I finished three books during this week, as well as one 100-year-old magazine issue. Books Saints of the Christianization Age of Central Europe (Tenth-Eleventh Centuries), ed. by Gábor Klaniczay — a collection of five hagiographical works especially on missionaries and martyrs (often the one condition leading to the other): the Passion of Saint Wenceslas, by …
Read the full post →“Weekly Reader — January 29 – February 4”
An imitation Tarzan known as Tarzak (in the Italian original, titled Tarzak contro gli uomini leopardo) or Zoltak (in the dubbed English version I watched) must rescue surviving members of a scientific expedition who ended up in the hands of a newly warlike tribe of “leopard men” intent on sacrificing them — a situation in …
Read the full post →“<em>Tarzak Against the Leopard Men</em> (1964)”
A library sale late in the month helped boost my acquisitions in January. I got 27 books in total (including one gift), as well as one magazine and 13 movies on DVD. Highlights include several of the Horatio Hornblower novels, which I’ve never read; Murray Leinster’s The Forgotten Planet, which I’ll be reading in March …
Read the full post →“January Haul — Books, Magazines, and Movies”
An evocative atmosphere blending mystery with horror is a highlight of this entry in the Charlie Chan series, as the sleuth (Warner Oland) travels to Egypt to investigate illicit sales of artifacts found in an excavation but encounters a disappearance and murder as well. Strong support is provided by Frank Conroy (as a professor connected …
Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, and Raymond Hatton, old hands at movie-making whose audience appeal dated back to the silents, made an appealing western trio for Monogram as the Rough Riders. In this series entry, U.S. Marshals Buck Roberts (Jones), Tim McCall (McCoy), and Sandy Hopkins (Hatton) investigate a gang that has murdered a local sheriff …
Read the full post →“Monogram Monday: <em>Below the Border</em> (1942)”
I finished two books during this week, and I began my reading of 100-year-old magazine issues as well. Books The Antiquary, by Sir Walter Scott — This tale centers on the title character and his friends and neighbors, including a mysterious young man whom he befriends; it offers plenty of gentle comedy and a modicum …
Former silent film star George O’Brien made the transition to sound chiefly performing in westerns, and he appeared in a well-regarded string of westerns at RKO at the end of the 1930s. Lawless Valley was one of these: an efficient little B picture with a helping of humor. The plot is based on a story …
