Reading the paperback of Ace Atkins’ latest Spenser novel set in Hollywood, and about 50 pages in, Spenser nearly breaks the fourth wall as he ruthlessly and pointedly mocks the Netflix movie based on an earlier novel. I suspect it felt as good/cathartic for Atkins to write the rebuke as it did for me to read it.
On Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 8:01 AM Kevin M. <[email protected]> wrote: > > > On Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 7:48 AM Diner <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Wait - Henry Cimoli is supposed to be African American? With an Italian >> name? >> Yeah, I know it's possible (Giancarlo Esposito et al.). But somehow I >> missed that detail in all the books I read. >> > > I was messaged off list about this as well. If I’m misremembering I’ll > correct it. But I recall segments from the books when Henry and Hawk speak > of, for lack of a modern phrase, the black experience. I’m going to do some > rereading thus week. If I discover I’m wrong; I’ll issue a correction (I’m > not a Trump, after all). > >> >> Anyway, congratulations on making it through an hour. I haven't had the >> courage yet. >> > > The struggle is real > > >> >> On Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at 2:14:54 AM UTC-4, Kevin M. (RPCV) wrote: >>> >>> My fiancée has the Netflix, and we decided to try to watch this giant >>> mooseturd of a movie on Sunday during dinner. I was watching it to >>> hate-watch it, to borrow the phrase from Dave S. My fiancée was watching it >>> because Mark Wahlberg and I look so much alike (that’s my story and I’m >>> sticking to it). We shut it off after about an hour (just as Marc Maron >>> made his appearance). I could not get past the way they butchered every >>> single aspect of the Spenser universe. Just a few examples: >>> >>> — Hawk talked... a lot >>> — Hawk had hair >>> — Spenser was the one who taught Hawk how to throw a punch >>> — Spenser was raised by his mother instead of by his father and uncles >>> — Henry, a short African American, was played by Alan Arkin >>> — Spenser was directionless (a truck driver?) >>> — Lots of BPD officers and detectives in the movie... none named Quirk >>> or Belson >>> — Everybody in Boston is a professional MMA fighter >>> — (ex)girlfriend not named Susan >>> — No narration/exposition/commentary from Spenser himself >>> >>> That last one really hurt the character... whether in the books or the >>> TV show, Spenser let readers/viewers in on what he was thinking and feeling >>> as he investigated a case. There was no sense that Wahlberg’s Spenser had >>> any idea what he was doing or why he was doing it, which is the antithesis >>> of who Spenser is. Spenser is fully formed from the moment the character >>> was introduced in the novels. An hour into the movie, he’s just a guy who >>> maybe sort of but not really wants to drive a truck. As a stand-alone movie >>> that had nothing to do with the Robert B. Parker novels, maybe someone >>> predisposed to like a mindless D-movie could find a morsel of entertainment >>> from this film, but for a Spenser fan, it was nauseating. >>> >>> On Fri, Mar 6, 2020 at 12:22 AM Kevin M. <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> The reviews are in... it stinks! >>>> >>>> https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/spenser-confidential-1282693 >>>> >>>> >>>> On Mon, Feb 10, 2020 at 6:04 PM Kevin M. <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> He carved out his own Belson character traits, different from the >>>>> novels but still the same relationship with Spenser. Looks like just Avery >>>>> Brooks and the love interests remain from the cast. >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Feb 10, 2020 at 5:14 PM Diner <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Speaking of Spenser... I just learned of the passing of Ron McLarty, >>>>>> the wonderful actor who played Sgt. Frank Belson on "Spenser: For Hire." >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> https://turnto10.com/news/local/east-providence-actor-author-ron-mclarty-dies-at-72 >>>>>> >>>>>> He was also one of the stars of "Cop Rock," where he did this >>>>>> gorgeous, heartbreaking rendition of a Randy Newman song. >>>>>> >>>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulg1HiMiuuQ >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>> Groups "TVorNotTV" group. >>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>>>> send an email to [email protected]. >>>>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/6c231d4b-147c-42d2-aba6-fcb70bec00d9%40googlegroups.com >>>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/6c231d4b-147c-42d2-aba6-fcb70bec00d9%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>>> . >>>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Kevin M. (RPCV) >>>>> >>>> -- >>>> Kevin M. (RPCV) >>>> >>> -- >>> Kevin M. (RPCV) >>> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "TVorNotTV" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/7997fdd8-0d2b-404b-b496-b5e1c6a42892%40googlegroups.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/7997fdd8-0d2b-404b-b496-b5e1c6a42892%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > Kevin M. (RPCV) > -- Kevin M. (RPCV) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TVorNotTV" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/CAKgmY4Ba5O%3DDjKB%2BYq7ghw%3DX5Sz7qVGzCWeH%2Bcj%3DwNr0qhtVTg%40mail.gmail.com.
