And wouldn’t Kubrick be an example where you could say that his films were arguably on a par
with the books they were based on? Or even better?
Are you on top of Moore’s League books? I got the latest and reportedly last one, The Tempest, in February but haven’t read it yet. To get back into the story and its plethora of characters and references I think I’ll have to reread them from the Black Dossier on.
Well I’ve only read The Shining as far as Kubrick’s films, and depends on how you look at that one cus its maybe a good film, but it doesn’t have much to do with the book
More of a free reworking than a faithful adaptation. As with Schnitzler’s Dream Story, for example.
Watching now, Lucky starring Harry Dean Stanton. Billed as a western but not really, just western type character to the look, scenery and whatnot.
I put off watching because I made the mistake of reading reviews which turned me off. So far I’m loving it and HDS is great as usual. Was surprised to see David Lynch in a small role
Tonight I watched El Camino, the Breaking Bad movie on Netflix… its probably already mentioned here, but there is a full on spaghetti styled duel in the movie and its actually done very well
The The Gauntlet (1977) - Clint Eastwood
By far not among Eastwood best effort, it’s fun and entertaining, is it enough to make a good movie? Not quite, just a fun and entertaining one.
Eastwood character is the antithesis of Dirty Harry, a dumb and expendable cop, that the bad guys trust would never complete the witness escort mission he’s assigned, but in the end there’s always a bit of Dirty Harry in the main character.
The film does start OK with one great shootout or house demolition by fire arms and mostly the scene with the dialogue between Sandra Locke and usual bad guy character actor Bill Mckinney, while he was driving. Actually I think it’s Sandra Locke best acting work, at least for the one I’ve seen.
The second half of the film I think it’s mostly Eastwood having fun with implausible decisions, and the end is almost comical, a film it’s a film but I can think of better ways to stop a bus, maybe the final bulletfest was sponsored by a gun club or something. Apart from that the ending also seemed a bit rushed (they run out of bullets)
3 out of 5
P.S. The poster and some of the road signs in the film are great
If You Meet Sartana Pray For Your Death & Have A Good Funeral, Sartana Will Pay - watched both of these with the commentary track from Arrow blu rays. Both were pretty interesting and suited my mood for casual viewing. Found that commentaries make excellent viewing while playing guitar as you can half pay attention while taking in the film visually, and easily tune back in during breaks from playing
Haven’t listened to any commentaries lately and I’m always wondering if I’ll ever get around to most of them, but this gives me a good excuse to start checking them off.
Glad I’m not the only one who does this 
THE MALTESE FALCON (1941, John Huston)
Some think this screen adaptation of Dashiell Hammet’s classic detective novel is the essential film noir: the movie that defined a genre and became, at the very same time, the peak of it.
Humphrey Bogart is Sam Spade, the tough talking and wisecracking gumshoe, who is asked by a pretty lady to track down her missing sister – but very soon he’ll understand that she’s lying and not looking for a missing sister, but – like most other characters in the movie - for a missing bird: the Maltese Falcon from the title, a precious statuette …
What can I say what has not already been said about this classic? Anything negative maybe? Well, I have a few complaints: It moves at such a fast pace that it’s a bit hard to follow (especially if you haven’t read the book recently), and it was also so influential, that what was must have looked innovative back then, might look a little formulaic today. I’ve never been a great Bogey fan, but he’s okay as Spade and Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet and Elisha Cook jr. are great.
(By the way: Wasn’t Greenstreet’s character of the Fat Man not shot by Wilmer (Cookjr.) in the book?)
½ out of 5
I recently rewarded the entire series of Roots and Roots: The Next Generations. Just as good as the last time. Even though it may not have been as accurate as Alex Haley claimed, it’s still one the best miniseries I’ve ever watched.
Viper / Bad Blood 1994 - If you like direct to video 90s action with dudes in business suits firing uzis and lots of explosions, this is that. Unfortunately, the star is Lorenzo Lamas and I find the guy really obnoxious. Seems to be a star for the ladies
T-34
Horrible tank movie/Russian propaganda. Avoid.
Last 10
Always liked this one. Saw it on TV when I was a kid and it stuck in my memory. The rape scene went over my head at the time. I can’t have been more than five years old. I came across the VHS years later in a market and it all came back to me.
I watched it from youtube so quality was crap, better print might rise my rating.
I liked T-34. I don’t take the propaganda that seriously, mostly just like watching tank battles. I liked White Tiger, too.
THE MALTESE FALCON (1941, John Huston)
Some think this screen adaptation of Dashiell Hammet’s classic detective novel is the essential film noir: the movie that defined a genre and became, at the very same time, the peak of it.
What some people may not no is it is the 3rd adaption of the novel. The first was in 1931, a more sexual explicit version that incorporates the smutty undertones of the novel. For instance Joel Cairo is an out and out gay character rather that an efete one. Wilma Cook is hinted at being gay. Although it isn’t obvious to me in the novel.
Anyway the lude content stopped it being re-released for a number of years. The 2nd adaption was in 1936, a spoof starring Bette Davis?. 
And an extra fact Humphrey Bogart wasn’t supposed to be in the 1941 version, he replaced George Raft.
I tried watching Terminator 2 to see if it looked good on my new TV but I got bored of it after a while. I’ve been watching some SW’s in the past couple days: Day of Anger, Sabata, A Stranger in Town, and a few others I forget which. I also watched National Lampoon’s Animal House last night, that was pretty funny (hilarious to see Donald Sutherland as a stoner professor lol). I have For a Few Dollars More on the TV right now. I notice the Kino remaster has a lot less noise than the German uncut blu-ray.
Watched Day of Anger a while back. I still think it is one of the best entries into the genre.
I like National Lampoon’s comedies in all their politically incorrect hilarity! Oh and For A Few Dollars More is still my favourite. 
