At the Movies

​Just wanted to give a shout out for the great comments on my little salute to Dean Martin as Matt Helm. There were a lot of comments, most of them anti Dino as Matt Helm, but still a heck of a lot of fun. Good or bad comments, it is great to hear from you.
 
Confession: Having just watched and thoroughly enjoyed Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” I decided to sit down and attempt watch Matt Helm’s last film adventure, “The Wrecking Crew.” I only made it an hour in before I couldn’t subject myself to it any further. Any of the fun, in any of the other films, is gone and the 55-year old Dino smirk seems more creepy than sexy. No wonder they decided not to make the next one.
 
What have you been reading, writing and watching? There are a lot of choices out there so stay safe. For my part, I’ve been busy in my never-ending attempt to fill my head with creative content from other writers/producers and directors.
 
Thanks to our little visit with Mark Verheiden, I am re-watching the entire seasons of “Battlestar Galactica.” I have just concluded the mini-series and episode one. All of these first episodes, written of course, by Ronald D. Moore. For those of you asleep for the last few decades, Moore cut his teeth on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” moved onto “Deep Space 9” and “Voyager,” before taking on Battlestar. His sense of story is nothing short of mesmerizing and he deserves all the praise he gets. I am very much looking forward to moving onto “Outlander.” Very soon, I will get to the Mark V material. I can’t wait. Mark is worth the wait.

​I also just finished re-watching “2010: The Year We Make Contact,” written, produced, directed and photographed by Peter Hyams. Stepping into Stanley Kubrick’s legendary shoes was no easy task, and Hyams does a respectful job in taking an original story that left plenty of questions (intentionally, I might add), and crafting a sequel that is dramatic, exciting and takes the time and trouble to answer a few lingering questions along the way. If you have not read the director’s book on his correspondence with famed author Arthur C Clark, “The Odyssey File” do so. It’s highly recommended. Long out of print, but worth searching out.

​Another gem, recently rediscovered, thanks to TCM, is a very small but entertaining film titled, “The Rounders,” with Glenn Ford, Henry Fonda and Chill Willis, directed by Burt Kennedy (“Support your local Sheriff”). While not much on plot, the two performances by two outstanding actors in rare comedic roles, is well worth the ninety minute running time.

​And last, but never least, “The Killers” starring Edmond O’ Brian and introducing to the big screen, Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner. Directed by Robert Siodmak, the film is based on the 1927 short story by none other than Ernest Hemmingway.  An uncredited John Huston and Richard Brooks co-wrote the screenplay, which was credited to Anthony Veiler. Later remade into a theatrical release with Lee Marvin, John Cassavettes, Angie Dickinson and, of all people Ronald Reagan. Watch the Swede get mixed up with Kitty Collins and a very bad crowd. Witness a bad-ass William Conrad terrorize a small-town diner looking for the Swede. This movie has it all and is worth seeking out. I’ve seen it at least ten times and it never gets old. 
 
In the words of the immortal Paul Harvey, “Until next time, America. This is J.P. Linde. Good day!”