dive / control

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Arrived at the (obvious) conclusion that the only way to deal with the malaise arising from things outside my control in this game called writing is to double down and dive back into the things I can control with greater frequency. Three 90 minute blocks instead of two? Question being if it's sustainable – which is, and always has been, my primary concern, for better or for worse. Still, would like to figure out a way to make writing my default activity, without time constraints, as I do, for the most part, have the freedom to do so. Problem being that so much of writing (at least in my process) is in iterating and winging ideas without a straightahead to-do or outline. Task-based won't work - at least for big works (and word counts and I don’t play well together). Maybe for smaller things, though?

EXPERIMENT PERILOUS (Jacques Tourneur, 1944)

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(Directed by Jacques Tourneur from a script by William Duff adapted from Margaret Carpenter’s 1943 novel; starring Hedy Lamarr, George Brent, Paul Lukas, Albert Dekker, and Carl Esmond. Released 29 December 1944; watched 2023w36 via Criterion Channel)

Heretofore unknown evocative – especially the snow, both in NYC and on the fateful train journey there – and provocative (it was GASLIGHT at the same time as GASLIGHT and is, for me, the more interesting telling of a similar theme) offering from one of my favorite directors, Jacques Tourneur (CAT PEOPLE / OUT OF THE PAST). Excellent performances throughout, especially from the trinity of leads George Brent, Paul Lukas, and the luminous Hedy Lamarr (if anyone could be believable as someone everyone falls in love with, it's Lamarr); and, while PERILOUS isn't the seminal work that those films are (it's a little too saccharine for my taste in its tacked-on happy coda), it is, as with most of Tourneur's work, time well spent.

1970s Shadow “Crime Fighter” toys, ctd.

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Finally added this piece to my collection of the delightfully strange and anachronistic 1970s Madison SHADOW toys – because every 1930s crime fighter needs a programmed 'computerized' 1970s supercar (the box was split and opened long ago; just glad to have it):

Think I've only a few pieces left to go – a large copter, jet, and costume, IIRC – but here's a shot of this mini-collection inside The Collection as it stands now:

(Who knows what evil revs in the hearts of men?)