Titan to reissue original Matt Helm books in 2013

The Return of Matt Helm

By Titan Books On 13 12 2011

"Donald Hamilton has brought to the spy novel the authentic hard realism of Dashiell Hammett; and his stories are as compelling, and probably as close to the sordid truth of espionage, as any now being told." —New York Times

London, U.K. – December 9, 2011 – Titan Books announced today that beginning in 2013, they will reissue the original Matt Helm® spy thrillers written by Donald Hamilton, starring the famed counter-agent whose career included 27 novels spanning more than three decades, four films, and a network television series.

The first Matt Helm® novel, Death of a Citizen, was released in 1960, just two years after publication of Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale—which hadn’t yet caught on in the United States. Otto Penzlernoted, “Whereas Bond was a sophisticate who knew wine, expensive cars, and tuxedos, Helm lived much of the time in the American Southwest, drove a pickup truck, and wore flannel shirts.” The novel introduced a man in his mid-thirties, 6’4” and intelligent, who had been a military assassin eliminating Nazis during World War II.

“Helm is about as credible a figure as one can find in the espionage genre.” —The New Republic

Hamilton’s novels were known for a gritty realism as Helm hunted (and killed) foreign agents and other enemies of the United States. When asked to describe his character, Matt Helm, Don replied "He's a nice guy, he just happens to kill people for a living."  The action was methodical, even brutal, and the series quickly attracted an avid following. The books sold more than 20,000,000 copies worldwide before disappearing from bookstore shelves.

“These novels were among the best spy thrillers ever published,” said Nick Landau, Publisher of Titan Books and CEO of the Titan Publishing Group.  “We’re thrilled to partner with the estate of Donald Hamilton, enabling us to bring them back into print and show readers what they’ve been missing all these years.”

 “Helm is a genuinely tough and tough-minded protagonist…  your reading diet lacks essential vitamins if you overlook him.” —New York Times

“The appearance of a new Matt Helm story is always good news.” —Chicago Tribune

“This series by Donald Hamilton is the top-ranking American secret agent fare, with its intelligent protagonist and an author who consistently writes in high style. Good writing, slick plotting and stimulating characters, all tartly flavored with wit” —Book Week

“With Matt Helm, Donald Hamilton helped start the spy adventure genre. I welcome the reissue of these books so that readers can experience this mythic hero." —David Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of Murder as Fine Art

“Fast, tightly written, brutal, and very good…” —Milwaukee Journal


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Practical creature effects for The Thing prequel that the producers chose to scrap

This movie could (and should) have been amazing: http://t.co/MHRkPI0j

DRIVE

Back For The Future

First official photo of the new 'Man of Steel'

Tom Cruise to portray Jack Reacher in the film adaptation of Lee Child's 'One Shot'?

If I am not mistaken, Jack Reacher is 6'5" in the books (not 5'6").  I'm sure this casting will sell tickets, but will likely infuriate fans of the books (aka, Reacher's Creatures).

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2011/06/tom-cruise-perfect-to-play-lee-childs-6-foot-5-inch-tough.html

THR Emmy Roundtable Discussion w/ key drama showrunners

New Lawrence Block short story "See the Woman" up at Mulholland Books/Popcorn Fiction

http://www.mulhollandbooks.com/popcornfiction/stories/See_the_Woman_by_LawrenceBlock.html

DJANGO UNCHAINED: QT's latest spaghetti western-inspired project

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2011/05/tarantinos-django-unchained-is-unchained.html

A pairing of Will Smith and Christoph Waltz sounds, um...intriguing.  Script shows lots of potential when I skimmed through it the other day.

Jason Statham as 'Parker'?

Variety is reporting that Jason Statham is in negotiations to play the title role in Taylor Hackford's new film, 'Parker', based on the series of hard-hitting noir books by Richard Stark (i.e., Donald Westlake).  This news is well-received by me since I think Statham is a good choice for today's audience, Hackford has built some credibility behind the camera over the years and well, quite frankly, the books kick some major literary ass.  Parker has been adapted to film on several occasions over the years (frequently guised under separate cover).  Three worth seeking out: Point Blank, The Outfit, Payback.

Shortcut Man by P.G. Sturges -- Review

A worthy successor to Chandler?  You will likely ask yourself that question while you read through the pages of this novel.  You may also choose to judge this book by its cover and take Michael Connelly's front-cover blurb literally.  That would be a mistake.  A mistake I made.  I bought this book as an impulse purchase at my favorite book store (shameless plug: Uncle Edgar's in Minneapolis), by doing just that.  Unfortunately, my lofty expectations did not help.

Meet Dick Henry.  Ascribed by the book's title, he is a "shortcut man" -- an efficiency expert who doesn't question the need for violence to get results.  We witness Henry assisting his Los Angeles clients -- which are fairly run-of-the-mill episodes until Henry is hired by adult film producer Artie Benjamin to find out whether Artie's wife is cheating on him.  Things start to get complicated when we discover that Artie's wife is none other than the same femme fatale Dick is currently bedding.

The story proceeds to take a few detours from this point on including a stretch of Dick's past (which was the story's highlight for me), but never quite finds its footing.  Despite Shortcut Man's classic noir set-up and attempts to pepper in dark comedy (largely unsuccessful), it's never truly satisfying.  Additionally, it introduces an element of sleaze that doesn't quite gel with the narrative.  Donald Westlake and Lawrence Block did it better in the 60s with their sleazy, pulp paperbacks before they found their groove in crime fiction.  According to the jacket, this is the first installment in a new series.  I will wait until the reviews come in before deciding to  read the next installment.

Also of note, the author is actually the son of famed Hollywood director Preston Sturges.  As a result, there are some elements of Old Los Angeles included that some readers may appreciate (I am one such reader).  Back to the book's cover and the question posed -- I am currently reading Raymond Chandler's Red Wind (a short story as part of Otto Penzler's The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps) -- a worthy successor to Chandler, Sturges is unfortunately not.

Buy this on Amazon

The Terror of Living by Urban Waite

By Air...By Sea...By Land...all play a part in how the story unravels in Urban Waite's debut novel about a drug deal gone awry and the bloody aftermath that ensues.  Phil Hunt and his wife Nora are attempting to live a quiet life in the Pacific Northwest on a horse farm.  Hunt usually succeeds and manages to stay out of trouble -- except for the occasional drug smuggling gig.

When a helicopter drop over the Washington State forest doesn't go as planned, Hunt quickly finds himself on the run from Drake (a deputy sheriff with something to prove as a result of his father's criminal past) and Grady (a hit man with a penchant for butcher's cutlery, out to kill him).

Waite does an effective job turning up the heat as this cat-and-mouse tale unfolds.  The story draws quite a bit from Cormac McCarthy's NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (Waite goes on to mention him in his acknowledgements), but creates his own boundaries and establishes a believable sense of place.

I am looking forward to see what Waite serves up next.

Buy this on Amazon

Michael Connelly discusses The Lincoln Lawyer and its journey to the big screen

I am stepping onto the movie set flanked by my legal team. We walk with purpose toward the light stanchions. After Hollywood’s long history of writer abuses, it’s good to know I’ve got veteran trial lawyers on either side of me. Daniel Daly and Roger Mills. Guys who have stared down judges, juries, cops, even killers. Guys who won’t take any crap from anybody.

We enter a hallway crowded with equipment and technicians. Lots of movement. Thick black cables snake across the floor—Daly points them out and says, “There’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.” There are monitors replaying the shot that was just filmed and actors and extras returning to position for the next take. Mills surreptitiously clips me with his elbow. I look at him, and in a cloaked move, he points toward his own stomach, meaning, Look behind me. I casually turn and scan.

Irish Noir - Adrian McKinty's Dead Trilogy

Let me start off by saying that no trilogy has frustrated me more than Adrian McKinty's Dead Trilogy, regardless of the medium (yes, this even includes the final installment in the Beverly Hills Cop trilogy).

In his debut novel DEAD I WELL MAY BE (2003), McKinty introduces us to Michael Forsythe, a street-smart immigrant from Ireland struggling to make a go of it in New York.  Forsythe soon becomes involved with a local crime boss and quickly gets in over his head.  McKinty has a knack for tough-guy dialog and prose that puts him on (or near) the front page of modern noir fiction storytellers....

...only to succumb to the underwhelming follow-up THE DEAD YARD (2006).  Here we find Forsythe working with the FBI to battle an Irish terrorist cell.  The story felt tired from the get-go and never really found its footing.  Unlike its predecessor, which pushed the boundaries of the genre, this entry simply fell flat.

The trilogy concluded with THE BLOOMSDAY DEAD (2007).  Here we find Forsythe making a quiet life for himself in Peru, only to quickly find himself back on his home turf of Ireland assisting the beautiful Irish mob boss (and former lover), Bridget, locate her missing daughter.  An improvement over YARD, but not as strong as the first entry.  McKinty definitely shows a sense of place and frequently keeps the reader on their toes as we follow Forsythe into the underbelly of Belfast.  No ground is broken telling this tale, but a solid entry and satisfying conclusion.

Overall, the DEAD trilogy comes recommended.  The books convey a solid message of revenge, include a protagonist we will follow to the dark end of the street and are told by one of the more prominent noir voices in modern crime fiction today.  I have yet to read McKinty's stand-alone books, but will be seeking them out.

Dead I Well May Be: A
The Dead Yard: D
The Bloomsday Dead: B

Killer paperback cover (St. Louis style)

I was in St. Louis this week on business and was reminded of the 80s TOR paperback cover of John Lutz' Ride the Lightning.  Not a bad read either...

Quentin Tarantino's next movie, a Spaghetti Western?

http://www.reelzchannel.com/movie-news/9384/quentin-tarantino-next-movie-to-be-a-spaghetti-western-starring-christoph-waltz/

All unconfirmed, but this will be epic if true.

Dashiell Hammett's lost works found in Texas

A cache of unpublished works by famed writer Dashiell Hammett, often seen as the father of hardboiled detective fiction, has been found and is set to be unveiled in America.
read more...

Hardbodies (1984)

Hardbodies (or, my favorite movie when I was 12)

If you know what B.B.D. means (Bigger and Better Deal) and know what it means to "dialog" women, chances are you're familiar with this prime example of 80's sleaze at its finest.  For purely nostalgic reasons, I decided to watch this 1984 classic last night (for the first time since I likely watched it in my parent's basement at 2am on HBO 3 decades ago) and what a blast it was...
  
A local beach bum shows 3 clueless men the art of picking up women at a California beach.  That's about all one needs to know plot-wise.  Plenty of boobs and hilarity ensue.  Of curious note, Kane Hodder (famed stunt man and portrayed Jason in several Friday the 13th installments) has a small role and fans of Return of the Living Dead may recognize the song "Partytime", which shows up a couple times throughout the movie.

I continue to be on the lookout for its sequel and close competitor, The Malibu Bikini Shop -- both released two years later in 1986.

Kudos to the Sony Movie Channel for recently airing this in HD.

Hardbodies Collection (1& 2) available on DVD at Amazon

Who says books are dead?

http://januarymagazine.blogspot.com/2011/02/death-of-book-not-today.html

100 Greatest Posters of Film Noir

http://wheredangerlives.blogspot.com/search/label/*%20Film%20Noir%20Poster%20Countdown

Most anticipated Nike retro release

Those that know me, know that I have a soft spot for retro Nike shoes (and have amassed quite a collection).  Whether it be Air Jordan (ahem, I - VII only), Air Trainers, Air Max 87, 90, 91 (or 93) or even the Nike Air Tech Challenge (better known as Air Agassi), they just don't make shoes like they used to.  Not to mention the fond memories I have of being in junior high and switching shoes for a day with the kid who's mom would shell out the (then outrageous) pricetag of $100 for said pair of shoes.  My parents wouldn't go quite so far -- but far enough to get a decent pair of Air Force's.

Anyway, I am writing all of this because Nike will be releasing a retro of what I consider to be my "holy grail".  The Nike Air Trainer SCII will be re-released this summer for the first time in 20+ years.  The last time I have seen a pair in person, I was in 7th grade I believe.  Here's hoping Nike will release all of the OG colorways (fingers crossed).

I am a bit late to the party, as @TheShoeGame first broke the news a few months back.  Either way, better late than never.

Congrats Green Bay

Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers -- winners of Super Bowl XLV.  The Lombardi trophy is heading home...

Henry Cavill cast as the new Man of Steel

Deadline broke news today that British actor Henry Cavill landed the title role in Warner Bros. upcoming Superman reboot.  Cavill, a relative unknown, has had some supporting parts in several recent movies (Stardust, Whatever Works) and a TV show (Showtime's The Tudors).  I was holding out hope that Armie Hammer (The Social Network) would land the role, but think that Cavill is a decent choice.  The next question is who should play Lois Lane? 

Van Halen recording new album with Roth

Rolling Stone recently reported that the Van Halen's and David Lee Roth have begun recording a new album -- their first in 27 years.  I'm not sure what I'm surprised by more -- if Eddie and Dave don't claw eachother's eyes out in the studio and this album actually gets made or that it has been 15 years since their Greatest Hits album (where Roth last recorded Van Halen material w/ 2 new tracks).

"Don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner."

Roger Ebert recently posted an article that dissected the crime classic HEAT on his blog.  It has become sort of cliche in recent years to cite this movie as the best heist movie of all-time.  While well-deserving of such accolades, the article offers sound analysis on how rich and multi-layered this cat-and-mouse epic truly is.

Trading Cards I didn't collect (but wished I had)

Retrospace has posted a collection of some hilarious trading cards.  Would these packs still come with a stick of gum or, um, something else?

Hard Case Crime update 1/21

 

The latest from Mr. Ardai...

Friends,

Bit by bit, we're getting closer to the re-launch of Hard Case Crime with our new publisher, Titan Books. Our backlist titles are already available for pre-order from bookstores and online booksellers such as Amazon.com and BN.com; copies will start shipping in February.  And we've got new books on the way, too -- if you go to our Web site, www.HardCaseCrime.com, you'll find cover art and sample chapters for four upcoming titles, all of them brand new:

$ (Dollars)

I have fond memories of seeking out obscure (for me at least, at the time) 70s movies on VHS at my local video store when in high school.  The promotion was called "2 for Tuesday" and it offered two rentals for the price of one (new releases were $2.99 and catalog titles were $.99).  There was a limit of 3 (or 6 total rentals depending on how you look at it) and you could keep them for 7 days.

I remember renting two specific titles on no particular Tuesday -- both starred Warren Beatty (The Parallax View, and ($) Dollars).  I re-watched ($) Dollars over the weekend in glorious HD on the Sony Movie Channel.

 This is a heist movie and the set-up is a good one.  Beatty plays a financial security expert at a German bank (i.e., he knows a lot about installing security systems) and a very young Goldie Hawn plays a hooker (with a special knack for dressing up in fireman's garb).  Germany happens to have a law in place such that the authorities are not allowed to search safety deposit boxes (unlike, say, in the U.S. where they do have said permission given probable cause).  Beatty and Hawn use this as a driver to charm their way into executing a rather clever and exciting bank heist.

In addition to both Beatty and Hawn, the filmmakers make good use of the filming locations.  Among other Western European cities, there are some beautiful German locations and set pieces throughout this picture.  Additionally, it boasts one of the longer chase scenes (on foot) ever filmed that I am aware of.  I can't help but wonder if it was, in part, an homage to RIFIFI -- an excellent European heist movie from the 50s that made effective use of long periods of silence.

($) Dollars is a charming picture that holds up reasonably well.  It is fun to watch Beatty in his prime and Hawn early in her career.  The chase climax, while lasting nearly 1/3 of the movie(!) is exciting throughout.  Also of note, is the colorful score by Quincy Jones. I recommend seeking out this overlooked gem.