Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to some modern music courtesy of Mr. Ormandy – a symphony by George Rochberg, a modern composer circa the late 1950s. It’s very modern. It’s very angular, and therefore I am feeling very angular, specifically listing to the right. Otherwise, it was another uneventful day of doing uneventful things. I got seven hours of sleep, I think – or was it six? Once up, I followed two different auctions – I haven’t followed an auction in years, so it was, as it always is, fascinating to see how people bid and especially what they bid on. Some of the bigger ticket items were things I wouldn’t even allow in the house, especially some of the paintings. A few things went for reasonable money, but more went way over their high estimate, basically two idiots bidding against each other. There were a few things that I might have bid on if things were easier at the moment, but they ended up going for more than I would have ever paid. For food, I had a 50% off thing so I had a small steak, baked potato, and broccoli from Outback Steakhouse. I found the steak a bit bland, so I melted some butter and poured it over the steak and that and a little salt and pepper perked it right up. The potato was good, as was the broccoli. And all very calorie friendly save for the butter on the steak and in the baked potato. For the latter, I used whipped butter, which has less calories than regular butter. For a snack later, I had two little tortillas with cheese. I had several telephonic conversations, including a somewhat contentious one that ultimately turned out okay, since I was told incorrect information and I had the stuff to prove it, which is always nice. Then, believe it or not, I watched another auction in the early evening – not much of interest, but interesting to see what some music boxes went for. Then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish and watched some Johnny Carson things. What a master he was – one-of-a-kind, really, and when he was on and had things go wrong, there was no one better. His stuff with animals is priceless, and when he gets on a roll with a good celebrity, it’s equally hilarious. And that’s the good thing about the YouTube stuff – it’s not whole shows, it’s just specific things. I watched a couple of musical things and, of course, some irritating videos and now I’m listening to angular music whilst listing to the right. I believe a right angle is always best for angular listening, don’t you? And here we are.
Oh, our very own dear reader ChasSmith wrote a lovelier than lovely review of the new book and it finally showed up on Amazon, so here it is.
5.0 out of 5 stars JEF! (Wait. What was that again?)
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2024
I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book, and I’m excited to share these comments:
DIRECTED BY is an essential addition to Bruce Kimmel’s amazing series of books (both fictionalized and non-) chronicling his life and career: In the BENJAMIN KRITZER series, the titular BK is a stand-in for the real BK. Those four books take us from his childhood through high school and three remarkable years in the theater department at Los Angeles Community College that basically launched a career. In the memoirs (THERE’S MEL, THERE’S WOODY, AND THERE’S YOU and ALBUM PRODUCED BY…), we proceed from those college years up through 2005.
DIRECTED BY is an invaluable memoir covering all of that timeline up to the present day. But this one focuses exclusively on Mr. Kimmel’s great affinity for directing in all fields — television, movies, and live theater (musicals, plays, revues, concerts, and you name it). Here he relates, in satisfying and always entertaining detail, what went into his early efforts at directing: what worked, what didn’t, and what he learned from every experience. Of course MUCH was learned, and we see a remarkable work ethic and methodology being formed. But the real world doesn’t always cooperate, and we are shown how any number of unexpected challenges and problems must be met head-on, with no delay, and how even the worst of them can be dealt with in positive ways with positive results. Trust me, you will love the challenges and the solutions that are presented here with no holds barred, and always with clarity, warmth and candor.
I said the book is entertaining, but its value lies equally in the nuts and bolts of the profession. Nothing is better than an experienced professional explaining in simple and direct terms what makes a thing work or how to achieve a particular result. Great directors were often surprisingly candid when it came to such things, and this book follows that example. In DIRECTED BY, we learn what Mr. Kimmel means by the word “-ography” (yes, that’s the whole word). We learn how to be alert at all times to everything around us in order to draw inspiration from even the most surprising little things. We are also let in on the secret of what “JEF” is — and no, I won’t spoil it here. In short, though, we learn what being a director is all about.
As in so many of his writings, Mr. Kimmel shares his love and appreciation for Los Angeles, so DIRECTED BY also stands as a love letter to the live theater scene in L.A. across the decades. If you don’t think there WAS much of an L.A. live theater scene, read and be amazed.
I found this to be an exceptionally inspiring book — for directing, of course, but I am no director and I can assure you the lessons here can be applied to many endeavors. You will also not want to miss the generous selection of photos included. DIRECTED BY comes with my highest recommendations.
Wasn’t that a lovelier than lovely review?
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I think I’ll eat something here, most likely some egg and cheese burrito things – low-calorie and a couple of them should do the trick. Then I attend an opening night, after which there’s an opening night partay.
Tomorrow, I’ll definitely go to the mail place to pick up a package, and I’m thinking Sunday will be a ME day.
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, eat, attend an opening night and an afterparty, and then come home and write some damn notes. 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, I’m on CD 67, so twenty more to go after that. Blu-ray, I have no idea. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where is shall be at a right angle for angular listening.