New! Reading Anything Thread 2.0

lester1/2jr · June 05, 2020, 08:40:04 PM

"50 greatest movies never Made"

I read this 20 years ago and i think i posted it here? anyway is about movies that were almost made but weren't, ultimately. One was a comedy called Jaws 3, People 0, written by national Lampoon and sounds like it was pretty funny. the studios decided to do Jaws 3 in 3d instead.

Hitchcock had one that was a blind man regains his sight, then goes to disneyland where some sort of caper happens. Walt Disney hated Psycho and it never came off.

The guy who made Ren and Stimpy had a script for a ridiculous movie about 4 guys who think superheroes are wimps because they have super powers. They build their own headquarters because they are real men. Ultimately, they are so tough they punch a hole in time itself and then the trouble starts

https://www.amazon.com/50-Greatest-Movies-Never-Made/dp/031220082X

very cool book that would probably be a Medium post you would never find out about today

Rev. Powell · June 27, 2020, 09:45:01 AM

Written by a friend of mine (who had some posts on here years ago, though I don't remember what handle he used). About his unhappy upbringing in a Pentecostal sect. I read a couple of idfferent early drafts, and from what I've read so far it's really come far.

Alex · June 27, 2020, 10:31:59 AM

The Dragonlance trilogy.

indianasmith · July 14, 2020, 05:34:49 PM

THE UNEXPECTED PRESIDENT: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CHESTER A. ARTHUR by Scott S. Greenberger

An entertaining and sympathetic look at the life of the only American President I can say with some confidence I am related to. Arthur was James Garfield's Vice President and stepped into the presidency when Garfield was murdered in 1881. Arthur was a lifelong political hack, a corrupt spoilsman in thrall to New York's notorious boss, Senator Roscoe Conkling. But Arthur surprised everyone be becoming a champion of Civil Service Reform and honest government as President, cutting his ties to his corrupt former associates and signing the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act into law. I knew a little bit about his career, but this biography filled in a lot of corners and brought this New York dandy who turned into a model of Presidential character into sharp focus. Highly recommended!

Sitting Duck · July 15, 2020, 07:53:02 AM

Quote from: indianasmith on July 14, 2020, 05:34:49 PM
THE UNEXPECTED PRESIDENT: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CHESTER A. ARTHUR by Scott S. Greenberger

An entertaining and sympathetic look at the life of the only American President I can say with some confidence I am related to. Arthur was James Garfield's Vice President and stepped into the presidency when Garfield was murdered in 1881. Arthur was a lifelong political hack, a corrupt spoilsman in thrall to New York's notorious boss, Senator Roscoe Conkling. But Arthur surprised everyone be becoming a champion of Civil Service Reform and honest government as President, cutting his ties to his corrupt former associates and signing the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act into law.

And according to Crow T. Robot's report on Rutherford B. Hayes, a founding member of ZZ Top.

http://www.mst3kinfo.com/ward_e/Bit510.html

Rev. Powell · August 25, 2020, 08:57:53 AM

I guess these count.

Neville · August 25, 2020, 09:06:53 AM

I started pilling Walter Mosley and James Lee Burke novels when the confinement starte, and I still have a few left.

Mosley writes these great detective novels starring black detective Easy Rawlings. They all take place after WWII in LA, and they have some great social commentary together with the misteries. Mosley has other series as well, but I'm sticking to this one until I read them all.

The first novel was made into a pretty good film, "Devil in a blue dress", starring Denzel.

As for James Lee Burke, I'm a fan of his Dave Robicheaux series. They follow the cases of a mature NOPD in Lousiana. The series is very long, and has some great titles as well as others that are just ho-hum. The best I can remember right now are "The Tin Roof Blowdown", which deals with Katrina and its aftermath, and its inmediate sequels. However, Burke is like 80 right now, and I think he should consider ending the series before they become a caricature.

And again, a couple of them have film versions: "Heaven's Prisoners", a sweaty, violent thriller starring Alec Baldwin, and "In the electric mist", starring Tommy Lee Jones. If you watch the latter, make sure to get the extended international cut rather than the American one.

My sis also asked me to recover a few of her old favorites from the attic, and I also found some vintage Jim Thompson and John Godey for me. As you see, I like crime novels.

ER · August 27, 2020, 10:53:18 AM

I been re-re-re-rereading the four Messages From Michael books this summer. I used to be tangentially connected with CQY/Sarah Chambers' group (as opposed to the dozens of fake Michael groups---the ones that charge money and tell everyone they're old souls on a young soul planet) through a friend and after twenty years of being intrigued by the Michael material, it was soon disillusioningly like seeing the man behind the curtain, so reading the books now arises from a different perspective than I had in high school and later. It's still an intriguing system if approached as a way to stereotype personalities for fun, just one presented differently from the reality of how things truly are in the group, which is far different than the books.

Rev. Powell · September 11, 2020, 08:42:46 AM

About to start this one:

Chapters on Abel Ferrara,Radley Metzger, Melvin van Peebles, Doris Wishman, biker films, Harmony Korine, Herschel Gordon Lewis, and others.

Alex · September 11, 2020, 08:59:35 AM

Quote from: Rev. Powell on August 25, 2020, 08:57:53 AM
I guess these count.

Keep meaning to ask if you've read all the OOtS stuff, or even played the boardgame Rev?

Rev. Powell · September 11, 2020, 10:07:21 AM

Quote from: Alex on September 11, 2020, 08:59:35 AM
Quote from: Rev. Powell on August 25, 2020, 08:57:53 AM
I guess these count.

Keep meaning to ask if you've read all the OOtS stuff, or even played the boardgame Rev?

No, I gave not played the boardgame, but I have read all the comics.

Alex · September 11, 2020, 10:20:23 AM

The game is a bit too long to really work, so you aren't missing anything there. Glad I am not the only one here who reads it.

Sitting Duck · September 13, 2020, 08:13:06 AM

The hardcopy collections for Order of the Stick are nice, but the author notes frequently make him come across as pompous. And hoo boy does he ever have daddy issues. I suppose I could just not read the notes, but it's like a pile-up in that you can't not look. And occasionally there's an interesting tidbit.

Alex · September 13, 2020, 08:36:15 AM

I can't argue with you there. I like his comics, but I'm not sure I'd want to share a beer with him.

Rev. Powell · September 13, 2020, 09:32:23 AM

Quote from: Sitting Duck on September 13, 2020, 08:13:06 AM
The hardcopy collections for Order of the Stick are nice, but the author notes frequently make him come across as pompous. And hoo boy does he ever have daddy issues. I suppose I could just not read the notes, but it's like a pile-up in that you can't not look. And occasionally there's an interesting tidbit.

I actually really enjoy the insights into why he structures the story the way he does. I think they are aimed mainly at other writers.

I also started