#Robert MacQuarrie

[docrotten]

PROM NIGHT (1980) – Episode 268 – Decades of Horror 1980s

“The killer’s comin’! The killer’s gonna get you!” Ah, yes, the childhood game everyone played. Join your faithful Grue Crew – Crystal Cleveland, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr – as they discover who wins and loses in Prom Night (1980).

Decades of Horror 1980s Episode 268 – Prom Night (1980)

Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! Click the alert to get notified of new content! https://youtube.com/gruesomemagazine

Gruesome Magazine is partnering with the WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL (https://wickedhorrortv.com/) which now includes video episodes of Decades of Horror 1980s and is available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, and its online website across all OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop.

At a high school senior prom, a masked killer stalks four teenagers who were responsible for the accidental death of a classmate six years previously.

Directed by: Paul Lynch

Writing Credits: William Gray (screenplay); Robert Guza Jr. (from a story by)

Music by: Paul Zaza, Carl Zittrer

Cinematography by: Robert C. New (director of photography)

Selected Cast:

Leslie Nielsen as Mr. Hammond

Jamie Lee Curtis as Kimberly Hammond

Casey Stevens as Nick McBride

Anne-Marie Martin as Wendy Richards (as Eddie Benton)

Antoinette Bower as Mrs. Hammond

Michael Tough as Alex Hammond

Robert A. Silverman as Mr. Sykes (as Robert Silverman)

Pita Oliver as Vicki

David Mucci as Lou Farmer

Jeff Wincott as Drew Shinnick

Mary Beth Rubens as Kelly Lynch (as Marybeth Rubens)

George Touliatos as Lt. McBride

Melanie Morse MacQuarrie as Henri-Anne

David Gardner as Dr. Fairchild

Joy Thompson as Jude Cunningham

Sheldon Rybowski as Seymour ‘Slick’ Crane

Rob Garrison as Sayer

David Bolt as Weller

Beth Amos as Housekeeper

Sonia Zimmer as Melanie

Sylvia Martin as Mrs. Cunningham

Elizabeth M. Mason as Adele (as Liz Stalker-Mason)

Pam Henry as Car Hop

Ardon Bess as Teacher

Lee Wildgen as Gang Member

Brock Simpson as Young Nick

Leslie Scott as Young Wendy

Tammy Bourne as Young Robin

Dean Bosacki as Young Alex

Debbie Greenfield as Young Kim

Karen Forbes as Young Jude

Joyce Kite as Young Kelly

Prom Night (1980) is one of six horror films in which Jamie Lee Curtis appeared over a three-year span from 1978 to 1981 and the last covered by the Grue-Crew. Three John Carpenter films (Halloween, The Fog, Halloween II) and Prom Night are joined by Road Games and Terror Train. 

Prom Night is not the best of Curtis’s 1978-1981 six-pack of horror movies (does that go without saying?), but is it the worst? Leslie Nielsen, soon to go through his transformation to a standout comedic actor, has little to do as Curtis’s character’s father and the school’s principal. There’s also the student body providing fodder for the killer, the creepy kids that set the whole thing in motion fifteen years earlier, and athe disco music and dancing. Don’t worry. The Grue Crew will give you the straight poop.

At the time of this writing, Prom Night is available to stream from Shudder, Amazon Prime, Peacock, Hoopla, Kanopy, Tubi, PlutoTV, and Freevee. It is also available on physical media as a Blu-ray formatted disc from Synapse Films. 

Every two weeks, Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1980s podcast will cover another horror film from the 1980s. The next episode’s film, chosen by Chad, will be Ghost Story (1981), based on Peter Straub’s 1979 novel! The Grue-Crew has been wanting to do this one for a long time! If you heard them announce Without Warning (1980) on the podcast, they apologize for the change, but it is on the schedule for November. Be patient, fellow babies.

Please let them know how they’re doing! They want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans – so leave them a message or comment on the Gruesome Magazine Youtube channel, on the Gruesome Magazine website, or email the Decades of Horror 1980s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com.

Check out this episode!

[revolutionaryjackelving]

Potter's Field: Interview with Harry Thornton

In which @harryhenry6 and I disinter our buried passion for #HarryPotter in the wake of the author's ongoing controversy and contemplate its original appeal, its shortcomings, and it's significant influence, on among other things, #SpiderMan circa-2000s.

The latest in my series of Community Interviews (after David Walton, Robert MacQuarrie, Kaitou D. Kid, Aaron Cobbs). Today’s guest is Harry Thornton, whose handle on twitter and tumblr is “harryhenry”. We’ve had interactions in a variety of places, and our interests triangulated outwards from Spider-Man to Harry Potter and speculative fiction more widely. One common connection: Harry Potter, the…

[mariocki]

The Black Room (The Black Room Mystery, 1935)

"Don't you want to kiss me?"

"A pear is the best fruit."

"Every time you see her, you want to be rid of me."

"Lots of juice in a pear."

"Well, you'll find I'll not be got rid of so easy. Do you hear what I say?"

"Adam should've chosen a pear."

"You've got it all planned, haven't you? You're gonna marry her, you're gonna make her your wife, your Baroness."

"I like the feel of a pear."

[atariforce]

Zaxxon by RobertMacQuarrie1

[letterboxd-loggd]

The Hole in the Wall (1929) Robert Florey

May 12th 2020

[atlanticcanada]

Nova Scotia remains envy of many Canadian jurisdictions with only 27 active COVID-19 cases

With just 27 active COVID-19 cases, Nova Scotia remains the envy of many other jurisdictions across the country.

"So far this week, over 20,000 Nova Scotians have received vaccine and every day we're vaccinating more people than we were the day before," said Premier Iain Rankin.

As of Thursday, more than 83,000 doses of vaccine have been administered in Nova Scotia – 23,000 of which were second doses.

"We're ready to start opening up for those over the age of 75 and if you're still over the age of 80, of course you can still book your appointment," said Rankin.      

"There are appointments across the province in most communities and pharmacy clinics. Some of the locations are fully booked but we will be adding many more appointments to those, as well as adding additional locations when we receive our next shipment of vaccine," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health.

At a COVID-19 update Friday afternoon, Strang said he learned Thursday night that a shipment containing 14,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine will be delayed by about a week. However, he said the province can cover the gap with their existing vaccine supply.

"This highlights the importance of only opening appointments when our supply is confirmed," said Strang.

The vaccine supply is expected to ramp up over the next few months. In April, the province expects to receive 182,000 doses of vaccine; in May, more than 200,000 doses and 415,000 doses are expected to arrive in June.

Pharmacists and physicians will play a key role in delivering the vaccine to Nova Scotians.

"I am so proud of the whole response from physicians in Nova Scotia in terms of having such an enthusiastic response to saying, you know, how can we be involved in administering the vaccine. Patients are asking their doctors about it and we're so happy to be playing a role in rolling it out," said Dr. Robyn MacQuarrie, the president of Doctors Nova Scotia.         

With the rollout ramping up, there are concerns the provincial government isn't doing enough to combat vaccine hesitancy.

"We would really like to see a much more robust plan to tackle vaccine hesitancy," said Chris Parsons with the NS Health Coalition.

"That has to be based on the things we know actually work when it comes to debunking conspiracy theories and those things are one on one conversations with people arming people who are close to people who are vaccine hesitant with the tools they need to have conversations with them."

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/3fgWfVa

[peach-salinger]

✧･*ﾟscottish surnames

→ link to my scottish female name masterlist → link to my scottish male name masterlist

under the cut are 733 scottish surnames. this masterlist was created for all in one breath rp at the request of lovely el, but feel free to link on your own sites! names are listed in alphabetical order. ❝mac❞, ❝mc❞ and ❝m❞ are split into three sections because i mean... look at them. please like♡ or reblog if you found this useful.

abbot(son), abercrombie, abernethy, adam(son), agnew, aikenhead, aitken, akins, allan(nach/son), anderson, (mac)andie, (mac)andrew, angus, annand, archbold/archibald, ard, aris, (mac)arthur

B

(mac)bain/bayne, baird, baker, balfour, bannatyne, bannerman, barron, baxter, beaton, beith, bell, bethune, beveridge, birse, bisset, bishop, black(ie), blain/blane, blair, blue, blyth, borthwick, bowie, boyd, boyle, braden, bradley, braithnoch, (mac)bratney, breck, bretnoch, brewster, (mac)bridan/brydan/bryden, brodie, brolochan, broun/brown, bruce, buchanan, budge, buglass, buie, buist, burnie, butter/buttar

C

caie, (mac)caig, (mac)cail, caird, cairnie, (mac)callan(ach), calbraith, (mac)callum, calvin, cambridge, cameron, campbell, canch, (mac)candlish, carberry, carmichael, carrocher, carter, cassie, (mac)caskie, catach, catto, cattenach, causland, chambers, chandlish, charleson, charteris, chisholm, christie, (mac)chrystal, (mac)clanachan/clenachan, clark/clerk, (mac)clean, cleland, clerie, (mac)clinton, cloud, cochrane, cockburn, coles, colinson, colquhoun, comish, comiskey, comyn, conn(an), cook, corbett, corkhill, (mac)cormack, coull, coulthard, (mac)cowan, cowley, crabbie, craig, crane, cranna, crawford/crawfurd, crerar, cretney, crockett, crosby, cruikshank, (mac)crum, cubbin, cullen, cumming, cunningham, currie, cuthbertson

D

dallas, dalglish, dalziel, darach/darroch, davidson, davie, day, deason, de lundin, dewar, dickin, dickson, docherty, dockter, doig, dollar, (mac)donald(son), donelson, donn, douglas, dorward, (mac)dow(all), dowell, (macil)downie, drain, drummond, (mc)duff(ie)/duff(y), duguid, dunnet, dunbar, duncan, dunn, durward, duthie

E, F

eggo, elphinstone, erskine, faed, (mac)farquhar(son), fee, fergus(on), (mac)ferries, fettes, fiddes, findlay, finn, finlayson, fisher, fishwick, fitzgerald, flanagan, fleming, fletcher, forbes, forrest, foulis/fowlis, fraser, fullarton, fulton, furgeson

G

gall(ie), galbraith, gammie, gardyne, (mac)garvie, gatt, gault, geddes, gellion, gibb(son), gilbert, gilbride, (mac)gilchrist, gilfillan, (mac)gill(ivray/ony), gillanders, gillespie, gillies, gilliland, gilmartin, gilmichael, gilmore, gilroy, gilzean, (mac)glashan, glass, gloag, glover, godfrey, gollach, gordon, (mac)gorrie, gourlay, gow, graeme/graham, grant, grassick, grassie, gray, gregg, (mac)gregor(y), greer, greig, grierson, grieve, grimmond, (mac)gruer, gunn, guthrie

H

hall, hamill, (mac)hardie/hardy, harper, harvie, hassan, hatton, hay, henderson, hendry, henry, hepburn, herron, hood, hosier, howie, hugston, huie, hume, humphrey, hunter, (mac)hutcheon, hutcheson

I, J, K

(mac)innes, irving, iverach, ivory, jamieson, jarvie, jeffrey(s), johnson, johnston, jorie, (mac)kay, (mac)kean, keenan, keillor, keir, keith, kelly, kelso, keogh, kemp, kennedy, (mac)kerr(acher), kesson, king, kynoch

L

laing, laird, (mac)laine/lane, lamond, lamont, landsborough, landsburgh, lang/laing, larnach, laurie/lawrie, lees, lennie, lennox, leslie, lindsay, little(son), lithgow, livingston(e), lobban, logan, lorne, lothian, lovat, love, loynachan, luke, luther

MAC-

mac ruaidhrí, mac somhairle, mac suibhne, macadam, macadie, macaffer, macainsh, macalasdair, macallister, macalonie, macalpine, macanroy, macara, macarthy, macaskill, macaskin, macaughtrie, macaulay, macauslan, macbean, macbeath, macbeth(ock), macbey, macbriden, macbryde, maccabe, maccadie, maccaffer, maccaffey/maccaffie, maccalman, maccambridge, maccann, maccance, maccartney, maccavity, maccaw, macdowell, maccheyne, maccodrum, maccomb(ie), maccorkindale, maccormick, maccoll, macconie, macconnachie, macconnell, maccoshin, maccoskrie, maccorquodale, macclaren, maccleary, macclew, maccloy, macclumpha, macclung, macclure, macclurg, maccraig, maccrain, maccreadie, maccrimmon, maccrindle, maccririe, maccrone, maccrosson, maccuaig, maccuidh, maccuish, macculloch, maccurley, macdermid/macdiarmid, macdougall, macdui, macduthy, maceachainn, maceachen, macelfrish, macewan/macewen, macfadyen, macfadzean, macfall, macfarlane/macpharlane, macfater/macphater, macfeat, macfee, macfigan, macgarrie, macgarva, macgeachen/macgeechan, macgeorge, macghie, macgibbon, macgillonie, macgiven, macglip, macgriogair, macgruther, macguire, macgurk, machaffie, macheth, machugh, macichan, macinnally, macindeoir, macindoe, macinesker, macinlay, macinroy, macintosh, macintyre, macisaac, maciver/macivor, macilherran, macilroy, macjarrow, mackail, mackeegan, mackeggie, mackellar, mackelvie, mackendrick, mackenna, mackenzie, mackerlich, mackerral, mackerron, mackerrow, mackessock, mackettrick, mackichan, mackie, mackilligan, mackillop, mackim(mie), mackinven, mackirdy/mackirdie, mackrycul, maclafferty, maclagan, maclarty, maclatchie/letchie, maclaverty, maclearnan, macleay, maclehose, macleish, maclellan(d), macleman, macleod, macleòid, maclintock, macllwraith, maclucas, macluckie, maclugash, macmann(us), macmaster, macmeeken, macmichael, macmillan, macminn, macmorrow, macmurchie, macmurdo, macmurray, macnab, macnair, macnally, macnaught(on), macnee, macneish/macnish, macnicol, macninder, macnucator, macpartland, macphail, macphatrick, macphee, macphedran, macpherson, macquarrie, macqueen, macquien, macquilken, macrae/machray, macraild, macrob(bie/bert), macrory, macrostie, macshane, macsherry, macsorley, macsporran, macsween, mactavish, mactear, macturk, macusbaig, macvannan, macvarish, macvaxter, macvean, macveigh/macvey, macvicar, macvitie, macvurich, macwalter, macwattie, macwhannell, macwhillan, macwhinnie

MC-

mccabe, mccain, mcclelland, mcclintock, mcconell, mccracken, mccune, mccurdy, mcdiarmid, mcelshender, mceuen, mcewing, mcfadden, mcgeachie/mcgeachy, mcgowan, mcilroy, mcinnis, mcivor, mckechnie, mckeown, mclarty, mclennan, mcneill(age/ie), mcowen, mcphee, mcpherson, mcwhirter

M

maduthy, magruder, mahaffie, main(s), mair, major, malcolm(son), malloch, manson, marr, marno(ch), (mac)martin, marquis, massie, matheson, mathewson, maver/mavor, maxwell, may, mearns, meechan, meiklejohn, meldrum, mellis(h), menzies, mercer, micklewain, milfrederick, millar/miller, milligan, milliken, milne, milroy, milvain, milwain, moannach, moat, moffat, mollinson, moncrief, monk, montgomery, moore, moray, morgan, (mac)morran, morrison, morrow, morton, mossman, mucklehose, muir(head), mulloy, munn, munro, (mac)murchie/murchy, murchison, murdoch, murphy

N, O, P, Q

nairn, naughton, navin, neeve, neil, neish, nelson, ness, nevin, nicalasdair, niceachainn, (mac)nichol(son), nicleòid, (mac)niven, noble, ochiltree, ogg, ogilvy, o'kean, oliver, omay/omey, orchard(son), orr, osborne, park, paterson, patrick, patten, peacock, peat, peters, philp, polson, power, purcell, purser, qualtrough, quayle, quillan, quiller, quinn, quirk

R, S

(mac)ranald(son), randall, rankin, reid, reoch, revie, riach, (mac)ritchie, roberts(on), rose, ross, rothes, roy, ryrie, salmon(d), scott, selkirk, sellar, shannon, sharpe, shaw, sheen, shiach, sillars, sim(son/pson), sinclair, skene, skinner, sloan, smith, somerville, soutar/souter, stein, stenhouse, stewart/stuart, strachan, stronach, sutherland, (mac)swan(son/ston), swinton

T, U, V, W, Y

taggart, tallach, tawse, taylor, thom(son), todd, tolmie, tosh, tough, tulloch, turner, tyre, ulrick, urquhart, vass, wallace, walker, walsh, warnock, warren, ward, watt, watson, wayne, weir, welsh, whiston, whyte, wilkins(on), (mac)william(son), wilson, winning, wright, young

[pulpandcomics2]

"Well, Denham. The airplanes got him." 

"Oh, no. It wasn't the airplanes. It was Beauty killed the Beast."

Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) to Police Captain (George  MacQuarrie)

“King Kong” (1933)

[yegarts]

2018 Second Round Artist Project Grant (Small) Recipients

Twice a year, the Edmonton Arts Council provides grants of up to $5,000 to artists through the small Artist Project Grant program. Artist Project Grants are intended to invest in the specific projects of individual artists and artist collectives as they pursue their artistic and professional advancement.

Edmonton Arts Council awarded 33 artists grants of up to $5,000 for the second round of small Artist Project Grants in 2018. Congratulations to all of the recipients! The next deadline for small Artist Project Grant applications is February 15, 2019. Click here for more information.

Cellist and composer Christine Hanson received an Artist Project Grant to perform the Canadian Premiere of her original composition “The Cremation of Sam McGee Suite.” Photo by JProcktor Photography.

Singer-songwriter Andrea Nixon held a live performance of her album Diary of a Housewife at Sunrise Records West Edmonton Mall.

Visual artist Ania Telfer is creating a series of acrylic and mixed-media paintings to promote conversations about creativity, healing, and health.

Trombonist Audrey Ochoa is recording a new album that mixes chamber music, string arrangements, contemporary and Latin jazz, and electronic remixes.

Singer-songwriter Ben Sures is collaborating with electronic music artist Brian Kobayakawa/Brava Kilo to create a three-song demo. 

Musician Brenna MacQuarrie, as iamhill, is writing and recording a new EP.

A cappella vocal group 6 Minute Warning are creating 12 short music videos.

Cellist and composer Christine Hanson performed the Canadian Premiere of her original composition, “The Cremation of Sam McGee Suite,” inspired by Robert Service’s poem of the same name.

Clint Wilson is creating a multi-media video installation called Wonderland, which resembles an artificial forest ecosystem.

Cynthia Fuhrer is creating a series of paintings based on animal rights and environmentalism that will be on display in 2019 at the Art Gallery of St. Albert and Bleeding Heart Art Space.

Composer Daniel Belland participated in a residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity to work on writing a new musical about queer dating, friendship, and technology.

Elisabeth Belliveau curated a multi-media exhibition of work by five artists, including herself, called Offerings: Ikebana in Practice from Japan to Canada.

Sound artists Isael Huard and Chris Szott of Little Hook Sound are creating an interactive Edmonton Sound Map comprised of sounds unique to Edmonton as resources for the local music, art, film, and media communities.

The band Electric Audrey 2 is producing a music video with filmmaker Barrett Klesko for their song “Accidental Beach.”

Faith Healer is recording a new album, Slang Teasers.

Musician Kate Blechinger is composing, arranging, and recording work for her debut album Under a Dancing Sky.

Katherine Koller is writing and producing a radio play, Hope Soup, which will be performed at the 2019 Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival.

Kelsie Acton is developing an integrated dance piece, Orbits, that investigates the practice of timing in integrated dance.

Kiruthika Rathanaswani is developing a visual production to accompany her new bharata natyam (Indian Classical dance) performances at Expanse Festival.

Visual artist Madison Dewar is creating a series of woodcut prints that explore the ethics of livestock production.

Musician Mallory Chipman is recording a new EP featuring four original compositions featuring jazz, rock, and folk influences.

Musician Mark Segger is curating a bi-monthly late-night showcase of a variety of local musicians from new music, jazz, and free improvisation communities. 

Megan Dart is creating a multi-disciplinary immersive musical theatre production that explores the stories of Canadian women throughout history.

Pyretic Productions is producing a new version of the multi-disciplinary play Blood of Our Social, which will explore personal accounts from Ukraine during WWII and the country’s current conflict.

Rebecca Lappa is recording original music reflecting the #MeToo movement for a new adult-alternative EP, Deep Water.

The band Whale and the Wolf are recording new music for a new EP, One The.

Filmmaker Sheena Rossiter is attending the Raindance Film Festival in London, England and Reykjavik International Film Festival in Iceland to show her documentary short 3 Siblings.

Filmmaker Simon Morgan is producing a short dark comedy film called Finding Kevin.

Filmmakers Sylvia Douglas and Sara Campos-Silvius are producing and directing a short film, K.O., about gender-based violence.

Tatiana Peet is writing a collection of short stories about immigration, displacement, and intergenerational trauma.

Vivian Zenari is writing a poetry collection about Alberta’s six natural regions.

Visual artist Wei Li is developing a new series of digital paintings, drawings, and sculptures.

Electronic media artist Will Bauer is working a project that translates physical movements into an “audio skin” sound portrait.

[mariaslozak]

Witch-themed romance reads, some past, some future, with a couple of books from other genres.

Bewitched, an anthology by Lisa Higdon, Susan Krinard, Amy Elizabeth Saunders, and Maggie Shayne, whose novella Everything She Does Is Magick has a Sleeping Beauty-esque trio of aunts furtively wielding their magic to ensure the unwitting hero’s virginity stays intact until such a time as he and their protegee will fall for each other. Whether you’ll enjoy it probably depends on your feelings about the premise and if the enemies to lovers interaction between the heroine and hero strikes you as hilarious or immature.

Eternity by Maggie Shayne “Three hundred years ago, Raven St. James was accused of witchcraft...Only one man tried to free her from the hangman's noose--Duncan, the town minister, who died trying to save her. Three hundred years later, the accused witch still lives and longs for her love...At last, after centuries of loneliness, Raven has found her precious Duncan. But as he awakens to the passion of his past life, so too does the evil that tore them apart. Now Raven and Duncan must prove their love for all eternity.” (TBR)

The Witch and the Warrior by Karyn Monk, a medieval set in Scotland. “Suspected of witchcraft, Gwendolyn MacSween has been condemned to being burned at the stake at the hands of her own clan. Yet rescue comes from a most unlikely source. Mad Alex MacDunn, laird of the mighty rival clan MacDunn, is a man whose past is scarred with tragedy and loss. His last hope lies in capturing the witch of the MacSweens--and using her magic to heal his dying son. He expects to find an old hag....Instead he finds a young woman of unearthly beauty. There's only one problem: Gwendolyn has no power to bewitch or to heal. Now she must pretend to be a sorceress--or herself perish.” (TBR; have enjoyed a couple of non-medieval historicals by this author.)

A Witch’s Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper. “Nola Leary would have been content to stay in Kilcairy, Ireland, healing villagers at her family’s clinic with a mix of magic and modern medicine. But a series of ill-timed omens and a deathbed promise to her grandmother have sent her on a quest to Half-Moon Hollow, Kentucky, to secure her family’s magical potency for the next generation. Complication One: the artifacts [she needs to unearth] are lost somewhere in what is now Jane Jameson's book shop. Complication Two: her new neighbor, Jed Trudeau, who keeps turning up half naked at the strangest times, a distraction Nola doesn't need.” (Currently reading.)

Met By Moonlight by Rosemary Edghill. “When modern day witch Diana Crossways plunges back to 1647 England, she learns that a mysterious man she saw in Salem, Massachusetts is a notorious witch hunter. He holds the power of life and death over Diana--but she also inflames his desire.” (I gave this one a B a few years back.)

Magical Memories by Donna Fletcher. Contemporary set in Scotland. “As one of the world’s most powerful witches, Tempest possesses the ability to do anything - except men her own broken heart. Many years ago, her lover was corrupted by his own magic power, and she was forced to imprison him in a mystical limbo. Unable to forgive herself, Tempest has never allowed another man to get close to her... until now. While navigating her car through a fierce blizzard, Tempest accidentally hits Michael Deeds, injuring his leg. [At her home, where she has taken him to heal, the two begin to fall for each other.] But is Michael the new love she’s been searching for - or someone from her past she dared not believe she’d ever see again?” (TBR)

Bewitching by Jill Barnett. Regency. “Alec, Duke of Belmore, did as he pleased - and he wanted to marry the beautiful, bubbly girl who had positively bewitched him: Joyous MacQuarrie, who had appeared from nowhere and turned stately Belmore Park upside down with merriment and mischief. It hardly mattered that her Scottish bloodline was shrouded in mystery. But Alec's heated desire turned ice-cold when he discovered that this winsome lady was, in fact, a witch --- whose powers of white magic were not always perfectly under control ...Too late, Joy knew she was desperately in love and that nothing could stop the course of their destiny --- the scandal threatening to destroy her and the passion that held them both spellbound in a forbidden, irresistible match.” (This charmed an A from me and became an instant favourite a long time ago.)

Thornyhold by Mary Stewart. From a different period than her wonderful vintage romantic suspense, this book has a much subtler, quieter flavour, being sweet and gentle instead of tense and gothicky. The romance is secondary. “To Cilly, the house, deep in the wild wood, was an enchantment, left to her by the cousin whose occasional, magical visits had brightened her childhood. And as she explored, she discovered more about the woman who had come to seem like a fairy godmother to her: her herbalist’s skills, her still room, her abilities to foresee and heal. She discovered also that the local people believed that Cilly had inherited not just the house but the magical spell-weaving powers that lived on in the house and garden. Slowly, she came to realise that they were right.” (This one needs a reappraisal from me as my original, long ago C+ was based on disapponted expectations.)

50 Ways To Hex Your Lover by Linda Wisdom. @ameliafeministpeabody‘s recent mention inspired me to add this humorous contemporary paranormal, first in a series, to my TBR! The heroine is “a witch who can’t stay out of trouble” and the hero “a vampire cop on the trail of a serial killer.”

Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho. Romantic historical fantasy. The author apparently has mentioned Georgette Heyer and Susannah Clarke (Jonathan Stange and Mr. Norrell) as her major influences. “At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, freed slave, eminently proficient magician, and Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers—one of the most respected organizations throughout all of Britain—ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up.But when his adventure brings him in contact with a most unusual comrade, a woman with immense power and an unfathomable gift, he sets on a path which will alter the nature of sorcery in all of Britain—and the world at large...” (Reading next)

The Witches of New York by Ami McKay. Gilded Age fantasy fiction. “Two hundred years after the trials in Salem, Adelaide Thom has left her life in the sideshow to open a tea shop with another young woman who feels it's finally safe enough to describe herself as a witch: a former medical student and "gardien de sorts" (keeper of spells), Eleanor St. Clair. Together they cater to Manhattan's high society ladies, specializing in cures, palmistry and potions--and in guarding the secrets of their clients. All is well until one bright September afternoon, when an enchanting young woman named Beatrice Dunn arrives at their door seeking employment. Beatrice soon becomes indispensable as Eleanor's apprentice, but her new life with the witches is marred by strange occurrences. She sees things no one else can see. She hears voices no one else can hear. Objects appear out of thin air, as if gifts from the dead. Has she been touched by magic or is she simply losing her mind? Eleanor wants to tread lightly and respect the magic manifest in the girl, but Adelaide sees a business opportunity. Working with Dr. Quinn Brody, a talented alienist, she submits Beatrice to a series of tests to see if she truly can talk to spirits. Amidst the witches' tug-of-war over what's best for her, Beatrice disappears, leaving them to wonder whether it was by choice or by force.As Adelaide and Eleanor begin the desperate search for Beatrice, they're confronted by accusations and spectres from their own pasts. In a time when women were corseted, confined and committed for merely speaking their minds, were any of them safe?” (TBR, thanks to @seashells-and-bookshelves)

Dance Upon The Air by Nora Roberts. One of the consistently best loved romances by this genre legend. “When Nell Channing arrives on charming Three Sisters Island, she believes that she’s finally found refuge from her abusive husband - and from the terrifying life she fled so desperately eight months ago. But even in this quiet, peaceful place, Nell never feels entirely at ease. Careful to conceal her true identity, she takes a job as a cook at the local bookstore café - and begins to explore her feelings for the island sheriff, Zack Todd. But there is a part of herself she can never reveal to him - for she must continue to guard her secrets if she wants to keep the past at bay. One careless word, one misplaced confidence, and the new life she’s created so carefully could shatter completely. Just as Nell starts to wonder if she’ll ever be able to break free of her fear, she realizes that the island suffers under a terrible curse - one that can only be broken by the descendants of the Three Sisters, the witches who settled the island back in 1692. And now, with the help of two other strong, gifted women—and with the nightmares of the past haunting her every step—she must find the power to save her home, her love…and herself.” (TBR)

The Witches of All Saints by Jill Tattersall. Vintage gothic Regency. “It is February, 1811, in the countryside outside Brighton, England. In every house are people who have been terrified by the most brutal murder ever to occur in the area. Not only has this murder of well-known young woman shocked and repulsed them; it has also raised their deepest suspicions and fears for the safety of their own lives. For the murder had been the handiwork of more than one person, in fact of a group. A group of witches.Tansy Tremayne, coming to live with her aunt's family on their estate, arrived at the dreadful moment of the murder itself - indeed, witnessed a part of the ritual. Witnessed and was witnessed - by one of the participants. He was wrapped in witch's robe, the thin, diabolical music of the flute playing around him. He was someone Tansy would recognize...“ (Tattersall wrote several of the better gothics in the sixties and seventies. B- from me.)

[manualstogo]

For just $3.99 Federal Fugitives Released on March 29, 1941: WWII is on, and the Feds are chasing criminals and spies with the help of modern science. Directed by: William Beaudine Written by: Martin Mooney. The Actors: Neil Hamilton Captain James Madison and Robert Edmunds, Doris Day Rita Bennett, Victor Varconi Otto Lieberman, posing as Dr. Frederic Haskell, Charles C. Wilson Bruce Lane, George M. Carleton Henry Gregory, Frank Shannon Colonel Hammond, Lyle Latell Chuck, chauffer/valet, Betty Blythe Marcia, Lane's sister, Gerald Oliver Smith Hobbs, Lane's butler, Frank Moran Ox, Chuck's pal, Jack Mulhall unknown, Emmett Vogan unknown, Hooper Atchley hospital doctor, Frank Hagney henchman Butch, Frank Jaquet Senator Reeson, Murdock MacQuarrie night watchman, Marjorie Manners nurse Borg, 'Snub' Pollard waiter. Runtime: 1h 6m *** This item will be supplied on a quality disc and will be sent in a sleeve that is designed for posting CD's DVDs *** This item will be sent by 1st class post for quick delivery. Should you not receive your item within 12 working days of making payment, please contact us as it is unusual for any item to take this long to be delivered. Note: All my products are either my own work, licensed to me directly or supplied to me under a GPL/GNU License. No Trademarks, copyrights or rules have been violated by this item. This product complies withs rules on compilations, international media and downloadable media. All items are supplied on CD or DVD.

[revolutionaryjackelving]

Spider-Man Community: Interview with Robert MacQuarrie Part Two

Part 2 of my interview on #SpiderMan with @RDMacQ on creating fan art, fan comics, and the insights that provides into character design.

(CONTINUED FROM PART ONE) Today’s guest is Robert MacQuarrie, an online acquaintance who encouraged me greatly in various forums. I am glad to have him at hand today. In Part One, we covered our respective histories with Spider-Man and our particular generational experiences with Spider-Man. In Part Two, we explore Robert’s oral history of specific fan testimonies as well as explore some of his…

[sssshhhthefilmsabouttostart]

The best and worst films of 2018

If after watching 112 films teaches you anything, it's that Hollywood will continue to pump out the franchise blockbusters - and audiences will still hand over their cash to see them, no matter how below average or unoriginal they may be.

Cinematically, 2018 was a year that marked the final screen appearances for both Robert Redford (’The Old Man and the Gun’) and Daniel Day-Lewis (’Phantom Thread’), heralded Bradley Cooper’s impressive directorial debut (’A Star Is Born), served up an innovative high-tech thriller (’Searching’) and bestowed the most gob-smacking showdown involving MCU’s greatest heroes and villains (’Avengers: Infinity War’).

It was also a very good year for Netflix loyalists who saw the company release a succession of well received films including ’Annihilation,’ ‘Roma,’ and ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.’

Despite Dirty Harry’s memorable comment that “opinions are like assholes, everybody’s got one,” the films that have made this year’s ‘best list’ have been selected on the basis of the lasting impression they have left on this viewer after the lights have come up and the curtain’s been drawn.

So, what succeeded and what failed?

Ladies and gentlemen, may we please offer for your consideration…

50. THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN

49. INCREDIBLES 2

48. FILM STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL

47. THE POST

46. CHAPPAQUIDDICK

45. RED SPARROW

44. GAME NIGHT

43. DEADPOOL 2

42. BOY ERASED

41. WIDOWS

40. STRONGER     

39. MOLLY’S GAME

38. FAHRENHEIT 11/9  

37. THE DARKEST HOUR

36. FIRST REFORMED

35. A STAR IS BORN

34. ISLE OF DOGS

33. BREATH

32. THE WIFE

31. READY PLAYER ONE

30. BLACK PANTHER

29. WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOUR

28. BRIGSBY BEAR

27. LADY BIRD

26. SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO

25. BEAUTIFUL BOY

24. PHANTOM THREAD

23. GHOST STORIES

22. FIRST MAN

21. TULLY

20. I, TONYA

19. SUSPIRIA

18. RBG 

17. THE FAVOURITE

16. BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY 

15. MANDY

14. BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 

13. SEARCHING 

12. A QUIET PLACE

11. BLACKKKLANSMAN

10. SWEET COUNTRY

The Australian ‘western’ is a genre all its own, and ‘Sweet Country’ was the finest example of its type. Both Warwick Thornton's direction and Dylan Rivers’ cinematography was outstanding, as were all of the lead acting performances. Shot in both Central and South Australia, ‘Sweet Country’ transcended the genre’s tropes to tell us a quintessentially Australian story, albeit a bloody, brutal and tragic one. 

9. VICE

As with his previous film ‘The Big Short,’ writer/director Adam McKay set aside the clean, colourful look of his comedies (’Anchorman,’ ‘Step Brothers’) in favour of a washed-out, edgy look, with the frequent use of hand-held cameras. The entire ensemble - including Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell and Amy Adams - were all impressive but it was Christian Bale’s skilful and highly effective portrayal of former VP Dick Cheney that deservedly received the kudos from critics everywhere. 

8. THE ENDLESS

Indie filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, wrote, directed and starred in this terrific slow burner about two brothers who decide to revisit their childhood UFO death cult for some closure. Initially, the film’s daunting atmosphere gave the impression that this horror/sci-fi would follow the usual story ‘beats’ that accompany the genre. But after some mind-bending twists, ‘The Endless’ soon switched from being about a crazed cult into something else!

7. SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE

It’s no secret that Sony’s last few attempts with the character of Spider-Man have been underwhelming to say the least. However, this rousingly entertaining superhero adventure was easily 2018′s most unexpected surprise. The film’s impressive animation was beautiful, fluid and unique, whilst the storyline was both compelling and genuinely funny. What can we say - we finally got the ‘Spider-Man’ movie everybody wanted. It’s OK Sony, we now forgive you for ‘The Emoji Movie.’

6. THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

Sadly robbed of the Best Picture gong at last year’s Academy Awards, this third movie from award-winning playwright Martin McDonagh (‘In Bruges,’ ‘Seven Psychopaths’) was a dramedy that started with cleverness and wit before opening up into something truthfully human. McDonagh’s screenplay was so good that every single cast member, no matter how little their screen time, gave a great performance.

5. AMERICAN ANIMALS

In this true-crime movie, four bright and well-off college students in Kentucky plot to steal some rare books from their university's Special Collections Library in a misguided quest for personal glory. Written and directed by Bart Layton, ‘American Animals’ cleverly woven script was narrated by the heist's actual participants, bringing a fascinating layer to the proceedings as well as a connection between the characters and audience.

4. AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

It may have been the most intense, complex and stirring MCU film yet, but it was as lean as epics get, with none of its nearly two-and-a-half-hour running time feeling wasted. While the many characters and intersecting plots may have confused casual viewers (it’s assumed audiences are now familiar with all that's come before), for fans, it was one mind-blowing moment after another.

3. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT

Who would have thought that a 20+ year franchise would have been able to deliver one of the most exciting and visceral action films in recent memory? ‘Fallout’ saw the stepping up of both the action and the stakes, with the personal screws tightened on Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the horrible consequences for failure. Love him or hate him, Cruise's performance was lean and focused, whilst Christopher MacQuarrie’s direction was effective and thrilling, always hitting every action beat - dead centre.

2. YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE

Director Lynne Ramsay’s bleak yet effective thriller about a broken and tormented ex-military vigilante (Joaquin Phoenix), who makes a living rescuing kidnapped girls and making the perpetrators violently pay with a hammer, was a dark and twisting journey into one man’s soul. Ramsay's filmmaking powers and script, combined with Phoenix's committed, unadorned performance and Johnny Greenwood's absolutely superb soundtrack, easily delivered one of this year’s most standout movies.

1. HEREDITARY

Although it polarised audiences everywhere, ‘Hereditary’ was a refreshing example of a studio (A24) subverting expectations and the perfect showcase of what horror is capable of when taken seriously.

Even as the film ventured into territory familiar to its genre, writer/director Ari Aster skillfully orchestrated the tension into something that felt like a nightmare straight from hell. What begins as a drama about a family tearing apart with grief, slowly descends into madness and the supernatural. 

Rather than rely on a ‘conveyor belt’ of jump scares strung together with a derivative story which exists purely as a vehicle to deliver those jump scares, ‘Hereditary’ put family drama at the forefront and milked every ounce of dread from the hideous realities of familial cohabitation for what they’re worth. 

Whilst the film’s cinematography, production design and score were all some of the best the horror genre has seen, it was the performances that finally sold ‘Hereditary,’ notably Toni Collette’s tormented turn as a manic mother who is mourning the loss of a parent. 

‘Hereditary’ didn’t just redefine horror - it successfully put its own wicked stamp on the tropes of the genre, and provided audiences everywhere with a truly unsettling experience.

Hail Paimon!

…AND NOW, THE WORST!

20. VENOM

19. THE MEG

18. MILE 22

17. WINCHESTER

16. LIFE OF THE PARTY

15. BLOCKERS

14. SKYSCRAPER

13. THE WEDDING GUEST

12. DEATH WISH

11. BOAR

10. THE NUN

Sadly, this fifth chapter in the ‘Conjuring’ universe was nowhere near as scary, inspired or coherent as its predecessors. The quick onslaught of jump scares, punctuated by sudden noises on the soundtrack, quickly dashed the hopes of viewers who saw the entire exercise as a colossal waste of time (not to mention that the titular character was almost ‘missing’ in her own movie). 

9. THE PREDATOR

This was a prime example as to how you kill a franchise. ‘The Predator’ was so bad, it made both ‘AVP’ movies look like modern day masterpieces. Whilst the acting and storyline were awful, the film suffered from plot holes, the lack of any kind of script, the constant desperate dramatic music featured relentlessly throughout and the forced jokes. Why director Shane Black thought injecting a comedy script into this franchise was a good idea is anyone's guess. 

8. THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS

Brian Henson, son of the legendary Jim Henson and the director of ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ and ‘Muppet Treasure Island,’ somehow thought this juvenile attempt at humour was a good idea. Instead, it did the most offensive thing that a comedy could ever do - it failed to make you laugh. 

7. THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME

This forgettable and redundant comedy, from its tired title to its forced acting and humour, tried desperately to be everything at once and ended up being nothing at all. Given the talent involved, one would have expected some semblance of subtly and finesse to let these strong performers elevate the material as they've been known to in the past. However, when the material was as blunt as a sledgehammer, there wasn’t much anyone could have done. 

6. GRINGO

Despite its polished production values and stellar cast, ‘Gringo’ amounted to an absolute bust. Director Nash Egerton’s unsavoury and amoral comedy of errors qualified as something contrived, convoluted and ultimately incoherent. Crammed with a myriad of ‘madcap’ situations that weren’t even remotely funny or original, this crappy caper failed to keep up with its talented cast who struggled in their portrayal of such unpleasant stereotypes.

5. PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING

CGI vomit. 

4. THE 15:17 TO PARIS

Anybody desperately wanting to watch this train wreck should fast forward the first hour and six minutes. Clint Eastwood’s effort to pay tribute to the three brave men who foiled the 2015 Thalys train attack was a cinematic misfire of epic proportions. The bold step of having the real-life heroes play themselves was a bad call (awkward delivery, mumbled lines), whilst the film also had an underlying Christian/pro-gun/pro-military vibe about it.  

3. ROBIN HOOD

From the over-the-top bow and arrow fights to the bizarre mix of costumes, ‘Robin Hood’ was comparable to Guy Ritchie’s disastrous reimagining of ‘King Arthur,’ only worse. Far worse. This umpteenth version of the legendary heroic outlaw was severely lacking in the entertainment and thrills department, and continued the Hollywood tradition of blockbuster remakes absolutely falling on their arses.

2. ACTION POINT

The ‘Jackass’ films were great, but this dismal wannabe ‘Caddyshack’ or ‘Porky’s’ left audiences longing for the relative artistry and sophistication of the crazy lads’ glory days. ‘Action Point’ was a predictable, exceptionally cheap and humourless affair, a watershed moment in terms of anyone ever bank rolling a feature film for these guys again. RIP gentlemen, it was a fun ride.

1. HOLMES AND WATSON

It’s all elementary as to which film was by far the very worst of 2018.

Everything about ‘Holmes and Watson’ was lazy, incompetent and decidedly unfunny. This shockingly misguided assault of repetitive bad slapstick and terrible writing squandered the remarkable talents of John C. Reilly, Rebecca Hall, Steve Coogan, Kelly Macdonald, Ralph Fiennes and Hugh Lawrie, and saw Will Ferrell give what was easily the worst performance of his entire career.

This was no ‘Step Brothers’ - this was pure, unadulterated garbage. 

[thesassybooskter]

THE WOLF WORE PLAID by Terry Spear: Excerpt & Spotlight

NOW AVAILABLE / SOURCEBOOKS CASABLANCA

An overprotective wolf meets his match in the Scottish Highlands of today…

 Heather MacNeil has never backed down from a fight. So when some shady shifters from a neighboring enemy clan come looking for trouble, she refuses to feed their satisfaction. There’s only one wolf that makes her go soft…

For packmate Enrick MacQuarrie, the work as second-in-command never ends—as the feud ignites, clan security is more vital than ever. But a certain unpredictable, feisty Highland lass is determined to stand up to the aggressors, and Enrick is equally determined to protect her.

The action builds as Heather and Enrick grow closer, but will they be willing to sacrifice their wild friendship for true love?

  Buy Online: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple Books

Add to Goodreads

  Excerpt

“We’ve heard so much about your shop that we had to come and check it out,” Robert said, leaning against her counter. 

She didn’t believe him for an instant. Her phone was sitting on the ledge below the high counter and out of his sight, so she started to text Ian to see if he could send some backup, other than her three brothers—Oran, Jamie, and Callum, who would just as likely kill the men and ask questions afterward—if she needed the help. 

The doorbell jingled again, and she looked up to see who it was, afraid it would be more of the Kilpatricks’ kin. Instead, Enrick MacQuarrie pulled the door closed behind him, and a bit of relief washed over her. Now he was a welcome sight. Not for his supposed interest in dating her. That was so far-fetched, she couldn’t believe Lana would even think it. But Heather knew he would be all protective when it came to her or any other she-wolf of the MacNeill pack. 

She didn’t send the text message to Ian, figuring Enrick would deal with the Kilpatricks if they gave her any trouble. 

Not that she was totally reassured. Anything could go wrong, and she sure didn’t want Enrick hurt either. 

He looked so much like one of the men wearing a New York T-shirt while they waited for their steak pies that he could have been his double. Ever since Guy McNab had made it big as a film star in America, Enrick had been mistaken for him whenever he ventured out of the area. 

Enrick was the middle triplet brother of Grant and Lachlan MacQuarrie, tawny-haired and good-natured—except if he was defending the pack members or his friends, then watch out. He had a warrior’s heart, yet Heather had seen a real soft side to him too—playing tug-of-war with the Irish wolfhound pups, chasing the kids around the inner bailey in a game of tag, growling as if he were a wolf in his fur coat and making the kids squeal in delight. She’d seen him playing with his brothers as wolves and he was totally aggressive then, not wanting either of his brothers to win the battle between them. And in a snowball fight, he was the fastest snowball maker and thrower she’d ever seen. If they played on teams, she wanted him on hers. 

So he did let his hair down, so to speak, with the kids and with his brothers and others. With her? He clearly thought she was trouble. 

At least he was a wolf with a pack friendly to her own, and she smiled brightly at him, glad he was here in case she needed him. 

There was no smile for her, his look instead dark and imposing as he glanced from her to the Kilpatrick brothers, still trying to figure out what they wanted to buy. She hoped Enrick wouldn’t start a fight. They had so many customers, and she didn’t want to see a brawl break out in front of them. It surely wouldn’t help business. 

Robert pointed to the sign on the wall listing the kind of pies they sold. “We’ll take a couple of the steak and kidney pies to go.” 

Okay, so they weren’t causing trouble. Yet. They hadn’t noticed Enrick’s arrival, and she hoped he wouldn’t cause things to get ugly when the other men were behaving…for the moment. Enrick was observing them with a do-anything-I-don’t-like-and-you’ll-die look. 

Robert leaned against the oak countertop. “We hear there’s supposed to be a movie filmed at one of the castles nearby.” 

As her heartbeat quickened, Heather’s gaze darted to Enrick’s, and he raised his brows at her. Man, she was about to give the secret away in that one little glance at him. She knew he would question her next, once the men left. He could probably hear her heart suddenly beating way too fast. 

“We had a movie filmed at our castle a few years back, but that’s it.” Heather placed their order with Rush stamped on it. She’d never used the stamp before, but this was certainly one of those times it came in handy. 

“Not that film. A new one. More of a…fantasy,” Patrick said, “featuring wolves, even.” 

“At the MacNeills’ castle? No,” she said, shaking her head. She wasn’t lying. Ian MacNeill swore they would never have another film shot at their castle. At the time they’d been in dire straits financially, and the only way to keep the castle solvent was to do the film. Wolf packs had to keep their identity secret. Having tons of nonwolves traipsing through Argent Castle and the grounds could be problematic. Her pack had had to send a couple of newly turned wolves to stay with the MacQuarries, just so the human cast and crew wouldn’t have the surprise of seeing the newbies shift during the full moon. 

  ***

Excerpted from The Wolf Wore Plaid by Terry Spear. © 2021 by Terry Spear. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

  About Terry Spear

USA Today Bestseller, TERRY SPEAR writes urban fantasy and Highland medieval romance: hot wolves, jaguar shifters, medieval Highlanders and lots more. She also pens young adult paranormal romance. She has over fifty paranormal books to her name, earned Publisher’s Weekly Best Books of the Year, and has been featured in The International Wolf Magazine, Woman’s World and BGS Book Review Magazine. She creates award-winning teddy bears in the heart of Texas and gardens. She retired from USAR after rappelling, mountain climbing, learning water survival, qualifying with a number of firearms, survived the obstacle courses, leadership reaction courses and confidences courses – and knows if she can do it, her characters can overcome any obstacle she puts in their path.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

THE WOLF WORE PLAID by Terry Spear: Excerpt & Spotlight was originally published on The Sassy Bookster

[classicfilmfreak]

New Post has been published on http://www.classicfilmfreak.com/2017/12/14/fourteen-hours-1951-starring-paul-douglas-and-richard-basehart/

Fourteen Hours (1951) starring Paul Douglas and Richard Basehart 

The suspense of a man on the edge of a ledge will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Although he turned more to Westerns toward the end of his career and in the early 1950s displayed his versatility in a cluster of divergent films—a medieval epic that included a sojourn to China, a naval comedy, the obligatory Western, a biography of German general Rommel and a cold war yarn—director Henry Hathaway, in 1951, made a foray into yet another area of motion picture entertainment, the psychological thriller.

The single theme that occupies the entire Fourteen Hours could be summed up in the simple question: Will he or won’t he?  Jump, that is.

A young man (Richard Basehart) checks into a room on the fifteen floor of a New York City hotel for the sole purpose of committing suicide.  From the ledge outside his room, he keeps busy an array of people working to coax him to come inside.

There is his distraught mother (Agnes Moorehead), not too distraught to reveal her own counterproductive psychoses; the psychiatrist (Martin Gabel) who has Cosick’s problem all figured out, or so he thinks; the over zealous evangelist (George MacQuarrie) who only wants to “save” him, jeopardizing one plan to “save” him in another way; and, most of all, the conscientious and compassionate New York policeman (Paul Douglas) who tries every approach to talk him in, and after he becomes so frustrated he taunts the man to jump, has one last idea.

The tension that saturates the film could have been taken to the extreme, made to last practically forever, with even more characters and any number of contrived subplots—there is, however, one brief and errant foray—but both director Hathaway and screenwriter John Paxton—Murder, My Sweet (1944), Crossfire, (1947), Pickup Alley, (1947), known best for crime dramas and film noirs—maintain a tight rein on the plotting and story.

Those fourteen hours include, of course, what could be called a “night watch” and more clandestine strategies to save the man—search lights, which only frighten him, and a police scheme to lower a man from the roof above in an attempt to grab him, which he spots despite Charlie Dunnigan’s efforts of distraction.

And below, through it all, are the swarm of observers, some who want him rescued and others, typical of the worst in human nature, who want him to jump and provide the entertaining thrill they crave.

Seemingly unconcerned about their duties and unregulated by their bosses, some five NYC cab drivers follow the goings-on, sustained on the sidewalk below with coffee and instantaneous news reports on a portable radio.  Bets are even taken on when this guy will jump.  The drivers include actors Ossie Davis and Harvey Lembeck.

The closest thing to a romance in the film is an accidental meeting in the crowd of two office co-workers, Danny (Jeffrey Hunter, in his film début) and Ruth (Debra Paget).  Danny especially works toward some kind of relationship with the initially shy young lady.

Before he first goes to the window, Dunnigan removes his coat, tie and cap, to allay in the man any latent fears of a policeman.  Prompted by the psychiatrist, Dunnigan tries unsuccessfully, at least at first, to relate to the man, one human being to another, man to man.

The police discover the nameless stranger is Robert Cosick and locate his mother, who is of little help.  The father (Robert Keith) provides only another dead end, as the psychotic mother has instilled in her son a hatred for him.  Even when the mother reveals a girl in Cosick’s life, and his estranged fiancée, Virginia (Barbara Bel Geddes), comes to try and talk him in, even this proves fruitless.

The one distracting subplot, perhaps the film’s most serious misstep, unfolds in a nearby law office where a woman (Grace Kelly) is about to sign her final divorce papers.  After watching the drama on the ledge during the legal proceedings, she decides to reconcile with her husband.

The scene feels “inserted,” a glaring departure from the story line.  Kelly’s début in the movies, if that, indeed, was the scene’s sole purpose, went unnoticed by critics.  Gary Cooper, on a visit to the set, was sufficiently impressed to suggest Kelly as his wife in the upcoming High Noon (1952).

In the end, Dunnigan does develop the best rapport of any one with his “client,” though at one point frustrated, the policeman says, “I don’t know why I care, but I do.”  The rapport is reciprocated.  After that hostile encounter with his father, Cosick remarks, “I could never talk to my father the way I’ve talked to you.”

Dunnigan seems close to success when he convinces Cosick “to come in, take a shower and think things over.  I’ll clear everybody out of the room, give you the key and you can lock yourself in.”  When Dunnigan gives his word, Cosick agrees.  The room is supposedly cleared, but an overlooked policeman is crouching behind an upholstered chair.  Before he can make a move, the evangelist, who has sneaked up the back stairs, rushes into the room.  “Kneel and pray!  Kneel and pray!”  Cosick flees back to the ledge.

By now it is night and once again, somehow, despite the apparent betrayal, Dunnigan has regained Cosick’s trust, now with an invitation to meet his wife—“she’s a good cook”—and take him fishing for flounder on Sheepshead Bay.  Cosick is stepping toward the window when a boy on the street below does his impersonation of a skyscraper jumper and accidentally switches on a spotlight.  Cosick is distracted, loses his balance and falls.  The police had quietly hung a net below the ledge, and Cosick grabs it and is hauled to safety.

While Dunnigan greets his wife and son at the entrance of the hotel, Danny and Ruth, hand in hand, walk away down the dark street.

The only musical score heard in the 20th Century-Fox film, by resident composer Alfred Newman, is behind the main title and at the very end, to accompany Hunter and Paget.

Besides Jeffrey Hunter and Grace Kelly, Fourteen Hours provides the film début or second film for many of the extras, including Richard Beymer, John Cassavetes, Joyce Van Patten, Ossie Davis and Harvey Lembeck.  Among the up-and-coming stars is Brian Keith, the son of Robert Keith, who plays Cosick’s father.

Like so many Hollywood films, a happy ending replaces the real-life, tragic incident related in Joel Sayre’s story, from which John Paxton fashioned his screenplay.  In 1938, a twenty-six-year-old man leaped from the seventeenth floor of the New York City Hotel Gotham.  There was no net, no policeman to save him.  In a similar tragedy related to the film, the daughter of a Fox executive leaped to her death the day of the film’s preview, prompting a six-month delay in the official release.

[atlanticcanada]

Nova Scotia reveals AstraZeneca vaccine details, begins pharmacy vaccination clinics

Starting Saturday, a third COVID-19 vaccine will be available for Nova Scotians.

Nova Scotians ages 63 and 64 will be the first group eligible to access the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine beginning March 20.

The vaccine will be available at 25 locations across the province on a first come, first served basis.

"We have a solid plan to offer the AstraZeneca vaccine to a specific age group as a start and it's thanks to the hard work of everyone at Doctors Nova Scotia and the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia who answered the call," said N.S. Premier Iain Rankin in a release. "This vaccine provides another tool in our fight against COVID-19 and builds on the roll-out that is already underway in our province as we work to vaccinate all Nova Scotians."

Public health says as supply of AstraZeneca increases, they will offer the vaccine to Nova Scotians between the ages of 50 to 64, starting with those who are oldest and working backward by age.

"All COVID-19 vaccines provide good protection against severe COVID-19 illness," said Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health in a statement. "Having the AstraZeneca vaccine will allow eligible Nova Scotians to have an option to receive an earlier immunization."

The province has partnered with the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia and Doctors Nova Scotia to help deliver 13,000 doses of the vaccine before April 2.

"I'm pleased government called upon doctors to support the vaccine rollout,” said Dr. Robyn MacQuarrie, president of Doctors Nova Scotia. “It's been a long year, and the best way to get through this and protect Nova Scotians from COVID-19 is to get vaccine in arms as soon as possible.”

"Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are eager to do their part to end this pandemic,” added Allison Bodnar, CEO of the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia. “With all health-care providers working together, we believe that we will be successful in getting Nova Scotians their COVID-19 vaccine quickly."

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is given on a two-dose schedule. Booking for appointments opens Tuesday, March 16 and can be made online or by calling toll-free 1-833-797-7772.

The following pharmacies will offer the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine:

Shoppers Drug Mart, 766 Sackville Dr., Lower Sackville

Kyte's Pharmacy, 920 Cole Harbour Rd., Dartmouth

Lawton's Drug Store, 8003 #7 Hwy., Musquodoboit Harbour

Sobeys Pharmacy, 110 Warwick St., Digby

Guardian - Hutchins Pharmacy, 310 St. George St., Annapolis Royal

Walmart Pharmacy, 1065 Central Ave., Greenwood

Stones Drug Store, 491 Chebucto St., Baddeck

Freeman's Pharmacy, 15786 Central Ave., Inverness

Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy, 288 Welton St., Sydney

Amherst Pharmasave, 158 Robert Angus Dr., Amherst

Pictou Pharmasave, 33 Water St., Pictou

Guardian - Elmsdale Pharmacy, 269 Hwy. 214, Elmsdale

Drug Store Pharmacy (located in Atlantic Superstore), 394 Westville Rd., New Glasgow

The following family physician clinics will offer the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine:

Geriatrics in Motion, 65 Prestwick Cl., Halifax

Woodlawn Medical Centre, 92 Main St., Dartmouth

Dalhousie Family Medicine (Spryfield location), 16 Denith Rd., Halifax

Dalhousie Family Medicine (Mumford location), 265-6960 Mumford Rd., Halifax

Berwick Family Practice, 121 Orchard St., Berwick

Queens General Hospital, 175 School St., Liverpool

Harvest Tides Family Practice, 70 Exhibition St., New Minas

Middleton Collaborative Practice, 452 Main St., Middleton

Colchester Research Group/ Truro Walk-In Clinic, 68 Robie St., Truro

Mediplex: Medical Complex and Clinics, 40 Church St., Antigonish

Island Family Health Care, 308-45 Weatherbee Rd., Sydney

Northside Family Collaborative, 116 King St., North Sydney

Also on Tuesday, Nova Scotia launched its first two pharmacy prototype vaccination clinics. Two more are set to launch the week of March 15.

The province says they will open 10 community-based vaccination clinics across the province by the end of March.

As of Tuesday, 40,231 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far. Of those, 25,689 were first doses and 14,542 were Nova Scotians receiving their second dose

Of the vaccines administered 31,855 went to health care workers, and 5,334 were long-term care residents.

To date, the province has received a total of 73,680 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and are holding 10,881 in reserve for second doses and planned clinics.

The province also says they will soon have more vaccine than expected with 38,000 extra doses of Pfizer-BioNtech arriving in the last two weeks of March.

Recently updated guidelines from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization has extended the second dose interval of COVID-19 vaccines to 16 weeks. This change means more Nova Scotians will receive a first dose of vaccine sooner.  

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/3t4OF3O