Then I love Mozart above all but others - Mendelssohn, Mussorgsky, Mahler. Beethoven. Beethoven, Bruckner, Berlioz, Bernstein, Boulez (the latter in smaller portions). Maybe I love all music beginning with 'M' and 'B', but not exclusively. Bach, his Double Concerto playing the violin with my father. Opera; Visse d'arte is my wife, Teresa, singing; Rheingold (opening and closing bars) of my one and only visit to Bayreuth; Deh vieni alla finestra of my time living in Cornwall.
And then there is the one-time musical obsession, Otto Klemperer, still haunting me through recordings, the memory of his concerts, of not meeting him at his 85th birthday party, the letters from his daughter, Lotte, refusing permission for the unfinished play I wrote about his remarkable life.
Movies
What can compare to Some Like It Hot?. The Ladykillers (no, not you, Coen Brothers), Marx Brothers (the first 7 films).
Pause and then in no particular order most of the other Ealing comedies; Orson Welles (Citizen Kane, A Touch of Evil, 'F' for Fake, The Third Man, most of the rest); A Matter of Life and Death, most other films from Powell and Pressburger; Coen Brothers, almost forgiven for their Ladykillers travesty for originality and for exposing my "twin", Lebowski; Huston, Curtiz, and other "old" Hollywood for electrifying the screen; Bunuel, Fellini, Goddard, just about all the New Wave French for European depth; brilliant non-sequential narrative in Memento, Donnie Darko (OK, dislike giving credit to Tarentino) but also in Pulp Fiction; Lynch, Polanski, Altman and Kubrick for making an art from entertainment.
Many more than I mentioned, and always the hope for new surprises.
Television
Take it or leave it really.
There was Nigel Neale, there was Dennis Potter. The Avengers for timeless style. A few good comedies have come and gone. There is little now of quality.
I'll get back to you on this when the last so-called reality show has breathed its last.
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Paintings have more life. A great painting is different every time you look at it. Check out my gallery (hit the picture frame) if you don't believe me.
About me: Nobody learns to be a writer. They are born, often at an advanced age, fully formed and house-trained. Of course there's a price; there is always a price. I know; I know because I had written how it had happened to Raymond Chandler and now it was happening to me. Now I was being asked to pay. The tooth fairy suddenly stepped out from under the pillow into the clear light of reality, bringing with her a signed affidavit attesting to the existence of Santa Claus.The Opposite of Show Business.
Jim! I haven't been around much. What are you thinking about this up-coming US election? I trust your opinion and would like to know. I hope you and your family are doing well. Aimee
bonjour squire.... hope and trust all is well with you and my mother-in-law !!! in Boston on a day off.. its apparently what the americans call historical round here.. wonder if that means they have the original Mcdonalds store ? small amount of falling out going on within the touring party, making things a little difficile to say the least, but i got my head down.. still wish i was at home though to be honest. anyway pass my love to all... see you in a few weeks (or sooner depending on what happens !!!) m xxxx
