@@@@@ @ @ @@@@@ @ @ @@@@@@@ @ @ @@@@@ @@@@@ @@@
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @
@ @@@@@ @@@@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @
@ @ @ @@@@@ @ @ @ @ @@@@@ @@@@@ @@@
Mt. Holz Science Fiction Society
Club Notice - 01/18/91 -- Vol. 9, No. 29
MEETINGS UPCOMING:
Unless otherwise stated, all meetings are on Wednesdays at noon.
LZ meetings are in LZ 2R-158. MT meetings are in the cafeteria.
_D_A_T_E _T_O_P_I_C
01/30 LZ: RITE OF PASSAGE by Alexei Panshin (Adolescence)
02/20 LZ: MARTIANS, GO HOME! by Frederic Brown (Social Satire)
03/13 LZ: TOM SWIFT by Victor Appleton II (Juvenile SF)
_D_A_T_E _E_X_T_E_R_N_A_L _M_E_E_T_I_N_G_S/_C_O_N_V_E_N_T_I_O_N_S/_E_T_C.
01/19 NJSFS: New Jersey Science Fiction Society: TBA
(phone 201-432-5965 for details) (Saturday)
02/09 SFABC: Science Fiction Association of Bergen County:Lawrence
(phone 201-933-2724 for details) (Saturday)
HO Chair: John Jetzt HO 1E-525 834-1563 hocpa!jetzt
LZ Chair: Rob Mitchell LZ 1B-306 576-6106 mtuxo!jrrt
MT Chair: Mark Leeper MT 3D-441 957-5619 mtgzy!leeper
HO Librarian: Tim Schroeder HO 3B-301 949-4488 hotsc!tps
LZ Librarian: Lance Larsen LZ 3L-312 576-3346 mtunq!lfl
MT Librarian: Evelyn Leeper MT 1F-329 957-2070 mtgzy!ecl
Factotum: Evelyn Leeper MT 1F-329 957-2070 mtgzy!ecl
All material copyright by author unless otherwise noted.
1. I guess I ought to report that Secret Agent 007--James Bond--is
dead. If that is not true literally, at least the spark that kept
him alive has gone out. Of course, Ian Fleming, who created James
Bond, has been dead for twenty-six years, but he created a
character in a book. While the books were widely read, I think it
is probably true that far more people know James Bond from the
United Artists film series than know him from the books. There
have been sixteen of these films and of that number only three have
not had screenplays either authored or co-authored by Richard
Maibaum. It was Maibaum who created the screen image of James Bond
and who has been the force that has kept it constant from film to
film.
THE MT VOID Page 2
Richard Maibaum wrote the screenplays for _F_r_o_m _R_u_s_s_i_a _w_i_t_h _L_o_v_e and
_O_n _H_e_r _M_a_j_e_s_t_y'_s _S_e_c_r_e_t _S_e_r_v_i_c_e. He co-wrote _D_r. _N_o, _G_o_l_d_f_i_n_g_e_r,
_T_h_u_n_d_e_r_b_a_l_l, _D_i_a_m_o_n_d_s _A_r_e _F_o_r_e_v_e_r, _T_h_e _M_a_n _w_i_t_h _t_h_e _G_o_l_d_e_n _G_u_n, _T_h_e
_S_p_y _W_h_o _L_o_v_e_d _M_e, _F_o_r _Y_o_u_r _E_y_e_s _O_n_l_y, _O_c_t_o_p_u_s_s_y, _A _V_i_e_w _t_o _a _K_i_l_l,
_T_h_e _L_i_v_i_n_g _D_a_y_l_i_g_h_t_s, and _L_i_c_e_n_s_e _t_o _K_i_l_l.
Of this series the entries he did not even co-author were _Y_o_u _O_n_l_y
_L_i_v_e _T_w_i_c_e, _L_i_v_e _a_n_d _L_e_t _D_i_e, and _M_o_o_n_r_a_k_e_r. In my opinion,
_M_o_o_n_r_a_k_e_r has the worst plot of the series and _L_i_v_e _a_n_d _L_e_t _D_i_e is
very near the bottom, perhaps tied with _A _V_i_e_w _t_o _a _K_i_l_l for
second-worst place. _Y_o_u _O_n_l_y _L_i_v_e _T_w_i_c_e, with a screenplay by
Roald Dahl is no longer one of the worst, though it was the only
Bond film of the first six that was so inaccurate to its source, or
so tongue-in-cheek in style. It also was inconsistent with the
previous films. It claims Bond had never been in Japan before in
spite of references to a previous "night in Tokyo" in _F_r_o_m _R_u_s_s_i_a
_w_i_t_h _L_o_v_e. Also, Bond asks for his drink "stirred, not shaken,"
getting the famous order backwards. While one might consider these
last two faults trivial, it was Maibaum's attention to detail that
contributed a quality to the series and a continuity to the
character of James Bond.
Maibaum also scripted _C_h_i_t_t_y _C_h_i_t_t_y _B_a_n_g _B_a_n_g based on a children's
book by Ian Fleming and co-scripted a fine film, _B_i_g_g_e_r _T_h_a_n _L_i_f_e.
This Jekyll-and-Hyde story, based on fact, tells of a mousey
grade-school teacher transformed into a psychotic tyrant by the
then-experimental drug cortisone.
Maibaum, who had already parted amicably from the James Bond series
after the latest Bond film, _L_i_c_e_n_s_e _t_o _K_i_l_l, died the first day of
this year after a short illness. He was 81. Bond fans owe him.
Mark Leeper
MT 3D-441 957-5619
...mtgzy!leeper
In a society in which there is no law, and in theory no
compulsion, the only arbiter of behavior is public opinion.
But public opinion, because of the tremendous urge to
conformity in gregarious animals, is less tolerant than
any system of law.
-- George Orwell
MEROVINGEN NIGHTS: FLOOD TIDE edited by C. J. Cherryh
A book review by Frank R. Leisti
Copyright 1991 Frank R. Leisti
It must be quite an undertaking by nine authors to build short
stories together that fill the belly of an ever-widening set of novels.
The _F_l_o_o_d _T_i_d_e novel is the sixth in such a series and it speaks volumes
of cooperative work and the sheer force of strength at editing such a
history.
While I have come into the middle of the dark and sinister events
that are taking place, the novel still holds together after absorbing
the first three stories that begin the _F_l_o_o_d _T_i_d_e.
I can say that the technique of bringing short stories together
into a novel -- with the underlying plot and characters has only been
done in small instances when multiple authors are involved. The stories
of the "Wild Cards" are from a similar vein.
Yet passing on the uniqueness of the field for such an endeavor,
the story itself stands up to the light of day. While I assume that
greater understanding would be likely if I had read the previous five
volumes, the richness in the religious and political plots brings forth
a flavor of implied parry and counter-parry. As shown in the novel,
claims for a purist religion with necessary testing of converts and
adherents alike can strike deeply into the psyche of a nation. To the
extent that others in position of power will do whatever it takes to
keep that power extends that clash of politics and religion.
The passing of people that enrich the story with their entwining
lives brings forth the seeds of rebellion against the governing order --
even when it is quite literally under the powerful noses of the elite.
The story has affairs of the heart as well as affairs of the body
and the reader is kept apart from the more intimate details that flow in
this arena. When science is brought against the darkest side of
religion, which shall be the victor. Perhaps it will be detailed in the
next book -- Volume 7, as it was not present here.
A likable story, once the reader could merge into the web that was
present with the various storytellers. I would however rate it a meager
-1 on the Leeper scale (-4 to +4).
MILLER'S CROSSING
A film review by Evelyn C. Leeper
Copyright 1991 Evelyn C. Leeper
Since the movie reviews are normally handled by the more hirsute
member of the Leeper Consortium, it is rare indeed that I take pen in
hand (or in this case, keyboard in lap) to review a film. But
circumstances compel me to do so for _M_i_l_l_e_r'_s _C_r_o_s_s_i_n_g. What
circumstances? Well, if I don't, you won't know to drop everything and
go see this movie.
Of course, for many of you, just the statement that this is another
movie from Joel and Ethan Cohn (_R_a_i_s_i_n_g _A_r_i_z_o_n_a, _B_l_o_o_d _S_i_m_p_l_e) is
enough. And if I say Albert Finney is in it, that will drag a few more
of you down to your local cinema (or not-so-local cinema--this film is
not exactly in what might be termed wide release). But if that isn't
enough, how about the following:
- Excellent acting, especially by Gabriel Byrne (as Tom Regan) and
Joe Polito (as Joe Caspar).
- Wonderful cinematography by Barry Sonnenfield
- Beautiful Irish-inspired score by Carter Burwell, including the
most perfect rendition of "Danny Boy" I have ever heard (special
screen credit was given to tenor William Preston Robertson for
this).
- Well-written script by Joel Cohn.
Regarding the script, you should be warned: buy your popcorn and
make your rest stops _b_e_f_o_r_e the film starts. If you leave the theater,
even for five minutes, you will never figure out what's going on when
you get back. This is a very dense plot, and much of what is important
about the relationships between the various people is given in "toss-
away" lines. This, of course, is a lot like real life, where people
generally do not say, "Well, ever since Tom passed Bill over for that
promotion, Bill has had it in for Tom," but rather things like, "You
shouldn't be surprised at what Bill did; after all, remember that
promotion."
Unfortunately, this film has come and gone in most areas (or, more
likely, not come at all). Luckily, this means that it will probably be
on videocassette in a few months. While the wide screen is better for
the appreciation of the technical details in this film, the ability to
pause, play back, and in general analyze the script may make up for that
loss. This is a definite "must-see" film.