Saturday, October 10, 2009
Top 50 Scariest Horror Movies
Top 50 scariest horror movies of all time - Halloween movies - Boston.com
All comments should begin, "This is a bogus list because. . . ."
I'd finish that sentence with "The Haunting isn't on it." That's the 1963 version, of course, and still one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. Shirley Jackson's novel The Haunting of Hill House is maybe even scarier.
All comments should begin, "This is a bogus list because. . . ."
I'd finish that sentence with "The Haunting isn't on it." That's the 1963 version, of course, and still one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. Shirley Jackson's novel The Haunting of Hill House is maybe even scarier.
And Keep Off His Lawn!
Elderly bank robber strikes in San Diego County again | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times: "A man described as in his 70s robbed a U.S. Bank branch inside a Vons supermarket in the Carmel Valley neighborhood of San Diego on Friday, police said.
It was the fourth bank robbery in recent weeks in which the robber was a man of advancing years.
On Aug. 29, a robber in his 70s struck the U.S. Bank in Santee. On Sept. 11, a robber in his 70s, with an oxygen tank on his back, robbed a San Diego National Bank branch in La Jolla."
It was the fourth bank robbery in recent weeks in which the robber was a man of advancing years.
On Aug. 29, a robber in his 70s struck the U.S. Bank in Santee. On Sept. 11, a robber in his 70s, with an oxygen tank on his back, robbed a San Diego National Bank branch in La Jolla."
Today's Re-Imagining Announcement
CBS nabs 'Hawaii Five-O' pilot: "Surf's up for a new 'Hawaii Five-O.'
CBS has given a pilot commitment to an updated version of the classic cop series from hot feature scribes Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and 'CSI: NY' executive producer Peter Lenkov.
There aren't many details on the trio's take on the classic procedural, which chronicled the workings of the fictional Hawaiian state police department led by Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord). The original series, created by Leonard Freeman, ran on CBS from 1968-80. It became famous for its opening music and for its staple 'Book 'em, Danno' closing line."
CBS has given a pilot commitment to an updated version of the classic cop series from hot feature scribes Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and 'CSI: NY' executive producer Peter Lenkov.
There aren't many details on the trio's take on the classic procedural, which chronicled the workings of the fictional Hawaiian state police department led by Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord). The original series, created by Leonard Freeman, ran on CBS from 1968-80. It became famous for its opening music and for its staple 'Book 'em, Danno' closing line."
Top 10 Secret Fast-Food Menu
Shhh! 10 secret fast-food menu items - TODAY Food and wine
You'll want to try the Meat Cube the next time you're at Wendy's.
Link via Pop Culture Junk Mail.
You'll want to try the Meat Cube the next time you're at Wendy's.
Link via Pop Culture Junk Mail.
Here's the Plot of Your Next Noir Novel
'Sometimes evil does come in pretty, petite packages' :: Lake County :: Post-Tribune: "Speaking on behalf of the victim's family, Parker's sister, Tanya Parker, said the maximum eight-year sentence was far too lenient for the crime and described Grabski as evil and manipulative. After the murder, Grabski 'got high afterwards to celebrate what she did.' Grabski wiped away tears after Parker left the witness stand.
Trial supervisor Kathleen O'Halloran said Grabski played a key role in convincing her brother to participate in the crime. 'Sometimes evil does come in pretty, petite packages,' she said."
Trial supervisor Kathleen O'Halloran said Grabski played a key role in convincing her brother to participate in the crime. 'Sometimes evil does come in pretty, petite packages,' she said."
God Forgives . . . I Don't!
For those FTC spies out there, let me say right now that I watched this movie on cable TV, for which I pay a monthly fee. I happened to turn on the Encore Westerns channel just as the movie started, so I thought, what the heck, I'll watch it. It stars Terence Hill, Bud Spencer, and Frank Wolf. How bad can it be?Answer: Pretty darned bad.
The plot, for example, is so dumb and confused that it's almost incoherent. People do things for what seems like no reason at all, either to accommodate the plot or just for the heck of it. So I won't try to describe the plot. Obviously it's an attempt to capitalize on the Man with No Name films, but putting a serape on Terence Hill and having him smoke little cigars doesn't make him Clint Eastwood.
There's some weird stuff going on throughout. Scenes that seem like nighttime scenes take place in full daylight. In some parts of the movie, it'll be night in one scene, but in the next one, supposedly taking place at the same time, the sun is shining brightly.
And then there's the ending. It's undoubtedly the goofiest final ten minutes or so that I've ever seen. I have several theories. (A) Someone edited the movie with a weed whacker. (2) The Western Channel is showing a horribly mutilated print. (3) Ed Wood directed this under an Italian pseudonym.
Here's what happens, more or less, with SPOILERS galore: Hill (called Pretty Face throughout) and Wolf (who's really not bad; he's the best reason to see the movie) are in a cantina or something, about to play a hand of cards. Then, instantaneously, they're somewhere miles away, facing off for a shootout. Before they start, Hill touches off the slowest-burning fuse in movie history. It leads to so many kegs of TNT tht I couldn't count them. Interestingly enough, there's no way in hell that anybody in this movie could have put them there or put that fuse there. But there they are. About this time, Spenser shows up, and Wolf shoots him with his belly gun. Then the final confrontation occurs. Verrrrryyyy slllooowwwlllyyy. Pretty Face knifes Wolf in one arm and shoots him in the knees. Wolf starts snaking across the sand, while Hill picks up Spencer and walks away. Wolf gets to the TNT and tries to pull the fuse out with his teeth. His hands aren't that damaged, so I'm not sure why he's using his teeth, but it makes as much sense as anything else does at this point. He's unsuccessful. Big explosion. Fade to Hill and Spencer riding off in a wagon. Where did that come from? Filled with stolen gold. How did that get there? I don't know, but there it is. And then, mercifully, the movie ends. Judy and I were laughing so hard at this point that I didn't bother to watch the credits roll. I just turned off the TV and sat there for a while. Hey, you can watch the ending for yourself if you want to.
Plenty of violence, okay score, and okay (but not spectacular) scenery. Oh, I forgot the card game near the beginning. If you think you've seen slow-moving scenes before, watch the card game. Glaciers form and melt and form again before it ends.
Geezer Noir
TBO.com - News From AP: "The roommate of a 100-year-old woman found strangled in her bed at a nursing home had made 'threatening' remarks to the centenarian, her son said Friday, and the slain woman's family had sought to have the women split up.
Elizabeth Barrow was found dead in her bed last month, with a plastic bag tied around her head. This week, authorities ruled the death a homicide. They have not named any suspects."
Elizabeth Barrow was found dead in her bed last month, with a plastic bag tied around her head. This week, authorities ruled the death a homicide. They have not named any suspects."
Paging Steve McQueen
Giant, Mucus-Like Sea Blobs on the Rise, Pose Danger: "Beware of the blob—this time, it's for real.
As sea temperatures have risen in recent decades, enormous sheets of a mucus-like material have begun forming more often, oozing into new regions, and lasting longer, a new Mediterranean Sea study says (sea 'mucus' blob pictures)."
As sea temperatures have risen in recent decades, enormous sheets of a mucus-like material have begun forming more often, oozing into new regions, and lasting longer, a new Mediterranean Sea study says (sea 'mucus' blob pictures)."
Friday, October 09, 2009
Stuart Kaminsky, R. I. P.
Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind: Stuart Kaminsky, R.I.P.: "Stuart Kaminsky, a former Grandmaster of the Mystery Writers of America and author of dozens of critically acclaimed and well-regarded detective novels, passed away earlier today. He was 75."
I read and enjoyed a lot of Kaminsky's novels. He was a guest at ClueFest years ago in Dallas, in Motel Hell, and was a good sport about it all. I'm very sad to hear this news.
I read and enjoyed a lot of Kaminsky's novels. He was a guest at ClueFest years ago in Dallas, in Motel Hell, and was a good sport about it all. I'm very sad to hear this news.
Stay Classy, Houston!
mikemcguff.com blog: Houston gets Lingerie Football League team: "Houston might have lost the WNBA Comets franchise, but we are now picking up the Lingerie Football League expansion team."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
TV: Gas drive-off leads to multicounty chase | News for Austin, Texas | Austin News | KVUE.com | KVUE News |Top Stories: "A multicounty chase that lasted for more than two hours Friday ended when authorities spun a pickup truck into a rain-swollen ditch along a rural road near Corsicana.
A police dispatcher in the small north Texas town of Melissa, 35 miles north of Dallas, said the chase began Friday morning after the driver of the pickup allegedly drove off from a gas station without paying for 20 gallons of fuel."
A police dispatcher in the small north Texas town of Melissa, 35 miles north of Dallas, said the chase began Friday morning after the driver of the pickup allegedly drove off from a gas station without paying for 20 gallons of fuel."
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
Texas firm has plan to make Gulf's salty water drinkable | Business | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "A Texas firm plans to use power generated by the Gulf of Mexico's waves to make its salty water drinkable.
Renew Blue Inc. says its project can address two global problems — climate change and scarce drinking water — by using clean energy to turn seawater to freshwater. The company has a lease from the state of Texas to place the facility in 25 feet of water about a mile off the coast from Freeport.
It will use 18 specially designed, wave-powered pumps to send water over a wheel that will turn a small electric turbine. Power from the turbine will light the platform and run a 3,000-gallon-per-day desalination plant, said Doug Sandberg, vice president of Renew Blue's parent company, Independent Natural Resources Inc."
Renew Blue Inc. says its project can address two global problems — climate change and scarce drinking water — by using clean energy to turn seawater to freshwater. The company has a lease from the state of Texas to place the facility in 25 feet of water about a mile off the coast from Freeport.
It will use 18 specially designed, wave-powered pumps to send water over a wheel that will turn a small electric turbine. Power from the turbine will light the platform and run a 3,000-gallon-per-day desalination plant, said Doug Sandberg, vice president of Renew Blue's parent company, Independent Natural Resources Inc."
Gator Update (Water Hazard Edition)
Golfer Loses Arm in Alligator Attack in South Carolina - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com: "A 77-year-old man has lost his lower arm after he was bitten by an alligator on a coastal South Carolina golf course.
[. . . .]
Kate Hines with the Fripp Island Property Owners Association says the man was picking up his ball when a 10-foot alligator pulled him into a nearby pond."
[. . . .]
Kate Hines with the Fripp Island Property Owners Association says the man was picking up his ball when a 10-foot alligator pulled him into a nearby pond."
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