LIGHTS, CAMERA . . . MUSIC!

Alec Ramsey: "You know what I saw? It's the most fantastic thing . . . come look!"

~ The Black Stallion

To know me is to know that "The Black Stallion" is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE movies!!! Definitely in the top three!

I will never forget the first time I saw this movie. It was the Summer of 1979, and Dad came to me and said, "Todd, you HAVE to see this movie! You're going to LOVE it!" And while he was describing the synopsis to me, he mentioned that one of the best things about this movie was the cinematography . . . particularly the first half of the movie where our young protagonist, Alec Ramsey, is stranded on the island with "The Black". It was all presented without dialog, narration or any extraneous devices to tell you what you were watching. THIS is my favorite type of film making! Pure story telling with just pictures (and music). And this movie EXCELLED at that.

The next day, I hopped on my moped that early, warm Summer evening, went to the 'Cinerama', and had no idea how much this movie was going to affect me, all my film making . . . . and the rest of my life! WOW! It truly was one of the most beautiful films I had ever seen. I bawled like a baby at the end with the triumphant Derby scene. I was completely obsessed! And director Carol Ballard and cinematographer, Caleb Deschanel became my instant idols. I saw it a few more times that Summer and bought the soundtrack of Carmine Coppola's exquisite score. Easily, one of my most listened to CD's. In fact, I used many pieces of this soundtrack for my final documentary when I was in television production school.

So, I think it's time to revisit this soundtrack once again, 41 years later, as the inspiration for my next big quilt/lapse production . . . "Into the Woods" (eschewing some of the obvious musical choices from Sondheim).

I can't wait to get this one started! I'm almost ready to begin stitching and shooting. But in the meantime, this is happening;

'The Complicated Queen" should be arriving shortly . . .