Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to another marvelously marvelous Louis Lane CD of assorted favorites – just had some Debussy and Ravel and now it’s the Gymnopedies of Satie – gorgeous recordings, gorgeous playing by the Cleveland Orchestra. Very soothing – music to zone out by although when one is zoned out it is difficult to write these here notes and have them zesty and zingy and zippy, the three z’s and you know what happens when you put three z’s together – you get zzz which is short for zoned out and nodding off. All right, I must focus on the task at hand or at least the task at foot. I must write some damn notes and that’s all there is to it. And they must have the zest and the zing and the zip, especially the zip, which, as everyone knows, is piz spelled backwards. Earlier, I did manage to watch a motion picture entitled Dial ‘M’ for Murder – no, not the Hitchcock version, some TV movie remake from 1981. As you may recall, I directed a very successful production of the show for the Group Rep, my first show there. I had, with the exception of one person, a marvelous cast of players who all did a great job. But you can read all about that in my book Directed by. So, what do we have with this TV movie remake – well, I’ll tell you. Bland pudding, that’s what we have. It’s still basically the play but opened up with an especially stupid opening sequence. Tony is played by Christopher Plummer, a wonderful actor who here makes the same mistake my actor kept falling into – trying to play frustration and anger when he keeps having to improvise when getting caught up in his lies. It doesn’t work – you have to keep the charm up because if you play it the other way everyone on that stage will immediately be suspicious of it and that’s the last thing Tony wants. He charms his way out of everything. It’s one of the reasons I used the Hitchcock movie ending, which gives Tony a bit of fun, rather than just standing there, caught in the Inspector’s trap. It lets him retain his charm and it works like a charm and ends the play on the right note (G-flat). Angie Dickenson is just wrong for Margot, and Michael Parks as Max is beyond ludicrous – he acts like he’s swimming in glue. Then there’s Anthony Quayle as Inspector Hubbard and he simply has no FUN with the part and the part is all about how cagey and clever he is. John Williams, who created the role and plays it in the Hitchcock movie, does all that perfectly and so did Doug Haverty. There’s no fun anywhere in this TV movie. And then there’s Ron Moody as Lesgate – he’s awful – I don’t even know what he’s playing. You know who the music is by instantly because it sounds just like a Columbo score – Billy Goldenberg. A complete waste of time. It takes a load of chutzpah to remake a Hitchcock movie, or to futz with the perfection of the original play, which they do in this – not much, but the little changes and additions are just either bad or unnecessary.
Yesterday was okay. I went to bed at one, woke up at two with an upset tummy, probably from the lousy scallops, and could not fall back asleep until six. I slept five and a half hours or a bit more, but it was good sleep and so I was fine. Once up, I answered a lot of e-mails, then went to the mail place and picked up a couple of things, then came home. I’d ordered food before I left, and it arrived about thirty minutes after I got home. A new sandwich shop opened – I think it’s a chain like Jersey Mike’s – called Mr. Pickles. I had the Goomba – an Eyetalian sandwich. It was okay but a bit flavorless. I suspect a bit more red wine vinegar would have perked it up – if they used it you couldn’t taste it. Also, some salt and pepper would help. The bread was fresh and good, and they threw in a small chocolate chip cookie. I’ll give it another try as some of their other concoctions sound good.
After that, I had some telephonic conversations, did a few things on the computer, then got the news that one of our kids has to drop out of the show because she’s part of a recording project and out of all the days from now through August, the only day they can record is our show day. I’ve asked the mom to tell me what the project is and how much the kid has to sing in it, just to see if they can schedule her later in the afternoon – we’ll be finished by three at the latest. Of course, I have no idea where they’re recording. Unfortunately, she was going to open the show, so now I have to rethink that and once you start moving things around it’s not good. She was also doing a duet with another girl, so now I have to find a new song for that girl. Then I watched the movie, then listened to music, and here we are.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll figure out a new song for the girl and a different opening number, I’ll eat something amusing – I have a 50% off coupon for Uber Eats so I’ll see if anything there sounds good to me – I’ll keep hoping for more modern major miracles we need over here, I’ll make Benjamin Kritzer available for pre-order, the newly-beautified version – price will remain what it’s always been, but Doug has to boost the shipping to what it really is – and then at some point I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow is more of the same and probably a visit to the mail place. Not sure what’s happening on the weekend other than a birthday dinner on Sunday, which I’m looking forward to.
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, choose a new song and a new opening number, eat, hope for some modern major miracles, make Benjamin Kritzer, newly beautified, available for pre-order, and then I can watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite motion pictures starring Christopher Plummer? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping to not see any more Dial ‘R’ for Remakes junk.