Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to the marvelous Laurie Johnson film score to The Belstone Fox – lusciously beautiful score. I really like Mr. Johnson’s music. Haven’t heard this in a couple of years, so it’s fun to revisit it. Speaking of revisiting, I did happen to watch two count them to motion pictures by one motion picture director, namely Peter Hyams. What a wacky career this man has had. He did a couple of TV movies, including one well thought of one called Goodnight, My Love, a private eye thing starring Richard Boone and Michael Dunn that got rave reviews. I saw it and it was fun. But I didn’t care for anything after that, including Busting and Our Time, which should have been good but wasn’t. It wasn’t until Capricorn One that I thought he finally found his footing. And that was the first motion picture I watched last night. As I’ve mentioned, I saw the film at a sneak preview and those of us who were there thought it was going to go through the roof, hit-wise, given the laughs and the cheering that happened that night. It did make money but was only a modest hit and not the blockbuster we all thought it was going to be. After that, came the pretty bad Hanover Street, and then came the second motion picture I watched last night, Outland. I didn’t see it when it came out and I, in fact, didn’t see it until 2012, when I watched the Blu-ray. It wasn’t a hit. After that, I don’t think there’s a single Hyams film I liked, which is pretty astonishing. Anyway, I always enjoy revisiting Capricorn One – the last time I watched it was twelve years ago. For me, while it hasn’t aged all that well, I still get a kick out of it. The plot is fun, there are a lot of laughs in the film, and the ending works great. The actors are all excellent, including James Brolin, O.J. Simpson, Sam Waterston, Elliott Gould, Karen Black, Brenda Vaccaro, Hal Holbrook, Robert Walden, and, in a small but hilarious cameo, Telly Savalas. Even twelve years ago the Blu-ray was a sad joke – a terrible transfer and from what I understand that exact same transfer is on the US Blu-ray from the Shout Factory – what a shame. One must, of course, give a shoutout to Jerry Goldsmith for his wonderful score. When’s the last time any film had a propulsive main title like Goldsmith’s Capricorn One main title? Outland, on the other hand, really doesn’t much work at all, despite Sean Connery. It ambles along for its first hour and then suddenly becomes, or wants to become, High Noon in space. But it doesn’t have that film’s tight plot, motivation, or suspense. High Noon has a very simple plot, but a very clear plot. Outland only wants the good sheriff having to go it alone when no one will help him part – but it’s all perfunctory and he doesn’t go it alone – he has the aid of crotchety nurse Frances Sternhagen. You want to like it, but in the end, it simply doesn’t work at all, and that includes Jerry Goldsmith’s perfunctory score, one of his rare misfires.
Yesterday was okay – nothing special, a couple of irritations, but they went by quickly. I got seven hours of sleep, got up, answered e-mails, and then went and did the tiny banking thing I had to do. I then went to Gelson’s and got a small Caesar and, from the hot food bar, their rigatoni with meat sauce, which I like very much and which is really calorie-friendly. I came home, ate the rigatoni first, then had the small Caesar, which was small indeed. Then I recorded one of the Nothing in Common songs and got a take I was okay with, so that’s one down. I ascertained there was no mail or packages, did some work on the computer, did some work on the Group Rep cabaret, and then finally sat on my couch like so much fish and watched the two motion pictures, then began listening to The Belstone Fox.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll do more work on the Group Rep cabaret, I’ll record the other song, I’ll eat something light but fun, then I’m doing Donald Feltham’s radio show, which we’re actually going to do on Zoom. I did find out that the CDs we’re waiting on, which were supposed to be here yesterday, will be here on Thursday. After all that, I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow and Friday are more of the same and I have an early morning meeting on Friday, and then a meal later in the day. Not sure what the weekend holds but whatever it is I’ll be ready for it. I can’t remember if she of the Evil Eye came last Saturday so I guess I’ll have to go back a week and read the notes to find out.
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, work on the Group Rep cabaret, record the second song, eat, do a radio show via Zoom, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping for a special day rather than a nothing special day.