He’s on his way

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Being bold enough yesterday to take a Saturday antique mall trek to the tourist trap mecca of Berlin, OH (winter is, as K said, the time to be brave enough to do so) yielded insane rewards. Not only did I find four carded BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES figures from Kenner's 1993 line, but, upon climbing the stairs to the second floor of our second visit of the day, we were greeted with this:

All six-seven feet of technicolor Warren Beatty DICK TRACY standee was there, jammed behind tables and chairs, so, after ensuring that it indeed came apart without knives and slashing, I brought him home - though the center logo will have to do for now, as full standee assembly requires that I have an office with higher ceilings (or another few square feet).

(Got him for a steal, too, so that was nice.)

THE LODGER: A STORY OF THE LONDON FOG (Hitchcock, 1927)

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((re)watched: fri/20230113 via Criterion Channel. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock from a screenplay by Eliot Stannard based on the novel, THE LODGER, by Marie Belloc Lowndes; starring Ivor Novello, Marie Ault, Arthur Chesney, June Tripp, and Malcom Keen. Released 14 February 1927)

Still from Hitchcock's "The Lodger," in which the eponymous Lodger, Igor Novello, makes his entrance.

Having been among my favorite favorite Hitchcock films – SHADOW OF A DOUBT, THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY, and REAR WINDOW (in no particular order) – since my first viewing years ago, I’m happy to report that, in spite of stumbling a bit in its final third, it retains its hallowed status upon this Friday the 13th rewatch. Also served as a reminder to procure Henry K. Miller's THE FIRST TRUE HITCHCOCK, about the making of THE LODGER. Will probably rewatch after devouring Miller's work, whenever it rises to the top of the endless to-read stack.

L'AVVENTURA (Antonioni, 1960)

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(watched thu/20230111 via Criterion Channel. Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni from a script by Antonioni, Elio Bartolini, and Tonino Guerra; starring Gabriele Ferzetti, Monica Vitti, Lea Massari, Dominique Blanchar, Renzo Ricci, James Addams, and Esmerelda Ruspoli. Released 15 May 1960)

Initial boredom (oh joy, rich people on a boat) gave way to rapt intrigue after Anna's vanishing (and the inexplicable rabbit/hat act of Patrizia's dog, in one shot, out of the other and never seen again after the island) and Antonioni's following of reactions and fallout thereof: patience is rewarded, especially from lead performances by the ever-resplendent Monica Vitti in her breakthrough role (one of her best, though her turn in LA NOTTE remains my favorite) and Gabriele Ferzetti whose grief turned prickishness turned grieving prickishness unleashed yields some of the most striking visuals of a film composed wholly of striking visuals. Be patient, let it wash over you; follow up with LA NOTTE.

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One thing I’ve learned over the past few months is that I need to spread my workblocks across the day instead of working only in the mornings: for better or for worse, doing so makes it far less likely that I'll use the vast chasm of non-working time to convince myself that my current project is a waste of time and that I should throw in the towel in favor of something less asinine.