Well, dear readers, I have breaking bombshell news so hold on to your hats or your hair or your butt cheeks because today is November. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, today is November and November is today, and it is my fervent hope and prayer that November will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. Can you even comprehend that we are in the final two months of 2025? How on earth did that happen? Wouldn’t it be nice if these final two months were grand? Wouldn’t we love that? Le Grand months. In honor of that wish, I am listening to some Le Grand Legrand, namely the first release of his score to the Claude Lelouch movie, And Now…Ladies and Gentlemen. There were a couple of tracks on a compilation CD but not his full score. Anyway, it’s very nice Legrand, filled with lovely Legrand melodies, and this French composer from France wrote some of the most memorable film melodies of all time. One of a kind, he could do anything – pop, film musicals, stage musicals, classical, jazz – you name it, he did it and did it as well as anyone. Otherwise, I did try and watch a motion picture last night – got an hour in and because it was on Tubi that hour took an over an hour and thirty minutes to get an hour in, thanks to the relentless commercials. I realized that to watch the remaining thirty minutes would take another hour-plus, I just stopped. It was bad anyway, but maybe I’ll watch the rest today. It was a TV movie remake of The Bad Seed from 1985, horribly re-written by George Eckstein. Blair Brown does the Nancy Kelly role, Lynn Redgrave is the next-door neighbor and Redgrave’s husband is David Ogden Stiers. Rhoda Penmark (Rachel in this thing – why) is played by young Carrie Wells, and grandpa is played by Richard Kiley. Oh, and Leroy is David Carradine, who is his own peculiar brand of weird but nowhere near as malevolent as Henry Jones. Now, I don’t love the 1956 film, mostly because everyone is playing to the second balcony, but you do get four of the original Broadway leads, maybe more, can’t remember. In that one, Nancy Kelly has a husband. In this thing, the husband is dead – why? Part of what makes The Bad Seed work is that Rhoda/Rachel is presented as sweet and loving at first. That doesn’t happen here – there’s nothing sweet and lovable about this Rhoda/Rachel. Director is Paul Wendkos, and Paul Chihara wrote the score. All the new dialogue is wretched and the workout outfits Ms. Redgrave has to wear are enough to put this thing in the film Hall of Shame. There’s nothing remotely chilling, but I do gather the ending is true to the novel and play, unlike the silly ending of the 1956 film.
Apparently, there’s even another version of The Bad Seed from 2018, directed by and starring Rob Lowe. Every name is different, mom is dead, and dad is raising the kid – I mean, why call it The Bad Seed. But Lowe did cast Patty McCormick in it in a small role. Alarmingly, this Lifetime thing got a sequel. I believe they call these kinds of things The Lower Depths. Prior to all that, I got eight and a half hours of good sleep, got up, had some text volleys, I’d pre-ordered some chili from Tommy’s, that arrived at noon-fifteen and I made two chili, cheese, and onion hot dogs that were pretty good – Tommy’s chili is just a bit too spicy for me. After that, I decided I’d wait to go to the mail place until today – less people out and about – and so I just did some stuff on the computer and watched a few irritating YouTube videos, including two of the most obnoxious jerks who do the eating in cars videos. I must say, they both copy others who do it, but doing a little research, I’m here to tell you that both these clowns are making well over $500,000 a year doing this crap. That is what YouTube has given us. Then I for my late afternoon snack I had orange chicken extra crispy from the jernt I like – unfortunately they ignored the writ large EXTRA CRISPY instruction – it was mildly crispy at best but still good, but each time I order the half order it’s less and less. That’s fine when it’s a snack, not so fine when it’s the main meal. After that, I did doze off for about thirty minutes, then began the long viewing of the short TV movie. I gave up the ghost around ten, listed a very rare OOP Kritzerland title, Elmer Bernstein’s great score for God’s Little Acre, one of our early soundtrack releases in my very early dealings with MGM/UA. Just three available – if you missed that go grab one. And here we are.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll go to the mail place and hopefully pick up two important envelopes, then I’ll come home and eat something – maybe I’ll get something to cook at Gelson’s – maybe I’ll order in – and then I’ll do a little prep work for the play, then I can watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, I’ll need a ME day and that’s what I will damn well have. Monday will be busy – banking, errands and whatnot, and preparing for our first rehearsal on Tuesday evening.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, go to the mail place and hopefully pick up two important envelopes and whatever else might be there, come home, eat, prep, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What remakes of classic films have you actually liked? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to welcome in November and it is my fervent hope and prayer that November will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful.