Well, dear readers, I do believe these here notes might be a little scary due to the fact it is Friday the 13th. I recommend staying locked inside your homes, safe and sound from any Jason’s that might be out there, if you get my meaning. That reminds me of a song by my late close personal friend, Mr. Stephen Sondheim.
Too many Jasons
Out there in the dark, who might slit your throat
Thousands of Jasons
Waiting to do harm
That was a fine song from Mr. Sondheim’s never produced musical version of Friday the 13th. Perhaps I should play some scary music whilst writing these here notes, music suitable for Friday the 13th. All right, the scary choice for scary music is either Ethel Merman Disco or Krystof Komeda’s brilliant music for Rosemary’s Baby. And the winner is – Rosemary’s Baby, one of my favorite novels and movies. Speaking of movies, I did watch one last evening, a DGA streaming screener for The Substance, starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid, directed by a French director from France named Coralie Fargeat. The film’s themes are certainly potent – women’s fears of the culture of youth and beauty as they age. And we can certainly figure out the director’s heroes – Stanley Kubrick, perhaps a little David Lynch, and a whole lot of David Cronenberg. If you’ve ever seen Mr. Cronenberg’s greatest body horror film, The Fly, with its horrifying and grotesque effects, just multiply that by about ten thousand and you’ll know exactly what you’re in for. Throw in a little of John Carpenter’s The Thing, too. Demi Moore plays a fifty-ish sorta kinda Jane Fonda, who’s gone from movie star to aerobics video maven. But she’s being let go and the hunt is on for a young replacement. She finds out about an experimental thing wherein you can take a substance that essentially creates a new, youthful version of yourself. But there are strict rules that must be followed and when they’re not, well, that’s the movie, all two hours and twenty minutes of it. I’m not gonna say much more other than Demi Moore will probably get up for an Oscar for it, IF they can get people to actually watch it, and Margaret Qualley could, too. Both are really terrific, but that especially goes for Demi Moore. Mr. Quaid is clearly having a grand time playing his character. To say the images are repulsive and barf-bag inducing would be a gross understatement. The film’s final twenty minutes are nothing but body horror run amok, with more blood and grue than you’ve ever seen. The film does have interesting things in it, and if you like Kubrickian visuals married to Cronenberg visuals and themes, you might enjoy this. I just offer fair warning. Both actresses are fearless about the copious amounts of nudity. It’s too long, too self-aware, but it’s gotten very good reviews (along with a few not-so-hot reviews). Not one I need to see again, but the actors are top-notch.
Other than that, I got ten hours of really good sleep, got up, answered e-mails, forgot to make a telephonic call I needed to make, I made two tuna sandwiches for food and they were very good, I did some work on the computer, including making more notes for the new book, for once I at no point dozed off, I placed a big Amazon Fresh order, since I’m stuck here and I really don’t want to use DoorDash for every meal, and then I watched the movie, and here we are.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll begin the big organizing job to get the house ready for the Christmas Eve Do, I’ll keep praying for modern major miracles and hope one or two actually show up before I have to stick my head in the oven, and then eventually I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
The weekend will be more of the same and then I’m on vacation for two weeks, with no work planned.
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, organize, pray for modern major miracles, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray/streaming player? I’ll start – CD, who knows? Streaming – many choices. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall be safe from too many Jasons on Friday the 13th.