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.
“This Should Be In A Museum”—Lines From The Indiana Jones Films, Part Two
The third film in the Indiana Jones series introduced film icon Sean Connery as Indy’s father and involved a quest for a Holy Relic. It also brought the Nazis back into the series. Here are some of the fun and compelling lines from this film.
Throwback Thursday: The Word Of The Day Is…Godzilla!
So why is an old guy like me so excited about the upcoming Godzilla movie? (GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, release date May 31st.) Okay, I’m seventy-three (going on thirteen), and I’ve always loved monster movies, and I’ll still love ’em when I’m a hundred and three.
“Try The Local Sewer!”—Lines From The Indiana Jones Films, Part One
Next year, 80-year-old Harrison Ford will reprise his role as the intrepid archaeologist (“Indiana Jones and the Last Gasp?”) in the as yet untitled fifth movie in the popular series, which began at the dawn of time…okay, 1981. Here are some memorable lines from the first two.
Throwback Thursday: Myths And Legends—The Flannan Isles Lighthouse
File this one under “unsolved mysteries,” an incident that has confounded researchers, as well as ordinary people, for over a century. How did three lighthouse keepers on Eilean Mòr, site of the Flannan Isles Lighthouse, vanish one day without a trace?
Native American Film Gems: SPIRIT RIDER
To be accurate, SPIRIT RIDER (1993) could also fall under the heading of “First Nations Film Gems.” The territory of the Ojibwa people—also known as the Chippewa—spans portions of Southern Canada and the Northern Plains states. But we’re just quibbling here. It has nothing to do with this delightful family story.
Throwback Thursday: “I Crap Bigger Than You”—Lines From A Comedy Classic
Billy Crystal is one of my favorite performers, and his 1991 film, CITY SLICKERS, is a gem, much loved by critics and moviegoers alike. As you would guess, he has many of the best lines in the film…but not all. There are plenty of contributors in this laugh-a-minute story.
Cooking And Murder: A Lethal Recipe
My bride and I have gotten hooked on a new “dark comedy/mystery” series on Acorn TV. RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER, based on the Tannie Maria mystery novels of Sally Andrew, takes place in the rural South African town of Eden. That’s a misnomer, because this Eden is anything but a paradise.
Throwback Thursday: Films About Writers—SNAKE ISLAND
Bestselling horror novelist Malcolm Page is on his way to SNAKE ISLAND—which is also the title of this 2002 creature feature—to gather material for his next book. The other tourists and crew on this African river cruise are in awe of the guy…
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.
Throwback Thursday: The Mighty Casey Struck Out…Twice
Robert Sorrels, the subject of this story, passed away a few months after I first published the post in 2019.
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