Saturday, August 27, 2016
First Lines: Truman Capote - In Cold Blood
The village of Holcomb stands on the high wheat plains of western Kansas, a lonesome area that other Kansans call 'out there'.
Slaughterhouse-Five (1972)
A man tells his story of how he became unstuck in time and abducted by aliens.
An
unusual, but effective adaptation of a complex novel, at heart an
anti-war movie, but wandering through various time zones (including a
world beyond the realm of earth), sometimes a bit bewildering.
Halliwell*: "Interesting but infuriating anti-war fantasy for intellectuals."
The Phantom Planet (1961)
After an invisible asteroid draws an astronaut and his ship to its surface, he is miniaturized by the phantom planet's exotic atmosphere.
Risible sci-fi adventure, quite poor in all departments, doesn't achieve the quality of even the worst Star Trek episodes.
Maltin*1/2: "Fascinatingly terrible movie."
Satan in Art and Images
The clergy feasting in the jaws of a devil
Woodcut attributed to Matthias Gerung. Formerly attributed to Hans Weiditz, Germany, 1520-1560
Friday, August 26, 2016
First Lines: William Strunk Jr. - The Elements of Style
This book is intended for use in English courses in which the practice of composition is combined with the study of literature.
Lemmy (2010)
A documentary on the life and career of revered heavy-metal musician Lemmy Kilmister.
Although more a homage than a documentary this film does offer some insights to a beloved and legendary rock musician and is quite entertaining as well.
I am Divine (2013)
How Divine, aka Harris Glenn Milstead, became John Waters' cinematic muse and an international drag icon.
Comprehensive and often stirring portrayal of an unusual star with an even more unusual career does justice to a lovable, but controversial figure.
