Category Archives: Michael Crichton

2013 Book to Movie Challenge – completed

Posted on 17 December 2013 by

I had promised myself that in 2013 I would not undertake any new Challenges … but this one created by Katie over at her Doing Dewey blog proved irresistible. I selected the Movie Aficionado level (a dozen books to be reviewed … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013 Book to Movie Challenge, Bill Pronzini, Boileau-Narcejac, Bryan Forbes, Harlan Ellison, Michael Crichton, Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler, Richard Matheson, Stanley Ellin | 22 Comments

The Carey Treatment (1972) – Tuesday’s Overlooked Film

Posted on 27 August 2013 by

Based on Michael Crichton’s A Case of Need (which I reviewed here), this was one of Blake Edwards’ occasional excursions into the mystery genre (I profiled some of the others here). Edwards and the screenwriters disowned the released version and it does take many … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013 Book to Movie Challenge, Blake Edwards, Boston, Michael Crichton, Tuesday's Overlooked Film | Tagged , | 31 Comments

The First Great Train Robbery (1978) – Tuesday’s Overlooked Film

Posted on 6 August 2013 by

A hugely successful writer, Michael Crichton had a more patchy career as a director. After two high concept hits, Westworld (1973) and Coma (1978), he changed tack with this meticulously researched caper based on a real-life Victorian bullion robbery. It won … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013 Book to Movie Challenge, England, London, Michael Crichton, Tuesday's Overlooked Film | 34 Comments

Pursuit (1972) – Tuesday’s Forgotten Film

Posted on 30 July 2013 by

Ben Gazzara, E.G Marshall and Martin Sheen star in this ticking clock thriller by Michael Crichton in which the countdown is actually shown superimposed on-screen. This was a pretty nifty gimmick for a modest ABC TV Movie of the Week … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013 Book to Movie Challenge, John Lange, Michael Crichton, San Diego, Tuesday's Overlooked Film | Tagged | 21 Comments

BINARY (1972) by Michael Crichton

Posted on 26 July 2013 by

This proved to be the last of the books Michael Crichton published under his ‘John Lange’ pseudonym as his secret identity was pretty much blown by then. After his mutating virus bestseller The Andromeda Strain and the Edgar-winning medical mystery A Case of Need … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013 Book to Movie Challenge, Friday's Forgotten Book, John Lange, Michael Crichton, San Diego | 25 Comments

A CASE OF NEED (1968) by Michael Crichton

Posted on 12 July 2013 by

Why doesn’t Michael Crichton (1942-2008) get more street cred as a crime writer? Is it because he was so commercially successful? Who needs respect when your books and movies make you a multimillionaire, right? But his absence from major genre … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013 Book to Movie Challenge, Blake Edwards, Boston, Friday's Forgotten Book, Michael Crichton | 37 Comments

2013 Book to Movie Challenge

Posted on 30 December 2012 by

I had promised myself that in 2013 I would not undertake any new Challenges … but this one created over at the Doing Dewey blog was just too tempting – and besides, it’s not New Year yet so if as … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013 Book to Movie Challenge, Clive Egleton, Elleston Trevor, Francis Beeding, Harlan Ellison, Michael Crichton, Parker, Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler, Richard Matheson, Richard Stark, Ross Thomas, Stanley Ellin | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

The Blake Edwards mysteries

Posted on 6 November 2012 by

In a career spanning six decades, writer-director Blake Edwards (1922-2010) really mixed it up, making almost every conceivable type of film. There were westerns (Panhandle and Wild Rovers), musicals (Darling Lili and Victor Victoria), dark drama (Days of Wine and … Continue reading →

Posted in Blake Edwards, Cold War, Espionage, Evelyn Anthony, Hollywood, London, Michael Crichton, Mickey Spillane, Mike Hammer, Paris, Police procedural, Private Eye, Robert Bloch, Rome, San Francisco, Scene of the crime, Screwball, Tuesday's Overlooked Film, TV Cops | 44 Comments