Swords, Specters, & Stuff
Welcome to My World
I started this blog in January 2012 for one simple reason: I love to write. I named it “Swords, Specters, & Stuff” because I especially love to write about writing, about books and movies in my favorite genres, about authors that mean a great deal to me. But there’s more to it than that, which is why I included “Stuff” in the title. It is “Stuff” that gives me carte blanche to write about anything, which is why you’ll see stories about special trips to Cooperstown, Sedona, and other places; about getting older; about baseball; about the otherworldly way in which I met my soul mate; about the loss of good friends, and so much more. Enjoy! And feel free to leave a comment.
Guilty Pleasures: RAMPAGE
A gorilla, a wolf, and an alligator walk into a bar. Wait, let me rephrase that. A giant gorilla, a giant wolf, and a giant alligator walk (actually, run and swim) into Chicago. Sounds weird, but if you know what it means, you probably saw the Dwayne Johnson-fueled sci-fi/action/monster film, RAMPAGE.
What Is The Wilhelm Scream?
The Wilhelm Scream is a stock sound effect in Hollywood and has been used in numerous movies and TV series. Its introduction came about in the 1951 western, “Distant Drums,” starring Gary Cooper. The scream was voiced by actor/singer Sheb Wooley, who had a small role in the film. You may remember Wooley for his popular hit song about a “one-eyed one-horned flying purple people eater.”
Myths And Legends: The House Of Death
Haunted houses. They are usually thought of as huge, brooding Victorian edifices sitting isolated amid an expansive tract of gated, weed-infested land, or on a remote hillside far from the nearest town. They aren’t old, nondescript brownstone buildings standing in the heart of a teeming city.
Hear A Parishioner’s Confession, Then Solve A Murder
Despite our affection for British mysteries, my bride and I had passed on FATHER BROWN for quite some time. I mean, a Catholic priest who acts as an amateur sleuth, solving all manner of crimes, mostly murders? It just didn’t sound like our cup of Earl Grey. Wow, were we wrong!
Nice Folks…So What If They’re All Dead?
My second Sword & Planet spoof, THE HORRORS OF HARRMEL, continues the misadventures of erstwhile earthling Bernie Smith and his bride, Thanna Dora, “the most amazing woman on two worlds.” Bernie got zapped out of an Iowa cornfield by a shaft of light and deposited on a deadly, primitive planet called Persus. Did he adapt? Well, “When in Rome” and all that.
“Never Argue With Stupid People…”—More Gems From Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910), known by his pen name of Mark Twain, is considered this country’s greatest humorist. William Faulkner even went as far as calling him “the father of American literature.” Here are some more of his best and most meaningful quotes.
The Last Dinosaur (Movie)?
The recently released JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION is the third film in the JURASSIC WORLD trilogy, and the sixth film in the Jurassic DinoVerse, which began with JURASSIC PARK in 1993. Being the lowest-rated film of the franchise, will it be the final one? Maybe…or maybe not.
“Dinosaurs Eat Man…Woman Inherits The Earth”
Paleobotanist Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) uttered that awesome comeback line in JURASSIC PARK (1993). I’ll give you the full context shortly. There are a lot of great lines in what I consider the best of all the films in the Jurassic DinoVerse (my word). Here are a few more.
Myths And Legends: “America’s Most Haunted Hotel”
What? The MOST haunted? That is what the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas perceives itself to be. And whether we believe it or not, there is an extensive history of paranormal activity at this venerable building.
Cannot Hit Curveball? Jobu Maybe Help…
The 1989 baseball film, MAJOR LEAGUE, is one of the most outrageous comedies ever to hit the silver screen. The characters and their lines are still quoted to this day, thirty-three years later. But one such character, who had no lines in the movie and was not even alive, may be more popular than any of them. I’m talking about Jobu, the cigar-smoking, rum-drinking voodoo demi-god.
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