Added the following book to OTR Books:
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Rand's Esoteric - back in business!
Fans of Randy Riddle's Rand's Esoteric will find it a joy to know, he's been posting again! Hop on his bandwagon and let him know it's good to have him back, will ya?!
I Was a Communist for the F.B.I. - finished
I finally finished the series, I Was a Communist for the F.B.I.
For a while I had this very near the top of the pack of shows I liked. I still enjoy it. But I found the formula for the show is nearly the same every week and that gets tiresome.
Listening to the show, I would think about the life of the real Matt Cvetic and realize there's no way he could have a life that was near as stressful as the show potrayed.
Yes, I realize it's just a radio show. But the show is there not just to entertain, but to make you "believe." And since Cvetic was a real guy and the stories are "based" on his exploits, you wonder just how far things went.
In the radio show, his life is in danger every week. He's in danger of being found out.
And it occurs to me that Cvetic was a bit like Superman; Clark Kent had to lie to keep his identity secret, yet professed to all the boys and girls he was for "Truth and Justice." Cevtic does the exact same thing, having to lie in every show yet at the end, hangs his cape on flag-waving America. Two giant heroes for boys, girls and men and women alike - yet both are liars.
Not that I am trying to down either show. I have testimony enough in this blog that I enjoy both the Adventures of Superman and I Was a Communist for the F.B.I. as much - or more - than anyone. I just find it worth pointing out, is all.
At any rate, the series is good but it's not near as great as I thought it once was. After a while the shows become predictable - very predictable - and therefore, not much fun.
The acting is pretty stiff as well. Despite Dana Andrews being Dana Andrews, I've always thought he was pretty stiff in the movies. On radio, he seems even stiffer.
As I said, I still like the program and plan on listening to it again in the future. But halfway through it, I wonder if I will want to turn it off, as I did the first time...
For a while I had this very near the top of the pack of shows I liked. I still enjoy it. But I found the formula for the show is nearly the same every week and that gets tiresome.
Listening to the show, I would think about the life of the real Matt Cvetic and realize there's no way he could have a life that was near as stressful as the show potrayed.
Yes, I realize it's just a radio show. But the show is there not just to entertain, but to make you "believe." And since Cvetic was a real guy and the stories are "based" on his exploits, you wonder just how far things went.
In the radio show, his life is in danger every week. He's in danger of being found out.
And it occurs to me that Cvetic was a bit like Superman; Clark Kent had to lie to keep his identity secret, yet professed to all the boys and girls he was for "Truth and Justice." Cevtic does the exact same thing, having to lie in every show yet at the end, hangs his cape on flag-waving America. Two giant heroes for boys, girls and men and women alike - yet both are liars.
Not that I am trying to down either show. I have testimony enough in this blog that I enjoy both the Adventures of Superman and I Was a Communist for the F.B.I. as much - or more - than anyone. I just find it worth pointing out, is all.
At any rate, the series is good but it's not near as great as I thought it once was. After a while the shows become predictable - very predictable - and therefore, not much fun.
The acting is pretty stiff as well. Despite Dana Andrews being Dana Andrews, I've always thought he was pretty stiff in the movies. On radio, he seems even stiffer.
As I said, I still like the program and plan on listening to it again in the future. But halfway through it, I wonder if I will want to turn it off, as I did the first time...
The Six Shooter; a re-listen
Over the past month, I took the time to re-listen to the entire run of The Six Shooter.
The first time through, I really enjoyed it. For a while I had the program as #1 on my list of favorite shows.
A re-listen to the series was enjoyable but it doesn't seem to hold such a prestiged place in my heart as it did during the first listen. While James Stewart is perfect as the part of Brit Ponsett and the character actors who make up the rest of the different cast each week is also fine, I find the writing isn't as strong as I thought it was the first listen.
There's nothing wrong with the writing but it just doesn't hold up the second time through, at least through some of the episodes. Yes, I was listening for flaws as I knew what was going to happen the second time through the story.
Certainly, some episodes are strong - especially the very last episode - which I won't tell you about because if you haven't heard the series, you will want that pleasant surprise at the very end.
And there other strong episodes as well. But not all are as strong as I remember.
Still, a show worthy of your attention.
The first time through, I really enjoyed it. For a while I had the program as #1 on my list of favorite shows.
A re-listen to the series was enjoyable but it doesn't seem to hold such a prestiged place in my heart as it did during the first listen. While James Stewart is perfect as the part of Brit Ponsett and the character actors who make up the rest of the different cast each week is also fine, I find the writing isn't as strong as I thought it was the first listen.
There's nothing wrong with the writing but it just doesn't hold up the second time through, at least through some of the episodes. Yes, I was listening for flaws as I knew what was going to happen the second time through the story.
Certainly, some episodes are strong - especially the very last episode - which I won't tell you about because if you haven't heard the series, you will want that pleasant surprise at the very end.
And there other strong episodes as well. But not all are as strong as I remember.
Still, a show worthy of your attention.
21st Precinct Forever!
Anyway, in a matter of about two weeks' time, I relistened to 21st Precinct. Yes, that meant listening for hours and hours a day.
It wasn't a chore by any stretch. What a wonderful program that was. It rivals - if not surpasses - Dragnet and is head and shoulder above every other cop show.
As I mentioned once before, the only drawback to the show is the "ringing" of the telephone. I simply cannot stand that aspect. But that aside, I give it props on acting, sound effects and especially the writing. Some of those scenarios are very real.
My favorite remains Case of the Sailor's Family. A sailor comes home on leave, unexpectedly, only to find his apartment has burned down and his wife and child are missing. There's some real drama there.
Another favorite is The Murdered Twins. It looks like a young woman has murdered her tiny twin boys. All the facts seem to be against her. That's some good radio.
I single those two out but the show has literally dozens of gems in it.
There sound is bad in a few episodes but none are so bad that you can't understand what is going on.
If you haven't taken the time to download and listen to the series, you are missing something!
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