As I write this, we are getting another new pair of doors installed. The storm door and solid door are being replaced in the music room. The door leads out to a long, wide veranda, overlooking our front lawn. It leaks heat badly in winter, and lets heat in during the summer. We are so pleased with our replaced side front door that we decided to go ahead and get this one done, too. It will also keep out more street noise.
As indicated in the blog title for today, the USA will finally open it's border to land visitors sometime in early November. That means I can hopefully visit Detroit before the end of the year! Won't that be a treat! Speaking of outings, last Saturday Amanda was in town for a visit to her family. We went with Deb to Kingsville, which has three breweries on its main street. Deb went to visit her mom, and Amanda and I settled into a brewpub for lunch and some imbibing. Original plans were to visit all three pubs, but we got stuck at the 2nd one with some fantastic ales. Deb eventually joined us before we headed home, for more imbibing and some food. Proof of vaccination is required if sitting indoors, which we did.
Amanda came over again on Monday, and she and I played a game of Akrotiri, a two-person game that involves earning some cash through shipping, and then splurging to build temples on Greek islands. She beat me handily. Deb went to visit her mom again, but returned just as our game had ended. Amanda stayed for Thanksgiving dinner, which was taken outside on the back deck. The weather so far in October has been very summery, and it was a spectacular day to be outside. We played our game outside, ate and drank outside, and finally went inside as it grew dark. Luckily, the weather today is also spectacular, as several days of rain and cooler temps are to arrive. Our front door has been open for an hour, and will likely be wide open all morning.
In film news, we continue to immerse ourselves in films of John Huston. In This Our Life is a Bette Davis scenery chewer, as she places the bad younger sister who runs off with here older sister's husband, leaving her own fiancee in the lurch. She is such a fun companion that she soon drives her new beau to suicide, before returning home and trying to regain her old boyfriend, who is now in love with the older sister. Needless to say, this was not my kind of picture, and another reason for me not to like most Bette Davis pictures (there are a few I do like).
A Walk With Love and Death was our second picture recently about those wonderful medieval times. Starring Angelica Huston as a teenage lady aristocrat whose father is killed by peasants during the 100 Years War, the film at first seems like it might be a 60s film in the Ren Fair tradition, actually turns out to be quite watchable and true to its time. The brutality surrounding two young lovers eventually overwhelms them. We saw the picture many, many years ago and liked it then, but were not expecting to like it now. But we did. It still holds up pretty well.
Mysterious Object At Noon is a Thai film (not directed by John Huston) from 2000, a slightly avante garde film that allows different character to enlarge upon an on-going story about a crippled boy and his teacher. As expected, the story takes bizarre turns, especially when children get involved in the telling. But the story is a mere backdrop for some totally riveting scenes of daily Thai life, both in the city and in the country. The film kind of loses steam at the end, which the director admits happened in one of the extras we watched. But there are parts I would watch again. The film is one of Scorsese's World Film Project rescues. It was shot in 16 mm and had already deteriorated considerably before restoration.
Next came The Dead, from 1987, a small masterpiece of film making by John Huston, based on one of the greatest short stories ever written (Joyce, from Dubliners). Set in Dublin on January 6th in the early 1900s, the film captures an evening dinner party and social gathering put on by two spinster sisters every year at this time. Starring Angelica Huston, her moment to shine doesn't come until near the end of the picture. All of the acting is first rate, as is the screenplay, strongly based on Joyce. A must-see film, this was our third viewing (but it had been a while).
Lastly, and bringing readers fully up to date with our viewing, comes Huston's Freud, from 1962. Montgomery Clift underplays the great professor, daring to go where no man has ever gone before (except the ancient Greeks), delving into childhood needs and passions that shape our later years in ways we still don't fully understand. Susannah York places the truly disturbed Cicely, helped in one way by the good doctor, but not in other ways. Marilyn Monroe turned the part down. About 40 minutes were cut from the film before release. Somber and serious, it is worth watching for some great photography and a creepy look at Vienna.
Turning now to art from the DIA (which I might be able to visit again next month!), I return to Canaletto, as promised in an early post. The Tower of Malghera overlooks a lagoon in Venice, and was a much painted structure in the 18th C (see Bellotto's version on-line, as well as Canaletto's). As much as I wish Detroit had either of those paintings, this print is a truly wonderful version, and would have been an affordable alternative in its day. As interesting as the tower is, it is the actions of the inhabitants of the lagoon that provide the most interest. The way that a great artist can use simple lines to create such a masterpiece. I especially like the face of the tower, showing wear as the plaster has fallen off of much of it. Great stuff!
Door installation continues (it is VERY noisy in here). I will now retire to a quieter part of the house. No piano practice this morning.
Mapman Mike
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