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)
Tag: infidelity
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 Case of the Velvet Claws
Movie Review: The Case of the Velvet Claws (1936) directed by William Clemens Perry Mason (Warren Williams) invades the night court of Judge Mary F O’Daugherty (Clara Blandick) with an urgent matter–marrying his secretary, Della Street (Claire Dodd)! As the happy couple pose for the press photographers, Perry announces his retirement from criminal law. From now… Continue reading Movie Review: The Case of the Velvet Claws
Book Review: Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2025
Book Review: Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2025 edited by Robert Greenberger Disclaimer: I contributed to the Kickstarter for this book. A lesser known aspect of pulp fandom is the creation of new stories in the tradition of the pulp magazines of old, action-packed and exciting. Thus this series of books which feature modern authors trying their… Continue reading Book Review: Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2025
Movie Review: Fatal Attraction
Movie Review: Fatal Attraction (1987) directed by Adrian Lyne Dan Gallegher (Michael Douglas) has a pretty comfortable life. He loves his wife Beth (Ann Archer) and daughter Ellen (Ellen Latzen) and has a well-paid job as the house lawyer for a publishing firm in New York City. Things are going so well that the family is… Continue reading Movie Review: Fatal Attraction
Manga Review: The Rose of Versailles #1
Manga Review: The Rose of Versailles #1 by Ryoko Ikeda In 1755, three children of destiny were born. Hans Axel von Fersen of Sweden, Oscar Francois de Jarjayes of France, and Maria Antonia Josephe Jeanne de Lorraine D’Autriche of Austria. The latter would become famous under her transliterated name of Marie Antoinette, the Queen of… Continue reading Manga Review: The Rose of Versailles #1
Book Review: The Saracen Blade
Book Review: The Saracen Blade by Frank Yerby The Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II was born in Jesi, Italy in 1194. But another child was born on that day in that place. Pietro, son of Donati the armorer and his lovely wife Maria, was delivered by one of the same midwives as she’d gone into… Continue reading Book Review: The Saracen Blade
Movie Review: Shampoo
Movie Review: Shampoo (1975) directed by Hal Ashby It is the day before the United States election in 1968, but in Beverly Hills, hairdresser George (Warren Beatty) has other things to think about. He’s something of a star in his profession, much sought out by women, but locked into a contract with the owner of the… Continue reading Movie Review: Shampoo
Book Review: Cooked to Death
Book Review: Cooked to Death edited by Rhonda Gilliland and Michael Allan Mallory Let’s return to the world of themed anthologies, a quick way to get a sample of various authors writing on a particular topic. In this case, it’s primarily Minnesota and other Midwestern writers doing crime and mystery short stories around the topic… Continue reading Book Review: Cooked to Death
Manga Review: Case Closed Vols. 80-82
Manga Review: Case Closed Vols. 80-82 by Gosho Aoyama It’s time once again to catch up on the adventures of Conan Edogawa, boy detective, who is secretly Shinichi Kudou (Jimmy Kudo in the dub), teen detective who was shrunk by an experimental poison. See my many prior reviews of this series, titled Meitantei Conan (“Detective… Continue reading Manga Review: Case Closed Vols. 80-82