Post for Christmas delving into the themes of Miracle on 34th Street (see also my review for more detail on the film): The world at the start of the film, thus, is the modern world; impersonal, materialistic, and competitive, dismissive of tradition and traditional values in favor of an endless pursuit of an uncertain goal. … Continue reading Talking ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ at ‘The Everyman’
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Thought of the Day: Hollywood Friendships
I think the most positive aspect of Hollywood as an industry, in its golden era at least, were the great, intense friendships that sometimes resulted; people like Laurel and Hardy, or Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda, or Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, or Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. The entertainment industry has always been a … Continue reading Thought of the Day: Hollywood Friendships
Poetry: “The Last of the Light Brigade”
There were thirty million English who talked of England's might, There were twenty broken troopers who lacked a bed for the night. They had neither food nor money, they had neither service nor trade; They were only shiftless soldiers, the last of the Light Brigade. They felt that life was fleeting; they knew not that … Continue reading Poetry: “The Last of the Light Brigade”
Friday Flotsam: Verne, History, and Broomsticks
1. Visiting relatives in Maine all this week 2. On the way up, listened to a biography of Jules Verne. It was certainly interesting to get a look into the life of such an important author, though the biographer is rather annoyingly intrusive; his thesis is that Verne is one of the great authors of … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Verne, History, and Broomsticks
Thought of the Day: Subsidiarity and Democracy
A representative government, however it starts, naturally expands. This is because the elected official's position is dependent on the majority of people voting for him. Therefore, he (or more often his party) is incentivized to offer them anything he can. If they have problems, he'll offer to solve them and try to make them as … Continue reading Thought of the Day: Subsidiarity and Democracy
Poetry – “Veni Creator Spiritus
Creator Spirit, by whose aidThe world's foundations first were laid,Come visit every pious mind,Come pour Thy joys on human kind;From sin and sorrow set us free,And make Thy temples worthy Thee.O source of uncreated light,The Father's promised Paraclete!Thrice holy fount, thrice holy fire,Our hearts with heavenly love inspire;Come, and Thy sacred unction bring,To sanctify us … Continue reading Poetry – “Veni Creator Spiritus
Low-Effort Blogging: A Breakdown of ’12 Angry Men’
12 Angry Men is one of the great American dramatic films and an absolute master-class in writing: an enthralling story set almost entirely in one room and consisting of nothing but, well, twelve very different men debating back and forth. It's what happens when you have a first-class director (Sydney Lumet) leading a first-class cast … Continue reading Low-Effort Blogging: A Breakdown of ’12 Angry Men’
Thoughts on ‘The Secret of Chimneys’
Dame Agatha Christie was a highly prolific authoress. In addition to her cozy mysteries featuring M. Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple, she also wrote plenty of other mysteries and a number of books that could be classified more as thrillers or spy fiction. These tend not to be regarded as her best work on … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘The Secret of Chimneys’
Friday Flotsam: Disney, Kafka, and Lovecraft
1. The Wisdom of Walt Disney re-release went off with very few hitches. There was a close call where I thought none of the updates (including the discount) would be available by the release date, since, at least as far as I can tell, Amazon doesn’t provide the ability to precisely control when the book … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Disney, Kafka, and Lovecraft
Feast of St. Louis
King Saint Louis'sLast Instructions to his Eldest Son, Philip III 1. To his dear first-born son, Philip, greeting, and his father's love.2. Dear son, since I desire with all my heart that you be well "instructed in all things, it is in my thought to give you some advice this writing. For I have heard … Continue reading Feast of St. Louis
Serpent's Den 