell it the way it sounded – payshents. Yes, riddle me that, all genders, riddle me that. At this time, I have no idea what the HELL I’m talking about and that is because my payshents is being tried and I don’t care who knows it. Right now, I’m listening to some Ernest Gold film themes. Mr. Gold was a great film composer (and classical composer, too). A wonderful gift of melody and excelled in every genre for which he wrote. His tunes are instantly memorable and really fit the films they were written for. It’s really impossible to think of Exodus without his brilliant theme. Even more so for It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. I got to know him briefly when we recorded his string quartet for Classical Hollywood on Bay Cities. He was once married to Marni Nixon and they made some beautiful music together, including the film score for Dementia by George Antheil, which Gold conducted and Nixon did vocal honors. Anyway, this Gold theme album, originally on London Records in the mid-1960s is highly addictive. I play it quite often and it never tries my patience. Prior to listening, I watched two complete motion pictures, part of a third, and then began a documentary about a ballet Justin Peck creates for the New York City Ballet company. Our very own beloved Tiler Peck appears. First up was a digital copy of Steven Spielberg’s new film, The Fabelmans, which is his semi-autobiographical film about his growing up and becoming a filmmaker, his relationship with his parents and siblings, and his coming of age. Let’s begin with the fact that I’ve always enjoyed Mr. Spielberg’s films, save for a handful of films he’s done that I can’t get with. But if he’d only done Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind he’d still be one of the greats. But when you add the fun of Raiders and the brilliance of E.T. and many other fine films, he’s had quite the run.
So, The Fabelmans. There are many fine moments in the film and its final scene is great as is its final shot – those two things are everything he does best. What precedes it doesn’t always work and, for me, for very specific reasons. As I’ve mentioned, the parallels to my first three novels are, I’m sure, coincidental but they cannot be denied. Books and film are coming-of-age tales about a young boy finding his way and his creativity. The fact that he calls his mother Leah, Mitzi in his film, Mitzi being my mother’s real name (I call her Minnie in the books). The big difference, of course, is tone. Both are families had their dysfunctions, but his film is mostly a love-letter while mine is mostly catharsis – funny, yes, but not ever stepping back from my mother’s issues and somewhat the same for my father and brother. As readers know, my brother and I did not get along at all, whereas Spielberg clearly loved his sisters. And yet, there is one scene where Spielberg’s mother hauls off and hits him so hard in the back (open-handed) that it leaves a big red welt and mark on his back. But that’s the only time that ever happened, whereas my mother regularly took out the hanger and did her thing. Other interesting coincidences – the film’s poster art – a young boy with his back to us, with indistinct soundstages on either side – in feel looks rather like the cover to my western novel, Red Gold. And John Williams’ main piano theme, in feel, is reminiscent of the love theme I wrote for Doug Haverty’s play, In My Mind’s Eye.
But here’s the big difference – in all the family scenes, the Spielberg character is almost a supporting player, watching and listening to what’s going on with his folks. I certainly could have called my first novel, The Kritzers, but that’s not the focus of those books – the focus is Benjamin, which is why I specifically gave it his name. In the high school sequences, he’s bullied relentlessly, as I was. The stuff that really works is where he takes center stage with his early 8mm movies and then his elaborate high school movie. Certainly, The Fabelmans is well directed, although he seems to have fallen in love with lens flare for this one. I’m not a fan of the cameraman he’s been working with for the past two decades, but this is, for me, the best of their collaboration. John Williams wrote a very short score for the film and it works well in the film, although it’s dialed back and never begs for attention. But I’m also not so much a fan of the screenwriter he’s been working with, Tony Kushner. I find him heavy-handed in their collaborations, and I don’t think I’ve loved any of the films they’ve done together. And it’s long – two-and-a-half hours. Still, anyone who loves Spielberg and loves movies will find things to enjoy. The actors are all very good, although I don’t think I get the kind of adulation that Michelle Williams always seems to get from everyone – she’s fine, but everyone’s talking Oscar and I just don’t see it. Paul Dano is fine as the father, Judd Hirsch has a funny scene as a weird uncle, and the sisters are very good. The actor who plays Spielberg is terrific. And the final scene, followed by the film’s final visual gag is brilliant – that scene involves David Lynch as a famous director and he’s great.
I followed that with another digital screener (I was able to watch both movies on the TV thanks to Firestick), this one entitled She Said, which is about the two New York Times reporters who broke the story about Harvey Weinstein and his accusers. I enjoy journalism movies, for the most part, whether All the President’s Men, The Post, or that movie about the Catholic priests abusing young boys. I was concerned right from the get-go at the way it began, with a very badly directed series of shots showing New York – it made me think it was going to be like those Netflix documentaries, that kind of awful style. But as soon as that sequence was over, it settled right down and the direction was never again obtrusive or “now” or obnoxious and it didn’t try my patience. It’s very well acted – the two reporters are played by Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan, and there are fine performances from Samantha Morton, Jennifer Ehle, Patricia Clarkson, and it’s interesting that they got Ashley Judd to play herself. Anyway, I enjoyed it. It was a big flop at the box-office but got good reviews for the most part.
The less said about Bullet Train the better – it’s horrible, the direction is everything I loathe, and the only upside is Brad Pitt seems to be having a good time. It’s one of those films that seems to be so full of itself and thinking it’s so with it and clever. Blechhh. I’ll have more to say about the ballet documentary after I finish it.
Prior to that, I only got three or four hours of sleep, when she of the Evil Eye arrived I went and to Art’s Deli and had an omelet. I then picked up a package, then, to kill time, I went to the nearby Antique Mall – I don’t know why I visit it so infrequently – it’s always fun to look at the various cases. I didn’t buy anything. I went to Gelson’s and got cheese enchiladas for the evening meal – they were pretty good, actually.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, and then I’m doing nothing but relaxing as I’ve very overtired and everything is trying my patience right now.
This week, I must begin preparing for our end of year CD announcements – it will either be three or four titles, so lots of work ahead for those. And then it’s a big birthday. I’m going to try and have a birthday meal with our very own Jeanne, but I’d zoned out that on the actual day Richard Sherman is taking me to lunch. So, Jeanne and I will figure out a day that works and hope it will be soon thereafter because it’s been too damn long. We’ve already chosen the restaurant.
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 nothing but relax, eat, and then watch and listen. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping that there’s been enough trying of my patience.