The late, great Jerry Herman gave Broadway some of its most memorable musical scores, notably HELLO, DOLLY!. MAME, and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. He wrote several other shows that were not smash hits, even though they had interesting–and in some cases, inspired–music and lyrics. Continue reading
Category Archives: Classics
Why I Love Mrs. Pollifax
I’m in love with a girl named Emily. Okay, she’s hardly a girl; she’s a widow and mother “of a certain age” (mid-sixties) who Continue reading
Dark Genius: Agatha Christie’s Masterpiece
I always loved to read mysteries, even as a child. When I was thirteen, I decided I was tired of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. My sister Suzy was the big mystery reader in the family, so I asked her for a good “grown-up” mystery story. She handed me AND THEN THERE WERE NONE by Agatha Christie, but first she sealed the final chapter of her copy with tape and made a bet with me. Continue reading
Mystery of the Week: Who Killed PETER PAN?
I finally watched PETER PAN Saturday night on NBC On Demand. I was really looking forward to it, but what the hell happened? Act One was okay, but then… Continue reading
Good News For Billy Wilder Fans!
I’m a big fan of mystery and suspense films, and the great Billy Wilder directed several of my all-time favorites. In 1944, the energetic Austrian immigrant made his mark in Hollywood with Continue reading
Halloween Special: 5 Lesser-Known Horror Movies You Might Enjoy
I’m always making lists for my blog, but they’re usually in the best/greatest/most famous categories. If I were to list my five favorite horror fiilms, for example, they’d all be well-known titles. Everybody knows about Continue reading
A new version of an old favorite on DVD and Blu-Ray
A midsummer treat for all us movie geeks! The wonderful Criterion Collection has done it again, this time with one of my all-time favorite films–Peter Weir’s gorgeous 1975 masterpiece, PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK. Continue reading
Mary Stewart, 1916-2014
I’ve just learned of the passing of one of my favorite authors, Mary Stewart. She died May 9 at the age of 97. I wrote a blog entry on her a few weeks ago, when I reread her books for the umpteenth time. Continue reading
Oldies But Goodies: Alistair MacLean and Mary Stewart
As much as I enjoy finding new mystery and suspense authors, there’s nothing quite like revisiting old friends. I recently reread several titles of two favorite authors who dominated the bestseller lists back in the Stone Age, when I was a teen dreaming of someday being a writer. Is it any wonder that they both had an enormous influence on my own, personal style as it evolved? Continue reading
My Favorite Book Goes Electronic
Anyone who knows me will tell you that my favorite novel of all time is REBECCA. Good news: Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 masterpiece is now an ebook! Many of du Maurier’s works are finally being Continue reading