Remembering Sir Roger

Tags

007, Audrey Hepburn, Humanitarian, James Bond, Knighthood, Queen Elizabeth, Sir Roger Moore, UNICEF

It has been a sad week.  On May 23, Sir Roger Moore passed away.  He wasn’t the original James Bond, but he was my favorite and the Bond that many of us grew up with.  He was one of my film heroes.

He was also a hero in real life.  Besides his illustrious acting career, Roger Moore was also a humanitarian.  He helped better, and possibly save, the lives of thousands, if not millions, of children around the world due to his UNICEF efforts.  He became an ambassador for UNICEF in 1991 after having been introduced to it by UNICEF ambassador Audrey Hepburn earlier in his acting career.  His efforts with UNICEF earned him a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth.  You can read more about his UNICEF accomplishments on the UNICEF website.

When I was a kid, Roger Moore was the “King of Cool.”  His Bond taught many guys like me how a well-mannered, sophisticated gentleman should act.  I was a small-town boy from southeast Louisiana.  My view of the world was limited. I was filled with pride and excitement when I first learned that Roger’s first Bond film, “Live and Let Die,” was partially filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana (a mere one hour drive from my hometown). Roger Moore’s James Bond opened my eyes to the world and showed me many exotic locales like England, Italy, France, Greece, Egypt, Brazil, Thailand, China, Jamaica and the The Bahamas just to name a few.  Henceforth, my desire to travel abroad and see the world was ignited.

Do You Know Why Today is a Special Day for Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Fans?

Tags

1977, 40th Anniversary, 40th Birthday, George Lucas, May 25, Star Wars

A long time ago….a certain science fiction/fantasy film set my imagination on fire, dared me to dream big and changed the way the world has made and watched movies ever since.

“Star Wars” celebrates its 40^th anniversary today.   I still remember waiting in line to see it with my big brother and his friend at the University Twin Cinema across from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana in 1977.  I had no idea how the film would influence and shape my life when I settled into my seat for the evening feature.   My life would never be the same.

Thank you, Mr. Lucas, for setting us on that journey forty years ago into a galaxy far, far away.

Happy Birthday, Antonio Bay! Part 2!

Tags

100th Birthday, Adrienne Barbeau, Amazon, Antonio Bay, California, Hal Holbrook, Horror, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, John Carpenter, John Houseman, The Fog, Tom Atkins

Well, if you guessed “The Fog” as the answer to the quiz in my previous post, then you’re right.  Congrats to those who knew the answer.  You certainly know your horror films!

Oddly,  I’m not a big horror movie fan.  Even though I enjoy writing in the horror and mystery genres, when it comes to film my personal movie collection is heavy with science fiction, fantasy, adventure and comedy rather than horror.  But, The Fog is one of my all time favorite horror movies (the original 1980 film directed by John Carpenter). The plot is simple, yet effective and harkens back to a nostalgic time of storytelling when ghost stories didn’t have to be gory or excessively violent to be frightening.  Sure, there is some violence in the film, but it isn’t very bloody or overt like many of the horror films and TV shows of today.  Although, the film is loaded with lots of “shocks” and “stingers” that definitely get your attention.  They are the kind of scares that happen really quick, that make you scream or jump, and then make you laugh at yourself afterward.  I won’t go into detail about the story because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone reading this who has never seen the film before.  I will mention, though, that it inspires me and encourages me to write scary stories that emphasize the old cliché, “Less is more.”

The Fog is pretty tame by current standards.  After all, it’s almost forty years old!  If you prefer your horror served up with gratuitous amounts of blood, gore and sex, then The Fog may not be for you.  However, if you enjoy clever, old school, spooky, sit-around-the-campfire ghost stories, then you might find it entertaining.  It’s a fun film to watch while curled up on the sofa with your favorite snack.

There are also a couple of personal reasons why I like The Fog.  I was a radio DJ/announcer for a few years when I lived in Louisiana, and briefly when I later lived in Florida.  So, the “Stevie Wayne” connection is something I can relate to.  Stevie Wayne is basically the main character of the film.  She is portrayed by Adrienne Barbeau.  She’s a single mom raising her son in a sleepy, yet somewhat charming little seaside town (Antonio Bay, California). Stevie recently bought a radio station atop the town lighthouse that overlooks the Pacific.  A good portion of the film takes place in and around the lighthouse/radio station.  I can relate to the tasks and responsibilities that Stevie has to contend with like the ever watchful and unforgiving demands of the clock, and time, that dictate a DJ’s every move and word while “on the air.”

Happy Birthday, Antonio Bay!

Tags

100th Birthday, Antonio Bay, California, Horror

Ahoy, Mateys!

I’m coming at you from the top of world.  It’s a very special day today in the realm of horror fiction films.  Do you know why?  Do you have any idea what the title of this post is referring to?

If you think you do, then I encourage you to post feedback here with your guess.  What do you think it means?  I’d like to hear from you.

Stay tuned…all will be revealed…soon!

A Christmas Post

Tags

Christmas, Christmas movies, Holidays

Season’s Greetings!

I felt it important to post a Christmas message being that this is my first Christmas as a blogger.  Living in a foreign country has opened my eyes to the many different ways that people celebrate this most joyous of holidays.

The Japanese (whom less than 1% are Christian) celebrate the season in their own way. Some families give gifts to their children in much the same way that people in other countries typically do.  As for the mystery and magic surrounding Santa Claus and some of the more traditional Christmas customs and practices, the Japanese are not quite as well-schooled as those from countries like Australia, Canada, the U.K., the U.S.A. and many areas of Europe and South America, but that’s understandable.  How many folks in the above countries are well-versed in traditional Shinto and Buddhist holiday practices?  Not the majority, I’m sure.

This year Christmas falls on Sunday, so many people will have the day off from work in Japan due to the simple reason that Sunday is their normal day off rather than because it’s Christmas Day.  When Christmas occurs during the regular week, very few people here have the day off and many businesses are open as usual; it’s just another day for the most part.

Here I am, for better or for worse!

Tags

Amazon, Bradley Lobue, Horror, Kindle

Howdy, I’m Blog and this is my brad!  Oh, sorry.  I mean, I’m Brad and this is my blog.

Welcome to my first blog entry.  I established this blog to promote my writing and books.  There it is!  Subtle, huh?  Honestly, I’ve never been good at self-promotion.  I’ve always regarded humility as a noble virtue and a good quality to exercise on a regular basis.  Sadly, society has taught us that humility is not very affective when it comes to promoting oneself or one’s product.  So, I guess that this blog is a type of ‘shameless self-promotion’ as one of my co-workers said at a radio station where I used to work way back when.

I’m not much of a techie (I don’t even have a cell-phone…well not anymore at least!) and blogging is new to me.  I’m not into the latest technological fads, gadgets or gizmos, either.  However, I enjoy writing when I can, and I’d like to share my writing with you.

I have enjoyed creative writing ever since I wrote my first story titled “Revenge of the Killer Spaceship” in fourth grade.  I had an amazing teacher who created a project where everyone in class wrote their own story.  After each student wrote and illustrated their own story, the teacher had each story bound in a hard cover book.  It was the first book I ever published and it was an incredible experience!