Disorganized Crime
dir. Jim Kouf (1989)
An underappreciated comedy/heist film with more subtlety in both its script and performances than the marketing (and even a first viewing) might suggest. Rubén Blades, Fred Gwynne and Lou Diamond Phillips are particularly convincing in playing serious roles within the comedic framework.
The Blues Brothers: Private
by Judith Jacklin & Tino Insana (Perigee Books, 1980)
A movie tie-in out of left field, revealing Jake and Elwood’s backstory by way of found (often hand-scrawled) documents and archival photos—the latter used sparingly but adding value to a publication that seemingly anticipated the film’s cult status. For devotees only.
Lester at the Seaside
by Quentin Blake (Picture Lions, 1975)
Not as zany or cohesive a story as ‘Lester and the Unusual Pet’, but still a charming, freewheeling exploration of imagination. Blake mixes sharp ink lines with watery pastels to bring small blue dog/stegosaurus Lester and fat red cat/frog Otto to life.
Monkey, Series 1
(BBC, 1979)
With its beguiling opening and closing themes (by Japanese band Godiego) and mystic-synth incidental music (by keyboardist Mickie Yoshino), iconic costumes and fight scenes, moody landscapes, outrageously dubbed plot-lines and lashings of cod Buddhist philosophy, Monkey truly is a one-of-a-kind cult classic.
Underrunners
by Margaret Mahy (Viking, 1992); audiobook read by Richard Mitchley (Brilliance, 2017)
Set in rural New Zealand, a down-to-earth middle-grade exploration of hope, disappointment and making the most of things; of using imagination as a coping mechanism yet still facing up to reality. Mahy plumps for realism and character development over clichéd happy endings.
The Fifth Elephant
by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday, 1999); audiobook read by Stephen Briggs (Isis, 2000)
A relatively dour instalment that, uncharacteristically, loses a little upon re-reading. As per many City Watch stories, much rests upon Vimes’s world view (good) and a slow-burning mystery (muddled). The grating Fred Colon subplot serves only to highlight the paucity of humour.
Doctor Who: The Evil of the Daleks
by David Whitaker; dir. Derek Martinus (BBC, 1967/2021)
A moody story that stays pleasingly small-scale for the majority of its seven episodes. While the premise proves a bit batty, Dudley Simpson’s incidental music keeps the viewer invested. The animation flatters the Daleks and rises to something near resplendence on Skaro.
The Secret Island
by Enid Blyton (Basil Blackwell, 1938)
Blyton’s first full-length adventure novel is low on peril but pleasantly diverting, and more substantial than later efforts. Pitched at younger readers, it sees four children run away to fend for themselves on a bountiful island—memorably taking a cow with them!
Death at the President’s Lodging
by Michael Innes (Gollancz, 1936); audiobook read by Stephen Hogan (Audible, 2010)
Thoroughly ingenious if highly convoluted. Inspector Appleby makes little impression as a character but is active in investigating the murder and reflecting on possibilities. In audiobook form—a confoundedly soft recording!—the similarity between ‘Appleby’ and ‘Umpleby’ (the victim) proves rather distracting.
Pietr the Latvian
by Georges Simenon (A. Fayard, 1931); audiobook read by Gareth Armstrong (Bolinda, 2015); trans. David Bellos.
Inspector Maigret makes his presence felt throughout this first novel, establishing the physically imposing, somewhat misanthropic character who would feature in seventy-five books. His investigation, however, rattles along like an out-of-control train, the reader trapped inside and kept largely in the dark.