Recommended reading – Two O’clock Courage

 

Two O’clock Courage

by Gelett Burgess.
 
Filmed as Two in the Dark (1936), directed by Benjamin Stoloff.
 
ASIN: B005D2SGQU
Published by Surinam Turtle Press.
Published 1934.
Hardcover.
 
Description:
 

This 1934 thriller is the third book under Richard A. Lupoff's Surinam Turtle imprint. A man wakes up in a park and can't remember who he is. But thanks to the help of a couple of intriguing women, he manages to remain free from arrest for a murder he MAY have committed. But he simply must figure out his identity before the cops -- or the murderer -- catch up with him. The story was made into a film called TWO IN THE DARK and the plot has been used in later films and books (notably Evan Hunter's BUDDWING and a British film called HYSTERIA) but no one has done it with the skill and style of Gelett Burgess.

On this day in television history - M Squad (1959)

 
M Squad

Season 2. Episode 16.

Episode entitled: The Third Shadow.

Released January 9, 1959.

Directed by James Neilson.

Written by Jack Jacobs.

Music by Benny Carter.

 
Cast:

Lee Marvin, Paul Newlan, Monica Lewis, Tony Travis, Alfred Shelly, Amy Fields, Richard Benedict, Guy Prescott, Ted Thorpe, Roy Engel, Stuart Holmes.

On this day in music history - The album Key of Sea, by Jennifer Thomas (2007)

Key of Sea

by Jennifer Thomas

was released on January 9, 2007.

Track list:

A Beautiful Storm; Prelude in F; Release; You By My Side; Suite Dreams; Will's Song; Old Movie Romance; Pure; O Mio Babbino Caro; The Red Aspens; Somewhere; The Tempest; Sospiro.

 

On this day in music history - The album Tonight: Welthits von Berlin bis Broadway, by Renée Fleming, Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann and Klaus Florian Vogt (2014)

Tonight: Welthits von Berlin bis Broadway

by Renée Fleming, Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann and Klaus Florian Vogt

was released on January 7, 2014.

Track list:

Lincke: Frau Luna: Berliner Luft (Live); Gershwin: Pardon My English: The Loreley (Live); Gershwin: Strike Up The Band: Overture (Live); Bernstein: West Side Story: Maria (Live); F. Loewe: My Fair Lady: I Could Have Danced All Night (Live); Weill: One Touch Of Venus: Foolish Heart (Live); Bernstein: West Side Story: Tonight (Live); Tauber: Der singende Traum: Du bist die Welt für mich (Live); Gershwin: Lady Be Good: Fascinating Rhythm (Live); Berlin: Annie, Get Your Gun: Anything You Can Do (Live); Tonight - Welthits von Berlin bis Broadway (Live).

 

Recommended reading - The Stop-motion Filmography

 

The Stop-motion Filmography

A Critical Guide to 297 Features Using Puppet Animation

by Neil Pettigrew.
 
2-Volume Set.
Published by McFarland & Company.
Published 2007.
Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0786431075
ISBN-13: 978-0786431076
 
Description:
 

This is a major McFarland reference work providing in-depth analyses of all puppet animation sequences in every film that has featured the process, including King Kong and Jason and the Argonauts. The focus is on how effective the sequence was and how it was executed. In addition to the analysis, each entry provides title, year of release, cast and production credits including producer, director, screenplay, director of photography, art director or production designer, music, stop-motion animators, armature builders, puppet makers, stop-motion cameramen, sequence supervisors, and more. Ratings of the film and of the effectiveness of its stop-motion sequences are also given.

 

“Gargantuan...an insightful and affectionate tribute to [puppet animation] films. Brilliant color photographs shine out alongside numerous black and white photos...recommended.” – Choice.
 
“Well-researched, well-written and a solid addition.” – Video Watchdog.
 
“Detailed…a ‘must have’.” – Famous Monsters of Filmland.
 
“Amazing...thousands of details...an important work.” – Association Internationale du Film d'Animation (ASIFA) / The International Animated Film Association.
 
“A mightily impressive tome...exhaustive...an essential book for stop motion fans.” – SFX Magazine.
 
“Staggeringly comprehensive study...provides shot-by-shot analysis of every stop-motion sequence in every known feature film that uses the process...Pettigrew’s thoroughness and accuracy border on the astounding...a work of impeccable scholarship.” – Scarlet Street.
 
“A treasure-trove of information.” – Ani-Mato.
 
“Superbly researched and informative text and illustrations...provides in-depth analyses of all puppet animation sequences...a valuable source of information...immaculately researched and written in a lucid and very readable manner” – Talking Pictures Magazine.
 

Happy New Year 2025!

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On this day in music history - Nightscenes (1996)

 

Nightscenes

Album by Michael Whalen,

Released January 1, 1996.

Track list:
Evening Blurs Into The Neon; Close Your Eyes, The Right Approaches; Acquainted With The Night; Part One: Light-Sky-Stars; Part Two: Passages; Part Three: Faces; Part Four: Love; Into The Darkness Part One: The Heart Of Midninght; Into The Darkness Part Two: Journey Towards The Sunrise; It Happened On A Sunday.