Thursday, August 30, 2012

Day #22,169-170

Walk km 11,607-11,609: to T&T
Walk km 11,609-11,618: Braid to Boulevard Casino
Walk km 11,618-11,631: Meetup walk Richmond to New Wetminster
pond scum
approx km 11,625 Richmond

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Day #22,168

Walk km 11,604-11,607: running errands

Book #428: The Wounded And The Slain (1955, David Goodis)

One of the more obscure novels of David Goodis now out on "Hard Case". It starts out great with a first person account of the life of an alcoholic. However, the plot that unfolds from there isn't very believable. From someone other than Goodis, a person might rave but we expect more from him.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Day #22,167

Walk km 11,592-11,604 (10,563 to go): #6 Road to New Westminster
berries
approx km 11,602 Dyke Road

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Day #22,166

Walk km 11,576-11,592: Science World to Stanley Park

Movie #2109: Three Husbands (1951, Irving Reis)

Comedy about marital infidelity. 80 minutes of mostly yelling, bickering and squabbling. Didn't appear very funny to me.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Day #22,164-165

Walk km 11,561-11,574 (10,590 to go): Meetup walk around Stanley Park
Walk km 11,574-11,576: to T&T

Movie #2108: Three Blondes In His Life (1961, Leon Chooluck)

I'm obviously way outta step with IMDB. This one is rated 66 but it's a stinker. I normally like private eye movies but I'll make an exception here. Even though the main character calls himself a private eye, he ain't. He works for an insurance company. He's the kinda private eye who's always throwing punches (every one a haymaker) or else catching passes (every one from a hot lookin' babe). It's all strictly cartoon level stuff. 

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Day #22,163

Walk km 11,558-11,561 (10,602 to go): running errands

Book #427: The Case Of The Smoking Chimney (1943, Erle Stanley Gardiner)

Hey, where's Perry Mason? I thought all ES Gardner's "The Case Of...." had Perry Mason as the lead character. Nope. In this one we've got an old codger who does the snoopin' around. Like Agatha Christie, ESG trots out a whole host of suspects and then has the detective point out the guilty party and go into a long dissertation on how he figured out whodunit.
The ESG has a bit more meat on it's bones than an Agatha Christie must it's still just a whodunit.

Movie #2107: Five Minutes To Love (1963, John Hayes)

Jeeez! Another lost classic. Unlike Shanty Tramp which delivers the goods, this one is mostly all talk. Sure, there are a few fight and chase scenes but this one is all about dialogue. A lot of it is jive talk but most of it is just plain crazy talk.
A husband/wife/child have their car break down near a junkyard. The husband goes to the junkyard to try and buy a starter for a 48 Ford. So far so good. However, this junkyard ain't just any junkyard. Even in the Twilight Zone, this place couldn't exist because it's just too weird.
One of the greats. And IMDB has this rated as a 42. 42!  

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Day #22,162

Walk km 11,547-11,549: to T&T
Walk km 11,549-11,558: Braid Station to/from Boulevard Casino
a creek
approx km 11,553 United Boulevard (Coquitlam)

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Day #22,161

Walk km 11,545-11,547: to the library

Movie #2106: Shanty Tramp (1967, Joseph P Mawra)

dramatc scene from Shanty Tramp: Lee Holland ponders the meanin' of life

Another classic. For many years we've been able to hear the theme song to this movie (by Betty Dickson) but were unable to see the movie it came from. But finally, YouTube has come through (it's also available as a direct download from Amazon but only for Americans).
First off, these folks got no movie makin' talent. So, they go with plan B - give 'em everything we got. This would be for those deep south drive-ins so they include in their plot: the shanty tramp, a biker gang, racial tension, black/white shenanigans, fake evangelist, bootlegger, murder (black/white AND father/daughter), rape, shanty tramp/evangelist shenanigans, car on fire and everyone's favourite, nekkid boobs.
The director does try a few fancy shots here and there but this ain't no Citizen Kane.
It'll keep you entertained for 70 minutes and I'm sure it had those deep south drive-in attendees just a hootin' and a hollerin'.
Did Lee Holland (who portrays the shanty tramp) win an oscar for this one?

Monday, August 20, 2012

Day #22,160

Walk km 11542-11,545: to the dentist

Movie #2104: Speed To Spare (1948, William Berke)

Truck driving movie. The only good thing about this movie: the trucks.

Movie #2105: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2009, Niels Arden Oplev)

If I hadn't read the book I don't think I'd think much of this movie. But I have so I cannot be sure. As in the Hollywood version, they run through all the plot twists but the characters remain merely characters. 

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Day #22,159

Movie #2102: Double Exposure (1944, William Berke)

Breezy little comedy that suddenly turns serious when one of the main characters dies. But don't worry, they spoil the affect by adding a contrived happy ending.

Movie #2103: C-Man (1949, Joseph Lerner)

About time. Another gem from the scrapheap of forgotten movies. Dean Jagger (and his goofy voice) is a treasury agent looking for a stolen necklace. Murder and mayhem ensue. Terrific use of New York street scenes. Directorial touches that work every time and that are probably helped by the shoddy condition of the film. It's total low-life grit and the film captures it beautifully. 

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Day #22,158

Walk km 11,537-11,540: running errands
Walk km 11,540-11,542: to T&T

Book #426: Deadly Negatives (2012, Russell Hill)
Another book from the library's new releases. It's a crime drama with good characters and situations but it doesn't really jell. OK but we better leave this sort of thing to the Scandis.

Movie rewatch: Bringing Up Baby (1938, Howard Hawks)

I just haven't been in the mood for watching movies lately. I saw this one (one of my all-time favourites) in the library so I figured this one would get me back into the movie mood. Nope. It's funny alright. And Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn sure make a goofy couple. But, it's just not the same - wonder what the problem is?

Movie #2101: Morning Glory (1933, Lowell Sherman)

The movie that made Katherine Hepburn a star (she won an oscar for this). As with most early talkies, this is pretty dull stuff. Kate has her heart set on being a broadway star. It's amazing how much better she was only 5 years later in "Bringing Up Baby". Of course, a better director and script helped too. 

Friday, August 17, 2012

seawall

Day #22,157
Walk km 11,524-11,537: Meetup walk around Stanley Park
Meetup walkers on the Seawall
approx km 11,528 Stanley Park

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Day #22,155-156

Walk km 11,510-11,512: running errands
Walk km 11,512-11,515: running errands
Walk km 11,515-11,524: Meetup walk in Lynn Canyon

Book #425: The Caller (2009, Karin Fossum)

Oh those Scandis. Such a cheerful lot! Here's another laugh filled tale from our Norwegian friend Karin.
Just kidding of course. This is about as gloomy as a story can get. Having a pack of dogs tear a child apart. Killing gampa by feeding him rat poison.  Pouring blood over a baby.
But ya gotta admit - it's a page turner.
  

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Day #22,154

Walk km 11,500-11,510 (10,644 to go): Meetup walk in Lynn Canyon Park
Meetup walkers on the suspension bridge
approx km 11,502 Lynn Canyon Park

Book #424: Private (2012, Denver Nicks)

This was from the new releases at the library. It's the story of Private Brad Manning and WikiLeaks.
This is obviously a rush job with info right up to 2012 but it doesn't really show. Also, the author has no axe to grind: he acknowledges all participants weak points and strong points. Excellent.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Day #22,153

Walk km 11,494-11,500: Lynn Canyon Park
a stairway in the park
approx km 11,487 Lynn Canyon Park

TV episode #34: Nabokov on Kafka (1989, Peter Medak)

I do not know what series this was from but it was produced by PBS. Christopher Plummer plays Vladimir Nabokov giving a lecture on Kafka's "Metamorphosis".Found while browsing through YouTube.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Day #22,152

Walk km 11,482-11,494 (10,658 to go): Meetup walk from Como Lake to Port Coquitlam
I check in my rearview mirror for slow walkers
approx km 11,490 Riverview Hospital grounds

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Day #22,149-151

Walk km 11,457-11,469: Meetup walk from Production Way Station to Edmonds Station
Walk km 11,469-11,471: to T&T
Walk km 11,471-11,482: Meetup walk from Granville Island to Kaslo & Magill

boats on the water
approx km 11,473 False Creek

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Day #22,147-148

Walk km 11,440-11,450 (10,697 to go): Meetup walk from SFU to Production Way Station
Walk km 11,450-11,451: running errands
Walk km 11,451-11,457: Braid Station to Boulevard Casino

Book #423: The Strongman (2012, Angus Roxburgh)

Informative text on what Vladimir Putin has been up to. Finishes up just before the 2012 "elections" which I hear did not go down well with his fellow Russians.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Day #22,145-146

Walk km 11,420-11,427: around George Derby Conservation Centre
Walk km 11,427-11,440 (10,706 to go): Meetup walk in Pacific Spirit Park + Southlands
Meetup walkers
approx km  11,436 Fraser River

Camera is broken - more pictures as soon as I buy a new one

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Day #22,144

Walk km 11,409-11,420: Meetup walk from Metrotown to Royal Oak (the long way)
Meetup walkers
approx km 11,412 along Kaymar Creek

TV series episodes #32 & #33: Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1956, Robert Stevens)

It was a Robert Stevens double bill. He couldn't do much with the first one (an update on the Lizzie Borden story) but the 2nd one (Ray Bradbury story) was excellent.
Two retired insurance salesmen decide to help people out by warning them if it is a statistical probability that something terrible will happen to them. Fun.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Day #22,143

Movie #2100: Les Neiges du Kilimandjaro (2011, Robert Guediguian)
It doesn't get more bleeding heart liberal than this. Excellent story of a couple who suffer a home invasion and robbery. Both script and performances are top notch.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Day #22,141-142

Walk km 11,385-11,391: 63rd & 65th Avenue
Walk km 11,391-11,400: Braid Station to Boulevard Casino (and return)
Walk km 11,400-11,409 (10,733 to go): Deer Lake to Production Way Station
small stream along the walking path
approx km 11,405 George Derby Conservation Area (Burnaby)

TV Episode #32: Alfred Hitchcock Presents: You Got To Have Luck (1956, Robert Stevens)

Stevens is back behind the camera and he's got John Cassavetes as an escaped convict. What could go wrong? Nothing! Excellent episode.