On this day in movie history - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Raiders of the Lost Ark

directed by Steven Spielberg,

written by Lawrence Kasdan,

based on a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman,

was released in the United States on June 12, 1981.

Music by John Williams.

Cast:

Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott, Alfred Molina, Wolf Kahler, Anthony Higgins, Vic Tablian, Don Fellows, William Hootkins, Bill Reimbold, Fred Sorenson, Patrick Durkin, Matthew Scurfield, Malcolm Weaver, Sonny Caldinez, Anthony Chinn, Pat Roach, Christopher Frederick, Tutte Lemkow, Ishaq Bux, Kiran Shah, Souad Messaoudi, Terry Richards, Steve Hanson, Frank Marshall, Martin Kreidt, George Harris, Eddie Tagoe, John Rees, Tony Vogel, Ted Grossman, Vic Armstrong, Alan Austen, Roy Beck, Darrell Brook, Russell Brook, Trevor Butterfield, Darin Chambers, Pola Churchill, Peter Diamond, Harry Fielder, Nick Gillard, Romo Gorrara, Martin Grace, Reg Harding, Barrie Holland, Billy Horrigan, Terry Leonard, Rick Lester, Sergio Mioni, Dennis Muren, Robert Nevin, Bob Papenbrook, Chris Parsons, Glenn Randall Jr., Peter Ross-Murray, Michael Sheard, Barry Summerford, Rocky Taylor, Frank Welker, Bill Weston, Paul Weston.

On this day in movie history - Predator (1987)

Predator

directed by John McTiernan,

written by Jim Thomas and John Thomas,

was released in the United States on June 12, 1987.

Music by Alan Silvestri.

Cast:

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves, R.G. Armstrong, Shane Black, Kevin Peter Hall, Steve Boyum, William H. Burton Jr., Franco Columbu, Peter Cullen, Henry Kingi, Sven-Ole Thorsen, Jack Verbois.

On this day in movie history - The Witches of Eastwick (1987)

The Witches of Eastwick

directed by George Miller,

written by Michael Cristofer,

based on the novel by John Updike,

was released in the United States on June 12, 1987.

Music by John Williams.

Cast:

Jack Nicholson, Cher, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer, Veronica Cartwright, Richard Jenkins, Keith Jochim, Becca Lish, Carel Struycken.

On this day in movie history - Criminal (2004)

 

Criminal

directed by Gregory Jacobs,

written by Gregory Jacobs, Steven Soderbergh/Sam Lowry,

was released at the Seattle International Film Festival in the United States on June 12, 2004.

Music by Alex Wurman.

A remake of Nine Queens (2000), directed and written by Fabián Bielinsky.

 
Cast:

John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Mullan, Zitto Kazann, Jonathan Tucker, Laura Cerón, Soledad St. Hilaire, Ellen Geer, Brandon Keener, Nick Anavio, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, Maeve Quinlan, Brent Sexton, Malik Yoba, Lillian Hurst, Jack Conley, Juan Carlos Cantu, Enrico Colantoni, Manny Jimenez Sr./Manuel G. Jimenez, Luis Contreras, Michael Shannon, Patricia Belcher, Paul Norwood, Gary Littman/Gary Mack, Paul Korda.

Roald Dahl, on books:

So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,

go throw your TV set away,
and in its place you can install,
a lovely bookcase on the wall.
– Roald Dahl.

Recommended reading - True Grit

 

True Grit

by Charles Portis.

Filmed as True Grit (1969), directed by Henry Hathaway.

Published by The Overlook Press.

First published 1968.

ISBN-10: 159020459X

ISBN-13: 9781590204597
 
Description:

“Quite simply, an American masterpiece.” – Boston Globe.

“Charles Portis had a wonderful talent—original, quirky, exciting.” – Larry McMurtry.

Charles Portis has long been acclaimed as one of America’s most enduring and incomparable literary voices, and his novels have left an indelible mark on the American canon. True Grit, his most famous novel, was first published in 1968, and has garnered critical acclaim as well as enthusiastic praise from countless passionate fans for more than 50 years.

True Grit tells the story of Mattie Ross, who is just 14 when the coward Tom Chaney shoots her father in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and robs him of his life, his horse, and $150 in cash. Filled with an unwavering urge to avenge her father’s blood, Mattie finds and, after some tenacious finagling, enlists one-eyed Rooster Cogburn, the meanest available US Marshal, as her partner in pursuit, and they head off into Indian Territory after the killer.

True Grit is essential reading. Not just a classic Western, but an undeniable classic of American literature as eccentric, cool, funny, and unflinching as Mattie Ross herself. For fans of either the John Wayne classic or the Coen brothers’ movie, it’s a chance to relive the story of Mattie and Rooster and experience their story as it was originally told. For fans of taut, funny storytelling, it will be a joy to experience in its original form.

This edition includes an afterword by bestselling author Donna Tartt (The Secret History and The Goldfinch) and a reading group guide.