tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post4663715000473087593..comments2024-03-11T01:39:11.362-04:00Comments on At the Scene of the Crime: 'B' is for BerniePatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-42877288362412681442012-04-21T00:56:39.319-04:002012-04-21T00:56:39.319-04:00Interesting to see your thoughts on this one. I...Interesting to see your thoughts on this one. I'm sure someday I'll try another Block but for now the TBR pile beckons.Billhttp://traditionalmysteries.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-46501339531549354612012-04-19T06:22:30.927-04:002012-04-19T06:22:30.927-04:00@Sergio
It isn't so much Raymond Chandler I...@Sergio<br />It isn't so much Raymond Chandler I've got a problem with as much as - in this case at least - a lazy piece of plotting lifted from one of his novels and extolled as far superior to the silly fluff from an English country house mystery.<br /><br />@Christopher<br />I also recall reading that he saw that Whoopi movie on a flight and only realised after the credits rolled that it was based on his work!!!<br /><br />@Sextonblake<br />Excellent point-- and if you're satisfied with a trip to the pub, that makes the occasional gourmet meal that much more enjoyable!<br /><br />@TomCat<br />Thanks for the tips. I wasn't expecting the CITIZEN KANE of literature, but I was expecting something fun and Block didn't let me down in that regard, at least.<br /><br />@PuzzleDoctor<br />Oh, goodie, that means my carefully-worded spoilers didn't instantly bring the solution flooding into your head even though you've read it. I guess it passes the unofficial litmus test of acceptable ranting without entering into The Spoiler Zone. [cue the "Twilight Zone" theme, someone!]Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-47592240940028528972012-04-19T03:36:34.846-04:002012-04-19T03:36:34.846-04:00PS Something slightly odd happened there - anyway,...PS Something slightly odd happened there - anyway, Scott Frank, who adapted Elmore Leonard so splendidly for the such movies as OUT OF SIGHT and GET SHORTY (and co-wrote MINORITY REPORT) wrote the Scudder script - and then Ford got cold feet about playing a recovering alcoholic PI! <br /><br />Great post Patrick - though given how you feel about Chandler, I'm not sure how much you'd got for Block's Scudder series either!Sergio (Tipping My Fedora)http://bloodymurder.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-4969457693917079932012-04-19T03:32:20.407-04:002012-04-19T03:32:20.407-04:00I know what you're getting at Patrick and am n...I know what you're getting at Patrick and am not especially ond of Block in his lighter veing, preferring his more hardboiled output, which is just my personal taste of course. I haven;t read any of this pseudonymous work, some of which is being reprinted by Hard Case Crime and John Norris has had some fascinating things to say about those.<br /><br />The Goldberg movie BURGLAR is a fairly daft adaptation (actually of two Block novels combined I think). At one point it looked as though Harrison Ford was going to star as Matt Scudder in an adaptation of WALK AMONG THE TOMSTONES anSergio (Tipping My Fedora)http://bloodymurder.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-55189239805147606452012-04-18T20:16:38.371-04:002012-04-18T20:16:38.371-04:00I read that after Hollywood made an adaptation of ...I read that after Hollywood made an adaptation of one of Block's books with Whoopi Goldberg as Bernie, Block deliberately wrote all of his subsequent books so as to be unfilmable.Christopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03343947041898057102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-78100408437806371022012-04-18T14:46:00.772-04:002012-04-18T14:46:00.772-04:00I've read some, but not all, of the Rhodenbarr...I've read some, but not all, of the Rhodenbarr books, and I would agree with TomCat. Rather like we said about the Perry Mason book a little while back, these are skilful, solid and fun. Some are better than others, but none have been less than enjoyable.To use food metaphors; if you insist that every meal that crosses your lips is of gourmet standard, then you won't be happy. If you enjoy a good pub meal, you'll like these books.Sextonblakenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-27830585953222093142012-04-18T11:43:16.282-04:002012-04-18T11:43:16.282-04:00I have read all, but three, of the Bernie Rhodenba...I have read all, but three, of the Bernie Rhodenbarr books and thought this was one of the better entries into the series and was only surpassed by <i>The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams</i> (a comedic-caper about valuable baseball cards that also pokes fun at, and alludes to, various mystery writers, from past and present, with a minor locked room sub-plot thrown into the mix) and <i>The Burglar Who Painted Like Mondrian</i> (a bit more complex than you would expect from this series and centers on faked paintings and is sometimes as funny as the book mentioned here before). <br /><br />The other titles I have read were only so-so, IMHO. So don't expect any classics from this series, but they are perfect for a fast and fun read.TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-4717358314910488332012-04-18T11:24:14.660-04:002012-04-18T11:24:14.660-04:00Hmm - I forget the ending, but I did enjoy this on...Hmm - I forget the ending, but I did enjoy this one, a long time ago. Have to say, I've found the Burglar series has suffered from diminishing returns - the early ones are much better than the later ones, and I'd highly recommend those. This one... it's enjoyable, but it's not the best.Puzzle Doctorhttp://classicmystery.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com