Movie: The Lost Boys [1987]

Hi Karswell: I'm fine, thanks for the Comment in the most recent post. Been doing a ton of non-fiction reading and involvement with real-life social activities.
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If I have to *review* this seriously GOOD film, you either need to come out of that coma or get a kick in the backside. >:-p This is an all-time favorite of mine. My parents were religious fanatics who wouldn't allow my sister and I to go to movies (yes, you read that right; nor could we listen to any form of secular music, TV and books were censored, no square dancing, etc.). In 1987 this film was especially a treat to me; it was one of the "darker" films I'd yet seen (I walked out of "Hellraiser" a few months later, after only 10 minutes into it; couldn't handle its extreme graphic scene of Frank and that box). Just the right amount of seriousness versus comedic touches, and of course those gorgeous actors! I had a crush on Michael and still do. Dwyane also caught my eye. And wasn't Star fantastically beautiful?

Sam and the Frog Brothers; can't imagine the film without them. Grandpa and his "2nd shelf" with its "root beers and double-thick Oreos" and all those icky stuffed animals. I absolutely *loved* Dianne Wiest and her portrayal of mom Lucy. What's especially weird is I'm now a couple of years older than she was in the film. :-O In the opening scene she's reminiscing about "Groovin' on a Sunday Afternoon" being from her generation 20 years ago. And now the movie itself is 22 years ago! :-( And who could forget Max and the spaghetti dinner fiasco? Or Michael awakening to floating, going out the window with the telephone while Sam's screaming into Lucy's ear over the restaurant telephone -- ROFL!

One other kudo to the film (besides everything else): The soundtrack wasn't obnoxious. I generally don't like '80s films because of the overbearing and garish soundtracks. TLB has just the right amount of song interjection; the songs ENHANCE the story -- they don't distract. They're like the right amount of heat in your enchiladas; enjoyable, but so is the fried corn tortilla and cheese.

And here's Michael's reaction to your a] never having seen the film (incomprehensible) or b] you didn't like it:






;-) I am reading a Gothic novel; will review it when finished.

Sutter's Sands by Marilyn Cram Donahue [1971]

The scan of this unusual and gorgeous cover was obtained via an online bookseller.

I'm halfway through the novel and don't think I'm premature in writing a summary nor giving it 3 Stars [out of 5]. It's well written, moody, suspenseful...but has some major logical loopholes, imo.

The author lets the cat out of the bag too fast. We very quickly see the negative and hostile attitudes and interactions of the folks at Sutter's mansion. The chief maid is nearly physically assaultive to another seeming member of the staff. Our heroine is warned by the maid's husband to be careful and points to a bruise on his chin. Um...I don't know many men who'd admit to a veritable FEMALE stranger that he's an abused husband, and seeing how our heroine IS niece of Mr. Sutter -- the chief maid's boss [read: bread and butter] -- methinks the maid [who I visualized as that big clunky ugly chick "Maude" in the Andy Griffith Show episode of 3 escaped female convicts who take Barney and Floyd hostage in the cabin] wouldn't dare even consider lifting a finger against her. We quickly see who the heroine will fall for. Mr. Sutter's strange attitudes [I know it's to be expected, but his quirks and foibles are quickly laid bare to our eyes]. The fact that heroine's dead dad's letter is hidden away from her [she had time to open the letter, read it and carefully reseal it prior to handing it over to her weird uncle] in uncle Sutter's Bible. She sees him place it there, and it's secured with a key. Now she uneasily decides -- despite all the hostile drama and creepiness of the place -- to hang around just long enough to get that little golden key from uncle Sutter's belt and snatch the letter out of the Bible. Wow...why not just TAKE the entire Bible [it's a standard family edition], flee to the Florida mainland, cut its locked straps, take out the letter and mail the Bible back to uncle Sutter?

Another turnoff is the way a Native American [Seminole] female character is written. As in "The Shadow on Spanish Swamp" [reviewed a while back/different author], the authoress seems compelled to include a "minority" character...and then botches it. Said characters are written as VERY noble and VERY beautiful and VERY wonderful. This uneasy "walking on egg shells" quality. I know white authors, especially at the time, had to be careful not to come off as racist or whatever; but if one is THAT uneasy about writing a "minority" character, why bother in the first place? The "minority" character comes off as stilted and unbelievable; the aim [to genuinely and positively include folks of other races/ethnicities] is indirectly worked against. If I were Native American I'd probably be snickering while reading this novel.

I dunno. Anywho, I continue studying non-fiction/serious "stuff". Will finish this novel and amend the review if necessary; though I doubt it'll be necessary.

Freer's Cove by Ethel Gordon [1972]

Cover scan from...can't recall. I didn't scan it.

Yes, I'm still alive. :-P Have been busy with non-fiction reading and a correspondence study involving 12 courses, with diploma upon completion.

Absinthe recommended "Freer's Cove" when she had her blog Gloomy Sunday. She gave it 5 Towers of Doom, and rightly so: It's a FABULOUS story. Totally Gothic, like she said. Beautifully and patiently written; a genuine work of art.

The story involves Daisy, a 20-something college student working towards a degree, whose marriage is now on the rocks. She and husband had a whirlwind romance and a hasty marriage...of which they repented in leisure. They live on a shoestring budget in a ramshackle apartment on a rundown side street in NYC. Daisy, originally from Illinois, is practical and tries to make do; her husband, a selfish and vain git, spends whatever extra money is available to him on clothing for himself. Both are students with hectic schedules, part-time jobs, deadlines and mounting debt.

And then Daisy discovers she's pregnant.

Her husband demands an abortion (recall this is in the early 70s, height of Roe vs. Wade). Daisy can't bear the thought of abortion; she decides to leave and surrender the baby up for adoption (good for you Daisy!!).

Daisy finds a quality adoption agency. She's arrived for her 1st appointment and for an initial check with a physician, when Amos Freer approaches her in the waiting room. His wife Joan is also pregnant; she's a delicate soul who's miscarried before. Would Daisy accompany him to Freer's Cove, befriend Joan and be her companion until both babies are due? Daisy will be given room and board, and quality physician care during.

Daisy agrees. That same day Amos drives her from NYC to Freer's Cove in Maine. She and Joan immediately befriend each other. Ernest, Amos' brother, does not; he dislikes and distrusts Daisy. Sibling rivalries, old hatres and grudges beseige the mansion.

And then there's the matter of Freer children meeting with strange accidents...and even death.

Riveting. Super suspenseful. Gloomy and atmospheric. Read it or miss out. ;-)

My Star Trek Scrapbook [recommended blog]

http://mystartrekscrapbook.blogspot.com

Found this today. It's excellent. :-)

And of course the Link feature doesn't work...

Circle of Death by Helen Arvonen [1967]

10 Stars on a scale of 1 - 5! A *fabulous* story. It's a lovely and entertaining book, both inside and out:



























One of the most rewarding Gothics I've yet read, and which I'll definitely read again in the future. It grabbed me from the start and held on. It never flags nor veers off; it clips along at a high-speed pace. One of the few novels I could *happily* tackle in one sitting; that's incredibly rare. My only criticism? It ended too soon! ;-)

It is not a typical Gothic by any stretch. The story opens in Treston, Ontario, Canada. Linda is alone in Meredith House, the ancestral family home. She is packing a loaded pistol, waiting for the murderer she knows is coming for her tonight: Someone, a friend or acquaintance, who has cold-bloodedly murdered three times already.

But why would anyone wish to kill Linda next?

The story is told in the 1st person by Linda Meredith: A thoughtful, conscientious, practical and immensely likeable heroine. It is a highly sociable story which centers first on Linda's family: Her well-to-do yet humble and humanitarian father, Arthur Meredith, who is already middle-aged when he falls in love with and marries the much younger buxom and gorgeous Lisa "Bitsy" Baker, who works as a hash-slinger at Miller's Dinner Date. Linda is their only child and "every inch a Meredith" -- much to Bitsy's chagrin.

Bitsy is a good-time girl who is restless with boring little Treston. She's always dreamed of bright lights/big city, is splashy and vivacious, and after years of pleading Arthur agrees to move the family to Toronto. Linda initially hates her selfish, vain mother [who insists her only child call her "Bitsy" instead of "mother"] for taking Linda away from her circle of friends: Joyce, Ian, Nell, Jere. Over the years all friends stay in contact via letters. Linda's highly conflicted relationship with Bitsy -- who alternately sulks and parties, is always self-centered and spoiled by the ever-patient and loving Arthur -- not to mention Linda's plainness and practicality sharply contrasting with her mother's intense vanity and frivolousness -- is a poignant highlight.

Linda's beloved father, Arthur, dies. After 14 years of living in Toronto and Bitsy suddenly thrust into the scandal sheets, Linda decides enough's enough; they are returning to Treston.

Linda is overjoyed to be home. Nell, Jere, Ian and Joyce all welcome Linda and Bitsy back with open hearts and arms. The friends dine, swim, chat, drink together. All the original circle [and a couple of extended friends besides] share a homespun and gorgeous Christmas with Linda and Bitsy.

Despite the warmth and gregariousness there are to-be-expected ripples and undercurrents of danger and trouble: Inklings of jealousy, old simmering resentments, intolerance and suspicion.

Linda's world soon comes crashing down. Three people, two of whom are beloved of her, are inexplicably strangled. All three victims have a handful of things in common...which Linda does *not* share with them.

I thought I knew who the culprit was. I was wrong.

A nice aspect of the story is the personal growth of Linda in it. She comes to realize just what everyone in her circle means to her, particularly Bitsy; at story's end she's come to terms with their differences and embraces them. It's a coming-of-age story in that sense.

The cover scan was obtained from FantasticFiction.uk. I love the cover as much as the story; it *perfectly* captures the novel's essence. The girl is practically dressed in a coat, not some flowing filmy nightgown; that's in keeping with Linda's character. The scan is a bit dark and brash; in my copy, the lit circular window is evenly mellow orange with tiny flecks of yellow.

Trixie gives the story 0 Paws for no mention of a cat in any regard.

The cast of characters as I visualized them:

Linda Meredith: Helen Hunt [grown/age 24]
Arthur Meredith: William Schallert.
Lisa "Bitsy Baker" Meredith: Along the lines of Betty Grable.
The others: As described.

Gothic Star Trek: Catspaw [1967] Part II

Upon Trixie's strong insistence, I did a more thorough Google search and indeed found a couple of photos of The Cat [among other things]:


"This is how you say 'Meow Mix' in Klingoni!"




"I've got a big wand, Captain. Ha ha ha."




"Well, Korob, MINE is bigger. And size DOES matter."




"I'm supposed to look like a gigantic black cat in a human-sized corridor, but instead I look like a kitten in a playhouse. How insulting! Hey...that corner over there would make a great spot for my litter box. If only Korob would clean it out more often, the fat lazy oaf."


"So you're going to kill my crew by a fire spell just because I mentioned your lousy interior decorating scheme, and suggested you get a life??"


Kirk: "A clever idea, Mr. Spock: That we make costumes to look like the clothing our Evil Parallel Universe counterparts wore, and pretend to be evil."

Spock: "Thank you, Captain. It's worth a try. However, I am experiencing ongoing difficulties with the false beard glue; it's failing to adhere properly to my skin."

Kirk: "Nevermind that now. Hopefully Korob won't notice. We've got to be EVIL now, Spock; out-evil the evil!"

Spock: "Affirmative, Captain. I shall endeavor to be evil."


"Bones, can you help me here?? Oh! What am I saying?"

The Demon Tower

Another Gothic I don't own, but would like to. The cover art is uniquely compelling, as her sable hair blends into the dark background which ominously overshadows the distant castle bathed in an eerie orange late-afternoon glow. Her deeply lined and mascared eyes are drawn to the castle in both dread and fascination. Pretty pink lipstick contrasts with the surrounding dominant colors. The single bright diamond-burst of light beckoning from the castle turret is an especially attractive touch.

There is a similar cover available at the local used bookstore. The model on that novel looks a lot like Elizabeth Taylor in the late '60s; I doubt it's a coincidence. Must be the same artist: Both faces loom very large in the foreground. The castle or mansion, vividly portrayed, is situated in the distance.

Absinthe would take the time to track down the artists of these covers. I'm sorry to say I don't have the time nor patience [nor inkling really] to do that. The identity of this artist is curious, and if anyone reading this knows, please post a reply; thank you.

Scan obtained from BookIT.com.