“When a fresh-faced guy in a Chevy offered him a lift, Parker told him to go to hell.”
– Richard Stark, first line from The Hunter

On one side of a coin is James Bond, a suave secret agent with a license to kill. A connoisseur of many things, Bond enjoys fine food, fine women, and martinis shaken not stirred. A champion for Queen and country, readers have no difficulty cheering him on against Communists and megalomaniacs intent on world domination.

On the other more tarnished side of the same coin is Cary Grant’s John Robie, aka “The Cat” from the 1955 film To Catch A Thief. He’s a cool gentleman burglar who has used his skills and ill-gotten gains to finance his playboy lifestyle. Roguish but retired and reformed, the audience smiles when The Cat eludes police.

The person trying to steal that coin from both men is Parker, an independent career criminal. And while readers love his adventures, it can’t be said they’re admiring a hero.

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In the 1959 premiere episode of The Twilght Zone, Earl Holliman explores a town completely deserted. After helping himself to some ice cream from the drug store soda fountain, he encounters wire spinner racks full of paperbacks, one of which is filled entirely with copies of the ominously titled “The Last Man on Earth.”

In the age of the electronic book, wire book racks (as well as drug stores that serve ice cream) are things of the past. In the golden age of the paperback, though, they were how books made their way to the masses. Drug stores, supermarkets, newsstands, and even gas stations, each had spinning paperback racks somewhere; And, from there, the rugged cowboys, monstrous space aliens, and wicked femme fatales on the book covers all vied for your attention and your 35 cents.

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Loosely based on the series of Matt Helm novels by Donald Hamilton, “The Silencers” features Dean Martin as erstwhile counter agent Matt Helm. Not to be confused with the counter agent at Northwest who lost my luggage last week. Helm isn’t a secret agent who spies and stuff, he just causes problems for other spies. Which is good work if you can get it. Helm was formerly with the organization I.C.E. (Intelligence and Counter Espionage).

Released within months of the premiere of his popular long-running TV show, “The Dean Martin Comedy Hour” in 1966, “The Silencers” is the first of four films starring Dean Martin as Matt Helm. Highly successful when released, “The Silencers” was followed the same year by “Murderer’s Row,” in the next year by “The Ambushers,” and two years later in “The Wrecking Crew” from 1969.

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Been a while since I recommended any movies, so I think we are due for some new ones. Any movie buffs out there have probably seen most of them already, but if you haven’t you have missed out on some great movies.

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This is a first, here is a actual review of one of my later compilations, called Retro Christmas. The review is by CaptainOT, the guy who runs the quite popular A Christmas Yuleblog. I was very surprised when I found out about it. I never expected (or had any hopes) to see anyone review a compilation of mine, they are created on a strictly have-fun-and-share-it basis. Thank you for your very nice review Captain! Since the compilation has not been available to download for the past couple of weeks – I have decided to upload it again.

Review of Retro Christmas at A Christmas Yuleblog

I have a keen movie interest and I try to fit as many movies as possible into my busy schedule each week, although my spare time seams to have become smaller and smaller recently. However, I would like to recommend some lush movies I have seen the past. Most of them are what most people would refer to as “oldies” (why does that name have a bad ring to it?), but I think some of the best movies was made in the 50s, 60s and 70s. If you are thinking that I am going to recommend huge masterpiece by famous directors, you are wrong. I watch movies that make me feel good, happy or movies that has a certain feel to them. And that is all that counts.

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