Forgotten Hits: June 21st: Jefferson Airplane have the highest debut of the week with another one of my all-time favorites, "White Rabbit", which premiers at #56. (Their first chart hit, "Somebody To Love", is still in The Top Ten, holding at #6.
Lots of song links today.
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
James Yaffe, R. I. P.
New York Times: [James Yaffe,] a college professor and writer whose fiction and non-fiction chronicled the lives of American Jews in the 20th century, died June 4 at his residence in Denver, CO. He was 90. Yaffe was the author of 11 novels, two short-story collections and two works of non-fiction
Bonus FFB on Wednesday: Kiss Off the Dead -- Garrity
Garrity was David J. Gerrity, who also wrote as Dave J. Garrity. He was pals with Mickey Spillane, who helped him get into the writing game and who provided blurbs for some of Gerrity's later novels, which were put out by Spillane's paperback publisher, Signet. Kiss off the Dead was Gerrity's first novel, and it's very much in the Spillane vein.Max Carey is an ex-cop, booted off the force for taking kickbacks. He's been honest for most of his career, but his wife is very demanding, and he needs more and more money. Finally he weakens, and almost as soon as he gets the boot, his wife leaves him. He goes looking for her to get revenge, and after a long search (three years) he finds her in one of those Florida towns that crops up in a lot of paperback crime fiction, corrupt to the core. She claims she still loves him, and there's a passionate reunion, after which she turns up dead.
You know the drill. The cops are after Carey, the local rackets guys are after Cary, and it's all he can do to keep ahead of them. Luckily he meets a hat-check girl named Sherry, who falls for him immediately, as often happens in this kind of book, and who helps him out. Carey is hardboiled and tough, the book is full of action, and [SPOILER ALERT] the resolution is very much of a Spillanean nature [END OF SPOILER ALERT].
Not one of the best Gold Medals, but enjoyable enough and a quick read. Garrity did another one (Cry Me a Killer) for Gold Medal before moving to Signet, where he published a private-eye novel about a character named Peter Braid. I read it long ago and remember nothing about it. He also wrote some Mafia novels and auto-racing novels for Signet that I haven't read.
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
The Ancient Crocodile Hunters That Helped To Supply The Roman Games
The Ancient Crocodile Hunters That Helped To Supply The Roman Games: How did Romans come to incorporate crocodiles into displays within the Roman games? A look at the myths, fear and artistic depictions of crocodiles reveals a Roman fascination with these fearsome creatures--and with the majesty of ancient Egypt.
Some Versions of 'The Tortoise and the Hare' Messed With the Moral
Some Versions of 'The Tortoise and the Hare' Messed With the Moral: ALMOST ANYONE GROWING UP IN an English-speaking culture knows the story of The Tortoise and the Hare. In the tale, the two animals challenge one another to a race to prove who is fastest: mid-race, the hare lays down to rest, certain that it’s going to win. Then out comes the tortoise, plodding along without pause, the winner; slow and steady wins the race, as the moral goes. Then there’s a huge forest fire, and almost everybody dies.
Overlooked Movies: The Prisoner of Zenda (1952)
Since the plot is the same and the script is the same (almost line for line), what's there to talk about? Technicolor, for one thing. I know that the B&W photography in the '37 version is wonderful, but Technicolor adds a lot to a historical spectacle like this one, or it does for me. I love Technicolor, which is far superior to some of the washed out color we see these days.
Now for the actors. Stewart Granger is wonderful. It's true that he's not "The Voice," as Colman was called, but he's a lot more athletic than Colman, and his acting style was perfect for roles like this one. Deborah Kerr isn't Madeleine Carroll, and she doesn't try to be. She's fine as Princess Flavia, and because she and Granger had worked together previously in King Solomon's Mines, there's a bit of extra chemistry there. James Mason is Rupert, and he chose to play the role almost exactly opposite from the way it was done by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Fairbanks seems to be having a wonderful time and gives an enthusiastic and zesty performance. Mason underplays with wry grins and humor. It's effective in its way, but I liked Fairbanks' approach better. Robert Coote takes the David Niven part, and while Coote is okay, he doesn't really come close to Niven in the role. The humor is missing, somehow. Robert Douglas is okay as Michael, but he doesn't approach the deep-seated villainy of Raymond Massey in the original. Louis Calhern is Col. Zapt, and I think he's excellent, but so was C. Aubrey Smith in the original. Smith might have a bit of an edge here. Jane Greer is beautiful, and as Antoinette de Mauban she's fully the equal of Mary Astor.
And then there's the sword fight. Sure, Fairbanks was one of the best, but Colman, well, not so much. James Mason might not be in Fairbanks' class, but he's very good, and Granger is so much more athletic and able than Colman that the sword fight in the 1952 version is extended to greater length than the original, and we can see the participants much better. A big improvement.
So which version do I prefer? Let me put it this way. I saw the 1952 version in the theater when I was at an impressionable age. I'd already seen King Solomon's Mines, and I thought Granger was the ultimate adventure hero. I was half in love with Deborah Kerr already. So given the choice of which one I'd watch again, I'd go with the '52.
Side note: Both versions of The Prisoner of Zenda were made before irony was discovered, so people could talk about duty and honor and courage without any eyeball rolling in the audience. Maybe that's another reason I like both versions of the movie so much.
Monday, June 19, 2017
Tony Liscio, R. I. P.
SportsDay: Tony Liscio, the former Cowboys offensive lineman who protected quarterbacks Don Meredith and Roger Staubach, died Sunday morning at his Lake Highlands home. He was 76 and suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Bill Dana, R. I. P.
Jose Jimenez Creator Was 92: He became a 'mascot' for the Mercury astronauts, wrote jokes for Steve Allen and Don Adams and penned one of the funniest 'All in the Family' episodes.
Not Quite Leading the Way
Paisano Pete – Fort Stockton, Texas: The second largest roadrunner in the world stands 11 feet tall in his West Texas town.
Watch This 1962 British Car Show
Watch This 1962 British Car Show: In 1962, Pathe News visited the Earls Court Motor Show to get a look at the latest in British cars. It's a rich display—there's the classic Ford Cortina, a Mini Cooper with transparent panels all over, and a Riley Elf on a lifting suspension. They're all rotating. Because good cars in the 1960s apparently required rotating platforms.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)