Gerald's Party

Props, pgs. 101, 103 & 105

2008-12-06T16:18:00.000-08:00

pg. 101

Bob's gun (in holster)
a blue and white apron with red hearts for pockets
a mauve and crimson kerchief
a mashed tamale
a dustpan
a bag of garbage (probably full of previously posted props)
a carmine-shaded table lamp
a bowl of black olives

pg. 103

Mark's headless soldiers

pg. 105

a fresh drink
a cigarette

pg. 99 - an intermission

2008-01-04T18:17:00.000-08:00

This page suddenly seemed an appropriate place to pause.
Not that anything is wrapped up. Instead, we get this:

"All these violent displacements, this strange light, these shocked and bloodied faces - it was as though we'd all been dislodged somehow, pushed out of the frame, dropped into some kind of empty dimensionless gap like that between film cuts, between acts..." - pg. 99

Props, pgs. 89, 91, 93, 95, 97 & 99

2008-01-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

pg. 89

Charley's empty glass
Dolph's crumpled beer can

pg. 91

Gerald's wife's apron on a hook

pg. 93

a cluster of glasses
Naomi's found drink

pg. 95

Inspector Pardew's fedora "now dented as well as spotted."
a mirror
crunching glass underfoot

pg. 97

Inspector Pardew's white silk scarf
the phone (Michelle holding it "at her crotch like a dildo")
Iris Draper's spectacles dangling on a gold chain

pg. 99

drinks
cigarettes
crushed napkins
dried blood on the surface of things
footprints of chalkdust disturbing the crime scene

Cocktail napkins, pg 40

2007-12-17T22:04:00.000-08:00

A blog about them:

http://www.idea-sandbox.com/blog/napkin_wisdom/

Esquire's Napkin Fiction Project:

http://www.esquire.com/fiction/napkin-project/

From wisegeek.com: What ARE cocktail napkins?

Cocktail napkins are small napkins that are used for special occasions such as weddings, baby showers, bridal showers, cocktail parties, and other similar events. Cocktail napkins are not used for formal dining; rather, a larger cloth napkin signifies good etiquette on the part of the host or hostess. For informal events, cocktail napkins can be used to carry hors d’oeuvres, as a coaster for cocktails, or to discreetly spit out unwanted food and dab the corners of the mouth.

Cocktail napkins are almost always found at bars. When you order a drink, with the exception of beer, the bartender will usually provide you with a cocktail napkin. This keeps your hands dry from the condensation that forms around the glass, prevents rings on the bar counter or table, and is more tasteful than a cardboard coaster with a beer company’s logo on it.

Cocktail napkins usually come in 5-inch (12.7-cm) squares, although it is common to have smaller or larger cocktail napkins, as well as rectangular cocktail napkins. Cocktail napkins can be plain white squares, embossed with various prints and even personalized, with endless styles of lettering to choose from. Cocktail napkins are generally made of paper, but for an added touch of elegance, cocktail napkins are available in linens.

Depending on the ambiance that one wishes to create, cocktail napkins can be an effective way of enhancing any theme. For a casual party, novelty cocktail napkins can bring humor with pithy sayings, funny graphics, and so on. For more elegant affairs, such as weddings or cocktail hours before a formal dinner, choosing classic and tasteful cocktail napkins can make the event more memorable by adding exquisite detail.

In addition to the countless styles of cocktail napkins, they also have their own specialized accessories. Cocktail napkin holders add an extra flare to the theme of any occasion, with as many variations in style and size as there are for cocktail napkins. Holders made of wrought iron designs, pewter holders, and glass holders are some examples that are more on the elegant side. Novelty cocktail napkin holders are just as abundant. Holders in the shape of beach chairs, animals, babies, and the like all make fun accessories for exciting theme parties.

how to stop a nosebleed

2007-12-02T20:06:00.001-08:00

p. 38: "Your whole house looks like it's suffering from a violent nosebleed, Ger." -Daffie

How To Stop A Nosebleed (from wikiHOW)

Thumbs Up Method

Stay calm, slowly taking deep breaths. (not through the nose) With your hand and either a tissue or handkerchief (same hand as the bleeding nostril,) make a 'thumbs up' sign.
Press your thumb against your nostril's side, not so hard that it hurts, but firmly enough to flatten the nostril.
Stay still, leaning forward slightly.
Stay in place for 5-10 minutes, breathing normally.
Slowly release the pressure; it may feel a bit weird as the blood flows back into your nasal vessels.

Pinching Method

Pinch your nose just below the bridge. There is a vein just below the nose bone that is the culprit in 99% of bloody noses. Pinching puts pressure on it, which arrests the bleeding and speeds the clotting process.
Find a bathroom as you continue pinching. Now that you have slowed the bleeding by pinching, you should find a bathroom where you can clean up once the bleeding has stopped.
Keep applying pressure for at least 5 minutes at a time. Don't check to see if it is still bleeding over this period of time as it is important to keep continuous pressure. After this period of time let go briefly to see if the bleeding has stopped. If not, give it another 5 minutes. (This is also a good time to quickly wash any blood off your hands and get a paper towel or toilet paper to pinch with so that blood gets on the paper and not your hand.) If it is, continue pinching. Don't check every 30 seconds, as the key is constant pressure.

Pressure Method

Find the two very slight depressions on the back of the skull, approximately four finger-widths from the base of the skull (in line with the tops of the ears) and four finger-widths from the mid-line of the back of the skull. If you had eyes in the back of your head, this is where they would be.
Press the spots firmly, but gently, and if you have connected correctly, the bleeding should stop immediately. Keep up the pressure for about five minutes and then release. If the bleeding starts again, just repeat the process, but hold it longer: you may have to keep up the pressure for ten to fifteen minutes to stop it completely.

Upper Lip Method

Roll up a piece of gauze or tissue into a "cigar shape" approximately 2 inches long and a little thicker than a pencil. Folding it into a small, thick square also works well.
Wedge the tissue under your upper lip where it's tight and close your lip over it.
Apply light pressure by compressing your lip over the wad. Tilt your head forward.

Chemical Method

Mix equal parts of lemon juice, vinegar and salt. You only need a little.
Wipe any blood from your nose with a paper towel or tissue.
Carefully smell the mixture, from about 4 inches away. The fumes should stop the bleeding quickly. Remember, if you get dizzy, stop smelling the mixture.

Afrin Method

Spray nose four times in the bleeding nostril(s) with a decongestant spray such as Afrin or Neo-Synephrine. Decongenstant sprays such as these contain oxymetazoline nasal which constrict blood vessels and stop bleeding within seconds.
Do not use oxymetazoline nasal for longer than 3 to 5 days. Longer use could cause damage to your nasal tissue and lead to chronic congestion. If your symptoms do not improve, see your doctor.

Cold Method

Drink ice-cold water slowly, allowing the water to cool the roof of your mouth. This will cool your nasal passages and blood vessels will contract, allowing clotting to be faster. It should stop soon after. NOTE: This will only work with slight to moderate nosebleeds.
Using an icepack over the nose may help as well.

After the Nose Bleed

Do not clean out your nose after the bleeding has stopped.
Clean up everything else. Your hands, your face, the sink--anything you dropped blood on needs to be cleaned.
Moisturize. If you have chap stick, moisturizer or Neosporin on hand, put a little of that in your nose to help healing and prevent it from bleeding again. A thin coating of petroleum jelly is simple and can be helpful to prevent nosebleeds due to dry air. If you are prone to bloody noses, it is a good idea to do this every morning to prevent bleeding, especially in dry weather.
Put an extra paper towel in your pocket just in case it starts to bleed again. If it doesn’t start for the next hour, you should be in the clear.
Avoid doing anything to cause your nose to bleed. Don't blow your nose, pick your nose, or bump it if at all possible. Nose bleeds can be caused by accidents, but are more commonly caused by dry conditions, causing the nasal membranes to dry out and crack. While we don't feel this, the end result is obvious.

Props pg. 36. 38. 40. 42. 44

2007-12-02T19:48:00.000-08:00

p. 36

Ros's glossy panties

p.38

tube of red lipstick
Daffie's drink: straight gin with maraschino cherry juice
small black cigarillo
Tania's 'Susanna and the Elders' paintings
fresh pitcher of martinis

p.40

gin bottle
Howard's scout knife
Anatole's french cigarette
bottle of bourbon
2 wine glasses of vermouth
cocktail napkins
salt

p.42

Howard's fractured lenses
cocktail napkin
ice bucket
empty bottles
avocado dip
little cheese board and knife
grapefruit
steak knife
canapes
empty tuna cans
cracker boxes
dip mix packets
bread
homemade pickes and relish

p.44

french cigarette
saucepan
crushed ice in Patrick's salty bitch
beer
old bottle of tequila

Alison's Husband

2007-11-25T20:10:00.000-08:00

pg. 160

"... he could have been
a cardboard cutout posted
at the kitchen door with a
recorded message."

Props and Memory

2007-11-19T15:10:00.000-08:00

This post on Boing-Boing reminded me a bit about the prop inventory we are doing.

I was looking at the list of props and imagining what it might look like if all the props mentioned in the book were accumulated and displayed.

The boing-boing post is about scientists studying memory... and suggesting that a memory, when recalled, plays out in one-seventh the time as the original experience.

How long does Gerald's Party last? 7-10 hours? If we were to present the memory of this party, it would last a little over an hour. But how? Is the memory "faster"? Are extraneous details edited out? Would the display of every prop from the book suggest the story they are a part of? What is left of the party when actions NOT related to the props are purged?

Props, pgs. 81, 83, 85 & 87

2007-11-17T21:46:00.000-08:00

pg. 81

no props

pg. 83

dressing table stool
two empty glasses, one with ice
a can opener
a medicine dropper
shriveled oysters
bumpy little marbles

pg. 85

no props

pg. 87

Charley Trainer's scotch, flying

Ros's performances

2007-11-14T14:56:00.000-08:00

i miss the days when she was my professor, and i had the occassional pleasure of waking up to 8 AM phone calls from Ms. Finley:

re: chalk outlines

2007-11-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

chalk outlines

2007-11-14T13:59:00.000-08:00

Publish Post>

Props pg. 26, 28, 30, 32, 34

2007-11-14T13:39:00.000-08:00

pg. 26
pipe
lamps
apparatus stuck in Ros's mouth (an X-ray unit maybe)
tobacco pouch
hi-fi

pg. 28
knife
yellowed handkerchief
Tanya's spectacles

pg. 30
cop's hat
pistol
wrenches
glass cutters
hammers

pg. 32
fob watch
smashed film gear
tripod
Gerald's expansion-band watch
Alison's compicated green leather watch
roast beef sandwich

pg. 34
tweezers
filter paper
a pick glass
roast beef sandwich
sketchbook

In response to "The Party"

2007-11-13T18:40:00.000-08:00

makes me think of a trusty old soap opera!!

General Hospital
Bacchanalia Ball
1998

Props, pgs. 77 & 79

2007-11-12T10:35:00.000-08:00

pg. 77

soft linen slacks
a rust-colored open collared wrap-tie shirt
socks

pg. 79

Sally Ann's blue jeans
needle and thread
two whiskey glasses on the dressing table
the half-eaten sandwich
open jar of petroleum jelly
the dressing table mirror
a blood-stained sheet with a small brown hole burned by a cigarette
coins
crumbs
a wet spot
someone's false eyelashes

The Party (1968)

2007-11-12T10:31:00.000-08:00

Directed by Blake Edwards
Starring Peter Sellers
This is the last couple of minutes of the film. Dig that party music...

Naomi makes a mess of the bathroom.

2007-11-07T16:10:00.001-08:00

Props, pgs. 71, 73 & 75

2007-11-07T16:02:00.000-08:00

pg. 71

baby oil
one of Mark's drawings, "It was a picture of a castle with a war going on, blood and flags flying, bodies scattered like jacks."

pg. 73

Howard's scout knife

pg. 75

Eileen's empty glass
Gerald's electric razor
a washcloth

Props, pgs. 61, 63, 65, 67 & 69!

2007-11-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

pg. 61

Gerald's wife's manicure set

pg. 63

Tania's dirndl

pg. 65

watches (on Lloyd Draper's arm)
"Woody had something he was showing to everybody...."

pg. 67

a gold loop (Alison's earring)

pg. 69

bathtowel
Tania's dirndl
a valentine

The Ice Maiden, pgs. 54-55

2007-10-30T09:39:00.001-07:00

click me

Props, pgs. 53, 55, 57 & 59

2007-10-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

pg. 53

Noble's false eyeball
three or four forks
some money

pg. 55

painting of Tania as "The Ice Maiden"

pg. 57

bare bulb on the landing
a new patch on Sally Ann's blue jeans that said "SWEET MEAT"
a cigarette or maybe a joint
another of Ginger's kerchiefs
some books with plain green jackets
a coin? a ring? a button maybe, a brass or silver button

pg. 59

Mr. Draper's glittering arms held out like a robot's
Dickie's all-gold wristwatch

the invention of audiences

2007-10-29T09:59:00.000-07:00

pg. 53

I'd been speaking of the invention of audiences, theater as a ruse, a game against time. "Yes," she'd said, smiling up at me over the ruffles at her throat, "and that's why the lives of actors, thought frivolous, are essentially tragic, those of the audience, comic.

Lloyd Draper collects everyone's watches

2007-10-28T10:03:00.001-07:00

Props, pgs. 47, 49 & 51

2007-10-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

pg. 47

potted plants
another beer
two glasses of vermouth
the dark pudding of avocado
the empty can

pg. 49

icecubes underfoot
a box of candies
a button of chocolate in the middle of the little bowl of pudding
Tania's bangles
Tania's bloodsoaked dress

pg. 51

that bottle
dishes
beer cans
Charley's glass of scotch
some knives and skewers
Alison's fresh glass of vermouth
Alison's husband's pipe

A Magic Trick

2007-10-25T06:16:00.001-07:00

"What I am remembered was an old beggar in Cadiz who did tricks with coins. His last trick always was to stack as many coins on his tongue as people would put there, then swallow them. Or seem to. I made some remark at the time about "pure theater" and the woman I was with said: "I know a trick but it is not so practical". The old fellow climaxed his act by belching loudly and producing a paper note in "change," and the truth about the woman was that she was mistaken." - pg. 35

Props, pg. 37, 39, 41, 43 & 45

2007-10-25T04:43:00.000-07:00

pg. 37

Wormwood
the bottle of vermouth
Ros's panties
a tiny pair of manicure scissors
a thermometer

pg. 39

a test tube
the chafing dish
miniature sausages
the pitcher of martinis
Anatole's tumbler of bourbon and ginger ale

pg. 41

Howard's martini pitcher
a couple of ice cubes
the other cocktail napkins
Anatole's cigarette stub
the hot sausage, furry now with dust and lint

pg. 43

smoked oyster on toast squares
the bucket of empty bottles
the two full wineglasses
a ceramic bowlful (of miniature sausages)
the avocado dip
the big fluorescent lamp
a dozen cans of beer
dishes and dishes of prepared foods
tins of sardines
anchovies
pimentos
bags of sliced and copped vegetables
patés
dozens of sausages
wrapped cheeses
hot bread
the butcherblock
stirred dips
biscuits and crackers
sliced bread
Patrick's glass

pg. 45

the kettle of water

One way to move a body.

2007-10-13T10:06:00.001-07:00

Props, pgs. 27, 29, 31, 33 & 35

2007-10-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

pg. 27

Pardew's unlit pipe
Gerald's wife's butcher knife
a hankerchief "wrinkled and discolored, clotted with dried and drying mucus"

pg. 29

a pool of Ros's blood
potted plants
a flurry of paper and toilet gear
the toolbox

pg. 31

Howard's spectacles: both lenses cracked

pg. 33

Mr. Draper's roast-beef sandwich, softly mangled at one end
a can of beer
a little piece of string
chalk
exposed film plates

pg. 35

the last bite of Mr. Draper's sandwich
crumbs
Pardew's pick glass

Ginger: A walking paradox

2007-10-05T09:16:00.000-07:00

p. 20 Dickie on GINGER:

"Fucking her's like pulling a prick on over your condom"

Props, pgs. 14, 18, 20, 22 & 24

2007-10-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

pg. 14

butcher knife
bouquet of parsley
phone
Vic's drink

pg. 18

Dolph's can of beer
potato chips
flowered apron

pg. 20

the cops' brass buttons and leather straps
holsters
vermouth
pitcher of old-fashioneds with melted ice

pg. 22

empty tray
antique prie-dieu
Naomi's shoulder-bag
compacts
cigarettes
lipstick
earrings
bracelets
spare hairclasps
postcards
safety pins
handkerchief
combs
coins
birth control pills
antacids
ticket stubs
zippers
buttons
driver's liscense
body and hair sprays
maps
matches
tampons
timetables
thread
newspaper clippings
breath sweeteners
photographs
chewing gum

pg. 24

Patrick's tweezers
darts
dart board
officer's hat
glass slides

Props, pg. 25

2007-10-01T19:08:00.000-07:00

Dickie's watch
Alison's glass of vermouth
a large Dutch billiard pipe and tobacco pouch

Props, pg. 23

2007-09-28T19:13:00.000-07:00

a ladies' switchblade
addresses
tranquillizers
credit cards
hormone cream
shopping lists
a toothbrush
candy bars
a dog-eared valentine
flashlight
vial of petroleum jelly
sunglasses
paper panties
little balls of hair and dust
a tube of athlete's foot ointment
a half-completed peckersweater
one knitting needle
one of Gerald's Mexican ashtrays
a fingernail file
a silver pair of tweezers
a bloody hair, or a thread maybe
two glass slides
a pair of transparent rubber gloves
Dickie's toothpick

Props, pg. 21

2007-09-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

a tray of cold cuts ("There were four different kinds of cold cuts, laid out in perfect rows, lapped like roof tiles and spaced with parsley and sliced tomatoes.")
an empty tray
an empty whiskey bottle

Props, pg. 19

2007-09-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

the bottle of vermouth and pitcher of old-fashioneds
photographic equipment
a paintbox
cables and cords
a toolkit
a tripod
Inspector Pardew's fedora
Inspector Pardew's white silk scarf

Sally Ann

2007-09-22T13:39:00.001-07:00

pg. 17: "Sally Ann wore, as usual, a white shirt open down the front and knotted at the waist, and tight faded blue jeans with a heart-shaped patch sewn over her anus that said, "KISS ME". She'd painted her eyes and lashes to appear grown-up, but had only made herself look more a child."

Props, pg. 17

2007-09-22T13:02:00.000-07:00

a tumbler of vodka and grapefruit juice - Patrick's famous "salty bitch"
a French cigarette

"Salty bitch" caught my eye because the drink described is better known as a "salty dog".

Upon further investigation, I learned that "salty bitch" is also a slang term referring to someone who dampens the mood (could this be Ros?).

"Salty dog" can also refer to a pirate and a sex act in which two people have intercourse then meet later to perform oral sex on one another.

Props, pg. 15

2007-09-21T22:47:00.000-07:00

Tania's bloody dress
a Byzantine icon depicting the torture of a saint

Isadora/Ros

2007-09-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

I've had this fascination with Isadora Duncan and her tragic life and freak death for a long time.
I'm haunted by the very last image in Karl Reisz's film ISADORA (or, "The Loves of Isadora"), starring Vanessa Redgrave, where her new beau picks her up from a fabulous party, she waves to the guests and shouts "Adieu mes amis, je vais a la gloire!" (Goodbye, my friends, I am off to glory!) and she and her lover speed off in his 1924 Bulgatti. The friends are still waving as the car rounds the corner, when Isadora's long flowing red scarf gets caught in the spokes of the wheel. There is a quick cut to a close-up of Redgrave's face contorted in strangulation and then the screen goes black and credits roll.

Her death prompted Gertrude Stein to write: "Affectations can be dangerous."

Pg 12

2007-09-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

Ros's body

"We all looked down: there she was, sprawled face-down in the middle of the room. She must have been there all the time."

"Ros's front was bathed with blood--indeed it was still fountaining from a hole between her breasts, soaking her silvery frock, puddling the carpet. I could hardly believe my eyes. I had forgotten that blood was that red, a primary red like children's paintboxes, brilliant and alive, yet stagy, cosmetic. Her eyes were open, staring vacantly, and blood was trickling from the corners of her mouth."

Props pg. 10

2007-09-21T08:57:00.000-07:00

old-fashioneds pitcher
Alison's ice cube
Tania's empty glass
glass of vermouth

2007-09-20T21:39:00.001-07:00

pg 11: "Eager to help, she took a job as a nude model for a life-drawing class in a men's prison..."

Props, pg. 13

2007-09-20T21:32:00.000-07:00

a bloodied white hankerchief
a tray of cold cuts
a brown apron with purple and white flowers
a butcher knife
dirty plates and glasses

Props, pg. 11

2007-09-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

an ice cube ("It sparkled like a fat gem between her lips.")

2007-09-18T16:10:00.001-07:00

THE BLACK BOX
a still from the photo-play by
E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM, 1915

Props, pg. 9

2007-09-17T20:26:00.000-07:00

Gerald's ascot
vermouth bottle
Alison's husband's business card

2007-09-17T20:22:00.001-07:00

NETHERLANDISH PROVERBS
Pieter Bruegel, 1559

2007-09-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

ALLEGORY OF GLUTTONY AND LUST

Hieronymus Bosch, 1490-1500

Props pg. 8

2007-09-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

vermouth bottle
pitcher of old-fashioneds
hanging light globes
Alison's gold loop earrings

PROPS - page 7

2007-09-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

the dead body of Ros
a bottle of dry white vermouth
a pitcher of old-fashioneds
a tray of canapés
used napkins and toothpicks
an empty glass