Well, dear readers, now playing in our John Williams journey, one of his greatest and most magical scores – E.T. – a motion picture score with actual themes, but not just there to be there – each theme serves a real purpose – for characters, for situation, for story. And the final fifteen-minute cue is brilliantly done, although it must be said that it is clear that Spielberg temp-tracked the sequence to Howard Hanson’s Romantic symphony’s third movement, every beat of it beginning with its up-tempo section where the bike chase begins. It basically runs the exact time of the third movement, depending on which recording you have. No matter, what Williams does with it makes it his own. I saw E.T. at the Cinerama Dome at the premiere – I was invited because as most know I’m in it ever so briefly. They bought a real Pacific Bell phone home commercial that I and an actress I knew named Mallory Sandler appeared in. They did it in a rather duplicitous way so we wouldn’t get residuals – a buyout in which everyone in the commercial was paid $1,500 flat. We were all told it was a low-budget movie called A Boy’s Life. Who knew? Well, I did, because two fellows I knew from junior high school were puppeteers on the film, and I ran into them on the Laird Studios lot (now the Culver Studios) one day and they told me what they were up to. In fact, A Boy’s Life was a big ol’ secret at that point – they shot on our soundstage for The Creature Wasn’t Nice, and they edited the film in what was my office back then. So, I’ve always felt a little attachment to the movie. Anyway, we were all fine with the buyout and no one knew at the time that this little ten-million-dollar movie was going to be one of the most successful movies of all time. For those who may not remember, Spielberg made two movies back-to-back for ten million each – E.T. and Poltergeist with director Tobe Hooper, although it’s pretty clear who was calling the shots, so to speak. Both were huge hits and Spielberg really showed that movies didn’t need to cost fifty million or more back then. Anyway, it’s a movie without a single misstep and a score that is absolutely perfect for it. Well, one misstep, when Mr. Spielberg decided to use CGI to “improve” certain shots and also remove guns from law enforcement’s hands. Stupid beyond belief and just as stupid as is endless meddling with Close Encounters. I believe E.T. is back to what it was now and that’s a good thing.
I did manage to watch a documentary last night – about the trial of Adolph Eichmann, all made up of actual footage from the time with no contemporary interviews. It’s very compelling, and he, of course, feels bad about what he and others caused but basically refuses to accept responsibility for it, as he was only following orders he had to follow. I wonder if that’s what certain people will say when all is said and done with what’s happening right now – I was only following orders. Anyway, it’s certainly not an enjoyable thing to watch, but it certainly is compelling. Prior to that, I got eight hours of sleep, not arising till one. I decided to order fresh bagels rather than the packaged ones from Gelson’s. So, those arrived fifteen minutes later, and I made two lox and bagel sandwiches and ate them all up – nothing like a fresh and still warm onion bagel and the batch of lox I got is excellent. I took pill one, did some proofing, but just couldn’t do more than a couple of pages simply because each page is taking fifteen minutes. I dozed off for a while, which is really beginning to irritate me – I think maybe it’s the pills. Anyway, around six I had another bagel, just cream cheese, took pill two, and then watched the documentary and managed to stay awake for all of it. I proofed another page, had an English muffin and took pill three, and here we are.
Today, I’ll be up by ten at the latest, I’ll try to proof ten to twenty pages for sure, I’ll have the rest of the bagels and lox for food, I’ll get everything ready for the helper so she’ll be able to ship books as soon as she picks them up, I’ll catch up on other stuff, and then at some point I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, she of the Evil Eye is here and I have to make sure she understands that she is no longer allowed to touch anything on my computer workstation – I will dust and keep it clean, and I may even mark where everything is just to make sure she hasn’t moved or touched one thing. That is the new rule. I’ll go have breakfast whilst she cleans. The it’s more of the same. Wednesday books are slated to arrive so it will depend on when whether the helper will come in the early afternoon or the next morning. I had a lot of orders for this one, but I’m hoping she can get them all on their merry way by Friday. And speaking of Friday, I’ll see the neurologist at ten-thirty. I may just stay on that side of the hill and maybe go have something to eat at Farmer’s Market, as I’ll be fairly close to there. We shall see.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by ten at the latest, try to proof ten to twenty pages, have the remaining bagels and lox for food, get everything ready for the helper to ship books, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite cold fish dishes, like lox, whitefish, herring, shrimp, crab, lobster, cod. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, always fun remembering The Boy’s Life buyout.