Hi-Yo Christmas Away!
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Christmas at the Lewis Place
Thought you'd like to see what Christmas looks like here at our humble abode in the Far Western town of Portland, Oregon.
In years past we've gone the whole hog in decorating the yard, but after the neighbors
got their panties in a bunch over the reindeer poop, we decided to cut back.
This year we settled on a simple tree, and so's not to attract undue attention,
made sure it was no more than an inch or two taller than the one in Times Square.
Still, tourists insist on stopping by for photo ops.
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Creeping Terror! - A 4-Pack of Thrills from Black Dog Books
Gather up this Creeping Terror special while you can, because it will likely end soon! Four books for fifty bucks (a $68 value): A bookful of Spicy Mysteries by Robert Leslie Bellem (featuring Dr. Zarkov, the Surgeon of Souls), a collection of rare horror tales by Seabury Quinn, a creepy collection by Arthur Leo Zagat, and an anthology showcasing forgotten stories by such masters as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Sax Rohmer, A. Merritt and Talbot Mundy. Order info HERE.
Admire the full Black Dog Line-up (and other package deals) HERE.
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Forgotten Books (and Stories) of 2012 (and 2011, and 2010, and then some)
Each date links to the review. Read them all if you dare!
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July 2
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July 9
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July 16
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July 23
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July 30
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Aug. 6
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Aug. 13
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Aug. 20
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Aug. 27
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Sept. 3
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Sept. 10
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Sept. 17
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Sept. 24
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Oct. 8
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Oct. 15
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Oct. 22
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Oct. 29
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Nov. 12
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Nov. 19
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Nov. 26
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Dec. 3
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Dec. 10
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Dec. 17
Jeez, I've gone this far, so I might as well
go back to the beginning:
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Nov. 6
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Nov. 12
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Nov. 20
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Nov. 27
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Dec. 4
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Dec. 11
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Dec. 18
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December 21
And just for kicks, here's a recap of
Forgotten Books from 2011:
Each date links to the review.
Each date links to the review.
Feb. 11
A complete (and semi-rare) Paul Pine story
(the date below links to the story)
Ah, what the heck. Here are the 2010 books too:
Each date links to the review.
Jeez, I've gone this far, so I might as well
go back to the beginning:
Forgotten Books, as if you didn't know, is a weekly extravaganza hosted by Patti Abbott at pattinase. Thanks Patti!
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STILL AVAILABLE: Black Dog Package Specials (including TWO great Sax Rohmers)
There was a lot more to Sax Rohmer than Fu Manchu. These two volumes rediscover stories that have been out of print for decades, including eight that have never been seen (at least in their original form) in the United States. Never read Rohmer? In my review of The Leopard Couch (that's HERE), I likened him to Arthur Conan Doyle on steroids.
The Green Spider presents mystery and suspense stories, while The Leopard Couch focuses on the fantastic and supernatural. For a limited time, you can both for $29 (a ten dollar savings), by clicking right HERE.
Time is running out on the other Package Specials, too. Lester Dent, Spicy Westerns, Best of Adventure, G-Men, Killer Skies, Creeping Terror, Classic Science Fiction, and many more. You'll find them all HERE.
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Happy New Detective Year!
1946
1944
1948
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Art Galley: The Phantom of the West (1931)
To be continued . . .
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Weird with a Beard: WEIRD TALES 1, 2 & 3
To be continued . . .
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Forgotten Books: The Creeping Siamese by Dashiell Hammett (1950)
Yep, I'm still on a Hammett binge, and still have several more books to yap about.
This one appeared in both digest and paperback in 1950.
The title story, which appeared in the March 1926 Black Mask without the "The" in front of it, is one of three tales featuring our short stocky hero, the Continental Op. In context of the story, the title makes more sense without the "The." As is, you might think someone is about to fall victim to a sneaky kitty-cat. Actually, the Siamese of the title are believed to be merciless knife-artists from Siam.
"The Man Who Killed Dan Odams," from Black Mask of January 15, 1924, is a shortie, and just about the closest Hammett ever came to writing a western. There's a jail and a marshal and a ranch of sorts, and our protagonist rides a horse. The only thing that prevents it being a western is a couple of mentions of automobiles.
"The Nails in Mr. Cayterer" (from Black Mask January 1926) is another "lost" story that's been out of print since this appearance in 1950. Too bad, because it's a good story. This one introduces Robin Thin, the poet son (and sort-of partner) of a private investigator. Why is it out of print? Beats me. A second Robin Thin story, unpublished during Hammett's lifetime, debuted in EQMM in 1961, and now resides in the 1999 collection Nightmare Town.
"The Joke on Eloise Morey," from Brief Stories of June 1923, is the briefest story in the book, and relies on a single twist. It's a nice twist, though, and a nice little joke on Eloise.
The longest story in the book, and arguably the best, is "The King Business," an Op adventure that did not appear in Black Mask. Instead, it first appeared in Mystery Stories in January 1928, at the same time the Red Harvest novelettes were running in Mask. I have no inside dope on this, but wouldn't be surprised if Joe Shaw rejected it, feeling it delved too deep into European politics and strayed too far from the mean streets his readers were used to. Still, it's a fine story, with the Op up to his neck in revolutionaries, counterrevolutionaries and opportunists, with an idealist or two thrown in for flavor. The fictional kingdom of Muravia is a brutal place, and the Op gets a front row seat at a long and brutal whipping. EQMM commemorated the scene on their cover when they reprinted the story in 1949.
More amazing Forgotten Books at Sweet Freedom. More Hammett, most likely, coming next week.
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Art Gallery: Spicy Adventure!
1936
1935
1934
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Overlooked Films: Cagney & Bogart in "The Roaring Twenties" (1939)
You may not have seen this movie, but you’ve seen the story. A guy from the wrong side of the tracks strikes it rich (in this case Jimmy Cagney, peddling liquor during Prohibition), certain that will win him the love of the pure and innocent object of his desire (Priscilla Lane, who wants to be a musical theater star), but has his heart ripped from his chest when she falls for a relatively pure and innocent guy (his attorney/pal played by Jeffrey Lynn). Meanwhile, our tragic hero has captured - and ignored - the love of a gal from his own side of the tracks (speakeasy hostess/off-key singer Gladys George).
Of course, that formula doesn’t require the presence of a Humphrey Bogart, but he fits in nicely as the threat to Priscilla and Jeffrey’s future happiness, offering Cagney a shot a redemption as Jimmy struggles to rescue them.
This was 1939, two years shy of The Maltese Falcon, and Bogart was still typecast as the bad guy. So Cagney got most of the screen time and all of the redemption. Every time they share a scene, though, Bogart commands the stage - so much so that it creates the film’s greatest flaw: It’s just plain silly when the script requires him to die like a weasel.
The film’s other flaw is Priscilla Lane. Though the pressbook touts the Cagney-Lane match-up as “Hollywood’s Thrilling New Team," they have zero chemistry, and it’s quite a stretch to believe Cagney thinks she loves him. It’s also quite a stretch for viewers to believe the other characters like her singing. As for the “Thrilling New Team,” I’d be surprised if they ever made another film together.
Still, with Cagney and Bogart - and Raoul Walsh at the helm - you can’t go far wrong. This one delivers plenty of Warner Bros action and tough-guy dialogue, and makes the Twenties roar.
More Overlooked Films & Such at Sweet Freedom.
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Art Gallery: The Phantom of the West (1931) continued . . .
to be continued . . .
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Still Weird After All These Years: WEIRD TALES 4, 5 & 6
To be continued . . .
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Forgotten (and FREE) Stories: Race Williams returns in "Monogram in Lead" by Carroll John Daly
Here's another in our continuing series of never-reprinted adventures of Race Williams, the Grandfather of Hardboiled Dicks. This "novel" (actually a 35-page novelette) is from the February 1937 issue of Dime Detective. Race made the jump to Dime in 1935, after spending the first twelve years of career in Black Mask.
If you've already received scans of our first six Race adventures, you'll find this one in your email box too. If not, and you'd like to read "Monogram in Lead" (and the others, detailed HERE), write me at delewis1@hotmail.com and I'll shoot them back to you. More to come!
And get your weekly dose of Forgotten Books at pattinase!
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Art Gallery: AMAZING STORIES 1, 2 & 3
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A Year's Worth of OVERLOOKED FILMS
Some of these are Overlooked Films, some Films I've Overlooked, some Films That Deserve to Be Overlooked, and a few are Films That Continue to be Overlooked, because I still haven't seen them. As you might expect, you'll find detectives, cowboys, pirates, gangsters, pulp heroes, comic book heroes, comic strip heroes, cartoon characters and monsters. There's even a dog and a war criminal. Something for almost every peculiar taste.
Each date is a link to the post. Let your mouse be your guide.
February 7
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August 14
Overlooked Films marches on each week at Sweet Freedom.
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Art Gallery: WEIRD TALES 7, 8 & 9
To be continued . . .
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Friday's Forgotten Books: This Week's LINKS
This week I'm cramming my huge gnarly feet into Patti Abbott's size seven pumps and corralling the links to Forgotten Books.
Next Friday (Jan. 25) Todd Mason will handle the links. On Feb. 1 it's back to me, then Todd on Feb. 8, me again on Feb. 15, and Todd on Feb. 22. Are you dizzy yet?
These fine reviews are up now:
Patti Abbott: The Assault by Harry Mullish
Joe Barone: Good Behavior by Donald E. Westlake
Brian Busby: The works of Gwethalyn Graham
Bill Crider:Buffalo Hunter: Hellhole by Ralph Hayes
Scott Cupp:Wave Rider by Hilbert Schenk
Martin Edwards: Burglars in Buck by G.D.H and Margaret Cole
Curt Evans:Mr. Campion's Farthing by Philip Youngman Carter
Jerry House:The Metal Monster by A. Merritt
Randy Johnson: Blood of the Breed by T.V. Olsen
Nick Jones: Unknown Man #89 by Elmore Leonard
George Kelley: Totally Mad: John Ficarra, ed.
Rob Kitchin:Go With Me by Castle Freeman
B.V. Lawson:Naked Villainy by Sara Woods
Todd Mason: Some first issues of fantasy magazines
Mike Slind: The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Steve Nester: Bimini Run by E. Howard Hunt
J.F. Norris: The Dark Light by Bart Spicer
James Reasoner: The Farmers Hotel by John O'Hara
Richard Robinson: The Mankiller of Poojegai by Walter Satterthwait
Kathleen Ryan: The crime novels of Flannery O'Connor
Gerard Saylor: Dead in the Water by Ted Wood
Ron Scheer: The Hi Lo Country by Max Evans
Kevin Tipple: Deadly Beloved by Max Allan Collins
Prashant Trikannad: The Trojan Horse by Hammond Innes
Zybahn:The Terminal Man by Michael Crichton
I'll be updating this post as more reviews appear. If I miss yours, please let me know here - or at delewis1@hotmail.com.
AND HERE'S MINE:
Next Friday (Jan. 25) Todd Mason will handle the links. On Feb. 1 it's back to me, then Todd on Feb. 8, me again on Feb. 15, and Todd on Feb. 22. Are you dizzy yet?
These fine reviews are up now:
Patti Abbott: The Assault by Harry Mullish
Joe Barone: Good Behavior by Donald E. Westlake
Brian Busby: The works of Gwethalyn Graham
Bill Crider:Buffalo Hunter: Hellhole by Ralph Hayes
Scott Cupp:Wave Rider by Hilbert Schenk
Martin Edwards: Burglars in Buck by G.D.H and Margaret Cole
Curt Evans:Mr. Campion's Farthing by Philip Youngman Carter
Jerry House:The Metal Monster by A. Merritt
Randy Johnson: Blood of the Breed by T.V. Olsen
Nick Jones: Unknown Man #89 by Elmore Leonard
George Kelley: Totally Mad: John Ficarra, ed.
Rob Kitchin:Go With Me by Castle Freeman
B.V. Lawson:Naked Villainy by Sara Woods
Todd Mason: Some first issues of fantasy magazines
Mike Slind: The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Steve Nester: Bimini Run by E. Howard Hunt
J.F. Norris: The Dark Light by Bart Spicer
James Reasoner: The Farmers Hotel by John O'Hara
Richard Robinson: The Mankiller of Poojegai by Walter Satterthwait
Kathleen Ryan: The crime novels of Flannery O'Connor
Gerard Saylor: Dead in the Water by Ted Wood
Ron Scheer: The Hi Lo Country by Max Evans
Kevin Tipple: Deadly Beloved by Max Allan Collins
Prashant Trikannad: The Trojan Horse by Hammond Innes
Zybahn:The Terminal Man by Michael Crichton
I'll be updating this post as more reviews appear. If I miss yours, please let me know here - or at delewis1@hotmail.com.
AND HERE'S MINE:
CLUES: Focus on Pulp Detective Fiction
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OK, this is technically a magazine, not a book. But it looks like a book, feels like a book and reads like a book, and I'm sort of prejudiced because I have an article in it, so I'm cutting it some slack.
This Fall/Winter 1981 issue of CLUES leads off with four scholarly articles with titles like "The Detective as Therapist" and "A Dream of Reason" by folks I've no doubt were (or still are) respected scholars in the field. But I have to admit I never paid any attention to that stuff. For me, the mag began on page 38 and ran all the way to page 153. This was the special "Indepth Section on Pulp Detective Fiction" edited by E.R. Hagemann. I read and enjoyed every word of that section, and have referred back to it several times over the years.
At the time, Prof. Hagemann was working on his book A Comprehensive Index to Black Mask, 1920-1951, and had made a lot of contacts in the world of detective pulps. He gathered many of those contacts together here, to produce what I believe is STILL one of the best single volumes on the subject.
This Fall/Winter 1981 issue of CLUES leads off with four scholarly articles with titles like "The Detective as Therapist" and "A Dream of Reason" by folks I've no doubt were (or still are) respected scholars in the field. But I have to admit I never paid any attention to that stuff. For me, the mag began on page 38 and ran all the way to page 153. This was the special "Indepth Section on Pulp Detective Fiction" edited by E.R. Hagemann. I read and enjoyed every word of that section, and have referred back to it several times over the years.
At the time, Prof. Hagemann was working on his book A Comprehensive Index to Black Mask, 1920-1951, and had made a lot of contacts in the world of detective pulps. He gathered many of those contacts together here, to produce what I believe is STILL one of the best single volumes on the subject.
Here's the line-up:
A Walk in the Pulpwoods: Random Recollections by William F. Nolan (this being a memoir about growing up reading pulps and beginning his career at the tail end of the era)
Ante-Bellem Days or "My Roscoe Sneezed Ka-Chee" by Bill Pronzini (a study of Robert Leslie Bellem's Dan Turner, including a selection of some of his most outrageous language)
Break It Up! by Robert Leslie Bellem (a brief article on how to write for the pulps, reprinted from a 1944 issue of Writer's Digest)
More Mystery for a Dime: Street & Smith and the First Pulp Detective Magazine by J. Randolph Cox (an introduction to and history of Street & Smith's Detective Story)
Life as a Series of Abstract Analyses by Robert Sampson (an indepth study of T.S. Stribling's Dr. Poggioli series)
The Barbless Arrow by Herman Peterson (a complete story reprinted in facsimile from Action Stories)
Ho-Hoh to Satan: Detective Fiction Weekly's Nutty Series Heroes of the 1930s by Bernard A. Drew (and yes, this group included Richard Sale's Daffy Dill and Carroll John Daly's Satan Hall)
"There's No Sex in Crime": The Two-Fisted Homilies of Race Williams by Michael S. Baron
The Ambulating Lady by Carroll John Daly (a how to write for the pulps piece from Writer's Digest, 1947)
The Backbone of Black Mask by Dave Lewis (me in a former life) (a short bio and study of Frederick Nebel's detective fiction)
Lester Dent, the Last of Joe Shaw's Black Mask Boys by Will Murray
Including Murder: An Unpublished Hammett Collection by Robert S. Powell (the rundown on a story collection Hammett considered assembling back in 1925)
Cap Shaw and his "Great Regular Fellows": The Making of The Hard-Boiled Omnibus, 1945-1946 by E.R. Hagemann.
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Art Gallery: The Phantom of the West (1931) concluded
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Overlooked Films: Touch of Evil (1958)
After seeing (and enjoying) the Orson Welles flick The Stranger recently (review HERE), this one snagged my attention when it turned up on cable.
Unfortunately, I enjoyed Touch of Evil quite a bit less, but all the weird trivia associated with the film almost made up for it. I should note that the version I saw was the 1998 re-editing of the film, intended to hew closer to Welles' original vision than the version released in 1958.
On the plus side, the film opens with an impressive street scene involving multiple tracking shots, and conveys an almost 3-D effect. Welles makes his usual great use of light and shadow - made more effective because the film was shot in black and white. Music is used to great effect: I've never seen a film where rock and roll made scenes so menacing, or jazz made them seems so bizarre. Marlene Dietrich adds class to several scenes. And Dennis Weaver pops up as a somewhat demented motel clerk.
On the negative side, Heston is thoroughly unconvincing as a Mexican (he probably wasn't even convinced himself, because the original story - the 1956 novel Badge of Evil by Whit Masterson - called for him to play an American, and his bride to be Mexican). Welles, though he chews up and spits out every scene he's in, is gross, disgusting and contemptible. When he's not drunk he's just plain weird. Janet Leigh, while nice to look at, is on hand simply to be menaced (though she does get the hell menaced out of her). And Dennis Weaver's demented charm quickly wears off, making him simply annoying.
There's much more to the story, of course, but it's much less interesting than what was going on behind the scenes.
First off, Heston signed on believed Welles was going to direct. Welles, who didn't want to do the movie at all, but was forced by contract obligations, had been signed merely to act, but agreed to direct to keep Heston happy. It was Welles who turned Heston's character from American to Mexican and Janet Leigh's from Mexican to American, and moved the setting from a small California town to the Mexican border.
Welles wore pounds of make-up and prosthetics to turn him into the quivering mass of flesh he portrayed. Welles hired Dennis Weaver because he admired his work on Gunsmoke, but told Weaver he wanted his character to be sort of the opposite of Chester. Janet Leigh accepted a low salary merely for the opportunity to work with Welles. She broke her arm before filming started, and wore a disguised cast throughout the picture. Marlene Dietrich and Zsa Zsa Gabor appeared as favors to Welles, without the studio's knowledge, and did not expect to receive screen credit. Among those making genuinely uncredited appearances were Joseph Cotton, Mercedes Cambridge and Keenan Wynne.
Welles was fired as director before post-production work was finished, and the studio brought in other directors to film new scenes, diverging from Welles' vision for the film. He wrote them a memo requesting changes - which they ignored - but that memo was the basis for this 1998 re-editing of the film.
More Overlooked Films await you, as always, at Sweet Freedom.
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More Pages to Explore .....
