As reported by Merrick over on AICN, the video posted below is either "a case of mad genius, of someone with too much time on their hands, or both." I'm going with "both." Either way, this is a very clever, and quite entertaining re-edit of Lionel Richie's 1984 super ballad Hello, as "sung" by movie stars in a bunch of different films. This was put together by someone named Matthijs Vlot (cool name), and made me smile before I was two sips into my morning cup of iced coffee. If you haven't seen it already, give it a watch.
As I have stated elsewhere on this site, I have a passion for the works of Stephen King and Steven Spielberg. More than any other storytellers, these two gentlemen have not only provided me with thousands of hours of entertainment, but greatly influenced my own writing and kept me sane during a youth spent around crazy people (… some of whom could have stepped out of a King novel).
While I have probably written more about King here (the man does have his own category), this post deals with Spielberg, and one of his lost works.
As I write this, on Christmas Eve 2011, Spielberg has two movies coming out to theaters: War Horse and The Adventures of Tin Tin. (I am looking forward to the former more than the latter.)
After directing the acclaimed TV movie DUEL in 1971 – a thriller which put Spielberg on the map – the man worked a bit more in television before making his theatrical debut with The Sugarland Express in 1973, and, of course, JAWS in 1975. But what of that TV work? Spielberg made two more TV films during this period, Something Evil and Savage, neither of which have ever received any kind of home video release.
After wondering about these films for years, I recently watched Something Evil (1972) on YouTube, and I must say I was pretty impressed. No, it is not as good as DUEL, but it is better than most of the offal that is passed off as telefilms. The movie stars Sandy Dennis and Darren McGavin as a couple who buy a Pennsylvania farmhouse, and soon discover that the house is haunted by either ghosts, or demons, or … well … something evil. Johnny Whitaker (Jody from Family Affair) plays their son (ironically named Stevie), who may or may not be influenced by these forces.
For a looooow-budget telefilm made in ‘72, this thing still packs a little wallop. Especially considering that it was made before The Exorcist. Also on display here are many deft Spielbergian touches – including a shot of Sandy Dennis (quite good here) as she stares through her kitchen window, and we see what she is staring at reflected in the glass. Spielberg has used this shot quite a few times in his films, but this could be the first. A decade later, Spielberg would expand on this story with Poltergeist.
So, in fine, rather than wax cinematic on what this all means, I will simply let you watch the film yourself. It is posted (in 8 parts) below. You didn’t think I was gonna write about this and not embed the thing, did ya? Take a look – it only runs about 73 minutes – and let me know what you think in the comments section when you’re done.
After publishing 60+ books over nearly 40 years, one would think that Stephen King – “the world’s bestselling author” – would have run out of steam, ideas, or ambition. While he has, on rare occasion, “phoned it in,” with his latest opus, 11/22/63, he has once again fashioned as compelling a pager turner as he ever has … which is saying something when those pages number around 850. I finished it in less than a week.
As this novel should be started with as little foreknowledge as possible, this review will be spoiler-free, save for a brief set-up. You will know no more going in than I did.
Regarding a recently divorced, thirtysomething school teacher named Jake Epping, the plot has this wounded man receiving an urgent call from an old friend, Al Templeton, who owns a local diner. When Jake visits Al, he is shocked to discover that the man has seemingly aged years over the course of a day. It seems that Al, whose rapidly-accelerating cancer has given him only hours to live, has a secret to share, and Jake is the only one with whom he trusts it. Al’s secret is this: in the back pantry of his retro diner, is a time portal to the past. Each trip delivers the traveler to the same time and place – Lisbon Falls, Maine, September 9th, 1958 – and, no matter how long the traveler stays, if he returns, it is only two minutes later in 2011 time. Still with me?
The reason Al has aged so much in so little time, other than his cancer, is that he recently spent over four years in the past trying to prevent Lee Harvey Oswald from assassinating John F. Kennedy on 11/22/63. Due to his illness, Al failed, and returned to 2011 a dying man. As he tells his tale to Jake (one brief trip to 1958 is all it takes to convince Jake of this impossible story), Jake eventually decides to take on Al’s mission himself (after a trial run or two regarding other lesser matters), knowing full well that messing with such a historically watershed moment might make things worse … much worse … butterfly effect and all. Especially when the past doesn’t want to be changed.
While one might think that such a story would be full of clichés, predictable scenarios, and political pontificating, this is not the case. In fact, Jake doesn’t even reach the titular date until page 800. Most of the book is spent chronicling Jake’s five year stay in the past, where the food tastes better, the music is more innocent, and racism is barely concealed. While keeping tabs on Oswald to make sure the man acted alone before he makes his move, Jake returns to teaching and falls in love with a tall blonde named Sadie. Oddly enough (at least to those who only know Uncle Stevie as America’s Boogeyman), the central love story here is the very heart of this novel.
Touching, suspenseful, and damn near unputdownable, 11/22/63 is Stephen King firing on all cylinders, and proving even after four decades that he is still master of his craft. While some horrific things do occur in this book, this is not a horror novel, and will probably win the man hordes of new fans. While I, and others, have referred to King as our modern-day Dickens, he is also like a much loved uncle who is returning to spin another fantastical yarn. One feels like a child reading this book, cuddled up in wide-eyed wonder. Does praise come any higher than that? Not from me it doesn't.
Greetings, o brave interweb perusers. Tis I, your faithful slinger o'words, with another brief update on what's been happening. As this site nears its fourth anniversary, the number of daily/monthly visitors who come here has steadily increased. As of this date, TheWordslinger gets about 300 visitors a day – or 9,000 a month, which isn't too shabby for The Little Website That Could.
I have started doing some serious promotion on my novel BROODING. In September I propped up my exhibit tent at the Freedom Harley Davidson End-of-Summer Block Party, where I sold autographed copies of the book, mounted and matted prints of my artwork, and (my latest venture) handmade leather jewelry – bracelets, rings, bangles, chokers, etc., all made out of custom-cut black leather and suede.
In October, I did the same thing at the Oktoberfest event in La Veta, Colorado. There were 115 other vendors at this massive shindig, and a total of about 4,000 patrons. This was by far the biggest show I have ever done and, while it was a tremendous success, it was also one of the scariest things I have ever done. As a writer, especially one with a proclivity for seclusion, putting myself out there on such a grand scale kind of freaked me out a bit, but … I really have no choice but to get out there and hawk this novel of mine.
My next two shows will be at the Buffalo Rose in Golden, Colorado. The first of which will be on Saturday, November 5th, in the main dance/concert room. If you want to come down and pick up a signed copy of BROODING (or some artwork or handmade leather jewelry), this is a good chance to do it.
Till next time, don't let your meat loaf, don't let your dingle dangle …
The first promo trailer for the A&E miniseries of Stephen King's BAG OF BONES has gone live online. And I must say whatever misgivings I had about this project were damn near wiped away by this 2 1/2 minute teaser.
Mick Garris, who has directed many Stephen King adaptations over the years (notably the TV versions of The Stand and The Shining), also helms this two-parter. I watched The Stand recently and, sadly, though I at one time loved that 1994 production, time has not been kind to it (… here's hoping that feature film trilogy stays green lit). If this promo is any indication, Garris has honed his craft in recent years. This looks scary as hell.
