Remember the Swedish Bikini Team? That was a Stroh’s Beer marketing campaign that offended women but increased sales. Frances Stroh, member of a wealthy family whose fortune came from their breweries (established in Detroit in 1850), writes about the shopping trips to London, swanky restaurants, mansions, and a life of privilege. The Stroh Brewing Company was the third largest brewing company in the United States in 1984. At that time, the Stroh family fortune was estimated to be $700 million.

But as Frances Stroh’s memoir shows, the Stroh’s business plan was flawed. Detroit’s economy crashed in the 1980s. The family faced costly divorces, drug busts, business problems, and family feuds over the dwindling money flow. The story of the decline and fall of the Strohs shows how Bad Decisions and Greed can ruin everything. If you’re interested in family drama at its most extreme, I highly recommend Beer Money. What do you think of Stroh’s beer? GRADE: A

Back in July 1955, Imaginative Tales published Robert Bloch’s wacky The Big Binge with fabulous cover artwork by HAROLD McCAULEY. Pink elephants, vampires, a talking gorilla, and general silliness feature prominently in this tale. Back in the 1950s, Imaginative Tales represented the “risque” fantasy genre. The stories and cover art were intended to titillate the readers. Robert Bloch is in fine form in The Big Binge with his sly humor and clever plotting. Bloch seems to be channeling his inner “Thorne Smith” in this story of screwball fantasy. If you’re looking for the lighter side of Robert Bloch, I recommend The Big Binge. I have the original Imaginative Tales digest, but The Big Binge has been reprinted a couple times and is available online. What’s your favorite Robert Bloch work? GRADE: B+

Deb mentioned in a comment on my review of Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) that she loved Joan Greenwood’s smoky voice and her role in The Importance of Being Earnest (1952). So, of course, I had to track down the Criterion Collection version of The Importance of Being Earnest and watch it again. I’ve seen The Importance of Being Earnest at least a dozen times. I generally prefer stage versions to movie versions. But the all-star cast of this movie version of The Importance of Being Earnest is something special. It features Michael Redgrave as Jack Worthing, Joan Greewood as Gwendolyn, Dame Edith Evans as the formidable Lady Bracknell, Michael Denison as Algernon Moncrieff, Dorothy Tutin as Cecily Cardew, and Margaret Rutherford as Miss Letitia Prism. Delightful! GRADE: A

March Madness ends tonight. I’ll be rooting for Gonzaga to beat North Carolina. North Carolina is a 2-point favorite, but expect a close game. North Carolina has won the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship five times: 1957 (undefeated), 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009. Who will you be rooting for?

In this new version of Ghost in the Shell, Scarlett Johansson plays cyborg Major Motoko Kusanagi. Basically, the Major is a robot with a human brain. The Major works for Section 9, a Japanese defense agency focused on dealing with terrorism. And, for a country that strictly controls guns, there’s a vast array of weaponry in Ghost in the Shell. My favorite is the “spider tank.” Ghost in the Shell explores issues of identity and memory. And corporate corruption. There’s been some controversy about the casting of Scarlett Johansson as the Major instead of an Asian actor. This seems like a phony argument to me since the Major is basically a machine without sex or race. And, of course, I’m a big fan of Scarlett Johansson.

If you’re in the mood for an action movie with philosophical questions, Ghost in the Shell is the film for you. Some fans of the original 1995 animated version might not like that fact that the original ending has been changed to allow for a possible sequel. GRADE: B

I love the appearances of new teams in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament’s FINAL FOUR. Gonzaga is here for the first time. So is South Carolina. Oregon hasn’t been in the FINAL FOUR since 1939–78 years! And, of course, North Carolina is looking for redemption after Villanova beat them last year with a buzz beater. Gonzaga is favored over the Gamecocks by 6 points. North Carolina is favored over the surprising Ducks by 5 and 1/2 points. I’ll be rooting for the Ducks and the Gamecocks (I love underdogs!). Who will you be rooting for?

No, this is not a tale of Art Scott’s golf game. The Horror on the Links is the first volume of the complete tales of Jules de Grandin, Seabury Quinn’s detective of the supernatural. Like the Golden Age investigators like Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, Jule de Grandin has his methods to solve mysteries. But, his mysteries usually involve magic, or voodoo, or the occult, or the supernatural. This first volume of tales presents the short stories in chronological order so you can see the development of Jules de Grandin as a character and Seabury Quinn as a writer. Many of these stories have been unavailable for years. I applaud Night Shade Books for bringing these wonderful stories back into print. I can’t wait for Volume Two! GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
iNTRODUCTION–George A. Vanderburgh and Robert E. Weinberg
1925
The Horror on the Links (Weird Tales, October 1925)
The Tenants of Broussac (Weird Tales, December 1925)
1926
The Isle of Missing Ships (Weird Tales, February 1926)
The Vengeance of India (Weird Tales, April 1926)
The Dead Hand (Weird Tales, May 2926)
The House of Horror (Weird Tales, July 1926)
Ancient Fires (Weird Tales, September 1926)
The Great God Pan (Weird Tales, October 1926)
The Grinning Mummy (Weird Tales, December 1926)
1927
The Man Who Cast No Shadow (Weird Tales, February 1927)
The Blood-Flower (Weird Tales, March 1927)
The Veiled Prophetess (Weird Tales, May 1927)
The Curse of Everard Maundy (Weird Tales, July 1927)
Creeping Shadows (Weird Tales, August 1927)
The White Lady of the Orphanage (Weird Tales, September 1927)
The Poltergeist (Weird Tales, October 1927)
1928
The Gods of East and West (Weird Tales, January 1928)
Mephistophele and Company, Ltd. (Weird Tales, February 1928)
The Jewel of the Seven Stones (Weird Tales, April 1928)
The Serpent Woman (Weird Tales, June 1928)
Body and Soul (Weird Tales, September 1928)
Restless Souls (Weird Tales, October 1928)
The Chapel of Mystic Horror (Weird Tales, December 1928)

Before The Supremes, there was Martha Reeves and The Vandellas. I was just a teenager back in 1964 when I first heard “Dancing in the Street” (written by Marvin Gaye, William “Mickey” Stevenson, and Ivy Jo Hunter). It made me want to go dancing in the street, too! Martha Reeves and The Vandellas also had me singing in the shower with “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave.” What an infectious melody! And I am always moved when I hear Martha Reeves and The Vandellas sing “Quicksand.” These are songs that made up part of the soundtrack of my Life back in the Sixties. What’s your favorite song by Martha Reeves and The Vandellas? GRADE: A
SET LIST:
1. Dancing In The Street 2:40
2. Nowhere To Run (Mono) 2:49  
3. Jimmy Mack 2:52  
4. My Baby Loves Me (Mono) 3:05  
5. In My Lonely Room (Mono) 2:27
6. I’m Ready For Love 2:57  
7. (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave 2:45  
8. Come And Get These Memories (Mono) 2:22  
9. Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things) (Mono) 2:54  
10. Quicksand (Mono) 2:37  
11. Honey Chile (Mono) 257

For the past couple of months, Diane and I have been watching Legion on the FX network. Legion is based on a MARVEL comic book series. David Haller is in a mental hospital. David has has “problems” all his life. But, a group of mutants show up to spirit him away. David learns he is a powerful mutant, but he has to learn how to control his powers. And, later, we find out what is causing David’s problems. Legion can be confusing and mystifying at times, but if you stay with it, you’ll find plenty to like about this unconventional series. Dan Stevens (who stars as the Beast in the hit movie Beauty and the Beast) is excellent as David. Jean Smart plays the leader of the mutants. I really like Rachel Keller who plays David’s “don’t touch me!” girlfriend, Sydney Barrett. Bill Irwin excels as Cary Loudermilk, a scientist with a dual body. Noah Hawley does a brilliant job running this series. FX renewed Legion for a second season for March 2018. GRADE: A

I first saw City Lights 40 years ago at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. There was an active Film Society at UW-Madison that showed movies almost every night of the week. And, only charged a $1.00 admission. Whenever I had a chance, I’d watch these classic films (no Turner Class Movies back then!). I’ve seen many of Charlie Chaplin’s films and City Lights is my favorite. Chaplin is perfect as the little Tramp. Yes, the mawkish plot with the blind girl is a bit much, but there’s enough humor with the eccentric millionaire and the drama of the boxing match to carry the film. City Lights was released in 1931. This Criterion edition of the film includes commentary on Chaplin and his work as well as a excerpt of Chaplin’s short film, The Champion from 1915. Also included are the trailers for City Lights. If you haven’t seen this classic lately, the Criterion version is the one to watch. What’s your favorite Charlie Chaplin film? GRADE: A