The Strange Case of the Circleville Writer – A True Modern Day Mystery!

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Until today, I had never heard of The Circleville Writer.  This true modern day mystery involves a mysterious person who sent multiple letters to people detailing their infidelities and advising them to confess. 

The Circleville Writer wrote about cheating spouses, child molesters and more.  The letters continued to arrive and then signs started appearing around the city making the same claims. Before it was over there was a murder, an attempted murder, booby traps and a prison sentence… but not for the Circleville Writer!  He/she was never caught and the allegations about the different people he/she wrote about were proved to be true!

For full details check out Top 10 Strange Facts About The Circleville Writer by Benjamin Welton posted at Listverse.

James Mangold on the Making of “Cop Land”

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Bilge Ebiri at Vulture recently interviewed James Mangold about his experience directing Cop Land for Miramax.  Mangold details the behind-the-scenes action to get the script sold and the film made.

It’s interesting to note that Cop Land went from being a script that didn’t sell to one of the hotest scripts on the market.  Companies wanted just the script, actors wanted to star in it and Mangold wasn’t about to sell it without him at the helm.

The amazing cast – Stallone, DeNiro, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Michael Rappaport, Annabella Sciorra, Robert Patrick, and Janeane Garofalo – also may have actually overscaled the film.  Also, despite the amazing performance by Stallone, his Rocky/Rambo fans didn’t get what they were used to and non-Stallone fans thought it would be another typical Sly action film so they avoided it!

Check out what Mangold has to say in Behind the Fantasy of the 1997 Movie Cop Land.

“Attack of the Unknown” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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If there ever wondered what a classic drive-in movie looked like, then check out the poster and trailer for Attack of the Unknown.  It has everything you’d expect, B-level stars, questionable effects and monsters.  I just might like this one.  You know I love me a good drive-in movie.

Synopsis: A SWAT team transporting a vicious crime syndicate boss find themselves trapped inside a county detention center as the world burns around them. They have no communication with the outside world and must band together to escape the bloodthirsty alien forces attacking them. Attack of the Unknown stars Richard Grieco (21 Jump Street, Night at the Roxbury, If looks could Kill) Tara Reid (American Pie) and Robert LaSardo (Nip/Tuck, General Hospital, CSI Miami, Gang Related, NYPD Blue).

Cast: Richard Grieco, Tara Reid, Robert LaSardo

“Arkansas” / Z-View

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Arkansas (2020)

Director: Clark Duke

Screenplay: Clark Duke and Andrew Boonkrong (based on the novel by John Brandon)

Stars:  Liam Hemsworth, Clark Duke, Michael Kenneth Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Eden Brolin, Chandler Duke, John Malkovich and Vince Vaughn.

The Pitch: “Clark Duke wants to turn Arkansas the book into Arkansas the movie!”

Tagline: Kyle and Swin are working their way to the top…but the top has other plans.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Kyle (Hemsworth), a low level drug courier, finds himself working with Swin (Clark) on a delivery.  Neither would have never chosen the other to be a partner, but it’s what the boss wants.  And the boss is a ruthless, mysterious Arkansas drug kingpin known only as Froggy.

Things go smoothly for Kyle and Swin until they don’t… and then the deadly retribution spiral begins.

I loved Arkansas.  Great cast – Hemsworth has never been better – and Duke impressed me with his acting/directorial debut.   Malkovich and Vaughn make everything better and this is no exception.  I also enjoyed seeing Michael Kenneth Williams and Vivica Fox in supporting roles.  Eden Brolin (Josh Brolin’s daughter) is an actress I hadn’t seen before and she was excellent.  Brad William Henke and Jeff Chase have small but impressive, important roles.  Arkansas has the right mix of tension and humor.

Arkansas may be too quirky for some, but I loved it.


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“One of Those Days” by Yehuda & Maya Devir

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I recently discovered (very late to this party) the web comic One of Those Days by Yehuda and Maya Devir.  With a wonderfully fun art style, the jokes hit home and leave you looking forward to their next installment.

Based on the wildly popular webcomic, One of Those Days chronicles the life and love of Yehuda and Maya Devir as they take on the minutiae of marriage, the ups and downs of daily life, and the paradigm shift of new parenthood.

Yehuda and Maya Devir began illustrating their life in comics when they moved into their first apartment together in Tel Aviv as newlyweds. In the years since, One of Those Days has become one of the biggest webcomics on the Internet, with millions of followers around the world. Yehuda Devir grew up on superhero comic books, and the Devirs’ visual style is downright kinetic and bursting with life.

In this collection—the first time that the Devirs’ comics have been compiled in one volume—they share stories that are heartwarming, hilarious, and universally recognizable. So even for those who don’t feel like pulling out an assault rifle to wage war on a kitchen cockroach, the Devirs’ challenges and triumphs are instantly familiar to anyone who’s had one of those days.

RIP – James “Kamala” Harris

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James Harris better known as the professional wrestler Kamala the Ugandan Giant has died at the age of 70 due to complications from Covid-19.

Harris began his pro wrestling career in 1978 after meeting Hall of Fame Wrestler Bobo Brazil.  In his early years Harris wrestled under the names, Ugly Bear Harris, Big Jim Harris and Bad News Harris.  In 1982, Harris signed with promoter Jerry Lawler’s Continental Wrestling Association.  Harris and Lawler created the Kamala character — a giant headhunter brought to the US from the jungles of Uganda.

Harris wrestled for all of the major companies and was a fan favorite.  When my sons and nephews were young, I took them to a live wrestling event where Kamala was one of the featured stars.  I overheard the boys telling my youngest son, Chris, that Kamala was a cannibal and a headhunter who ate little kids.  They went on to tell Chris that if Kamala got hungry he would begin slapping his belly and then climb out of the ring to look for a meal.  (Slapping his belly was a signature move for Kamala and he did it in every match.)

Needless to say when Kamala came out to wrestle Chris seemed to move a bit closer to me with eyes as big as saucers watching the Ugandan giant enter the ring.  Sure enough, part way through the match he began to slap his belly.  Chris grabbed my hand, and said, “C’mon dad.  Time to go, Kamala’s getting ready to look for a meal!”

Our thoughts and prayers go out to James Kamala Harris’ family, friends and fans.

“Away” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Away is a new series that premieres September 4th on Netflix.   I like the synopsis and trailer.  Yep, I’ll be tuning in.

Away is a thrilling, emotional drama on an epic scale that celebrates the incredible advancements humans can achieve and the personal sacrifices they must make along the way. As American astronaut Emma Green (Hilary Swank) prepares to lead an international crew on the first mission to Mars, she must reconcile her decision to leave behind her husband (Josh Charles) and teenage daughter (Talitha Bateman) when they need her the most. As the crew’s journey into space intensifies, their personal dynamics and the effects of being away from their loved ones back on Earth become increasingly complex. Away shows that sometimes to reach for the stars, we must leave home behind.

Created by Andrew Hinderaker, the series is executive-produced by showrunner Jessica Goldberg, Jason Katims, Matt Reeves, Andrew Hinderaker, Edward Zwick, Hilary Swank, Adam Kassan and Jeni Mulein.”

“The Stunt Double” Short by Damien Chazelle

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The Stunt Double is a short film shot entirely on an iPhone by Academy Award® winner Damien Chazelle.  This is a really well done short with a nice surprise ending.

A journey through cinema history is reimagined for the vertical screen in Damien Chazelle’s “The Stunt Double,” a short film Shot on iPhone 11 Pro.

Watch as classic genres are flipped on their side, from action movies to silent films, spy flicks to westerns, reframing and modernizing the movie magic we know and love.

Negan Lives! / Z-View

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Negan Lives! is a one-shot published by Image Comics.

Writer:  Robert Kirkman
Artist:  Charlie Adlard
Gray Tones:  Cliff Rathburn
Letterer:  Russ Wooton
Cover Artist:  Charlie Adlard

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

Spurned by a slowly rebuilding society, Negan lives a life of desperate isolation… or does he? In the tradition of Here’s Negan, this all-new story in Negan Lives #1 gives readers a glimpse into what has happened to one The Walking Dead’s most popular characters in the time since his last appearance in The Walking Dead #174.

The Walking Dead is one of the few (and easily the longest-running) series that I bought from issue one and went on to buy every single issue published.  I’m a big fan.

When Negan Lives! was announced, I initially thought it was a bad idea.  The tale had been told.  Time to move on.  Then I read that Negan Lives! would be made available to comic shops for free to help store owners recover revenue lost during the Covid pandemic. My opinion changed: it was a cool idea for shops, but not so much for readers.

I was wrong.

Negan Lives! is a fun story that answers some questions from The Walking Dead and actually could pave the way for more Negan stories.

Kirkman creates a situation that is obvious to the reader but in most stories would be oblivious to the main character.  Not so, here.  Negan is right there with us wondering if he is being set up.  I won’t give anything away.  It’s a fun story.

I’ve always enjoyed the team of Adlard and Rathburn and Negan Lives! is a great example of their abilities.  Man, this one-shot reminded me of how much I missed that monthly Kirkman/Adlard/Rathburn fix.

Negan Lives! and we’re better off for it.


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Remembering Burger Chef, Star Wars, Mike Kott and Me!

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If you’re of a particular age, it is almost a certainty that you dined ate at a Burger Chef.  If you’re younger, then you may not have ever heard of the one-time fast food giant. 

Back in the 1970s, Burger Chef was second only to McDonalds as far as fast food franchises went.  Burger Chef was a hit and as a result their investors were earning returns where 50% wasn’t unheard of. 

Burger Chef’s popularity was because they served a comparable (some would say even better) meal than other fast food joints and Burger Chef was making innovative moves.  Burger Chef was the first with…

  • Funmeals: geared towards kids.  Each Funmeal came with a sandwhich, small fries, small drink and a toy!  Five years later McDonalds started serving Happy Meals using the same concept.
  • Works Bar:  Burger King said you could have it “your way”.  Burger Chef took things a step further with the Works Bar.  Each Works Bar contained everything you might want to doctor up your sandwhich!
  • Salad Bar:  Burger Chef offered a fully stocked salad bar and this was waay before the health craze hit.
  • Media Tie-Ins:  Burger Chef saw the importance of media tie-ins and so they made deals linking their food to kid popular franchises like Star Wars and The Brady Bunch.

I worked at a Burger Chef when I was in college.  I’ve shared this story before but if you missed it or would just like to revisit it, check out Star Wars, Burger Chef, Mike Kott and Me.

I have good memories of the folks I worked with and the food we served at Burger Chef.  It’s too bad the chain didn’t survive.  MeTV posted What ever happened to the Burger Chef chain? that explains their rise and fall.  Since you’ve read this far, you’d probably enjoy it.  

Lost Soldiers #1 / Z-View

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Lost Soldiers #1 is part of a five-issue mini-series published by Image Comics.

Writer: Alex Kot
Artist: Lucas Casalanguida
Colorist: Heather Marie Lawrence Moore
Letterer: Aditya Sidikar
Cover Artist: Lucas Casalanguida

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

Vietnam, 1969. Juarez, forty years later. Three men tied by the war they left behind—on collision course with a new one.

Lost Soldiers isn’t your typical war comic.  It’s more Sicario than Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos, more Platoon than Our Army At War.  Issue 1 lays the groundwork for the series, alternating between flashbacks of three young soldiers who first met in the jungles of Viet Nam and are now older career vets prepping for a mission into Juarez against a highly armed and motivated cartel.

When talking about Lost Soldiers, Alex Kot said, “The world needs bad men willing to do bad things so the world can stay good. Lost Soldiers is what happens when you buy into that idea so much that it becomes a curse… it is unflinching about the consequences of our actions. It spells them out in blood and pain and loss. And maybe, if you’re lucky, a sliver of hope.”  Kot in this first issue bridged the 40 year gap between Nam and now by choosing scenes that move the story forward and give insight into his characters.

Lucas Casalanguida’s art adds to the gravitas of the story.  Like the best comic artists Casalanguida hits the right blend of realism and exaggeration.  I love his bold art in this issue.  Check out that splash on page 12.

Heather Marie Lawrence Moore’s color choices enhance the mood of the story.  I applaud her choices.  She’s not afraid to back off color, use one bright color on a muted page or let her hues run like a watercolor.  Awesome.

Lost Soldiers #1 is a winner.


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“Measure for Measure” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The poster and trailer for Measure for Measure are here.  I’m always ready for a good crime story and this one mixes in a forbidden love as well.  I’m in.

A contemporary re-telling of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. An unlikely romance ignites between a young immigrant Muslim girl and a young musician, set against Melbourne’s notorious commission flats, where a world of crime, drugs, and racial disharmony reign….

That Texas Blood #2 / Z-View

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That Texas Blood #2 is part of an on-going series published by Image Comics.

Writer: Chris Condon
Artist: Jacob Phillips
Colorist: Jacob Phillips
Cover Artist: Duncan Fegredo  – Variant Cover (Sean Phillips’ cover not shown)

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

“A BROTHER’S CONSCIENCE,” Part One The first five-part story arc BEGINS HERE! Los Angeles-based writer Randy Terrill returns to his abandoned home of Ambrose County, Texas after the sudden and mysterious death of his brother Travis.

If you missed the sold out first issue of That Texas Blood you’re in luck.  Second printings should be available and issue 2 starts a new story arc.

Randy Terrill has bad memories of Ambrose County, Texas.  He and his brother, Travis, used to drink, party, and well, do other things that Randy wants to put behind him.  He moved to LA and gave up his wild ways.  It wasn’t easy and the bad memories linger.

When Randy receives word that Travis has died Randy knows, despite all misgivings, he has to return home.  Things can’t get any worse.

No one is happy to see Randy back in town or unhappy that his brother died.  And then Sheriff Joe Bob Coates tells Randy something that makes things a lot worse.

That Texas Blood maintains the quality from Condon and Phillips that earned issue 1 universal rave reviews.  That Texas Blood continues to earn my highest recommendation.


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