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.
Mortal Engines: A Guilty Pleasure? No, A Genuine One!
By all accounts the 2018 dystopian/science fiction film, MORTAL ENGINES, should have appeared in one of my Guilty Pleasure posts. It rated no higher than 27% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it was considered the biggest box-office bomb of the year.
“Enough Is Enough!” Lines From A Snake-Centric Movie
Last week, when I wrote about the horror/comedy/thriller/creature feature, SNAKES ON A PLANE, I mentioned that there are enough outrageous quotes in this film to warrant its own post. Time to justify that comment.
“Sir, You Need To Fasten Your…Seat Belt? No, It’s A Snake!”
When Samuel L. Jackson was asked to star in the 2006 horror/thriller/comedy film, SNAKES ON A PLANE, he readily accepted. As filming began, the producers thought that a better title would be PACIFIC AIR FLIGHT 121. Jackson told them that the main reason he took the role was because he loved the original working title. Guess what, it was not changed.
Endgame: How Do You Top This?
If you are a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), you have more than likely seen the eagerly awaited AVENGERS: ENDGAME. But in case you haven’t, you need not worry that there are any spoilers in this brief homage. All I want to say is that this twenty-second film in the MCU offers three memorable hours of a riveting story to its viewers.
“Que Sera, Sera”—RIP, Doris Day
A national treasure is gone. Singer, actress, animal rights activist Doris Day passed away last week at the amazing age of ninety-seven from complications of pneumonia.
Myths And Legends: The Mary Celeste—A Real-Life Ghost Ship
A natural disaster? An assault by pirates? A murderous plot by the crew? An attack by a giant sea creature? Paranormal activity? All of these suggestions, and more, have been tossed about with regard to the mystery of the MARY CELESTE, a bizarre incident that remains unresolved to this day, nearly a century and a half later.
Smoke Signals: A Well-Deserved Honor For A Great Film
Earlier this year it was announced that the 1998 film, SMOKE SIGNALS, was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress as being “…culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” This is quite an honor for a movie that was made with an all-Native American cast and crew (other than a few cameos by non-indigenous folks).
Films About Writers: House
The 1986 comedy/horror flick, HOUSE, not only fits the bill as a film in which the main character is a writer, but more specifically, a horror writer. I’ve written about a bunch of movies in my “Films About Writers” series, and quite a few of them focus on we who write the scary stuff. Weird…
Harry And The Predator: A Sad Ending
During his all-too-brief career—and life—actor Kevin Peter Hall was billed as “…the tallest man on stage and screen.” At over 7’2” the assessment was spot on. It also led to some memorable roles for this gentle giant from Pittsburgh.
Cheyenne—The Tragedy Of Fort Robinson
In the excellent Native American film, POWWOW HIGHWAY, we join Philbert Bono as he leaves his home on the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana for a “vision quest.” Philbert stops at historical sites that are meaningful to the Cheyenne, including the former location of a military outpost, Fort Robinson, in Nebraska. Along with this gentle young man, we read the commemorative plaque and, like him, are horrified by what occurred there. This is an incident that cannot be forgiven, and should never be forgotten.
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