Monthly Archives: February 2014

Hammett: Falcon Hits the Boards

Posted on February 23, 2014 by Don

Back in the day Hammett apparently toyed around with the idea of turning The Maltese Falcon into a play. While this one isn’t that one, how far apart could any two plays get when using the same story and characters? … Continue reading →

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Frisco Beat: Those Theatres of Yesteryear

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Don

Doing the bits about the Novato Theater reminded me that I’ve been meaning to blurb a Julie Lindow project for, what?, at least a couple of years. (Julie hitched up with San Francisco Noir editor Peter Maravelis during the heyday … Continue reading →

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Sinister Cinema: And the Bleak Noir Rains Crashed Down

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Don

I’ve got my slideshow talk in Livermore tomorrow, after warming up with the Q&A in Novato the other day. Wow. You can tell when you’re showing a genuine noir classic, because the sky breaks open and cold rain paints everything in shades … Continue reading →

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Hammett: By That Sweet Neck

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Don

Eighty-four years ago today the publisher Alfred A. Knopf debuted an instant classic titled The Maltese Falcon. As I always say, the sickest Valentine’s day novel ever. Yeah, maybe I love you and maybe you love me. This side of … Continue reading →

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Sinister Cinema: “Hoke” Shaping Up

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Don

I’m not intending on keeping track of every development in the saga of the upcoming TV show Hoke, based on the Willeford novels — but at least it looks as if the pilot is a sure thing, because they’ve cast … Continue reading →

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Sinister Cinema: After 36 Years

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Don

Jesús Ángel González López — the guy who told us all about La Cuidad Maldita, the Spaghetti Western version of Hammett’s Red Harvest — recently dropped me a note to say: “Did I tell you I sent a DVD copy … Continue reading →

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Tour: The Easy Way

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Don

I’m hauling up to Novato for an appearance this coming Saturday, and a couple of weeks later you can track me down in Livermore. On Sunday February 16, 2p.m. in the Storytime Room of the Civic Center Library, you’ll find … Continue reading →

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Sinister Cinema: Talking About the Falcon

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Don

If you’ve got a few bucks to donate to a good cause, this coming Saturday, February 8 at 6:30p.m., the Novato Theater Film Club is showing the 1941 version of The Maltese Falcon — the classic version. The good cause: … Continue reading →

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