East of Eden — Bastardized Movie

Last night was hanging out with the Tall Man. Which consisted of sex on his couch, something we haven't done before because he usually had a roommate around. Now he didn't and he had a towel handy. So it commenced and was delightful. Then we talked and didn't talk for hours.

Since I finally finished East of Eden we decided it was time we finally watched the legendary movie. Okay, if you say so. It was a brilliant movie as far as James Dean's acting and Elia Kazan's direction went. I'll even give it up for Julie Harris and Jo Van Fleet (who looked exactly as I pictured Kate to look). I'd never seen James Dean act before and I fell in love with that man. His approach was ground breaking of what you saw during the 1950s. Most actors played for the camera. James played for the performance it seemed. It was very cool to watch.

That aside, the movie sucked. The story was so far removed from how great the book was. The book was phenomenal because of the epic qualities it had. In the movie they condensed it into one simple story about the two brothers. They removed all other interesting characters and just went with that. Plus the profound ending was wholly ruined.

I finished watching Dance of the Vampires. Holy shit. Where did this show come from? Those who weren't lucky to see enough the Old style Broadway techniques being raped repeatedly in this show, are neither better off nor hampered for it. Yet, to see it is to see sometime beyond absurdity. I loved this trippy scene when some of the dancers are flying around. While the ones on stage look like mirror images. Or the nightmare dream scene where the bed comes to life and dances. Or when the gay Vampire tries to seduce the lead male and the scene takes place in front of a mirror. But the gay vampire's reflection is there while they dance. Oh goodness me-oh-my!

Tomorrow early in the morning I am working my way upstate to celebrate Easter for less than 24 hours with my family. Prepare yourself for an epic post, I am sure. I don't plan on seeing friends or going to the mall or doing necessarily anything other than filing my taxes. Which means I'll have time.

Lastly, I am now reading And The Band Played On. So for the next couple of months I will be VERY, very introspective I am sure.

I have to get these moments down...

Lets start with the bad first shall we? As I was walking to school today I dropped my Lighting Design homework (you see where this is going don't you?) out of my book bag and realized it was missing three blocks later. I walked back quickly in time to see a small group of people picking it up. I worked it up to top speed walking and yelled to them, "Hey, excuse me! That's mine!"

Not that I'm racist (Re: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof). But these guys could give me enough material I could write a stand-up routine. When they turned it was two older Hispanic guys and a preteen. The first thing the guy says, "How much will you pay for it?" I just stared. The other guy goes, "Hey you need to be mo' polite when you ask for that! He has your papers and you're not askin' nicely? He picked them up!" WHAT?! This guy just tried to get me to pay him. I'm not asking nicely?!

"Can I have it back please?"

"I should make you pay me!"

"It's a school project."

"You need to ask mo' nicer!"

It may sound ridiculous, but I almost burst into tears. I hate confrontation. When people yell I have trouble breathing. My eyes just instinctively started to tear up. To make a long story short, he returned it. I turned and continued and need to breath deeply before I regained my composure. I'm a sad mess sometimes.

Another moment: My weird Jewish roommate who is a stoner and really awkward. Like REALLY. He's nice though, but he has social issues. He had a couple friends over and I was listening through the door. It was the absolute example of awkward. They all had different speech impediments. One stuttered, another sounded like he was deep and raspy (not necessarily a speech impediment) and the other spoke like Marlon Brando.

I sat there listening and absolutely transfixed! Then I was inspired by that idea for a show. Someone (or multiple people) sitting in their room listening, but eventually going on with their day. There is no sound of their life, what they sound like or anything. While in the background an entirely different life is going on. In the apartment next door or something. Just a thought I had, but a thought.

Lastly, Dance of the Vampires. These moments need to be remembered! What a mess of a show. The dancing is worse than anything Debbie Allen did with Carrie: The Musical. The whole show is a joke of mocking Vampire stories. The best part is the score was written by the people who wrote Total Eclipse of the Heart. So naturally they included that song into the show somewhere!

There's this scene when a giant coffin shoots out of the stage and reveals...Michael Crawford. Then when the servant becomes crazy and dresses in all leather for no apparent reason. Oh the best part! During the love song, the lead is transfusing his blood into the lead girl. They are singing and when they're about to touch. The professor steps on the tube giving her blood so they both pass out for a moment. Then he removes his foot and they continue singing as though nothing happen.

Hysterical! These moments must be preserved.