haines his way

07/09/2002:
"THE HITCHCOCKIAN NOTES"

Well, dear readers, it is Tuesday. Never say you don’t get any useful information here at haineshisway.com. I’ve received my second e-mail from someone who got their book but not their CD, so I apparently missed a couple – if, for some reason, you didn’t have a CD along with your book, let me know – I’m really down to the last handful, so let me know quickly. I will say, the CD was a “surprise” gift for loyal and true Hainsies/Kimlets and just that. It will not be available anywhere else, and at this point I most likely am not going to repress it.
My goodness we had quite a few High Winners in our handy-dandy Unseemly Trivia Contest this week. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too? We’ll get to that in a moment. We must build suspense first, like Mr. Alfred Hitchcock. Besides who can think with the fershluganah gardner out there mowing so loudly they can probably hear it in Azusa. He should just bring the mower inside the house, that’s how loud it is. It is, without question, the loudest mower on earth. There, finally, he has moved to a different area and I can think again.
Have I mentioned that today is Tuesday? What you do with that information is, of course, entirely up to each and every one of you and also every and each one of you. Last night I watched a DVD of a little Brit thriller called And Soon the Darkness, starring Pamela Franklin. I like Pamela Franklin and will watch her in anything. It’s a standard-issue seventies Brit thriller, not very good really, but not terrible either. There is a commentary track which I listened to a bit of, with director Robert Fuest and writer Brian Clemens, both of whom had originally worked on The Avengers. At one point, they both speak their admiration for Mr. Alfred Hitchcock, and then one of them brags that this film was praised for its Hitchcockianness. Well, aside from the fact that it’s a suspense thriller, there is not one or even two whits of Hitchcockianness. If they think there is, then they don’t know what Hitchcock suspense is about. It’s about letting the audience in on things rather than withholding. And Soon the Darkness is all about withholding things and people behaving in silly ways because the script needs them to. Still, I liked Miss Pamela Franklin (I’ll watch her in anything, you know) and the music by Laurie Johnson is quite Herrmann-like.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? I also heard a demo recording by Bock and Harnick of Fiddler on the Roof. It is very interesting because half the songs on the demo ended up not being used in the show and it is instantly apparent why. The bulk of the discarded songs are just plain awful. Mr. Sheldon Harnick once told me that he’d been very disappointed with the Lost in Boston version of Dear Sweet Sewing Machine (sung on the album by Emily Loesser) because I’d had a female do it instead of a male. Well, you know what – after hearing the demo, I’m glad I did. First of all, it’s a duet on the demo, so having a female is not so far afield. Second, on the demo the song is peppy, for heaven’s sake. We did it slow and it’s quite touching and pretty that way. I’m happy to say that I’m not the only one who slowed down one of their peppy Fiddler songs. Anatevka, if you can believe it, is a zingly little ditty on the demo, and nothing like the plaintive beautiful and haunting song that ended up in the show. I’m sure it was slowed down at the insistence of Mr. Jerome Robbins, who had excellent theatrical sense. Also, nowhere on this demo are some of the musical’s best numbers – including Tradition, Matchmaker, Matchmaker and Now I Have Everything. There is one song that didn’t make the show that I really liked, called If I Were a Woman, but it is so not Fiddler on the Roof – it could be from any sixties Broadway show about anything – but it’s very catchy and excellent Bock and Harnick. It’s fascinating listening, I must say.
By the way (BTW, in Internet lingo) in case I haven’t mentioned it, it’s Tuesday. It is also time to click on the Unseemly Button below, and remember I will never ask for your username of password.

Has anyone noticed how the suspense is building? That is because you know the answer to the trivia question is coming, you know we will be finding out who the High Winners are. You know this, it’s all been set up in the first section, but now we are wringing every ounce of suspense out of that anticipation, just like Mr. Alfred Hitchcock, but not like Mr. Robert Fuest. I don’t know about you, dear readers, but frankly I am sitting on the edge of my seat.
I do hope you all remember what tomorrow is – tomorrow is Ask BK Day, so start thinking about your excellent questions, because I shall be ready to answer each and every one of them. Perhaps even some of our lurkers out there in the dark (you know who you are) will ask a question they’ve been dying to ask. You know, those things they’re always using the unseemly search box for – why they could just ask on Ask BK Day and they would get the answer they are seeking without having to go through endless columns. Oh, yes, they would get the answer they’re seeking.
Well, have we had enough suspense? Have we done Mr. Alfred Hitchcock proud? Very well, then. Here was the Unseemly Trivia Contest question, as posed by my very own self.
In the late fifties a musical appeared on Broadway. It starred a person who was already on their way to becoming a Broadway legend, and one of this musical’s creators was also on that road. But we are not interested in them. No, we are interested in a lowly chorus person. Why, you might ask, are we interested in a lowly chorus person, and I might tell you because this is a fershluganah trivia contest and this is the fershluganah question and if I withhold this information from you then we will have no fershluganah question and that would be heinous (heinous, do you hear me?). We are interested in this lowly chorus person because this lowly chorus person’s real name is the exact same name as the leading character in a very famous play. Now, that is irony. But the further irony is that the very famous play just happened to be running on Broadway at the exact same time that this lowly chorus person was appearing in the new musical. That’s right, you heard it here, dear readers, a lowly chorus person opened in a new musical at the same time that the play was running, in which the leading character had the same exact name. Is this convoluted enough for you?
Name the lowly chorus person.
Name the play in which the leading character has the lowly chorus person’s name.
Name the musical the lowly chorus person appeared in.
And here are the correct answers:
The lowly chorus person: Mame Dennis
The play in which the leading character has the lowly person’s name: Auntie Mame
The musical the lowly chorus person appeared in: Redhead
Our High Winners are Paul Fairie, Mark Rothman, JMK, Katie Morris, Tim Hedgepeth and Freedunit. We put all those names in an electronic hat, and said electronic hat arbitrarily chose Miss Katie Morris as our Highest Winner. If she would simply send her handy-dandy address to me via e-mail she will be receiving a sparkling prize. Congratulations to one and all and also all and one. By the way (BTW, in Internet lingo), some of you are still due sparkling prizes and I haven’t forgotten about you. They will all be going out this week.
Well, dear readers, I must be off, I must take the day, I must do the things I do. I must get my butt cheeks off the edge of my seat (where they were sitting, on account of these here notes being so Hitchcockian) and hit the road, Jack. I shall return on the ‘morrow with yet more notes from my fractured mind. Today’s topic of discussion: What are the latest cast albums and soundtrack CDs that you’ve purchased and what, amongst them, are your favorites, the ones that have gotten repeat plays. I’ll start: the soundtrack to Minority Report by John Williams has gotten several plays as has the new CD release of Ernest Gold’s On the Beach. Cast album-wise I’ve gotten several new things, but none, I’m afraid has gotten much repeat play with the exception of Li’l Abner. Your turn.

Replies: 30 Unseemly Comments

Yesterday I was mere blocks from the home of Mr. Bruce Kimmel. I drove around with the window down yelling "Here Brucie, Brucie" and "Who needs a bitch slap" though I didn't find Bruce. I did find a number of lost dogs and a bunch of interesting people my mother wouldn't like me to bring home. No Bruce, though. Thus ended my search for the elusive Bruce.
Posted by Mr. Mark Bakalor @ 07/09/2002 09:30 AM PST

Let's see.... the last CD we bought was Strike Up the Band. So far Sandra has only played the Jason Graae songs and skipped over the rest. I hope someday to hear the whole CD.
Posted by Laura @ 07/09/2002 09:37 AM PST

Cast album junkie that I am, I have gotten "Thou Shalt Not" (and they should have taken that title to heart, though Connick's orchestrations are incredible); "Thoroughly Modern Millie" (I personally am underwhelmed with the new stuff, plus I was kind of disturbed by Tesori's interview with Playbill where she said she felt it was imperative not to have a "recognizable voice" when writing for a project like this. What????); plus I just got the gorgeously remastered 2CD soundtrack for "Young Girls of Rochefort," which has been on non-stop play 'round these parts. Mr. BK, I believe you stated in an earlier blog that Gene Kelly did his own singing for the movie, but the liner notes say otherwise (in fact, according to the liner notes, virtually none of the principals did their own singing). Do you have inside info we mere mortals are not privy to? And, finally, in the guilty pleasure division, I got the UK CD release of the soundtrack of "Barbarella," which must surely be one of the strangest pop-oriented ditties of the late 60s (and that's saying quite a bit).
Posted by JMK @ 07/09/2002 10:48 AM PST

I've been buying up a lot of the BK VS CDs that I still didn't have and receiving complimentary copies of this season's Broadway cast albums, of which only Urinetown bears repeat listening. My most listened to CD is Together Again, which, of course, is not available on CD (or anything else for that matter).
The last Original Cast album that I played enough times to actually learn some of the songs was (no smirking) The Goodbye Girl. When I was a kid I played show albums over and over again and I can still sing all the lyrics from dozens of shows from that period. In the last decade only a handful of shows are really memorable.
Posted by Robert Armin @ 07/09/2002 11:19 AM PST

Gene Kelly does his own singing in the English language version of Young Girls, and is on the English language album of the soundtrack (VERY rare) - however, amusingly, his high notes are sung by someone else.
Posted by bk @ 07/09/2002 11:30 AM PST

New CD's.....
Bea Arthur - Just Between Friends
Elaine Stritch - At Liberty
Last Five Years
Lil Abner (OC reissue)
My Fair Lady (London OC reissue)
Oklahoma (London Revival Cast)
Oliver (London Orig Cast)
Thou Shalt Not
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Urinetown
What Makes Sammy Run (thanks, Robert!)
And the winner is.....
"Last Five Years" - well constructed plot (intersecting time lines, hers backwards, his forwards, similar in structure to Sondheim's "Merrily"). Great tunes - well written, well performed. Sorry I didn't get to see it live.
"At Liberty" is a close second, for different reasons. Ms. Stritch's stories are classics!
Also in that catagory (ie, see it live) are "A Class Act" (which closed 3 days before our tickets) and Ms. Stritch's show.
Finally, just picked up a copy of "Haines His Way" before it goes OOPs (internet lingo for Out of Print). This was a retail purchase, BK - haven't ordered direct from Brand F since we met last August. Would Guy be avaiable to sign it for me?
Posted by Phil @ 07/09/2002 11:37 AM PST

Well.. I don't mean to be the "death" guy.. but sadly, a very talented Rod Steiger has passed away.
Yahoo News
Posted by Craig @ 07/09/2002 11:38 AM PST

Albums that I've acquired lately but haven't yet listened to:
Bea Arthur (saw the show)
Elaine Stritch (ditto)
Ruthie Henshaw - Pilgrim
Donna McKechnie (was at the first recording session)
Thou Shalt Not (put it on but lost interest - saw the show)
Albums I really enjoyed:
Juno (sorry, but I had to have it)
Urinetown (saw it twice and proably will again)
Haines sings Kritzer (very catchy)
-- memory like a sieve -- I'll think of more.
Posted by Robert Armin @ 07/09/2002 11:53 AM PST

Poor Jud is daid...
Rod Steiger, 1925-2002
Posted by Jed @ 07/09/2002 12:03 PM PST

Add to that list, one of the original "Disney 9" Ward Kimball.
Posted by Craig @ 07/09/2002 12:08 PM PST

Now.. onto hysterical news/trivia.
One of the biggest mysteries to ever have been uncovered in our lifetime (no..not al capone's vault) was WATERGATE. Below is a link to a story that explains WHY the lookout person never informed the interlopers that they were about to be foiled.
U.S. News: Whispers: Horrors! The Watergate break-in foiled by a flick (7/1/02)
The hysterical part is WHICH "flick", the director and one of the stars of said "flick"
Posted by Craig @ 07/09/2002 12:20 PM PST

Also ammusing is the mention of a :Husband Kimmel" further down the page...
Posted by Mr. Mark Bakalor @ 07/09/2002 12:25 PM PST

The latest show CD I bought was "Wonderful Town/On the Town-Selections (1945)." Still mulling over my favorites of "Wonderful" but love "Swing" and "Wrong Note Rag" for their minor keys. Also love "Ohio" (singers love to sing the "O" sounds) and "100 Easy Ways" (my life story!). Of "On the Town" I'm partial to "I Can Cook Too" but prefer Barbara Cook's version to Nancy Walker's (it's almost as if they're two different songs).
RE: Rod Steiger. I feel the same about his passing as I did about Cary Grant's. I believe they both used their time on earth to understand themselves better resulting in an inner peace that was a comfort to others. Hope that doesn't sound too New Age.
Posted by Donna - Cabaret West @ 07/09/2002 12:27 PM PST

Ahhh Mr. Bakalor (btw, it's amusing.. but I won't bitchslap ya fer that) indeed there is talk of a Kimmel son on that page.. not to be confused with Kimmel San, Sushi's favorite way of addressing Dear Writer Bruce...
Posted by Craig @ 07/09/2002 12:30 PM PST

Hello everyone! I have been absent, I know, but it wasn't my fault.
Anyway, I have caught up on the notes and have taken note of all of the unseemly topics that I missed, so here are my unseemly replies to them:
Favorite Non-Theatre Female Singers:
Carole King
Judy Garland
Edith Piaf
Rebecca Pidgeon
Favorite Male Singers:
Guy Haines
Frank Sinatra
Buddy Holly
Both Simon and Garfunkle
Randy Newman
Candy Bar on a Dessert Island: I'd have to go with that Reece's candy bar, I think they are called Reece's Sticks.
The Scam Question: Yes, indeedy, I, the crafty, wicked Lolita, have been a victim of another crafty, wicked person's crafty wickedness. It was one of those fake poetry contests which promotes everyone to the semi-finalist category, sells them a book, and tells them that they are talented enough to participate in all sorts of other things if only they pay certain amounts of money.
Yes, I fell for the book part. Yes, I sent them thirty (count them, thrity) dollars for the book. But when I got it, I caught on to their crafty and wicked scheme and did not send them another penny.
Anyway, that made me feel very stupid and silly, indeed.
Today's question is very hard for me to answer because lately I've been listening to old pop music.
However, I really enjoyed Elaine Stritch's cd and Barbara Cooks.
:)
Posted by Lolita the Awful Person Who Hasn't Posted In Weeks @ 07/09/2002 01:10 PM PST

I don't know if I read about "Her First Roman" here or on the pages of Ken Mandelbaum's "Not Since Carrie," but I found myself staring at a website for Ducy Lee recordings and a lot of cast recordings.
Anyone willing to offer up opinions on any of these recordings (i.e. worthwhile, great fun, must-have, don't bother)? and be specific which ones rate and which ones don't?
I'd be mucho obligato! Or medulla oblongata.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/09/2002 01:51 PM PST

It's expensive, but the six disc (plus book) Rhino boxed set of FRANK SINATRA IN HOLLYWOOD is worth every penny. Not only does it have the soundtrack of virtually every song from every film (most previously unreleased) but it also has several tracks form the uncompleted animated FINIAN'S RAINBOW with Frank, 2 Ellas (Logan and Fitzgerald), Louis, and others.
I have not seen the "Young Girls" CD. It's one of my favorite films. What label is it on?
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 07/09/2002 01:51 PM PST

I am adding my e-mail link so you can respond privately should you so desire (just no heavy breathing, please...it's much too hot in the Bay Area today for that kind of thing).
: )
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/09/2002 01:53 PM PST

Thank you, Lolita, for reminding me of Rebecca Pidgeon (currently playing on my CD player). Her three albums are among my absolute favorites. If anyone has any of her Ruby Blue albums they could copy for me, I'd love to hear them.
Posted by Robert Armin @ 07/09/2002 01:59 PM PST

I am still playing the "Gosford Park" soundtrack quite frequently. I purchased (cheaply) the soundtrack to "Gigi" last week and have played that a few times. Most often played Cast recording over the past few weeks has been Eric Woolfson's "The Gambler"recorded in concert (1996) in Germany. (sung in English).
Posted by Tom Guest @ 07/09/2002 02:58 PM PST

To Ron:
Freeway Dreams....not bad.
Lee Lucas's cabaret act The Big Strappin Fag Show is very funny, touching and the special material ain't too bad either.
Her First Roman...Listen to it once. That was it. Sold it on Ebay for lots of $$$.
Their Cabaret Christmas is a very good Xmas collection of songs and performances.
Hope this helps.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/09/2002 03:14 PM PST

Thanks, Michael. I look forward to other comments, too!
BK -- Bruce! In the film commentary with you, Stephen and Cindy, there was a comment about one of the men in the first scenes (the long expository just before the big opening number) not participating because he wouldn't be paid. Then you, or Stephen, commented that you each were being paid -- $200K -- for the commentary!
I have to ask -- going industry rate? Or a joke?
:
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/09/2002 03:38 PM PST

Just saw parts of 1776 tonight. My lord Stephan Nathan looked nothing like he did in Nudie Musical. I know there was about 3 to 4 years inbetween, but what a differance. If someone showed me 2 pictures I would never have been able to tell the two apart.
Also bought The Women. Just watched the fashion sequence in color. I was amazed by the lack of interesting camera work. It was basically A master, and either a two shot or medium shot. There was no real camera movement at all. A real surprise since the director was George Cuckor!
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/09/2002 07:04 PM PST

We wuz funnin', Ron. No one got paid to participate in the documentary. The fellow who played my Uncle Benny, his agent wanted him to be paid and we said "no", that it was favored nations and that was that.
Posted by bk @ 07/09/2002 07:26 PM PST

BK -
Didn't you mean "The Hitch-StuntCockian Notes" ?
Posted by Craig @ 07/09/2002 07:54 PM PST

Hello All,
I know it's late in the evening (do I get a prize for being the last post of the evening?), but this is my very first posting on this website: I am a chronic lurker and parenthetical user (I'm getting professional help). I would like to put in my two cents about the male and female non-theatrical singers...for no other reason than just because. I have been in love with the five singers of The Manhattan Transfer. Tim Hauser, Alan Paul, Janis Siegel (my favorite of the bunch), Laurel Masse (original member, left the group in 1979) and Cheryl Bentyne (in the group since 1979). Individually they each have a wonderful sense of musicianship and style, but put them together and watch out! Incredible singing. That's my two cents.
The CDs that I've been listening to lately: Elaine Stritch At Liberty (love it - listened to it twice in one day) and Thoroughly Modern Millie (like it - twice in one week).
Well, until the next time.
PS. I would like to personally thank Mr. Kimmel (and/or Mr. Bakalor) for knowing how to correctly spell "a lot," (or for at least knowing how to use a spellchecker). A website with which Mr. Kimmel is no longer affiliated, no longer spells it correctly and even the incorrect spellings aren't consistent. I've seen "allot" and "alot" a lot.
Posted by George @ 07/09/2002 11:01 PM PST

Well, I'm back from a wonderful vacation in the midwest (despite the awful heat and humidity and MOSQUITOS-AHHH). We made our usual foray to the ever useful and exciting used CD, tape and record outlet, Cheapos, and I was able to come away with some good purchases, including a copy of Mr. BK's produced I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, Ms. Stritch's At Liberty, and on the day she passed away, a couple of great Rosemary Clooney CDs. Also picked up some Sarah Vaughn (I LOVE Ms. Vaughn) Verve titles. I have lots to listen to (plus I have things to catch up on at the office) so I haven't had much time for repeat listenings. I'll be busy this weekend. I'm also anxiously awaiting the arrival of my TFNM and Benjamin Kritzer purchases. I may be so busy I won't have time to post.
Posted by Ben @ 07/10/2002 05:12 AM PST

Welcome, George, to the world of the posters.
Posted by Laura @ 07/10/2002 08:06 AM PST

All these postings about new cast recordings and such and nobody has mentioned the totally unnecessary revival of "Into the Woods". IMO (Internet lingo for "In My Opinion") the best thing about the new recording is the packaging it came in, and the performance of Laura Bennetti. I'll let all of you form an opinion, but being a cast CD mainiac, this is the first CD that went from the store, to the CD player in the car and then straight into someone else's possesion within 24 hours with the comment "Please, listen with care, I don't want to see this again!" Unnecessary changes, not-so-good casting and mediocre performances all in one disk. Listen at your own risk :)
Posted by Mathew Mattei @ 07/10/2002 08:31 AM PST

Fascinating description of Bock and Harnick rarities. To my mind their score for Fiorello, with its cockeyed, unsquare structure (whaddaya mean the last A is fourteen bars?), is the most rewarding picnic lunch they ever served up. Except for "Unfair" the songs sound specific to this show and are not interchangeable with the run of the B&H mill. I've taught myself to play half a dozen of the tunes from memory, and dang if they didn't stick to my mental ribs in perfect shape.
Posted by Steven Strauss @ 05/01/2003 04:30 PM PST

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