Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to a later Rozsa score, Providence, which is actually one of my favorite scores of his, along with another late score, Time After Time. Earlier, I decided to watch one of my all-time favorite movies, in fact, it’s in my top-ten of the greatest films ever made. I can’t remember what prompted me to watch it – something I must have seen or read at some point yesterday. This is a movie I could watch over and over without ever tiring of it. I marvel at its beauty and perfection and performances every time. The film is entitled Black Narcissus, and its directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (but really Powell), and stars Deborah Kerr in what is probably my favorite performance of hers, a textbook example of screen acting at it’s zenith, David Farrar, Flora Robson, Sabu, a very young Jean Simmons, and the amazing Kathleen Byron, who should have been up for an Oscar, and the same goes for Deborah Kerr. Interestingly, it was nominated for two Oscars and won both – Art Direction for Alfred Junge, and Best Cinematography (Color) for Jack Cardiff. It is, for me, the greatest Technicolor cinematography ever. Powell’s direction takes the breath away in terms of its total mastery of form, technique, and storytelling. It’s also a completely unique film, a total one-off – there’s never been another film like it. Based on a wonderful novel by Rumer Godden, the screenplay is also brilliant, especially the dialogue. And the score by Brian Easdale, also completely unique, is as good as it gets. Oh, now I know why I watched it. Because there was a thread on the Film Score Monthly message board about favorite score from your birth year. Black Narcissus was first choice, followed closely by Bernard Herrmann’s The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, then Odd Man Out and a few others. Once I start watching the movie I can’t even pause it for a break because I don’t want to take myself out of its rather exotic world. If you’ve never seen this movie, it gets the highest recommendation from the likes of me. If you’ve got Max, it’s on there and there’s a lovely Blu and Ray from Criterion. That was pure bliss. Not pure bliss was the tiny little shaker we just had this very minute. I hate those things. Thankfully, just a short jolt thing.
Prior to that, I got eight hours of sleep, got up, finally tried a new jernt called Pablito’s Tacos, which was very good, then I went to the mail place and hold your hats and hallelujah the important envelope was there. No way to cash it until Monday, but that’s fine. I stopped at Gelson’s and got a small Caesar salad for a late afternoon snack, came home, added a little something for the book, saw some cover ideas and fonts for the title, so I sent those to Muse Margaret. Once we settle on it, then I can share what the book is. Then I watched the movie, showered, and here we are.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, then I’ll relax and rest my voice, shave and shower, and then mosey on over to the Robby Awards around six. Show begins at seven. I may go out for a bite after, depending on how long it goes.
Tomorrow, I have to cash a check, make a deposit, I have to write a bit, and then do whatever needs doing. The rest of the week is more writing, some meetings and meals, and finalizing the book cover and font.
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, relax and rest my voice, shave and shower, attend the Robby Awards and sing and present, eat, and then come home. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers, get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have seen one of my top ten greatest movies ever made, Black Narcissus.