Merry Christmas Johnny Mathis

It’s Not a Merry Christmas without Johnny Mathis

By Kristin Battestella

I don’t advocate the entire Johnny Mathis catalogue to the next generation. Outside of the timeless hits ‘Chances Are’, ‘Wonderful Wonderful’, and ‘It’s Not for Me to Say’ there’s isn’t much for today’s masses. No, in tonight’s review, I’m speaking to the moms, the old aunts, and the grandmothers of December yesteryear. You know you can’t visit their households during the holiday season without hearing Merry Christmas Johnny Mathis. If you’re a little younger like me, you might have the CD, but I’m sure older folks can close their eyes and see Johnny and his skiing get up on the 1958 vinyl sleeve cover. Yeah, you know that the Christmas kitschy I’m talking about!

Other artists have certainly done Winter Wonderland, but Johnny’s rendition is tough to beat. It’s fun, carefree, sing-along-able; yet holds enough weight for Mathis’ range and delivery. I’m not listening to the song right now, but the tune instantly comes to mind with Johnny’s hip stylings. Now it’s stuck in my frigging head and I can’t type all the beats and bubbly bits to match him!

No fifties Christmas album produced by Mitch Miller (Sing A Long with Mitch, anyone?) would be complete without The Christmas Song. Johnny Mathis comes close to the original Nat King Cole rendition in sentimental mood and holiday warmth. This slow brooding, melancholy tune is just the right pace and style for Johnny’s talent. Although it’s at the opposite end of the spectrum, Sleigh Ride also gives us more definitive Mathis. I dare say this happening version-the shortest and fastest song here- is the most famous vocal version and only second to the Boston Pops original. Catchy Johnny captures all the traditions of Currier and Ives in this short and sweet secular staple.

Now that we’ve had our sleighing fun, it’s time to slow Merry Christmas Johnny Mathis for some winter blues. Where Elvis’ version has some sweet blues vocals, Johnny’s Blue Christmas is for all the folks who hate Christmas and think it’s the most depressing time of the year. If it’s slow brew wasn’t tear jerking enough, Mathis’ mellow I’ll be Home for Christmas will have you calling your grandma. The vocals and orchestration by Percy Faith are so sweet and nonchalant as they tug at your holiday heartstrings. Whether he’s billowing the big notes or almost speaking a soft word or two, Johnny knows how to get you.

Now, no Christmas album since 1942 is complete without White Christmas and Mathis’ debut holiday record here is no different. This slightly slower version keeps all the yuletide resonance in the perfect range for Johnny’s delivery. It’s bittersweet, but somehow marshmallow and full of vocal snowflakes. This one song can still make people smile as quickly as it brings a tear.

Like many of its compatriots of the time, Merry Christmas Johnny Mathis’ original record is split with an A side of secular tunes and a B side of traditional Christmas Carols. Outside of Luciano Pavarotti and Mario Lanza, not many men can hit the high notes in O Holy Night. Pop stars of the day like Andy Williams and Perry Como drop down the octaves, but not Johnny. He takes all the time and measures that this hefty carol needs for complete reverence. Though O Holy Night is the longest tune here, we get a complete rendition of What Child Is This in equally fine gospel delivery. Perhaps because of its association with Greensleeves, I always feel some medieval stylings here. In the midst of the plague and the wrongs of the Inquisition, Christ’s light prevailed!

Yes, we are listening to versions of carols from the 1950s; but just think, people in the 1850s were hearing joyful noise with the same tunes. In keeping with the Old World yule, The First Noel strikes the perfect balance between Johnny’s higher notes and all the low octaves. Sometimes I just like his lone ‘Noel’ delivery, for it makes perfect sense that ‘Noel’ and ‘Israel’ should rhyme when Mathis sings it! Thought not a Carol, Silver Bells lightens Merry Christmas Johnny Mathis just a bit with those good old memories of Christmas in the City. You know, before people trampled each other over the latest smartphone and where too busy with their earpieces to say ‘Merry Christmas’ to each other.

I have to say, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear isn’t found on too many popular Christmas albums, and that’s a dang shame. Mathis’ lofty tune here gives this holiday hymn its due. From the solid lyrics and delivery, we’ve no doubt what the ‘it’ is that the angels feel the need to sing about. Of course, it’s no surprise that Merry Christmas Johnny Mathis concludes with Silent Night. Light the candles and sing it sweet and low with Johnny. Again, this tune captures the true meaning of Christmas. In the quiet, darkest hour of night, the light of miracles shines brightest. So what if December 25 may not be the true date of Christ’s birth. Roman, Germanic, Jewish, and Christian traditions are all celebrating the warmth, light, and joy of salvation from nature’s darkest hour. Hot damn, the fire of the human spirit prevails another year!

Fans of an old fashioned, traditional Christmas can’t go wrong with Merry Christmas Johnny Mathis. Even if you don’t like him or his pop music, almost every song here can carry a December memory for you and yours. Pick up the CD or dig up that kitschy vinyl as you untangled the Christmas lights this holiday season.

Classic Leading Ladies

Classic Leading Ladies

By Kristin Battestella

I love classic leading men- as you can see by my mentioning of Gregory Peck, Montgomery Clift, and Clark Gable below. Unfortunatey, I don’t often obsess over an old picture based upon its leading lady. These classics, however, are a quick glimpse at some of the best dames the silver screen has to offer. If you’re looking for a few goddess of old, it’s tough to beat the ladies here.

Queen Christina (1933) – Some of this Greta Garbo costume drama is tough to swallow in pacing and melodrama, but the infamous Swedish actress shows her stuff as the titular 17^th century monarch torn between religion, war, love, and the throne. Though not entirely historically accurate, the fashions look great-and the politics here shed light on a lesser-known time and place. Who else but Garbo could take on medieval Sweden and single handedly steal the show?

Gaslight (1944) – Ingrid Bergman’s Oscar winning performance leads an all-star cast in this psychological turn of the century murder mystery. Is she crazy? Will Joseph Cotton solve the crime before it’s too late? Some of Gaslight is a bit obvious to today’s wiser audiences, but Bergman’s (another Swedish dynamo) delightfully mental performance makes the getting there so sweet.

Double Indemnity (1944) – Is Oscar nominee Barbara Stanwyck trying to kill her husband for the insurance money? This chilling film noir serves up the quintessentials of the genre with mood, atmosphere, and a chilling performance by Stanwyck-who actually isn’t one of my favorites. Once you see Double Indemnity, however, you almost don’t need to see another Stanwyck picture. Well, of course, there’s The Lady Eve, Meet John Doe, and Christmas in Connecticut, but Stanwyck is the definitive conniving temptress here.

The Heiress – Oscar winner Olivia de Havilland has never been as delightful. Is Montgomery Clift pursuing the mousy, bland, uninteresting Catherine Sloper merely for her wealth? How could he adore the made to look ugly and meek de Havilland? Should Catherine run away with him or listen to her stern Father Dr. Sloper (Ralph Richardson)? The Heiress is a pathetic, yet somehow lovely 1840s styled gem with fine performances and a bittersweet air.

A Place in the Sun – “Tell Mama. Tell Mama all.” Elizabeth Taylor’s beautiful and tragic performance seeps into our collective consciousness without even having to try. There are so many lines, iconic scenes, and wonderful performances in this George Stevens’ 1951 classic also starring my favorite underrated leading man Montgomery Clift. Based on the popular and scandalous novel An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser, this fifties time capsule still resonates today.

Roman Holiday – Reporter Gregory Peck woos the fish out of water Princess Audrey Hepburn in this romantic time capsule of fifties filmmaking and Roman splendor. The black and white photography sometimes hinders the Edith Head costumes and royal grandeur, but it’s still enchanting decoration nonetheless. Though coming from an aristocratic background herself, Audrey’s Oscar winning debut is charming, delightful, and still relatable to audiences high and low almost sixty years on.

Johnny Guitar – This female laden and colorful guilty pleasure western stars Joan Crawford as a saloon owner caught between the law and her love-the titular Johnny Guitar. This film takes itself way too seriously and serves up one over the top scene after another-but it’s also great fun seeing the harsh Crawford give it back to the boys with some Arizona romance and melodrama. Maybe it’s not her best role; but in many ways, Johnny Guitar stands out in Joan’s repertoire for its fashion, departures, and innuendo.

The Misfits – This 1961 statement making western from Arthur Miller and John Huston has the dubious distinction of being the final picture of two Old Hollywood icons: Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. Round out the lead trio with my man Montgomery Clift (who himself only made three more pictures), behind the scenes drama, onset conflict, and then add the sale and slaughter of the American mustang onscreen and you have a bittersweet cult classic. Despite her increasing personal difficulties, Monroe proves she’s more than a pretty song and dance filly here with melancholy in her wispy pout and presence against the boys.

Not all of these classics are currently available on DVD or blu-ray, and sacrilegiously Queen Christina, Gaslight, and The Misfits are not on the National Film Registry! Nevertheless, keep your eyes peeled for these gems and more from these and other Hollywood leading ladies of old. You can’t go wrong with a good classic or a fine doll can you?

On Atticus, Jesus, and Frodo

While house cleaning at my website, I found this old article I wrote for The Reminder Newspaper. Dating back to December 2005, I thought it was reviewish and analyzing enough to be of interest here. Enjoy!

On Atticus, Jesus, and Frodo

By Kristin Battestella

Last month a BBC poll from Britain’s top librarians presented an intriguing debate. According to the statistics, audiences favorite books are the following:

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

The Bible

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

To Kill a Mockingbird. The Bible, The Lord of The Rings. Although my Father disagrees with The Bible being second, I find these results fascinating. Besides, I’ve read all three and he hasn’t.

Racial injustice in the south; the most published religious book ever, and an evil wizard destroying Middle-Earth with powerful jewelry. At first glance, the three titles presented have nothing in common, but I implore you to look deeper. Many universal themes and elements unite these three masterpieces.

Despite its fantastical elements (Maybe people ignore it because it’s deemed fantasy), The Lord of the Rings has many human threads that have continued to make the hefty book popular. I just read it for the first time this year. It’s not only good versus evil, The Lord of the Rings offers hope, friendship, and strength in all shapes and sizes for audiences both young and old. The ring represents the penne ultimate evil power yet it is bound by its so small gold confines. Frodo is also small-a hobbit caught in a big man’s world-yet his strength cannot be measured by his small stature. Tolkien’s massive work tells readers that big or small and good or evil, anyone who rises to the challenge will determine his own fate.

Lord of the Rings almost has a David and Goliath feel, which of course leads to Number Two on the list-The Bible. I don’t think I need to go into much detail here. Everyone has at least some vague idea of both the Old and New Testaments and what they teach. God helps the faithful, valiant, loyal, and true. Jesus gives hope to the meek where there is none. Like The Lord of the Rings, many sections of The Bible are very dark and dense-full of wrath and doom. In the end of course, evil falls and justice and peace prevail.

Although similar to its pollmates in its moral tones, To Kill a Mockingbird was also voted the Number One Unhappy Ending in a separate BBC poll. Even if it is sacrilegious to place another book above The Bible, I can see how To Kill a Mockingbird reached Number One. For decades social change has been on the rise, and for the Boomer generation To Kill a Mockingbird must have been a whirlwind. An unapologetic exposure of racial injustice thrust right into the segregated mid century American society. Books that give birth to radical social change only come along once in a blue moon.

Even the American Film Institute named Gregory’s Peck’s Oscar winning 1962 film portrayal of Atticus Finch as their Number One Great American Hero. Harper Lee’s tale of white lawyer Atticus Finch defending an innocent black Tom Robinson in 1930s Alabama continues to open our eyes to a world we’d like to think we aren’t part of, but of course, not enough change has come.

I don’t understand how today’s youth can use the N word-affixed with an ‘a’ on the end instead of an ‘er’. My instant thought is always, “Have they not read To Kill a Mockingbird?” My honey-by some error in his high school required reading-has never read the Harper Lee classic. I tried to explain it, but what makes it over the top is the ending. Now, you can’t give away the ending, can you?

For three books that seem so different on the surface, The Lord of the Rings, The Bible, and To Kill a Mockingbird all present both the characteristics of how we should be and also how not to be. Gollum succumbs to the ring, but Boromir redeems himself. All can be redeemed by obeying God in their own way, and Atticus gives us hope that he made the word one step closer to a better place for his children.

To Kill A Mockingbird is the only book I had to read for school that I actually liked-now that’s saying something. If I had to pick three books to take if I was stranded island…but more likely if I had to recommend three books every person should read once in his lifetime, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Bible, and The Lord of the Rings are tough to beat. Impossible, Frodo!

Fantasy and Your Family

Fantasy and Your Family-Practical Ideas, Weak Book

By Kristin Battestella

Shocker of shockers I’ve never read Harry Potter. I love The Lord of the Rings and thus my purchase of Fantasy and Your Family: Exploring The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Modern Magick by Richard Abanes was fueled by my current obsession for all things Tolkien. After reading Finding God in The Lord of The Rings by Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware a few years ago, I found Fantasy and Your Family discounted online. I took the plunge.

I don’t like to say there are ‘bad books’-well of course there are, but I prefer the term ‘bad reads’. Abanes runs thin early, and the format of the book is unusual. Although it was meant to be user friendly, Abanes’ categories jump from Christianity to the Occult, Tolkien to Rowling. This format makes Abanes’ case weaker; his pros and cons are mixed together. Only Professor Abanes strong voice and harsh writing define which side he’s on.

The educational chapters, however, are wonderful. For the uninitiated, Abanes dutifully explains the facts and fiction of modern Occult practices. From Pagans, Wicca, Spellcasting-even Witchcraft defined by the capital or lowercase W. An entire section of the book is dedicated to the man and myth of JRR Tolkien. Although I enjoyed this essential back story, I was disappointed to find no such chapter dedicated to the rise of Rowling. Very little details are given about her life pre-Potter-except Abanes ambiguous debate on Rowling’s religious orientation. Whether JK Rowling is a witch is not important to me. As a writer, I would like to know her opinion on the craft, her upbringing, her family life. Fans looking for this will be disappointed with Abanes dedicated attack against Rowling.

For my tastes Abanes spends too little words on what makes The Lord of The Rings great, but the Professor wastes valuable pages with information that is not his own. Most of the FAQ provided, appendices, or breakdowns of Harry Potter are citations from other sources. Quoting or referring to other works, books, websites is one thing-but Abanes’ book holds little of his own commentary. He agrees or disagrees with his sources and rewords what the other experts say, often in lengthy long winded hyperbole.

Abanes’ religious argument is also very uneven. We learn the ins and outs of the real Occult and how Harry Potter is supposedly manipulating kids towards unnatural practices. Whether that is the case or not, some readers of Potter or modern witches might be very offended by Abanes approach, and the Professor misses the opportunity to fully explore how The Lord of The Rings could be the healthy alternative. Instead of an offshoot against R.L. Stine, Fear Street, and Goosebumps, Abanes should have explained the basics of Christianity and how The Lord of The Rings parallels Biblical teachings. Abanes spends too much time trying to draw a line in the sand and not enough time clearly defining his right and wrong. He assumes his audience is on his side and knows the good he mentions in passing. That may not always be the case.

Fantasy and Your Family seems out of place in the book format. On one hand, the material seems too weak and thin for a full length book. Then again, it feels as if Abanes could release Fantasy and Your Family Part 2 with all the materials excluded. Abanes might have been better off creating a professional website or online database. Users could click at their leisure, and all the websites Abanes refers to in the books-and even screen captures- would be right there for the linking. Maybe a website would make no money for the Professor, but a website from Abanes could reach thousands more kids, young adults, and parents. I doubt a book discounted to $2 turned many a child away from Harry Potter.

Instead of focusing on the negative and what’s bad about popular fantasy trends, Professor Abanes missed the opportunity to showcase what’s good about creativity, imagination, and exploration. Like a lecturer trying to make a joke, many of Abanes chuckles fall flat. He comes down too heavy handed and misses the chance at having some fun with his topic. Isn’t that what fantasy’s all about?

Unplug the Christmas Machine

Unplug The Christmas Machine Doesn’t Deplug Much

By Kristin Battestella

I found Unplug The Christmas Machine by Jo Robinson and Jean C. Staeheli at a second hand shop and decided to add the book-subtitled A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season- to my Christmas reading collection. Instead of meaningful spiritual how-tos, Unplug The Christmas Machine is merely an organizational chart and tip guide for stressful holiday women needing a breather during the hectic holiday season.

At first, I thought this to be an odd one off book that had been dismissed by critics and readers, but my 1991 edition is the second printing, and online checks show further revisions and reissues. If Unplug The Christmas Machine is so groundbreaking and so ruthless of its take down on the commercial and stressful holiday season, how has it continued to a thirteenth printing? How could our Christmas machine have continued if this book were so massive? Wouldn’t one or the other destroy each other? The economic necessity of the Christmas shopping season would surely kill a book calling for a home made and de-cluttered December revolution, and a book trampling all things beyond a family holiday season should have ended our Christmas shopping excess-which now begins in October. Initially published in 1986, Unplug The Christmas Machine has in fact done little to stop the Christmas monger.

I don’t find Christmas stressful at all. I shop throughout the year, buying a few choice pieces for each member of my immediate family. My family doesn’t mind things we could use-candles, clothes, books-or homemade foods, CDs, or photos. At its best Unplug tells readers to cut back on gifts, excessive holiday activities, and find what is most important to them during the season. Authors Robinson and Staeheli do this by constantly referring to workshops they hold to further meet with folks and help them get in touch with the true meaning of Christmas. The chapters are divided into sections for women, men, kids; each segment has a story allegedly told at one of these phantom workshops and exercises for you to find how to cut back on the excesses of the season. I understand how folks might not want their names and feelings all over the place in a book, and hey, the authors are trying to make money, too, but the complete lack of explanations makes it seem that these stories were just made up for authors to get their point across. A little footnote detailing where this special seminar was held or an asterisk with the classic ‘names have been changed…’ would have gone a long way. Instead, Unplug The Christmas Machine reads like a desperate attempt to get a slice of that Christmas machine pie.

There isn’t anything on Unplug The Christmas Machine’s cover that alludes to Christian ideology on the inside, but when I hear about taking down Christmas dollar signs and replacing them with the true meaning of Christmas, well, you know, I tend to think of, um, Christ, and Christ’s Mass, you know, Jesus’ observed birthday. Unplug isn’t a bad book for women and families who really are caught up in expensive toys and overly abundant baking and holiday programs and opulent social parties, but in a book that is about the take down of commercialism for a down home Christmas of old, I shouldn’t have to ask myself, ‘Where’s the religion?’.

Robinson and Staeheli briefly give us lines like, ‘So and so is a Christian, so instead of buying another expensive gift, she donated money to her church and felt better about herself.’ I’m not upset that Unplug The Christmas Machine isn’t a Biblical referencing source for why secular Christmas ideals are bad and Christian spirit is good, I’m annoyed that the authors are more worried about offending people who celebrate Christmas solely on the secular and not the religious. Shouldn’t a book like this be offensive? The first chapter is titled ‘A Christmas Carol revisited’. Where is all that Dickensian talk of reform and the dangers of ignorance and want? Where are the tales about big box chains denying Salvation Army Bell Ringers? No stories of protests against nativities and ‘holiday trees’? Shouldn’t a book called Unplug The Christmas Machine be radical in its inspirations to stand up for your family’s traditions and values in the face of the almighty dollar?

For a single mother without eight arms but five kids, Unplug The Christmas Machine is a fine book. It allows families caught up in the line waiting for photos with Santa to take pause. Believe it or not its okay to not have a lot of gifts, much less give a gift to every single person you know. Homemade gifts are okay, too. Not going to THE biggest party EVER in order to spend time with elder family members or volunteer at a home or shelter is socially acceptable-yes, it’s true. It’s sad that we need to see these words in print for us to slow down. If you feel undone because of all you do between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, by all means, Unplug The Christmas Machine is for you. If you are expecting a spiritual reflection on the current Christmas controversies, stick with Bill O’Reilly and Charles Dickens.

Classic Camelot and More!

Camelot and More Medieval Fantasy or Swashbuckling Classics of Old!

By Kristin Battestella

Whew! If you’re a classic buff and an Arthurian or medieval fan like me, then you’ve seen all the good, the bad, and the ugly that film adaptations can bring to these times and places of old- either historical or legendary. Here’s a list of classic fanciful tales- King Arthur, Robin Hood, and the rest of the middle ages’ swashbuckling gang- all for the entire family to enjoy. Of course, this list is by no means exhaustive, and I’ve thrown in an assortment of medieval classics for good measure. You’ll also find the dates and a link to an Amazon page for clarification, as some of the titles are redundant. Unfortunately, not all of these are available on DVD or even rental from netflix. Sacrilege!

Arthur, Robin Hood, and Friends

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949)

Ivanhoe (1952)

Prince Valiant (1954)

Knights of the Round Table (1955)

The Vikings (1958)

The Sword in the Stone (1963)

Camelot (1967)

The Viking Queen (1967)

Robin Hood (1973)

Robin and Marion (1976)

English Fun and Shakespearean Bits

The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)

Young Bess (1953)

The Black Shield of Falworth (1954)

The Virgin Queen (1955)

A Man for All Seasons (1966)

Romeo and Juliet (1968)

The Lion in Winter (1968)

The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970)

Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1973)

Musketeers and A Hint of Spain

The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934)

The Count of Monte Cristo (1934)

The Man in the Iron Mask (1939)

The Three Musketeers (1948)

Joan of Arc (1948)

Scaramouche (1952)

El Cid (1961)

The Three Musketeers (1973)

The Four Musketeers (1974)

Swashbucklers and Other Pirates

Captain Blood (1935)

The Prince and the Pauper (1937)

The Sea Hawk (1940)

The Mark of Zorro (1940)

The Black Swan (1942)

Captain from Castile (1947)

The Flame and The Arrow (1950)

The Crimson Pirate (1952)

The Master of Ballantae (1953)

The Buccaneer (1958)

The 7^th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)

The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1974)

Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977)

I Think I got carried away!

Paperback Dreams

Paperback Dreams A Sad, but True Documentary

By Kristin Battestella

I don’t always review documentaries, even though I actually watch nothing but non-fiction programming on live TV. Fortunately, I discovered the PBS special Paperback Dreams late last year. Each time I see it on my guide channel, my first reaction is, ‘Geez, Paperback Dreams is on again?’ Yet I find myself watching the hour-long tribute to the independent bookstore every chance I get.

Paperback Dreams follows two San Francisco area independent bookstores-Kepler’s and Cody’s- from the height of the free thinking bookstore during the Civil Rights Movement to the ongoing decline of the independents and the book industry as a whole against the internet and other media. Kepler’s Books and Magazines hangs on in the shrinking independent market; but unfortunately after 52 years, Cody’s Books closed in 2008.

With archive photographs and interviews from shop owners past and present, Director Alex Beckstead (Trailer Park Blues) creates a complete picture of the film’s subtitle ‘The Rise and Fall of the Independent Bookstore’. Long before our current recession and the bleak numbers for major publishing houses and big chain bookstores like Barnes and Noble and Borders, the Independent Bookseller has struggled to stay afloat. Some of Paperback Dreams is a little too yuppie, focusing on the sixties heyday of California campuses like Berkley and Stanford, but it’s also tragic to see the American Dream collapse amid new technologies and a lack of interest in books.

Paperback Dreams introduces us to Kepler’s and Cody’s when the franchises were young, edgy, and at the heart of Free Speech Movement. College students gathered at the landmark shops, took a stand on what they believed in, and made their generation something better for it. Move up forty years and we meet Clark Kepler and Andy Ross. Over the documentary’s two-year timeframe, we see these book businessmen loose their dreams. Drastic changes in store styles-from selling more than just books and coffee to competing with online booksellers and computerizing inventories have only put a band-aid on the bleeding. Though bittersweet, Paperback Dreams also has an irony about itself. When customers flocked to the going out of business sales claiming they shopped at Cody’s all the time, owner Andy Ross glibly commented that if it were true for everyone who said it, the store wouldn’t be going out of business.

Though it’s a critical look at the plight of the Independent seller, Paperback Dreams raises the alarm for all types of bookstores. In such an educated, literate, and freethinking country, why are book businesses unable to survive? Even with increasing online options for shopping, ebooks, and web reading, won’t there always be a need for bookstores? For better or worse, maybe books as we know them will disappear, become relics and antiques someday. With increased ebook sales and handheld options, it is only a matter of time. However, the book isn’t going the way of the typewriter, eight track, or black and white television that soon.

What’s more frightening is the thought that the book-buying niche is so small that bookstores have over reached their audience. Maybe we aren’t such a literate and educated country after all. I come from the largest area city in Southern New Jersey, and there is currently no bookstore within the city limits. The nearest bookstore is an independent shop one city over. It survives because of its unique placement in the Glasstown Arts District-a community of shops and galleries catering to the artistic and intellectual individual. Where are the books for the masses? I also come from a large Spanish-speaking enclave. Instead of a count ‘em third Wal-Mart, why can’t an all Spanish Borders Express come to town? It doesn’t seem that ‘if you build it, they will come’ applies to bookstores. Why can the Mecca of art and education at the Independent Bookstore not survive in modern corporate America?

I’ve meandered a bit, of course, but Paperback Dreams is the kind of documentary that gets one thinking on such things. The film made a splash at the 2008 BookExpo America, but even the book festival community has shrunk since then. Many book shows have been significantly reduced or cancelled all together. It’s as if there aren’t even any viewers for a show about bookstores, either. I don’t understand why books are slipping against television, video games, and other such media. You can watch a crappy movie and learn nothing, waste countless hours on an infinite game or website, but even a bad book has value. There is such a thing as a bad book, but there’s no such thing as a bad reading. Even after struggling through the most awful story or poorly written books, you’ve gained an education and experience that cannot be replaced.

When the bookstore nearest you closes, what will replace it? Another material store or a parking lot perhaps; unfortunately, what are the odds that something better than a book store will come along: schools, shelters, affordable housing? Paperback Dreams leaves the viewer with an utterly empty feeling, as if something great and majestic has become extinct and will never be had again.

Sponsored in part by the KQED PBS station in San Francisco, Paperback Dreams can be seen on several public stations across the country. You can check your local PBS website or visit paperbackdreams.com for upcoming airings or screenings and appearances. The DVD is also available at several online retailers. Teachers and students interested in the history of paperbacks and Free Speech will definitely enjoy Paperback Dreams, as will all bibliophiles. I imagine California locals will feel an extra bittersweet when seeing places they know and love onscreen, but Paperback Dreams has all American appeal. So watch, treasure, and be kind to your local bookstore. Someday, it may not be there, and that’s a damn shame.

Gothic, Classic Horror

More Gothic Classics

By Kristin Battestella

Sometimes the sex, gore, and violence of the modern slasher pictures isn’t enough. To find the twisted, macabre, sinful lessonry needed along with a good scare or two, I find myself revisiting the classics once again. Here’s a list of demented thrillers full of vile characters, spooky imagery, and twisted tales.

Dracula (1931) – Even if you haven’t seen this early monster classic, our collective consciousness knows Bela Lugosi’s iconic portrayal of the titular count from Transylvania. Beyond the cape and the widow’s peak, modern viewers can still find delightfully naughty performances, spooky smoke and mirrors filmmaking, and screaming ladies with lovely necks.

Rebecca – Alfred Hitchcock directs Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier in this Best Picture adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s classic novel. As in the literary edition, the new Mr. and Mrs. DeWinter can’t seem to shake the ghostly specter of the late Rebecca-or Judith Anderson as Rebecca’s dearly devoted and obsessively terrifying maid Mrs. Danvers.

Suspicion – Cary Grant’s new wife Joan Fontaine is afraid he’s going to kill her. While Fontaine may have won the Best Actress Oscar here as the fearful and suspicious wife, its Grant’s restrained and equally suspicious husband that captures every scene. Hitchcock’s analysis of suggestion is beautifully portrayed in every nefarious comment and deceptive gesture, and Suspicion keeps us guessing until the very end.

Bluebeard (1944) – Some of the music and the overlong puppetry fun is dated, but John Carradine’s disturbing portrayal of a guilt-ridden artist who strangles his female followers is still, well, disturbing. The styling is old, yes, but the claustrophobic filming angles keep the audience uncomfortably and closely involved in the mayhem.

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) – Sure, not everyone can take Angela Lansbury’s singing, but there’s much more to this fine adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s most famous tale. George Sanders’ louse is delightfully trumped by Hurd Hatfield’s titular descent. This Jekyll and Hyde notion of the portrait displaying Dorian’s evils while he remains ever young is a fantastic possibility we shouldn’t soon forget.

Spellbound – Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck mix mystery, romance, nut houses, and psychoanalysis in this Hitchcock thriller questioning dreams and memory. Is Peck the killer? Can Bergman heal his mind before she’s the next victim? Exceptional performances by the leads, tight direction by Hitchcock, and a great mystery keeps this picture viewable-even after you know how it ends.

The Strange Woman – Samson and Delilah goddess Hedy Lamarr turns up the devilry as a northern Scarlett O’Hara willing to do anything to keep her beauty, wealth, and power-even if it includes killing a few husbands and seducing her stepson. Perhaps tame by today’s standards, it’s a treat to take in this scandalous black widow from a post World War II mentality.

Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte – We adore Joan’s sister as the bittersweet Melanie Wilkes in Gone with the Wind, but Olivia de Havilland is deceptive and cruel towards Bette Davis’ murderously maniacal old Charlotte. The atmospheric Southern charm, scene-stealing performances from each Oscar winning lady, and the plot at hand keeps you on the edge until the end. The titular song will also get stuck in your head.

I know not all audiences today can appreciate the old-fashioned filming styles, over the top performances, or even black and white photography. Nevertheless, some classics are classics for a reason; and there are plenty more of them to scare, delight, and set the spooky mood for a cold autumn evening.

Vincent Price Tricks and Treats

More Vincent Price Tricks and Treats

By Kristin Battestella

I’ve debated about doing actor specific viewing lists before, but there’s no better time to talk about an actor and his synonymous genre like October and Vincent Price! This Halloween, classic fans and lovers of all things horror and camp should take in at least one Price picture. As for me, well, I’m just too obsessive!

Laura- While not all out horror per se, this complex and stylish 1944 film noir classic has several spooky twists, a creepy black and white atmosphere, and of course our man Price lousing it up with Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews. Serious film students can go to film school here.

The Bat- This quiet, spooky story of mystery, money, and murder costars Agnes Moorehead (Bewtiched) as a writer renting a house with hidden wealth and an unsolved murder spree courtesy of the titular killer. Price is a treat as the local doctor following the bloody trail. Though dated in its screaming ladies, the case at hand keeps you guessing until the end.

Tales of Terror- Big V introduces and stars in this series of vignettes inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and stylized by director Roger Corman. Some may not like the disjointed presentation; but the cast, stories, and decoration are delightful. The family can enjoy these witty, old time scares- and professors of Poe can share a viewing and discussion in the classroom.

The Raven- Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, and a young Jack Nicholson serve up a tale of spooky medieval sorcery with wit and charm ala Bewitched. Very loosely based on the titular poem by Poe, serious horror and gore fans may not enjoy this borderline slapstick take. Nevertheless, youthful audiences can laugh, jump, and have fun.

The Conqueror Worm- More properly known as Witchfinder General, mis-marketing and misrepresentation are the worst things here. This tale of the lawlessness and witch-hunts during the English Civil War is completely different from Price’s Poe films-not another loose rehash as the title change would have the viewer believe. Daylight filming, real castles, cinematic brutality, and a seriously fine performance by Price shine far beyond the studio packaging.

Cry of the Banshee- A little too similar to The Conqueror Worm, yet Price still puts on his Elizabethan best while judging more witches and warlocks. This one is a little more uppity than Worm- dealing with nobles rather than torturing peasants- but looks a little lesser in production. Even so, the costumes are great and the titular howls set just the right spooky atmosphere.

Some of these pictures are not available on Netflix and also appear out of print-like The Raven- but several public domain offerings can be found in varying low- budget DVD sets or are viewable online- like The Bat and Tales of Terror. I’ve reviewed several other Price, Poe, and Corman classics as well, so do use the Vincent Price label or search options for even more over the top mayhem.

As a refresher, here’s the list of canonical American International Pictures’ Poe series directed by Roger Corman:

House of Usher

The Pit and the Pendulum

The Premature Burial

Tales of Terror

The Raven

The Haunted Palace

The Masque of the Red Death

Tomb of Ligeia

And then the next wave of loosely associated Poe films from AIP:

The Conqueror Worm

The Oblong Box

Cry of the Banshee

Murders in the Rue Morgue

Boo! That’s enough for the enthusiasts, I think. Happy Halloween!