“DON SIEGEL’S “Escape From Alcatraz” is not a great film or an especially memorable one, but there is more evident skill and knowledge of movie making in any one frame of it than there are in most other American films around at the moment. It’s the kind of movie that could be more profitably studied in film courses than all of the works of Bergman and Fellini combined. That’s not to say that Mr. Siegel (“Dirty Harry,” “The Beguilded,” “Riot in Cell Block 11,” etc.) outweighs those masters but that film students have a way of leaping into the art while still ignorant of the craft. Craft is something that a Siegel film demonstrates without half trying.”

Vincent Canby, the great critic of the New York times, wrote the above words back in 1979 when Escape From Alcatraz opened. I saw this Clint Eastwood film way back when and hadn’t seen it since until this new Blu-ray version came out. Canby is right: Don Siegel, one of my favorite directors, demonstrates facile film-making in this thriller. The suspense is slowly ratcheted up. Eastwood underplays his character to perfection. If you haven’t seen Esacape From Alcatraz, you’re missing a well-made thriller. GRADE: A

I plan to see the new Disney version of The Jungle Book so I reread The Jungle Book. I first read The Jungle Book as a kid and had some vague memories of Mowgli, the baby raised by wolves. I did remember my favorite character in these stories: Kaa the python (the star of my favorite story in this collection, “Kaa’s Hunting:). If you’re a fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Tarzan tales, you’ll see where ERB might have gotten his inspiration in these stories. Have you read The Jungle Book?
Table of Contents:
•Mowgli’s brothers
• Hunting song of the Seeonee Pack
• Kaa’s hunting
• Road song of the bandard-log
• How fear came
• The law of the jungle
• “Tiger-Tiger!”
• Mowglie’s song
• Letting in the jungle
• Mowglie’s song gainst people
• The king’s ankus
• THe song of the little hunter – Red dog
• Chil’s song
• The spring running
• The outsong
• “Rikki-tikki-tavi”
• Darzee’s chant.

Christopher B. Krebs A Most Dangerous Book: Tacitus’s GERMANIA From the Roman Empire to the Third Reich tells the involving tale of a classic book that the Nazis chased during World War II. Krebs, a classical scholar at Stanford University, gives the history of Tacitus’s classic book over the ages and shows how its presence in Germany created a cult seeking the valuable copy. If you liked The Monuments Men, you’ll like this book. GRADE: B
Table of Contents:
•The Roman conquest of the germanic myth
• Survival and rescue
• The birth of the German ancestors
• Formative years
• Heroes’ songs
• The volk of free-spirited northerners
• White blood
• A bible for national socialists.

I just caught up with this 2015 CD. Vonda Shepard is one of my favorite singers so factor that into this review. I liked “I Just Don’t Get It” and “Roll In the Dirt” best. Check out the video below for a sample. If you’re looking to listen to some mellow music, Vonda Shepard supplies it on this CD. GRADE: B+
TRACK LIST:
1. Need Your Love 3:22
2. Turn It Up 3:14
3. I Just Don’t Get It 3:50
4. Saturday 3:15
5. Long for the Days 2:43
6. Walk on the Water 3:12
7. Rookie 2:58
8. Train to Inverness 3:18
9. Tell My Body 2:41
10. Roll in the Dirt (Live) 4:10
11. Downtown, Dirtytown (Live) 3:15

H. P. Lovecraft’s “The Colour Out of Space” is one of my favorite Lovecraft tales (Lovecraft stated “The Colour Out of Space” was his favorite story). A meteorite falls in a field near a farm outside of Arkham, Massachusetts. Scientists investigate the weirdly colored goo but are baffled by its alien properties. Back on the farm, the crops grow in a wild fashion. But when people try to eat the vegetables, a terrible taste renders them uneatable. The farmer and his family degenerate from drinking the well water where the “colour” resides (sounds like a precursor to Flint, Michigan). Lovecraft ratchets up the dread with each page as the alien presence works its lethal effects. Michael Shea updates Lovecraft’s classic story by setting it in 1984. Two scientists find the “color” is active again and growing stronger. The Park rangers are the first to fall under the color’s creepy effects. Then even more dreadful events occur. If you’re a fan of H. P. Lovecraft, you’ll enjoy this updated version of a menacing alien encounter.

Lesley Stahl, the CBS reporter, recommended The Frandidate by Jim Benton in the Wall Street Journal. Stahl says she reads the Frannie K. Stein books to her grandchildren and they love the wacky humor. Frannie K. Stein is a genius kid. In The Frandidate, Frannie is running for class president. But, in typical Frannie fashion, she invents a “skin” that she wears that can determine what her classmates want. And, of course, Frannie can then “promise” them whatever they want in return for their vote. Clever critique of the political process! The drawings are a little crude, but the story resonates. GRADE: B

Big wins by Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump clarify the race for the White House. Hillary has pretty much locked up the Democratic nomination. Donald Trump will win more delegates next week in North Eastern states like Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Maryland. Cruz will probably be in third place in all of these states. Kasich seems to be an insignificant factor. I can’t wait for the Trump vs. Hillary Presidential Debates!

When The Night Manager aired in the UK, it drew a big audience. Whether AMC will see a huge ratings boost with this mini-series is an open question. But, I’ll be watching Tom Hiddleston (famous for his role as the evil Loki in the Thor and Avenger movies) and Hugh Laurie (famous for his grumpy, opioid-popping role as Dr. House). The novel had Laurie’s character selling guns to the Colombian drug loards. This updated version has the gunrunning happening with the Egyptians during the “Arab Spring.” I’m curious to see what other changes this TV version of The Night Manager will surprise its audience with. Will you be watching?

Donald Trump will speak tonight at the First Niagara Center which holds aobut 18,000 people. All the seats will be filled. And, outside the First Niagara Center, as many as a 1,000 protesters could show up. There’s rain in the forecast so the numbers may decline. The local political talk radio programs are split between supporting Trump and supporting Cruz. However, Western NY is heavily Democratic so tomorrow’s New York State primary will feature a big win for HIllary–and an equally big win for Donald Trump. Bernie Sanders spoke to the Pope over the weekend but I don’t think that will help him here.

Diane wanted a new kitchen set so we shopped around and settled on this Bassett Studio B table and chairs. We went with the Guilford (a warm sandy color) instead of this Safari color so just imagine the picture above with those alterations. The chairs will be a Java (coffee color) hue. The top contender was the Paula Deen River House table and chairs. The price for both sets were about the same, but Baasett gave us more options and I preferred the cleaner design. Bassett was also having a sale so we saved a couple hundred dollars. Are you in the market for new furniture?