Magazine Review: High Adventure #164: War Fiction – F. Van Wyck Mason edited by James Gunnison Filling in a back issue here, this one is World War One stories, mostly by the fellow mentioned in the title. Francis Van Wyck Mason (1901-1978), the introduction tells us, was a veteran of the French Army and then… Continue reading Magazine Review: High Adventure #164: War Fiction – F. Van Wyck Mason
Tag: France
Comic Book Review: Asterix Volume One
Comic Book Review: Asterix Volume One Written by Rene Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo It is the year 50 B.C. and Gaul has been conquered by the Roman forces under Julius Caesar. Well, almost conquered. There’s one small village that refuses to surrender, and although it is surrounded by four Roman encampments, has managed… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Asterix Volume One
Book Review: The Complete Max Carrados Volume 1
Book Review: The Complete Max Carrados Volume 1 by Ernest Bramah Disclaimer: I contributed to the Kickstarter for this collection. Ernest Bramah Smith, who dropped his last name for his literary efforts, was born in 1868, and was a school dropout and farmer before becoming a writer. His first published book in 1900 was The… Continue reading Book Review: The Complete Max Carrados Volume 1
Movie Review: Freaks (1932)
Movie Review: Freaks (1932) directed by Tod Browning Madame Tetrallini (Rose Dione) is, by 1930s standards, a good circus owner. She likes to think of the circus employees as a family, and is especially considers her employees with disabilities or deformities as her “children.” Most other people, including themselves, call them “freaks.” Thanks to her skill… Continue reading Movie Review: Freaks (1932)
Magazine Review: Spicy Mystery Stories June 1936
Magazine Review: Spicy Mystery Stories June 1936 by various creators As I’ve previously mentioned, the “spicy” pulps were racy for their time, with descriptions of women’s breasts and thighs, and it being obvious that the characters are having sex, but never actually describing the sex or genitals. This particular magazine, despite the title, has little… Continue reading Magazine Review: Spicy Mystery Stories June 1936
Movie Review: The Life of Emile Zola
Movie Review: The Life of Emile Zola (1937) directed by William Dieterle We first meet Emile Zola (Paul Muni) when he is a penniless writer sharing a freezing garret with his friend, starving artist Paul Cezanne (Vladimir Sokoloff). They favor the “realist” schools of their respective crafts, which is not only unpopular with the buying public,… Continue reading Movie Review: The Life of Emile Zola
Magazine Review: Golden Fleece June 1939
Magazine Review: Golden Fleece June 1939 edited by A.J. Gontier, Jr. & C.G. Williams Golden Fleece Historical Adventure was a short-lived pulp magazine that ran for nine issues in 1938-1939, with this being the final issue (not identified as such in the issue itself.) As the subtitle mentions, it specialized in historical adventure fiction and… Continue reading Magazine Review: Golden Fleece June 1939
Magazine Review: High Adventure #200: Special Last Issue
Magazine Review: High Adventure #200: Special Last Issue edited by John P. Gunnison Much like the pulp magazines it reprints, HIgh Adventure is at last coming to the end of its publication history. But a 200 issue run over 33 years (starting as Pulp Review) is pretty darn impressive. And to celebrate the occasion, this… Continue reading Magazine Review: High Adventure #200: Special Last Issue
Book Review: The Lad and the Lion
Book Review: The Lad and the Lion by Edgar Rice Burroughs A certain kingdom in Europe is experiencing unrest. The people are chafing under the absolute monarchy, wanting to switch to a constitutional republic. The current king is actually pretty good as monarchs go, but firmly believes that those who have been born and trained… Continue reading Book Review: The Lad and the Lion
Movie Review: Maniac (1963)
Movie Review: Maniac (1963) directed by Michael Carreras (aka “The Maniac”) Four years ago, French schoolgirl Annette Beynat (Liliane Brousse) was raped by a neighbor. That man was caught in the act by her father Georges, who decided not to turn him over to the police, but instead use an acetylene torch to murder him in… Continue reading Movie Review: Maniac (1963)