A DANGEROUS MAN by J. L. Engel

Posted on by

A DANGEROUS MAN by J. L. Engel just came to my attention and has gone on to my to-be-purchased list.  The novel currently has a 4.9 / 5 rating on both Amazon and Good Reads.  It hardly gets better than that.  Here’s the lowdown…

A DANGEROUS MAN
His crusade of retribution has freed countless trafficking victims from captivity, sweeping across the United States like a storm, and leaving a bloody path of destruction in his wake.
Who is he?
He was a father, a husband, and a former government operative who lost everything he cared for to a merciless Russian crime syndicate. And he’s arrived in Boston to bring his odyssey of vengeance to a close.
Can he be stopped?
Pursuing him is a relentless FBI agent with more at stake than enforcing the law, a hard-boiled detective suspicious of every piece of the puzzle, and a pair of cunning twin assassins who might rival his skill.
At what cost?
They’ll risk everything being drawn into the chaos of one man’s war for justice. Motives will be questioned, loyalties will be tested, and no one will come out unscathed – if at all.

Source: The Bearded Book Beast

“Body Double” (1984) directed by Brian DePalma, starring Craig Wasson, Melanie Griffith & Gregg Henry / Z-View

Posted on by

Body Double (1984)

Director: Brian De Palma

Screenplay: Brian De Palma, Robert J. Avrech story by Brian De Palma

Stars: Craig Wasson, Melanie Griffith, Gregg Henry, Deborah Shelton, Al Israel, Douglas Warhit, Russ Marin, Lane Davies, Larry Flash Jenkins, Monte Landis, Brinke Stevens, Steven Bauer and Dennis Franz.

Tagline:  You can’t believe everything you see.

The Plot…

Jack Scully (Wasson) is a struggling actor going through a rough patch.  He just lost his role in a low-budget horror film.  He came home to catch his girlfriend in bed with someone else.  Jack needs a new place to live until things get back on track.

Things are looking up when Sam Bouchard (Henry), an actor Jack met at auditions, offers a place to stay.  Sam’s rich friend needs a house-sitter.  Sam shows Jack the place.  It’s in an upscale neighborhood.  Very modern.  Plus, there’s a bonus.  Every night at a specific time, a lady neighbor does a strip tease as she changes into night clothes.  She’s easy to watch through the telescope focused on her window. Jack is skeptical until he sees for himself.  She’s beautiful.

Jack agrees to house sit.  Watching the woman across the way becomes a nightly activity.  He’s becoming obsessed with her.  Then one night Jack sees a scary looking hombre across the way, also watching the woman strip.

Jack wants to warn her.  But how can he without making himself look like a creeper?  The next night as he’s watching her, Jack sees the scary man hiding in her apartment.  He races over to warn her, but is too late.  Jack finds her murdered.

And that makes him the key suspect.  Jack begins to suspect he was set up.

He was.  But NOT to be the murderer.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Body Double is a love letter to the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Brian De Palma and Robert J. Avrech are both fans of Hitch.  They screened Vertigo and Rear Window for inspiration.

Deborah Shelton’s voice was dubbed by actress Helen Shaver.

Melanie Griffith was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for this film for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture.

Body Double is a fun ride.

Body Double (1984) rates 4 of 5 stars.

THE SWITCHBLADE SVENGALI by Coy Hall!

Posted on by

THE SWITCHBLADE SVENGALI by Coy Hall is coming out this month.  It’s the second Royce Pembrook thriller.  The first, A SÉANCE FOR WICKED KING DEATH received my highest recommendation.  That makes THE SWITCHBLADE SVENGALI an immediate purchase.  Here’s the lowdown…

When the bell tolls midnight, it’ll be 1968.Royce Pembrook is living well in a new city, with new patrons, a new name, and a new trade. But he’s the same scam artist he’s been for thirty years. Since youth, Royce has made his money and found trouble in fraudulent séances that prey on the grieving widows of high society.

Now he’s expanded his con, posing as a hypnotist, a Svengali, swindling everyone in Phoenix from scions of old wealth to a UFO cult led by a heroin-addicted visionary.  Life is good. Royce has the luxury he craves.

And that’s when trouble out of the past creeps into his world. Even in the domain of fake spirits, the relentless specter of murder is real, and Royce’s former life is one thing that won’t stay in the grave. When the bell tolls midnight for Royce Pembrook, will it be time to abscond? Or will he fight to keep all that he’s gained, no matter the violent cost to those around him?

What folks are saying…

  • “When the cornered lamb realizes he’s always been a wolf …” – M.E. Proctor, author of Love You Till Tuesday
  • “This is a man out of time and control. Royce’s facade is degrading and the violent man within is wrestling back control. A fascinating character study.” – Adam Hulse, author of Below Economic Thresholds
  • “Coy Hall’s The Switchblade Svengali captivates with a tale of long-con mediumship, bludgeonings and a UFO cult! A precise meld of elegance and blood curdle.” – Ilyn Welch, author of Bad Makes Bad
  • “Royce Pembrook is up to his old spook show tricks, this time at the height of the 1960s counterculture movement. But the ghosts he conjures aren’t the only things haunting these pages-his past has caught up to him too, threatening to derail everything he’s built since the harrowing events of A Séance for Wicked King Death. Vengeful women, gullible marks, and UFO cultists make this book impossible to put down. Coy Hall’s Switchblade Svengali is so good, I wouldn’t be surprised if the dead crossed from the other side just to read it.” – C.W. Blackwell, author of Hard Mountain Clay
  • “Very happy to report that this is a sequel that’s even better than the first book.” – Regan MacArthur, author of One Lash to Kill

Preoders are available now.

“Grotesquerie”: Season 1 (2024) starring Niecy Nash / Z-View

Posted on by

Grotesquerie: Season 1 (2024)

Created by: Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz, Joe Baken

Director: Max Winkler (Eps. 1-2; 5-7); Ryan Murphy (Ep. 3); Alexis Martin Woodall  (Eps. 4; 9-10;); Elegance Bratton (Ep. 8)

Teleplay: Ryan Murphy & Jon Robin Baitz & Joe Baken (Eps. 1-10)

Stars: Niecy Nash, Courtney B. Vance, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Micaela Diamond, Raven Goodwin, Lesley Manville, Joshua Bitton, Jay Alan Christianson and Brooke Smith.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

A serial killer is murdering multiple people at a time.  The killer then poses the bodies into elaborate scenes.  Detective Lois Tryon (Nash) is assigned the case.  Lois’ plate is already full.  She’s drinking too much.  Her husband remains hospitalized in a coma.  Lois and her daughter’s relationship is strained and not getting better.

When the killer strikes again, Lois is introduced to Sister Megan Duval (Diamond).  Sister Megan sees religious symbolism that the killer leaves behind.  Her insights into the case are helpful.  Lois brings Sister Megan on board.

As Lois works the case she begins to sense that something isn’t right.

And, boy, is she correct.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Grotesquerie: Season 1 starts off well enough.  A brutal serial killer that murders multiple victims each time out.  A detective who drinks too much and has family problems.  An unconventional nun who may provide the key to the investigation.  This is a great combination for a fun/creepy/scary tale.  The actors are excellent.  The direction is as well done.

But… (You could feel that coming, couldn’t ya?)

As the series progresses we get the feeling that something is off kilter.  Then so does Detective Lois Tryon.  We are both proved right.  Ok, things to a turn but this can work as long as the writers stick the ending.

They don’t.  The ending didn’t resonate with me.  While this ending could lead into a season two (that we may or may not get), it leaves me dissatisfied.  I’m glad I took the journey, but the trip was more fun than the destination.

Grotesquerie: Season 1 (2024) rates 3 of 5 stars.

POSTCARD FROM HELL by Rex Dancer

Posted on by

POSTCARD FROM HELL by Rex Dancer

First sentence…

It was the slowest, deadest part of the night, when time itself was barely moving, and Andre Derain was wide awake – again.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Andy Derain was once a famous New York City fashion photographer.  Fame is fleeting.  And so was Andy.  He fled to New Orleans.

Now Andy is getting by with whatever photo gigs he can get.  Even if it means selling pics from time to time to a sleazy tabloid.  When Andy gets called to a potential crime scene, he takes photos.  Turns out the dead man is Crayfish Joe Coquin’s son.  Crayfish Joe is much more dangerous than his name implies.  It’s a risk, but Andy needs the money.  He sells the pics to the sleaze rag.

About the same time that Andy learns the gangster is looking for him, Andy gets a postcard from Astrid Montebello.  Astrid was a model Andy worked with and cared for.  Astrid is in the Caymen Islands. She may be in trouble.  When Andy gives her a call, there is no answer.

With Crayfish Joe and his goons closing in, Andy decides a trip to the Caymen Islands is just what the doctor ordered.  He will hang with Astrid until Crayfish cools down.

Only problem is, Astrid is nowhere to be found.  And Andy now has the attention of drug dealers and the F.B.I.   Andy is in way over his head.

And Crayfish Joe is waiting in New Orleans if Andy survives.

Rating:

“My Forbidden Past” (1951) starring Robert Mitchum & Ava Gardner / Z-View

Posted on by

My Forbidden Past (1951)

Director: Robert Stevenson

Screenplay: Marion Parsonnet, Leopold Atlas (adaptation) based on CARRIAGE ENTRANCE by Polan Banks

Stars: Robert Mitchum, Ava Gardner, Melvyn Douglas, Lucile Watson, Janis Carter, Gordon Oliver, Steve Carruthers and Will Wright.

Tagline:  SHE’s the kind of woman that made NEW ORLEANS famous!

The Plot…

Dr. Mark Lucas (Mitchum) and Barbara Beaurevel (Gardner) are in love.  They plan to elope on the ship Mark is taking to South America. They plan to meet at the ship.  When Barbara is unable to leave, she gives a note to her cousin to take to Mark.  The cousin doesn’t deliver the message, but acts as though he did.

When Mark returns from South America, Barbara is excited to greet him.  She’s shocked when Mark introduces his wife!  Mark, thinking Barbara left him, married a beautiful woman.  Mark comes to learn that Barbara still loves him.  What Mark doesn’t know is his wife, married him for his money.

When Mark’s wife is found murdered, Mark is the #1 suspect.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

My Forbidden Past is a strange mix.  There’s a murder, but there is no mystery to who did it.  There’s a love triangle, but it’s pretty tame.  Mark is set up for the murder, but at pre-trial he’s proven innocent.  Fade out.

My Forbidden Past (1951) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Horror of Dracula” (1958) starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee / Z-View

Posted on by

Horror of Dracula aka Dracula (1958)

Director: Terence Fisher

Screenplay: Jimmy Sangster based on DRACULA by Bram Stoker

Stars: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough, Valerie Gaunt.

Tagline:  Important Note!! Don’t Confuse This Picture With the Other DRACULA Movies! This is the NEWEST and BEST One and the ONLY ONE in TECHNICOLOR!

The Plot…

Doctor Van Helsing (Cushing) is shocked to discover his friend Jonathan Harker has been turned into one of Dracula’s (Lee) vampire slaves.  Van Helsing realizes it is up to him to end Dracula’s reign of terror.

What chance has one man against Dracula?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Christopher Lee as Dracula has only 16 lines of dialogue in the entire film.  And they are all within the first ten minutes.

The title was changed to the Horror of Dracula for its U.S. release.  This was to avoid confusion since the original 1931 Bela Lugosi film was still available for theater showings.

When I first saw Christopher Lee as Dracula, I wasn’t a fan.  I was too sold on Lugosi as the Count.  Over the years I’ve grown to appreciate Lee’s take on the king of vampires and the movies that feature him.

Horror of Dracula aka Dracula (1958) rates 4 of 5 stars.

RIP: Tony Todd

Posted on by

It was announced that Tony Todd died on on November 6, 2024, at the age of 69.  No cause of death was listed.

After high school graduation Tony Todd attended the University of Connecticut, the Eugene O’Neill National Actors Theatre Institute, and the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island.  Mr. Todd acted on Broadway, television and in feature films.

Television projects that feature Tony Todd include: Simon & Simon; Werewolf; 21 Jump Street; Kate & Allie; Night Court; MacGyver; Matlock; Cop Rock; Father Dowling Mysteries; Jake and the Fatman (3 episodes); Star Trek: The Next Generation (3 episodes); Law and Order; The X-Files; Homicide: Life on the Street (3 episodes); Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2 episodes); Murder She Wrote; New York Undercover; Beverly Hills 90210; NYPD Blue; Xena: Warrior Princess; Star Trek: Voyager; Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (2 episodes); Babylon 5: A Call to Arms; Angel; UC: Undercover; Smallville; Crossing Jordan; Andromeda; Charmed; Boston Public (2 episodes); CSI: Miami; The District (2 episodes); Criminal Minds; Stargate SG-1 (3 episodes); Boston Legal; Without a Trace; 24 Redemption; 24 (7 episodes); Batman: The Brave and the Bold; Psyche; Splatter (8 episodes); The Event (2 episodes); Chuck (10 episodes); Hawaii 5-0; Holliston (2 episodes); Transformers Prime (8 episodes); Young Justice (2 episodes); The Young and the Restless (14 episodes); Dead of Summer (5 episodes); Be Cool Scooby-Doo! (2 episodes); The Orville; Scream: The TV Series (3 episodes); Masters of the Universe: Revelation (3 episodes); Dota: Dragon’s Blood (17 episodes); The Flash (16 episodes); Masters of the Universe: Revolution and Winnie Taylor’s 4th & Inches (8 episodes).

Feature films that Tony Todd appeared in include: Sleepwalk; Platoon; 84 Charing Cross Road; Colors; Bird; Lean on Me; Night of the Living Dead; Candyman; The Crow; Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh; The Rock; Candyman: Day of the Dead; Final Destination; Final Destination 2; Final Destination 3; The Man from Earth; Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen; Final Destination 5; Army of the Damned; Zombies; Candy Corn and All Gone Wrong. 

I probably first saw Tony Todd in Platoon.  Talk about an impressive first credit.  When I think of Tony Todd, the first film that comes to mind is the remake of Night of the Living Dead.  Then I quickly remember that Mr. Todd was also in The Rock, Boston Public, Boston Legal, 24, Candyman and so many other shows and movies that I enjoy.  What a career!

Out thoughts and prayers go out to Tony Todd’s family, friends and fans.