Thoughts on Living the Life Creative
I am a huge fan of documentary filmmaker Ken Burns. My bet is that his work really came to our attention with "The Civil War" in 1990. At his best, his movies and series are sweeping poetry done in film. His visual style, use of music and ability to interweave personal narratives to the larger... Continue Reading →
To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway (1937) Harry Morgan's desires are simple. To captain his boat for tourists who want to go fishing plus whatever other reasonably legal business he can do to support his family. When his luck goes bad he finds himself forced into ever more dangerous jobs with ever mounting... Continue Reading →
The Osterman Weekend (1983) - A TV investigative journalist is told by the CIA that his closest friends are actually spies. It appears that they are setting him up to take the fall. Now he has to figure out what to do when they are all coming to his home for the weekend. Directed by... Continue Reading →
Working on the upcoming movies list. I try to keep a good rotation of classics, Indie plus newer stuff that I just haven't seen yet. So I realized that I hadn't done any queue maintenance in a while when three documentaries in a row landed in my mailbox. Most of the titles are familiar but... Continue Reading →
No Time For Love (1943) - A sophisticated female photographer (Claudette Colbert) reluctantly takes an assignment shooting a tunnel building crew. She meets a handsome and egotistical "sand hog" (Fred MacMurray) and sparks fly. Directed: Mitchell Leisen ... Continue Reading →
A Face in the Crowd (1957) - A small-time grifter (Andy Griffith) is discovered by a small town radio producer (Patricia Neal). His singing and down-home humor make him a star on the national stage. When fame goes to his head his world comes crashing down. Directed by Elia Kazan ... Continue Reading →
The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers (1895) - A collection of short stories with an interesting spread to them. The first four have a strongly supernatural feel and a connection to a play that can inspire madness in those who read it, "The King in Yellow". The supernatural aspect fades quickly in the... Continue Reading →
The Grapes of Wrath (1940) - A family of "Okies", farmers from Oklahoma, are forced off their farms as the banks foreclose during the Depression, move west in search of a better life. What they find will challenge their love for one another and their essential beliefs in the American Dream. Directed by John Ford... Continue Reading →
The Long, Long Trailer (1953) - A soon to be married couple decide to buy a trailer and begin their married life on the road. Turns out married life and life on the road have more challenges than they expected. Directed by Vincente Minelli ... Continue Reading →
Living now near the city where Poe grew up (Richmond, VA), I've taken the time to dig a little deeper into the works of one of the most acclaimed American authors. If you ever find yourself in Richmond, I heartily recommend the Poe Museum. It's small but has a great selection of items to walk... Continue Reading →
Stories Are My Life 