Seldon's Blog

Below is my current list of favorite movies set in the 1870s: ( Read more... )

"THE SITTAFORD MYSTERY" (2006) Review

I have never read Agatha Christie's 1931 novel, "The Sittaford Mystery". And I have read a lot of her novels. But since the novel did not feature Hercule Poirot, Miss Jane Marple, or Tommy and Tuppence Beresford; I never took the trouble to read it. Well, that is not fair. I can think of at least two or three Christie novels that did not feature any of these sleuths that I have read. But I have never read "The Sittaford Mystery". ( Read more... )

"MY BOY JACK" (2007) Review

The origin for the 2007 television movie, "MY BOY JACK" goes back quite a ways. Back in 1915, British author Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem as a response to the news that his only son John (also known as "Jack") had been reported missing after the Battle of Loos. Eighty-two years later, actor David Haig produced, wrote and starred a play, based upon the circumstances behind Kipling's poem. And Haig did the same for the television adaptation of his play, ten years later. ( Read more... )

Below is a look at the fictional rogues - male and female - created by Jane Austen in the six published novels written by her. So, without further ado . . . ( Read more... )

Below is a list of my top ten (10) favorite movies from the Summer of 2013. I am well aware a good number of films ended up as flops. At least a few of them are on my list. I had not seen some of the movies missing from this list (i.e., "THE WORLD'S END") or I simply found it hard to enjoy them. Without further ado, here is that list of favorites: ( Read more... )

"THE GREAT GATSBY" (2013) Review

Before the release of Baz Luhrmann's recent adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, "The Great Gatsby", there have been three previous movie adaptations and a television movie version. None of these versions have been well received by the critics. Even this latest adaptation has been receiving mixed reviews. I must admit that I had been reluctant to see the movie, myself. But dazzled by the movie's MTV-style trailer, I decided to see it for the sake of the visual effects. ( Read more... )

"PRIDE AND PREJUDICE" (2005) Review

To my knowledge, there have been at least ten screen (film and/or television) adaptations of Jane Austen's 1813 novel, "Pride and Prejudice". I believe it has been adapted more times than her other five novels. This is not surprising. It is probably the most beloved of her six novels. I have seen four of those adaptations, myself. And one of them is director-writer Joe Wright's 2005 film adaptation.( Read more... )

Below is my review of "PUBLIC ENEMIES", Michael Mann's 2009 movie about the last year of Depression era bank robber John Dillinger's life: ( Read more... )