Michael's Musings

January 6, 2014

Happy New Year, everybody.  I hope that you all had an enjoyable holiday season.

I have, actually, been a bit under the weather for the past month.  I came down with a cold a couple of weeks before Christmas, and the cough is lingering.  I've been on two antibiotics and a bunch of other stuff, but the cough persists.  Wife Sandy and I are beginning to think that it's some sort of Texas allergy.  I will be calling the doctor again today.

On December 18th, Sandy and I flew into Long Beach, then took a shuttle up to the San Fernando Valley where we stayed at the Sportsman's Lodge.  I certainly enjoyed seeing my friends/family and my two book signings, but I think I've had it with Los Angeles and flying altogether.  From now on, if people in Los Angeles was to see me...and I hope they will...they can come to Austin.

The flight to California was miserable.  It took 45 minutes to go through the damn security line, then the flight was delayed 90 minutes.  I just don't have the patience for this airport bulls**t any longer.  I have a couple of book signing gigs later this year, but I'm driving to those.

On the plus side of the trip, I spent time with my son, David, and his lovely Lynette.  I also saw longtime Bridget Hanley, Beverly Ansara, Frances Doel and I went to Bruce Kimmel's Christmas Eve party.  We flew home on Christmas Day.

At my book signings, I finally met Ed French, face-to-face.  He's terrific on the audio adaptation of my one-person play, ORSON WELLES.  I also spent time at the signings with actors Clu Gulager, L.Q. Jones and Austin Stoker.

Since I've been home, aside from trying to stay warm and seeing the doctor twice, I have been working on my new 3 person stage play, which deals with a major Hollywood scandal of the 1950s.  It's going well.

Finally, I've added several new DVD reviews to the Best Bets on DVD site, accessible via the link in the Introduction section of this page.  They include Lee Daniels' THE BUTLER, FRUITVALE STATION, 20 FEET FROM STARDOM, ACROSS THE BRIDGE and 5 delightful movies starring Jessie Matthews, the British musical-comedy star of the 1930s.  I've also just received COPPER, Season 2, which I will be watching and reviewing this week.

That's about it for now.  You have a creative week.

Michael

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December 16, 2013


When we started casting THE DOORWAY back in 1999, Roger Corman asked me who my dream actor would be for the film's "five-day star role," and at the top of my list was Peter O'Toole. (Not such an outlandish idea, since O'Toole was doing all kinds of low budget films then.)

A few days later, Corman's people said they really wanted Tim Curry and had made him an offer, but I felt he was not right for the role. Thankfully, there was a scheduling conflict and he was unavailable.

Ultimately, the role went to Roy Scheider and I couldn't have been happier.

But, damn, I could have worked with Peter O'Toole.

Barring some unexpected event, this will be my last blog entry of 2013.  Frankly, I think that people have much more important things on their minds during the holiday season that following a particular blogger, so I will save my brilliant writings for when I have your attention again.

This past week, I had a bad chest cold and only went out of the house once.  I still have the remnants of the thing, but I am getting better.  If only it weren't so cold outside....

As I said last week, I'm going to be in Los Angeles for a couple of book signings.  On Saturday, December 21, at 2 pm, I will be at Dark Delicacies in Burbank, signing copies of both BASIL RATHBONE and DRACULA MEETS JACK THE RIPPER and Other Revisionist Histories.  Then, on Sunday (22), also at 2 pm, I'll be in Glendale at the Mystery and Imagination Bookstore, signing copies of LIFE, LIBERTY & THE PURSUIT OF HOLLYWOOD, so if you're in town, please come to one or the other...if not both.

Shortly, I will be posting a review of ELYSIUM with Matt Damon and Jodie Foster on the Best Bets on DVD site, accessible via the link in the Introduction section of this page.  Please take a look.

I will continue to research and work on several writing projects during the coming two weeks, and I will see you back here again on January 6th.

Have a creative few weeks.

Michael

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December 9, 2013

It is freezing cold outside here in Austin.  Wife Sandy and I have not left the house for several days.  It is that bad.

Last Tuesday, we closed out our stage space and moved everything into the house.  All went smoothly, and it only took a couple of hours.

Not much on the schedule this week, but at the end of next week I'm going to be in Los Angeles for a couple of book signings.  On Saturday, December 21, at 2 pm, I will be at Dark Delicacies in Burbank, signing copies of both BASIL RATHBONE and DRACULA MEETS JACK THE RIPPER and Other Revisionist Histories.  Then, on Sunday (22), also at 2 pm, I'll be in Glendale at the Mystery and Imagination Bookstore, signing copies of LIFE, LIBERTY & THE PURSUIT OF HOLLYWOOD, so if you're in town, please come to one or the other...if not both.

Writing wise, I have several projects on my plate that are going to keep me busy for the next several months.  More on them later.

There are also two new reviews on the Best Bets on DVD site, accessible via the link in the Introduction section of this page.  One of them is called ZOMBIE HAMLET, and it's really a lot better than it sounds, and the other is THE RUTLES, the hilarious mockumentary about The Beatles-like group, conceived by Eric Idle of the Monty Python troupe.

You have a creative week.

Michael

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