I turn 46 today. As Dorothy Parker once said, "Time doth flit. Oh shit!" While I usually despair at my lack of progress, I now feel myself gradually accepting my flaws and limitations. Sometimes, I'll sit down and write a thousand words. Sometimes, I'll add an adjective and call it a day. Such is life.… Continue reading August Update
Tom Mead's Death and the Conjuror has a lot of things going for it, but what impressed me the most was its measurement. The narrative events (revelations for you non-mystery fanatics) are doled out in such a way that our attention to the suspects resembles a whirlwind, returning back to characters we had confidently crossed… Continue reading Death and the Conjuror
John Stephen Strange's Let the Dead Past began with a ton of demerits. The book's small print coupled with my eyes' sudden deterioration gave me a headache. The condition of the book was even worse--by the final chapter, it started falling apart in my hands. To top it all off, the very first sentence revealed… Continue reading Let the Dead Past
The Devil is a Woman (1935) Josef Von Sternberg Has that obscure object of desire ever been as beautiful or elusive? The Devil is a Woman is the most gorgeous of all the Sternberg/Dietrich collaborations, no mean feat considering they include such titles as Morocco and The Scarlet Empress. Poor Lucien Ballard had to satisfy… Continue reading My 10 Favorite Films of the 1930s
John Russell Fearn If you ever run into film director Mike Leigh, don't compare him to John Cassavetes. He hates it. My friend Matt made the mistake of doing just that during a Q&A session years ago. Leigh didn't take too kindly to Matt's comparison and treated him with contempt. I happen to love John… Continue reading The Gauntlet has been Volleyed
James Scott Byrnside 