BOOK 193: NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH: JAMES HADLEY CHASE

BOOK 193: NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH: JAMES HADLEY CHASE

The novel was influenced by the American crime writer James M. Cain and the stories in the pulp magazine Black Mask. Chase reportedly wrote the book as a bet to out-do The Postman Always Rings Twice.

No Orchids for Miss Blandish provoked considerable controversy because of its explicit depiction of sexuality and violence. The novel was a great critical success and was included in the Le Monde's 100 Books of the Century.

In 1942, the novel was adapted into a stage play which ran for over 200 performances at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London.[4] Robert Newton starred. In 1948, it was adapted into a British film No Orchids for Miss Blandish and given a contemporary New York City setting. The 1971 American film The Grissom Gangwas also based on the novel, moving the setting of events back several years to 1931 Kansas City.

In 1944, it was also the subject of an essay by George Orwell, Raffles and Miss Blandish, and parodied by Raymond Queneau in We Always Treat Women Too Well. In 1962 the novel was extensively rewritten and rearranged by the author because he thought the world of 1939 too distant for a new generation of readers. (Confusion can result if readers of the Orwell essay refer his quotations and references to the 1962 edition.)

( Information from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Orchids_for_Miss_Blandish_(novel) )

FILM 1760: MUTE

FILM 1760: MUTE

TRIVIA: According to Duncan Jones, this movie is the first project he suggested to Sam Rockwell, but it was considered too big and thus Moon (2009) was made as the first movie.

The Paul Rudd and Justin Theroux roles are inspired and influenced by the Trapper John and Hawkeye Pierce characters from M.A.S.H. (1970), originally played by Elliott Gouldand Donald Sutherland.

David Hasselhoff is on the currency in the scene when Paul Rudd's character pays the babysitter.

Before the end credits roll, there is a dedication to the memory of the director's father David Jones (aka David Bowie) and his beloved nanny Marion Skene.

The film has been described by Duncan Jones as a "spiritual sequel" to his 2009 film Moon(2009)

Easter Egg: Sam Bell from Moon can be seen in news report on telly when Cactus visits café.

The knife that Paul Rudd's character uses is called a Bowie knife. Named after the 19th-century American pioneer James "Jim" Bowie for whom it was created, the director, Duncan Jones' famous singer father, David Bowie actually took his stage name from him/it.

The opening music to the film is an orchestral arrangement (by Philip Glass) of the song 'Heroes'; a song originally written and performed by David Bowie. David Bowie is Director Duncan Jones' father.

FILM 1569: LEGEND

TRIVIA: In the UK, Legend (2015) became the highest grossing 18-rated British film of all time, surpassing Trainspotting (1996).

Despite being very open about his sexuality in this film, in real life Ronnie Kray kept it very private as he saw it as a weakness which could be exploited.

Critic Benjamin Lee of The Guardian wrote a negative review of the film, giving it only two stars: a poster for British distributor Studio Canal displayed these, but placed them between the twins' heads, so that at first glance The Guardian appeared to be one of many outlets that had run four- and five-star reviews (until Lee himself pointed this out on Twitter).

Despite Reggie Krays actions, he became a born - again christian in prison.

The Blind Beggar pub featured in the movie is actually The Royal Oak on Columbia Road in London. The pub has featured in many British TV programs. It was the same pub used in '90s sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart (1993) and was also the scene for Victor Meldrew's failed reunion with friends in One Foot in the Grave (1990).

The Kray brothers story inspired the 1992, Morrissey classic "The Last of the Famous International Playboys".

A Parisian premiere to be attended by actress Duffy was scheduled for November 17, 2015 at the Olympia concert hall, however this event was canceled following the November 13 terror attacks in the French capital.

Aneurin Barnard reprises his role as the photographer David Bailey from We'll Take Manhattan (2012).

When Ronnie Kray enters The Blind Beggar to shoot George Cornell, he passes 3 people at the bar, the barmaid, a man with his back to camera and Martin Kemp. Kemp played Reggie in the 1990 film, The Krays.

http://www.aisleone.net/2016/03/23/geometry-club/

FILM 1550: ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS 

TRIVIA: A major part of the movie revolves around the fact that Jane Wyman's character is supposed to be substantially older than Rock Hudson. In reality, Jane Wyman was only 38 and Rock Hudson was only 30 when they filmed this movie.

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

The house Jane Wyman's character lives in (on Universal's "Colonial Street" backlot) was built on rented Universal property by Paramount Pictures for 1955's "Desperate Hours"; Universal left it standing after filming, altering its appearance for "All That Heaven Allows." Four years later, it was altered again, for use as the house of the Cleaver family in TV's "Leave it to Beaver," beginning with the show's move from CBS to ABC for the 1959 season. The house continued as the Cleaver house until the end of the series in 1962, but was known at Universal as the "Paramount House," not the "Cleaver House."

The façade later cannibalized to make up the front of the Bates home in "Psycho" is visible a few houses up Cary's block.

FILM 1534: DISTURBING BEHAVIOR

TRIVIA: Nutter did wanted to release his director's cut at the time when movie was released on DVD but he wasn't allowed by MGM to do that. Director's cut was never released although there is a fanedit of the film available online which has all the deleted scenes and original ending from DVD edited back into the film making it 103 minutes long and is much closer to the director's cut.

Early in the film the sheriff refers to an up coming football game with Knights Ridge. Knights Ridge was the setting of Beautiful Girls (1996), which was also written by this films writer, Scott Rosenberg.

The personifications of good and evil in the town are named Newberry and Caldicott, which happen to be the names of the two prestigious book prizes awarded by the American Library Association for Excellence in Children's Books (one for novels and one for picture books).