Burning a 3 Way Candle

First things first, you have to play this video while you read my post. This will give you a sense of what I do all the time (multitask) and will also give you a sense of the soundtrack to my life in this moment. Plus, it's a fucking awesome song.

So, once again I find myself blogging when I really should be working on this script. I want to work on the script. I've been reading and working on scripts (including this one) all day. I think this may be my problem. As my friend Stephanie just told me "You're burning the candle at both ends, except your candle has 3 sides." Stephanie is right and so are most of you who told me I'm overloading myself, I'll keep from using your real name, but it rhymes with Schmegg. You win. Blurgh.

I used to spell "Blurgh" with just a "g" at the end... I might return to that... I don't think I like that H... leave your comments to let me know what you think and then I'll smack you right back with my opinions, because let's face it, I love to do that.

Like I was saying, before you so rudely interrupted me, I'm supposed to be working on this script. I'm hoping that blogging will help loosen up whatever its going on upstairs in my brainland and help me write something funny. It's like the more I think about how much I have to do with it the more psyched out I get... a vicious cycle... a true white lady problem.

Let me tell you my life saving choice today. Listening to Tina Fey's new book "Bossypants" on the book on tape-esque option on my new Kindle... Thanks Jodi!

If you're going to read Tina Fey's book and you're in a car, this is the way to do it (especially since reading in the car is for the A. experience and B. retarded).

The woman's robotic voice is just makes words like "lesbian," "b-hole" and "very, very, very, very, very" all that much better. She also can't pronounce "Bossypants" it resembles the way you would say "participant" instead of "Bossy-pants." Amazing.

This is a great pastime for East to West then West to East traffic time and the occasional loop North. I can read without reading and I'm not eating into time I would be doing anything other than listening to NPR, singing Whitney Houston songs out loud or of course, speaking with loved ones illegally on my DROID (If you've been around me when my phone is on you know what I'm talking about).

The low points of my day were kind of frequent today, but nothing 3rd world... or were they? Maybe the 3rd world does want to cry when they're Ray Bans hit the ground and kind of get a little messed up. Maybe people walking from village to village are worried about Beverly Hills being over the top. Maybe countries with little to no drinking water do stress about "is my 434 script funny enough and why can't I just fucking write it and be a good writer like all the super smart people I go to school with?" Yeah, they probably worry about these things. Sorry, guys, I have no advice because we deal with these issues as well in the US. It's a real shame.

Have I finished bitching? No... What are you crazy?! I could complain all day... give me a subject... I'll improvise... I'll "yes and" that shit 'til the cows come home... I'll complain about the cows coming home... I don't have room for cows in my shitty studio apartment at

123 murder street, LA CA 900***

Gotcha.

My last complaint before I go do actual work... and if anyone gives me shit about doing this and not doing actual work tomorrow I might kill them on the spot...

Tina Fey is pregnant. WTF.

I was so proud of her for not sharing this kind of information and complaining about it endlessly in The New Yorker-- because I love reading the New Yorker and if anyone feels moved enough to get me a subscription or give me your old magazines... do it. I love that shit.

Oh, well. I guess it's okay. I mean, pregnancy is weird. It's like alien or the end of Spaceballs... but choices... and only children are weird (yeah, you heard me) so I guess props to them. Blurg (no "h").

The Graduate

I am taking a break from packing for my Fiesta Weekend in NYC to talk about Mike Nichols' The Graduate. This is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE films. I am obsessed with the genius that is Anne Bancroft--everything she did. She was also married to Mel Brooks, which makes her even COOLER!



This movie makes a visual presentation that embodies empathy for anyone who is taking a year off or having a lull in their life. The May-December romance is an added dramatic element, but there is so much more to this movie.



My friend Brian and I were just talking, briefly about this movie (that is currently on TCM and sparking this entry). We were actually talking about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and about Robert Redford (<3). Robert Redford was the studio pick for the aimless character of Benjamin Braddock. The book that the film is based on calls for a "surfboard" type, a true California beach boy. Obviously Dustin Hoffman is anything but-- and that was the juxtaposition that Mike Nichols was looking for.



"Robert Redford screen-tested with Candice Bergen for the part of Benjamin Braddock but was finally rejected by director Mike Nichols because Nichols did not believe Redford could persuasively project the underdog qualities necessary to the role. When he told this to Redford, the actor asked Nichols what he meant. "Well, let's put it this way," said Nichols, "Have you ever struck out with a girl?" "What do you mean?" asked Redford. "That's precisely my point," said Nichols." (imdb.com)
I had heard about this from the behind the scenes interview on a DVD but it was nice to chat about it with a future Trojan (Shoutout to Brain Bibbo! Lol!)

I think this movie's mastery is achieved due to the collaboration and combination of various creative pieces that made a glorious whole (haha, glorious whole...say it out loud). Anne Bancroft was a talented theatre and film actress who really blossomed in the 1960s. She had a couple "B-movies" in the 1950s, but made it big in the 1962 film The Miracle Worker. She had played the part of Annie O'Sullivan on Broadway, co-starring with Patty Duke, who played Helen Keller.


They made the jump from a successful run in the theatre to a successful, award winning film.
She was a devoted actress who took every moment and filled it with talent. Anne continued to work in film, theatre and television until her death in 2005 from cancer.



Dustin Hoffman was actually only 6 years younger than Anne Bancroft in real life--but in the film, you'd never know. They both played opposite ends of life with incredibly believability. Hoffman wasn't the first pick for this film, but his wits and talent provided him to be the best pick. He improvised certain scenes like when he has to grab Mrs. Robinson's breast-- he was about to laugh, due to the crew's laughter, and instead turned it into frustration and banged his head against the wall. He also invented a slight wimper-cough that he picked up from Mike Nichols. This turned what could looked like a 31 year old playing an 20 year old into a unconfident character, believably 20 year old, goalless, boy-man.



Mike Nichols is a genius. There are so many shots, looks, choices, etc. in this film that add up to a visual gem. I'm going to bulletpoint a couple examples that will hopefully entice you to watch the film for the 1st or millionth time.

• The sunporch scene--the famous one with the leg shot.
• 
• The transitions from black to black when he's going through his routine of sleeping with Mrs. Robinson and his blasé lifestyle.
• 
• The scene when Benjamin tells Elane about the affair--then the hallway shot of Anne soaking wet.
  
• The sunporch when she says "I'm extremely upset Benjamin"
• The hotel--darkness--who would have thought?
• The swimming pool 1st person P.O.V.
• Through the fishtank
• Over the wooden banister at the hotel
• Don't forget the soundtrack!!

  	4. April Come She Will
  	Found at skreemr.com

  
  

The list goes on-- I mean pay attention to what they wear. Mrs. Robinson wears animal print and black.



Benjamin is a prep from the East. The rest all look like "plastic" country club folks.

Watch this movie. It's wonderful.
If you feel like you have no direction, if you're taking time off from work, school or something, it is a perfect film to find empathy or sympathy; whatever you need. I have used it to help me get through and I have studied it over and over. I will continue to do so and once again I urge you to see, listen and feel The Graduate.