Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to Max Steiner’s score to a motion picture entitled A Summer Place, which is about a summer place. Interestingly, I have not seen on frame of this motion picture. Can you believe it? A Summer Place was released November 10, 1959, and I have no idea why I didn’t see it. The interesting thing about Steiner’s soundtrack is that the main title theme, repeated much throughout the film, is not the famous theme we all know. That theme shows up later as a “young love” theme. Of course, we all know that Percy Faith recorded it – the arrangement isn’t that far off from the film’s, but Faith made its famous vamp more pronounced and better, and the result was, shockingly, a number one hit record – on the POP charts. The melody is delectable – and simple as can be, an instant classic, while the rest of the score sounds more, how shall I put it, Steineresque. The fact that then seventy-one-year-old Max could have a number one hit song was simply amazing. Even more amazing, given the number one hit song, is that Warner Bros. didn’t put out a soundtrack recording. Good job. In fact, the first time we got to hear the score was Elmer Bernstein’s Film Music Club’s recording, which is what I’m listening to. A lovely stereo recording, but not complete. We finally got a complete score in 2003, an archival release with decent sound. I’m not sure I ever got that one. But no instrumental version will ever top Mr. Faith’s. Lyrics were also written, and many people recorded it, but only one version can be considered definitive and that is my beloved Joanie Sommers. Of course, I had both on 45s back then. And guess what – it’s almost summer.
I did manage to watch a motion picture last night and I found it so engrossing that I didn’t even doze off. The motion picture was entitled Peacock. I never heard of it, but the trailer looked interesting, and it was free on Prime, so I thought I’d watch five minutes and if I didn’t like it I’d shut it off. Well, I didn’t. Of course, they had no idea how to sell it, so it’s naturally called a psychological thriller. A thriller it’s not – what it is is a psychological drama and a compelling one at that. And sans end credits it runs eighty-seven minutes. It’s very well directed by someone I never heard of and has a most excellent cast and a brilliant lead performance by Cillian Murphy circa 2010. Also featuring Susan Sarandon, Ellen Page, Keith Carradine, Bill Pullman, and others. I’m not going to give away a single thing about it and if you take a chance on it, do not watch the trailer or read a synopsis – just watch it. It comes highly recommended by the likes of me.
Otherwise, it was an ordinary Sunday. I got eight hours of sleep, answered a few e-mails, then went to Gelson’s and got the makings for faux chicken stroganoff and a small chocolate chip muffin, came home, made the stroganoff over rice and it was very good and very filling. Then I thought about a few things, sat on my couch like so much fish, turned on YouTube and promptly fell asleep for over an hour. Then I watched the movie. After that, I had a telephonic conversation, then I opened the Word document for this book I’m thinking about writing, a second book for this year. Of late, I’ve been seriously thinking about not writing it at all or making it about more than it’s about. I knew I’d written a few pages, just to get started and so I read those and I found them to be pretty good and so I guess I’ll keep going, keep it what it was going to be, and it will definitely be a shorter book than usual, maybe 150 to 175 pages. I think the plan will be to just write a handful of pages every day and have it finished in time for shipping at Christmas.
Today, I’ll be up around ten, I’m hopeful that what hasn’t arrived yet will arrive, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll probably go out and do a couple of errands and whatnot, I now have to find TWO more young people, since one dropped out. I really cannot choose songs till that’s finished. I may try to write two or three pages, just to get back in that mode, I’ll eat something fun but light, and then at some point I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
The rest of the week is more of the same, praying for a modern major miracle, a couple of meetings and meals, getting a flyer done for the young people show as soon as I have our two final kids, and then doing whatever else needs doing.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up around ten, hope that what hasn’t arrived arrives, do whatever needs doing, do a couple of errands and whatnot, keep searching for our final two young people, maybe write two or three pages, eat, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: Back when instrumental and sung versions of movie themes were all the rage, what were your favorites? My number one favorite was Peter Nero playing the theme from Summer and Smoke, only on 45 and right up there with it was Ferrante and Teicher’s Exodus and Percy Faith’s A Summer Place. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have visited a summer place thanks to Mr. Max Steiner.