He got the hell outta Dodge....

[michchick98]

James Arness dies at 88.

James Arness, a real-life World War II hero who came home to create television's ultimate lawman in Marshal Matt Dillon, died today at his Brentwood, Calif., home. He was 88.

Arness died of natural causes, said his business manager Ginny Fazer, who told Reuters he had "just been fading" in recent years. "No disease, nothing untoward, he just got tired, I guess."

Full story here.


"Gunsmoke" opening credits:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4hjhirwc_o&NR=1

I've never been a big fan of Westerns, either TV or movies, but I always liked watching Gunsmoke, when I could find it while channel surfing, of course.

Rest in peace, Marshal Dillon.

 

[PennLady]

I always remember him from "The Thing from Outer Space," and I'm not sure I've seen him in anything else. But he was an excellent alien.

 

[Handley_Page]

I always remember the guy hobbling as fast as he can yelling "Mr Dillon, Mr Dillon"

Rest in Peace, Marshall.

 

[estragon]

The guy who was hobbling was Dennis Weaver, a track star in his college days at U of Wyoming and later the star of a detective series "MacLeod". He played Chester, Marshall Dillon's assistant. He died in 2006.

James Arness was fabulous! Gunsmoke was the first adult Western, and for its day was as daring as the original Star Trek was.
What a round-up they're having in Heaven!

 

[TE999]

No one but the Grim Reaper ever beat Marshal Dillon to the draw.

Requiescat in pace, James.

 

[lovecraft68]

I always remember him from "The Thing from Outer Space," and I'm not sure I've seen him in anything else. But he was an excellent alien.

I was going to say that but felt like a geek for knowing it. Thanks for making me feel better!

I'll go one further and ask you if, without using google (I'll trust you), you know the author of the short story that movie was based on.

 

[PennLady]

I was going to say that but felt like a geek for knowing it. Thanks for making me feel better!

I'll go one further and ask you if, without using google (I'll trust you), you know the author of the short story that movie was based on.

I have a geek side. Comes from going to an engineering school (tho I didn't major in that), and many geeky friends, and a love of sf/fantasy that happened even before that. Blame Dad -- he suggested I read Dune.

I can't give you the author without looking but I have read the short story; as I recall, John Carpenter's The Thing was truer to the source. I have a book called Reel Fiction, which is a collection of sf shorts that became movies, including The Sentinel (became 2001: A Space Odyssey) and We'll Remember it for you Wholesale (written by Philip K. Dick, became Total Recall).

I can also hold my own on low-level Star Wars and Star Trek trivia.

 

[lovecraft68]

I have a geek side. Comes from going to an engineering school (tho I didn't major in that), and many geeky friends, and a love of sf/fantasy that happened even before that. Blame Dad -- he suggested I read Dune.

I can't give you the author without looking but I have read the short story; as I recall, John Carpenter's The Thing was truer to the source. I have a book called Reel Fiction, which is a collection of sf shorts that became movies, including The Sentinel (became 2001: A Space Odyssey) and We'll Remember it for you Wholesale (written by Philip K. Dick, became Total Recall).

I can also hold my own on low-level Star Wars and Star Trek trivia.

Star Wars and Star Trek I am lacking. I speak neither Wookie nor Klingon.

My strengths are comic books from the 40's to the 90's and pretty much the entire horror genre.

the movie was based on a story by Richard Matheson (Hell house, duel, I am Legend and many others) and you are correct. The Carpenter version was much more true to the "it walks among us" Paranoia instilled in the story.

More geek trivia another Matheson story that became huge was he wrote the story "Prey" which was turned into a short story starring Karen Black and was bout an African Zumi fetish doll that comes to life. It is one of those cult classics.

Frightening that people our age can come up with this stuff without google. Trivia is a dying breed every answer is a click away.

 

[lovecraft68]

Star Wars and Star Trek I am lacking. I speak neither Wookie nor Klingon.

My strengths are comic books from the 40's to the 90's and pretty much the entire horror genre.

the movie was based on a story by Richard Matheson (Hell house, duel, I am Legend and many others) and you are correct. The Carpenter version was much more true to the "it walks among us" Paranoia instilled in the story.

More geek trivia another Matheson story that became huge was he wrote the story "Prey" which was turned into a short story starring Karen Black and was bout an African Zumi fetish doll that comes to life. It is one of those cult classics.

Frightening that people our age can come up with this stuff without google. Trivia is a dying breed every answer is a click away.

As an aside Dune is one of those "Must reads" and all time classics yet I just did not get into it at all

oops just quoted myself. Hate when I do that.

 

[estragon]

The guy who was hobbling was Dennis Weaver, a track star in his college days at U of Wyoming and later the star of a detective series "MacLeod". He played Chester, Marshall Dillon's assistant. He died in 2006.

James Arness was fabulous! Gunsmoke was the first adult Western, and for its day was as daring as the original Star Trek was.
What a round-up they're having in Heaven!

Having searched the current substitute for Bishop Berkeley's Mind of God, namely Google, I find that the late Dennis Weaver was a track star at University of Oklahoma (in deference to my son-in-law, Boomer Sooner!), and that the series in which he starred post-Gunsmoke was "McCloud".

 

[PennLady]

Star Wars and Star Trek I am lacking. I speak neither Wookie nor Klingon.

My strengths are comic books from the 40's to the 90's and pretty much the entire horror genre.

the movie was based on a story by Richard Matheson (Hell house, duel, I am Legend and many others) and you are correct. The Carpenter version was much more true to the "it walks among us" Paranoia instilled in the story.

More geek trivia another Matheson story that became huge was he wrote the story "Prey" which was turned into a short story starring Karen Black and was bout an African Zumi fetish doll that comes to life. It is one of those cult classics.

Frightening that people our age can come up with this stuff without google. Trivia is a dying breed every answer is a click away.

I said "low-level." I don't speak Klingon or Wookie or Romulan or anything else. I've seen all six Star Wars movies but haven't read the books, and so like I said, can hold my own up to a point. I've seen much but not all Star Trek. I know some comic trivia, but it's pretty limited to X-Men. Anything I know about Superman, etc., was from reading about the comics, not the comics themselves.

Horror I'm weaker on, although again, I know various things about various movies and books because of what I've read about them, even if I haven't seen them. I'm also pretty choosy about my horror -- no slasher or Saw films for me, thanks. I'm a big fan of "The Serpent and the Rainbow," though. I haven't seen or read "Prey," but then that's not surprising.

My dad is a trivia machine, albeit not on these subjects. My mom hated playing Trivial Pursuit with him, and wouldn't let us be on the same team.

 

[lovecraft68]

I said "low-level." I don't speak Klingon or Wookie or Romulan or anything else. I've seen all six Star Wars movies but haven't read the books, and so like I said, can hold my own up to a point. I've seen much but not all Star Trek. I know some comic trivia, but it's pretty limited to X-Men. Anything I know about Superman, etc., was from reading about the comics, not the comics themselves.

Horror I'm weaker on, although again, I know various things about various movies and books because of what I've read about them, even if I haven't seen them. I'm also pretty choosy about my horror -- no slasher or Saw films for me, thanks. I'm a big fan of "The Serpent and the Rainbow," though. I haven't seen or read "Prey," but then that's not surprising.

My dad is a trivia machine, albeit not on these subjects. My mom hated playing Trivial Pursuit with him, and would let us be on the same team.

Oh yeah I hate slasher films. Well the first Halloween was well done and even the First Friday the 13th and Nightmare were original then it goes down hill. All it is about now is sequels and remakes.

Over the last few years my idea of horror has drifted towards "human horror" Movies like Seven and Silence of the Lambs. Hell some Criminal Minds episodes are pretty intense these days.

I really didn't get into Star wars or trek but tell you what, for some reason I can watch Jaws over and over and quote half of it. Sigh I am not proud of myself.

 

[PennLady]

I really didn't get into Star wars or trek but tell you what, for some reason I can watch Jaws over and over and quote half of it. Sigh I am not proud of myself.

I liked "Silence of the Lambs," didn't care for "Se7en." I enjoy some zombie stuff, including "The Walking Dead" on AMC. And while not exactly horror, but full of suspense, I like "Night of the Hunter" from 1951 or so.

Don't be embarrassed about "Jaws." It is an excellent flick, and I like to watch it myself although I probably can't quote so much. I believe Roger Ebert (for those of you that enjoy his writing) has named it a Great Movie. I think "Jaws" is great because it sticks to its story -- there is a shark out there and a man will kill it. It does not get lost in subplots or special effects. I'll stop before I go too far off.

An interesting sort of sf/horror/noir film that is my favorite of all time (at least some days) is "Dark City."

 

[lovecraft68]

I liked "Silence of the Lambs," didn't care for "Se7en." I enjoy some zombie stuff, including "The Walking Dead" on AMC. And while not exactly horror, but full of suspense, I like "Night of the Hunter" from 1951 or so.

Don't be embarrassed about "Jaws." It is an excellent flick, and I like to watch it myself although I probably can't quote so much. I believe Roger Ebert (for those of you that enjoy his writing) has named it a Great Movie. I think "Jaws" is great because it sticks to its story -- there is a shark out there and a man will kill it. It does not get lost in subplots or special effects. I'll stop before I go too far off.

An interesting sort of sf/horror/noir film that is my favorite of all time (at least some days) is "Dark City."

Silence of the Lambs was one of the few movies that outdid the book IMO anyway. They did however kill it as did Thomas Harris himself. Hannibal was horrible and Red Dragon drastically altered to give Lecter a bigger part. Hannibal rising was okay except that because it was put out backwards there was no suspense. You know he lives.

Seven was great although the ending seemed rushed and Gweneth Paltrows character was useless and existed only to die. The serial killer John Doe was one of those that I would have loved a sequel or in that case a prequel. I am also a Paradise Lost fan so the deadly sin motif got me.

I am not into Zombie movies although Walking Dead did stick to Kirkman's comic book series. I have no idea what is happening with that however as since I closed the store I have become bitter and won;t look at another comic book. That is what happens when you start making a passion all about dollars it loses it's appeal.

As for Jaws. What gets to me is that no matter how many times I watch it, near the end when Quint blows up the motor I always find myself pissed off. Like "All he had to do was let up and they would have got him!" Like it's going to change. Guess that's what makes it a good flick.

Jeez i have had lot of caffeine today!

 

[PennLady]

Silence of the Lambs was one of the few movies that outdid the book IMO anyway. They did however kill it as did Thomas Harris himself. Hannibal was horrible and Red Dragon drastically altered to give Lecter a bigger part. Hannibal rising was okay except that because it was put out backwards there was no suspense. You know he lives.

...

As for Jaws. What gets to me is that no matter how many times I watch it, near the end when Quint blows up the motor I always find myself pissed off. Like "All he had to do was let up and they would have got him!" Like it's going to change. Guess that's what makes it a good flick.

Jeez i have had lot of caffeine today!

I had no desire to read/see any more Lecter movies, but that's just me. I know that I have my limits on darkness and so I stopped. Some day I may feel like moving my limits and then I may read/see them.

Zombie stuff is okay, although of course the real thing is how the non-zombie survivors handle things. The horror is often more from what the "normal" people do, or don't do. Zombies, mostly, are not very interesting monsters.

Quint was a man possessed. but don't feel bad about that reaction -- my Dad watches "Gettysburg" once a year or so and says he watches to see if the South will win. Fairly sure he's kidding, especially since his relatives -- way back when -- fought for the Union.

 

[lovecraft68]

I had no desire to read/see any more Lecter movies, but that's just me. I know that I have my limits on darkness and so I stopped. Some day I may feel like moving my limits and then I may read/see them.

Zombie stuff is okay, although of course the real thing is how the non-zombie survivors handle things. The horror is often more from what the "normal" people do, or don't do. Zombies, mostly, are not very interesting monsters.

Quint was a man possessed. but don't feel bad about that reaction -- my Dad watches "Gettysburg" once a year or so and says he watches to see if the South will win. Fairly sure he's kidding, especially since his relatives -- way back when -- fought for the Union.

Don't know if you read Peter benchley's Jaws. But it was vastly different. The loveable Richard Dreyfuss version of Hooper in the movie was made up. In the book Hooper ends up dead but not before he fucks Brody's wife!

 

[PennLady]

Don't know if you read Peter benchley's Jaws. But it was vastly different. The loveable Richard Dreyfuss version of Hooper in the movie was made up. In the book Hooper ends up dead but not before he fucks Brody's wife!

No I haven't read the novel. No real reason, just never got there. Sounds like I'll have to do some serious book/movie separation.

 

[lovecraft68]

No I haven't read the novel. No real reason, just never got there. Sounds like I'll have to do some serious book/movie separation.

Honestly I had seen the movie years before picking up a copy of the book. I had the movie Hooper so embedded in me that when I read the book I was like "How could he?" I was actually upset.