Seldon's Blog

Below are images from "MOROCCO", the 1930 adaptation of "Amy Jolly", Benno Vigny's 1927 novel. Directed by Josef von Sternberg, the movie starred Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich and Adolphe Menjou: ( Read more... )

"HALLOWE'EN PARTY" (2010) Review

Many years have passed since I last read Agatha Christie's 1969 novel, "Hallowe'en Party". Although it is not considered one of Christie's better novels, the story possessed a style that struck me as rich and atmospheric. I never forgot it. So, when I learned about ITV's 2010 adaptation of the novel, I could not wait to see it. ( Read more... )

Below are images from "DEATH ON THE NILE", the 1978 adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1937 novel. Directed by John Guillermin, the movie starred Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. ( Read more... )<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;

"THE PUBLIC EYE" (1992) Review

Over twenty years ago, I came across a small period drama, while perusing my local video rental store. I never had any intention of watching this movie. In fact, I had never heard of it before . . . despite being a fan of the two leading stars. ( Read more... )

In acknowledgment of the recent Presidential Election, below is a list of my favorite movie and television productions about U.S. Presidents - historical and fictional: ( Read more... )

Below are images from the 2009 Oscar winning alternate-history movie, "INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS". Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, the movie starred Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent and Oscar winner Christoph Waltz: ( Read more... )

Below is my current list of favorite movies set in the 1930s: ( Read more... )

"THERE WILL BE BLOOD" (2007) Review

I really do not know what to say about Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 movie, "THERE WILL BE BLOOD". This movie, based upon Upton Sinclair’s 1927 novel "Oil!", is about a ruthless oilman in California between 1898 and 1927. I cannot deny that this is basically an excellent film and that Daniel Day-Lewis gave one of the best performances of career. I cannot also deny that "THERE WILL BE BLOOD" was basically well written, produced and directed by Anderson. I enjoyed it very much and consider it to be one of the better films released in 2007 But for some reason, I cannot muster any real passion for it. ( Read more... )

THE COMPARISONS BETWEEN "MAYTIME" (1937) and "TITANIC" (1997)

While watching the 1937 operetta that starred Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy - "MAYTIME", I noticed that the story and main characters bore a strong resemblance in story structure to a movie that was released sixty years later . . . namely the 1997 Oscar winning movie, "TITANIC", which starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Note the following: ( Read more... )

Below are images from "AND THEN THERE WERE NONE", the 2015 BBC adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1939 novel. Directed by Craig Viveiros, the miniseries was written by Sarah Phelps: ( Read more... )