Keanu Reeves takes on the role of DC’s Vertigo Comics character of John Constantine aka Hellblazer in the next title to be featured in DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies as I traverse its visions of hell. Constantine was originally written as a UK character but was changed to American to make it more bankable…
Author: TD Rideout
Dante’s Inferno (1935) – Harry Lachman
Spencer Tracy gets a glimpse of hell in the next title featured in DK Books’ Monsters in the Movies, Dante’s Inferno. Tracy plays Carter, a forceful and determined young man, who finds success and a pathway to greed, avarice and more when he joins a concessionaire run by Pop McWade (Henry B. Walthall). After a…
Star Wars: Rebels (2017) – Warhead, Trials of the Darksaber, and Legacy of Mandalore
Warhead is a bit of a lighter episode that adds briefly to the Kallus (David Oyelowo) and Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) continuity but mainly allows Zeb (Steve Blum) and the droids Chopper and AP-5 (Stephen Stanton) a chance to have some action beats when they are left behind at the rebel base while the rest of…
The French Connection (1971) – William Friedkin
William Friedkin’s 1971 classic has deserved a rewatch for awhile, and I was quite happy to settle in for it. I like Gene Hackman, who won himself an Academy Award for his turn as NYPD officer Popeye Doyle, and I’m a huge fan of Roy Scheider who plays his partner, Cloudy, and received a nomination…
The X-Files (1994) – Shapes, and Darkness Falls
Agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) head to Montana to investigate a murder, which Mulder believes may tie in with older x-files he has regarding the Native American myth of the manitou. Written by Marilyn Osborn, Shapes first aired on 1 April, 1994. I’m not the biggest fan of this episode, because I…
Chuck (2010) – Versus the Anniversary, and Versus the Suitcase
Season four of Chuck (Zachary Levi) got underway on 20 September, 2010, with Chuck Versus the Anniversary written by one of the series creator’s Chris Fedak, and was directed by Robert Duncan McNeill (who worked with one of the guest stars in Masters of the Universe) Chuck attempts to keep his promise to Ellie (Sarah…
Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka (1983) – L. Neil Smith
L. Neil Smith ends his adventures with Lando Calrissian this week in the third book in the series that followed the young gambler, rogue and scoundrel. It would be a long eight years before any of us realised that the world could tell more, then, official stories. Smith’s novel wraps up all the story and…
James Bond and Moonraker (1979) – Christopher Wood
Christopher Wood brings us the novelisation of his screenplay for 007’s adventure in Moonraker, here titles James Bond and Moonraker so as not to be confused with the original Ian Fleming tale. Once again, Wood makes efforts to find a happy balance between the literary version of the spy and his silver screen incarnation. And…
The X-Files (1994) – E.B.E., and Miracle Man
This week’s entry into exploration of The X-Files brings me one of my favourite episodes, E.B.E. written by Glen Morgan and James Wong. This episode truly lays the groundwork for the alien conspiracy arc that would play such a large part in the show’s mythology. Filled with lies, disinformation, shreds of truth, and the stark…
In Conversation with John Landis
Today is my birthday, so it seems like the perfect moment to share this wonderful gift DK Canada gave me. Director John Landis has overseen the compilation of a new anthology, Haunted Houses, and it is perfect reading for the Halloween season. It’s a fantastic collection, and DK Canada arranged for me to speak with…
