‘Radio Days’ (1987) a trip back to medium’s heyday
Woody Wednesday (Movie review): Understated yet deftly crafted, Allen’s film gives us a good grounding in the ubiquity of radio in the 1930s and ’40s.
History
‘Radio Days’ (1987) a trip back to medium’s heyday
Daniels shines in sweet ‘Purple Rose of Cairo’ (1985)
Woody Wednesday (Movie review): Featuring a nice early Jeff Daniels turn, the fantastical “Purple Rose of Cairo” demonstrates Woody Allen’s love for cinema.
‘Eaters of the Dead’ (1976) digs into Viking lore
Michael Crichton Monday (Book review): Crichton takes a crack at making the “Beowulf” lore accessible for modern readers.
Whedon dreams up Victorian superheroes in ‘The Nevers’
First episode impressions (TV review): This is HBO, so there’s more nudity and violence than we’re used to, but “The Nevers” is recognizably Whedonian.
Crichton takes new track in ‘Great Train Robbery’ (1975)
Michael Crichton Monday (Book review): The author trades science fiction for historical fiction and gives an eye-opening look at 1850s London.
Allen gets mileage out of one joke in ‘Zelig’ (1983)
Woody Wednesday (Movie review): This faux documentary is appealingly dry as the situations become more extreme for Allen’s title character.
‘Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy’ (1982) an amusing riff
Woody Wednesday (Movie review): Allen’s nod to Shakespeare is an enjoyably light take on ideas we’ve seen him explore before.
‘Love and Death’ (1975) skewers Russian tragedies
Woody Wednesday (Movie review): Allen’s “Love and Death” is accessible and funny even though it targets a genre that’s not mainstream.
‘Cities of Gold’ (1992), ‘Talking to the Ground’ (1995) explore West
Preston & Child flashback (Book reviews): Douglas Preston explores the American West and its complex history amid horseback journeys.
‘Hannibal Rising’ (2007) elegantly tells backstory
Hannibal at 40 (Movie review): It’s the only film adaptation to improve upon Harris’ novel. Ironically, the screenplay comes from Harris.