Monday, April 18, 2022

One Rainy Evening

Got a nice start this morning with a quick breakfast. It was cloudy when I headed out, but nothing really bad. I was more concerned about the blustery wind and chilly temperatures. With no sun to be found, it really did feel cold and gloomy.

Thankfully, the Acme wasn't busy when I arrived. In fact, they were dead for most of the morning. People were likely recovering from yesterday. It didn't pick up until later in the afternoon, when everyone came out of work or finished at home. Thankfully, it slowed down enough by 3 for me to leave without a relief. I grabbed muffins, blood oranges, and boxes of date protein bars off the clearance rack really fast before dashing off.

Arrived at home just in time. The rain that threatened all day finally came down, and hard, less than 20 minutes after I dashed upstairs. Watched Tattletales while I changed and had a snack. Came in just as the late Scoey Mitchilll missed a question about whether his wife Claire would angry or just disappointed if he bought her something impersonal for her birthday. They still won, though, along with chattering Bill Daily and his sweet then-wife Pat.

Started taking down the Easter decorations as Press Your Luck ran. Things went well enough in the first half, with only one person hitting Whammies. It really picked up in the second half. One lady hit nearly $16,000, only to lose it all to a Whammy. She passed her last turn to the champ...which, with the help of an extra turn tile, won him the game. He picked up a diamond bracelet and a trip, among many other prizes. 

Had dinner while watching Match Game '76. Debralee Scott made her debut this week, prompting a "new kid on the block" kiss from Gene. Meanwhile, Scoey Mitchilll had his eye on a pretty contestant who didn't seem to have much luck matching with Richard. In the second episode, Gene complains about having to use a short microphone when his usual long one is out getting repaired.

Worked on writing for a while after the show ended. Brett's not keen on entering the castle and dealing with the Red King's invasion, but she doesn't have a choice. Arlene the sheep and the boats vanish once everyone's off of them. They all troop in, but try to stay in the dark and avoid being seen.

Finished the night with The Secret of Nimh, one of my favorite animated movies. Timid field mouse Mrs. Brisby (Elizabeth Hartman) is supposed to be getting ready to move and dodge the farmer's plow. She can't do it, due to her son Timmy's bout with pnemonia. Busybody Auntie Shrew (Hermione Baddley) sends her to the wise and terrifying Great Owl (John Carradine). He orders Mrs. Brisby to seek the rats who live in the rose bush. 

Turns out they're highly intelligent former lab animals who have created a whole colony in the rose busy, including stealing electricity and food from the farmer. Nicholdemous, the head of the group (Derek Jacobi), gives Mrs. Brisby a magic amulet that will help her and reveals how her husband Johnathan died. Nichodemous wants the rats to move to a far-away valley and start anew, but there's a splinter faction lead by treacherous Jenner (Paul Sher) who are fine where they are. Mrs. Brisby finds herself over her head in intrigue when she agrees to drug the farmer's cat, then learns the rats' attempt to move her house has been sabotaged. It'll take every ounce of courage she has to free her children from the mud...and prove to everyone that real magic comes from a loving and courageous heart.

I've loved this movie since it turned up on cable in the mid-80's. This was Don Bluth's first movie, and I still think it's his best. The gorgeous animation provides a splendid backdrop for memorable characters and a mature story that doesn't shy away from discussing tough topics. I'm especially a big fan of the haunting score by Jerry Goldsmith and Paul Williams' lovely theme song "Flying Dreams." Violence, that adult subject mater and two gristly on-screen deaths make this best for older kids and families who love animal stories or remember those cable showings. 

(Oh, and it's continued to rain, sometimes heavily, for the rest of the evening.)

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