On this day in movie history - 300 (2006):

300

directed by Zack Snyder,

written by Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad and Michael B. Gordon,

based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley,

was released in the United States on December 9, 2006.
Music by Tyler Bates.

Cast:

Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Dominic West, David Wenham, Michael Fassbender, Tom Wisdom, Andrew Pleavin, Andrew Tiernan, Rodrigo Santoro, Giovani Cimmino, Stephen McHattie, Greg Kramer, Alex Ivanovici, Kelly Craig, Eli Snyder, Tyler Neitzel, Tim Connolly, Marie-Julie Rivest, Sebastian St. Germain, Peter Mensah, Arthur Holden, Michael Sinelnikoff, John Dunn-Hill, Dennis St John, Neil Napier, Dylan Smith, Maurizio Terrazzano, Robert Paradis, Kwasi Songui, Alexandra Beaton, Frédéric Smith, Loucas Minchillo, Nicholas Minchillo, Tom Rack, David Francis, James Bradford, Andrew Shaver, Robin Wilcock, Kent McQuaid, Marcel Jeannin, Jere Gillis, J. Thibodeau, Tyrone Benskin, Robert Maillet, Patrick Sabongui, Leon Laderach, Dave Lapommeray, Vervi Mauricio, Charles Papasoff, Isabelle Champeau, Veronique-Natale Szalankiewicz, Maéva Nadon, David Thibodeau, David Schaap, Jean Michel Paré, Stewart Myiow, Andreanne Ross, Sara Giacalone, Ariadne Bourbonnière, Isabelle Fournel, Sandrine Merette-Attiow, Elisabeth Etienne, Danielle Hubbard, Ruan Vibegaard, Genevieve Guilbault, Bonnie Mak, Amélie Sorel, Caroline Aspirot, Gina Gagnon, Tania Trudell, Stéphanie Aubry, Mercedes Leggett, Stephania Gambaroff, Chanelle Lamothe, Sabrina-Jasmine Guilbault, Manny Cortez Tuazon, Cindy, Atif Siddiqi, Camille Rizkallah, Trudi Hanley, Neon Cobran, Gary A. Hecker, Martin Blais, Devin Delorme, David Leitch, Deke Richards, Darren Shahlavi, Marc Trottier, Duy Vo Van, Agnieshka Wnorowska.

On this day in movie history - James Ellroy: American Dog (2006):

James Ellroy: American Dog

documentary directed and written by Clara Kuperberg and Robert Kuperberg,

was released in France on November 10, 2006.

Cast:

James Ellroy, William J. Bratton, Dana Delany, Gerald Derloshon, William Stoner, Bruce Wagner, Tim Wride.

On this day in music history - Divenire, by Ludovico Einaudi (2006):

The album Divenire,

by Ludovico Einaudi,

was released on November 7, 2006.

On this day in music history - New Used Car, by Sue Foley (2006):

The album New Used Car,

by Sue Foley,

was released on November 4, 2006.

On this day in music history - Angel Above My Piano, by Fiona Joy Hawkins (2006):

The album Angel Above My Piano,

by Fiona Joy Hawkins,

was released on October 31, 2006.

On this day in music history - Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose, by Meat Loaf (2006):

The album Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose,

by Meat Loaf,

was released on October 20, 2006.

On this day in movie history - Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride: Hunter S. Thompson on Film (2006):

Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride: Hunter S. Thompson on Film

a documentary directed by Tom Thurman,

written by Tom Marksbury,

was released at the Hollywood Film Festival in the United States on October 19, 2006.
Music by Otto Helmuth and Frank Schaap.
Narrated by Nick Nolte.

Cast:

Ed Bradley, Bob Braudis, Douglas Brinkley, William F. Buckley, Gary Busey, John Cusack, Benicio Del Toro, Johnny Depp, F.X. Feeney, Gary Hart, Art Linson, Leonard Maltin, George McGovern, Bill Murray, Laila Nabulsi, Nick Nolte, Sean Penn, Harry Dean Stanton, Ralph Steadman, Anita Thompson, Hunter S. Thompson, Juan Thompson, Nick Tosches, Jann Wenner, Tom Wolfe.

On this day in movie history - The Departed (2006):

The Departed

directed by Martin Scorsese,

written by William Monahan,

was released in the United States on October 6, 2006.
Inspired by the movie Infernal Affairs (2002), directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak.
Music by Howard Shore.

Cast:

Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin, Anthony Anderson, Kevin Corrigan, James Badge Dale, David O'Hara, Mark Rolston, Robert Wahlberg, Kristen Dalton, Amanda Lynch, Shay Duffin.

On this day in movie history - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006):

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

directed by Jonathan Liebesman,

written by Sheldon Turner,

based on a story by Sheldon Turner and David J. Schow,

was released in the United States on October 6, 2006.
Music by Steve Jablonsky.

Cast:

Jordana Brewster, Taylor Handley, Diora Baird, Matt Bomer, R. Lee Ermey, Andrew Bryniarski, Lee Tergesen, Terrence Evans, Kathy Lamkin, Marietta Marich, L.A. Calkins, Tim DeZarn, Allison Marich, Marcus H. Nelson, Lew Temple, Cyia Batten, Melody Chase, Heather Kafka, Emily Kaye, John Larroquette.

On this day in movie history - Bug (2006):

Bug

directed by William Friedkin,

written by Tracy Letts,

based on the play by Tracy Letts,

was released in the United States on September 25, 2006.
Music by Brian Tyler.

Cast:

Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, Lynn Collins, Brían F. O'Byrne, Harry Connick, Jr.

On this day in movie history - The Black Dahlia (2006):

The Black Dahlia

directed by Brian De Palma,

written by Josh Friedman,

based on the novel by James Ellroy,

was released in the United States on September 15, 2006.
Music by Mark Isham.

Cast:

Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Mia Kirshner, Mike Starr, Fiona Shaw, Patrick Fischler, James Otis, John Kavanagh, Troy Evans, Anthony Russell, Pepe Serna, Angus MacInnes, Rachel Miner, Victor McGuire, Gregg Henry, Jemima Rooper, Rose McGowan, Dan Ponce, Graham Norris, Mike O'Connell, Michael P. Flannigan, John Solari, Stephanie L. Moore, Noel Arthur, Todd Thomas, Steve Eastin, Ian McNeice, Claudia Katz Minnick, Mia Frye, Richard Brake, William Finley, Joost Scholte, Terrell J. Ramsey, Teo, Kiril Efremov, Petar Milchev, Désirée Cyganek, Brian De Palma, Kevin Dunn, k.d. lang, David Raibon.

On this day in movie history - Factotum (2006):

Factotum

directed by Bent Hamer,

written by Bent Hamer and Jim Stark,

based on the novel by Charles Bukowski,

was released in the United States on August 18, 2006.
Music by Kristin Asbjørnsen.

End titles song: Slow Day by Kristin Asbjørnsen.

Cast:

Matt Dillon, Lili Taylor, Didier Flamand, Fisher Stevens, Marisa Tomei, Adrienne Shelly, Karen Young, Thomas Lyons, Dean Brewington, James Cada, James Michael Detmar, Kurt Schweickhardt, Dee Noah, James Noah, Michael Egan, Terry Hempleman, Emily Hynnek, Wayne Morton, Tony Papenfuss, Lana Schwab, Sally Wingert, Robert Downing Davis, Bryan J. Walker, Dan Lee Jr., Peter Moore, Bruce Bohne, Larry Roupe, Chris Carlson, Stephen D'Ambrose, Emil Herrera, Michelle Hutchison, Andy Hubbell, Martin Marinaro, Raye Birk, Stephen Pelinski, Stanley Kipper, Brent Doyle, John Paul Gamoke, Jim Lichtscheidl, Jay Gjernes, Clyde Lund, Debbie DeLisi, George McGuire, Brad Madson, Gary Tournier, Esera Tuaolo, John Nadeau, Cathi Cooper, Carole Samuelson.

Recommended reading - Pulp Fiction: The Crimefighters (2006):

Pulp Fiction: The Crimefighters (2006).
Edited by Otto Penzler.

Published by Quercus.
Hardcover.

ISBN-10: 1905204566
ISBN-13: 978-1905204564

Description:

“These stories still cut, still tear, still even shock … These guys went places maybe they shouldn’t and we love them for it.” – Harlan Coben.

Some writing has an edge that time just can’t dull.
Welcome to the world of pulp fiction.
Within these pages are the very best crime stories from the pulp magazines of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.
These are stories of the mean streets of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
These are stories in which danger and death are always just around the corner.
These are the stories which created crime fiction as we know it today.

On this day in music history - Factotum, by Kristin Asbjørnsen (2006):

The album Factotum,

by Kristin Asbjørnsen,

was released on August 15, 2006.
The soundtrack to the movie Factotum (2005).

Recommended reading - The Mammoth Book of Perfect Crimes and Impossible Mysteries (2006):

The Mammoth Book of Perfect Crimes and Impossible Mysteries (2006).

Edited by Mike Ashley.

Published by Running Press.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0786718935

ISBN-13: 978-0786718931

Description:

Mystery conundrums from crime's finest storytellers.

This ingenious new anthology from Mike Ashley presents nearly 30 impossible mysteries and bizarre crimes guaranteed to fascinate and intrigue. Among them are some crimes so impossible that they’re near perfect, and others so perfect that they’re impossible to solve.

In all, the delight is in unravelling the puzzle and trying to work out what on earth happened.

Cases include:

A man in an all-glass phone booth, clearly visible and with no one near him, is killed by an ice pick.

Someone sitting alone in a room is shot by a bullet fired only once and that was over 200 years ago.

A man enters a cable-car carriage alone and is visible the entire journey but is found dead when he reaches the bottom.

A man vanishes at the top of the Indian rope trick and is found dead miles away.

A dead man continues to receive mail in response to letters apparently written by him after he'd died.

The stories include several brand new masterpieces as well as lesser known rare gems – from such names as Robert Randisi, Edward D. Hoch, Joseph Commings, Peter Tremayne, Bill Pronzini and Gillian Linscott.

On this day in music history - Phobia, by Breaking Benjamin (2006):

The album Phobia,

by Breaking Benjamin,

was released on August 8, 2006.

Recommended reading - The Origins of the American Detective Story (2006):

The Origins of the American Detective Story (2006).

By LeRoy Lad Panek.

Published by McFarland.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0786427760

ISBN-13: 978-0786427765

Description:

Edgar Allan Poe essentially invented the detective story in 1841 with Murders in the Rue Morgue. In the years that followed, however, detective fiction in America saw no significant progress as a literary genre. Much to the dismay of moral crusaders like Anthony Comstock, dime novels and other sensationalist publications satisfied the public's hunger for a yarn. Things changed as the century waned, and eventually the detective was reborn as a figure of American literature. In part these changes were due to a combination of social conditions, including the rise and decline of the police as an institution; the parallel development of private detectives; the birth of the crusading newspaper reporter; and the beginnings of forensic science. Influential, too, was the new role model offered by a wildly popular British import named Sherlock Holmes.

Focusing on the late 19th century and early 20th, this volume covers the formative years of American detective fiction.

On this day in movie history - Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light (2006):

Film Noir: Bringing Darkness to Light

documentary directed by Gary Leva,

was released in the United States on July 18, 2006.

Cast:

John Alton, Drew Casper, Roger Deakins, John Debney, Edward Dmytryk, James Ellroy, Glenn Erickson, William Goldman, Jane Greer, Haden Guest, Patricia King Hanson, Brian Helgeland, Peter Honess, Rick Jewell, Janusz Kaminski, Eric Lax, Carol Littleton, Michael Madsen, Christopher McQuarrie, Frank Miller, Eddie Muller, Kim Newman, Christopher Nolan, John Ottman, Nicholas Pileggi, Sydney Pollack, André Previn, Graeme Revell, Henry Rollins, Theresa Russell, Paul Schrader, Talia Shire, Newton Thomas Sigel, Alain Silver, Audrey Totter, James Ursini, Gordon Willis, Lili Fini Zanuck.

On this day in music history - American V: A Hundred Highways, by Johnny Cash (2006):

The album American V: A Hundred Highways,

by Johnny Cash,

was released on July 4, 2006.

On this day in music history - Beautiful Things, by Lee Aaron (2006):

The album Beautiful Things,

by Lee Aaron,

was released on June 29, 2006.