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.
Blacklisted Writer Dalton Trumbo Stuck To His Convictions
Some critics—predictably—knocked the 2015 biographical drama, Trumbo, for its “historical inaccuracies.” Still, this excellent film, starring Bryan Cranston as Dalton Trumbo and Helen Mirren as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper, served to open the eyes of many who might otherwise not have been aware of the dark period in the 1940s and ’50s known as the Hollywood Blacklist.
Films About Writers: Crimson Peak
In the 2015 Gothic thriller, Crimson Peak, director Guillermo del Toro has crafted an atmospheric period piece designed to scare the living crap out of viewers. Young, aspiring novelist Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) likes to write ghost stories, but I doubt if she planned on living one.
Seventeen Years And 3,242 Miles
I had lunch last week with a horror writer from Maine. (No, not THAT horror writer.) Hank Garfield and his wonderful girlfriend, Lisa, were in San Diego for a vacation, as well as to visit some of Hank’s family. I hadn’t seen my old friend since he moved back to Maine in 1999, but we’ve never let the years, or the 3,242 miles between Oceanside and his home in Bangor, keep us from staying in touch.
A Taut Thriller From Down Under
I’m a sucker for “creature features” and I always keep an eye out (ouch!) for ones that I might’ve missed. When Netflix recommended Rogue, a 2007 indy thriller from Australia with some familiar names in the cast and—amazingly, for this genre—a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I just had to see it. Glad I did.
Oh No! Seven-Oh!!!
In the classic musical Oliver! Fagin muses, “What happens when I’m seventy?” Well, Fagin, my dear, I don’t have to “muse” about it anymore, because in a few days—Sunday, to be exact—I officially become a septuagenarian. Holy crap, how did that happen!?!?
Films About Books: The Book Of Eli
It is not easy to watch this 2010 post-apocalyptic drama. Really, who wants to see the scorched earth of our own country? But given that the star of The Book of Eli is Denzel Washington, I’m there! As an actor he is, IMHO, simply the best.
Native American Film Gems: Smoke Signals
Given my great love and respect for all things Native American, I am introducing what will be an occasional series that addresses some of the finest films in that genre. And what better one to begin with than the 1998 comedy-drama, Smoke Signals? Based on a short story by Sherman Alexie, who also co-produced and wrote the screenplay, Smoke Signals is among my all-time favorite films in any genre, and is greatly admired by critics and viewers alike.
Mugs, Pugs, Thugs, And Nitwits: More Great Movie Lines
I’ve seen some of my favorite movies so many times that I can recite much of the dialogue in a lot of them. Here are some more of my favorites.
Time To Read—Finally!
Like most Americans these days, I worked full-time into my late sixties. During all my adult years I probably could have made some time to partake in one of my favorite endeavors: reading books. One problem: for most of that time I worked as a writing coach and editor, which necessitated reading many hundreds of book manuscripts.
An Inspirational Sports Movie That You Probably Missed
When it comes to the 2007 film, The Final Season, I can’t deny that I’m somewhat biased. I love baseball; my bride is from Iowa, where this true story took place; and I’m quite fond of the state, which I’ve visited numerous times in recent decades. The latter includes trips to two of its baseball shrines: the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, and the town of Norway, population about 500, where baseball truly is LIFE.
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