Posted by Sandra @ 12/22/2002 09:56 AM PST

Wake up, Scrooge - buy a turkey for the Cratchits!

Posted by J Marley @ 12/22/2002 10:03 AM PST

Hi Bruce, Thanks for answering my e-mail inquiry so quickly on Friday. It made my say. Merry Christmas.

Posted by Jeff in Lexington @ 12/22/2002 10:10 AM PST

Hello everyone and Happy Holidays! I have returned from NYC and the new Broadway Radio Show is up and running. Enjoy and have a safe and happy Xmas!

Posted by Donald Feltham @ 12/22/2002 10:57 AM PST

Hello everyone and Happy Holidays! I have returned from NYC and the new Broadway Radio Show is up and running. Enjoy and have a safe and happy Xmas!

Posted by Donald Feltham @ 12/22/2002 10:58 AM PST

JR, you should try to get your hands on a very funny song co-written by the wonderful Amanda Green entitled "Every Time a Friend of Mine Succeeds, A Little Piece of Me Dies Inside." Brooks A. and I have done it, and it has brought down the house.

Posted by JMK @ 12/22/2002 10:58 AM PST

Would you believe directions to "Whooville" are not available on mapquest.com?

Posted by The Grinch @ 12/22/2002 10:59 AM PST

Happy 50th Radio Show to Donald Feltham!!!! (or at least, this new radio show marks the 50th "entry").

I'm so jiggy with it..

Oh.. Happy pre-Birthday to Joel, William and myself. I will try my darndest to make tomorrow's chat - especially if we are to have cake and presents!

Posted by Craig @ 12/22/2002 11:03 AM PST

Last night, I saw "Some Like It Hot"(the musical), as it ended its run in Detroit.
Here's what I've learned:

On the plus side----

There are many less entertaining and less professionally put-together musicals than this one.
This is a good idea for a musical.
The three leads are uniformly excellent. The lady who plays Sugar is a dead ringer for Monroe, and her performance is eerily similar. Some people might be put off by that. Not me. I thought it was remarkable.
Tony Curtis had moments of brilliance, and the audience adored him.
Turning Spats into primarily a dancing character is inspired.
There is much wonderful tap dancing as a result.

On the minus side:

Tony Curtis can not at all sing, and apparently can not at all learn lines. He wears an earpiece that I'm reasonably certain feeds him the lines.
He made his appearances in the first act by phone. For no apparent reason, they have interpolated "I Fall In Love Too Easily" as a solo for him to butcher.

The male leads, good as they are, are completely unknown to me, and look sort of similar to each other. There was a lot of "Is that him or the other one?" This is a fatal casting mistake that happens way too often. These are star parts, and require at least familiar faces. As a result, their first entrance in drag gets no applause, and barely a reaction.

There are too many unframed musical numbers that, while well done, further loosen up what should be a very tight story. In the second act, the imminent threat from Spats is lost for a good half-hour.
The songs, with one or two exceptions, are mediocre.

Overall reaction: This is a show that is very fixable.
Tony Curtis being in it is not necessarily a bad idea. He was used very well in the second act, and was very funny any time he had to hit the punchline.
He should be used in smaller but more frequent doses. They could actually turn his role into a star part by adding mini-scenes of him getting his various divorces earlier in the first act. And, if he needs convincing to sing less, someone should start convincing.
I'll just bet that there are better songs gathering dust in Jule Styne's trunk than most of the stuff in this show.
Larry Storch plays Bienstock, and is given absolutely nothing to play. It's easy to beef up his part into something where he can at least have a legitimately funny attitude.
The re-structuring of the book, leading to better reasons to sing is doable.
The Detroit audience, to some extent including me, had a very good time seeing this show.
If they try to go to New York with the show as it is, they'll probably get killed.

Posted by mark rothman @ 12/22/2002 11:12 AM PST

Merry Christmas to all!

And an early Happy Birthday to Craig, William Orr, and BK's brother Joel. We are just about to leave for Pasadena, where it will be Plaid Tidings for us!!

Posted by Laura @ 12/22/2002 11:18 AM PST

I saw THE TWO TOWERS last night!

As brilliant as the first, but with a dark edge. Gotta love those dark edges. Didn't feel like three hours...

Mark - regarding SOME LIKE IT HOT: I saw the show on Thanksgiving night here in Pittsburgh. Curtis is gracious, garrulous, extroverted and delightful offstage. Onstage he's ill at ease, all at sea and the epitome of un-musical. I felt so sorry for him during "I Fall in Love too Easily," which is an appropriate interpolation, but one which Mister Curtis should not even try talk-singing. Here he was at least three measures behind the orchestra, and his conclusion of the song was an un-ending.

My problems are still with the book that makes everybody too darn nice. Maybe Christopher Hampton should have done the re-writes.

Posted by td @ 12/22/2002 11:29 AM PST

What fun we are all having. Mark - what you saw is some kind of weird hybrid version of what used to be called Sugar. I saw Sugar and all I can tell you is, while it wasn't brilliant, it was thoroughly entertaining every step of the way, and wonderfully directed and choreographed by Gower Champion. And, it's trio of stars were GREAT - Bobby Morse, Larry Kert and Leland Palmer (who did her own thing and did not channel MM). Also, Gale Gordon was great as Osgood.

Jrand55 - do NOT let these things get you down - otherwise they win. You must stand tall and do what you do. Someone recently suggested that I have let the events of the past year and three months make me bitter and that my notes had become sans humor. Now, I just don't understand that - while things were, of course, difficult, I never ever let it get to me in that way. Were those things easy to deal with? No. Did I lose my sense of humor EVER? No. Did these notes have bitterness - while I certainly may have been caustic, no, never bitter. Of course, people can read into things whatever they wish but I learned long ago that you cannot go to that place or you will perish. Therefore, Jrand55, just hold your head high, and say a proud haineshisway.com "damn them, damn them all to hell" and go about doing your good work. So it is written, so it shall be.

Posted by bk @ 12/22/2002 11:59 AM PST

All good advice. 8-D

Posted by Jrand55 @ 12/22/2002 12:10 PM PST

Just finished the last of the cookies. Maybe I can relax now.

I saw the out-of-town tryout for SUGAR as it was then called. I liked the women better than the men, but felt the best part about the show was the scenery. Naturally the set designer was fired and a whole new set built for NY. It's not my favorite Jule Styne show.

I listen to a lot of oldtime radio and have just begun listening to some episodes of "The Big Show" which was NBC's last ditch attempt to keep radio alive during the early days of television. The hostess was Tallulah Bankhead and the orchestra was led by Meredith Willson about six years before MUSIC MAN. On the first show they had Merman (with Russell Nype and Paul Lucas) doing four numbers from the then-current CALL ME MADAME, Jimmy Durante, Frankie Laine, Fred Allen, Jose Ferar in a scene from CYRNAO(the non-musical version) and more. What a treat - half great show business and half pure camp (Talluilah singing). I have the next five episodes and will eventually order the rest of them.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 12/22/2002 12:29 PM PST

BK, unless I'm very much mistaken, I don't think we ever got your top 5 CDs of the year?

Posted by Allan @ 12/22/2002 12:38 PM PST

I watched "Clue" on DVD last night. So so silly but it made me laugh. It least it did not try to take itself seriously. Liked having three endings too. Maybe "Drood" will work for TV too.

Posted by Tom Guest (from OZ) @ 12/22/2002 12:53 PM PST

Bruce,

I knew that "Some Like It Hot" had a previous incarnation as "Sugar". Sounds like the production you saw was far less problematic. Just curious: Did
Spats do a lot of tap-dancing in the version you saw?

Posted by mark rothman @ 12/22/2002 01:39 PM PST

Isn't the movie Clue fun! I love watching Tim Curry scurry around and the repartee from especially Madeline Kahn and Eileen Brennan.
Almost as much fun as FNM...
Off to the post office to mail out my daughter's birthday presents for the 28th: the new David Bowie and Robin Williams Live On Broadway DVDs. She also requested the Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke Show collections, but I left those to her Dad to get; he has better access to the expensive DVDs.
I get a kick out of a 22-year old getting enthusiastic about things we saw first-hand! She also got a kick out of FNM.

Later, alligator...

Posted by KT @ 12/22/2002 01:47 PM PST

KT---
I know about (and have) the MTM collection but was not aware of the Van Dyke. Has it been released yet? Is it the whole first season?

Thanks.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 12/22/2002 03:13 PM PST

BK,

Haley Joel Osment's performances in Artificial Intelligence: AI and The Sixth Sense were phenomenal child acting performances. Considering how few movies I ever have an opportunity to watch these days, it's safe to say that I only watched these two films because you endorsed them. Actually, I'm not certain if you endorsed The Sixth Sense but I do recall you raving about Artificial Intelligence: AI. Once I'd watched AI I really felt compelled to catch The Sixth Sense. They are similar films in fundamental ways -- both films deliver a primal message about hope, dreams, love, and existence. However, they sure look nothing alike, except that the same boy dominates both films. Yes, Haley Joel Osment "dominates" these films. His screen presence is powerful. Is this kid a real human being? Maybe he's an alien?

Posted by A Kvetch @ 12/22/2002 03:24 PM PST

Must catch up with AI. Thought the kid was by far the best thing about SS. BW is BW is BW. Just seems wooden IMHO. I think he is "dead" in all his movies.

Posted by Tom from OZ @ 12/22/2002 04:33 PM PST

Fortunately the kid dominates The Sixth Sense. I did feel that Bruce Willis was maddeningly miscast as a Child Psychologist and as a caring husband -- the lousy casting really showed in the final scene. That was the only scene in which he was a distraction for me, unfotunately, it's kinda an important scene. Such is life. I did find his performance in Twelve Monkeys to be more than acceptable and he was the quintesential everyman-superman in Die Hard. I never saw his performance in Die Harder or Die Kinder ;-) Probably never will.

Posted by A Kvetch @ 12/22/2002 05:10 PM PST

Mark: Yes, the tap dancing Spats was a Gower Champion creation.

I will have my top five of everything for your annual Rockin' New Year's Eve.

A. Kvetch: Am glad you liked AI. I think in years to come it will be appreciated by the people who were so quick to damn it.

Posted by bk @ 12/22/2002 05:23 PM PST

Craig and Laura,

Thanks for the early Birthday wishes.

Craig,

And a very merry pre-Birthday to you, to you!

KT,

My sister-in-law's Birthday is the 28. Ah, the old Birthday Problem strikes again!

Posted by William F. Orr @ 12/22/2002 08:45 PM PST

I'm in Louisville now. I'm exhausted. Let's put it this way: I left my apartment at 5:45 this morning and didn't arrive in Louisville until 3:30 and have been running hither and thither ever since. I'm wiped out. Just thought I'd let you know I got here alright. Talk to you tomorrow, I'm sure. :-)

Posted by Jason @ 12/22/2002 08:47 PM PST

Jason - Good to know you made it safe and sound. When you passed on your itinerary to me I was a little "worried" - just sounded like one of those situations where if one leg of it ran late, it would cause major problems down the line. But your home, and there truly is no place like home. Enjoy your time with your family.

BK - So, what are the plans for Christmas night? I think I'm going to be spending a nice quiet evening by myself this year. Christmas Eve will be with the family, but I really need just one day of "nothing to do" and rest - I can tell the sleep I've been getting lately is helping to get rid of this cold I've had for the past couple of weeks. I will most likely be on-line, so if anyone would like to "join" me, please feel free to do so. *Then Thursday brings the annual post-Christmas shopping blitz my family does every year. Quite maddening, but it's amazing how many presents you can stock up on for next year! Oh, and a show that night too.

Well, it's been a long weekend - we have one more show tomorrow night after two doubles yesterday and today. Thankfully, tomorrow day is a "rest day". And I plan to rest! *I got the last of my Christmas shopping done between shows today - I hit 5 stores in 40 minutes! And I was at a Mall too! Not bad, if I dare say so myself!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 12/22/2002 09:29 PM PST

A.I. would have been a terrific film had it not been for the tacked on final act. Had the film faded to black at the fade to white before the "fourth act" I'd shout its brilliance from the rooftops. But it didn't, so I'll simply say, "you're all crazy" and leave it at that.

Mr. Mark Bakalor

Posted by Mark Bakalor @ 12/22/2002 09:32 PM PST

Dear William,
I just asked the owner of dvdplanet.com (formerly kencranes.com), whom I know, about the Dick Van Dyke collection. It is comprised of six episodes with the original cast, and the release date, according to the website, was 3/20/01. It lists for $9.99 retail, and $7-something their price. There is also a notation that they are out-of-stock. Maybe research it on Amazon, eBay, or half.com??

Posted by KT @ 12/22/2002 11:07 PM PST

Dear William (Orr): A very Happy Birthday to your sister-in-law...yes, the 28th was a very good day, for me....but, man, do those Capricorns give you a run for your money!

Posted by KT @ 12/22/2002 11:25 PM PST

I'm such the insomniac!
About THE SIXTH SENSE: It seems to me that Bruce Willis crafted the emotional detachment, and it was so right for the character and just added to the mystery. It gave me a disturbing nondescript feeling that something was wrong. The special features on the DVD are so interesting--particularly the nice, long interview with the director--I missed so many things that he explained.
BW is what he is, but also natural in front of the camera; I really liked what he did in PULP FICTION and DIE HARD (the latter I must confess I bought because of Alan Rickman).

Has anyone ever seen a movie by Alan Rickman and Madeline Stoew, called CLOSETLAND? Incredibly scary.

Posted by KT @ 12/22/2002 11:44 PM PST

Tom from Oz - How
synchronous of us... I, too,
watched Clue last night.
One of my favorites which I pull
out from time to time for a
surefire chuckle.

I suppose I'll have to give
AI a second chance.
Saw it when it came out and it
just left me totally flat.

Posted by Jed @ 12/22/2002 11:48 PM PST

That's Madeline STOWE, and I have to be at work at 5:30am, so g'nite!

Posted by KT @ 12/22/2002 11:53 PM PST

I just finished watching tonight's installment of Ebert & Roeper At the Movies and they gave CHICAGO two thumbs up! Richard Roeper at one point said "...the direction was excellent." A little later, he said "...very good direction." I'm pretty sure that that means he like Rob Marshall's direction. The clips that they showed looked pretty darn cool. I can't wait to see this movie! Has anyone seen a sneak peak?

Posted by George @ 12/23/2002 12:44 AM PST

Mark Bakalor, I would have agreed with you wholeheartedly if I had only watched Artificial Intelligence: AI once. It was only with repeat viewings that the significance of the additional Act occurred to me. I'll have more to say about this at a later date. Be prepared to put your thinking cap on! BTW, I agree with your estimation that everyone here is crazy.

KT, your point about Bruce Willis generating a mysterious nondescript feeling throughout the film is certainly valid. Whether he intended to craft emotional detachment or not, I felt it as well and it fit nicely with the script throughout the film. It was only in the final scene that it seemed like a distraction to me. Weren't we supposed to feel the emotional reattachment in that final scene?

Jed, it wasn't until the third time that I sat to watch AI that I managed to get beyond the first 45 minutes of the film. As my wife can attest, I fell asleep the first two (count them two!) times that I attempted to watch this film. I finally said to myself, "Well, BK says there's something worthwhile here." With BK's caveat in mind, I finally managed to forge forward through the rest of the film, and I am glad that I did. I can't recall any other time that I let an endorsement of a film impact me so grandly, but BK was so adamant about this AI flick that my curiosity got the better of me. BK isn't my personal oracle but the dude knows movies.

I removed Jim Brickman's The Gift from my CD player and replaced it with Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain. Well I've never been to Spain, but I kinda like his music. I endorse Miles Davis. If a person named "A Kvetch" endorses something, it's gotta be particularly worthwhile. Think about that.

The title of Today's Notes reminds me of Bruce Springsteen, which reminds me of the line -- "I was born blue and weathered but I burst just like a supernova."

This was a very "Bruce"-filled post. Think about that.

My mind roams wild, roams free -- free-for-all day is the day for me!

Posted by A Kvetch @ 12/23/2002 02:35 AM PST

December 23....Lots of Birthdays to celebrate today!

Posted by Jrand55 @ 12/23/2002 04:49 AM PST

And before I board the train to Long Island, let me say to all the birthday celebrants, Happy Day and to all others, Happy Holidays. I will be in and out depending on how busy we are with friends, relatives, etc. but I will at least try to read the posts, if not respond as well. Again, Merry Happy to all!

Posted by Ben @ 12/23/2002 05:39 AM PST

Thanks KT. The VanDyke sounds like one of the older DVD releases with a few selected episodes unlike the complete seasons that have been coming out lately. I'm sure DVD (I just realized Dick Van Dyke's initials match the video format) will get the complete season treatment soon. Thanks for looking it up for me.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 12/23/2002 06:12 AM PST