FILM FLASHBACK: Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Lady Vanishes” (1938)

FILM FLASHBACK: Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Lady Vanishes” (1938)

Posted inAlfred Hitchcock, Films
This review first appeared on the web more than 10 years ago on DVDinmyPants.com. The site is gone, but I'm pulling this from the archives for your enjoyment. Dig it: When it comes to Alfred Hitchcock's earliest work, it would be difficult to find a title more worthy of the Criterion Collection treatment than The Lady Vanishes. Hitch's spy thriller The 39 Steps certainly deserves its place among the collection, and this reviewer believes The Lodger is in dire need of restoration, commentary and otherwise deluxe treatment ... but I am an unabashed fan of The Lady Vanishes, the last…
A Year of Hitchcock

How I got published, part 2 – Ideas and Execution

Posted inWriting
So as I mentioned in the first part of this series, ideas are, in the grand scheme of things, relatively worthless. In some ways they are the least significant piece of the puzzle. After all, creative people – and I assume that if you’re reading this you’re probably a creative person – usually have far more ideas than they know what to do with. Had I 48 hours to each day and no need to sleep I still wouldn’t have time to do and create all I’d like to do and create. No doubt that applies to many of you.…

The craziest DVD reviews I ever wrote pt. 2

Posted inUncategorized
As I mentioned in another post, I've sometimes taken a turn away from efforts at serious film criticism and instead veered into the rambling, incoherent, and bizarre. The site for which I used to be Editor-in-chief, DVD in my Pants, or DIMP, was (and is) known for off the wall, utterly crazy and very irreverent DVD reviews.So with that in mind, here are a few more selections from my more, errr, unprofessional reviews (adult language ahead!).Among the most incoherent, rambling, unfocused and bizarre reviews I ever wrote is my review of Baseball's Most Unbreakable Feats, which does not even deserve…

The craziest DVD reviews I ever wrote pt. 1

Posted inUncategorized
So I spent a few years reviewing DVDs (in addition to a stint as Editor-in-Chief at dvdinmypants.com). Finally stepped down to pursue other things -- insert a plug for A Year of Hitchcock here -- but before I left I turned in some good reviews, some bad reviews, and some insane reviews.This blog post is about the insane reviews. Warning: Copious amounts of adult language follows.Keep in mind, most of the time I wrote serious reviews. I wanted to do a good job and be a Film Critic. (Note the important capital letters.) Hell, I co-wrote an entire 450-page book…