"Brokeback Mountain"

Just got back from Brokeback Mountain, and I loved it. I thought the performances were very understated and real. I thought Ann Hathaway was wonderful. I liked the fact that it was visually driven and not language driven. The internal monologues seemed almost as strong as the verbal. AND I really liked the fact that no labels were used. The tv critic who characterized Twist as a "sexual predator" really has no CLUE.

And it opens up the whole discussion of what is bisexuality. And many of you have heard me rant about that before.

I recommend that you see it on the Big Screen, if possible. The scenery is spectacular!

I also liked the fact that they aged the characters believably; everything about the film was understated. I will probably get it on DVD when it comes out.

I hope to see "Transamerica" on Thursday. I will have lots to write and say about that one, I am sure!

Flawless

Just saw the 1999 film "Flawless" with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robert De Niro. A surprise was that the villain was Luis Saguar, who was in one of A.C.T.'s "Christmas Carols" that I worked a few years ago. I thought this film was wonderful. I can't wait to see Hoffman in "Capote" now!

I finished "Don Pasquale" tonight. It was a great production set in 1920's Brooklyn. The Basses were easy to work with and very low maintenance. I made a few new friends on the crew and got to know some folks better. Now a week off until "Wicked" hits the Broward Center.

Last Week

Since I anticipated being out of work for at least a week I borrowed several DVDs from the local library, watched a couple on TV, and taped another HBO special.

I saw an HBO special called "Middlesexes" which was
great. They had a segment on Thai ladyboys. Their
estimate is that there are 1 in 100 Thai that are
Ladyboys. AND 1 in 100 people worldwide are
intersexed. It was very interesting; and it covered
many gender issues, including the one major one:
there are more than just 2 sexes.

Also, I finally had DSL installed through the local phone company. It doesn't seem alot faster, but there may be an issue with the size of the cable I have. It will make downloading and creating much quicker, I hope.

From January 9, 2006 on Yahoo 360

More movies that I have liked: all 3 of Miyazaki's animated films: "Kiki's Delivery Service," "Spirited Away," "Castle in the Sky."

Speaking of animation: "The Triplets of Belleville" is a weird gem. Another French film that is great: "Eight Women."

Two made for TV movies that are great: "The Life and Death of Peter Sellars" and "The Lost Prince."

I loved "Did Mommie Die" and I am not sure WHAT to say about "Women in Revolt?!" The latter was a gift from Fonda Dixon-Peters. It starred 3 LOVELIES from Andy Warhol's entourage: Candy Darling, Holly Woodlawn, and Jackie Curtis.

I really enjoyed, "I am the Camera," the original film based on Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories. It was developed into the musical "Cabaret."

"Pieces of April" is a great holiday movie, and it stars Patricia Clarkson and Katie Holmes. AND Patricia is also great in the strange little film, "The Station Agent."

"A Map of the World," is a wonderful yet disturbing book and a great film with Sigourney Weaver and Julianne Moore. Likewise with "White Orleander."

I saw "Angels in America" at A.C.T. over 10 years ago. HBO made a film of the Tony Kushner play that is INCREDIBLE!

Old Hollywood: a prior post on my Yahoo 360

Tuesday, November 29, 2005: Old Hollywood
I love old Hollywood, and I just saw a fascinating and beautiful period piece tonight: "The Cat's Meow" about a death on William Randolph Hearst's yacht in 1924. Charlie Chaplin is protrayed by Eddie Izzard, a character in his own right!

It reminded me about "RKO 281" which I saw a few months ago. It tells the story of Orson Welles trying to make "Citizen Kane, " and Hearst's campaign to destroy it when he finds out about the subject matter.

AND then there is the great book "Without Lying Down" by Cari Beauchamp, and about Frances Marion, one of the first screenwriters in Hollywood. http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/8227.html

She was friends with Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and Anita Loos, who wrote "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." I have yet to see the documentary based on Beauchamp's book: http://milestonefilms.com/movie.php/without/

Perhaps I will rent "Chaplin" again with Robert Downey, Jr.

Back in My Element

I am at the Kravis Center as the Star Dresser of our 2 Don Pasquales in the Opera of the same name. It is a pretty easy job, since both the American and Italian Dons are very low maintenance.

But it is nice to be back in a comfortable space, with "old" friends and colleagues. And it especially nice to be appreciated for my skills and background.

Mar A Lago

Well, yesterday proved to be rather interesting AND Long AND exhausting. I returned to Mar-a-Lago at 8 am yesterday to finish the set up for Frankie Valli's show as a stagehand. It went a bit smoother than the day before for me. Then as we were nearing the end of that 4 hour call, the guy in charge asked our union steward if we had somebody coming in to do wardrobe for the show. The steward and I had talked previously about my background and he asked if I would be willing to stay on for that. So, after being fed by the Trump gang I prepped the clothes for the evening show. Then I hung out, watched the rehearsal, and headed home to clean up and change. I was back in less than 3 hours to be available prior to the 9:30 show. THEN I was informed that they do all there on dressing onstage, so it would be more helpful if I remained in the "Card Room" across the way from the performance area, where they had changed to guard their street clothes. So, I sat around for 1 1/2 hours while they performed. Then I packed it all up and returned to the performance space to help with the load out AS a stagehand again. A 14 hour work day with 2 1/2 meals provided by Trump.

After the show the first person to show up was Joe Pesci. He was very down to earth and chilled. Then Frankie and his 4 back up singers returned. THEN The Donald breezed in while everybody was dressing. There were photos and alot of schmoozing. Just regular folks, with big egos, and a lot of money!

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/accent/content/accent/
slideshows/maralago/
will show you what Mar A Lago looks like!

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/celebrities/content/entertainment/
photo_popups/trump_ballroom/index.html shows what the ballroom looks like.

Today is my day to recover before I start the Palm Beach Opera tomorrow for 7 days.

As January Speeds By

The ANGST is high today as I returned to Mar-a-Lago after a year. Yet again my union was desperate for stagehands to do a loadin/loadout at Donald Trump's resort. It was interesting to see the changes since the grand opening New Year's Eve 2004. BUT I hated being on an electrics call, when I clearly don't know very much about lights, wires, plugs and the rest of the equipment. Everybody was patient, but I don't like being clueless on a job! I will return there tomorrow morning at 8 am to install more equipment....sad but true. Then tomorrow night I will return at 11 pm to pack it all up and load it onto the 2 trucks for its trip back to Miami. Frankie Valli is the performer tomorrow night.

BUT the good news is that today I got the call to start "Don Pasquale" this coming Monday as the tenor dresser. Palm Beach Opera seems to know how to utilize my experience and training, and the folks there are fun to work alongside. That job will last 8 days without any break, but that is fine with me!

Happy New Year

I have been off from work for 4 days, and today I start a 3 day run doing wardrobe for "Pilobolus," a contemporary dance troupe. It will be at the Amaturo Theater in the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Should be interesting.

Then I hope to return to the Palm Beach Opera on January 24th for "Don Pasquale." It is a smaller production, so it is not guaranteed that I will work. THEN "Wicked" comes to Broward in early February. I hope to revisit that show, since I worked it in preproduction in San Francisco nearly 3 years ago.

Let's hope we all have a prosperous and enjoyable 2006!