Month: July 2022

THE DEATH OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date July 24, 2022

SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 1 Hour, 35 Min.

NBC-TV televised the Incredible Hulk reunion trilogy’s final installment on February 18, 1990. For New World Television/New World International (Marvel Comics’ then-owner), Bill Bixby directed and executive-produced this film off Gerald DiPego’s script.

Notes: Due to Death’s subsequently disappointing ratings, a potential sequel exploring the character’s subsequent resurrection was scuttled. Hence, rumored possibilities of either She-Hulk (Brigitte Nielsen had even appeared in a glamorous photo shoot as the character) or possibly Iron Man guest-starring in future Marvel-friendly Hulk TV adventures never materialized. Still, Death has been released to DVD.

In Portland, Oregon, an undercover David Banner is now posing as David Bellamy, a mentally-impaired janitor working graveyard shifts. Utilizing his after-hours access to a research laboratory, Banner routinely corrects equations in Dr. Ronald Pratt’s (Philip Sterling) theoretical work analyzing radiation. Once Pratt confronts his secret intruder, Banner senses that his new friend has the necessary scientific resources to finally cure his affliction as the Hulk.

Yet, Eastern European espionage pilfering Pratt’s work sets up Banner and young spy/burglar, Jasmin (Elizabeth Gracen, pre-Highlander: The Series), for a fateful showdown with her ruthless employers.

Dr. David Banner / David Bellamy: Bill Bixby

The Hulk: Lou Ferrigno

Jasmin: Elizabeth Gracen

Dr. Ronald Pratt: Philip Sterling

Amy Pratt: Barbara Tarbuck

Bella: Anna Katarina (aka Anna Katerina)

Kasha: Andreas Katsulas

Zed: John Novak

Betty: Chilton Crane

Brenn: Dwight McFee

REVIEW:

Given the title, it’s no wonder that Bill Bixby & Lou Ferrigno’s last Hulk adventure is so melancholic. Ironically enough, the plot’s dire vibe draws closer in spirit to producer Kenneth Johnson’s TV series than the previous two reunion flicks. Instead of pushing flashy Marvel super-heroes for their own backdoor TV pilots, this finale reverts to the classic Bixby/Ferrigno formula and a decent supporting cast … yet, with middling results.

The inherent problem is that neither star/producer/director Bixby nor screenwriter Gerald DiPego can overcome a lackluster espionage angle that is near-unwatchable without Lou Ferrigno’s Hulk. Case in point: a lame effort at comic relief — revealing a comatose Pratt’s dubious old nickname – should be deemed the less said the better.

Further, it’s readily evident that Death was filmed on the cheap (in Vancouver, Canada) – i.e. as few as they are, Bixby’s patented Hulk-outs are now conveniently relegated off-screen. In one instance, a worked-up Bixby simply tilts over and, seconds later, comes back up as Ferrigno’s Hulk (whose spot-on performance is, at least, reliable as always). Death’s penny-pinching cheats viewers, as the two prior reunion films (one with Thor and one with Daredevil) tried harder pleasing its target audience, no matter how ultra-cheesy the special effects looked.

Ultimately, per Banner’s foreshadowed hint earlier in the script, Death’s poignant final moments briefly display Bixby’s best acting in the reunion trilogy. It’s just unfortunate that this film’s measly production values (and lack of fun in any nostalgic sense) would end Bixby & Ferrigno’s thirteen-year Hulk franchise with a disappointingly weak Death.

Perhaps fans ought to take some solace that the proposed fourth film – The Revenge of the Incredible Hulk was never produced. From the insipid premise DiPego has publicly discussed, one might have seen depicted a resurrected Hulk now possessing Banner’s intellect and/or Bixby’s powerless Banner being compelled to re-irradiate himself to save the day. Frankly, such desperate genre clichés makes Death’s definitive end (instead of its intended cop-out to justify Revenge) sound almost good by comparison.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 3 Stars

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THE INCREDIBLE HULK RETURNS

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date July 24, 2022

SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 1 Hour, 40 Min.

After a nearly six-year hiatus following CBS-TV’s cancellation of the original TV series, NBC-TV broadcast the first Incredible Hulk reunion film on May 2, 1988. Bill Bixby produced and (unofficially) co-directed the movie with its screenwriter/credited director, Nicholas Corea, in the first-ever, live-action team-up of Marvel Comics super-heroes.

Notes: The movie’s co-producers: New World Television (Marvel Comics’ then-owner) and Bixby’s production company excluded series creator Kenneth Johnson from participation. Unlike the two subsequent reunion films, Returns was more scenically filmed in Southern California with a larger budget – i.e. filming Maggie Shaw’s ‘home’ on Malibu’s shoreline; recycling archival footage from the original 1977 TV pilot; and re-editing the TV show’s opening credits segment for this film.

It has been two years since David Banner’s (Bill Bixby) last explosive Hulk-out. Now re-established in Los Angeles, as the enigmatic ‘Dr. David Bannion,’ Banner is romantically involved with his colleague, bio-geneticist Dr. Maggie Shaw (Lee Purcell).

More so, Banner is the project leader for the Lambert Institute’s new ‘Gamma Transponder,’ which is hyped for its massive potential recycling radioactive waste energy. While Banner’s ulterior motive is to use the Transponder to finally cure himself, an Lambert Institute insider sells the Transponder’s experimental technology on the black market.

Banner’s efforts are further complicated by the arrival of former student and now-physician, Dr. Donald Blake (Steve Levitt), with his own unwanted, Marvel-friendly partner: the battle-happy Thor (Eric Allan Kramer). Due to the Hulk and Thor’s repetitive interference, two ruthless Cajun mercenaries and their gang become increasingly desperate to obtain the Transponder’s secrets.

Perhaps even worse yet for Banner is the threat of his old nemesis: tabloid journalist Jack McGee, who smells a connection between this elusive ‘Dr. Bannion’ and the resurfaced Hulk.

Dr. David Banner / Dr. David Bannion: Bill Bixby

The Hulk: Lou Ferrigno

Dr. Margaret “Maggie” Shaw: Lee Purcell

Dr. Donald “Don” Blake: Steve Levitt

Thor: Eric Allan Kramer

Joshua “Josh” Lambert: John Gabriel

Zack Lambert: Jay Baker

Mike Fouche: Charles Napier

Jack LeBeau: Tim Thomerson

Biker Bar Girl: Peisha Arten (aka Peisha McPhee)

Roy (Security Guard): Uncredited

Jogging Beach Girl: Uncredited

Mark (McGee’s Editor – voice only): Uncredited

LeBeau’s Henchman: Nick Costa; Carl Ciarfalio; Bobby McLaughlin; Burke Denis; & Donald Willis

TV Series Credits Narrator: Ted Cassidy (uncredited archival voice)

More Notes: As a double-feature, this title, along with its 1989 sequel, “The Trial of the Incredible Hulk,” has been released to DVD. Among various logic and visual gaffes one might spot, there’s even a verbal contradiction of the original TV series. Blake’s dialogue remembers a then-bearded, academic Banner as “his favorite scientist” and a “resident Merlin” at Harvard a decade before. That claim doesn’t jive with the show’s first-season time frame (1978) where a ‘dead’ Banner was already the Hulk and on the run as a fugitive.

REVIEW:

In spite of its adherence to the TV series opening credits and Lance Rubin’s mimicking of Joseph Harnell’s familiar theme music, The Incredible Hulk Returns makes no pretense to Kenneth Johnson’s insistence upon character depth. Along with its rudimentary dialogue, this film’s easy-to-digest, action-adventure plot is built for undemanding all-ages entertainment, i.e. Thor’s guest presence in a backdoor pilot for his own possible TV series.

It’s then no surprise that Bill Bixby’s normally Emmy-caliber acting seems utterly phoned in this time. Though Bixby isn’t at his best, he still re-establishes the reliable TV magic shared with Lou Ferrigno & Jack Colvin. Consider that a welcome solace, as compared to what little characterization their supporting cast is given to work with.

In particular, the cardboard TV baddies played by familiar suspects Tim Thomerson and Charles Napier too often resort to simplistic clichés and catchphrases explaining their rationale as black market cutthroats. Fortunately, Lee Purcell and Steve Levitt, given their own circumstances, still conjure up likable efforts, along with Eric Allan Kramer’s not-so-mighty/bright yet amusingly goofy Thor.

Overcoming its ultra-cheesy special effects and a deliberately hokey plot, The Incredible Hulk Returns easily surpasses its two successors, in terms of both Hollywood production values and pure entertainment value. Suffice to say, with some help from the first live-action ‘Thor,’ Bixby & Ferrigno’s welcome reunion offers all a Late 80’s TV movie budget reasonably can, with nostalgic charm to spare.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars

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Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC-Related

BLACK LIGHTNING: YEAR ONE (DC Comics)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date July 22, 2022

Written by Jen Van Meter.

Art by Cully Hamner; Laura Martin; Travis Lanham; Sal Cipriano; & Steve Wands.

Re-Issue Cover Art: Cress Williams as Black Lightning {CW Television Series}.

SUMMARY:

DC Comics released the original six-issue mini-series in 2009, which was subsequently collected as a 144-page trade paperback that same year. Popularized by the CW’s live-action TV series, this re-issued edition was released in 2017-2018.

Returning to the Southside neighborhood (aka ‘Suicide Slum’ in Metropolis), former U.S. Olympian-turned-educator Jefferson Pierce brings his young family (wife Lynn and nine-year old daughter Anissa) home to live with his mother in Pierce’s childhood home. His new job as a high school principal in a gang-infested, urban war zone mirrors a mysterious vigilante’s work protecting nocturnal Southside from thugs representing the ominous ‘100.’

Despite help from his loyal friend, tailor/tech wiz Peter Gambi, Pierce’s crusade against Southside injustice runs afoul of both the Metropolis police and The 100. A constant threat of grisly violence impacts both Pierce’s family and the skeptical kids under his supervision, as he gradually draws closer to The 100’s macabre kingpin. Gaining the trust of the Man of Steel, not to mention a familiar Metropolis cop, Black Lightning uncovers a grim, long-hidden truth dating back to the assassination of his own valiant father years before.

In the end, it’s up to a defiant Pierce to face both corpulent business tycoon/mobster Tobias Whale and a secret monstrous threat that even his electrifying powers may not be enough to vanquish. No matter the steep odds, Black Lightning intends to redeem his beloved Southside’s future or die trying. Guest stars include Clark Kent/Superman, Lois Lane, & Talia al Ghul.

REVIEW:

It’s a great read! Ignoring the ‘secret origin’ of Pierce’s super-powers, writer Jen Van Meter instead concocts a satisfying exploration of the ‘why’ behind Jefferson Pierce’s crusade as Southside’s guardian. Van Meter also delivers terrific work depicting the changes in how Pierce’s extended family reacts to his hellbent mission after dark. Including the shadowy villain’s origin, the presence of another sinister force behind his perennial arch-nemesis, Tobias Whale, also proves an inspired touch.

Working in equal tandem with Van Meter is the art squad’s consistently likable visuals. What this art team brings to Black Lightning’s saga is a fresh look that would help bolster any ongoing series. Accordingly, Black Lightning: Year One should be deemed a welcome prequel from DC Comics.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

In a full-page format, each of Cully Hamner’s six covers precede its issue.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars

CD's Classical, Electronica, & New Age Music & Radio Shows

A PORTRAIT (by Cecilia Bartoli)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date July 22, 2022

SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 75:00 Min.

In 1995, Decca (or Decca Records) released this first compilation album celebrating Italian coloratura mezzo-soprano, Cecilia Bartoli. On various tracks, her musical collaborators include: Lesley Schatzberger; Christopher Hogwood; György Fischer; András Schiff; Charles Spencer; Ion Marin; & Riccardo Chailly. Also participating are The Vienna Chamber Orchestra; Orchestra of La Fenice Venice; and the Bologna Teatro Communale.

Grouped by composer, Bartoli’s sixteen tracks are:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:

La Clemenza Di Tito K 621 – Parto, Parto, Ma Tu, Ben Mio Running Time: 6:15
Così Fan Tutte, K 588 – Temerari! … Come Scoglio Running Time: 5:48
Così Fan Tutte, K 588 – In Vomini, In Soldati Running Time: 2:39
Le Nozze Di Figaro, K 492 – Voi Che Sapete Running Time: 2:48
Le Nozze Di Figaro, K 492 – Giunse Alfin II Momento… Deh Vieni Running Time: 5:24
Don Giovanni, K 527 – Batti … O Bel Masetto Running Time: 3:45
Ch’lo Mi Scordi Di Te … Non Temer, Amato Bene K 505 Running Time: 10:15

Alessandro Parisott

Se Tu M’Ami Running Time: 2:33

Umberto Giordano

Caro Mio Ben Running Time: 2:46

Guilio Caccini

Amarilli Running Time: 3:12

Franz Schubert

La Pastorella Running Time: 2:14
Vedi Quanto Adoro Ancora Ingrato! – Didone Abandonetta Running Time: 4:53

Gioachino Rossini

Belta Crudele Running Time: 4:42
Semiramide – Bel Raggio Lusinghier Running Time: 7:58
Maometto II – Giusto Ciel, In Tal Periglio Running Time: 3:26
La Cenerentola – Nacqui All’Affanno, Non Piú Mesta Running Time: 7:14

REVIEW:

Enjoyable for either experienced or aspiring opera buffs, Bartoli’s impressive vocal talents as a storyteller are given their just due. Decca ensures that listeners get their money’s worth, as far as the diverse track selection goes. Filled with Bartoli’s vibrant sound, A Portrait is absolutely well-played!

PACKAGING:

Decca delivers high-quality production values.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars

Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC's Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks

FAIREST: IN ALL THE LAND (DC Comics/VERTIGO Comics)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date July 22, 2022

Written by Bill Willingham.

Art by Chrissie Zullo; Karl Kerschl; Renae De Liz; Ray Dillon; Fiona Meng; Mark Buckingham; Phil Noto; Meghan Hetrick; Eva De la Cruz; Russ Braun; Tony Akins; Gene Ha; Tula Lotay; Marley Zarcone; Ming Doyle; Chris Sprouse; Karl Story; Nimit Malavia; Deon Ormston; Kurt Huggins; Adam Hughes; Al Davison; Shawn McManus; Inaki Miranda; & Kevin Maguire.

Cover Art by Adam Hughes.

SUMMARY:

Released by DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint in 2013, this 160-page original graphic novel integrates characters from both of Bill Willingham’s ongoing interrelated titles: Fairest and Fables. In somewhat satirical fashion, the mythical Magic Mirror provides both the prologue and epilogue of a serial murder mystery targeting Fabletown.

With the reliable Bigby Wolf no longer available, Mayor King Cole calls upon a glamorous spy, Cinderella (aka “Cindy”), to sleuth a series of grisly double-murders, including Rose Red, Morgan Le Fey, and even Snow White. Accessing an ominous list of future victims, it’s up to Cinderella, over the course of one ugly week, to save Fabletown’s greatest female legends from being slain by an vengeful predator.

Notes: This title is also available as a paperback format. Aside from the illustrated prose for the prologue and epilogue, the stories are broken down under days of the week. Specifically, these stories comprise a total of thirty chapters, each with different artists.

REVIEW:

Given so many different visual looks, this book’s artistic stylishness is consistently intriguing and at times rockets off-the-charts. Somewhat reminiscent of Honey West, Bill Willingham’s depiction of Cinderella as a tenacious rookie detective works most of the time. Still, the shock value of occasional profanities and unrepentant gore risks negating much of Fairest’s demented charm. If readers are previously acquainted with either Fables or Fairest, then In All the Land (i.e. necessary twists in the last few sequences) won’t likely disappoint them.

For others first discovering Willingham’s darkly clever re-imagining of familiar fairy tale characters, Fairest: In All the Land may come off as just too macabre for its own good.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

A table-of-contents is provided. There’s also a two-page section acknowledging this book’s creative talents — after Bill Willingham, these credits appear in alphabetical order.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6½ Stars

Notes: Also exploring a murder-mystery, another title worth considering is Willingham’s Fables, Volume 1: Legends in Exile. More so, to better grasp In All the Land’s intricacies, reading Legends in Exile first makes sense.

LOVE THEME FROM SUPERMAN III (by Giorgio Moroder {& Helen St. John}: Ewok Celebration)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date July 22, 2022

SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:15 Min.

Recorded for 1983’s Superman III film soundtrack, Giorgio Moroder supplied its instrumental love theme utilizing synthesizer romantic pop.

Note: Helen St. John is officially credited on the soundtrack as the love theme’s performer, though Moroder produced much of the long-out-of-release album.

REVIEW:

Given how Superman III explores Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) & Lana Lang’s (Annette O’Toole) platonic Smallville reunion, this exuberant instrumental oddly has no place within the film’s storyline. At most, there may be a few faint strands briefly heard in the movie’s underwhelming background (or possibly it was meant for some subsequently deleted scene). More so, Moroder & St. John’s soaring tune doesn’t necessarily age well forty years later.

For its time, the theme’s lush sound serves up appealing ear candy, though nothing in the melody resonates with Reeve’s Superman whatsoever. Contemporary listeners, however, couldn’t be blamed for deeming this theme an excess of Early 80’s instrumental romantic drivel, as filtered through a synthesizer. Case in point: there’s at least on-line version (possibly a cover) credited to St. John that reeks of electronica dreck.

If one still wants to find a presumably authentic version, there’s an obscure source. Released in 1983, Meco’s Ewok Celebration disco novelty album includes Superman III’s dreamy love theme (credited to Moroder only) on its B-side. Unlike the on-line St. John track, this rare Moroder rendition is relatively enjoyable on its own merits – without linking it to the cinematic Man of Steel.

Notes: As of this writing, Ewok Celebration is still available as a vinyl. The album was also released in cassette form.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars

Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC's Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks

FINAL CRISIS: REVELATIONS (DC Comics)

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date July 22, 2022

Written by Greg Rucka.

Art by Philip Tan; Jonathan Glapion; Jeff de los Santos; Walden Wong; Ian Hannin; Nei Rufino; & John J. Hill.

Final Crisis: Secret Files excerpt text by Greg Rucka.

Final Crisis Secret Files excerpt art by Steve Lieber & Eric S. Trautmann.

Collection Cover Art by Philip Tan; Walden Wong; & Ian Hannin.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2009 by DC Comics, this 168-page hardcover reprints 2008’s Final Crisis: Revelations # 1-5 and material from 2009’s Final Crisis: Secret Files # 1 one-shot. Beginning with a single-page excerpt from the ‘Words of Lilith,’ the prophecy re: the Spear of Destiny is enigmatically revealed. In the present-day, the catastrophic Final Crisis has been unleashed on Earth. Quietly, there is the tragic passing of a terminally ill Sister Clarice in a Gotham City hospital.

Dispatching the wrath of God, Crispus Allen’s Spectre sends the first Dr. Light (who is terrorizing young girls forced to dress like female Titans amidst his monstrous sexual pleasure), Effigy, and then The Hangmen to burn in Hell. Allen’s conscience is already damning himself for having previously killed his elder son, Malcolm, at God’s behest – for fatally avenging his father’s own murder. Hence, the Spectre is stunned that Libra easily defies him while now leaving God’s Spirit of Vengeance inexplicably vulnerable.

Note: Allen’s murderer was corrupted Gotham cop Jim Corrigan (whose name was lifted from the Spectre’s original alter ego).

In a shipboard battle off the English coast, Renee Montoya’s Question tangles with the diabolical Wrack’s legion to obtain the Spear of Destiny. Leaving the Spear behind, Allen’s Spectre abducts Montoya back to Gotham City to face her own eternal punishment for ‘leading’ Wrack’s sinister disciples. Only God’s Angel of Mercy (now channeled through Sister Clarice’s form) saves Montoya from her ex-GCPD partner’s deadly retribution. Elsewhere, Wrack and her forces use the Spear to channel the biblical Cain’s spirit through Vandal Savage as Darkseid’s harbinger of pure evil.

Holed up in a Gotham City church, Allen, Sister Clarice, Helena Bertinelli’s Huntress, and a wounded Montoya make a seemingly futile last stand against Cain/Savage’s vast army of corrupted minions (now including Batwoman, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, & Commissioner Gordon) busily invading Earth. Ultimately, two mortals must defy evil’s champion in hopes that God (or perhaps an spiritual emissary) can restore the world’s balance back to normal.

Note: This title is also available in paperback.

REVIEW:

Half of the equation for a potential masterpiece is easy here: this book’s slick visual quality is top-caliber from start to finish. Final Crisis: Revelations frankly merits consideration among DC’s best-produced 21^st Century projects, in terms of its artwork. Yet, trying to digest writer Greg Rucka’s biblically-inspired storyline is another matter.

The good news is that Revelations, no matter how religiously convoluted it becomes, is still more coherent than Grant Morrison’s mind-numbing Final Crisis. For instance, Revelations’ last page wisely spells out Rucka’s poignant endgame in bolstering the Crispus Allen Spectre’s presence in the DC Universe. Though this final plot twist is almost predictable, it’s well-played making readers suspend their disbelief.

Yet, the bad news is that Rucka’s powerful/grandiose storytelling is excessive. His eye-popping over-reliance on biblical allegories constantly bogs down the story’s overall flow — especially how the last pages all too conveniently resolve an apocalyptic nightmare. Further, as heavy-handed as Rucka’s plotting becomes exploiting God, it doesn’t excuse the repulsive inferences made in the (Dr.) Arthur Light scene. There was no need for such trash, as fans already know how despicable this particular villain is, without contributing another sickening new low. DC’s judgment (and, by extension, Rucka’s) is exceedingly poor for depicting Light’s latest crimes, especially without any parental advisory whatsoever.

Aside from scripting flippancy overkill from Montoya & the Huntress, Rucka ought to have reconsidered toning down Revelations from the get-go. Without going into specifics, Paramount Pictures faced a similar dilemma in William Shatner’s original fire-and-brimstone vision for 1989’s Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Even though Shatner’s film still resulted in cinematic dreck, at least producer Harve Bennett and other Paramount executives tried righting the ship, so to speak, mitigating their star/director’s odd extremism.

The same predicament applies here: evidently, DC Comics didn’t bother transforming this supernatural horror storyline into something less pretentious and more conducive to a wider adult audience. Had DC done so, Revelations’ controversial entertainment value wouldn’t then be left as an utter gamble.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Included are all five covers and their ‘sliver’ variants. Each issue’s art squad is also specifically credited. The cover art teams are:

Issue # 1 (Spectre): Philip Tan, Walden Wong, & Ian Hannin; Libra’s ‘sliver’ variant: Philip Tan & Jeff de los Santos;
Issue # 2 (Question): Philip Tan, Jonathan Glapion, & Ian Hannin; Batwoman’s ‘sliver’ variant: Philip Tan & Ian Hannin;
Issue # 3 (Batwoman): Philip Tan & Nei Rufino; Cain/Vandal Savage’s vs. Spectre ‘sliver’ variant: Philip Tan, Jonathan Glapion, & Nei Rufino.
Issue # 4 (Cain/Vandal Savage) & Huntress’ ‘sliver’ variant: Philip Tan, Jonathan Glapion, & Nei Rufino.
Issue # 5 (character montage) & Spectre’s ‘sliver’ variant: Philip Tan, Jonathan Glapion, & Nei Rufino.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6½ Stars

Anthologies Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense

SIMPLY THE BEST MYSTERIES

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date July 14, 2022

Edited by Janet Hutchings.

Written by (See Below).

Cover Art by Ken Joudrey; Earl Keleney; Fred Husten; & Roy Colmer.

SUMMARY:

Published in 1998 by Carroll & Graff Publishers, Inc., this 352-page hardcover reprints sixteen Edgar-winning short stories, along with six additional Edgar front-runners/nominees, all from Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. The chosen tales are:

“The House Party” by Stanley Ellin (1954). A suspicious fall sets up a self-involved party host for a dark epiphany.
“Dream No More” by Philip McDonald (1955). A congenial college professor ingratiates himself with a favorite student and his doting mother at their posh California coastal home.
“The Blessington Method” by Stanley Ellin (1956). Resolving the ethical dilemma of an unwanted, live-in father-in-law perplexes a middled-aged businessman.
* “And Already Lost” by Charlotte Armstrong (1957). A high school assistant principal finds herself tormented by four notorious students.
“The Affair at Lahore Cantonment” by Avram Davidson (1961). In a rural, post-war pub, a writer overhears a tragic British Army love story that occurred in India decades before. The tale includes Rudyard Kipling’s poem, “Danny Deever.”
* “The Terrapin” by Patricia Highsmith (1962). Tormented by his overbearing mother, a young boy’s relentless humiliation reaches its breaking point.
“H as in Homicide” by Lawrence Treat (1964). Reminiscent of film noir, a small-town homicide cop probes a missing-person case involving two female strangers traveling cross-country together.
“Goodbye, Pops” by Joe Gores (1969). A hardened convict escapes prison to return home and visit his terminally-ill father.
“The Purple Shroud” by Joyce Harrington (1972). At a summer-long art camp, a middle-aged wife painstakingly seeks revenge for her husband’s serial adultery.
“The Fallen Curtain” by Ruth Rendell (1974). A British college student’s mysterious childhood abduction comes full circle.
“Like a Terrible Scream” by Etta Revesz (1976). A handicapped Latino boy reflects on the shocking crime that has gotten him incarcerated.
“Chance After Chance” by Thomas Walsh (1977). In Massachusetts, an alcoholic ex-priest’s path to redemption may be a deadly ruse.
“The Cloud Beneath the Eaves” by Barbara Owens (1978). Attempting a normal life, a woman’s private journal entries relate a descent (or possibly a return) into madness.
* “This is Death” by Donald E. Westlake (1978). A man’s ghost grimly recounts the events leading up to his own suicide.
“Horn Man” by Clark Howard (1980). After wrongfully serving decades in prison for homicide, an ex-musician returns to New Orleans for payback against his accuser.
“The Absence of Emily” by Jack Ritchie (1981). After a wife’s peculiar disappearance, her cousin suspects the nonchalant husband.
“The New Girl Friend” by Ruth Rendell (1983). A kinky extramarital affair impacting two British married couples takes an even more bizarre twist.
* “The Anderson Boy” by Joseph Hansen (1983). Almost twenty years later, a troubled husband’s teenage discretion comes back as a haunting vendetta.
“Elvis Lives” by Lynne Barrett (1990). A forty-ish Elvis impersonator has second thoughts about finally reaching the big time.
* “Candles in the Rain” by Doug Allyn (1992). Just prior to the public transfer of an ex-U.S. military base to Michigan’s Ojibwa Council, a protester’s fiery death raises suspicions.
* “When Your Breath Freezes” by Kathleen Dougherty (1995). Multiple deaths at an Alaskan convent convince a nun that all isn’t what it seems.
“The Judge’s Boy” by Jean B. Cooper (1995). In the humid Deep South, a down-on-his-luck lawyer is recruited by a decrepit judge to recover his stolen fortune.

Notes: The asterisk indicates which tales didn’t win an Edgar. The generic cover artwork doesn’t reflect any particular story.

REVIEW:

Even the oldest of these macabre tales hardly seem musty – i.e. “The House Party” and “The Affair at Lahore Cantonment” would be considered well-played in any generation. Of the more recent stories, “Candles in the Rain” is an excellent read.

Hence, mystery fans favoring short story anthologies (like the Malice Domestic series) can appreciate how timeless this obscure assortment is. Though some tales infer perhaps one too many clever hints, a savvy reader’s enthusiasm won’t be dampened much.

The flip side is that this anthology’s grim contents aren’t necessarily superior entertainment to others in the genre simply because of the Edgar Award’s prominence. Frankly, this book’s most well-constructed crime fiction isn’t guaranteed to leave a lasting impression, neither good nor bad. Simply the Best Mysteries risks overstating its appeal with such a presumptuous title, but, aside from “The Terrapin,” and “The New Girl Friend,” it’s still a welcome find at a garage sale. More so, this anthology delivers effective samplers to consider exploring other works by many of these authors.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

Janet Hutchings’ three-page introduction explains the Edgar Allan Poe Awards, as well as how these particular stories were selected from Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars

Note: A similar anthology worth exploring is editor Tony Hillerman’s The Mysterious West. Thematically, “The Purple Shroud,” and “Candles in the Rain,” would best fit Hillerman’s moody 1994 anthology.

Books & Novels Movies & Television (Books) Mystery & Suspense

JAMES BOND: DIE ANOTHER DAY

Post author By oddmoonmediareviews
Post date July 14, 2022

Written by Raymond Benson

Based Upon Neal Purvis & Robert Wade’s Screenplay

SUMMARY:

In 2002, Berkley Boulevard Books released this 216-page paperback adapting Pierce Brosnan’s fourth and final cinematic appearance as James Bond.

In present-day North Korea, Agent 007’s undercover assignment goes spectacularly awry, despite eliminating a volatile, would-be terrorist: Colonel Moon. Taken prisoner by Moon’s vengeful father and tortured by North Korean forces over fourteen months, Bond’s release is secured in a dubious swap involving Moon’s associate: Zao, a devious henchman possessing diamond-encrusted skin.

Believing he is now irreparably compromised, M doesn’t hesitate in deactivating Bond, who suspects an insider’s betrayal during that fateful mission. Slipping away from MI6 custody, the recuperating Bond probes the nebulous truth behind his ordeal, which takes him to Hong Kong and then Cuba. While in the Caribbean, Bond meets the alluring yet enigmatic ‘Jinx,’ who has her own plan in mind.

Back in London, a reinstated Bond and a fellow agent, Miranda Frost, are assigned to investigate the cryptic diamond magnate, Gustav Graves, at a high-profile reception he is hosting in Iceland. Teaming with Jinx & Miranda, Agent 007 is unaware that there’s a traitor lurking in their midst. Facing off against the psychotic Graves and Zao, Bond discovers that his team’s present objective is ominously linked to his prior captivity in North Korea.

REVIEW:

Given Neal Purvis & Robert Wade’s preposterous script, veteran Bond scribe Raymond Benson’s novelization isn’t half-bad. Glamorizing North Korea’s real-world notoriety, the first two chapters (on screen, it’s the pre-credits teaser) seem promising enough.

The dilemma moving forward, however, is that Benson is stuck replicating the film’s increasingly silly plot twists without his novel devolving into a glorified synopsis. Hence, the lack of any semblance of flesh-and-blood characterization in Die Another Day isn’t surprising. Bond, Jinx, M, Moneypenny, the new Q, and the assortment of guest characters are packaged as nothing more than genre caricatures. Benson’s novel, in that regard, is often like reading literary cardboard.

Still, as long as one rolls with Die Another Day’s can-you-top-this? antics (which somehow work better on paper than on film), Benson delivers a generally smooth read. Even his reliable predecessor, John Gardner, likely couldn’t have done better with this same source material. While Benson’s tie-in adaptation is meant for die-hard fans, one can take solace in not being subjected to Madonna’s hot mess of a title song.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

In addition to a table-of-contents, there’s an ad for the movie.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5½ Stars