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.
The Ongoing History Of THE SHINING: Part Two
In last week’s post I talked about Stephen King’s 1977 novel, The Shining. I have to believe that it initially thrilled the author to learn the film rights had been acquired by renowned director Stanley Kubrick. But ultimately, he did not like the end result.
The Ongoing History Of THE SHINING: Part One
A couple of months ago I wrote a post titled, “A Jack Nicholson Snow Globe?” Inside the globe Jack’s dead eyes stare out through the snow in a scene from Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror classic, The Shining, based on the bestselling novel by Stephen King. It occurred to me that I hadn’t seen the film in a long time, so I easily rectified that. But in doing so I vaguely recalled that King did not care for Kubrick’s opus, which many consider one of the best horror films of all time. I decided to find out why.
The Village (2004): A Polarizing Film?
This psychological thriller had movie critics at one another’s throats and close to figurative blows. But why? The Village was written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, fresh off a run of critical and box office successes that included Signs, Unbreakable, and his mega-hit, The Sixth Sense.
Writing Serves To Soothe The Savage Beast: Part Two
At the beginning of last week’s post I mentioned that I was a real weenie. People who know me often ask, “How can you write that stuff!” Like I said, the best (worst?) of it often comes out when I’m angry or frustrated about something. The cathartic effect of writing can be significant.
Writing Serves To Soothe The Savage Beast: Part One
My self-assessment is that I’m one of the most passive guys on the planet. That’s why, when I go back and read one of the (many) violent, bloody scenes that I’ve written in my novels over the decades, I wonder, “Where the hell did that come from?”
Films About Writers: The Raven
Okay, I’ll stay on my Edgar Allan Poe kick for one more week. The 2012 film, The Raven, is not about Poe’s classic poem, but about Poe himself—more specifically, about Poe’s last days of life in 1849 Baltimore. Despite much speculation the actual cause of Poe’s death is unknown to this day. This film, starring John Cusack as Poe, offers a compelling “what if?”
“A Midnight Dreary” In The Raven Room
During a recent trip back east I stopped by the Poe Museum in Richmond and caught up with my old friend Edgar. I thoroughly enjoyed the visit to this fascinating tribute to a great writer and… Wait, what? Richmond, Virginia? Like many others I always associated Edgar Allan Poe with Baltimore, so why would a museum honoring him be located in a city more renowned for being the capital of the Confederacy?
Films About Books: The Princess Bride
Okay, who HASN’T seen the 1987 fairytale gem, The Princess Bride? Not ever seeing it would be INCONCEIVABLE! This film, an instant cult classic, is on countless Top Whatever lists in comedy and other genres.
A Jack Nicholson Snow Globe?
There are gifts, and then there are GIFTS. You know the kind: where the Giver is totally in tune with the Givee and knows what would be perfect. I received just such a gift a few years back from Lindsay Teunis, my oldest daughter. Don’t know where she found it, but I’m glad she did.
Native American Film Gems: Skins
Chris Eyre, director of the wonderful Smoke Signals, came up with another winner in his 2002 film, Skins, based on a novel by Adrian C. Louis. While this story contains its share of humor, it has a far more serious undertone than its predecessor.
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