Movie Review: The Hasty Heart (1949)

Lachie registers a complaint with Sister Parker.

Movie Review: The Hasty Heart (1949) directed by Vincent Sherman Burma, 1945, what will turn out to be V-J Day, the last day of World War Two. Scots soldier Lachie (Richard Todd) takes a piece of mine shrapnel to the back. The military doctors manage to save his life, but he’s lost one of his kidneys.… Continue reading Movie Review: The Hasty Heart (1949)

Movie Review: The Living Skeleton

Non-living skeletons

Movie Review: The Living Skeleton (1968) directed by Hiroki Matsuno (Japanese title: Kyûketsu dokuro-sen (“Blood-sucking Skull Ship”) Three years ago, the freighter Dragon King was lost at sea, with no survivors. Among those who apparently perished were ship’s doctor Nishizato (Ko Nishimura) and his recent bride Yoriko (Kikko Matsuoka). Yoriko’s twin sister Saeko (Kikko Matsuoka) still mourns them,… Continue reading Movie Review: The Living Skeleton

Movie Review: Doctor X (1932)

Dr. Rowitz waxes lyrical about his "lunacy" theory.

Movie Review: Doctor X (1932) directed by Michael Curtiz The Moon Killer has struck again! Each month during the full moon, a victim is found strangled and killed with a wound to the back of the skull, and then large chunks of their flesh removed, presumably to be eaten. After six victims, the police have finally… Continue reading Movie Review: Doctor X (1932)

Book Review: The Best of Analog

Cover art by Alex Schomburg.

Book Review: The Best of Analog edited by Ben Bova After the death of long-time editor John W. Campbell in 1971, Analog Science Fiction and Fact needed a new person at the helm. The winner of the selection process was Ben Bova (1932-2020), who intended to stay only a few years, those years winding up… Continue reading Book Review: The Best of Analog

Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #38: Superman Vs. the Supernatural

Cover by Hannigan & Smith

Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #38: Superman Vs. the Supernatural edited by Nicola Cuti As I’ve mentioned before, Superman’s impressive array of powers at the top of the super-scale make him a hard character to write challenges for. This led to the invention of Kryptonite and its subsequent overuse as a plot device.… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #38: Superman Vs. the Supernatural

Movie Review: Maigret and the St. Fiacre Case (1959)

Maigret and the Countess have a drink together.

Movie Review: Maigret and the St. Fiacre Case (1959) directed by Jean Delannoy (French title: Maigret et l’affaire Saint-Fiacre) It’s difficult to imagine, but Jules Maigret (Jean Gabin) was not always a police commissioner. As a boy, he lived in the rural village of Saint-Fiacre, where his father was the steward for the chateau of the… Continue reading Movie Review: Maigret and the St. Fiacre Case (1959)

Movie Review: Angel and the Badman (1947)

Quirt's had better days.

Movie Review: Angel and the Badman (1947) directed by James Edward Grant Quirt Evans (John Wayne) may be a top hand with a gun, but he’s got his limits, and this time he was severely outnumbered, so rode away. Badly wounded, he collapses in front of Quaker woman Penelope Worth (Gail Russell) and her father Thomas… Continue reading Movie Review: Angel and the Badman (1947)

Book Review: Great Science Fiction About Doctors

Cover by Don Ivan Punchatz

Book Review: Great Science Fiction About Doctors edited by Groff Conklin and Noah D. Fabricant, M.D. While medical doctors are common and important in science fiction, stories directly about them or the field of medicine are a bit rarer. It was one magazine’s speculation that it would be difficult to fill an anthology with really… Continue reading Book Review: Great Science Fiction About Doctors

Movie Review: Scream of Fear (1961)

Penny navigates the poorly lit villa.

Movie Review: Scream of Fear (1961) directed by Seth Holt (British title: “Taste of Fear”) Ten years ago, the Applebys divorced, and Mrs. Appleby got custody of their daughter Penny Appleby (Susan Strasberg). They moved to Italy. Eight years ago, Penny had a riding accident and lost the use of her legs. Three years ago, her… Continue reading Movie Review: Scream of Fear (1961)

Movie Review: Chained for Life (1952)

Vivian/Violet and Dorothy/Daisy sing a duet.

Movie Review: Chained for Life (1952) directed by Harry L. Fraser Vivian and Dorothy Hamilton (Violet and Daisy Hilton) are conjoined twins (called “Siamese twins” in the movie as that was the slang of the time) who work as a singing duet in vaudeville. Variety show attendance is down overall so the Bijou’s owner Mr. MacKenzie… Continue reading Movie Review: Chained for Life (1952)