@@@@@ @ @ @@@@@ @ @ @@@@@@@ @ @ @@@@@ @@@@@ @@@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @@@@@ @@@@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @@@@@ @ @ @ @ @@@@@ @@@@@ @@@ Mt. Holz Science Fiction Society Club Notice - 1/1/88 -- Vol. 6, No. 27 MEETINGS UPCOMING: Unless otherwise stated, all meetings are on Wednesdays at noon. LZ meetings are in LZ 3A-206; MT meetings are in the cafeteria. _D_A_T_E _T_O_P_I_C 01/06 MT: Religious SF (Blish's CASE OF CONSCIENCE, Boucher's "Quest for St. Aquin") 01/20 LZ: 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA by Jules Verne (Classics) 01/27 MT: TBD 02/10 LZ: DRAGON WAITING by John Ford (Recent Fantasy) HO Chair: John Jetzt HO 1E-525 834-1563 mtuxo!jetzt LZ Chair: Rob Mitchell LZ 1B-306 576-6106 mtuxo!jrrt MT Chair: Mark Leeper MT 3E-433 957-5619 mtgzz!leeper HO Librarian: Tim Schroeder HO 3M-420 949-5866 homxb!tps LZ Librarian: Lance Larsen LZ 3L-312 576-6142 lzfme!lfl MT Librarian: Will Harmon MT 3C-406 957-5128 mtgzz!wch Factotum: Evelyn Leeper MT 1F-329 957-2070 mtgzy!ecl All material copyright by author unless otherwise noted. 1. Religious science fiction, in particular science fiction with a Christian basis, will be discussed in the Middletown cafeteria on January 8. The particular topics are James Blish's A CASE OF CONSCIENCE and Anthony Boucher's "The Quest for Saint Acquin." Blish's book is the third of a loosely connected trilogy termed by Blish himself as "After Such Knowledge." The other books are DOCTOR MIRABILIS, a historical novel based on the life of Roger Bacon and BLACK EASTER (and its sequel DAY AFTER JUDGEMENT). All three ask if the acquisition and use of secular learning, or even the desire for it, is evil. A CASE OF CONSCIENCE deals with a Jesuit priest who is an emissary to a distant world of creatures who are (apparently) still living in a state of grace, having never "fallen." He must deal with the theological issues this raises, not the least of which is: is this a trick by the Devil to tempt man by showing him a race without sin, yet without God either? The Club's only copy is in the Holmdel branch, but most libraries have copies and it has remained in print for thirty years, so bookstores should be able to oblige also. THE MT VOID Page 2 "The Quest for Saint Acquin" is a tale of the search for the remains of a saint in a post-atomic-holocaust world; to tell more would be to ruin it. (It is available in many anthologies, including THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME (Volume 1), which is available in Holmdel and Lincroft and is also in print). If there is interest, future meetings will target science fiction based on other religious backgrounds. [-ecl] 2. Bob Hoskins is not an actor a whole lot of people are familiar with. He is a short, forceful Cockney actor who is extremely good at both comic and serious roles. Some people may remember him from _T_h_e _C_o_t_t_o_n _C_l_u_b playing Owney Madden, a peace-loving patriarchal gangster who owned the Cotton Club (well, at least they got the bit about owning the Cotton Club right). He is best known for the two films we are showing. Bob Hoskins MONA LISA (1986) dir. by Neil Jordan THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY (1980) dir. by John Mackenzie MONA LISA earned Hoskins a nomination for Best Actor (he should have won!). The story is about an ex-con who gets a job chauffeuring a prostitute to her engagements. The film is about his relationship with the prostitute, first angry, then sympathetic, then finally drawn into a mystery involving a friend of the prostitute. Cathy Tyson plays the prostitute; Michael Caine is also on hand. One of the best films of its year. THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY is one of the most exciting and interesting gangster films I have seen. Hoskins plays a London gangland kingpin who has brought peace to the various gangs. On the morning of Good Friday he is ready to sign a deal with an American organized crime syndicate that will make him and his organization rich. He is respected, even by the law; everybody loves him. Then all of a sudden, somebody starts wiping out his organization with incredible and ferocity. It will take all Hoskins's skill to keep his organization together. This is the earlier made of the two, but it must be watched more carefully so we are putting it second. That way people who wanted to be on time but had to come late (because the gypsy reading their tea leaves at dinner took too long) won't be a distraction. 3. It really disturbs me when I hear on the news about one of these mass-murderers who walks into a bank or a Winky-Dinky Dog and starts killing innocent people. Well, I know nobody likes to hear it, but I'm talking about something else. Yes, the news media play it up unmercifully, but that's not what I'm talking about either. How do they usually describe the guy? Think about it. "He's quiet. Most people really don't know him very well. He seems like a nice enough guy when you talk to him but not really very THE MT VOID Page 3 outgoing." I've heard it. That's the way they describe these guys who one day go crazy and start killing just whole bunches of people. Well, what disturbs me so much is that description fits me to a T. I tell you, it's scary. Every one of them is some guy just exactly like me. I keep wondering if my day is coming. Maybe I should make a list of people in case the day ever comes. 4. WBAI (99.5 FM) is our local anarchist radio station. They run a lot of anti-establishment programming, some of which is great fun to listen to, some very thought-provoking, and some pretty tiresome. They also run at least three weekly programs that science fiction fans should be aware of, particularly if they have (as I do) a reel-to-reel tape recorder. Why is that important? Because their interesting programs are each two hours long at inconvenient times. Saturday morning from 5 AM to 7 AM they run a program called "Hour of the Wolf." They tend to digress but the subject matter is at least nominally science fiction and fantasy. Last week they ran a speech by a British professor, one J. R. R. Tolkien. I only heard after the fact that they ran the speech so I don't know what he talked about. The show host did go on at length about how good was a fantasy trilogy that the professor had written. Sunday morning from 5 AM to 7 AM the program is "Soundtrack," devoted to various aspects of the cinema including a lot of musical soundtracks. Last week, for example, they ran the entire score to George Pal's TIME MACHINE followed by the score and some dialogue (in stereo) from the recent remake of THE FLY. This program at one time got the right to have the first radio broadcast of the score to STAR WARS, before the score was even available on record. [Recently they got the score to CRY FREEDOM before it was available--if it even is. -ecl] To round out their weekend programming, they have from 10:30 PM Sunday night to 12:30 AM Monday morning a program called "The Golden Age of Radio." A lot of what they have is old comedy programs, but the last four episodes have had parts one and two respectively of the radio adaptations of George Stewart's EARTH ABIDES and Pohl and Kornbluth's SPACE MERCHANTS respectively. And a few of you may want to consider joining the station to help keep them going. Oh, they do have occasional fund-raising marathons. Try and catch them some time when there isn't a marathon. 5. The following books have been donated to the Lincroft branch of the MT. HOLZ library system by Rich Gore: Aldiss, Brian Malacia Tapestry, The Anderson, Poul Tau Zero Anderson, Poul Winners Asimov & Conklin 50 Short Science Fiction Stories Carter, Lin Found Wanting THE MT VOID Page 4 Clarke, Arthur C. Expedition to Earth deCamp, L. Sprague Lest Darkness Fall deCamp, L. Sprague & Fletcher Pratt Land of Unreason Dick, Philip K. Blade Runner Dick, Philip K. & Roger Zelazny Deus Irae Dickson, Gordon R. Wolfling Foster, Alan Dean Moment of the Magician, The Gardner, Craig Shaw Malady of Magicks, A Haldeman, Joe Forever War, The Haldeman, Joe Mindbridge Harrison, Harry Star Smashers of Galaxy Rangers Heinlein, Robert A. Glory Road Howard, Robert E. Red Nails Leigh, Stephen Quiet of Stone, A Morressy, John Graymantle Morressy, John Ironband Niven, Larry & Jerry Pournelle Footfall Norton, Andre Catseye Norton, Andre Daybreak 2250 A.D. Norton, Andre Zero Stone, The Pohl, Frederik & Cyril Kornbluth Gladiator-At-Law Pohl, Frederik & Cyril Kornbluth Space Merchants, The Smith, Cordwainer Norstrilia Sturgeon, Theodore Aliens 4, The Sturgeon, Theodore Caviar, The Sturgeon, Theodore Starshine, The Sturgeon, Theodore Venus Plus X, The 6. The next installment of "Star Trek Funnies" has been postponed for space reasons. Instead we are running the index and table of contents for the 1987 MT VOIDs. Back issues are available in the various branches of the Science Fiction Club Library. [-ecl] Mark Leeper MT 3E-433 957-5619 ...mtgzz!leeper BROADCAST NEWS A film review by Mark R. Leeper Copyright 1987 Mark R. Leeper Capsule review: A winning romantic comedy also takes some reasonably good shots at the television network news business. James L. Brooks (_T_e_r_m_s _o_f _E_n_d_e_a_r_m_e_n_t) has made an adult film with solid characters. Rating: +2. In fairly short order Twentieth Century Fox has brought out two "what goes on behind the scenes" films each by a director of a film that won an Oscar for Best Picture. Each is a glossy, high-budget production and that is where the similarity ends. Oliver Stone's _W_a_l_l _S_t_r_e_e_t is unoriginal and predictable and has poorly developed characters. What _W_a_l_l _S_t_r_e_e_t has to say about the world of high finance you already know. You probably already know everything about network news you will learn from _B_r_o_a_d_c_a_s_t _N_e_w_s, but along with the social statement you will get three interesting characters in one of the best love-triangle films since _P_h_i_l_a_d_e_l_p_h_i_a _S_t_o_r_y. Nobody is reduced to being "the other man" or "the woman." Instead you have three well-defined characters who do not grow tiresome. _B_r_o_a_d_c_a_s_t _N_e_w_s is 131 minutes long, but characters like these could have carried a film twice as long. Holly Hunter--every bit as energetic as she was in another great comedy, _R_a_i_s_i_n_g _A_r_i_z_o_n_a--plays Jane Craig, a high-tension news producer who usually works with reporter Aaron Altman (played by Albert Brooks): high IQ, low charisma. Along comes the network's new anchorman Tom Grunick: sincere, hard-working, and good-looking, but he doesn't always understand the news he's reading. Any bets who Jane ends up with? Don't bet. This is not a pat, predictable comedy of the type we get so many of these days. The characters are three-dimensional and have minds of their own. James L. Brooks wrote, produced, and directed the film, undoubtedly getting backing on the strength of his _T_e_r_m_s _o_f _E_n_d_e_a_r_m_e_n_t. I personally did not respond well to the characters in that film, but _B_r_o_a_d_c_a_s_t _N_e_w_s offers a much better choice. Two of the three leads are supposed to be highly intelligent and Brooks manages to write them so they really seem to be, as well as all three being just quirky enough to be real. _B_r_o_a_d_c_a_s_t _N_e_w_s is a sign that the film industry is starting to recover from the post-_S_t_a_r _W_a_r_s decade and is starting to go back to making films as adult audience can appreciate. I would hope it would be nominated for Best Picture at least, though it would not be my choice to win. Rate it a +2 on the -4 to +4 scale. WALL STREET A film review by Mark R. Leeper Copyright 1987 Mark R. Leeper Capsule review: Oliver Stone's film about his father's profession. It does the difficult task of making the world of finance interesting. In the final analysis it is just a reworking of Rod Serling's teleplay and film _P_a_t_t_e_r_n_s. The coming attraction was put together with more skill than the film was. Rating: 0. There's an old television ad for a business magazine that shows a sword fight in a board room. The idea was to show that business is exciting stuff, that companies fight it out like Robin Hood and the Sheriff. Some ad agency just came to the realization that while a lot that is exciting happens, it is tough to show that on film. Most of the excitement comes from numbers on a board. That is what killed _R_o_l_l_o_v_e_r a few years back. At least initially you had to get interested enough in numbers. The last half-hour made _R_o_l_l_o_v_e_r a lot better if not downright worth seeing. It is tough to get people really into a movie about finance. Oliver Stone actually manages to keep the audience interested. He also tells a pretty good story, or at least retells a pretty good story. The original--assuming it was original even then--is Rod Serling's _P_a_t_t_e_r_n_s. Charlie Sheen plays Bud Fox, an ambitious young stockbroker who really wants to make it to the top. The top is Gordon Gekko (played by Michael Douglas). Gekko deals in billions of dollars every year. He buys and sells companies but he needs information and promises to make Fox rich along the way if Fox will get him information. Fox knows a lot of what he is being asked to do illegal but necessary to get to the top. You can pretty much figure out the film from that. On hand as Fox's father Carl is Martin Sheen of all people. Carl is not like Bud. He is a hard-working union man who does not understand his son's career. This part is not borrowed from the Serling, but enough working class fathers not understanding non-working-class sons is a well-worn cliche. Like Oliver Stone's _P_l_a_t_o_o_n, _W_a_l_l _S_t_r_e_e_t was inspired by Stone's personal history. Stone's father was a stockbroker so Stone grew up knowing about the tensions and pressures of stock trading, perhaps the swashbuckling aspect of it. It is a pity his father didn't tell him a more interesting and original story he could adapt into a film. Rate it a 0 on the -4 to +4 scale. SUSPECT A film review by Mark R. Leeper Copyright 1987 Mark R. Leeper Capsule review: A plot that would have made a good episode of _P_e_r_r_y _M_a_s_o_n is expanded to over two hours on the screen. There are some script problems, the greatest of which is that there are proper procedures when a juror finds he has evidence bearing on a case, but nobody seems to think of them in _S_u_s_p_e_c_t. An okay mystery and courtroom drama. Rating: +1. Detective novels tend to have the detective who goes out on his own to solve a crime. That works find in books because the author can say in text what the detective is thinking. And what the detective is thinking is important to the plot. In film you usually are told what the detective is thinking in one of two ways. Voice-over first-person narration was popular in the 1940s detective films. It may even have become cliche. (A comedy currently running on cable called _E_a_t _a_n_d _R_u_n would be the final coffin nail for the voice-over if it was any better known.) The other approach is to send someone around with the detective who may or may not be a detective also. Holmes had Watson, Smith had Petrie, Chan had Number One Son, Nick had Nora. The more interesting the relationship, the better. _S_u_s_p_e_c_t is a mystery/courtroom drama worthy of the old _P_e_r_r_y _M_a_s_o_n show, but the gimmick is that the detective pair cannot be seen together. Kathleen Riley (played by Cher) is a public defender appointed to the case of a derelict accused of murder. Eddie Sanger (played by Dennis Quaid) is a juror with a quick and logical mind who finds he is better at defending the derelict that Riley is. Sanger has sufficient has sufficient reason to disqualify himself as a juror and have a substitute replace him, just as would happen if he had appendicitis. That would free him to help defend the charged man, which is clearly where his heart is. But that would mean there would be no story here. Instead he and Riley sneak around and she agonizes over the ethics of the situation. The narrative line of _S_u_s_p_e_c_t is a little unusual. It begins with four widely separated plot strands that take a little while to wind together. So the opening is, perhaps, confusing or intriguing, depending on your point of view. There is a completely extraneous subplot of Sanger lobbying for dairy price supports on Capitol Hill, which broadens his character a little but could easily have been trimmed from this unusually long film. The final scene of the film, intended to lighten the proceedings, is miscalculated and is out of character for the serious lawyer Cher plays. Suspect December 23, 1987 Page 2 Cher is supposed to be a competent lawyer in an unusual role for her. She does better by the role than does the scriptwriter, who has her overlook some very basic aspects of the evidence, leaving Sanger to point them out to her. Along those lines, this is the third film I have seen in about a month in which a defense lawyer unexpectedly tosses an object to a defendant to establish left- or right-handedness. Quaid adds another boyish-enthusiasm role to a filmography already stocked with them. Joseph Mantegna, who did such a superb job in _H_o_u_s_e _o_f _G_a_m_e_s is on hand in a less noticeable role as the prosecuting attorney. _S_u_s_p_e_c_t has a reasonably good plot and some acceptable acting, but some minor script problems. Rate it a +1 on the -4 to +4 scale. THE MISSION A film review by Mark R. Leeper Copyright 1987 Mark R. Leeper Capsule review: Another fine historical film from Robert Bolt, complex and beautifully photographed. The film chronicles a conflict involving the Spanish, Portuguese, and Jesuits over who will determine the fate of the Guarani Indians. Well worth seeing. Rating: +3. Well, I flubbed it on this film. I heard good things and bad things about it when it was in release. Among the bad things I heard was that although it was well-photographed it was also ponderous, the kind of film you have to steel yourself up for the experience of seeing. So I never saw _T_h_e _M_i_s_s_i_o_n on the wide screen. In fact, I didn't see it until it came out on videocassette. generally the films that I put off seeing until they make it to cassette, I end up kicking myself over. I had a very good idea that I would not find it ponderous when I saw in the opening credits that the story and screenplay were by Robert Bolt. Bolt wrote the screenplays for _D_r. _Z_h_i_v_a_g_o and two of what I consider to be among the best historical films I have ever seen, _L_a_w_r_e_n_c_e _o_f _A_r_a_b_i_a and _A _M_a_n _f_o_r _A_l_l _S_e_a_s_o_n_s. _T_h_e _M_i_s_s_i_o_n will probably go up there as a third. _T_h_e _M_i_s_s_i_o_n takes place in 1750 and is the story of the Jesuits, the Portuguese, and the Spanish struggling for control of the land when Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil come together. Jeremy Irons plays a Jesuit priest desperately trying to bring enlightenment to the Guarani and to hold off the advances of the Portuguese, who consider the Guarani animals to enslave. The priest builds a mission in the territory everyone calls "the land above the falls." Irons's priest was one of the first Europeans above the falls, but shortly afterward comes a mercenary and slaver, Rodrigo (played by Robert DeNiro), with plans to capture and enslave the Guarani. But the real enemies prove to be the Portuguese and the Catholic Church, who allows the Guarani to become pawns in politics an ocean away. It is difficult to gauge the accuracy of the history of _T_h_e _M_i_s_s_i_o_n. That the Spanish and Portuguese were selfish, callous, and cruel, I have little doubt. The selflessness and idealism of the Jesuits seems inconsistent with what was their policy in places like Japan. The film clearly overstates what a paradise the jungle was before the coming of the Europeans. Nobody who has been to the jungle takes the naive view that it is anything like a paradise. Fighting nature and disease and infection does not make for an easy or a happy life. The Spanish and the Portuguese bringing their brand of civilization only made matters worse. While watching _T_h_e _M_i_s_s_i_o_n I suspend disbelief and accept that the Jesuits were as unselfish as shown. If the history is right I give the film a strong +3. THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT ALMOST BLANK Diary of a Film Addict by Mark R. Leeper Christmas time is here again and stores are either packed or closed. I don't have family get-togethers or anything like that. I'd have to be nuts to go into New York City. Christmas weekend for me is usually a pretty dull affair. So a few years ago I decided that the way to celebrate was to have a film festival for Evelyn and myself. This year I do not have a lot of films off of cable backlogged so I intend to rewatch a number of older films I have wanted to see again. This year I expect them to be all quality films. (Last year's festival included films of all nine ratings from -4 to +4; this year there will be a few I haven't seen before, but most will be positively rated at least.) RATBOY (1986, Sondra Locke) It is tough to say exactly where this film went wrong. This is a sad parable of a boy with rat-like features. For years he has lived in a junkyard, thought by everyone to be just one more legend. Then he is kidnapped and falls into the hands of Sondra Locke, who wants to exploit him to make a fortune. In retrospect, a lot of the film was probably intended to be funny but just wasn't. The film's view of humanity as being entirely selfish and callous just is too familiar. Like _H_a_r_o_l_d _a_n_d _M_a_u_d_e, this film was probably not intended to be a first-run hit but to become a cult film. Unfortunately, it never has the right touch. _R_a_t_b_o_y is a production of Clint Eastwood's company Malpaso. These days usually Eastwood directs Malpaso films; this time he has allowed his frequent co-star to direct. Rating: 0. (All films will be rated on the -4 to +4 scale.) KING OF COMEDY (1981, Martin Scorsese) Scorsese became best known for his realistic portrayal of New York City street life in films like _M_e_a_n _S_t_r_e_e_t_s and _T_a_x_i _D_r_i_v_e_r. Of late he has been doing comedies also set on the New York City streets. They are not for all tastes but they are perceptive and intelligent. I find _A_f_t_e_r _H_o_u_r_s to be very good. In 1983 _K_i_n_g _o_f _C_o_m_e_d_y was released after a two-year wait on the shelf. It is about the banality of American entertainment and the hardest of its hardcore fans. Rupert Pupkin (played by Robert DeNiro) is one of a cadre of fanatical fans of nighttime talkshow host Jerry Langford (played by Jerry Lewis). Fanaticism in any form, including fandom, can be dangerous, and dangerous Rupert turns out to be. The final scene of the film has a very nice irony most people caught, but also an ambiguity that I think has generally been overlooked. _K_i_n_g _o_f _C_o_m_e_d_y is a remarkable film that Christmas 1987 December 27, 1987 Page 2 combines the hard edge of Scorsese's previous films with some of the eccentric personality humor of _A_f_t_e_r _H_o_u_r_s. This could well be Scorsese's best. Rating: +3. (The WPIX New York version was horribly cut.) PERSONAL SERVICES (1987, Terry Jones) This film came as something of a surprise, not because it was unusual but because after a few good reviews it turned out to be remarkably and unexpectedly usual. In spite of pretensions to be something more, _P_e_r_s_o_n_a_l _S_e_r_v_i_c_e_s is little different from a lot of English sex comedies that get picked up to run on cable after midnight. Julie Waters (who was so good in _E_d_u_c_a_t_i_n_g _R_i_t_a) plays a character the film claims was inspired by but not based on Cynthia Payne, a notorious London madam. Due to unfortunate financial pressures, Cynthia is forced to become first a prostitute and then a madam. For a hard-hitting, realistic view of the world of prostitution, _P_e_r_s_o_n_a_l _S_e_r_v_i_c_e_s is right up there with _T_h_e _B_e_s_t _L_i_t_t_l_e _W_h_o_r_e_h_o_u_s_e _i_n _T_e_x_a_s. There is no attempt at impartiality, and eventually the film degenerates to pure sex farce. Rating: 0. SID AND NANCY (1986, Alan Cox) Spend a couple of hours safety-pinned to a punk rocker. See Sid Vicious slam his head against a brick wall to get a reaction from his girl friend. Watch him for two hours doing the same thing figuratively to get a recation from anyone who will give it. This is an uncompromising film that never asks you to care for punk rocker Sid or his girlfriend Nancy, just as they never seem to first we see Sid among the London punk culture. They do likeable things like spray paint graffiti on borrowed apartments or kick in windshields of Rolls Royces. In the second part of the film we see them among bewildered non-punkers. They go to the United States as part of a tour and, among other activities, visit Nancy's grandparents who quickly tire of the little parasites. The title characters lead pointless, useless lives that are cut mercifully short by early deaths. Rating: +1. (Now will someone on Usenet please explain to me what the "Sid and Nancy scale" is?) THE CONVERSATION (1974, Francis Ford Coppola) Harry Caul is the best in his field. His field is "surveillance and security." He doesn't have the flash of others in his field, but he knows just about all there is to know about spying on people. He is so good at spying that some of his subjects have come to suspect their own associates of divulging information Harry has collected. That has Christmas 1987 December 27, 1987 Page 3 gotten innocent people killed. And their deaths weigh heavily on Harry's conscience. Gene Hackman plays Harry Caul, who is afraid that his current assignment will get a woman and her lover killed. _T_h_e _C_o_n_v_e_r_s_a_t_i_o_n is a film portrait about this empty shell of a man whose only life is his spying on others and the terror that he himself might be spied upon. And he knows that surveillance devices could be anywhere. _T_h_e _C_o_n_v_e_r_s_a_t_i_o_n is a downbeat and disturbing view of the state of spying technology and a very good character study. Mixed in there is a small but clever mystery. Well worth seeing. Rating: +2. A CHRISTMAS STORY (1983, Bob Clark) This is a Christmas film festival. If it has to contain a Christmas film, there are two that are not too unctuous and disgusting. There is the Alistair Sim _C_h_r_i_s_t_m_a_s _C_a_r_o_l and _A _C_h_r_i_s_t_m_a_s _S_t_o_r_y. Don't be misled by this film's banal title--this is a funny film. It is based on Jean Shepherd's stories of an unromanticized but very funny childhood as can be found in his book _I_n _G_o_d _W_e _T_r_u_s_t, _A_l_l _O_t_h_e_r_s _P_a_y _C_a_s_h. Only one of the stories really has any connection to Christmas. _A _C_h_r_i_s_t_m_a_s _S_t_o_r_y takes about six of his stories and does a time-division-multiplex of them so they are all going on at once. Shepherd has a world-class understanding of the mind of a child. He can poke fun at the way a child thinks and most of his barbs will be right on target. Some of the humor is intended to catch you by surprise and is blunted by repeated viewings. But at least on first viewing, this is a laugh-out-loud film. That should not be surprising. Shepherd is one of the very few authors who can write what is for me a laugh-out-loud story. Rating: +2. TOOTSIE (1982, Sidney Pollack) I believe that this is the second-highest grossing comedy ever made. I like it, but not nearly as much as most people seem to have. One of the things that hangs the credibility most is that Dustin Hoffman cannot do a woman's voice very well. He sounds like a man affecting a woman's voice. The film would have been more believable had he used his own voice and simply seemed a husky-voiced woman. In any case I know of no woman who is actually acting in television who looks or sounds like Dorothy. Some of the comic situations are funny but others are heavy- handed. One wonders if the incidents of sexual harassment are as common in the soap opera business as shown. It is possible, but I don't trust this film as being an unimpeachable source. Still and all, it is many times the film the top-grossing _G_h_o_s_t_b_u_s_t_e_r_s is. Rating: +2. Christmas 1987 December 27, 1987 Page 4 THE MISSION (1986, Roland Joffe) Capsule review: Another fine historical film from Robert Bolt, complex and beautifully photographed. The film chronicles a conflict involving the Spanish, Portuguese, and Jesuits over who will determine the fate of the Guarani Indians. Well worth seeing. Rating: +3. (The full review appears elsewhere in this _N_o_t_i_c_e.) WALL STREET (1987, Oliver Stone) Capsule review: Oliver Stone's film about his father's profession. It does the difficult task of making the world of finance interesting. In the final analysis it is just a reworking of Rod Serling's teleplay and film _P_a_t_t_e_r_n_s. The coming attraction was put together with more skill than the film was. Rating: 0. (The full review appears elsewhere in this _N_o_t_i_c_e.) "Claymation Christmas Celebration" (1987, Will Vinton) Will Vinton's clay animation has achieved some remarkable comic effects. His best known work is a line of dancing raisins for an ad , though it is nowhere near the effects he achieved in shorts like "Dinosaurs" and "The Great Cognito." In the New York City area all but about ten minutes of this thirty-minute show was pre-empted for news coverage of the verdict in the Howard Beach trial. What did get shown was often very clever in style but superbly banal in subject matter. Vinton deserves better material, even if someone else has to write it for him. AMADEUS (1984, Milos Forman) (I am going to take the easy way out on this. I reviewed it for the last Christmas film festival.) Generally I prefer seeing the film adaptation of a play to seeing the play itself. Well, that's not exactly true--it is more fun to go to a play--but I think a lot more can be done with a film. The film of _F_i_d_d_l_e_r _o_n _t_h_e _R_o_o_f really made the shtetl life come alive in a way the play never could. I guess in a way "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial" is an exception, although the film and the play were really just based on the same book. A real exception, however, is _A_m_a_d_e_u_s. The effect of the play was powerful, to say the least. The story was somehow diluted for the film by putting in more about Mozart and less about Salieri. Salieri's machinations are even a Christmas 1987 December 27, 1987 Page 5 bit toned down for the film. I think Tom Hulce overplays his part. F. Murray Abraham is, as always, a very charismatic actor. THE COLOR PURPLE (1985, Steven Spielberg) I have been getting myself into trouble of late championing Steven Spielberg though in fact I am defending only _J_a_w_s and _R_a_i_d_e_r_s _o_f _t_h_e _L_o_s_t _A_r_k as good entertainment films, _T_h_e _C_o_l_o_r _P_u_r_p_l_e and _E_m_p_i_r_e _o_f _t_h_e _S_u_n as adult dare, and _E._T. for children. As for whether I think _T_h_e _C_o_l_o_r _P_u_r_p_l_e is manipulative, let me again borrow Woody Allen's line: "It is if you're doing it right." Alice Walker's life is not quite right for a rollicking comedy. Any filmmaker who did the story and didn't deeply affect his audience would have been incompetent. Spielberg did some marvelous things with this film. It is easier for someone to make a strong film about his/her own group. Spielberg isn't black, he isn't a woman, and he sure as heck isn't poor. Yet this is a powerful and deeply affecting film about Alice Walker who was all three. After seeing _T_h_e _C_o_l_o_r _P_u_r_p_l_e, _E_m_p_i_r_e _o_f _t_h_e _S_u_n, and _T_h_e _M_i_s_s_i_o_n so close to each other, it will be hard for other films to measure up. Rating: +3. BROADCAST NEWS (1987, James L. Brooks) Capsule review: A winning romantic comedy also takes some reasonably good shots at the television network news business. James L. Brooks (_T_e_r_m_s _o_f _E_n_d_e_a_r_m_e_n_t) has made an adult film with solid characters. Rating: +2. (The full review appears elsewhere in this _N_o_t_i_c_e.) STALAG 17 (1953, Billy Wilder) This is one of the most enjoyable World War II POW camp films. It was probably the inspiration for television's _H_o_g_a_n'_s _H_e_r_o_e_s, though it is in every way superior. William Holden has set himself up as the King Rat of the prison camp. He has apparently been a master trader and has gotten himself luxuries like cigars and fresh eggs. The question is, has he dealt in exclusively in goods or has he also been trading information? The story has action, suspense, and comedy. No small part of the latter is provided by two great comic actors, Robert Strauss and Harvey Lembeck. Otto Preminger is a no-nonsense camp commandant. There are a host of familiar faces from films and television, including Peter Graves. Pretty good. Rating: +3. Dec 23 16:04 1987 Index for 1987 Science Fiction Club Notices Page 1 87/01/21 1984 (Commentary by R. Mitchell) 87/10/23 20TH INTERNATIONAL TOURNEE OF ANIMATION (Film review M. Leeper) 87/07/31 A COMING OF AGE (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/05/08 ABANDON SHIP! (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/04 ACCIDENTAL TOURIST (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/08/07 ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 AGENTS OF INSIGHT (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/03/27 ALIEN AFFAIR (Net notes) 87/05/29 ALL DARKNESS MET (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/01/21 AMOR BRUJO (Net notes) 87/03/20 ANGEL HEART (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/27 ANGEL HEART (Net notes) 87/05/22 Ailey, Alvin (Dance review by Mark R. Leeper) 87/01/14 Amber Chronology (Net notes) 87/04/17 Anthrology on Film (Film reviews by J. S. Licwinko) 87/08/14 BACK TO THE BEACH (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/21 BEDROOM WINDOW (Film review by J. Paltin) 87/03/13 BEDROOM WINDOW (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 86/06/19 BELIEVERS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/13 BELIZAIRE THE CAJUN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/13 BEYOND THERAPY (Net notes) 87/01/14 BIG MEAT EATER (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/27 BILL THE GALACTIC HERO (Net notes) 87/07/24 BIMBOS OF THE DEATH SUN (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/05/29 BLACK COMPANY (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/11/20 BLACK RIVER EMERALD (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/04/10 BLIND DATE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/07 BLUE CHAMPAGNE (Net notes) 87/07/24 BOOK OF ALTERNATE WORLDS (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/10/09 BREAKING THE CODE (Theater review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 BURNING CHROME (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/01/14 BURNING CHROME (Net notes) 87/04/24 Baseball (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/25 Boskone XXIV (Con report by E. C. Leeper) 87/06/26 CEDDO (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/10 CENTAUR IN THE GARDEN (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/31 CIRCUIT (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/01/14 CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH THE DEITY (Net notes) 87/07/17 CLOUD FOREST (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/28 COMFORT AND JOY (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/28 CONTACT (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/06/05 CONTROL (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/01/07 COSMOPOLITAN CRIMES (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/10/09 COUNTRY (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/27 CRYSTAL EMPIRE (Net notes) 87/01/14 CURSE OF THE GIANT HOGWEED (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/17 CUT STONES AND CROSSROADS (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/02/04 CYBERNETIC SAMURAI (Net notes) 87/04/24 Chain Letter (Letter by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/14 Cinema Club Schedule 87/12/04 Cinema Club Schedule 87/10/09 Conspiracy '87 (Convention report [Part 1] by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/25 Conspiracy '87 (Convention report [Part 2] by E. C. Leeper) 87/10/16 Conspiracy '87 (Convention report [Part 2] by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/02 Conspiracy '87 (Convention report [Part 3] by E. C. Leeper) 87/09/18 Conspiracy '87 (Convention report [part 1] by E. C. Leeper) Dec 23 16:04 1987 Index for 1987 Science Fiction Club Notices Page 2 87/04/17 Corman, Roger (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/24 DARK VALLEY DESTINY (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/09 DIRTY DANCING (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/10 DOWN TOWN (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/10 DRAGNET (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/04 DREAMING JEWELS (Comments by C. Harris) 87/03/13 Date Change (Article by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/20 Death (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/18 Dinosaurs--Past and Present (Exhibit review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/18 EMPIRE OF THE SUN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/04 ENJOY JAPAN (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/20 EVIL DEAD II (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 EXIT EARTH (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/01/28 Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 FLY (Script review by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/24 FOR SPECIAL SERVICES (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/18 FORGE OF GOD (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/12/11 FORGE OF GOD (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/25 FOUNDATION AND EARTH (Book review by J. Paltin) 87/01/14 FREE LIVE FREE (Net notes) 87/02/04 FROM BEYOND (Net notes) 87/06/26 FULL METAL JACKET (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/09 FUNERAL IN BERLIN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/07 FURTHER RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/06/26 Film Forum 2 Schedule 87/09/11 GLORY LANE (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/31 GOD GAME (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/31 GOD STALK (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/01/07 GOLDEN CHILD (Net notes) 87/08/21 Green, Sharon (Comment by E. C. Leeper) 87/08/21 Green, Sharon (Comment by E. M. Eades) 87/04/10 HANDMAID'S TALE (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/12/18 HANOI HILTON (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 HARDWIRED (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/03/27 HEART OF THE COMET (Net notes) 87/12/11 HELLO AGAIN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/25 HELLRAISER (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 HERCULES TEXT (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/11/13 HIDDEN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/25 HITCHER (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/14 HITLER VICTORIOUS (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/05/15 HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE (Film review by Mark R. Leeper) 87/11/27 HOPE AND GLORY (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/11/20 HOUSE OF GAMES (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/27 HUMAN ERROR (Net notes) 87/10/16 Hot Food (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/25 Hugo Awards 86/06/19 Hugo Nominations (1987) 87/02/04 IN ADVANCE OF THE LANDING (Net notes) 87/07/17 IN CONQUEST BORN (Book review by K. Tipton) 87/07/03 IN CONQUEST BORN (Book review by N. Haslock) 87/07/17 INNERSPACE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/05/29 ISLAND WORLDS (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/03/04 IVANHOE GAMBIT (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/11/13 JETEE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/14 JOB (Book review by L. D. Beshear) Dec 23 16:04 1987 Index for 1987 Science Fiction Club Notices Page 3 87/01/28 JOURNEY OF NATTY GANN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/07 James Bond Films (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/24 KING EDWARD PLOT (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/10 KNIGHT LIFE (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/31 KUNDALINI EQUATION (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/08/28 LAST ELECTION (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/11/27 LAST EMPEROR (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/18 LEONARD PART 6 (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/04 LETHAL WEEAPON (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/06/05 LETTERS FROM A DEADMAN (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/02/25 LIGHT OF DAY (Net notes) 87/01/07 LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Net notes) 87/01/21 LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Net notes) 87/08/14 LIVING DAYLIGHTS (Film review by L. D. Beshear) 87/08/07 LIVING DAYLIGHTS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/10 LONG VOYAGE BACK (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/24 LOST BOYS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/07 Library Acquisitions 87/11/06 Library Acquisitions 87/03/20 MAN FACING SOUTHEAST (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/09 MAN FOR ALL SEASONS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 MAROONED IN REALTIME (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 MATADORA (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/11/13 MATEWAN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/16 MAURICE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/20 MAUS (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/14 MEMORIES (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/31 MESSIAH STONE (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 MIKO (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 MISPLACED LEGION (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/01/21 MISSION (Net notes) 87/02/04 MOON GODDESS (Net notes) 87/01/07 MORNING AFTER (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/21 MORNING AFTER (Net notes) 87/01/07 MOSQUITO COAST (Net notes) 87/07/03 MT VOID (Comments by E. C. Leeper) 87/11/20 MURDER AT THE DIOGENES CLUB (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/11/27 MY LIFE AS A DOG (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/14 MYTHS OF THE NEAR FUTURE (Net notes) 87/02/11 MYTHS OF THE NEAR FUTURE (Net notes) 87/07/24 Middletown Meetings (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/07 Military Science Fiction (Comments by E. M. Eades) 87/07/03 Monmouth County Library Foreign Film Series Schedule 87/02/25 Movies, Upcoming (Net notes) 87/07/03 Mt. Holz (Comments by E. C. Leeper) 87/11/27 NAPOLEON DISENTIMED (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/10/09 NEAR DARK (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/10 NET (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/14 NEUROMANCER (Meeting notes by J. Paltin) 87/12/11 NEW ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/28 NEW BARBARIANS (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/02/25 NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (Chronology) 87/11/13 NIGHTFLYERS (Film review by K. Tipton) 87/10/30 NIGHTFLYERS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/13 NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET III (Net notes) 87/01/21 NO MERCY (Film review by J. Paltin) Dec 23 16:04 1987 Index for 1987 Science Fiction Club Notices Page 4 87/01/21 NO MERCY (Net notes) 87/09/25 NO WAY OUT (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/04 NUTS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/17 Nebula Award Winners 87/02/25 Nebula Awards (Nominees) (Net notes) 87/01/07 Niven, Larry (Known Space) (Net notes) 87/08/21 Norman, John (Comment by E. M. Eades) 87/02/18 Nuclear Autumn (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/09 OBSESSION (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/05/29 OCTOBER'S BABY (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/24 ONCE UPON A MURDER (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/14 ONE HUMAN MINUTE (Net notes) 87/06/05 ONE NIGHT STAND (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/01/07 OUTER LIMITS COMPANION (Net notes) 87/10/09 OUTLAW JOSEY WALES (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/11 OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 PEACE WAR (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/01/21 PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED (Net notes) 87/06/05 PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Music review by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/18 PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Theatre review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/11 PLANES, TRAINS, & AUTOMOBILES (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/14 PLANET ON THE TABLE (Net notes) 87/02/04 PLATOON (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/14 PLATOON (Net notes) 87/01/21 PLATOON (Net notes) 86/06/19 PREDATOR (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/06/12 PRICK UP YOURS EARS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/30 PRINCE OF DARKNESS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/16 PRINCESS BRIDE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 86/06/19 PROJECT X (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/02 Page Numbers (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/11 RADIO DAYS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/03 RAISING ARIZONA (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 RANKS OF BRONZE (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/05/29 REAP THE EAST WIND (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/03/27 REIGN OF FIRE (Net notes) 87/01/14 RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (Film review by E. C. Leeper) 87/02/11 RINGWORLD ENGINEERS (Comments by N. Sauer) 87/01/28 RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/31 ROBOCOP (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/24 ROBOCOP (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 ROBOCOP (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/11/27 ROBOT CITY (BOOK I: ODYSSEY) (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/10 ROXANNE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/03 Readercon I (Con report by E. C. Leeper) 87/08/14 Revolution Fad (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/28 S. HOLMES & CASE OF RALEIGH LEGACY (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/14 SACRIFICE (Net notes) 87/02/25 SALVADOR (Net notes) 87/12/18 SAMMY AND ROSIE GET LAID (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/05/29 SHADOW OF ALL NIGHT FALLING (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/05/29 SHADOWS LINGER (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/11/20 SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE MASKS OF DEATH (Film review by E.Leeper) 87/01/07 SHERLOCK HOLMES AT 1902 FIFTH TEST (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/11/13 SOLARIS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 SOUL RIDER Series (Book review by D. L. Skran) Dec 23 16:04 1987 Index for 1987 Science Fiction Club Notices Page 5 87/08/07 STAKEOUT (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/14 STALKER (Net notes) 87/10/09 STAR TREK (Commentary by J. Francisco) 87/09/25 STAR TREK (Commentrary by M. Pratap) 87/12/04 STAR TREK Funnies I (Satire by Anonymous) 87/12/11 STAR TREK Funnies II (Satire by Anonymous) 87/12/18 STAR TREK Funnies III (Satire by Anonymous) 87/12/25 STAR TREK Funnies IV (Satire by Anonymous) 87/10/02 STAR TREK: THE NEW GENERATION (TV review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/02 STAR TREK: THE NEW GENERATION (TV review by P. S. R. Chisholm) 87/05/29 STAR WARS (Film comment by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/11 STRANGER FROM VENUS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/04 SUMMER TREE (Net notes) 87/04/24 SUPER-TANKS (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/17 Sensurround (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/25 Spielberg, Steven (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/27 Square Dancing Part 1 (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/03 Square Dancing Part 2 (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/10 Square Dancing Part 3 (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/05/15 Square Dancing Part 4 (Comments by Mark R. Leeper) 87/01/21 Swans in Lincroft (Commentary by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/14 TALES OF THE QUINTANA ROO (Net notes) 86/06/19 TAMPOPO (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 TECKLA (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/01/07 TECKLA (Net notes) 87/09/25 THE BIG EASY (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/25 THE FOURTH PROTOCOL (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/25 THE RACE FOR THE DOUBLE HELIX (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/07 TIME AFTER TIME (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/03/20 TIN MEN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/03 TO SAIL BEYOND THE SUNSET (Book review by N. Haslock) 87/06/12 TOWERS OF HANOI (Comment by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/03 TOXIC AVENGER (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/27 TUF VOYAGING (Net notes) 87/01/21 TWO FACES OF TOMORROW (Net notes) 87/01/14 Ten Best Films of 1986 (Film comment by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/04 Ten Best Films of 1986 (Film comment by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/30 Toxic Waste (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/10 UNCOLLECTED SHERLOCK HOLMES (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/08/07 UNTOUCHABLES (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/06/12 UNTOUCHABLES (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 UPLIFT WAR (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/08/14 UPLIFT WAR (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/05/29 Universe 101 Part 1 (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/11 Upcoming Films (Net notes) 87/07/31 VAMPIRE LESTAT (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/08/14 VAMPIRES EN HABANA (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/03 VAMPYRE (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/04/03 VARNEY THE VAMPIRE (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/02/04 WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/06/05 WAR GAME (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/02/11 WARRIOR QUEEN (Net notes) 87/03/27 WAVE AND THE FLAME (Net notes) 87/10/16 WHISTLE BLOWER (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/05/29 WHITE ROSE (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/10/23 WILD CARDS (Comments by R. Mitchell) Dec 23 16:04 1987 Index for 1987 Science Fiction Club Notices Page 6 87/07/31 WILD CARDS I (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/01/28 WILD CARDS I (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/31 WILD CARDS II (ACES HIGH) (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/08/07 WINTER'S DAUGHTER (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 86/06/19 WITCHES OF EASTWICK (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/03 WITH A SINGLE SPELL (Book review by N. Haslock) 87/03/27 WITH A SINGLE SPELL (Net notes) 87/09/18 WORLD, THE FLESH, AND THE DEVIL (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/11/06 Wasserman Financial Indicator (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/27 Year in review (Net notes) Dec 23 16:03 1987 Table of Contents for 1987 Science Fiction Club Notices Page 1 87/01/07 SHERLOCK HOLMES AT 1902 FIFTH TEST (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/07 COSMOPOLITAN CRIMES (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/07 FURTHER RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/07 MORNING AFTER (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/07 Niven, Larry (Known Space) (Net notes) 87/01/07 BLUE CHAMPAGNE (Net notes) 87/01/07 TECKLA (Net notes) 87/01/07 LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Net notes) 87/01/07 OUTER LIMITS COMPANION (Net notes) 87/01/07 MOSQUITO COAST (Net notes) 87/01/07 GOLDEN CHILD (Net notes) 87/01/14 NEUROMANCER (Meeting notes by J. Paltin) 87/01/14 Ten Best Films of 1986 (Film comment by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/14 BIG MEAT EATER (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/14 HITLER VICTORIOUS (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/14 CURSE OF THE GIANT HOGWEED (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/14 RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (Film review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/14 Cinema Club Schedule 87/01/14 Amber Chronology (Net notes) 87/01/14 FREE LIVE FREE (Net notes) 87/01/14 MYTHS OF THE NEAR FUTURE (Net notes) 87/01/14 CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH THE DEITY (Net notes) 87/01/14 BURNING CHROME (Net notes) 87/01/14 ONE HUMAN MINUTE (Net notes) 87/01/14 PLANET ON THE TABLE (Net notes) 87/01/14 TALES OF THE QUINTANA ROO (Net notes) 87/01/14 PLATOON (Net notes) 87/01/14 SACRIFICE (Net notes) 87/01/14 STALKER (Net notes) 87/01/21 1984 (Commentary by R. Mitchell) 87/01/21 Swans in Lincroft (Commentary by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/21 NO MERCY (Film review by J. Paltin) 87/01/21 BEDROOM WINDOW (Film review by J. Paltin) 87/01/21 TWO FACES OF TOMORROW (Net notes) 87/01/21 LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Net notes) 87/01/21 MORNING AFTER (Net notes) 87/01/21 AMOR BRUJO (Net notes) 87/01/21 NO MERCY (Net notes) 87/01/21 MISSION (Net notes) 87/01/21 PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED (Net notes) 87/01/21 PLATOON (Net notes) 87/01/28 CONTACT (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/28 Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/28 WILD CARDS I (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/28 NEW BARBARIANS (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/28 S. HOLMES & CASE OF RALEIGH LEGACY (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/28 RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/01/28 COMFORT AND JOY (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/01/28 JOURNEY OF NATTY GANN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/04 Ten Best Films of 1986 (Film comment by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/04 PLATOON (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/04 ENJOY JAPAN (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/04 WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/02/04 SUMMER TREE (Net notes) 87/02/04 IN ADVANCE OF THE LANDING (Net notes) 87/02/04 CYBERNETIC SAMURAI (Net notes) Dec 23 16:03 1987 Table of Contents for 1987 Science Fiction Club Notices Page 2 87/02/04 MOON GODDESS (Net notes) 87/02/04 FROM BEYOND (Net notes) 87/02/11 RINGWORLD ENGINEERS (Comments by N. Sauer) 87/02/11 STRANGER FROM VENUS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/11 RADIO DAYS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/11 OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/11 MYTHS OF THE NEAR FUTURE (Net notes) 87/02/11 WARRIOR QUEEN (Net notes) 87/02/11 Upcoming Films (Net notes) 87/02/18 Nuclear Autumn (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/25 NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (Chronology) 87/02/25 FOUNDATION AND EARTH (Book review by J. Paltin) 87/02/25 HITCHER (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/02/25 Boskone XXIV (Con report by E. C. Leeper) 87/02/25 Nebula Awards (Nominees) (Net notes) 87/02/25 Movies, Upcoming (Net notes) 87/02/25 SALVADOR (Net notes) 87/02/25 LIGHT OF DAY (Net notes) 87/03/04 DREAMING JEWELS (Comments by C. Harris) 87/03/04 LETHAL WEEAPON (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/03/04 IVANHOE GAMBIT (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/03/13 Date Change (Article by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/13 BELIZAIRE THE CAJUN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/13 BEDROOM WINDOW (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/13 BEYOND THERAPY (Net notes) 87/03/13 NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET III (Net notes) 87/03/20 Death (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/20 MAN FACING SOUTHEAST (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/20 ANGEL HEART (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/20 MAUS (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/20 TIN MEN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/20 EVIL DEAD II (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/27 Square Dancing Part 1 (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/03/27 WITH A SINGLE SPELL (Net notes) 87/03/27 TUF VOYAGING (Net notes) 87/03/27 Year in review (Net notes) 87/03/27 WAVE AND THE FLAME (Net notes) 87/03/27 REIGN OF FIRE (Net notes) 87/03/27 CRYSTAL EMPIRE (Net notes) 87/03/27 ALIEN AFFAIR (Net notes) 87/03/27 HUMAN ERROR (Net notes) 87/03/27 HEART OF THE COMET (Net notes) 87/03/27 BILL THE GALACTIC HERO (Net notes) 87/03/27 ANGEL HEART (Net notes) 87/04/03 Square Dancing Part 2 (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/03 VARNEY THE VAMPIRE (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/04/03 VAMPYRE (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/04/03 RAISING ARIZONA (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/03 TOXIC AVENGER (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/10 Square Dancing Part 3 (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/10 HANDMAID'S TALE (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/04/10 BLIND DATE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/17 Corman, Roger (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/17 Sensurround (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/17 Anthrology on Film (Film reviews by J. S. Licwinko) 87/04/24 Baseball (Comments by M. R. Leeper) Dec 23 16:03 1987 Table of Contents for 1987 Science Fiction Club Notices Page 3 87/04/24 DARK VALLEY DESTINY (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/24 SUPER-TANKS (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/24 FOR SPECIAL SERVICES (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/04/24 Chain Letter (Letter by M. R. Leeper) 87/05/08 ABANDON SHIP! (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/05/15 Square Dancing Part 4 (Comments by Mark R. Leeper) 87/05/15 HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE (Film review by Mark R. Leeper) 87/05/22 Ailey, Alvin (Dance review by Mark R. Leeper) 87/05/29 Universe 101 Part 1 (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/05/29 ISLAND WORLDS (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/05/29 BLACK COMPANY (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/05/29 SHADOWS LINGER (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/05/29 WHITE ROSE (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/05/29 SHADOW OF ALL NIGHT FALLING (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/05/29 OCTOBER'S BABY (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/05/29 ALL DARKNESS MET (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/05/29 REAP THE EAST WIND (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/05/29 STAR WARS (Film comment by M. R. Leeper) 87/06/05 ONE NIGHT STAND (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/06/05 WAR GAME (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/06/05 LETTERS FROM A DEADMAN (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/06/05 CONTROL (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/06/05 PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Music review by M. R. Leeper) 87/06/12 TOWERS OF HANOI (Comment by M. R. Leeper) 87/06/12 UNTOUCHABLES (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/06/12 PRICK UP YOURS EARS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 86/06/19 Hugo Nominations (1987) 86/06/19 WITCHES OF EASTWICK (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 86/06/19 PREDATOR (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 86/06/19 PROJECT X (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 86/06/19 BELIEVERS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 86/06/19 TAMPOPO (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/06/26 FULL METAL JACKET (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/06/26 CEDDO (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/06/26 Film Forum 2 Schedule 87/07/03 Mt. Holz (Comments by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/03 MT VOID (Comments by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/03 IN CONQUEST BORN (Book review by N. Haslock) 87/07/03 WITH A SINGLE SPELL (Book review by N. Haslock) 87/07/03 TO SAIL BEYOND THE SUNSET (Book review by N. Haslock) 87/07/03 Readercon I (Con report by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/03 Monmouth County Library Foreign Film Series Schedule 87/07/10 LONG VOYAGE BACK (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/10 KNIGHT LIFE (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/10 NET (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/10 CENTAUR IN THE GARDEN (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/10 UNCOLLECTED SHERLOCK HOLMES (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/10 DOWN TOWN (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/10 DRAGNET (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/10 ROXANNE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/17 Nebula Award Winners 87/07/17 IN CONQUEST BORN (Book review by K. Tipton) 87/07/17 INNERSPACE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/17 CUT STONES AND CROSSROADS (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/17 CLOUD FOREST (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/24 Middletown Meetings (Comments by M. R. Leeper) Dec 23 16:03 1987 Table of Contents for 1987 Science Fiction Club Notices Page 4 87/07/24 ROBOCOP (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/24 LOST BOYS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/24 KING EDWARD PLOT (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/24 BOOK OF ALTERNATE WORLDS (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/24 BIMBOS OF THE DEATH SUN (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/24 ONCE UPON A MURDER (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/31 GOD GAME (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/07/31 VAMPIRE LESTAT (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 SOUL RIDER Series (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 WILD CARDS I (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 WILD CARDS II (ACES HIGH) (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 AGENTS OF INSIGHT (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 MISPLACED LEGION (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 RANKS OF BRONZE (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 CIRCUIT (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 TECKLA (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 HERCULES TEXT (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 UPLIFT WAR (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 MAROONED IN REALTIME (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 PEACE WAR (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 MATADORA (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 MIKO (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 EXIT EARTH (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 MESSIAH STONE (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 A COMING OF AGE (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 GOD STALK (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 BURNING CHROME (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 KUNDALINI EQUATION (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 HARDWIRED (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 FLY (Script review by M. R. Leeper) 87/07/31 ROBOCOP (Film review by D. L. Skran) 87/07/31 ROBOCOP (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/07 Military Science Fiction (Comments by E. M. Eades) 87/08/07 Library Acquisitions 87/08/07 James Bond Films (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/07 WINTER'S DAUGHTER (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/08/07 TIME AFTER TIME (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/08/07 UNTOUCHABLES (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/07 LIVING DAYLIGHTS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/07 STAKEOUT (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/07 ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/14 VAMPIRES EN HABANA (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/14 Revolution Fad (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/14 LIVING DAYLIGHTS (Film review by L. D. Beshear) 87/08/14 MEMORIES (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/08/14 JOB (Book review by L. D. Beshear) 87/08/14 UPLIFT WAR (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/08/14 BACK TO THE BEACH (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/08/21 Green, Sharon (Comment by E. C. Leeper) 87/08/21 Green, Sharon (Comment by E. M. Eades) 87/08/21 Norman, John (Comment by E. M. Eades) 87/08/28 LAST ELECTION (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/09/04 ACCIDENTAL TOURIST (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/09/11 GLORY LANE (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/09/18 PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Theatre review by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/18 FORGE OF GOD (Book review by D. L. Skran) Dec 23 16:03 1987 Table of Contents for 1987 Science Fiction Club Notices Page 5 87/09/18 WORLD, THE FLESH, AND THE DEVIL (Book review by D. L. Skran) 87/09/18 Conspiracy '87 (Convention report [part 1] by E. C. Leeper) 87/09/25 HELLRAISER (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/25 THE RACE FOR THE DOUBLE HELIX (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/25 STAR TREK (Commentrary by M. Pratap) 87/09/25 NO WAY OUT (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/25 THE FOURTH PROTOCOL (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/25 THE BIG EASY (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/09/25 Conspiracy '87 (Convention report [Part 2] by E. C. Leeper) 87/09/25 Hugo Awards 87/10/02 Page Numbers (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/02 STAR TREK: THE NEW GENERATION (TV review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/02 STAR TREK: THE NEW GENERATION (TV review by P. S. R. Chisholm) 87/10/02 Conspiracy '87 (Convention report [Part 3] by E. C. Leeper) 87/10/09 STAR TREK (Commentary by J. Francisco) 87/10/09 BREAKING THE CODE (Theater review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/09 NEAR DARK (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/09 DIRTY DANCING (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/09 COUNTRY (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/09 FUNERAL IN BERLIN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/09 MAN FOR ALL SEASONS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/09 OBSESSION (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/09 OUTLAW JOSEY WALES (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/09 Conspiracy '87 (Convention report [Part 1] by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/16 PRINCESS BRIDE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/16 WHISTLE BLOWER (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/16 MAURICE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/16 Hot Food (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/16 Conspiracy '87 (Convention report [Part 2] by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/23 WILD CARDS (Comments by R. Mitchell) 87/10/23 20TH INTERNATIONAL TOURNEE OF ANIMATION (Film review M. Leeper) 87/10/30 Toxic Waste (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/30 PRINCE OF DARKNESS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/10/30 NIGHTFLYERS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/11/06 Wasserman Financial Indicator (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/11/06 Library Acquisitions 87/11/13 NIGHTFLYERS (Film review by K. Tipton) 87/11/13 SOLARIS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/11/13 JETEE (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/11/13 HIDDEN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/11/13 MATEWAN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/11/20 MURDER AT THE DIOGENES CLUB (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/11/20 BLACK RIVER EMERALD (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/11/20 HOUSE OF GAMES (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/11/20 SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE MASKS OF DEATH (Film review by E.Leeper) 87/11/27 ROBOT CITY (BOOK I: ODYSSEY) (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/11/27 NAPOLEON DISENTIMED (Book review by E. C. Leeper) 87/11/27 HOPE AND GLORY (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/11/27 LAST EMPEROR (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/11/27 MY LIFE AS A DOG (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/04 STAR TREK Funnies I (Satire by Anonymous) 87/12/04 NUTS (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/04 Cinema Club Schedule 87/12/11 FORGE OF GOD (Book review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/11 PLANES, TRAINS, & AUTOMOBILES (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/11 NEW ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (Book review by E. C. Leeper) Dec 23 16:03 1987 Table of Contents for 1987 Science Fiction Club Notices Page 6 87/12/11 HELLO AGAIN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/11 STAR TREK Funnies II (Satire by Anonymous) 87/12/18 EMPIRE OF THE SUN (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/18 LEONARD PART 6 (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/18 Dinosaurs--Past and Present (Exhibit review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/18 HANOI HILTON (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/18 SAMMY AND ROSIE GET LAID (Film review by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/18 STAR TREK Funnies III (Satire by Anonymous) 87/12/25 Spielberg, Steven (Comments by M. R. Leeper) 87/12/25 STAR TREK Funnies IV (Satire by Anonymous)