Slow Horses, Season Two is even better than Slow Horses, Season One which made my list of FAVORITE TV SHOWS OF 2022. Based on Mick Herron’s Dead Lions, this six-episode series on Apple TV+ features the brilliant Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb, the head of a team of dysfunctional MI5 agents at Slough House. But when a Cold War retired agent is killed, Lamb investigates and finds a complicated plot of Russian sleeper spies.

Rotten Tomatoes rates Slow Horses, Season Two at a 100% on the Critics Tomatometer, 95% on the Audience score. This series received the Green Light for Seasons Three and Four. And, if you’re a spy fan, this series about a group of spies who screwed-up and are now exiled in a dead-end division of MI5 lead by a boss who looks like a vagrant, offers something unique and special. And, this TV version actually enhances Mick Herron’s books. GRADE: A

My favorite chapter in Quentin Tarantino’s Cinema Speculation is “The Outfit” (1973). Tarantino writes about how his obsession with movies began as a 6-year-old kid when his mother used to take him to see films on a weekly basis in “Little Q Watching Big Movies.”

The Outfit, based on a “Richard Stark” (aka, Donald E. Westlake) caper novel, follows the professional thief who takes on criminal syndicate. John Flynn directed The Outfit, starring Robert DuVall as Macklin (aka, “Parker”), Karen Black as Bett, and Joe Don Baker as Cody.

Tarantino prefaces his review of The Outfit with an analysis of the Parker series of caper novels and the movies based on them. Tarantino disagrees that Lee Marvin is the quintessential Parker in Point Blank. He doesn’t like the Mel Gibson remake, either.

Tarantino considers the best movie Parker as Robert De Niro as “Neil McCauley” in Michael Mann’s Heat. But, he doesn’t like the conclusion of Heat.

Whether you like Quentin Tarantino and/or his movies or not, reading Tarantino’s opinions on many classic movies provides insights and acute observations. If you’re a movie fan, there’s plenty here to delight you! I hope Tarantino is working on a sequel. GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Little Q watching big movies — 1

Bullitt (1968) –31

Dirty Harry (1971) — 47

Deliverance (1972) — 69

)The Getaway (1972) — 89

The Outfit (1973) — 117

Second-String Samurai: an appreciation of Kevin Thomas — 137

New Hollywood in the seventies: the post-sixties anti-establishment auteurs vs. the movie brats — 159

Sisters (1973) — 177

Daisy Miller (1974) — 199

Taxi Driver (1976) — 211

Cinema speculation: What if Brian De Palma directed Taxi Driver instead of Martin Scorsese? — 235

Rolling Thunder (1977) — 247

Paradise Alley (1978) — 273

Escape from Alcatraz (1979) –299

Hardcore (1979) — 313

The Funhouse (1981) — 331

*Floyd Footnote — 351

INDEX — 373

No Tua who still is in Concussion Protocol after his third concussion this season. The weather, around 32 degrees, should be rather benign for mid-January: sunny with little wind. The Bills are 13-point favorites.

When Brian Daboll, former Offensive Coordinator of the Buffalo Bills, was named the NY Giants’s new Head Coach, I told Jeff Meyerson to expect improvement in the team. I did not expect Daboll to take the Giants to their first Playoff game since 2016! The Vikings are 3-point favorites, but I’m rooting for the Giants!

No Lamar, who stills suffers from a knee injury–and no contract–so the Ravens will take on the Bengals and hope their defense can cause an upset. The Bengals are favored by 8 1/2 points. Many Bills fans expect the Bengals to show up here next weekend! Who do you think will win these games?

Wild Card Weekend is aways fun with the prospects of upsets and surprises! The Seahawks managed to squeak into the Playoffs when the mighty Lions defeated the Packers on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field a week ago. But, the Seahawks are 10-point underdogs to the 49ers.

In what might be the closest matchup of the Wildcard Weekend, the Chargers are 1 1/2 point favorites over the surging Jaguars. Who do you think will win these games?

I’m a big fan of the British Library/Poisoned Pen Press British Library. Crime Classics series. One reason I’m fond of this series is Martin Edwards’s wonderful Introductions that illuminate the authors of these vintage books.

Murder After Christmas was published in 1944 by an obscure writer. The author then died and Murder After Christmas remained out-of-print for over 75 years.

“Rupert Latimore” was the pseudonym of Algernon Victor Mills (1905-1953). According to Martin Edwards, Latimore and his family, while on a trip to France, ate tainted strawberries and contracted typhoid fever. Latimore survived, but his elder sister and their nurse both died. As a result of the typhoid, Latimore was lame and suffered from epilepsy for the rest of his life.

Latimore had success with Death in Real Life which resulted in his writing Murder After Christmas. But after that book was published, Litimore was diagnosed with a brain tumor and died in 1953.

Murder After Christmas centers around a young couple, Frank and Rhoda Redpath, who invite Rhoda’s stepfather, rich old Uncle Willie, to spend Christmas with them. Usually Uncle Willie spent his winters in Italy, but “the current European unpleasantness” (aka, World War II) made that impossible.

Uncle Willie is worth more to his family dead than alive so it comes as no surprise that soon after he arrives at the Redpath home, he is found dead. Superintendent Culley and Chief Constable, Major Smythe, spend the rest of Murder After Christmas trying to figure out what happened.

If you’re in the mood for a tradition English murder mystery, don’t miss Murder After Christmas with all its hijinks! GRADE: B

TRACK LIST:

I reviewed the preceding volume in this SONY series–Rock: The Train Kept Rollin’–back in April 2021 (you can read my review here). This final 2-CD set in the SONY Music 100 Years Soundtrack for a Century is a mixed bag.

Let’s start with Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart.” Perhaps “Born to Run” or “Born in the USA” were too obvious. I had the same puzzlement about the Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb choice, “Guilty.”

At the same time we have Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” Obvious choices, I suppose, for those two singers.

I’d quibble over the selection of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” over better songs like “Keeping the Faith” from 1983. And why is Will Smith here at all?

I’ve always loved Sade’s “Smooth Operator” and New Kids on the Block’s “Step By Step.”

Despite the strange picks, this final set by SONY has some classics songs…and a lot of filler. Do you remember these songs? Any favorites? GRADE: B-

	Aerosmith–	Dream On	3:26
	Wild Cherry–	Play That Funky Music	3:11
	Boz Scaggs–	Lowdown	3:16
	Heatwave–	Boogie Nights	3:37
	James Taylor (2)–	Your Smiling Face	2:44
	Billy Joel–	Just The Way You Are	3:30
	Eddie Money–	Two Tickets To Paradise	3:58
	The Jacksons–	Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)	3:45
	Electric Light Orchestra–	Don’t Bring Me Down	4:03
	Bruce Springsteen–	Hungry Heart	3:20
	Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb–	Guilty	4:23
	REO Speedwagon–	Keep On Loving You	3:21
	Journey–	Open Arms	3:20
	Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder–	Ebony And Ivory	3:42
	Toto–	Rosanna	4:02
	Men At Work–	Who Can It Be Now?	3:20
	Neil Diamond–	Heartlight	4:24
	Herbie Hancock–	Rockit	3:56
	Cyndi Lauper–	Girls Just Want To Have Fun	3:54
	Michael Jackson–	Billie Jean	4:54
	Wham! Featuring George Michael–	Careless Whisper	5:00
	Willie Nelson & Julio Iglesias–	To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before	3:33
	Sade–	Smooth Operator	4:16
	Terence Trent D’Arby–	Wishing Well	3:32
	Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine*–	Anything For You	3:45
	Bangles–	Eternal Flame	3:55
	Billy Joel–	We Didn’t Start The Fire	4:49
	Michael Bolton–	How Am I Supposed To Live Without You	4:15
	New Kids On The Block–	Step By Step	4:27
	Michael Jackson–	Black Or White	3:22
	Des’ree–	You Gotta Be	4:06
	Celine Dion*–	Because You Loved Me (Theme From Up Close And Personal)	4:33
	Shawn Colvin–	Sunny Came Home	3:50
	Jamiroquai–	Virtual Insanity	3:47
	Mariah Carey–	My All	3:51
	Fiona Apple–	Criminal	5:41
	Will Smith–	Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It	3:48
	Lauryn Hill–	Doo Wop (That Thing)	4:01

The Library of America, obvious pleased by the positive reviews and sales of 2018’s first volume of The Future Is Female (you can read my review here), has issued this new volume of SF stories by women from 1971 to 1979.

I had read many of these stories when they were first published. Far and away “The Screwfly Solution” by “Raccoona Sheldon” (aka, Alice Sheldon, and “James Tiptree, Jr.”) is the most powerful and memorable story in this book. Even today, when I reread it, the story made me shiver!

Alice Sheldon is also featured under her “James Tiptree, Jr.” pseudonym with “The Girl Who Was Plugged In,” another story that will stay with you for a long time.

Women were making an impact of Science Fiction in the 1970s. Authors like Kate Wilhelm, Joanna Russ, Pamela Sargent, Ursula K. Le Guin, Marta Randall, Joan D. Vinge, Cynthia Felice, C. J. Cherryh, Lisa Tuttle, and Connie Willis would go on to write SF novels and win awards.

If you enjoyed the first volume of The Future Is Female! you’ll enjoy this second volume even more. And, if you haven’t checked out these two excellent volumes, what are you waiting for? GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction by LISA YASZEK — xi

SONYA DORMAN HESS
     Bitching It (1971) — 3
CHELSEA QUINN YARBRO
     Frog Pond (1971) — 11
KATE WILHELM
     The Funeral (1972) — 23
JOANNA RUSS
     When It Changed (1972) — 59
KATHLEEN SKY
     Lament of the Keeku Bird (1973) — 70
MIRIAM ALLEN DEFORD
     A Way Out (1973) — 92
VONDA N. McINTYRE
     Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand (1973) — 107
JAMES TIPTREE, JR.
     The Girl Who Was Plugged In (1973) — 135
PAMELA SARGENT
     If Ever I Should Leave You (1974/77) — 185
DORIS PISERCHIA
     Pale Hands (1974) — 202
URSULA K. LE GUIN
     The Day Before the Revolution (1974) — 218
ELEANOR ARNASON
     The Warlord of Saturn’s Moons (1974) — 238
MARTA RANDALL
     A Scarab in the City of Time (1975) — 251
KATHLEEN M. SIDNEY
     The Anthropologist (1975) — 263
GAYLE N. NETZER
     Hey, Lilith! (1976) — 287
RACCOONA SHELDON
     The Screwfly Solution (1977) — 291
ELINOR BUSBY
     Time to Kill (1977) — 321
M. LUCIE CHIN
     The Best Is Yet to Be (1978) — 326
JOAN D. VINGE
     View from a Height (1978) — 360
CYNTHIA FELICE
     No One Said Forever (1978) — 380
C. J. CHERRYH
     Cassandra (1978) — 395
LISA TUTTLE
     Wives (1979) — 406
CONNIE WILLIS   

 Daisy, in the Sun (1979) — 419

Biographical Notes — 445

Notes — 489

Sources & Acknowledgments — 488

Scott Cooper’s “The Pale Blue Eye” is an adaptation of the novel of the same name from author Louis Bayard.

Starring Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Bonton, Toby Jones, Robert Duvall, the murder mystery takes place in the 1830s at West Point Academy.

Augustus Landor (Christian Bale), a retired and reclusive police detective who lives near West Point, is hired by the Academy’s top officers to help solve the hanging of West Point Academy cadet LeRoy Fry.

Landor enlists the help of a young cadet (Harry Milling) named Edgar Allen Poe. Of course more murders occur. Both Landor and Poe show off their skills at breaking codes to discover new clues.

I found the pacing of A Pale Blue Eye a bit slow and deliberate. But the tension builds as devil worship and occult ceremonies play key roles in the motives in this movie. If you’re in the mood for an old-fashioned mystery movie with deceptive plotting and a strong cast of characters, don’t miss A Pale Blue Eye. GRADE: B+

On Saturday, mischievous WORDPRESS posted a group of draft posts, one of which was Anatomy of 55 More Songs. This is the finished product.

“Neuroscience-based studies show that songs from decades ago have the power to relax us, stir up nostalgic feelings, and unconsciously rekindle memories we associate with those recordings. The reason we like to listen top songs from our past is they are instantly familiar, we already know the words and music, and they transport us back to a time when our lives seemed less complicated.” (p. 1-2)

As most of you know, I usually post about music every week and try to listen to music every day. I have over 2000 music CDs to choose from so I offer a diverse mix of songs.

Deb wondered about Marc Meyers’ criteria for these songs. Here’s his answer: “First, I looked for hits that were iconic but not tired. In other words, songs the reader will know but haven’t been worn out, which would exhaust their appeal. Second, I looked for songs that played a significant role in influencing the direction of pop in general or the subcategory the artist or band was pioneering. And third, I favor songs with aspects that long puzzled readers.” (p. 3)

This book is a sequel to Marc Meyers’ Anatomy of a Song (you can read my review here). How many of these songs do you remember?

I apologize for the scrambled Table of Contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: (SCRAMBLED!)

34 Nobody Does It Better Carly Simon p. 227

35 Peg Steely Dan p. 233

36 My Best Friend’s Girl The Cars p. 239

4 Good Vibrations The Beach Boys p. 273

7 The Gambler Kenny Rogers p. 247

38 September Earth, Wind & Fire p. 253

39 WHat A Fool Believes The Doobie Brothers p. 259

40 Accidents Will Happen Elvis Costello p. 265

41 The Devil Went Down to Georgia The Charlie Daniels Band p. 271

42 Good Times Chic p. 277

43 Highway to Hell AC/DC p. 283

44 Cars Gary Numan p. 289

45 On the Radio Donna Summer p. 295

46 Bad Reputation Joan Jett p. 301

5 Up, Up and Away The 5th Dimension p. 35

47 Rapture Blondie p. 307

48 Don’t Stop Believin’ Journey p. 315

49 Steppin’ Out Joe Jackson p. 321

50 Burning Down the House Talking Heads p. 327

51 The Power of Love Huey Lewis and the News p. 335

52 Small Town John Mellencamp p. 341

53 Take It So Hard Keith Richards p. 347

54 Being Boring Pet Shop Boys p. 355

55 If It Makes You Happy Sheryl Crow p. 361

6 Get Together The Youngbloods p. 41

1 Walk On By Dionne Warwick p. 7

7 The Weight The Band p. 49

8 Fire The Crazy World of Arthur Brown p. 55

9 Bad Moon Rising Creedence Clearwater Revival p. 63

10 Crystal Blue Persuasion Tommy James and the Shondells p. 69

11 Ain’t No Mountain High Enough Diana Ross p. 75

12 Paranoid Black Sabbath p. 81

13 Truckin’ Grateful Dead p. 87

14 I’m Eighteen Alice Cooper p. 93

15 Bang a Gong (Get It On) T. Rex p. 101

16 Roundabout Yes p. 107

2 Dancing in the Street Martha and the Vandellas p. 13

17 Doctor My Eyes Jackson Browne p. 113

18 Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress The Hollies p. 119

19 Rocket Man Elton John p. 125

20 I’ll Be Around The Spinners p. 131

21 Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone The Temptations p. 137

22 Killing Me Softly with His Song Roberta Flack p. 143

23 Smoke on the Water Deep Purple p. 151

24 Hello It’s Me Todd Rundgren p. 159

25 She’s Gone Hall & Oates p. 165

26 Come and Get Your Love Redbone p. 173

3 Sunshine Superman Donovan p. 21

27 Sundown Gordon Lightfoot p. 179

28 I’m Not In Love 10cc p. 185

29 Love Is the Drug Roxy Music p. 193

30 The Boys Are Back in Town Thin Lizzy p. 199

31 Fly Like an Eagle Steve Miller Band p. 207

32 Year of the Cat Al Stewart p. 213

33 Barracuda Heart p. 219

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS — 367

After a week of High Anxiety as Damar Hamlin dealt with the aftermath of having collapsed during the Monday Night Game in Cincinnati from cardiac arrest, the Bills–now buoyed by Hamlin’s remarkable recovery–face the motivated New England Patriots in the final game of the regular season. The Bills are 7-point favorites, but under the new Goodell Playoff rules, the outcome of this game is virtually meaningless. How will your favorite NFL team do today?