Dakota

From George's Life Soundtrack --

- "The Tango" by Marc Shaiman [1993]
I was briefly obsessed with the Addams Family in 1993. I hadn't really given much concern to them when their first film came out, byt the sequel was different. I became very fascinated with them, inadvertendly (but obviously) ripping them off with a story about a bizarre family under the name Normal (which, actually, probably was more blatantly stealing from the Munsters). This was also around the time I became interested in movie reviews, and would clip them out of the New York Times, or the Star-Ledger, or any newspaper available. I would scrapbook them.
I owned the novelization to Addams Family Values, and before I ever saw the movie, I was reading it to Joyce over the course of maybe a week. It was decidely a little naughty (I don't think I'd openly read dialogues with the word 'sex' before), but I loved the characters (and definately the females: Joan Cusack's Debbie, Christina Ricci's Wednesday, Anjelica Huston's Morticia, and Carol Kane's Granny -- all played by actresses that I later came to adore) and waited impatiently for the actual film. I still love the movie (and recently acquired it on DVD for Christmas, from Willow) and the tango sequence in particular was one of my favourite moments. I loved the music in that film.

- Poison Ivy's Entrance by Elliot Goldenthal [1997]
Another noteworthy score was that of Batman and Robin... The film tanked, the actors never admitted to doing it again, and the franchise has never recovered (it has yet to be given a chance again), but I was enthused. I get very excited very quickly when it comes to these glitzy movies because I'm a pop culture whore, but I was already a huge Batman fan by the time this came out.
Despite what you - or I - could say about the actual quality of the film... Oh, alright, let's get it out my system:
1. George Clooney is a horrible Batman.
2. Mr. Freeze cannot sustain an entire film. Arnold Schwarzenegger cannot sustain an entire scene.
3. Uma Thurman's better off playing cocaine-addicted mob girlfriends -- although, true to form, she looks amazing in her outfits, and that red hair.
4. Alicia Silverstone: you're better than this. Flee.
5. Everything seemed potentially saveable if it weren't for the "and Robin" part...
6. Make the speaking stop. Shoot the scriptwriters. All twenty-six of them.
7. To Warner Bros.: if the only thing that reviewers are calling your film is "eye candy," it's time to admit it's not a compliment but a slap in the face.
Ok, that was fun! I saw the movie twice in theatres (once with subtitles in Costa Rica!), and bought it on VHS as soon as it came out. The one part that is severely depleted on my copy is the oft-rewinded Poison Ivy entrance... The music in that is gorgeous, and I watched it quite a lot unabashedly. And yes, years before I wanted to be Velma Kelly, I was wishing I was Poison Ivy.
The soundtrack is all but non-existent... Only on some websites can I see that it was even pressed, and I'm not sure what the hell it's actually called.

Over the past week, so much has happened, it just has never been the right time to reflect on. Right now is no real exception. But I want to get it down, even if it's somewhat forced.

Christmas was spent at my father's. Although it was nothing like any other year, it was nice and really important to do. Thanksgiving was on the verge of suffocating with how many people there were. A more intimate gathering was due. While some faces and voices were sorely missed (Amy comes to mind immediately), I just couldn't do the big thing this year for a variety of reasons.

Matt and I were at Maria's for Eve, and we were with much of Ed's family. They seemed wildly uncomfortable the entire night; it was fun. Ed and Maria are on-the-verge in terms of marriage, and apparently not all of the family is as excited (or supportive) as they could be. It showed.

After they left, we exchanged presents. I received a special-special-whored-out-special edition of The Lion King and Freaky Friday. It was quite great.

Matt and I went back home, where we exchanged presents for the two of us. I easily could've split the relatively large bit of money I spent on Matt this year into several gifts, but I went for one: Queer as Folk, season one. It was fairly hard to find, and it took many tries to actually get it. Matt however went buck-wild with giving presents to me. I got a stuffed Pearl from Finding Nemo, a rainbow plush beach ball, a wintry Stitch doll, a gay-pride sweater, an inexplicable snow boarding disk, and the revival cast recordings of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and Guys and Dolls.

We foolishly decided not to call it a night until an hour or so later. But, all things considered, it was a well-earned sacrifice. (Some day I will learn to actually write: "We had sex" without reservation.)

Christmas Day morning we were off to Dad's. We were there a little after noon, I think. Amy and Chris, and Andrea were there. Amy and Chris brought the dogs, Oscar and Schatzie. About two hours into us being there, Pat Miller (who has since become Aunt Pat, to Daniel) arrived, and sometime after that, Sky (her husband?) did as well.

We did the presents thing shortly after we arrived, to make room for the eating thing a little later. I got Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King (again), Britney Spears' In the Zone, the revival disc of Nine, an awesome Rocky Horror strip of film, and a game of Trivial Pursuit.

Christmas Night was fun and low-key. Pat brought her aura-reading computer, and I had mine done. I need to drink more water.

Food was excellent, and we played the surprisingly really hard Trivial Pursuit. If we hadn't started cheating, we may still be playing it.

Early last week, Matt's uncle died, and so we went to the both wakes on Friday afternoon, after we got back. After the first wake, everyone seemed fairly exhausted. I am not fond of the two-wake-deal. I know not everyone can go to one event, but it's a draining process.

Between wakes, we were at Matt's cousin's house, and I learned a variety of interesting things about the seedy underbelly of Matt's family from his Aunt Mary.

Saturday morning, I was with Christian and Danielle. We were shopping for stuff for the holiday show of Rocky that night. We went many places, got lots of stuff, and retired to Danielle's, where I watched Buffy vs. Dracula, Real Me, and The Replacement from season five. Very exciting! Actions must be taken to have more season five watching commence!

In theory, I could just pull the box set from the drawer of my desk where Matt put it and watch it myself, but Matt and I are still in the middle of season 2 of 24, and Buffy's always been a George/Danielle (and recently, a George/Danielle/Genevieve) event.

Matt's done working out, and I am appalled that I've only covered up to Saturday, but it's time for yet another distraction: the aforementioned season 2 of 24. Might as well get an episode in before he starts working on IJO again.

Whee!