Well, dear readers, I don’t know what to tell you, and yet I must tell you something or these here notes will not be of interest to anyone but a gazelle who is legally blind and wearing a thong. No, one must put words on paper in order to tell you something, but after twenty-two years, what is there to tell that I haven’t told? This is the conundrum when facing a replica of a white piece of paper, Word document-style. Every night of the week, every week of the year I, BK, face a blank piece of faux paper on a computer screen. White. A blank page or canvas. The challenge: bring order to the whole. Through design. Composition. Tension. Balance. Light. And harmony. What am I, Georges Seurat all of a sudden? James Lapine all of a sudden. Stephen Sondheim all of a sudden? All right, let me bring some order to the whole. Order to the whole. There, that’s done. Now, let’s have some design, the design being how completely and utterly pointless these here notes can be. After all, as a writer of notes I’m a pointillist who is pointless. I’m pretty good at composition, however. Tension. You want tension, try eating a stale bagel with three-month-old cream cheese. Balance is easy. I am currently balancing a Diet Coke in one hand and some Juicy Fruits in the other. Light. Yes, the light is on, so that’s not a worry. Harmony. I just sang four-part harmony all by myself at the same time – no mean feat. There. I think we’ve covered it all, haven’t we? I feel I’ve finished the hat here, truly. At this time, I feel I should say that I have no idea what the HELL I’m talking about. I am, however, listening to music. The first symphony of Brit composer, Alan Rawsthorne, yet another fine composer who straddled the worlds of film music and classical music. His film scores are quite excellent and include The Captive Heart, Saraband for Dead Lovers, Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, The Cruel Sea, The Man Who Never Was, and others. He wrote three symphonies, one ballet, several concerti (piano, violin, oboe, clarinet, cello, flute and horn, plus three string quartets, and lots of smaller chamber pieces and piano music. The first symphony is a dramatic work written in 1950. Anyway, haven’t listened to Mr. Rawsthorne’s music in a couple of years, so it’s nice to hear it again. I do love my Brit composers, you know. I watched a few beginnings of movies earlier, including the first twenty minutes of The Killer that Stalked New York, which I’m enjoying, and a couple of others I’m forgetting. Then I decided to watch the first Jack Reacher movie, which is cleverly entitled Jack Reacher. I know Tom Cruise is physically completely opposite from what Lee Child wrote (the actor in the TV series is exactly what he wrote), but I like him in this movie and since I can’t really remember anything about the movie, I’m finding it enjoyable. I dozed off, however, and woke up an hour later.
Yesterday, I did get nine hours of sleep, arising at eleven or so. I decided I was not going out at all, had a couple of telephonic conversations, did some stuff on the computer, ordered Pad Thai for food. That arrived and was excellent, as always – I couldn’t finish it. Then I just relaxed and zoned out, watched some irritating YouTube videos, the musical director dropped by because I forgot to sign his check, so I signed it. That was really about it. And here we are. Oh, elmore’s review of Directed by finally is live on Amazon. Here it is:
“Bruce Kimmel’s “Directed By” functions on several levels. In some ways, it’s a biographical companion to his wonderful book, “Album Produced By,” in that it covers his career as a director of theatre, film, concert, cabaret, and other forms of media, just as “Album Produced By” covered his ups and downs as a recording producer for several different labels. It’s also a dishy, anecdotal read for anyone who loves a good backstage story and at times a beautiful and moving tribute to friends who have passed on. There are wonderful notes as well, ranging from tips to novice directors to material that further explains the situation he’s writing about to paragraphs about stage and film directors he likes and marvelous accounts of shows he’s seen and loved, all so wonderfully written that you want to run out and catch the next showing. All of this is tied together, as in most of Mr. Kimmel’s best writing, with marvelous heart and humor. Amateur or professional, it should be read by anyone working in, or hoping to work in, the performing arts.”
Isn’t that a lovelier than lovely review? I think so.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll relax, of course, and then I’m going to a play at seven then out to eat afterwards. Then I’ll come home and watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow and the weekend are for relaxing and putting out the word for young people performers for the August Kritzerland show.
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, relax, see a play, sup, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite movies of Tom Cruise? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, having once again having brought order to the whole.