Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (5000)

Content

David McK (3695 KP) rated Jaws in Books

Jan 28, 2019

Jaws

Peter Benchley | 2005 | Thriller

7.3

(12 Ratings)

Book Rating

Duh-dum. Duh-dum. Duh-duh-duh-duh ...

"We're going to need a bigger boat ... "

So says nobody, ever, at any stage during this novel.

The inspiration behind the movie that is often credited as being the first summer blockbuster movie, I actually have a confession to make - I've never seen that film.

Oh, sure, I know the basic plot outline, know some of the dialogue and have seen snippets of the movie, but actually sitting down to watch it from start to finish? It never really appealed to me all that much.

All of which is a long-winded way of saying you might wonder why I decided to read this book. The answer, I feel, is more out of curiosity than anything else - I wanted to see just what was so special about this (and have read at least one other by Peter Benchley).

The answer, I now feel, is nothing much.

NOT one for the kiddies, with death, dismemberment, swearing and even an adulterous sex scene, I actually found myself rooting for the shark more so than any of the main characters!

It doesn't help that the book just ... ends, with (pretty much) zero resolution to most of the plot-lines.

Kudos

David McK (3695 KP) rated Hereward (Hereward, #1) in Books

Jan 30, 2019

Obviously the first in a planned series of novels on Hereward 'the Wake' (in this context, 'the Wake' means wary or watchful), who was a real Saxon who lead the resistance against the Norman invaders of England in William the Conquerors time.

While largely forgotten by history, many of Herewards exploits have later been subsumed into the many legends of Robin Hood - it is easy to see the parallels between the two characters and, as such, I thought that this could prove to be an interesting read.

Unfortunately, for me, much of the novel fell flat - I was never really drawn into it all that much; never really connected with any of the main characters. Starting in 1062, the novels takes place over a span of years (up to, and slightly beyond) The Battle of Hastings in 1066 with that battle (and Stamford bridge beforehand) largely glossed over - maybe only a chapter or two devoted to the both of them. Indeed, it was only in the last 70 pages or so - with the beginnings of the English resistance - that I began to be more drawn into the novel, by which stage it was too late.

While I may read the sequels, I'm not going to be looking for them.

Kudos

Awix (3310 KP) rated The Uncanny (1977) in Movies

Mar 7, 2020 (Updated Mar 7, 2020)

The Uncanny (1977)

1977 | Horror

5.8

(4 Ratings)

Movie Rating

So-so horror anthology would almost certainly be totally unwatchable without the presence of fine actors like Peter Cushing, Ray Milland and Donald Pleasence doing their damnedest to lift some rather dubious material. The frame story concerns a conspiracy by cats to secretly run the world, but the different segments are all about vengeance-by-cat: various people get their comeuppances at the paws of our whiskered friends.

First story (maid murders her employer over an amended will) is okay but nothing special; second one (orphan with witchy tendencies finds her cat is not welcome in her new home) is let down by iffy special effects and iffier child acting; third (rum goings-on in 30s Hollywood) is the best, being a rather tongue-in-cheek look at the horror film industry (the suspiciously-named company 'Hemorrhage Films' is involved). None of them are honestly what you'd call great, though, and there is perhaps too much reliance on actors standing around while stage-hands throw stuffed cats at them. A bit more graphic and nasty than you tend to find in films from this genre, but only relatively speaking. Passes the time decently enough if low-budget horror portmanteaus from the 70s are your thing.