Crumey, Andrew: Mobius Dick

A multi-layered novel which uses quantum physics as its basis with the 'now' story interspersed with
a chronicle from the mid 19th century and another from the early 1920s, both referring to real life people though the history of the latter seems distorted.   The current activity is set in a parallel world where Scotland is a separate country under totalitarian rule.   The main character is a physicist who has been invited to aresearch facility in the Highlands to continue his work while helping to build a
new device.   He is convinced this could spell the literal end of the world by multiplying the number
of possible worlds that might appear, all this based on quantum theory.   Despite the esoteric nature of the plot's basis, the work moved along briskly and held my interest.

Barclay, Linwood: No Time For Goodbye

This is the first book I have read by this author though I have two others (such is the pull of 3 for 2
and other offers).   A teacher with a young family has been orphaned for some 25 years; she woke up after getting drunk and rowing with her parents to find the house empty with no trace of either parent or her brother and has been raised by her aunt.   Receiving a mysterious message takes her back in time with a resolve to find out just what did happen.   Although far from straightforward, the plot does hang together with a slow unravelling and a number of red herrings along the way during which she discovers that trusted friends are not trustworthy and that this leads to murder.   Set in Connecticut and New York State, the book is reasonably well written and comes to asatisfactory
conclusion, part of which I for one worked out ahead of time.

Killen,Chris: The Bird Room

Rather an odd first novel which tells of a typically uncharismatic young man with a lovely girl friend who is surprisingly in love with him.   He has a friend who is on the way to becoming the new artistic sensation.   Not surprisingly, the girl friend takes up with the artist leaving the everyday chappie in a mess of mixed emotions.   Crossing the men's paths is an aspiring actress who makes her way in life by appearing in porn films.   Lightly written with some wit, it left me cold.

The Big Gundown: Sergio Sollima

The final viewing of the Festival for us was, for once, enhanced by the introduction by the aficionada of Spaghetti Westerns, Sir Christopher Frayling.   Considered the director's best film, it started the
Italian career of Tomas Milian as a Mexican wanted for rape and murder.   Chased by Lee Van Cleef at his steely-eyed laconic best, he avoids capture until late in the film by which time Van Cleef has been convinced of his innocence.   The final shoot out sees them kill the real perpetrator while managing to survive.   The scenery providing the stage for the film is spectacular and deserves a
credit of its own while the plot with evil land barons, a Prussian killer and the good guys is s little
hackneyed now but the overall result is one which provides a lot of pleasure.

The Boys From Syracuse: A Edward Sutherland

The film version of the Rogers and Hart musical based on 'A Comedy of Errors' with Allan Jones of
'Donkey Serenade' fame playing the identical twins.   One has come to expect more of musicals after
the major leap forward of 'Oklahoma' and 'Carousel' both on stage and on film so this black and white
effort, though highly thought of at the time and considered important enough for the Library of Congress to restore it, is a bit of a let-down.   The music is pleasant but not the duos best and not enough to overcome the wooden performances, somewhat unfunny comedic episodes and cardboard scenery but it is over 70 years old.

Blancanieves: Pablo Berger

Returning to the London Film Festival's offerings after an unnecessarily long pause, this film was a
definite high point.   Silent, virtually, and in black and white, the story is a retelling of the Snow White fairy tale set in a recent Spain where a celebrated bullfighter is gored when distracted by a camera flash, the incident triggering his wife's giving birth to the heroine but dying as she does so.   The now crippled father wants nothing to do with the child while allowing the nurse who looks after him to marry him (a scarily icy performance by Maribel Verdu).   When the child is in her late teens
she is attacked by her stepmother's lover but escapes though she loses her memory.   Saved by a troupe of dwarfs who have supporting roles at bullfights, she one day saves the life of one of them by
jumping into the ring and distracting a rampaging bull with some classic moves.   This leads to her
becoming the star of the troupe and finally she appears to great acclaim in the ring where her father
ended his career.   A successful performance ends with her sparing the bull (a tradition after a truly
great showing) but her stepmother, in disguise, gives her a poisioned apple which kills her (or perhaps leaves her catatonic) to become a freak sideshow attraction.   Excellent camera work which
enhances the Gothic nature of the story; a very good musical score and well considered performance
make this a film worth seeing again.