Hollywood find source ideas from several directions: from novels, short stories, and even comic books, from historical events or biographies of remarkable people, from social crises and political unrest, and from old movies that they want to update for a modern audience. One favorite source are foreign movies that they want to translate for an… Continue reading Movie Journal: The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Author: Keith
Book Review: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Though I wouldn’t call myself an expert in 19th Century English gothic literature, I had read the main works in that genre. Dracula? Check. Frankenstein? Check. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Check. The Picture of Dorian Gray? Oh, wait! There’s one I’ve neglected. At least, I’ve neglected it until now. I don’t know why I’ve… Continue reading Book Review: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Movie Journal: Seven Samurai (1954)
When villagers learn that bandits plan on raiding their village after the barley harvest, they bemoan their fate and argue about what they should do. Ideas range from fleeing their village and their farm and establish a home elsewhere to yielding to the bandits in hopes of light treatment. When they consult “the old man,”… Continue reading Movie Journal: Seven Samurai (1954)
Erotic Literature: The Diary of a Chambermaid
After finding and losing eleven jobs in two years, Célestine, a domestic maid, took a new position in the country. In an effort to understand her failure to find stability, as she began working for Isidore and Euphrasie Lanlaire, she purchased a diary to record her daily life and reflections of her personal history. In… Continue reading Erotic Literature: The Diary of a Chambermaid
Movie Journal: The Harry Potter Movies
Perhaps the last thing the Harry Potter franchise needs is for me to sing its praises. Successful with both box office revenue and critical appreciation, these eight movies, based on seven books, have achieved a popularity that makes it doubtful that anyone reading this review has not already seen the movies. I imagine there… Continue reading Movie Journal: The Harry Potter Movies
Look Ahead: September 2016
For August, I created a new regular post for this blog page. I called it Look Ahead, and it’s meant to give the reader of this blog an idea of what I’m working on and what blog article I intend to publish. I think of these details as promises to the reader. As such, I… Continue reading Look Ahead: September 2016
Movie Journal: The Lovers (1958)
In 1959 the Heights Art Movie Theater in Cleveland showed the French film Les Amants (The Lovers). The theater manager, Nico Jacobellis, was promptly arrested for showing obscenity, convicted, and fined $2,500. Justice served! Menace to society punished! Not so fast. In 1964, when Jacobellis v. Ohio went before the United States Supreme Court, the… Continue reading Movie Journal: The Lovers (1958)
Movie Journal: Ben-Hur (2016)
A couple weeks ago, I review Ben-Hur: A Tale of Christ, the 1880 novel by Lew Wallace, and last week, I review the 1959 movie starring Charlton Heston. This was in preparation to this year’s remake, starring Jack Huston and Toby Kebbell. I anticipated this movie with tempered excitement, because most Hollywood remakes are less… Continue reading Movie Journal: Ben-Hur (2016)
Movie Journal: Howl (2010)
In 1955, the American poet Allen Ginsberg published Howl and Other Poems. He published it with City Lights Books in San Francisco. In 1957, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the publisher, faced obscenity charges for publishing and distributing the book. The title poem, “Howl,” in particular was considered obscene. But it has since become a classic America poem,… Continue reading Movie Journal: Howl (2010)
Movie Journal: Ben-Hur: A Tale of Christ (1959)
This coming week will see the remake of Ben-Hur, the 1959 classic movie of revenge and redemption. Naturally, I’m curious of the remake, but I’m also wary. I want it to be good, but it seems doubtful that it could be Charlton Heston good. In anticipation of the remake, I read the original book by… Continue reading Movie Journal: Ben-Hur: A Tale of Christ (1959)