Season two of Magnum p.i. comes to a close with the two episodes this week. First up is The Elmo Ziller Story, which aired 25 March, 1982, and was written by Robert Hamilton. Thomas (Tom Selleck) thinks Higgins (John Hillerman) is him on when he’s asked to protect Elmo Ziller, who looks exactly like…
Month: December 2014
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) – L. Frank Baum
While I was laid up in hospital a couple of weeks ago for my hernia operation, I decided I would read a children’s book that I had never looked at before. So my Kindle was happy to add the 15 Oz novels by L. Frank Baum to their library, and I had a look…
Frank (2014) – Lenny Abrahamson
Michael Fassbender is the titular Frank in this amusing and entertaining dark comedy that is being released to DVD and Blu-Ray today from Magnolia Home Entertainment. The film follows a young, would-be musician, Jon (Domhnall Gleeson), and how he becomes involved in a rather eccentric pop band that is fronted by Frank, who never…
The Rockford Files (1978) – Heartaches of a Fool and Rosendahl and Gilda Stern are Dead
Private investigator Jim Rockford (James Garner) is back as season five opens. The season premier was 22 September, 1978 and saw Jim’s dad, Rocky (Noah Beery jr.) in a bit of a trouble in this episode written by Cannell. And the first phone message of the year features a phone call from a person…
Marty (1955) -Delbert Mann
Ernest Borgnine stars as the titular Marty in this wonderful film recommended in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of On The Waterfront. This is a gem of a film, lovely in its simplicity and honesty, and I can hear the echoes of it in my own life….
The Lost Weekend (1945) – Billy Wilder
Ray Milland and Jane Wyman star in this first recommendation from Great Movies – 100 Years of Film following my viewing of On The Waterfront. And wow… $10 went a long way back in 1945! This one took Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Milland too Best Actor at the Oscars that year,…
Doctor Who (Patrick Troughton) – The Invasion
This eight part series written by Derrick Sherwin, which aired from 2 November to 21 December 1968, is an epic story that sees the return of the Cybermen (who remain unseen in the story until episode 4), the appearance of UNIT, and it’s commander, now Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. The TARDIS arrives in London, after eluding…
Funny Girl (1968) – William Wyler
I was completely charmed by this one. That’s twice Streisand has wowed me when I thought she wouldn’t. Clocking in at two and a half hours, this is the final musical recommendation to go with my screening of The Jazz Singer for the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book. Babs is Fanny…
Magnum p.i. (1982) – Double Jeopardy and The Last Page
Thomas (Tom Selleck) meets one of his screen crushes when a film, Tahiti Kill, based on one of Robin Masters’ bestsellers is doing some shooting on the estate in the first episode this week, Double Jeopardy. It was written by Reuben Leder, Babs Greyhosky and Bill Taub, and aired 25 February, 1982. When Higgins…
Countdown City (2013) – Ben H. Winters
The sequel to The Last Policeman picks up with less than three months before the big asteroid is to make its devastating impact on Earth. Hank Palace is no longer a police officer, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to stop being a detective. With his dog, Houdini at his side, Palace finds himself…
The Mind Reels 