Even though Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter was filmed in 1972, it did not hit American theaters until 1974. It was part of a double bill with Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell.

A village suffers a series of deaths of women who are seemingly drained of their youth. They appear to be old and withered right after they are attacked by an unknown force.

Dr. Marcus (John Carson) sends a message to Captain Kronos, a vampire hunter, to come to his village and help out with what he believes are vampire attacks. Kronos travels with his friend Grost, a hunchback.

This movie was made toward the end of Hammer Horror’s run. The vampire formula had become tired and repetitive. Hammer executives were looking for something different to improve their vampire movies. Hammer decided to go with a vampire movie where the focus was on a Vampire Hunter, not the vampire. This formula was well ahead of its time. Audiences at the time did not embrace Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter. But interest grew with the transfer to DVD and Blu-ray. If you’re looking for an eccentric vampire movie, I recommend Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter. Do you have a favorite vampire movie? GRADE: B+

Grady Hendrix was best known for his wonderful Paperbacks from Hell (you can read my review here), but that might change with The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. Patrica Campbell, former nurse who feels trapped as a housewife in South Carolina, joins a book club to escape her always working husband, Carter, her teenage daughter Korey, and her Nazi-fascinated son, Blue. Patricia finds new friends among the book club members. She’ll need them later when Patricia and the community are terrorized by a vampire named James Harris.

Grady Hendrix cleverly has James Harris appear as “normal” as he becomes part of the Charleston business group. But as minority children go missing, Patricia begins to suspect Harris is involved. Of course, Patricia’s husband, Carter, dismisses her suspicions. Harris insinuates himself into the fabric of Charleston which helps him dispel any speculation by the police when the bodies of the children are discovered.

Patricia’s investigation into James Harris and his dark actions leads her to a personal crisis. But when Harris targets Patricia’s children, Korey and Blue, Patricia and her book club members take action.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires blends many of the vampire novel conventions and the result is a riveting story with a shocking conclusion. GRADE: B+

Director Denis Villeneuve’s DUNE covers about a third of Frank Herbert’s classic Science Fiction novel. DUNE was scheduled to be released about this time last year, but the Pandemic postponed the date until now. DUNE is available in IMAX format, regular 2-D at your local movie theater, and on HBO Max.

Villeneuve, who directed two other SF movies–Arrival and Blade Runner 2049–spent $165 million on this sprawling tale of a desert planet which is the only source of spice. Spice becomes the most valuable commodity in the Galaxy because it allows interstellar travel.

My favorite character in this movie is Lady Jessica, played by Rebecca Ferguson, who is a powerful member of the Bene Gesseritt sisterhood. Much of DUNE–both the novel and the movie–concerns politics on a galactic scale. The Bene Gesseritt, who operate behind the scene of Power, play the Long Game for control. Their designs extend for centuries.

The cast features Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.

When I saw DUNE at my local AMC Theater, the showing I attended was sold out. I, and a dozen other viewers, wore masks. When the movie ended, there were a lot of groans as the realization that the bulk of the story of Frank Herbert’s DUNE is yet to be told…and only if this movie makes a lot of money. Are you a fan of DUNE? GRADE: Incomplete

Men’s Action Series used to be a huge publishing category. The Executioner, the Death Merchant, the Destroyer, and many other series sold millions of copies. One of the best selling series was the Mack Bolan series (aka, The Executioner) published initially by Pinnacle Books and later by Gold Eagle Books. Gold Eagle hired the talented paperback artist, Gil Cohen, to provide the eye-catching covers on their profitable line of Men’s Action novels. Check out some samples below. If you’re a fan of paperback cover artwork, One Man Army: The Action Paperback Art of Gil Cohen is a must-buy! GRADE: A

One of the more unusual acquisitions here lately is this Pioneer CD 6 Pack that was issued in 1992 as a promotion. Apparently, if you bought a Pioneer CD player, the retailer gave you this FREE 6 CD set:

Volume 1: Rock Classics

Volume 2: Pop Greats

Volume 3: Rhythm & Blues

Volume 4: Country Gold

Volume 5: Jazz Tracks

Volume 6: Classical Notes

Right on the cover of this set–in BIG LETTERS–is the notification: COMPILED FROM THE CHARTS OF BILLBOARD MAGAZINE. There’s a lot here. Obviously, the people at Pioneer were trying to appeal to every musical taste with this set. What do you think? Do you see anything you’d listen to? GRADE: B+

TRACK LIST:

Rick Robinson brought Multiverse: Exploring Poul Anderson’s Worlds to my attention (you can read Rick’s blog post here). Somehow, Multiverse slipped past my radar. I quickly ordered a copy and when it arrived, I read Multiverse in one day.

Tribute anthologies vary in quality. Multiverse is one of the best. I was a big Poul Anderson fan while growing up. The first Poul Anderson SF novel I read was Vault of the Ages, a volume in the classic Winston Science Fiction series aimed at Young Adults. Then, I discovered Poul Anderson was being published in ACE Doubles format. Later, I read many of Anderson’s works in SF magazines.

The best parts of Multiverse are the reminiscences of Poul Anderson’s family and friends. They all loved Anderson and write about the influence he had on their lives, personally and professionally. It’s rare when one person can touch so many lives so positively. Anderson helped rookie writers get started and pros perfect their craft. Anderson was natural story-teller.

My favorite story in Multiverse is David Brin’s “Latecomers,” a tale with a very Poul Anderson flavor. The characters find themselves under attack by a combat robot (think Berserker!). Their battle for survival, and the other secrets the characters find on an ancient asteroid, capture the essence of Poul Anderson’s style of story. Marvelous!

The stories, commentaries, and remembrances make Multiverse a superior tribute anthology. If you’re a Poul Anderson fan, Multiverse is a must-read! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• “Introduction: My Friend Poul” by Greg Bear — 1
• “Outmoded Things” (the planet Roland, from “The Queen of Air and Darkness“) by Nancy Kress — 7
• “The Man Who Came Late” (the alternate Earth of Three Hearts and Three Lions) by Harry Turtledove — 27
• “A Slip in Time” (the alternate timelines of the Time Patrol) by S. M. Stirling — 55
• “Living and Working with Poul Anderson” by Karen Anderson — 85
• “Dancing on the Edge of the Dark” (the Terran Empire of Dominic Flandry) by C. J. Cherryh — 99
• “The Lingering Joy” (a sequel to “The Long Remembering”) by Stephen Baxter — 123
• “Operation Xibalba” (the alternate Earth of Operation Chaos)) by Eric Flint –143
• “Tales Told” by Astrid Anderson Bear — 177
• “The Fey of Cloudmoor” (the planet Roland, from “The Queen of Air and Darkness“) by Terry Brooks — 181
• “Christmas in Gondwanaland” (the alternate timelines of the Time Patrol) by Robert Silverberg — 207
• “Latecomers” (a story in Brin’s own “Existence” series) by David Brin — 243
• “An Appreciation of Poul Anderson” by Jerry Pournelle — 273
• “A Candle” (the Terran Empire of Dominic Flandry) by Raymond E. Feist — 281
• “The Far End” (the alternate timelines of the Time Patrol) by Larry Niven — 303
• “Bloodpride” (the alien Ythri culture from the Polesotechnic League of Nicholas van Rijn) by Gregory Benford — 315
• “Three Lilies and Three Leopards (And a Participation Ribbon in Science)” (the alternate Earth of Three Hearts and Three Lions) by Tad Williams — 339

I saw Etta James perform live in a small nightclub in Madison, Wisconsin in 1976. She was fabulous!

Etta James and The Roots Band Burnin’ Down the House is a 2001 performance. Etta James was near the end of her career.

In front of an enthusiastic audience, Etta James sings 15 songs in her trade-mark style. Check out the Track List and note that the songs in Etta James’ set covers blues, soul, rhythm and blues, jazz, funk, and even some rock & roll. Etta James is seated throughout the concert. When I saw Dionne Warwick in concert a decade ago, she sat during her concert, too.

Etta James is backed by The Roots Band, a group of talented musicians that includes two of Etta’s sons. The sound on this DVD rocks my speakers!

If you’re looking for an enjoyable concert DVD, I recommend Etta James and The Roots Band Burnin’ Down the House. GRADE: A

TRACK LIST:

The Buffalo Bills (4-1) travel to Nashville to take on the Tennessee Titans (3-2) in a rematch of 2020’s infamous Covid-19 game. The Bills are 5 1/2 point favorites.

Last year, the Titans had plenty of infected players and coaches. The Bills v. Titans game was postponed and finally scheduled for a rare Tuesday afternoon time slot. The Titans beat the Bills 42-16 in a game with Covid-19 infections playing a key role in player psychology. This year, with the recent outbreak with the Arizona Cardinals, Covid-19 threatens to affect teams every week. Is your favorite NFL team fully vaccinated?

The Buffalo Bills play the Tennessee Titans tomorrow on Monday Night Football. How will your favorite NFL team do today?