I was at the local supermarket yesterday. Here in the City and County of Lost Angles, the County Department of Health has advised people to wear masks indoors due to the increased transmissibility of the Delta variant of COVID-19. Since I happen to be the caregiver for a partner who is now permanently bed-bound, her body weakened by the ravages of @#$%$#@!! Parkinson’s (I hate hate hate that disease; I’ve lost one good friend to it- the guy without whose friendship you wouldn’t know me - and my former screenwriting partner has the diagnosis, not to mention my partner who is never going to walk down to the beach in Oregon with her easel and canvas and paints, to paint the seascapes she so wanted to do), I worry about bringing the damn thing home with me - it’s been my major fear in life now for the past 17 months. So there I am, in the checkout line, and the white male moron (Why are these kinds of morons ALWAYS white males? It’s embarrassing!) In front of me - maskless - turns and says “Why are you wearing that? Don’t you know it’s over?” Since I didn’t want to get arrested for starting a riot, I didn’t say anything - even when he went on to proclaim it never really was a “real problem” anyway.
Thank you TC for the good news on potential COVIDIOT depopulation.
The worrying side of it is of course the unnecessary exposure of the vulnerable as you are so strongly reacting to here, (I’m grateful for that) but also our vulnerable younger than 12 population for whom there is not yet an available vaccine.
COVID-19 has, as other Corona and Influenza Viruses do, an exceptional ability to mutate to fill opportunities in its ecosystem and possibly inflict unrecognized permanent and serious damage in organs. What a nightmare it could be to be immune but helplessly watch the children succumb.
The possibilities are horrendous.
And the possibilities of political upheaval in America and spreading through the democratic world are even more horrendous but seeming more and more real.
Im sorry you had a bad encounter at the local supermarket. If its any compensation, that type of person wont be around for very long. His silence will be golden. Isn't it interesting to watch the Republican party self destruct.? Can we thank Putin for this?
I know I’m late to this party 🎉 but I just signed up today so before bed I thought I’d do a little catching up, the headline about the morons self-exterminating got my attention because that’s exactly how I feel. People that have no clue about the loss that we as a country have suffered, leave me dumfounded. I personally know 5 that this plague has taken, 2 were cinematographers, ASC members, as good as they come, another was one of my teachers in Special Forces, he had a Medal of Honor, he was hit 18 times in 2 days and still led the survivors of his A team on a 50 mile escape and evasion with the NVA right on his heels, they couldn't kill him but the goddamn virus did. One owned an auction house in NM that I have been buying from for years and the last was photographer whose work is sold in NY, he taught me photography at RIT. That clown (I hate to say his name) that we had for a president, wasn't fit to lick the dog shit off the bottom of any of their shoes. I don't suffer fools very well either. Thanks TC, you made me laugh in spite of the pain, and that's a good thing.
"Southern Comfort" was the hardest picture I ever did. We started on the Monday after Thanksgiving and went until the 21st of March with 2 weeks off for Christmas. We were in the water every day save for the last 2 weeks when we shot the Boucherie scene on dry land. It's cold in Texas in the winter. the prop men would rake the ice that formed over night out of the shot. Walter and Andy would walk out into the swamp that bordered the road where we had the trucks looking for the day's location, sometimes it was 100 yds sometimes 300 yds. Everything the camera dept. used had to be carried and then propped up on Cyprus knees. The actors wore wet suits under their fatigues, we wore waders which weren't insulated against the cold, all of us wore them so we were all in the same boat as it were. We virtually emptied the camera truck every day. That was my second picture with Walter, I did "The Long Riders" with him as well, he was a wonderful director to work with. "Southern Comfort" pushed all of us to our limits and was anything but comfortable, then again compared to VN it was a piece of cake. I haven't looked at the IMDB in very many years, it was just getting started when I last looked at it and it had missed about 2/3 of the films that I had worked on, I probably ought to go in and adjust the record now that I'm retired. You probably saw a lot of my work, I think I worked on over 50 pictures, I loved the energy of collaborating with so many really brilliant people on one thing, we were all focused on making the best possible picture that we could, it was magical, but then you know that.
That's what I thought you'd say about that movie. Every time someone I know tells me about what's going on in Duh Biz, I thank my lucky stars I'm out. All the stuff I used to hate is all the stuff that goes on these days. I used to go to the movies every Friday, to see what was new. Before the Pandemic, I think I had seen a total of ten movies in a theater over the 15 years before. Sorry, I gave up comic books when I was 10 - movies for pre-pubescent boys don't interest me. Thank god for Turner and the Criterion Collection.
When I lived in LA prior to 2005 I would often go to screenings at the DGA which I thought had the best screen in town until maybe the old cinerama reopened. I don't know who they are making movies for today but it sure isn't me. Apple released last year a film about a destroyer commander in the North Atlantic escorting convoys during WWII. They shot it in either 6K or 8K and released it in 4K, it was beautifully photographed and looked great on my home theatre but the sound sucked, maybe it was my mix, it would have never gotten off a studio lot sounding like that, I know for sure. Springsteen released a film about making a new album at his home studio with the E Street Band that was tasty and sounded very good, Too many drone shots for my taste but the B&W reminded me of the 30's and 40's when the master cinematographers were working. God help us but there really isn't much to get excited about. Oh, "The Irishman" was very good as well. I have a buddy that's been working on the TCM shows for 20 or more years, he does all of the crane moves. Robert loved his energy so much tat he made him basically un-fireable which is a trick with Turner because they eat people, I'll tell him how much you like the show, he'll like that.
Yeah, Greyhound (the destroyer movie) looked good, for shooting on a tincan tied up to a dock in N'Awlins. And yes, the sound sucked here., too. My old writing mentor, Wendell Mayes, wrote "The Enemy Below," which is still the best of that kind of movie.
Lookin' forward to the Sopranos prequel in October.
Stuff for people like us is now done on streaming channels, which from what I read about the work is a step down from working for Corman, situation-wise, but like the good stuff of Corman because you get to do stories *about* something.
Not really, I did shoot a little 2nd unit, I worked as a focus puller for 19 years, and then as an operator, so I had the hardest job on the set as well as the most enjoyable. I loved working with actors and the director. I never really aspired to be a cinematographer, I always thought that I would direct, I had many directors that I worked with tell me that I would be at it. Would be and having a contact are 2 different things as I’m sure you are well aware. I was privileged to work with several Oscar winning cinematographers and knew a great many more.
I had the privilege of knowing Brian Tufano (I have a great story about how he saved the "post apocalyptic subway ride" in the movie Dreamquest, using four spotlights and butcher paper over the windows of the subway car set - the whole effect cost under $25). And John Alonzo (I loved what he said when I interviewed him about how he helped "backstop" young cinematographers on their first film and some guy asking him why he wanted to help the "competition" - "There's *nobody else* who can shoot a John Alonzo movie.")
John Alonzo was a prince among men, I was only around him a few times and was never privileged to work with him, he was a generous man as are so many to whom is given great talent, the films that he shot were some of the very best of his era, if he had only shot "Chinatown" he would still be revered. When you have the kind of talent he did, you don't have to worry about someone stealing your light, your light is plenty bright.
I chuckled some and moaned a great deal. We're not doing as well in Michigan as I wish we were. But we ARE ahead of Missouri as a state. But there are pockets here of the duped and dopey, the poor folks who somehow believe that their "leader" who had the virus, infected many of his secret service detail, and also GOT THE JAB, is still the savior needed by this nation. Good Lord! I loved "Gym Jordan" by the way. Great play. The real issue with vaccinated people going full force into maskless living is exactly what you say - folks we may be caring for who do not have the capacity to endure this illness. And then of course there are the loads of children under 12 who are not yet able to access a vaccine and may not be able to for some time. Whatever happened to doing what is necessary so that others will not become ill, or at least that their chances of contracting the illness will be less. Morality and ethics is definitely in short supply these days.
Thank you, TC. Maybe next time you should tell the guy you actually do have COVID, so wanted to protect whoever you came in contact with!
It distresses me to hear about your close friends and family. Please take care of yourself. You're one of a kind.
Ditto TC. Love.
Thank you TC for the good news on potential COVIDIOT depopulation.
The worrying side of it is of course the unnecessary exposure of the vulnerable as you are so strongly reacting to here, (I’m grateful for that) but also our vulnerable younger than 12 population for whom there is not yet an available vaccine.
COVID-19 has, as other Corona and Influenza Viruses do, an exceptional ability to mutate to fill opportunities in its ecosystem and possibly inflict unrecognized permanent and serious damage in organs. What a nightmare it could be to be immune but helplessly watch the children succumb.
The possibilities are horrendous.
And the possibilities of political upheaval in America and spreading through the democratic world are even more horrendous but seeming more and more real.
WAKE UP! WAKE UP!! WAKE UP !!! ….
Please
Indeed!
Im sorry you had a bad encounter at the local supermarket. If its any compensation, that type of person wont be around for very long. His silence will be golden. Isn't it interesting to watch the Republican party self destruct.? Can we thank Putin for this?
I know I’m late to this party 🎉 but I just signed up today so before bed I thought I’d do a little catching up, the headline about the morons self-exterminating got my attention because that’s exactly how I feel. People that have no clue about the loss that we as a country have suffered, leave me dumfounded. I personally know 5 that this plague has taken, 2 were cinematographers, ASC members, as good as they come, another was one of my teachers in Special Forces, he had a Medal of Honor, he was hit 18 times in 2 days and still led the survivors of his A team on a 50 mile escape and evasion with the NVA right on his heels, they couldn't kill him but the goddamn virus did. One owned an auction house in NM that I have been buying from for years and the last was photographer whose work is sold in NY, he taught me photography at RIT. That clown (I hate to say his name) that we had for a president, wasn't fit to lick the dog shit off the bottom of any of their shoes. I don't suffer fools very well either. Thanks TC, you made me laugh in spite of the pain, and that's a good thing.
Glad to be of service sir.
Are you a cinematographer too, by the way?
Well, just looked you up in the IMDb. I've seen and liked your work. "Southern Comfort" must have been damn hard.
"Southern Comfort" was the hardest picture I ever did. We started on the Monday after Thanksgiving and went until the 21st of March with 2 weeks off for Christmas. We were in the water every day save for the last 2 weeks when we shot the Boucherie scene on dry land. It's cold in Texas in the winter. the prop men would rake the ice that formed over night out of the shot. Walter and Andy would walk out into the swamp that bordered the road where we had the trucks looking for the day's location, sometimes it was 100 yds sometimes 300 yds. Everything the camera dept. used had to be carried and then propped up on Cyprus knees. The actors wore wet suits under their fatigues, we wore waders which weren't insulated against the cold, all of us wore them so we were all in the same boat as it were. We virtually emptied the camera truck every day. That was my second picture with Walter, I did "The Long Riders" with him as well, he was a wonderful director to work with. "Southern Comfort" pushed all of us to our limits and was anything but comfortable, then again compared to VN it was a piece of cake. I haven't looked at the IMDB in very many years, it was just getting started when I last looked at it and it had missed about 2/3 of the films that I had worked on, I probably ought to go in and adjust the record now that I'm retired. You probably saw a lot of my work, I think I worked on over 50 pictures, I loved the energy of collaborating with so many really brilliant people on one thing, we were all focused on making the best possible picture that we could, it was magical, but then you know that.
That's what I thought you'd say about that movie. Every time someone I know tells me about what's going on in Duh Biz, I thank my lucky stars I'm out. All the stuff I used to hate is all the stuff that goes on these days. I used to go to the movies every Friday, to see what was new. Before the Pandemic, I think I had seen a total of ten movies in a theater over the 15 years before. Sorry, I gave up comic books when I was 10 - movies for pre-pubescent boys don't interest me. Thank god for Turner and the Criterion Collection.
When I lived in LA prior to 2005 I would often go to screenings at the DGA which I thought had the best screen in town until maybe the old cinerama reopened. I don't know who they are making movies for today but it sure isn't me. Apple released last year a film about a destroyer commander in the North Atlantic escorting convoys during WWII. They shot it in either 6K or 8K and released it in 4K, it was beautifully photographed and looked great on my home theatre but the sound sucked, maybe it was my mix, it would have never gotten off a studio lot sounding like that, I know for sure. Springsteen released a film about making a new album at his home studio with the E Street Band that was tasty and sounded very good, Too many drone shots for my taste but the B&W reminded me of the 30's and 40's when the master cinematographers were working. God help us but there really isn't much to get excited about. Oh, "The Irishman" was very good as well. I have a buddy that's been working on the TCM shows for 20 or more years, he does all of the crane moves. Robert loved his energy so much tat he made him basically un-fireable which is a trick with Turner because they eat people, I'll tell him how much you like the show, he'll like that.
Yeah, Greyhound (the destroyer movie) looked good, for shooting on a tincan tied up to a dock in N'Awlins. And yes, the sound sucked here., too. My old writing mentor, Wendell Mayes, wrote "The Enemy Below," which is still the best of that kind of movie.
Lookin' forward to the Sopranos prequel in October.
Stuff for people like us is now done on streaming channels, which from what I read about the work is a step down from working for Corman, situation-wise, but like the good stuff of Corman because you get to do stories *about* something.
Not really, I did shoot a little 2nd unit, I worked as a focus puller for 19 years, and then as an operator, so I had the hardest job on the set as well as the most enjoyable. I loved working with actors and the director. I never really aspired to be a cinematographer, I always thought that I would direct, I had many directors that I worked with tell me that I would be at it. Would be and having a contact are 2 different things as I’m sure you are well aware. I was privileged to work with several Oscar winning cinematographers and knew a great many more.
I had the privilege of knowing Brian Tufano (I have a great story about how he saved the "post apocalyptic subway ride" in the movie Dreamquest, using four spotlights and butcher paper over the windows of the subway car set - the whole effect cost under $25). And John Alonzo (I loved what he said when I interviewed him about how he helped "backstop" young cinematographers on their first film and some guy asking him why he wanted to help the "competition" - "There's *nobody else* who can shoot a John Alonzo movie.")
John Alonzo was a prince among men, I was only around him a few times and was never privileged to work with him, he was a generous man as are so many to whom is given great talent, the films that he shot were some of the very best of his era, if he had only shot "Chinatown" he would still be revered. When you have the kind of talent he did, you don't have to worry about someone stealing your light, your light is plenty bright.
I chuckled some and moaned a great deal. We're not doing as well in Michigan as I wish we were. But we ARE ahead of Missouri as a state. But there are pockets here of the duped and dopey, the poor folks who somehow believe that their "leader" who had the virus, infected many of his secret service detail, and also GOT THE JAB, is still the savior needed by this nation. Good Lord! I loved "Gym Jordan" by the way. Great play. The real issue with vaccinated people going full force into maskless living is exactly what you say - folks we may be caring for who do not have the capacity to endure this illness. And then of course there are the loads of children under 12 who are not yet able to access a vaccine and may not be able to for some time. Whatever happened to doing what is necessary so that others will not become ill, or at least that their chances of contracting the illness will be less. Morality and ethics is definitely in short supply these days.