We had a few days of relief, with highs only in the high 70s and low 80s. But the heat is back again and will get worse over the weekend. Deb is not enjoying her latest kidney stone. It is causing a good deal of discomfort. Her family doctor called her twice today, but he didn't even know about the kidney stone at first. So Dr. Shen is back on the case again. I wish he was my doctor.
Lately I've been practicing piano, reading, driving trains, looking at maps, getting my astronomy notes organized and up to date (with Deb's help), and watching films and various TV series. At lunch we usually watch shorter series, such as Corner Gas, The Addams Family (the original b&w TV series), Monty Python's Flying Circus and, possibly best of them all, Star Trek: Lower Decks. We only have one final episode of that series remaining to watch. It is easily my favourite Star Trek series. We are also watching a short series on riding some of the UK's coastal railways, hosted by Julie Walters. On The Learning Channel (Great Courses) we just finished a 24 part lecture series on the history of railroads, and are currently amidst another fine one on great churches of the world.
In film news, there are a few to report. Alec Guinness: A Class Act is a 2025 documentary that features interviews with a wide variety of people that knew and loved him. Included is a granddaughter who greatly resembles him. There are dozens of clips from his films, including Star Wars, of course. Actors, directors and friends all speak well of this peerless actor. My favourite films of his are the ones made under tight budgets with Ealing Studios, a few of which are still among the greatest films ever made. It is currently showing on Acorn TV. A don't miss film for fans.
Ladies Paradise is a dreary 1930 French film directed by Julian Duvivier. It tells a weepy story about the growth of great department stores at the expense of the little shopkeeper. One stubborn old coot, a tailor, refuses to sell his property for an expansion of a department store, despite the fact that he has already lost all his customers and his building is crumbling around him as he looks on. He eventually goes nuts and decides that a wild shooting spree is in order. He is soon afterwards hit and killed by a passing truck (delivering for the big department store across the street). His niece, who came to him for a job, instead takes one at the department store as a model and has a romance with the boss. The film echoes themes found in really bad novels. Despite the crude and rather tiresome story, the camera work is very sophisticated and experimental. I hope that was the main reason for the restoration.
Ripley's Game is from 2002 and was directed by Liliana Cavani. John Malkovich makes a believable and totally incredible Ripley, and the story seems to follow Highsmith closer than other versions. Tom Ripley is living the high life in an Italian mansion. He has a young and beautiful girlfriend or wife who is a performer on the harpsichord. At the beginning Ripley shows his ability to be both savvy and ruthless, as he pulls off a great phony art sale, murders two people and outwits his partner in crime. This partner is the wrench in the works, eventually causing Tom no end of problems. Though we have seen Tom in his mansion, we now see how much work he has to undertake to maintain his lifestyle. When a dying neighbour insults him at a party Tom gets his revenge by sending him to his previous partner, who is looking for an innocent person to carry out an assassination or two. The first one goes well, but the second one, on a train, really goes off the rails. By this time Ripley has taken to the dying man and offers valuable assistance, both on the train and later. The final scenes, as all of the scenes in this tautly directed film, are suspenseful and exciting, showing Tom Ripley at his best (worst). He is not a man to mess with. Though the end is tragic and will affect Tom, he is able to carry on afterwards, even making it on time to his girlfriend's big recital. A solid film all around, and recommend both for Malkovich and Highsmith fans.
Lastly comes a Hong Kong martial arts film called The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. From 1978 the story follows a young boy who wishes not only to train in kung fu, but to bring the art to the masses so they can revolt against the oppressors (the Tartars in this film). Unusual for its class of film, this one spends most of the time showing the boy in training, and how his mind and body are prepared. Though no doubt the training has some bit of reality to it, a lot of what is put on screen is quite laughable, as anyone undertaking such training would die long before they completed the course. Just one example is the head banging training, but there are others. Anyhoo, the boy turns out to be a superstar and completes all 35 training programs. Then he asks his masters if he can open a 36th program. He wants to train lay people. The monks aren't too happy with this idea. The choreographed fights are, as usual, pretty boring. Most martial arts fights would last under a minute, but Hong Kong ones go on and on and on (and on). And, as per usual, the bad guy is just as good, somehow, as the hero. That is, until that final punch, kick, or head butt. If the training had been a bit more sensible and not so sadistic this might have been a good film. As a person who has had training in judo, karate, and iaido, I know from personal experience that the body takes enough punishment without having to add any more.
I have to add a few more train pics from some of my recent services..... Here are some night shots.
Mapman Mike
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