Author: John Welsh

For those who do not know, the 11:30 spot on KNXT (CBS here in the LA market back in the 60s) was filled with old movies five nights of the week. I saw many of the greats from the 40s and 50s on this, The Late Show. I watched the Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep,…

This piece began life as an inquiry as to why who’s in charge in Hollywood, whomever that might be, seldom if ever employ real science fiction writers to write the story for science fiction movies. Then I happened to see a movie from a couple of years ago titled, AD ASTRA (Latin for: Is this trip necessary?) After seeing it I…

(A tirade in the form of a movie review) Based on a true story. Clint Eastwood plays Earl Stone, a nonagenarian down on his luck. Lucky enough to be alive but homeless and broke at age 90. The internet played havoc on his flower business. He is estranged from his family. The times have no…

The sun’ll come out tomorrow Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow There’ll be sun Just thinkin’ about tomorrow Clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow ‘Til there’s none Director Charles McKay and writer Zach Dean slathered on the sunblock for this shlock, with the inspired title of The Tomorrow War. (A personal note: This humble…

In his autobiography LittleWilson and Big God, Anthony Burgess ( for those of you who did not know, his complete name was John Anthony Burgess Wilson. Furthermore, for those of you who do not know, he was author of A Clockwork Orange, Tremor in Intent, The End of the World News, among many other  novels,…

Mr Fincher, I must confess this would have been a fan letter to your father had circumstances been different. Mank enjoys a superb screenplay bearing the stamp of its subject matter. It gave us a wonderful sense of period, Hollywood, the studios of the 30s. The Paramount writer’s room had the feel of the press…

I had just emerged from the hills on highway 93 at the north end Flathead Lake on the way to Kalispell when I saw the first bumper sticker that read, To Hell With Heaven’s Gate. I was soon to see many more. This was August of 1981. Over a year after the film wrapped, ugly…