In the early 80s, the estate of Ian Fleming reached out to author John Gardner to continue telling stories about James Bond, 007, and to perchance, bring him into the 80s. This involved a bit of a retcon moving the events of the previous novels from the 50s/60s to the 60s/70s. Gardner’s first effort, Licence…
Tag: 1981
Condorman (1981) – Charles Jarrott
This week’s spy movie is a film that should have worked, if it had a tighter script, and a better effects budget. Disney delivers a superhero spy movie that feels like a family-friendly version of From Russia With Love. Micheal Crawford stars in this film, and that was the thing that originally caught my attention…
Cujo (1983) – Lewis Teague
The film adaptation of Stephen King’s 1981 novel, Cujo, is the next title up in DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies, and I find myself a little divided on it. The majority of the film is, in fact, faithful to the novel until we reach the final act of the film. But we’ll get to…
Jaws of Satan (1981) – Bob Claver
Dean Cundey (!?)serves as DOP in this film that stars Fritz Weaver, and Gretchen Corbett, and a very young Christina Applegate, that has a very fun and unbelievable plot, as I delver deeper into DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies, and settle in for Jaws of Satan, aka King Cobra. In a small town, where…
On Golden Pond (1981) – Mark Rydell
The next title up in the Ten Bad Dates with De Niro book, under the category of movies not to watch while you are medicated, is this classic Oscar-nominated film starring Henry Fonda, Katharine Hepburn, and Jane Fonda. The film, based on the play by Ernest Thompson, who also wrote the screenplay, follows Norman (Henry…
Dragonslayer (1981) – Matthew Robbins
Vermithax Perjorative. Was there ever a better name for a dragon ever? DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies book brings me this classic film from ’81 as I continue my exploration of the dark chapter on dragons and dinosaurs. Boasting some fantastic creature effects, Vermitax may be the best looking dragon to ever be presented…
Clash of the Titans (2010) – Louis Leterrier
The next title that I dove into for the Myths, Legends and Fairy Tales chapter of DK Canada’s highly enjoyable Monsters in the Movies book was doomed for me from the moment of it’s inception. The remake of 1981’s Harryhausen effects driven classic was never going to wow me. Why? Gone are the practical effects…
Le Notti Del Terrore (1981) – Andrea Bianchi
Somehow, we’re still in the so bad, we’re not quite sure they’ve come around to good again section of the zombie oeuvre in DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies. I’m definitely getting a fresh perspective on this sub-genre as it seems I’ve been very fortunate in my selection of zombie movies up to this time….
Das Boot (1981) – Wolfgang Petersen
The next big title in DK Canada’s highly enjoyable The Movie Book is the Oscar winning German film Das Boot from prolific director Wolfgang Petersen. This has always been a great film, and I love that I got to settle in and watch this film play out on my screen (again). Set during World War…
The Monster Club (1981) – Roy Ward Baker
Boy is this one a doozy, coming on the coat tails of The Boy Who Cried Werewolf, the next werewolf title up for review in DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies is a rather lackluster affair. An anthology film whose only werewolf is the secretary of the club, the Monster club in the title. Despite…
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark & More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (1981 & 1984) – Alvin Schwartz
Scary stories are always a delight to take part in, wrapped oneself in darkness and trying to laugh the chill that the scares gives us, while enjoying the fright and perceived danger of it, like whistling past a graveyard, seems to be ingrained in our DNA. I never read these young adult collections when they…
Cujo (1981) – Stephen King
This week’s visit to the Book Shelf brings me another early King classic. Apparently he wrote this one quickly, and was under the influence while he did, and doesn’t even remember it. Unlike some of his other earlier works, this one didn’t wow me, and for the first time I came across a King story…
