Before Spielberg was the box-office titan that he would become with 1975’s Jaws , he made his North American theatrical debut (Duel, a television movie had been released theatrically in Europe) with 1974’s Sugarland Express. Based on an actual event that occurred in 1969, the story follows Lou Jean (Goldie Hawn), her husband Clovis (William…
Tag: 1974
The Mote in God’s Eye (1974) – Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven
I’ve been getting more and more into some classic science fiction books, layering out a lot of the modern science fiction I’ve been finding myself reading, and I recall a friend of mine proclaiming that The Mote in God’s Eye is one of the best first contact books they’d ever read. I trust his opinion…
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) – Jun Fukuda
These stories just get more and more out there! Delightedly so! This Godzilla adventure brings in secret Interpol agents, invading aliens, an imposter Godzilla,a new kaiju to add to the mythos, an Okinawan prophecy and a very rare non-terrestrial element, space titanium! There’s a lot going on in this one, and not a lot of…
Zardoz (1974) – John Boorman
John Boorman wrote, prodiced and directed this sci-fi cult classic that has Sean Connery running around in red underwear and thigh high boots, waving a pistol and his moustache around. With a commentary on class, knowledge, and sex, the film wasn’t a big hit at the time, and sort of settled into the cultutal subconcious,…
Fletch (1974) – Gregory McDonald
I first read Fletch back in the 80s when the Chevy Chase movie was coming along, and for some reason I had problems keeping the story threads straight, as most of the text in the novel is dialogue, not action, so I would lose who said what and would have to go back, and back…
M*A*S*H (1974/1975) – Mad Dogs and Servicemen, Private Charles Lamb, and Bombed
Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and Trapper (Wayne Rogers) have to try psychiatry on a patient suffering from PTSD in Mad Dogs and Servicemen while Radar (Gary Burghoff) has to have a rabies shot after he’s bitten by a feral dog that has been visiting him at the camp. Written by Mary Kay Place and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason,…
M*A*S*H (1974) – There’s Nothing Like a Nurse, Adam’s Ribs, and A Full Rich Day
The Singing Doctor (Loudon Wainwright III) makes another appearance this week as all the nurses get shipped out of the 4077th when word comes down that the camp is targeted for an enemy attack. There’s Nothing Like a Nurse was penned by series developer Larry Gelbart, and first aired on 19 November,1974. With a deluge…
M*A*S*H (1974) – Check-Up, Life with Father, and Alcoholics Unanimous
Laurence Marks pens a great Trapper (Wayne Rogers) episode. First debuting on 22 October, 1974, the episode opens with the announcement that is time for the camp’s yearly physical, so everyone is getting checked out, but Trap is unwilling to let Frank Burns (Larry Linville) examine him. In a conversation with Hawkeye (Alan Alda) they…
M*A*S*H (1974) – Iron Guts Kelly, O.R., and Springtime
Hawkeye (Alan Alda), Trapper (Wayne Rogers) and Houlihan (Loretta Swit) run into trouble when they encounter General ‘Iron Guts’ Kelly (James Gregory). Written by Sid Dorfman, and series developer Larry Gelbart, Iron Guts Kelly first debuted on 1 October, 1974. It’s no secret to most of the 4077th (and viewers) that Margaret Houlihan has a…
M*A*S*H (1974) – The Chosen People, As You Were, and Crisis
Radar (Gary Burghoff) has some problems in The Chosen People. Written by Laurence Marks, Sheldon Keller and series developer Larry Gelbart from a story by Gerry Renert and Jeff Wilhem, this episode premiered on 26 January, 1974. When a Korean family moves on to the 4077th, it throws the unit into upheaval, and unfortunately doesn’t…
The Mind Reels 