- An interview with musician and composer Craig Safan (The Last Starfighter, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4), in which he talks about his work, his love of L.A, and his latest album L.A. Ex.
- Your host, A.K., shares some of his favorite books and movies about L.A.
- A clip from DRAGNET, the classic TV show set in L.A.
- Book Trailer: BAD DREAMS, a novel by A. Kale, available on Amazon.
After a string of hits in the 1970s and 1980s, a few of which he either wrote, co-wrote, or directed, Gene Wilder’s fame started to slow down, with a number of critical and box-office disappointments. After a stint on network TV with his own sitcom, Something Wilder (1994-95), and a battle with cancer, which he eventually won, Wilder was content to ease into semi-retirement, appearing in small plays, and doing a number of cameos in TV movies.
Which brings me to Murder in A Small Town and The Lady in Question, two TV movies that aired on A&E in 1999. These two delightful mysteries, co-written and starring Wilder and directed by Joyce Chopra, and set in 1930s Connecticut, allow Wilder to showcase his talents as an actor and writer, and were the last time he ever took a starring role.
Murder in A Small Town, the better of the two features, introduces Wilder as Larry “Cash” Carter, a former actor now working as a director in a local theater, who gets entangled in a complex mystery involving the death of a local millionaire who has a long list of enemies. Wilder, and his charming supporting cast (which includes Cherry Jones and Mike Starr), glide through the film with an easy, likable panache, and the whole affair comes off as classy, stylish, and wonderfully entertaining for fans of classic mysteries.
The second feature, The Lady in Question, is more problematic, but still enjoyable, with its serpentine plot involving Nazis and espionage, large cast, and unexpected denouement. But it comes off as less polished and slightly incoherent, with a meandering script, and surprisingly less focus on Wilder’s character, who somewhat takes a backseat throughout most of the film.
The tone is also less consistent and more self-indulgent. But still, this is a classy piece of work, and a great choice for a winter night.
Both films showcase Wilder at his most versatile and laid-back, and are a must watch for his fans and fans of classic mysteries.
Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer
1- THE VOICE OF THE NIGHT By Dean Koontz. : First published in 1980 under the pseudonym Brian Coffey, and later released under his own name in 1991, The Voice of The Night is one of Dean Koontz’s best, yet least known, novels. It is one of his most understated books, and his only coming-of-age tale. Read or listen to the full review here.
A literary experiment comprised of 12 interconnected novellas, about an amnesiac vigilante who hunts down killers who have escaped the grip of the law. This is Koontz at his darkest and angriest, a side of him that readers rarely get to see, especially in the past 30 years or so. The main character is interesting if too enigmatic for his own good, and the 12 stories vary in quality and style. The first season is more episodic in nature, which makes for a somewhat uneven bunch of tales, but with each installment the main story, of the secrets behind Nameless's mission, gets darker and more exciting, all leading up to an ending that, though not very surprising, is powerful and moving, if a bit troubling in its implication that violence maybe inescapable and comes at a high cost. A must for Koontz fans, and a perfect introduction to readers new to his work.
Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @Dark.Fantastic.AK·Writer
