Quote of the Week

The thing about a secular holiday is that religious Jewish kids could get excited about it. Christmas spirit left us cold, and Passover meant nothing to the world at large, but for the month of October we could get excited about the same thing the rest of the children were excited about. It sounds like a little thing, but it wasn’t- and still isn’t for me, to this day. And if someone wasn’t into Halloween, that was also culturally acceptable. You don’t see any big heartwarming family movies about forcing one family in the neighborhood who doesn’t like Halloween to get into the spirit of things, after all.
--Mira, "Judaism and Halloween," For the Gothic Heroine, October 31, 2015

Iconos de Cine (Ghosts I)

Words Fail Me Yet Again

My condolences to the victims of the mass shooting in Pennsylvania this past Saturday and their next of kin.

Despite all the funerals I have attended in my life, I cannot begin to imagine what the latter must be going through but my prayers are with them nonetheless.

Eighty Degrees in October?

Seriously? I know Texas has a reputation for unpredictable weather but still...

Movie Quote of the Week

What's with Mexicans and death!
--Trey Bumpass, The Book of Life (2014)

TV Quote of the Week

It is the story of all tyrants, general. They have but one real enemy, and this is the one they never recognize... until too late.
--Vladimir Sokoloff , The Twilight Zone, “The Mirror”

Pensamientos Acerca de Televisión

666 Park Avenue: “The Dead Don't Stay Dead”

It's Faust: The Series, only this time all the writers' sympathies are with the Devil, so to speak. Apparently the Drake -- the name of the apartment building that is located at the address mentioned in the show's title -- has a history of attracting folks who are prone to make a deal with the Devil. And come to think it, the guy who owns the apartment building just happens to be a man of wealth and taste. What a coincidence!

In this latest episode, we see our old friend Aubrey Dollar from the show Point Pleasant playing an obit writer who discovers via the Drake the power to make her writing come true. Unfortunately, she ends up as a victim of one of her own creations -- or does she?

Inquiring minds want to know. Though chances are very good that anyone who has ever seen a horror movie before can guess where this episode is heading long before it gets there.

Thoughts About The Omen (1976)

Mrs. Blaylock seems like such a happy person at the beginning of the 1976 version of The Omen. A trifle sad, perhaps, but still she looks like such a nice person.

So what could possibly happen to make her go from this...

...to this?

For that matter, why don't we ever hear about Mr. Blaylock? Is Mrs. Blaylock a widow? A divorced woman? Did Mr. Blaylock ever exist or was he just a figment of Mrs. Blaylock's imagination?

At the very least, Mrs. Blaylock seems to be a far better nanny than her immediate predecessor...

Apart from the whole "killing people to protect the Antichrist" thing.

Pensamientos Acerca de Televisión

Night Gallery: "The Devil Is Not Mocked"

Now this is a Resistance leader!

But seriously, folks.

The story itself was based on an old Manly Wade Wellman story in which a German officer confronted a legendary evildoer during World War II. Helmut Dantine played the officer. Francis Lederer played his opponent.

For some odd reason, I liked this episode when I first saw it as a small boy. However, how well you might appreciate it probably depends on how seriously you take the info offered in this review -- although if worse comes to worse, you can always consider this tale yet another example of alternative history.

Pensamientos Acerca de Televisión

666 Park Avenue: “Pilot”

You wouldn't think someone could make a dull TV show out of a demon-haunted apartment building but that's what the producers of 666 Park Avenue managed to do. It's a shame, too, because Terry O'Quinn and Vanessa Williams showed great potential as the building's mysterious owners. Unfortunately, the script never really followed up on that potential and it didn't help that O'Quinn's bald head made him look like Mr. Clean in the eyes of at least one snarky viewer I know (i.e., my middle brother).

Oh, well. Better luck next time.

Random Thoughts

1. Damned heterosexuals. Always flaunting their lifestyle in public. There ought to be a law, I say. There ought to be a law.

2. Ray Bradbury's short story "The Pedestrian" is set in 2053. So we're right on schedule with those driverless cars.

3. There is no god but Science and Darwin is his prophet.

4. I like big books and I can not lie.

5. La vida es cabaré y los cabarés, cabarés son.
(Life is a cabaret and the cabarets are cabarets.)

6. I was partial to dark comedy in my youth -- before experience taught me that life was quite darkly comic enough without my having to write about it.
--Burgess Meredith, Clash of the Titans (Alternative Universe Version) (1981)

7. Experience tends to trump ideology.

8. If they can do it to them, they can do it to you.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Even More Zombies

Hey, it's an allegory about Brexit. No, it's a horror film. No, it's a comedy. No, it's...

Well, that was the problem with the 2016 movie, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It didn't know what it was.

Ironically, if this film were to be released today, its climax would be seen as a metaphor for Brexit. Of course, that still would not improve the plot -- which seemed deliberately designed to frustrate both Jane Austen fans and action flick aficionados -- but it would probably give the critics something to talk about.

Apart from that, I was glad that this movie gave me another chance to see actor Matt Smith of Doctor Who fame, even if he seemed to be one of the few cast members who had any idea what type of movie this was supposed to be. For that matter, I was glad to see actress Lena Headey though I did feel a bit sorry that her character was so wasted. Apart from posing for a portrait that seemed inspired by a nineteenth century version of S. M. Stirling's Draka novels, she really didn't have a whole lot to do in this flick apart from teasing the audience with the possibility that the whole thing might not turn out to be an unwatchable mess after all.

As it was, the only thing that really intrigued me about the rest of the movie was ironically the very last scene. As much as I hate to admit it, there was a part of me that wanted to know what happened next -- a thing I found quite odd because up until then, I didn't really care that much what happened.

Oh, well. Any sequel that was longer than ten minutes would have been a waste of time, anyway.

R.I.P. Margot Kidder

Canadian-American actress Margot Kidder -- best known for playing reporter Lois Lane in Christopher Reeve's Superman movies and for playing a twin role in Brian De Palma's thriller Sisters -- put down her last script on May 13, 2018, at age 69.

She will be missed.

R.I.P. David Cassidy

American actor and singer David Cassidy -- best known for his role as Keith Partridge in the TV series The Partridge Family as well as for his lead vocals on such Partridge Family songs as "I Think I Love You" and "I'll Meet You Halfway" -- took his last bow on November 21, 2017, at age 67.

He will be missed.

R.I.P. Mary Tyler Moore

American actress Mary Tyler Moore -- best known for her role as Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show and her role as Mary Richards on The Mary Tyler Moore Show -- walked off the set for the final time on January 25, 2017, at age 80.

She will be missed.

R.I.P. John Hurt

English actor John Hurt -- best known for his roles in such movies as Alien and The Elephant Man -- took his makeup off for the final time on January 25, 2017, at age 77.

He will be missed.

R.I.P. George Michael

English singer George Michael -- a former member of the musical group Wham! and a successful solo artist in his own right -- finished his last song on December 25, 2016, at age 53.

He will be missed.

R.I.P. Van Williams

American actor Van Williams -- best known for playing the title role in the 1960s TV series The Green Hornet -- took off his mask for the final time on November 28, 2016, at age 82.

He will be missed.

R.I.P. Fritz Weaver

American actor Fritz Weaver -- best known for his role in the TV miniseries Holocaust as well as for his roles in such movies as Fail Safe and Marathon Man -- took his last bow on November 26, 2016 at age 90.

He will be missed.

R.I.P. Ron Glass

American actor Ron Glass -- best known for his starring roles in such TV shows as Barney Miller and Firefly -- turned in his badge on November 25, 2016, at age 71.

He will be missed.

R.I.P. Andrew Sachs

German-born British actor Andrew Sachs -- best known for his role as Manuel on the British TV series Fawlty Towers -- took his last pratfall on November 23, 2016, at age 86.

He will be missed.

Movie Quote of the Week

I was unaware that zombies possessed such acuity so as to set such traps. Before we know it, they'll be running for Parliament.
--Matt Smith, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)

TV Quote of the Week

The more I study the Judge, the less I like him.
--Anthony Stewart Head, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Surprise"

Trailer of the Week: The Contender

It's not a trial; it's a job interview. At least that's what someone should have told Gary Oldman.

Fantasy Quote of the Week

Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.
--Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

Science Fiction Quote of the Week

“Do you actually hope to convert the whole of mankind?”

“Belay that! Anyhow, if you mean, Do we hope to make everybody into copies of us? The answer is, No. Mind, I’m not in Parliament or Admiralty, but I follow debates and I read the philosophers. One trouble with the old machine culture was that, by its nature, it did force people to become more and more alike. Not only did this fail in the end—disastrously—but to the extent it succeeded, it was a worse disaster.” Lohannaso smote the rail with a mighty fist. “Damnation, Thomas! We need all the diversity, all the assorted ways of living and looking and thinking, we can get!”
--Poul Anderson, There Will Be Time

Michigan Gothic

I kinda wish I had thought of the title used for this odd photo-essay about my hometown. Then again part of me wishes that I could not agree with it but alas...

¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Mi Hermano del Medio!

Today is my middle brother's birthday.

I hope he is in good health and staying out of today's rain.

R.I.P. Burt Reynolds

American actor Burt Reynolds -- best known for his starring roles in such films as Deliverance and Smokey and the Bandit -- parked his black Trans-Am for the final time on September 6, 2018, at age 82.

He will be missed.

R.I.P. Neil Simon

American playwright Neil Simon -- best known for such plays as The Odd Couple and Plaza Suite -- covered his typewriter for the final time on August 26, 2018, at age 91.

He will be missed.

R.I.P. Barbara Harris

American actor Barbara Harris -- best known for her roles in such movies as Nashville and Family Plot -- gave her final wink to the audience on August 21, 2018, at age 83.

She will be missed.

R.I.P. Matt "Guitar" Murphy

American musician Matt "Guitar" Murphy -- best known to my generation for his role in the 1980 movie "The Blues Brothers" --put up his guitar for the last time on June 15, 2018, at age 88.

He will be missed.

R.I.P. Philip Roth

American novelist Philip Roth -- best known for his novella "Goodbye, Columbus" and his novel Portnoy's Complaint -- finished the last chapter of his autobiography on May 22, 2018 at age 85.

He will be missed.

R.I.P. Ursula K. Le Guin

American science fiction writer Ursula Le Guin -- best known for such novels as The Lathe of Heaven and The Left Hand of Darkness -- finished her last page at January 22, 2018, at age 88.

She will be missed.

Movie Quote of the Week

Perhaps you prefer a gentleman. One of those fine-mannered and honorable gentlemen. Those panting hypocrites who like your legs but talk about your garters.
--Fredric March, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

TV Quote of the Week

If it's any consolation, General, this is the headquarters of the secret resistance -- and I am its proud commander: Count Dracula.
--Francis Lederer, Night Gallery, "The Devil Is Not Mocked"

Apparently I'm Puerto Rican Now

At least that's the impression I got from a Hispanic customer at my current place of employment yesterday when she asked me if I were Puerto Rican.

I'm not, of course, but apparently to her eyes, I looked like one. Needless to say, that's hardly the worst thing that could be said about me. Nor is it the first time I've been mistaken for a member of a different ethnic group other than the one I'm in. (Of course, as an ethnic half and half (half-Polish, half Mexican), I'm technically not a member of one ethnic group but still.)

At any rate, when I was growing up, I used to obsess about the fact that I didn't look more like my Mexican-American relatives. Apparently that's still true but at least I'm being mistaken for actual Hispanics now. So that's a good thing, right?

Quote of the Week

The common argument that crime is caused by poverty is a kind of slander on the poor.
--H. L. Mencken

Pensamientos Acerca de Televisión

Mom: “Dirty Money and a Woman Named Mike”

I had lost interest in this show during the first season and it wasn't until my youngest brother told me about this episode that I bothered to give it a second chance.

As for what happens in this episode:

Alison Janney's alcoholic character Bonnie Plunkett finally has a come to Jesus moment and guess who shows up? Frankly, I found it worth the time to watch this episode just to see Bonnie Plunkett's reaction to this week's surprise guest star. Boy, does that guy get around!

Pensamientos Acerca de Televisión

Young Sheldon: "Pilot"

Many people smarter than me have noted the difficulty of creating a prequel to an older TV series and as you might guess, the Big Bang Theory prequel Young Sheldon is no exception. As others have noted, it's hard to tell a story when most of your potential audience already knows what happens to the main character and it doesn't help that the character of Sheldon Cooper wasn't terribly complex to begin with.

This is not to say that the show is not without its merits. Actress Zoe Perry does a wonderful show of portraying a younger version of her mother Laurie Metcalf's character on the original Big Bang Theory and actress Raegan Revord -- who plays Sheldon's twin sister Missy -- has her moments. I also found it nice to see Annie Potts appear on subsequent episodes in the role of Sheldon's maternal grandmother. Lance Barber also deserves some credit for doing the best he can with the rather thankless role of Sheldon's father.

Apart from that, I found the plot to be about as formulaic as that of the original Big Bang Theory. But then I suspect most of the audience for these two shows don't watch them for the plot.

Trailer of the Week: Mary Shelley

As I've noted before, this year marks the 200th anniversary of the first publication of the Mary Shelley novel Frankenstein. It would be nice to think that this film is the ideal gift for that anniversary, but alas, I have not seen it yet and some of that dialogue in this trailer doesn't sound too promising. So I guess I better keep my fingers crossed.

Book of the Week

Writer Christopher Buckley -- son of the late William F. Buckley -- is no longer writing novels about contemporary political issues -- perhaps because it is increasingly hard for a humorist like Buckley to outdo the humor of real life politics. Instead, he has taken to writing historical novels -- or, if you prefer, novels of alternative history that read like conventional historical novels -- the latest of which is The Judge Hunter.

Like most good novels, The Judge Hunter is too good to spoil so I won't say too much about it. Suffice it to say that the bulk of the story takes place in colonial America during the 1660s and contains a lot of dark humor. As you might guess, little of the plot concerns itself with contemporary political issues though there is one rather obvious Donald Trump reference. Granted, many of the points it makes about colonial America aren't exactly new but to Mr. Buckley's credit, they don't seem stale either.

I also liked Mr. Buckley's previous foray into alternative history -- The Relic Master -- and I look forward to his next novel as well.

Movie Quote of the Week

They say that a man who represents himself in court has a fool for a client. And with God as my witness, I am that fool!
--Raul Julia, The Addams Family (1991)

TV Quote of the Week

No, I like movies that are in bad taste. There’s a difference.
--Kate Hodge, She-Wolf of London, “Eclipse”

Cuento de Mi Id

“The Aftermath”

Since that day at the camp, Amanda Buckman's hair has turned white. She still screams when she sees a lit match and she has grown very thin.

As of this writing, her parents are considering taking her to see the renowned therapist Dr. Sue Snell, since Dr. Snell has a reputation for being an expert on bad dreams.