Warning: If you find yourself here via a google search for such things as TV shows or films, recipes or cities, this blog has some facts. However, this blog is one author’s very twisted musing on many weird things. It is sometimes graphic in content. If you read on, don’t write to yell at me.
A Big Thanks
I really appreciate the kind notes that were sent about the death of my friend, Harry Kenney. It’s been a difficult week facing things like mortality and choices and accomplishments. Looking over a life-time can lead to some very bleak places. I had been deeply saddened by the inability to find anything about him on the internet. I had worried that all that he had achieve would passed unrecognized and remembered. I was never happier to be so wrong. There are now more than a dozen heartfelt obituaries and comments in all manner of Adult forums over his passing. The most well known was in the website for Adult Video News. It made me very happy to see that he left behind a great deal of people whose work and friendship meant a great deal. I think Harry would have been very pleased to see all of the lovely comments. He would have been really jazzed that my most infamous ex, Nick Nicastro, the salacious dark lord that lead me astray and still resides in the bowels of Atlantic City. He has inspired one novel and is the leading man in most of my erotica. He is still the naughtiest man I know – even in his 60s. Harry admired him greatly for his prowess with women. And Nick ended up admiring him as well. He was quite shaken at Harry’s passing. And that is quite a tribute. It’s been a hard week coming to terms with his death, but there has been a benefit. I re-connected with a number of friends I’d lost touch with after moving to LA. It was marvelous to catch up with them. Like all good friendships, the calls were as warm and wonderful as if we’d been talking every day. Those long chats have helped a little with the grief.
Blood Oath and Film Update
Last week was the final rehearsal before the shoot. We’d made some dialogue changes to the script, and Jon fully blocked out the fight scenes. So, we had Matty and Lance over again to do some read through and work through any questions or concerns. As always, I was fascinated watching the actors work. Matty Ferraro had read A Solder’s Choice before accepting the role. Lance only had the script and a character description. The reasons for the difference is kind of involved, so I’ll skip it. Each man managed to figure out who the characters were and how to convey their personalities on camera. It’s difficult to describe how I know when the actor understands the character. My method is different from Jon’s. For me, it boils down to one line in pages of dialogue that is quintessentially Vincent or Rik. There is a certain way that the character would say that line. Most times, I can’t describe what I should be hearing. I just know it when I hear it. I was elated when Matty and Lance both said the words in those lines exactly how I expected to hear them. Moreover, when they deviated from expected, they were in ways that were still valid for their characters. In some cases, they were a better read than we’d each had in mind. That’s when a shoot is really fun. Along with their choices for portraying the characters, I was struck at the ease of their intimacy. They did some physically things during the dialogue scenes that I hadn’t expected. There were some touches and glances that just make the slash girls swoon. Jon was pleased that his focus can be on their movements rather than on the performances. We are set to shoot this Thursday and Friday only a mile or two from the first part of the shoot on Demon Under Glass. I recognized the street as soon as we turned onto it. Our first hotel was there (the one that had towels and heat). Ah memories. I still don’t know how we keep ending up shooting in that part of town. We’re all excited to be making a film again. But we’re also nervous as always. It’s a responsibility to book up these professionals’ time. We want it to be a productive and fun experience. Jon is working hard to make sure the shots run smoothly. Margeurite and I are working on keeping everyone well fed and comfy in our temporary home. I am making the field rations for the dialogue scenes. The only worrisome thing is the erecting of the green screen. We’ve never done it before. I’m certain a comedic adventure awaits. There are always so many on our shoots. I still cringe at that message that our motel mattress for Demon Under Glass was laying across a lane and a half of the 405 freeway. Fortunately, we don’t have nearly as much stuff going into the valley this time. We shouldn’t have as many adventures. Notice, I don’t make guarantees.
There are no updates on the Gunslinger and Luv U 4 Ever that I can talk about. It’s frustrating, I know (believe me, everyone involved knows how frustrating this is). The fortunate thing is that the Gunslinger is so ready for production that it will only take a few days to set a schedule and get rolling. Stay tuned.
Pop Culture Rants
These have been long overdue. I’ve had notes on some things since mid-December. And it’s fitting as a continuing tribute to Harry. We talked pop culture since high school and were film and TV critics on The Temple News. We saw some fun stuff over the holiday break. One of them, Wanted was a film that I really wasn’t sure I’d enjoy. It looked too shooty-bang bang for me. But there was Angelina splayed across the hood of a car with a big gun. I couldn’t resist. The film was a fabulous fun ride. It was far funnier than I ever expected (and intentionally so), and the amount of character development was surprising. I wished that one pivotal scene was longer because of the heavy emotional impact. But other than that, Wanted was a great popcorn romp. The other film we saw at that time was Get Smart. The TV series was a huge favorite of mine and my mother’s. This did not disappoint though they characters were not the same as the series. They were completely valid, but not mimics of the TV characters. It was a clap your hands in delight experience.
Meanwhile, my trailer troubles continue. I typically wouldn’t be interested in something like My Bloody Valentine in 3-D. However, I was so annoyed by the trailer that I couldn’t resist finding out what the film was about. SPOLIER ALERT. So you are warned after a bloody rampage at a Valentines Dance that cost the lives of many miners 20 years before not have another Valentines Dance. When a dance is scheduled, deadly mayhem ensues, so you sanely cancel the plans. But the teenagers who should know of this prohibition throw said dance AT THE MINE. Everyone deserves to die. I hope the deaths are gruesome. I’ll never see it.
I have many thoughts on Gil Grissom’s departure from CSI and on this season of CSI: Miami as well as the return of Anthony Bourdain, and, of course, Battlestar Galactica. But that is for another day. I have food to cook and a shoot to plan.
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