Posted by bk @ 05/26/2002 11:03 AM PST

Today, I'm cleaning house. Why, you may ask, would anyone clean house on a fine Sunday in the middle of a Memorial Day Weekend?

Well, it needs cleaning, and I did not clean in on Friday when I was just lounging and napping.

And I did not clean it on Saturday, when I had multiple chores outside the house plus many movies to watch on DVD including "Swiss Family Robinson" which is as fine an adventure as anyone ever put on the silver screen, The Disney DVD is a fine presentation of this film, too. There is a commentary by director Ken Annakin and the three juveniles from the film -- James MacArthur, Tommy Kirk and Kevin Corcoran. I had watched the film and was full of "enthuse" that I actually decided to watch it again with the commentary. This only ever happened once with the Criterion "Charade." (I must confess I did a marathon with a rental copy of "The Matrix" -- but that was desperation -- getting as much out of a rental copy as I could before having to return it). Listening to the commentary on "Charade" was enlightening, brain-tickling and fun.

I'm afraid I grew weary of the commentary on "Swiss Family Robinson" -- they only randomly refer to what is happening on the screen -- and it's most disconcerting to hear someone reminiscing about the commissary food during the shoot while on-screen, much is happening that ought to be mentioned. Even so, it's well worth the price of the DVD to own it. I shall probably listen to the commentary straight through one day. I kept hoping someone would discuss the tragic nature of Janet Munro's death. They mentioned her quite a bit up to the point when I stopped listening, but no one ever mentioned she was no longer with us.

I also went shopping at amazon.com where I bought 11 new (to me) Broadway scores, some of which I believe were produced by BK.

Did you guys know that a number of well-known titles are being remastered with extra material being released? Among them is "Lil Abner."

I'd also like to encourage anyone out there who finds even the discounted Amazon prices a bit high on some titles -- BUY USED. I ordered a used copy of the 2-CD "Most Happy Fella" -- it's $18 rather than the $34 (or so) for a spiffy new one. The used title allegedly was played once. I don't know about you, but I don't believe cooties could have invaded the CD after only one playing.

Also, some of the most wonderful LP recordings in my collection were acquired as "used" goods -- including a near-pristine "Kean" and "Once Upon A Mattress" -- both had been so lovingly cared for I felt I was acquiring national treasures (which I was) are extremely reasonable prices.

I grilled last night -- fresh corn, hamburgers and N.Y. strip steaks. All just for me and the rest of the weekend. My larders are filled, my heart is full and I have great hope for the future.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/26/2002 12:02 PM PST

Now that, Mr. Ron Pulliam, is an exemplary post. Now the rest of you dear readers get off your vacationing butt cheeks and post your very own exemplary post and do it posthaste before Mr. Mark Bakalor comes to your town to bitch-slap you from here to eternity and back again.

Posted by bk @ 05/26/2002 12:17 PM PST

Mr. Dave Frishberg has made Portland his home for many years now, and happens to live up the street from me a ways. We have the tendency to bump into each other at the post office about every six months or so, where he is inevitably mailing material to the fantabulous Susannah Mars. Susannah and I had the pleasure of performing a song by Dave (and Alan Broadbent) that I don't believe has been recorded (could be wrong there), called "Heart's Desire," which is a wonderful and sweet little ballad about following your dreams.

Posted by JMK @ 05/26/2002 12:42 PM PST

I am here today contemplating birthday on Tuesday. I will probably celebrate with cheese slices,ham chunks and maybe a medium rare Steak. I will dance the Hora and the very special Birthday Pudding Dance. I will play tennis and enjoy the beautiful Florida sunshine.And more than probably nibble on a few Musical Comedy CD's.

Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 05/26/2002 01:00 PM PST

Day 202: The adventure continues...

So my fellow kimlets and hainsies, here I sit at my desk thinking about what it is that I have done this weekend. To tell you the truth, not much in the scheme of the universe, but I am enjoying it nonetheless (one of those gret words that you get 3 for the price of one. And I am still curious why no one really says nonthemore). Last night I had a wonderful evening watching Toy Story 2 and then the original with the best company in the world, my nephew who is the ripe old age of just under 3. Today, as my father has already posted, we are have an early celebration of his birthday. We have ham chunks, cheese slices, and even slices and dices of watermelon on hand. Tonight we will figure out the steps to the special birthday pudding dance and attempt to squeeze Arnold into some lovely bright colored Pantaloons. He has already picked up the handy dandy electronic card that I have made him for his birthday, so I can tell you what I got him. You see..what I bought for him (you can't buy a cd for a man that has over 7,000 - and dvd's are growing like locusts) -- so I got him the one thing that isn't available yet but is one of the best gifts I can think of to give this year. That's right kimlets and hainsies -- I ordered him a personally autographed copy of "Benjamin Kritzer". So, needless to say, the Brockman house is all festive with the joys of knowing that we have secured out copy of this fine americana. I must go now, as I hear the beginnings of a party...

Posted by Craig @ 05/26/2002 01:13 PM PST

Chicken poop! That's what I said, chicken poop!

All day yesterday, chicken poop. As y'all may recall, some weeks ago my Joe and I drove out to the end of Long Island with Amanda McBroom in the CD player as we all sang "Saturday Night in Reynosa" at the top of our lungs, and we ordered some brand new trees for our property.

Two weeks ago our nursery man Rob came with some very tall arborvitae, which he planted in the front to hide the street, and he very nicely moved the blue spruce, which he had planted last year, and which weren't doing a good job at all of hiding the street.

And then he used his great big humongous tree-planting vehicle dig up some very tall yews and cypress--up to 20 feet, I should say--from back of our forested property and replant them by the fence to hide our neighbors' house from us and us from them--no great loss.

And now, together with the trees we bought last year, we have well over 100 new evergreens added to the oaks and whatnots that were already here.

And all these trees need to be watered almost all the time, which is my Joe's job.

But they also need to be fertilized. But before they can be fertilized the leaves need to be raked out. So I spent all day yesterday raking out leaves and putting down Holly Food, which is made of chicken poop, whilst my Joe used our new big humongous Toro leaf vacuum to chew the leaves up into mulch.

I was not allowed to use our new big humongous Toro leaf vacuum, because I shoved the handle into the place where you are supposed to shove branches and it chewed off three inches of the handle.

The yard smelled like chicken poop. My clothes smelled like chicken poop. My hair smelled like chicken poop. My poop smelled like chicken poop.

Today the yard still smells like chicken poop, but I have washed my clothes and my hair and my entire self, so I no longer smell like chicken poop. But what I do do is feel like chicken poop.

I ache everywhere, as does my Joe, who, you may remember suffers from a neuromuscular disease which often makes him immobile, but when he can move he moves--as yesterday. Today he can't move. And I feel old.

He's been watering and we've been laundering and napping. Perhaps we will have a Star Trek Festival. Perhaps we won't.

Posted by William F. Orrw @ 05/26/2002 01:53 PM PST

Mr. Ron Pulliam, sir, what time were you watching Swiss Family Robinson yesterday? I ask, because yesterday between 5:30 and 7:30 pm (eastern) we were watching the very same, sparkling DVD. I love the extras on this puppy, though I have yet to listen to the commentary. However, just finally seeing this movie in widescreen the way it's supposed to be is worth the price ($19.99 at Target). I think I may get the Vault Disney DVD of The Parent Trap, too, even though I have the VHS, because the presentation of these releases is just wonderful.

I must away.

Posted by Lulu @ 05/26/2002 01:59 PM PST

Lulu, dear Lulu -- you were watching the very same DVD at matinee time...while I was watching the very same DVD at approximately the same "hours" PDT as you watched "EDT". By then, of course, you were either nestled all snug in your beds or you were catching some midnight show or something.

I've gotten those special metal-containered Disney DVDs of Davy Crockett, Silly Symponies and Mickey Mouse in Living Color. Haven't watched any of them yet.

I have watched "Watership Down" which is much more wonderful than I remembered it being when it was first released. Of course, at that time I had been immersed in the joy of the novel and the film would have had to run 6 hours or so to be faithful to the novel. It's rather nice now.

One of my favorite CD listens of late has been the Rhino stereo CD issue of Cole Porter's "Silk Stockings" film musical. The MGM orchestra and all the vocals in the film, plus several underscore sequences, are lavisly (and slavishly) remastered in glorious stereo. This is one of their better efforts and well worth the nominal cost.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 05/26/2002 03:17 PM PST

Update

We nixed Star Trek and are presently listening to Cleo Lane. After that, I plan to introduce Joe to Kristin Chenoweth.

Question for All:

As a DVD illiterate, may I ask, what are "Easter Eggs"?

Posted by William F. Orr @ 05/26/2002 03:41 PM PST

Easter Eggs are brightly colored eggs that have been smashed and squeezed inside DVD jewel cases. (Rim shot).

Really and truly, they are "hidden" items on the menus that access bonus features. For instance, on the "Moulin Rouge" DVD, on many of the menus if you explore with the direction arrows on your remote you suddenly come across a previously hidden little green fairy--if you press "enter" on the fairy (if that isn't the making of a punch line, nothing is), you access bonus features.

Posted by JMK @ 05/26/2002 03:53 PM PST

You'll be happy or not to know that there are two count them two Easter Eggs on our very own Nudie Musical DVD (I seeing a test pressing this week, oh joy) - not even I know where they're hidden. The new Memento Special Edition has more Easter Eggs than features I think. And Lulu, do not hesitate to buy The Parent Trap, which I raved about several weeks ago - it's a must have.

Posted by bk @ 05/26/2002 04:09 PM PST

Rented re-release of Legend on DVD. Had the opportunity to watch the US version or the European version (director's cut). I was wish there was a third version: Not to watch it all.I chose the European version. It was like a car accident. Fascinating and horrifying at the same time and you can't take your eyes off it. I heard so much about the film over the years and how the film didn't get a fair shake in its release in the USA. Well folks I'm glad I rented it and not bought as I almost did yesterday. It was nice to know that Tom Cruise couldn't act then as he can't act now. For musical theater fans Alice Playten and Tim Curry are in it, but are unrecognizable under all that make up. Curry really doesn't show up until the last 45 minutes (Director's cut) The film could have used more of him. Although as in all Ridley Scott films the visuals are what stand.

What am I all of a sudden? Being Kimmel being Ebert and Roper?

Now I am going to do my laundery. At least that's more interesting to watch.

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 05/26/2002 04:59 PM PST

TO JMK: Oh, the lines that go through my head. I WOULD like to know just what kind of bonus YOU get when you press "Enter" on a fairy.

I would love to use bold and underlining here, but I'm afraid I still haven't figured it out. These here new-fangled contraptions confound me. I was just beginning to adjust to the 20th century and now we have a new one!

This is our version of mickey Mouse Club's "Anything Can Happen Day." I hoep Disney doesn't sue us or anything; you know how they can be sometimes.

I worked today. Yes. No rest for the weary. I could move in with William and Joe, and we could all feel old together. Only I haven't nearly as much to show for it.

I had dinner with a good friend last night, and we watched "Advevtures of Felix." French with subtitles. Nice, and certainly much more satisfying than some of the odd independent films we have picked in the past. The interesting thing is this film opened and closed with wonderful recordings of Bloosom Dearie's as did the film, "Kissing Jessica Stein" (which has a great soundtrack, by the way-- kind of a Verve sampler). I like Blossom Dearie a lot, and I like that others seem to be discovering her work.

OK, enough rambling from me. Last week, our esteemed leader mentioned that "Skylark" was his favorite Hoagy Carmichael song. I was hoping we might follow it up with ohter people's favorites.

I'll start:
"Skylark" and "Stardust" are obvious favorites. One of my all-time favorites is "Old Man Moon" (heard briefly in "Topper") and "Hong Kong Blues."

I've got to figure out something for dinner tonight-- the endless battle ("I don't know; what do YOU want?").

Be careful out there this weekend, all you lovely people. A full moon AND a holiday weekend are not a safe mix.

Posted by Kerry @ 05/26/2002 06:27 PM PST

To Mr. Mark Bakalor (Is that like MISS Peggy Lee and MISS Barbara Stanwyck?):

I fully expect be bitch-slapped to high heaven here, and I will take it like a man. But...
is there anyway we could do audio clips here (you do it for the radio show, so the possibility exists). I don't know about the other posters and lurkers (P and L's), but I, for one, would LOVE to hear the lush melodies under the fine lyrics of Ernest and Meltz's classic songs. Any chance?
Alright, Gridley, bitch-slap away!

And yes, we are all crazy here!

Posted by Kerry @ 05/26/2002 06:42 PM PST

I have located a rather nice-sounding recipe for Ambrosia. It is nice-sounding, because I have not tried tasting it yet, but my imagination tells me that it should taste just fine. It can be located at http://www.foodtv.com/foodtv/recipe/0,6255,12510,00.html and is provided by television personality Emiril Legasse. FoodTV.Com also has a recipe for Haggis, provided by television personality Alton Brown, but something tells me this might not be good summertime fare.

Posted by S. Woody White @ 05/26/2002 07:20 PM PST

I have located a rather nice-sounding recipe for Ambrosia. It is nice-sounding, because I have not tried tasting it yet, but my imagination tells me that it should taste just fine. It can be located at http://www.foodtv.com/foodtv/recipe/0,6255,12510,00.html and is provided by television personality Emiril Legasse. FoodTV.Com also has a recipe for Haggis, provided by television personality Alton Brown, but something tells me this might not be good summertime fare.

Posted by S. Woody White @ 05/26/2002 07:20 PM PST

Thanks, S. Woody White.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 05/26/2002 08:09 PM PST

Thanks, S. Woody White.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 05/26/2002 08:10 PM PST

Thanks, S. Woody White.

Posted by William F. Orrw @ 05/26/2002 08:10 PM PST

Is there an echo in here?

Posted by William F. Orr @ 05/26/2002 08:11 PM PST

I am disappointed in you, Bruce. You said "Bundt Cake", and you didn't even mention what a stupid-looking word "Bundt" is.....:)
My weekend has been nice - last night I made Lamb Curry for dinner, and today we saw a sweet movie called "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", which I liked a lot because it had real-looking people in it, as opposed to Hollywood-looking people, with their fake noses and lifted faces....oy....

Posted by Anita @ 05/26/2002 10:22 PM PST

When was The Ethel Merman Disco Album issued on compact disc? All my beautiful, unseemly LP-to-CD transfers, in color with track listings but only for personal use, one-by-one are being rendered obsolete. How lovely! Really. I can retire or have retired Applause; Promises, Promises; and imminently I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road; and perhaps now The Ethel Merman Disco Album. [However, even as I write this I am having the Dody Goodman Once Upon a Mattress; Uta Hagen Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; Mary Martin Hello, Dolly!; and Leader of the Pack LP’s transferred to CD. I cannot wait to hear them.] I was 16 when I first heard the Disco Album in a music class. I was surprised the music teacher would play such a record. How unseemly is it to have played the Disco Album while classes are in session and others in nearby classrooms were trying to teach and maybe even learn? I was mind-blown by the very concept of Merman singing ersatz “disco” renditions of her signature tunes—not to mention all those instruments! A wall of sound with Merman trumpeting right through! Love her. Love Matz.

I wonder if Streisand’s Madison Square Garden carpeting would dampen that echo.

Posted by freedunit @ 05/26/2002 11:15 PM PST

We had a very fun live-theater filled weekend. We saw All Night Strut and Triumph of Love at local community theaters.

Posted by Laura @ 05/27/2002 05:53 AM PST

Laura -- was this the Triumph of Love with Lisa Richard? How was it?

Posted by Craig @ 05/27/2002 06:48 AM PST

Craig -- it was at a small community theater in Peoria, AZ.

Posted by Laura @ 05/27/2002 08:03 AM PST

You guys are a bunch of fags!!!

Posted by Renee @ 09/16/2002 05:16 AM PST

Thus speaks Haggis Slaggis, queen slut of the troll brigade!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 09/17/2002 02:18 PM PST