The book front.

Have a lot of books to read, many of which I don't finish. Right now I'm reading Roger Ebert's biography, LIFE ITSELF. I enjoy the stories of his life as a young newspaperman, hanging out in bars, and then being drafted into film criticism. I'm envious in a lot of ways. I think Ebert would like that, that despite all of his recent difficulties, that a reader of his memoir would ultimately envy his life. I work now, and wish I had more time to read. I only work part-time, but it still takes up half a day, every day. Still, I guess it's a good way to ease back into the world of work after being out of it for years. Still looking for something full-time, and something more stable. I'm also re-reading Larry McMurtry's LITERARY LIFE, in hopes that it will cause me to write again, something I haven't done in months.

Bud Spencer & Terence Hill - Crime Busters

Crime Busters

Some movies are just made for lazy afternoons. They usually don't require too much attention and can be enjoyed even while you're doing something else, be it chores or messing around on your laptop. Crime Busters, like many Italian films, is one of those type of movies. There's something reassuring about the combination of Terence Hill and Bud Spencer [love his jacket in this that has "JUMBO" written across the back in cheap looking lettering.] Doesn't matter if they are in the Wild West or on the mean streets of Miami, you know that Terence Hill will make a fool out of the bad guys, Bud Spenser will be a combination of irresistible force and immovable object, logic will probably take a holiday, and fun will be had. That sentence went a little long. So does CRIME BUSTERS. Hill and Spencer meet on the docks. Both are out of work and get on the wrong side of some kind of vague organized crime group that controls the union jobs. Both Hill and Spenser manage to get the better of their foes, but are still out of work so Terence [whom I always want to call Trinity no matter what movie he's in] has the idea of robbing a grocery store. But it turns out the grocery store is actually a police station, so to cover themselves our heroes decide to sign up for the force. A whole lot happens over the next 100 minutes or so and the mind can wander at times [the weird showdown between the good guys and some kind of weird Indian wannabe biker gang at the Orange Bowl really bogs stuff down] but it all works out in the end. Think I may try to re-visit some of the Trinity films next...

Noir noir noir....

I have tried to be on a "steampunk" kick lately but got sidetracked by an article about modern noir authors and have been trying to read all of the books mentioned since then. THE MOTEL LIFE is the first one and I blazed through it in a couple of days. It's about a pair of unlucky brothers who live in seedy Reno motels and try to hammer out an existence for themselves. Both have creative talents that they only use to pass the time and get through life, and there's a sense throughout of "what might have been." At first this seems like a typical Bukowski style pastiche of the boozing lifestyle, but this wouldn't be a noir if that's all it was. It's been a while since I read something that I kept wanting to get back to, and where I was disappointed to know it was over and that was all. Listening to black metal a lot, things I was into in my late 20s. Wondering if my mid-life crisis is coming up.

Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man (1976)

Not sure how to embred, but here goes...I

Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man

Okay, I'm back. Saw several things since I last posted, not going to try to recount them. Let's just continue with the Italian crime theme. This one was nowhere near as good as Caliber 9, but was worth a watch. It almost seems like the Ambiguously Gay Duo at times, despite their attempts to molest/pick up nearly every female character in the movie [other than one of the old ladies.] Maybe they have something to prove. Lots of chases, busting of heads, gals taking their tops off, but oddly, the heroes never seem to be in that much jeopardy, as if the whole thing is a massive goof to them. It is unique in that these cops generally don't give a rats ass about hurting people or getting rough, the opening chase scene ends with one of them snapping the neck of a critically injured suspect, and it is not viewed as anything remarkable. I have a cousin who was stationed in Italy and he said the police there don't mess around, so maybe this is true to life...it also has some of the more ineffectual villains I've seen in a crime film. Directed by Ruggerio Deodato, which may explain the casual attitude toward mayhem.

Fernando Di Leo's, Caliber (Milano Caliber 9)

Watched this today on Netflix, I'd heard about it for years but had never gotten around to seeing it.

Lots of groovy music, double and triple crosses, people dropping off and exchanging mysterious packages that sometimes explode, and general mayhem.  I really enjoyed it and am going to check out more Italian crime flicks, although I think I might be starting out with the best of the lot.