I Walk

Day #21,970

2012-02-12T19:42:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9839-9852 (12,118 to go): Meetup walk through Como Lake Park amd Mundy Park

Iveta and Andy
approx km 9845 Mundy Lake

Movie #1954: Les émotifs anonymes (2010, Jean-Pierre Ameris)

Two shy people fall in love. The characters are too one-dimensional to make us really care for them. Besides, it whimsical.

Day #21,969

2012-02-11T18:22:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9830-9839 (12,130 to go): Meetup walk from Marine Dr Station to Fraser River Park

doors
approx km 9837 70th Avenue

Movie #1953: Rain (2008, Paula Hernandez)

Roberto and Alma both have their problems. They meet and after 100 movie minutes of cat-and-mouse they unburden themselves and feel so much better for it. Not much of a movie but well done.

Day #21,968

2012-02-10T16:52:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9819-9830: test walk: Dead Moped, North Road and Jim's Jungle trails

boardwalk
approx km 9823 Dead Moped trail

Movie #1952: The King Of Marvin Gardens (1972, Bob Rafelson)

Character study of mousey Jack Nicholson and his blowhard brother Bruce Dern. Nothing to write home about but nice to have finally seen this one after only 31 years.

Day #21,967

2012-02-10T06:35:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9808-9819: Meetup walk down Angus Drive

Day #21,966

2012-02-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9797-9808 (12,158 to go): test walk: Coquitlam & Port Coquitlam

not really a walking trail (but how else can you get from Port Coquitlam to Coquitlam)
approx km 9800 Coquitlam (looking toward Port Coquitlam)

Movie #1951: Twilight (1998, Robert Benton)

I felt like watching a normal movie tonight. Flipped through Netflix and found Paul Newman, Gene Hackman, Susan Sarandan and James Garner all past their prime in "Twilight". It was just what I thought it would be. Smooth and lightweight.

Day #21,965

2012-02-07T16:14:00.001-08:00

Walk km 9790-9791: running errands
Walk km 9791-9794: to T&T
Walk km 9794-9797: to Safeway via Coal Harbour

Movie #1949: Four Sided Triangle (1953, Terence Fisher)

I guess there is a certain entertainment value in watched the movie that must assuredly have the most idiotic plot in history.
You see, there's this guy who invents a machine that can reproduce anything exactly. So, when the woman he's crazy about marries someone else, he decides to make an exact copy of her for himself. See the problem with this? Of course. Does anyone else in this movie see the problem? Nope! They may be smart enough to make a machine that can reproduce anything out of thin air but they're too stoopid to see the obvious problem of trying to duplicate a woman who doesn't love you in order that the duplicate will love you. Sheesh!

Day #21,964

2012-02-06T14:10:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9779-9790 (12,174 to go): every block: Columbia & Ontario

a pool
approx km 9782 Queen Elizabeth Park

Movie #1947: Outrage (2010, Takeshi Kitano)

It's cross and double-cross time for the yakuza. This means tons of blood letting. Nothing much new from Mr Kitano. Excellent idea though of taking over the embassy of a small country and turning it into a legal casino. Why haven't any impoverished counties thought of this before? They could make a bundle.

Movie #1948: They Live (1988, John Carpenter)

What gives? They make a movie about corporate greed and then totally sell out! Turns out the titans of industry are just stooges for aliens from outer space. Then they turn the movie into a professional wrestling match and a "shoot em' up" (two things used my "them" to keep the people asleep. Looks like John didn't have the courage of his convictions. Still, that 90 minutes goes by awfully fast.
Oh yes, I almost forgot, Roddy Piper can't act worth shit.

Day #21,963

2012-02-05T20:17:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9766-9779: Meetup group walk from Patterson Station to Denny's (Marine)

Meetup walkers
approx km 9778 Yukon Street

Day #21,962

2012-02-04T16:23:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9757-9766 (12,196 to go): every block: Wolfe & 61st

Movie #1946: The Huggetts Abroad (1949, Ken Annakin)

The 4th and best of the Huggett movies (I'm a sucker for a road movie). The Huggetts pack up and drive across Africa. They only get as far as Algeria before they get homesick and turn back. They don't seem to take to those foreigners (they're a bit racist it appears). Still, Ken Annakin does appear to have learned some tricky pans so his future looks secure.
Just remembered........... Pet Clark sings two numbers. The first is something like DoodleOodleAy (catchy number) and the second one is a snoozer. It's easy to spot the bad guy: when Pet starts singing he comes over and tells them to can the racket! Also, Diana Dors is nowhere to be seen.

Day #21,961

2012-02-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9747-9757: every block: 75th, 76th, Aisne

Ford pickup
approx 9749 Aisne Street

Day #21,960

2012-02-02T23:29:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9743-9745: to T&T
Walk km 9745-9747 (12,213 to go): to Safeway

Movie #1945: Vote For Huggett (1949, Ken Annakin)

This is the 3rd Huggetts movie. It's all very whimsical and (as you know) I hate whimsy. However, a wonderful ensemble cast makes the whole thing almost palatable. Petula Clark gets to sing "Under The Old Apple Tree" but unfortunately there are no scenes with her and Diana Dors together.

Day #21,959

2012-02-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9735-9743: every block: 42nd, 44th, 45th, Collingwood, Alma

Chevy pickup
approx km 9741 Dunbar Street

Movie #1944: The 13th Letter (1951, Otto Preminger)

Hollywood remake of a French movie. It's a whodunit but an unusual one. The strangest thing is they show the murderer walking away in the dark but they never say who it was. This copy was on YouTube and was not in very good condition. Could the original theatre audience make out who the murderer was?

Day #21,958

2012-01-31T16:48:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9727-9735 (12,223 to go): every block: 37th,Mayfair,Holland,46th,Marine

a mailbox
approx km 9729 37th Ave

Book #408: Man Bait (1960, Jack Liston (Ralph Maloney))

This book may not be the greatest. You would expect a book like this to be OK as far as plot goes but a little lacking in the writing skills department. It's just the opposite. Ralph Maloney was a graduate of Harvard and he can write. However, he's not good enough to get by without a good plot which is what's missing here.

Movie #1943: Cry Of The City (1948, Robert Siodmak)

Hope Emerson gives Richard Conte a massage

City streets.... in the dark..... with rain: the perfect noir setting. This one's got it plus tons more. All kinds of excellent touches. Hope Emerson is great as a masseuse.
Note: this movie is on YouTube but is 3 minutes short of the 95 minute running time. It appears that there were two additional scenes with Shelley Winters that are missing from the YouTube version.

Day #21,952-957

2012-01-30T23:53:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9714-9721: rural Manitoba
Walk km 9721-9727: Steinbach,Manitoba

burnt out Christmas light
day #21,953 Hanover Street, Steinbach

airport
day #21,957 Winnipeg

Movie #1942: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011,David Fincher)

Do you mean that there are actually people who could follow the Vanger part of this plot without having read the book first? I don't think so. For people who have read the book, a fine reenactment.

Day #21,951

2012-01-24T13:38:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9711-9714 (12,237 to go): running errands

Movie #1941: The Man Behind The Gun (1953, Felix Feist)

Mr Feist has made some mighty fine films in the noir genre but westerns can humble even the best directors. A plot which is strickly "who cares" but with some nice colourful California scenery.

Day #21,950

2012-01-23T15:51:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9708-9711: running errands

Movie #1940: Framed (1947, Richard Wallace)

It's noir but not really as good as the last two. I'm not sure exactly why. Maybe the plot is a bit too complicated (bank fraud) instead just snatch n' grabbit greed. Some scenes are a little clumsey (ever hear of a woman named..........Helen Bailey?) or they overdo it a bit with the music.
Still, an entertaining 82 minutes. Can't complain.

Book #407: Fujimori's Peru (2005, Catherine Conaghan)

Long detailed account of the takeover of Peru by Fujimori & Montesinos. For the most part, they didn't take it over by force, they just bought it using the money of people they were buying. They only killed a few people - they found it much easier just to buy people. They bought the military, the judges, the congress and the media. They also bought the poor - someone would show up just before elections to hand out food and clothing in exchange for votes.
And their plans fell apart in exactly the same manner as they had been held in place. Someone paid $100,000 for a video tape showing Montesinos bribing a congressman. They think it was Montesinos' secretary. Montesinos missed someone that he should have bought.
Also, thanks to the Internet for getting me up to date. Both this book and the documentary about Fujimori end with him in exile in Japan. Amazingly, Fujimori left Japan for Chile where he was arrested and returned to Peru. He's currently still in Peru - in the slammer. So, by doing something so stupid he bolsters his argument that he's just an idiot and all this corruption was Montesinos' doing.

Day #21,949

2012-01-22T19:58:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9704-9708: to T&T via Main Street

Movie #1939: The Mating Game (1959, George Marshall)

I man can not live on noir alone. This Debbie Reynolds movie was on TCM today so I figured I've give my brain a little rest from the bleakness of noir. And Debbie's just the thing. Even Doris Day can't hold a candle to her in the perky department. This whole movie was nothing but a bunch of nonsense..... just the antidote I needed.

Day #21,948

2012-01-21T20:26:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9696-9698: to Safeway
Walk km 9698-9704 (12,244 to go): every block: 40th/Laburnum/East Blvd/71st

Movie #1938: Shield For Murder (1954, Howard W Koch & Edmond O'Brien)

Yikes! Another one! This one is just as good as The Prowler. Both are crooked cop stories. In The Prowler, Van Heflin is the cop gone bad and he's mighty creepy. In this one, it's Edmond O'Brien and he deals more in just straightforward greed. However, there's more action in this one. It's a toss up but you can't go wrong with either of these - they're both near the top of the noir heap.
They're both available on YouTube but probably not for long.

Day #21,947

2012-01-20T15:01:00.000-08:00

Movie #1936: The Weak And The Wicked (1954, J Lee Thompson)

Here we have the previous J Lee Thompson/Joan Henry/Diana Dors collaboration. Once again Diana is in the slammer but top billing goes to Glynis Johns. And what a bunch of charming ladies you would find in your typical 50s UK goal. If you were looking for a bride, there doesn't appear to have been a better place to start looking!
One downside to the film is this rose coloured glasses problem (everyone in jail is just so sweet) and another is the comic relief that they had to add in (they find a way to get Sidney James into a woman's prison flick).
Remember, these films are on YouTube for a limited time only: watch now while you have the chance.

Movie #1937: The Prowler (1951, Joseph Losey)

Another one!!! How many great noirs are there? The first half is all creepy Van Heflin. The second half has that great Las Vegas/Mojave Desert location.
Just one small point: why did Van Heflin try to climb that little hill instead of just running around it?
This is another from YouTube but with a TCM.com stamp.

Day #21,946

2012-01-19T17:22:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9687-9696 (12,250 to go): Meetup walk in Pacific Spirit Park

Meetup walkers
approx km 9691 Cleveland Trail

Movie #1934: Here Come The Huggetts (1948, Ken Annakin)
Movie #1935: Yield To The Night (1956, J Lee Thompson)

I got a hot tip on Yield To The Night from the Self Styled Siren blog. It appears that someone has uploaded a raft of UK films to YouTube. I'm sure they won't last long before they're taken down so watch them while you can.
I saw Here Come The Huggetts about a week ago. At least I saw most of it - I must have made a mistake while recording it because the last 20 minutes were missing. The uploader of Yield To The Night had also uploaded Here Come The Huggetts so I was able to finish that one off first. Then came the main feature: Diana Dors in a very somber film indeed. It's a death row procedural with endless details about life on death row. The light bulbs, the playing cards, a cat in the exercise yard, the shoes that don't quite fit, cigarettes (a wonderful scene where the condemned grabs the cigarette off of a guard just as the warden arrives (guards aren't allowed to smoke)), the night dress with a hole in it, a door with no doorknob and of course a cross.
Excellent stuff if you're up for a downer.

Day #21,945

2012-01-18T17:39:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9679-9687: Pacific Spirit Park

snow covered trail
approx 9683 Pacific Spirit Park

Movie #1931: Get Outta Town (1960, Charles Davis)

The most obscure "noir" of all time. IMDB doesn't even have a rating for this one because they don't have five votes yet.
I enjoyed it but then I enjoy all "noirs". This one is fairly inept especially the acting. There ain't no thespians in this cast.

Movie #1932: Exces Pornographiques (1978, Claude Bernard-Aubert)
This second foray into the world of the erotic was actually even more boring than the first. However, I did get to hear an hour of the library music of Alain Goraguer.
Amazingly, this film recieved 44 votes at IMDB for a 62 score!

Day #21,944

2012-01-18T00:19:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9669-9679: Meetup walk in Stanley Park

Movie #1930: Jouer Sa Vie (1982, Gilles Carle & Camille Coudari)

Russia may be a hot bed of chess but it appears the Canada is the hot bed of chess documentaries. This is the 2nd National Film Board Of Canada chess film in two days.
It's mostly a rundown of what happened in chess during the 70s. The picture is kind of grainy and it's split into three parts but on the plus side: it's free to view on YouTube.

Day #21,943

2012-01-16T18:58:00.001-08:00

Walk km 9655-9659: to T&T
Walk km 9659-9669 (12,274 to go): Stanley Park

walking trail
approx km 9662 Stanley Park

Movie #1928: Game Over: Kasparov And The Machine (2003, Vikram Jayanti)

Since I watched the Bobby Fischer movie yesterday, I figured I'd rewatch this one about Kasparov playing the IBM computer. Are all great chess players paranoid?

Movie #1929: Night Owl (1993, Jeffrey Arsenault)

The worst movie ever made? No, not really. I think the fact that there is actually artistic pretension here gets it very very close. However, it's saved because it's in black and white instead of colour. Very bad.

Day #21,942

2012-01-15T16:49:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9653-9655: to T&T

Movie #1927: Bobby Fisher Against The World (2011, Liz Garbus)

There's nothing extraordinary about this documentary except the subject. Any film about Bobby Fischer is bound to be fascinating.

Movie rewatch: Black Moon (1975, Louis Malle)

Amazing what you might find on YouTube. I saw this one back in '75 when it was in the theatres. I remember it as super weird. Well, my memory is spot on.
This is kind of an "Alice In Wonderland" type thing with teenager Lily coming across a war of the sexes (compete with tanks and tommy guns), an ugly unicorn, a flock of sheep that have hung the shepherd from a tree, naked children running about with a pig and listening to opera, flowers that scream when you step on them..... well, I'm sure you get the picture. I assume YouTube will delete this one as soon as the copyright holder complains so watch it while you can.

Day #21,941

2012-01-14T15:14:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9641-9653 (12,288 to go): Colleen's Meetup walk to Nature House from Braid Station

walking trail
approx km 9648 Burnaby Lake Park

Movie #1926: Adam's Rib (1949, George Cukor)

I've seen this one before. The reason I forgot it: it's not very good. The theme is equality of the sexes but this is a comedy so they don't really take up the question seriously. Instead, it's the marital relations of Tracy & Hepburn that take center stage. For a real "battle of the sexes" court case, may I recommend David Mamet's "Oleanna".

Day #21,940

2012-01-13T23:23:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9635-9637: to the library
Walk km 9637-9639: to Safeway
Walk km 9639-9641 (12,299 to go): to 7-11

Movie #1925: Food Inc (2008, Robert Kenner)

Another anti-capitalism documentary. However, in this one they did say how to make a difference: be careful who you give your money to.
I found this one more interesting than most documentaries because it's about a subject that I'm interested in: eating!

Day #21,939

2012-01-12T18:47:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9627-9635: Meetup walk - Commercial/Broadway to Waterfront

Meetup walkers in an alley
approx km 9631 behind George Street

Movie #1925: The Milk Of Sorrow (2009, Claudia LLosa)

Legend has it that a woman who is raped while pregnant will pass on the pain and horror of the act to her child. The main character in this movie is one such person. She mopes about for the longest time. You hope that she will throw of this yoke and rise above it all. Nope. Another character with no gumption who sinks under the weight of living her life.
Another thing: the lead actress is gorgeous. The rest of the cast consists of people with "normal" looks. I assume she was cast to elicit extra sympathy.

Day #21,938

2012-01-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9616-9627 (12,311 to go): every block: 53rd, 55th, 61st, Bonaccord,Burquitlam

some sorta plant life
approx km 9621 Ontario Street

Movie #1924: Stir Crazy (1980, Sidney Poitier)

Not really the comedy fest that the reviewers at IMDB claims it to be. Most of the comedy is just Wilder and Pryor acting goofy. However, they do keep the plot moving along at a nice pace and their antics are pleasant enough.

Day #21,937

2012-01-10T20:07:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9611-9613: running errands
Walk km 9613-9616 (12,321 to go): to Safeway

Movie #1922: Marty (1955, Delbert Mann)

You know I hate movie about people with no gumption. This Marty character is totally pathetic. If I was makin' this picture, I wouldn't end it with him calling that woman (6 hours late!). I'd have "Clara" just tie into him and tell him where to get off. However, they don't have that scene because we know that poor Clara is just gonna be so happy that he finally called that she'll forgive him right away. Why? She ain't no gumption either.

Movie #1923: The Fall Of Fujimori (2005, Ellen Perry)

I'm currently reading a book about Fujimori so this documentary kind of gives away the ending!

Day #21,936

2012-01-10T02:04:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9597-9599: running errands
Walk km 9599-9611 (12,325 to go): Pandora's Meetup walk along False Creek

Day #21,935

2012-01-08T18:28:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9585-9597 (12,338 to go): Meetup group walk from Olympic Village Station to 4th @ Tolmie

Meetup walkers
approx km 9591 English Bay

Movie #1921: Tomorrow Is Another Day (1951, Felix Feist)

Felix does it again! Another superior noir. Steve Cochran's been in the state pen since he was 13. He's released into a strange world. In that world he finds trouble in the form of Ruth Roman. Soon they're on the run across America. This Felix Feist can really direct - I wonder why he's not ranked higher with the critics.

Day #21,934

2012-01-07T17:45:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9573-9582: Meetup walk in Port Coquitlam
Walk km 9582-9585: to the doctor and drug store

Meetup walkers
approx km 9580 Colony Farm

Book #406: Sweet Thursday (1954, John Steinbeck)

A right clever book. However, the characters are mere caricatures so you never get involved in the story. Personally, I prefered "The Grapes Of Wrath"!

Day #21,933

2012-01-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9564-9571 (12,362 to go): every block: 5th and Salsbury
Walk km 9571-9573: to Safeway

the polka dot shed
approx km 9568 Lakewood Drive

Movie rewatch: House Of Games (1987, David Mamet)

Always nice to rewatch one of the classics. This one is at a disadvantage since it's a tale of cross and doublecross but it's still fun the 2nd or 3rd time around.

Movie #1920: The Browning Version (1951, Anthony Asquith)

Well, I figured this might be a bit of a stuffy "quality" English production. However, the stuffy part is the subject matter and not the style.
Michael Redgrave is superb as Crocker-Harris, a teacher of the classics who appears to have died some time previously but actually does still have a working heart.

Day #21,932

2012-01-05T20:39:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9553-9560: every block: Garden, Templeton and Napier
Walk km 9560-9564: every block: Victoria

some folks still have their Christmas lights up
approx km 9562 Victoria Drive

Movie #1919: Holiday Camp (1947, Ken Annakin)

It's "Grand Hotel" English holiday camp style. Not much to write home about as this one is definately below par as far as this genre goes. And there was one disturbing thing: one of the holidayers was a murderer. And he ended up murdering one of our cast of English stereotypes. Which one did he pick? The ditzy ugly duckling. It's as if they picked her because nobody would feel too badly about her. She wasn't pretty or smart - she's probably better off dead! Maybe not but it does make me wonder.
Oh oh, I just noticed the movie poster above: where's Esma Cannon (the actress who played the ditzy ugly duckling)? She's in the movie all the way through (her murder happens on the last day of camp). Just an oversight? I really do think that the filmmakers figured nobody would miss her. Disgusting.

Day #21,931

2012-01-04T16:16:00.001-08:00

Walk km 9545-9548: running errands
Walk km 9548-9553: running errands

Movie #1918: In The Loop (2009, Armando Iannucci)

Nope. I don't get it. This has a 75 rating on IMDB? This is a movie portraying the folks who started the Iraq war as a bunch of buffoons. I think it was a bit more serious than that. But, you say it's only a comedy. Listening to 106 minutes of people insulting each other is comedy? I don't think so.

Day #21,930

2012-01-03T20:12:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9539-9543: running errands
Walk km 9543-9545: to Denman & Davie

Movie #1916: Cedar Rapids (2011, Miguel Arteta)

I was looking through Netflix's new year releases trying to find some mindless entertainment. I figured this would hit the spot. Small town nitwit goes to the big city (Cedar Rapids) and ends up doing some mega-bonding. Just the kind of movie I was looking for.

Movie #1917: People Will Talk (1951, Joseph L Mankiewicz)

The rarest of the species: an old movie on Netflix. This one was worth the wait. Sparkling dialogue. Delivered by a splendid cast. And subtitles too!
It kept my eyes glued to the screen throughout.

Day #21,929

2012-01-02T18:38:00.001-08:00

Walk km 9526-9539 (12,390 to go): Meetup walk to Dundarave

Capilano River
approx km 9532 from Wardance Street

Movie #1914: Shanghai Ghetto (2002, Mann & Janklowicz-Mann)
Straightforward documentary telling the story of the Jewish emigrants to Shanghai just before WWII broke out. Interviews and photos make this non-cinematic but informative.

Movie #1915: The Steel Trap (1952, Andrew Stone)

Joseph Cotten decides to rob the bank that he works at. What possibly could go wrong. Apparently, everything! Mr Stone keeps us on the edge of our seat except the ending is a letdown.

Day #21,928

2012-01-01T09:32:00.000-08:00

Top 10 Movies Seen in 2011
--------------------------------

1 Synecdoche New York (Charlie Kaufman)
2 Obsession (Brian DePalma)
3 Ladybug Ladybug (Frank Perry)
4 Black Rain (Shoehei Imamura)
5 Five (Arch Oboler)
6 Crime In The Streets (Don Siegel)
7 The Man Who Cheated Himself (Felix Feist)
8 Point Blank (John Boorman)
9 Assault On Precinct 13 (John Carpenter)
10 Scandal Sheet (Phil Karlson)

Top 10 Books Read in 2011
-------------------------------

1 Under The Banner Of Heaven (Jon Krakauer)
2 Calling Out For You (Karin Fossum)
3 The Water's Edge (Karin Fossum)
4 The Book Of Dead Philosophers (Simon Critchley)
5 Backflash (Donald E Westlake)
6 When The Devil Holds The Candle (Karin Fossum)
7 Black Seconds (Karin Fossum)
8 Blood On The Snow (Jan Bondeson)
9 Arctic Chill (Arnaldur Indridason)
10 Vengeance Man (Dan J Marlowe)

Walk km 9514-9526 (12,402): Meetup walk from Patterson to Marine Drive stations

assorted Meetup walkers
approx km 9519 Fraserview Golf Course washroom

Day #21.927

2011-12-31T10:54:00.000-08:00

Top 40 Tunes of 2011 (as tabulated by Last.FM)
------------------------------------------------------

The Pebbles - Two songs in the Top 40

1 The Pebbles – Down Town
2 Hank Thompson – Born to Lose
3 Lee Mellor – Nowhere, Manitoba
4 Uta Köbernick – Bloss Nicht Dran Ruehren
5 Shirley Nair & The Silver Strings – You're the Boy
6 The Seekers – On the Other Side
7 Jimmy Soul & The Chants – Respectable
8 London Punkharmonic Orchestra – Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
9 Kommando Beat – Love Potion #9 (Liebesmedizin)
10 Phil Harris – The Dark Town Poker Club
11 The New Mastersounds – Narcolepsy
12 Vermin Poets – Baby Booming Bastards
13 Bachman-Turner Overdrive – Let It Ride
14 The Vibrators – Whips & Furs
15 Mother Tuckers Yellow Duck – One Ring Jane
16 Baby Washington – The Time
17 Thundermug – Jane "J" James
18 2raumwohnung – Wir Werden Sehen
19 Terry Snyder & The All Stars – Puttin' on the Ritz
20 Uta Köbernick – Lg (Luxusgefuehle)
21 The Guess Who – Let it Ride
22 Merit Hemmingson – Rain Caravan
23 The Jury – Please Forget Her
24 Shirley Nair & The Silver Striings – If You Ever Go
25 Ludella Black – I've Just Seen a Face
26 The Link Quartet – Glass Onion
27 Beach Bellydance Babylon – Machine Gun Shimmy
28 Mark Duboise – Don't Start Smokin' Pot
29 Ken Boothe – Everything I Own
30 Karina – Goldfinger
31 The Flame – Don't Worry, Bill
32 The Satin Bells – Da Di Da Da
33 The Parson Red Heads – Choose
34 Doreen Thobekile – Umfolozi
35 Thirteen – Smacking Down On Funny Farm
36 The Pebbles – Don't You Know
37 Chubby Checker – Let's Twist Again
38 Alma Cogan – Why Do Fools Fall In Love
39 Diplomats of Solid Sound – Chinese Connection
40 Lady Daisey – Promise Sunshine

Walk km 9503-9514 (12,413 to go): Poco Trail

beware of bears sign
approx km 9504 Poco Trail

Movie #1913: It Came From Kuchar (2009, Jennifer M Kroot)

A documentary about a couple of filmmaking brothers whom I had never heard of even though they've been making movies since the 50s! I kinda get the feeling though that these two guys might just be more fun to watch than their films (Guy Maddin is a fan).

Day #21,926

2011-12-30T21:31:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9500-9503: to the Safeway

Movie #1912: Heat Wave (1953, Ken Hughes)

This is #6 in the Hammer Noir Series. Finally, a noir. This is about as downbeat as you can get. Two bit hack writer is down on his luck and falls for the rich lady across the lake who is planning to murder her husband (with his help!).
It may not be one of the best noirs but Hughes certainly has done the best job possible to duplicate this American art form.

Day #21,925

2011-12-29T15:17:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9490-9500: test walk: Grey Gum Trail

a pedestrian overpass
approx km 9493 across Boundary Road

Movie #1910: The Gambler And The Lady (1952, Patrick Jenkins)

This is #5 in the Hammer Noir Series. Totally useless.
Additional scenes were added back in the States by Sam Newfield. Don't know if this was the US or UK version.

Movie #1911: I Love You Again (1940, W S Van Dyke)

I thought Van Dyke was a hack but he does a good job here. Of course, it helps to be working with William Powell. Amusing comedy using that old amnesia gag.

Day #21,924

2011-12-28T10:30:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9485-9488 (12,436 to go): to Main Street Station
Walk km 9488-9490: to T&T

Book #405: The Water's Edge (2007, Karin Fossum)

Another winner from Fossum. I small criticism: some of the dialogue did sound like editorializing. Not that editorializing is wrong. It's just that it sounds a little awkward.
Otherwise, the pages fly by once again. We wallow again in other folk's inner turmoil.

Day #21,923

2011-12-27T23:50:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9480-9482: to the library and T&T
Walk km 9482-9485: to Denman & Davie

Movie #1909: Blackout (1954, Terence Fisher)

This is #4 in the Hammer Noir series. One again, this is not noir. It's sort of a whodunit/comedy in the first half but it loses the comedy in the second half. Dane Clark was the American import in this one and he does a fine job (I gotta admit I'd never heard of the fellow). Also good is Eleanor Summerfield as Maggie Doone.
It loses a bit of steam in the second half when it gets serious but it's still the best of this lot so far.

Day #21,922

2011-12-26T21:26:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9475-9477: downtown
Walk km 9477-9480: to Denman and Davie

Movie #1905: Black Sun (1964, Koreyoshi Kurahara)

Super weird. But it appears to be racist. It tells of the kinship between the Japanese and the black Americans. They have a common enemy: whitey.

Movie #1906: Stolen Face (1952, Terence Fisher)

This is #3 in the Hammer Film Noir collection. This time it isn't even fake noir: just a little mellodrama. The best part is the great Lizabeth Scott gets two roles so she can be the refined concert pianist and also ham it up as a low life jazz loving petty criminal.

Day #21,921

2011-12-26T00:16:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9472-9475( 12,446 to go): to Christmas dinner

Movie #1904: Man Bait (1952, Terence Fisher)

This is number 2 in the Hammer Film Noir collection. It's not noir of course but a standard crime drama. It's much better than yesterday's "Bad Blonde" due the fact that Fisher is a much better director than LeBorg. But better doesn't mean more entertaining. The token Hollywood star in this one is Greorge Brent. I've never understood how that guy became a movie star: he has no charisma at all. England's answer to Marilyn Monroe, Diana Dors, plays the title role.

Day #21,920

2011-12-24T22:50:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9471-9472: to the library

Movie #1903: Bad Blonde (1953, Reginald LeBorg)

So bad it's almost good. Leading man Tony Wright has all the charisma of a slug and acts like he's in a high school play. The useless director Reginald LeBorg flies over from Hollywood (they shoulda saved themselves the air fare). Everything is executed with the subtlety of a sledge hammer.
Still, this is my kinda film so it was entertaining in its awfulness.

Day #21,919

2011-12-23T21:03:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9461-9471: Meetup walk in 9 cities

moi
approx km 9470 Fraser Highway (Langley)

Day #21,918

2011-12-22T18:27:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9452-9455: to the bank & T&T
Walk km 9455-9461 (12,457 to go): every block: Selkirk & Osler

Christmas lights at grass level
approx km 9458 49th at Osler

Movie #1902: Kimjongilia (2009, N C Heikin)

It seemed like the right time to watch this documentary about Kim Jong-Il. There's not much new here. The stories of people who excaped North Korea are what you would expect. The treatment of the Koreans in China was new to me. The filmaker didn't have much film footage (some of the interviewees didn't want their faces shown) so he had to add filler just to get this up to 73 minutes.

Book #404: Black Seconds (2002, Karin Fossum)

I had a problem with this book: I'd seen the movie already. I wasn't able to stop thinking about the movie version and comparing that plot to this one. That probably did lessen my enjoyment somewhat but it was still a first class page turner. The plot was a bit more streamlined than the usual Fossum: no amazing coincidences and allusions (what appears to be happening really is). As usual, the enjoyment of the book is because of the first class description of the characters inner turmoil. Another first class effort.

Day #21,917

2011-12-21T20:32:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9447-9449: to the library & T&T
Walk km 9449-9452: to Safeway via Coal Harbour

Movie #1901: Under Suspicion (2000, Stephen Hopkins)

It's interesting that a Hollywood crime film would end with absolutely no explanation. Gene Hackman is grilled by the police throughout the whole film and then confesses at the same time that the police stumble upon the real killer. What was he confessing for? No reason given.
Otherwise, a excellent film with fine performances. It doesn't really matter if Hackman was guilty or innocent because it's just a film but it's odd that Hollywood would release a movie with that ending.

Day #21,916

2011-12-20T22:01:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9444-9447: to T&T

Movie #1900: One False Move (1992, Carl Franklin)

Standard crime drama: well executed but nothing special.

Day #21,915

2011-12-19T21:04:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9441-9444: running errands

Movie #1899: Who's That Knocking At My Door (1967, Martin Scorsese)

It's been 40 years since I saw "Mean Streets" but isn't this the same story? A bunch of petty criminals living the good life but who are restricted in their world view due to the fact that they're airheads. In this one, petty criminal (and airhead) Harvey Keitel falls for a girl who has no TV and reads books. He's way over his head.
Great soundtrack.

Day #21,914

2011-12-18T17:33:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9430-9441 (12,473 to go): Meetup walk from Braid Station to SFU

Meetup walker Kathy
approx km 9435 North Road Trail

Book #403: Strange Days (2011, Ted Ferguson)

This was quite disappointing. This book was going to prove how weird Canadians can be (not the dullards that we are commonly portrayed as). However, this book pretty much solidifies the stereotype. There are a few oddballs in here but most of the characters are just plain vanilla.
After I read the book I looked at the author's blurb. It appears that Mr Ferguson writes for such august journals as Reader's Digest and EnRoute. I guess I should have read that first.
All in all, it didn't deliver as promised but was still a pleasant diversion (but then I'm Canadian so, being a dullard, I'm easily entertained).

Day #21,913

2011-12-17T18:56:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9419-9430: Meetup walk from SFU to Braid Station

house with Christmas decorations
approx km 9426 between Stoney Creek Trail and Brunette-Fraser Greenway

Movie rewatch: Le Roman D'un Tricheur (1938, Sacha Guitry)

My memory is goiong. All through this movie I knew I'd seen this story before. I was sure that I'd never seen this movie before so I must of seen a remake or maybe I read the story somewhere. No.... I watched this movie in 2009 on a VHS tape! How could I have forgotten that opening credit sequence? Did the tape have the opening sequence edited out or because the sub-titles were white on a B&W film did I not understand what was happening?

Day #21,912

2011-12-16T21:15:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9407-9409: to the Safeway
Walk km 9409-9411: running errands
Walk km 9411-9419 (12,493 to go): every block: St George & Lorne

city lights
approx km 9417 Lameys Mill Road

Movie #1898: Goldstein (1964, Philip Kaufman & Benjamin Manaster)

a violinist in a wheelchair is pushed around NYC by an old man from the sea

Artsy fartsy film that appears to have a deeper meaning but I was unable to determine what/who the various episodes/characters were representing.
As one character says: "it's about the transformation of technical chaos into a primitive order". Ya, right, that must be it!
After reading IMDB: This is Chicago not NYC. The original print was 30 minutes longer.

Day #21,911

2011-12-16T00:24:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9397-9407: Meetup walk from Blanca @ 4th to downtown

Movie #1897: The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011, Goran Olsson)

Not very coherant but the "Mixtape" in the title tells you that from the start. This is film footage found in the archives of Swedish television. I used to know a lot of this stuff when I read Angela Davis' book but that was a while back and I haven't followed up on it. Interesting.

Day #21,910

2011-12-14T14:27:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9385-9397: Meetup walk around Burnaby Lake

ducks
approx km 9389 Burnaby Lake

Movie #1895: Grand Central Murder (1942, S Sylvan Simon)

It's a whodunit. And I like it! Not a serious line in the whole movie as this whodunit is played strickly for laughs. Mr Simon does another wonderful job of keeping this one moving right along despite endless "gathering the suspects" scenes which would have been very static is less adept hands.

Movie #1896: The Widow From Chicago (1930, Edward F Cline)

Some very bad acting in this one. Edward G Robinson is OK of course but Mr Cline can't get a decent performance out of anyone else. The oddest thing: leading lady Alice White acts just like Goldie Hawn. Weird.

Day #21,909

2011-12-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9377-9385 (12,524 to go): Joyce Station to 19th @ Knight via 41st

Christmas decorations
approx km 9380 40th Avenue

Day #21,908

2011-12-12T17:03:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9368-9377: every block walk: south of Joyce Station

car used as dumpster
approx km 9375 50th Ave

Movie #1894: The Little Giant (1933, Roy Del Ruth)

Light and breezy comedy about Chicago gangster hanging up his machine gun and retiring to California. I doubt that this would be much of a movie except for the oddest looking Hollywood star of all time: Edward G Robinson.

Day #21,907

2011-12-11T15:23:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9358-9368: test walk: FSU to Production Way Station

looking across the Salish Sea
approx km 9361 from the Trans Canada Trail

Day #21,906

2011-12-10T09:47:00.000-08:00

Walk km: 9349-9358: Meetup walk from FSU to Hastings

Meetup members
approx km 9351 Trans Canada Trail near FSU

Movie #1892: The Lizard (2004, Kamal Tabrizi)

A man escapes from an Iranian prison by changing closes with a mullah. After awhile he begins to do good deads as the role of mullah grows on him.
This was banned in Iran but it appears to be pro-religion (at least the teachings if not the traditions). Professionally done with excellent acting.

Movie #1893: Skyscraper Souls (1932, Edgar Selwyn)

It's "Grand Hotel" again: this time it's the people in an office building. It's the usual soap opera themes with a little added spice (this is pre-code). Warren William is quite effective as the building owner who is the supreme cad. He should have been a big star but with the code just two years off, his days as a cad were numbered.

Day #21,905

2011-12-09T12:31:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9341-9343: running errands
Walk km 9343-9349 (12,556 to go): every block: south of Joyce Station

Christmas decorations
approx km 9347 McKinnon Street

Book #402: Shooting Star (1958, Robert Bloch)

Fine dialogue with plenty of cracking wise as the one eyed detective looks for the murderer of a Hollywood star. Unfortunately, the plot is useless and there is no forward momentum in the storyline. A waste of time.

Day #21,904

2011-12-08T21:53:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9331-9333: to T&T
Walk km 9333-9341 (12,563 to go): Meetup walk from Upper Lynn Valley to Lonsdale Quay

Day #21,903

2011-12-07T22:12:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9324-9331: every block: Salt and Carolina

Movie #1891: The Tender Trap (1955, Charles Walters)

The plot makes no sense. It's supposed to be a comedy but it ain't very funny. But it's got style. Lots of style. During 1955-1965 all comedies were like this: style over content. They were colourful cocktails served in Cinemascope. This must have been one of the first in this new style.

Day #21,902

2011-12-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9318-9324: every block: 2nd, Drummand and Collingwood

Movie #1890: Between Midnight And Dawn (1950, Gordon Douglas)

Superior police procedural. Nice job by Douglas.
Interesting three way romance angle. Did folks useta go out on three person dates? Don't think I've heard tell of that before.

Movie #1891: The Golden Fleecing (1940, Leslie Fenton)

This one was a screwball comedy and it was quite funny. However, I do have a problem with movies were the leading man is a spineless twerp. And they don't make 'em much twerpier than Lew Ayres in this movie. So, it's not a reasonable complaint but it ruined my enjoyment of this movie all the same.

Day #21,901

2011-12-05T20:11:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9308-9318 (12,583): test walk: 4th @ Blanca to downtown

Christmas lights
approx km 9317 St Paul's Hospital

Movie #1890: Vampires (2010, Vincent Lannoo)

Fakeumentary about a family of vampires in Belgium who are bannished to Montreal. Vincent tries awfully hard to be clever but to no avail.

Day #21,900

2011-12-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9297-9308 (12,592 to go): Meetup walk in Pacific Spirit Park

Movie #1889: The Bat (1959, Crane Wilbur)

I've seen a couple of Crane Wilbur prison flix before and quite enjoyed them. This is a whodunit. Avoid.

Day #21,899

2011-12-03T18:22:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9286-9288: running errands
Walk km 9288-9297 (12,602 to go): test walk: SFU and Squint Lake Park

a Buick
approx km 9295 Curtis Ave

Day #21,898

2011-12-02T09:53:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9281-9283: running errands
Walk km 9283-9286: Burrard & Pacific

Book #401: He Who Fears The Wolf (1997, Karin Fossum)

A lesser Fossum. This is the oldest of the 3 Fossums I've read. In this one we have an insane asylum escapee, a juvenile detention detainee and a local loser who tries his hand at bank robbery. They all get together on the hottest day of the year. It's OK but in her next two books Fossum used regular people who came in close contact with those whose minds were not screwed on straight. Regular people like you or me.

Movie #1887: Warning From Space (1956,Koji Shima)

I quite liked this. It's too high quality to be laughable although the plot is totally ludicrous. However, this was the dubbed version so it may have made more sense in the original Japanese.
As it turns out, this movie was the road not taken. Japanese sci-fi movies were always about the atomic bomb. Almost all were about the radiation which caused giants like Godzilla to stomp all over Tokyo. In this one, the atomic bomb is our friend. A scientist discovers a bomb even more powerful than the A-bomb or H-bomb and uses it to save the earth from a collision with another planet.
Another theme here is the stupidity of humans. The "world congress" cannot come to a consensus on whether to get together to stop the collision. The only scientist who knows how to make this super bomb is kidnapped by gangsters who want his formula to sell to the highest bidder.
Well, maybe it wasn't so great but I was expecting a lot less.

Movie #1888: New York Confidential (1955, Russell Rouse)

I was just walking by one of the sub-libraries so I went in to see if they had anything interesting in their DVD section. Well, I guess this would rate as interesting.
We get Broderick Crawford chewing up the scenery supported by Richard Conte, Anne Bancroft, Barry Kelley, Mike Mazurki and I thought one of Richard Conte's first victims was Don Rickles but I didn't see his name in the credits. Broderick Crawford is great and I loved the way Anne Bancroft talked out of the side of her mouth.
All good but it was all-syndicate all the time. These pictures are always better if the throw a square john in there too. Still, lotsa fun.

Day #21,897

2011-12-01T19:20:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9265-9281 (12,616 to go): UBC to T&T with Meetup group

Meetup walkers
approx 9269 Chancellor Drive

Day #21,896

2011-11-30T18:21:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9252-9254: to Safeway
Walk km 9254-9265: every block walk: Laurel,42nd,39th,38th,27th,18th

a place to do Christmas shopping
approx km 9265 Cambie @ 18th

Movie #1886: The Yesterday Machine (1963, Russ Marker)

Another Grade-Z sci-fi flick from Nowheresville. Nazi scientist sets up a lab under a Texas cemetary and decides to take over the world by using time travel. Total utter rubbish - which is why it's so much fun. Totally looney tunes.
Director Russ Marker was never allowed to direct again.

Day #21,895

2011-11-29T11:55:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9243-9245: running errands
Walk km 9245-9252: every block walk: 20th @ Dunbar to home

Day #21,894

2011-11-28T13:13:00.001-08:00

Walk km 9231-9233 (12,661 to go): to Safeway
Walk km 9233-9243 (12,651 to go): test walk: Upper Lynn Valley to Lonsdale Quay

city street
approx km 9241 Lonsdale Street (North Vancouver)

Movie #1885: The Sun Sets At Dawn (1950, Paul Sloane)

I liked it. There wasn't much skill shown here but it's a noir: my favourite genre. In this one a totally nondescript loser of as fellow if framed for murder and sent to the electric chair. The fact that this character is played by a horribly inept actor kinda fits right in. In the end, the truth comes out and he doesn't fry. Why? God intervenes!

Day #21,893

2011-11-27T18:04:00.001-08:00

Walk km 9226-9231: every block walk: 13th, 14th, 10th Ave

Movie #1884: Flashing Lights (1978, Jacques Scandelari)

Crappy movies are good in a way: they make you more appreciative of the skill required to make a good movie. But they are also sad: what did Mr Scandelari think when he saw the finished product and realized that he had created 93 minutes of crap? He probably started out with high hopes and thought of himself as a fine director. Very sad.

Day #21,892

2011-11-26T17:17:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9216-9226 (12,666 to go): Metrotown Station to Rupert Station with Sharon

the Meetup group (Sharon)
approx km 9226 Rupert Station

Movie #1883 Easy Living (1949, Jacques Tourneur)

Hey, another stinker. Last night it was King Vidor and tonight Jacques Tourneur. Both excellent directors but I guess sometimes you just need to put bread on the table.
This was a pretty dull affair until the end. The payoff: we learn that to keep a wife in line you need to slap her around a bit. Oh, I see.

Day #21,891

2011-11-25T18:58:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9205-9207: to the library
Walk km 9207-9216 (12, 675 to go): test walk: Pacific Spirit Park

Sword Fern trail
approx km 9209 Pacific Spirit Park

Movie #1882: Ruby Gentry (1952, King Vidor)

I got this from the library. After watching "Lightning Strikes Twice" I was all set for another dose of King Vidor.
Ooops! What a stinker. Is this the same King Vidor? I guess so - the final swamp scene is well done but the rest is just plain crap. Avoid.

Day #21,890

2011-11-24T21:23:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9195-9205: Rupert Station to Metrotown with Sara

Book #400: Calling Out For You (2001, Karin Fossum)

It turns out that "When The Devil Holds The Candle" was no fluke. We've got another major Scandi crime writer on our hands. In this one, a small town is turned upside down when one person decides to do something totally out of character. Gunder decides to fly to India. He might as well have kicked an ant hill. I'm sure most readers will be upset by the ending. Where's the pretty package with the bow on it that will put everything back together? Well, there is no pretty package. It's going to take a while for that ant hill to be rebuilt.

Day #21,889

2011-11-23T14:56:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9191-9195 (12,694 to go): test walk, Wreck Beach

a log over the stairs
approx km 9192 #3 Trail

Movie #1880: Lightning Strikes Twice (1951, King Vidor)

That's Hollywood! When I think of Hollywood, this is the kind of movie I picture in my mind. A woman gets off the Greyhound in a small town. She goes to the hotel to get a room for the night. And then............. Mr Vidor's given name certainly seems apropos.

Movie #1881: Hey! Hey! U.S.A. (1938, Marcel Varnel)

The English have no sense of humour (at least, pre Monty Python). So, watching an English "comedy" can be a dreary business. This one stars a most tedious gentleman named Will Hay. For some strange reason, the English thought that he was funny. That's a laugh!

Day #21,888

2011-11-22T21:55:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9182-9183: running errands
Walk km 9183-9191: every block walk: 17th, Guelph

Book #399: When The Devil Holds The Candle (1998, Karin Fossum)

In our quest for more Scandi crime we now arrive in Norway. Karin Fossum does not disappoint. There are some hard to believe plot twists that detract from suspension of disbelief but do add to the "page turning" effect as you wait for the next shoe to drop. Good character development. And there are plenty of situations in the lives of the "lucky ones" that kind of mirror what's happening to the less fortunate. The affect is to make us believe that except for a little luck any one of us could have ended up as a character in this book.

Movie #1879: Les Week-Ends D'Un Couple Pervers (1976, Georges Fleury)
There is another genre of movie on the internet that I hadn't tried before: the erotic. Sad to say, I was already looking at the time (when will this end) long before it was over. I know that these films abandoned plots fairly early on in their history but in 1976 there still should have been a story. No, just skin.

Day #21,887

2011-11-21T19:56:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9173-9182: every block walk: 30th & 31st Ave

street with rain and leaves
approx km 9175 31st Ave

Day #21,886

2011-11-20T18:06:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9161-9173 (12,713 to go): in Stanley Park with the Meetup Group

members of the meetup group
approx km 9166 Stanley Park seawall

Movie #1878: The Visitor (2007, Tom McCarthy)

This is another winner for Tom "Station Agent" McCarthy. However, nothing explodes in this movie so I'm sure it wasn't boffo at the box office. 37 credits as an actor but only 3 as a director: I wonder if he makes his money as an actor so that he can direct?
One problem: only an American could make a film where the whole cast is so devastated about the prospect of having to live elsewhere.

Day #21,885

2011-11-19T13:24:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9152-9154: running errands
Walk km 9154-9161: UBC to Broadway and Alma

snow in the suburbs
approx km 9157 College Highroad

Movie #1876: Maniacts (2001, C W Cressler)

It's a cute slasher movie. Serial killers decide to leave all the killing behind them and start a new life as farmers. Quite entertaining - available free at DailyMotion.

Movie #1877: City Streets (1931, Rouben Mamoulian)

Standard ganster yarn but due to the excellent visual style of Mamoulian (and probably photographer Lee Garmes) this one rates as one of the best of the era.

Day #21,884

2011-11-18T18:22:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9142-9151 (12,733 to go): very block walk: 11th Ave and Alder
Walk km 9151-9152: to a concert

Book #398: The Invisible Man (1897, H G Wells)

More of interest as a historical object than a novel. I'm sure Stephen King could have done this better. However, in 1897 I doubt that there were too many books about invisible men (or time travellers or men in the moon).

Day #21,883

2011-11-17T14:22:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9129-9142: from Phibbs Exchange to downtown with Meetup group

Movie Rewatch: Shanghai Express (1932, Josef Von Sternberg)

Marlene always did look spiffy in men's attire

It's been a long time since I saw this one. The main attraction here was the exotic locale as Von Sternberg turns the Paramount backlot into China. The love story plot has it's moments. It's a standard misunderstanding between lovers type except here Marlene explains why she refuses to straighten Clive out: if he can't figure it out himself (or forgive her without figuring it out) then he's not worth having!

Day #21,882

2011-11-16T21:36:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9122-9129: running errands via Science World

outside of Waterfront Station
approx km 9123 Cordova Street

Movie rewatch: Point Blank (1967, John Boorman)

Since I just finished reading "The Hunter" I thought this would be a good time to watch the movie version. The main thing that Hollywood did here was make this a good guy/bad guy story. The novel is a bad guy/bad guy story. Parker is after "his" money (it's not really his) and he kills a whole stack o' people to get it. Here, they make sure that Lee Marvin's hands are clean. They obviously didn't think that the movie going public was ready for a movie where there are no "good guys".

Day #21,881

2011-11-15T15:05:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9111-9122 (12,759 to go): test walk: Metrotown Station to Rupert Station

the top of the 312 steps
approx km 9113 Dover at Royal Oak

Movie #1875: Bubba Ho-Tep (2002, Don Coscarelli)

JFK and Elvis ain't dead. They're spending their last days in a Texas senior's home. The only problem is that an Egyptian mummy is feeding on the seniors so Elvis & JFK must team up to destroy this hyroglifics writin' monster.
Almost any other plot option would have to be better than this mummy bit. Still, you could tell that there was some talent behind this one. And a few of the lines were funny too. Just not enough.

Day #21,880

2011-11-14T22:46:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9099-9101: to Safeway
Walk km 9101-9111: test walk: Rupert Station to Metrotown Station

overpass across Kingsway
approx km 9110 near Metrotown

Book #397: The Hunter (1962, Donald "Richard Stark" E Westlake)

This is the first of the Parker novels by Donald E Westlake and since I've read more of the later Parkers, this is quite a contrast. In this one, Parker is like Mike Hammer on steroids. He's constantly killing and maiming people and only half the reason is because they owe him money. The other half: he enjoys it. That half would be gone from later Parkers as he became the consummate professional criminal.
Not bad but probably not as interesting if you haven't read the later Parkers.

Day #21,879

2011-11-13T19:03:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9086-9099 (12,780 to go): Aberdeen Station to Steveston with Meetup group

some of the Meetup walkers
approx km 9091 West Dyke Trail (Richmond)

Movie #1874: Slither (1973, Howard Zieff)

Aw, the 70s. The music was crap but there were a lot of good movies with wacky characters. The best of the type were the Jack Nicholsons. If you can't get Jack, how about James Caan, Sally Kellerman, Peter Boyle and Louise Lasser? Not bad. In a road movie? Even better. Fun stuff.

Day #21,878

2011-11-12T08:12:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9077-9084 (12,794 to go): test walk: Waterfront Road
Walk km 9084-9086: running errands

Movie #1873: D'Est (1993, Chantal Akerman)

A movie composed almost entirely of tedium. Akerman films eastern Europe and her favourite place to film is the bus stop/bus station/train station. It's 100 minutes of film showing people waiting and 10 minutes of other stuff. Reviews state how wonderfully Akerman has captured the mood of eastern Europe. Poppycock! Make a film in North America and limit yourself to bus stops and bus stations (a train station would be just too hard to find) and I guarantee a snooze fest!

Day #21,877

2011-11-11T20:52:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9069-9077 (12,800 to go): test walk New Brighton Park

loading docks on Burrard Inlet
approx km 9074 from New Brighton Park

Movie #1872: Trash Humpers (2009, Harmony Korine)

I still remember seeing Korine's "Gummo" at a theatre in Ottawa. Now that was sick! Well, so is "Trash Humpers". The problem is that it appears to be pretty much the same movie. Instead of cracker youngsters, we now have cracker oldsters. It's the same wall-to-wall depravity. Wereas, "Gummo" was entertaining because Korine had a fresh (and revolting) way of looking at things, this is just more of the same.

Day #21,876

2011-11-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9057-9069 (12,807 to go): Brighouse to Steveston with Meetup group

Movie #1870: Ring Of Fear (1954, James Edward Grant)

The worst movie ever made? Maybe. But like most of the worst-of-the-worst you keep watching so you can say that you've seen it. It's awfulness makes it more entertaining than a mere dull-as-dust flic. First off, this isn't really a movie: it's an extremely long advertisement for the Clyde Beatty Circus. They do throw in a psycho killer subplot but the main idea here is to sell you on what a great spectacle the circus is and that you oughta go to it the next time it's in town. There is also a sub advert for Signet Books and the novels of Mickey Spillane. And I wouldn't doubt that Coca-Cola may have thrown in a few shekels too.
And the acting: Clyde Beatty and Mickey Spillane are top billed: that sums that up. The psycho killer subplot was written by connecting cliches. Gotta admit the circus stuff looks nice: colour and Cinemascope. However, to see how the animals are treated would turn off many a potential customer today.
To sum up: mesmerizingly bad.

Day #21,875

2011-11-09T22:19:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9046-9057: Science World to Burrard Bridge and back (with Meetup group)

Movie #1869: Let Us Be Gay (1930, Robert Z Leonard)

A pleasant drawing room comedy. I seem to remember Norma Shearer as a real nonentity - here she's excellent. Probably just a better role.
Note: In 1930, "gay" had a different meaning than today.

Book #396: The Adjustment (2011, Scott Phillips)

So, what will it be? Scott Phillips writes novels in 2000, 2002 and 2003 - then silence. Now, in 2011 a new book. His last one was very convoluted - he was going for epic. Eight years pass and here's "The Adjustment". The first thing you notice: only 215 pages - not epic length. In fact, there's nothing epic here at all. It's all straightforward depravity. Looks like, after all these years, Scott has given up and decided to settle for being the new Jim Thompson.

Day #21,874

2011-11-08T15:02:00.001-08:00

Walk km 9036-9046 (12,825 to go): test walk: Stanley Park

Brockton Point Trail
approx km 9040 Stanley Park

Day #21,873

2011-11-07T12:53:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9027-9030: running errands
Walk km 9030-9036: every block walk: Elm,38th,Dunbar,34th,Crown

Movie #1867: X The Unknown (1956, Leslie Norman)

one of the crappy reaction shots

There's a radioactive glob oozing all over Scotland "melting" everyone that comes in contact. Only the Brits could turn this idea into tedium. The reaction shots are especially bad.

Movie #1868: Jazz Boat (1960, Ken Hughes)

What a mess. It's a comedy. It's a musical. It's a drama. It's a bit of everything. It has some swinging 60s music: Ted Heath! A lead character who looks just like Ray Davies: James Booth. An amazing dolly bird: Anne Aubrey. A gay character: Bernie Winters. A character who looks just like Anthony Newley: Anthony Newley. Most obnoxious musical number ever: Jean Philippe singing "Oui Oui Oui".
But it does have a kind of goofy charm.

Day #21,872

2011-11-06T11:28:00.000-08:00

Walk km 9024-9027: to Safeway

Book #395: My Friend The Mercenary (2010, James Brabazon)

Two books in one. The first part is about the author filming the civil war in Liberia with the aid of mercenary Nick De Toit. The second part is about the attempted coup to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea. The author did not participate in the coup but Nick De Toit did.
The first part makes compelling reading because it's a first person account of what was actually happening in Liberia in the early 2000s - and it's not pretty. Here the author has already lost his objectivity (he was supposed to be a journalist). In the second half of the book, the objectivity is totally gone as the author searches for reasons to exonerate Nick De Toit. However, to be fair, the author readily admits to his shortcomings.
In the end, although this Nick is a very slimy character, the author becomes his friend and ally because they both went through hell together. This becomes a much stronger bond than moral considerations.

Day #21,871

2011-11-05T15:52:00.000-07:00

Walk km 9011-9024 (12,847 to go): Patterson to Arbutus with the Meetup group

Movie #1865: Examined Life (2008, Astra Taylor)

It's a documentary about philosophy. It's totally junk except that it is entertaining. Philosophy should be read: that way you can stop and think about what people are saying. Does it make sense? But in a film, it just keeps right on rolling - there's no time to think things through. Film is the wrong medium for philosophy.
However, it is entertaining (for the most part) to listen to these people (each one gets about 10 minutes). As far as I can tell, most of them are mostly wrongheaded. In other words, their philosophy is not mine.

Movie #1866: Seven Dumpsters And A Corpse (2007, Thomas Haemmerli)

the corpse in happier times

Filmmaker films the cleaning of his dead mother's apartment. She was a hoarder. Her mother was a hoarder. The mother's life is reconstructed - everything seems OK on the surface. Will the filmmaker and his children suffer the same fate?

Day #21,870

2011-11-04T21:35:00.000-07:00

Walk km 9007-9011: every block walk: 35th and Knight

intersection
approx km 9010 35th at Prince Albert

Movie rewatch: A Big Hand For The Little Lady (1966, Fielder Cook)

Just in time for the November Nine WSOP final on Sunday, TCM screens the all-time #1 poker movie. Henry Fonda is on the poker wagon but cannot resist just one more big stakes game while his wife (Joanne Woodward) is down the street getting the buggy fixed. Henry's hand is so good that he has a heart attack and Joanne must finish the hand for him. The poker part of the movie doesn't make any sense but it's all in fun.

Day #21,869

2011-11-04T00:45:00.000-07:00

Walk km 8996-9007 (12,862 to go): Richmond at night with Meetup group

Day #21,868

2011-11-02T23:46:00.000-07:00

Walk km 8981-8983: to T&T
Walk km 8983-8996 (12,872 to go): Brighouse Station to Steveston

signs
approx km 8995 Steveston

Day #21,867

2011-11-02T00:47:00.000-07:00

Walk km 8973-8975: to T&T
Walk km 8975-8981: to Yaletown Station via Denman

Day #21,866

2011-10-31T17:05:00.000-07:00

Walk km 8965-8973 (12,893 to go): every block walk: Windsor, 31st, St George, 27th

more fall colour
approx km 8967 Windsor Street

Movie #1864: The Reptile (1966, John Gilling)

I've come to expect crappy (plotwise) and wonderful (visually) movies from John Gilling. Here we have only the crap. It's a period piece with strange goings on on the moors. Phooey!