It’s been a strange month. I’ve really enjoyed the retired life, but as they say, all good things must come to an end. It’s been a great year imbibing in books, movies, music and movies, but I’ve retired from retirement. A great opportunity came my way; I couldn’t say no. So, scoot over on the merry go round, there, make room. I’m coming aboard. And hey, the free time I get will become more precious, right? No more squandering, no more awakening (or going to bed) at 3:00 AM, questioning my sense of identity. Friday will become a special day again.
The Master of the World on Blu-Ray: Ever the fan of Jules Verne, I read this book years ago. This movie, an over the top, almost cartoony version of the book was a bit melodramatic. Vincent Price, Charles Bronson and Henry Hull do remarkable jobs at taking their roles seriously, and my fandom for Vincent Price, probably covered a multitude of sins as far as the movie’s aim for seriousness. The Blu Ray treatment is pretty decent. Colors are saturated and the sound has been cleaned up, though some rebalancing could be in order. There are a few times the movie jumped from too soft to hear to window rattling volume. It’s typical Jules Verne fare, a psychopath (with albeit good intentions) uses an ahead of its time airship to decimate any country’s army or navy unless the country bids his demands for eradicating their arms. A munitions manufacturer and his daughter and a government agent are kidnapped and held aboard the craft. The group schemes to sabotage the ship, thereby preventing the psychopath from saving the world by destroying its militaries. It begs the question, who are the good guys?
The Sound of Music on DVD: I am generally well in the know when it comes to a film that has garnered five Academy Awards, but oddly, I had never seen this movie. Perhaps it was because of its categorization of being a saccharine sweet musical of the Disney ilk. I’ve had friends tell me how wonderful of a movie it was, so I finally took the plunge with my sister and my parents, watching the DVD with them. The traditional Rogers & Hammerstein trope of watching two actors dramatically interact and then suddenly burst into song was a bit off putting, but these are musicals for you. I realized it was an important film, the highest grossing film of 1965. And, though I did love Julie Andrews in Disney’s Mary Poppins, (and even she thought both roles were too similar in the two movies) I thought she carried the film. I got to see this on a pristine DVD “Anniversary” release, and I must admit, it’s one of the most beautiful DVD movies I’ve ever seen. I’ve learned the movie recently released on 4K Blu Ray. It would be one to have in a film lover’s collection for its legacy alone.
The Resurrection of Joan Ashby by Cherise Wolas: Continuing a journey I started last month with this book, Joan Ashby is a brilliant and intense literary sensation acclaimed for her explosively dark and singular stories. She plans to continue being a full-fledged novelist, but ends up getting married and then having two sons. Her writing is put on hold. When she finally finishes her first novel and gets it ready for publication, she discovers a family member has horribly betrayed her, making it impossible for her novel to be published. The incident changes Joan Ashby forever, sending her on a voyage of self-discovery to India
Codename Panzers: Phase One on PC: I played through this game way back in 2008. It was sort of a precursor to Soldiers: Heroes of World War II and Relic’s ever famous Company of Heroes. A top down RTS played from the German side starting from the takeover of Poland, the game also includes Russian and British campaigns. The graphics are surprisingly good even now, and I’m sure were state of the art in 2004 when the game debuted. The game’s crafted cutscenes are laughable, but one has to applaud the developers’ intents. The characters look as if the cast of a Monty Python show got together to try to pull off something serious. Unfortunately, I had to cheat to beat the game back in 2008, and I’m already having to resort to insidious methods to get through the game again.
Sarah McLachlan Surfacing on CD: The New York Times reviewer, Sia Michel, called this album, “lushly atmospheric" but also ambivalent. I thought it played like a greatest hit album and it compelled me to pick up one of McLachlan’s other albums, her first, Touch, released in 1987 (which is very good in its own right.) It’s no surprise the album won two Grammy Awards out of four nominations. I lived in Austin, TX at the time Surfacing came out, and even now when I play the album it takes me back to that beloved place. McLachlan has a beautiful soprano ring that rings out with reverb at the required times.
ATX Audio Technica ATH M50X Headphones: Launched in 1962 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, Audio Technica started out making phonograph cartridges and quickly expanded into all kinds of electronics. Their ATH M50X Headphones became famous amongst sound engineers because of their neutrality. I would liken them to mid-fi more than hi-fi simply because of the technology that has surpassed them, but I did pick up my first set recently and gave them an honest listen. Spinning Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon on my CD player, I was astounded at the sound quality. In over 48 years of being acquainted with this album, this was the best listen I’d ever experienced with it.
The Disney Nautilus from Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea: Presented as a gift to me by my beloved friend, Vic Berwick, this rendition of what might perhaps be my favorite craft of all time in the realms of fact or fiction, shall be a cherished memento for the rest of my days. Expertly created by Vic on a 3D printer, the model is gilded with superb attention to detail. Even the interior is painted. Ever since seeing the replica of Verne’s seagoing vessel atop Ray Bradbury’s desk when he narrated The Ray Bradbury Theater, I’ve always wanted one of my own. And now I have one equally as special. Thank you, Vic.
Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon on CD: What can I say about this album? There’s no need to paraphrase anything written on album review sites or Wikipedia. It’s one of the best selling albums of all time, and it’s one of the top albums selected by audiophiles to test out new CD players and turntables with. As much credit as is given to the band, mixer/engineer Alan Parsons (yes, THAT Alan Parsons) did a lot of the heavy lifting on the album, but has unintendedly taken a back seat to much of the album’s great history. I have it on CD (the Alan Parsons mixed one, the one to seek out of you’re looking) and the remastered 2016 edition on vinyl. The album famously collages greed, consumption, the control time utterly has over us, and madness, with Syd Barrett’s declining mental state being the impetus. It’s as if each time I listen to this album, I discover something new.
