Category: Did Roy Grant die in 633 Squadron

Professional Review of Too Bright the Sun

I have my first professional review, from from Probe Magazine. Probe Magazine is based in South Africa, I believe, and my author friend Gary Kuyper must have sent them a copy. Because here it is!  The scan is very low resolution, but this was somebody’s scan of a document, so there isn’t anything better, but you can read the transcript below.

Lazlo Ferran – Too Bright the Sun

“Jake Nanden has been waiting for over ten years to bring justice to the killer of best friend, Gary Esquire. Set in and around the moons of Jupiter, Major Jake Nanden, the narrator of the story, is fighting a losing battle to save his countrymen from defeat.
There is action and violence along with various twists but as a trained officer Nanden’s whole attitude is strange. Too often there are inconsistencies and also too often his ideas in battle are simply stupid. It becomes obvious that the author has little idea of battle or command.
Entertaining enough if a reader can ignore the flaws.
Three out of five
Ian Jamieson”

Best Film Car Chase Vote

Here is my vote for the best Vehicle Chase (as usual in reverse pts order – 10 pts for best)

10 Bullitt
9 The Italian Job
8 Mad Max II the truck at the end
7 Boat Chase in Live and Let Die
6 Gone is 60 Seconds remake
5 Gone is 60 Seconds original
4 The French Connection
3 Diamonds are Forever
2 Vanishing Point
1 Duel

The following candidates (not in any order) Continue reading “Best Film Car Chase Vote” →

Best drunk in a film – Time to Vote!

Okay time for a final vote now we have had plenty of time to deliberate. I have a few additions though so if anybody else has, please add them now:

Original list:

1. Walter Matthau in Earthquake (this is also definitely my funniest)
2. Lee Marvin in Paint Your Wagons
3. Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou (I’m still going to check out Paul Newman in The Sting though)
4. Paul Newman in The Hudsucker Proxy
5. Shelley Winters in Alfie
6. Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now (thanks for suggestion El’Phantasmo)
7. I forgot Nick Cage in Leaving Las Vegas
8. Embarrassing one this but Oliver Reed in Oliver! Okay, okay I know the film is a bit of old hokey’ but he really is very menacing – and he was Carol Reed’s nephew.
9. Okay – the butler in Dinner for One, although I am not sure I have seen this. I will look on YouTube
10. Cary Grant in North by North West. Actually this is pretty good too.
11. I am actually adding in George Peppard in the Blue Max because the book from which the film was made was actually about alcoholism and I think on reflection Peppard is trying to convey something of this.
12. Peter O’Toole in Murphy’s War
13. Lee Marvin in Shout at the Devil
14. Robert Mitchum in El Dorado

That’s all from me. If you have none to add you can vote straight away. 10 pts for your favourite down to 1 point for your tenth favourite (we do PR here)

Also been trying to think of my ‘6 films you have got to see’ but it’s actually extraordinarily difficult. Mainly because I am trying to think of not my personal 6 favourites but 6 which I think everyone should see. So far I have only thought of 2.

Finally don’t miss the UK film 1066 which is currently in production. It’s the first UK film ever to be selling shares to the public and it has the biggest cast ever for a UK film. It has Lewis Collins as Earl Godwin too, which should be fun. Perhaps at last he will get some recognition. It also has Mark Lester (remember Oliver!) as King Harold.

Stop Press: there is a competition to win a day on the set of the film 1066: go to http://www.lewiscollins.info and click on ‘Competition’.