On this day in music history - Love and Titanium, by Jeremy Renner (2024):

Love and Titanium

Album by Jeremy Renner,
released January 19, 2024.

Track list:

Lucky Man; The River; Wait; Love and Titanium; Garden of Stone; Lonesome Town; Survive.

Recommended reading - 1001 Movie Posters (2024):

1001 Movie Posters

Designs of the Times

Edited by Tony Nourmand.

Introduction by Christopher Frayling.

Contribution by Alison Elangasinghe.

Published by Reel Art Press.

Published 2024.

Hardcover.

ISBN-10: 1909526932

ISBN-13: 9781909526938

Description:

Steeped in nostalgia, this beautiful, diverse and definitive collection features posters from over 20 countries with work by over 150 art directors and illustrators.

The most comprehensive overview of movie posters ever published, 1001 Movie Posters is a definitive coffee-table volume from world authority on the art form, Tony Nourmand. Spanning more than a century of global imagery, the book celebrates the most arresting, aesthetically powerful examples of the genre, including a number of posters that have never been published before.

There has always been a raw immediacy to film posters: provoking and enticing, shocking and seducing audiences across the threshold of the movie theater. The artists tasked with communicating that have been at the forefront of design: groundbreaking visionaries such as Saul Bass and Paul Rand; Eastern European artists using poetic, surreal and often disturbing imagery in highly original and subversive concepts. Other poster artists have woven contemporaneous movements in art and popular culture into their designs, creating a time capsule of the obsessions and concerns of a different era.

Iconic posters for films such as Metropolis, The Man with the Golden Arm, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Goldfinger sit alongside more unexpected and lesser-known artwork for films such as 2001, Star Wars, Taxi Driver and The Birds. Nearly all cinematic movements are included, from early silent masterpieces through German Expressionism, film noir of the 1940s, 1950s science fiction, the psychedelic imagery of the 1960s, the gritty violence and retribution of the 1970s and 1980s, and then onward into the 21st century, where the stripped-back graphics nod back to the Bass minimalism of the 1950s.

An extraordinary visual compendium, 1001 Movie Posters is the final word on movie posters and a must for film lovers and anyone interested in the power of advertising and design.

"Cinematographic posters are like popular songs… they take you back to certain moments of your life, preventing you from losing them. They take you back not only to the film, but to their seasons, the atmosphere, and the taste of an era.” – Federico Fellini.

A vast selection of posters spanning the past century offers insight into contemporaneous tastes and styles, showcasing the medium’s eye-catching artistic innovations: glamorous paintings for 1922’s Salomé, scratchy, left-field illustration for 1987’s Withnail and I, and that terrifying, looming shark for 1975’s Jaws. – Tara Joshi, Guardian.

... readers can travel back in time with a rich collection of iconic posters from memorable films including 'Metropolis,' 'Breakfast at Tiffany’s,' 'Goldfinger,' 'Star Wars' and 'Taxi Driver' and 'The Birds.' – Lizz Schumer, People Magazine.

Spanning the colourful Parisian lithographs that marked the first public film screening by the Lumière brothers in 1896 through to recent blockbusters including 'Barbie' and 'Parasite,' it is the most comprehensive collection of film posters ever published. – Aimee McLaughlin, Creative Review.

In the exquisite '1001 Movie Posters: Designs of the Times,' Nourmand shares a wealth of his own favorites. [...] The volume is thick and arguably the most comprehensive review ever published. – Elena Clavarino, Air Mail.

Page after page elicits gasps. – Ty Burr, The Wall Street Journal.

A sweeping 640-page compendium of promotional posters announcing movies around the world, from 'Do The Right Thing' to 'Parasite,' to 'Snow White' to 'Star Wars' (the American, Hungarian, and Polish versions) to the first public screening in 1896. – The New York Times Book Review.

Recommended reading - Noir City Annual 2023 (2024):

Noir City Annual 2023

By Eddie Muller.

Edited by Imogen Sara Smith.

No. 16

Published by Film Noir Foundation.

Published 2024.

Paperback.

ASIN: B0DG6XTLVL

ISBN-13: 979-8218508180

Description:

2024's NOIR CITY Annual 16, the best of the best from the Film Noir Foundation's 2023 NOIR CITY Magazines, is here – essays, profiles, interviews, and appreciations of classic and modern noir films from today's top writers. This year's contributors are Imogen Sara Smith, Danilo Castro, Rachel Walther, Jake Hinkson, Vince Keenan, Steve Kronenberg, John Wranovics, Jeremy Arnold, Peter Tonguette, Wallace Stroby, Andy Wolverton, Thomas Burchfield, Ben Terrall, and Eddie Muller. Book layout and design by Michael Kronenberg. And, as with any purchase from the FNF, when you buy the NOIR CITY Annual 16, you'll be helping fund the non-profit foundation's film restoration efforts.

On this day in movie history - The Power of Film (2024):

The Power of Film

6-part documentary,

directed by Laura Gabbert,

written by Doug Pray and Howard Suber,

was released in the United States on January 4, 2024.

Music by Garron Chang.

Episodes: Popular and Memorable; Trapped Between Fate & Destiny; The Power of Character Relationships; Heroes and Villains; The Power of Paradox; Love and Meaning.

Cast: Howard Suber.

Recommended reading - Golden Age Whodunits (2024):

Golden Age Whodunits

Edited by Otto Penzler.

Short story anthology.

Published by American Mystery Classics.

Published 2024.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 1613165420

ISBN-13: 978-1613165423

Description:

Depending on who you ask, the term "whodunit" was first coined sometime around 1930, but the literary form predates that name by several decades. Still, it was in the years between the two World Wars--the so-called "Golden Age" of mystery fiction--that the style flourished. Short mysteries were published far and wide by a variety of authors, not just those primarily associated with the genre. They appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, Cosmopolitan, The New Yorker, and other high-end periodicals that still exist today. These tales were, in short, among the most popular diversions in literature and were of the highest caliber.

Fifteen puzzling tales from the masters of the mystery genre Depending on who you ask, the term “whodunit” was first coined sometime around 1930, but the literary form predates that name by several decades. Still, it was in the years between the two World Wars – the so-called “Golden Age” of mystery fiction – that the style flourished. Short mysteries were published far and wide by a variety of authors, not just those primarily associated with the genre. They appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, Cosmopolitan, The New Yorker, and other high-end periodicals that still exist today. These tales were, in short, among the most popular diversions in literature and were of the highest caliber.

In this volume, Edgar Award–winning anthologist Otto Penzler collects some of the finest American whodunits of the era, including household names and welcome rediscoveries. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ellery Queen, and Mary Roberts Rinehart are all included, as are Ring Lardner, Melville Davisson Post, and Helen Reilly. The result is a cross section of the whodunit tale in the years that made it a staple in mystery fiction.

"Stellar . . . there’s not a weak link in the bunch. For classic mystery fans, this is a must." – Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW.

"Guaranteed to make Americans prouder of their country than any episode in its recent political history." – Kirkus.

"You simply can’t go wrong with any anthology that has [Otto Penzler’s] name on it." – Parade Magazine.

"Penzler’s depth of knowledge of the genre is in full evidence in this volume . . . This anthology is sure to contain something to surprise even the most diehard mystery fan." – Toronto Star.

Recommended reading - PHICTION: Tales from the World of Phantasm (2024):

PHICTION: Tales from the World of Phantasm

By Don Coscarelli.

Illustrated by Aaron Lea.

Foreward by Joe R. Lansdale.

Paperback.

Published by Molotov Press.

Published 2024.

ASIN: B0D2QZ3MQK

ISBN-13: 979-8988243038

Description:

“Electrifyingly tense and gruesome… Horror fans and cult devotees of the classic horror series will find Coscarelli’s ingenuity a rare treat.” - Kirkus Reviews.

“It’s magnificent. An impressive collection of remarkable short-story horror fiction that I can proudly display on my bookshelf next to Poe, King, Dahl, Barker, Bradbury, and Lovecraft.” - Nick DiGilio, WGN Chicago.

In 1979, filmmaker Don Coscarelli (Bubba Ho-tep, The Beastmaster) wrote and directed what became one of the seminal sci-fi/horror films of that era, Phantasm. The film was a worldwide theatrical success and spawned four

acclaimed sequels.

For the first time in the history of horror cinema, a celebrated filmmaker of a cult-classic horror film series has continued the adventure by swapping mediums and personally authoring a series of fictional works exploring in detail the characters he originally created. Coscarelli has now returned to the world of Phantasm to tell more tales of these inspiring phantasmic heroes.

PHICTION comprises six stories set in the expansive Phantasm world that have never been told before:

In Life and Death in the 'Nam we explore the origin story of our favorite ice cream vendor/hero Reggie and his first encounter with the supernatural forces of evil in the jungles of the Vietnam war. It's a two-fisted tale of a young man enduring the horrors of war and at the same time facing down the horrors of the unknown.

In Behind the Mortuary Door we learn the secrets of the embalming trade from one of the most memorable characters from the original film.

In He Was Home Alone we revisit the young boy Tim, prior to the events from Phantasm Ill, and how, using only his wits and guile, he survives against unspeakable horrors.

In Tobe we follow the trail of one of Phantasm's forgotten characters as he witnesses the key events of that film from an entirely different perspective.

In The Rocky Road we track the events of one of the Phantasm saga's fan-favorite characters, the nunchuck-wielding Rocky as she's mustered out of the armed services and travels the backroads of the rural South in the early 90's. In a desperate search to find her family she encounters love, vengeance and horror, frequently reacting in the only way she knows how, with her fists and her feet.

And finally in Escape From New York we join another Phantasm fan-favorite character, the diminutive Chunk from Phantasm Ravager as he attempts to flee his home in the big city from the horror of an oncoming apocalypse. Along the way he bonds with some unexpected allies on a thrilling quest for survival.

In association with illustrator Aaron Lea (GHOST, Rob Zombie), Molotov Press now presents Phiction: Tales from the World of Phantasm.

Tales from the world of Phantasm.

Phiction conuures six stunning new tales from the world of the classic Phantasm film franchise. Acclaimed filmmaker, series creator and Master of Horror, Don Coscarelli, returns the reader to Morningside Mortuary with revelatory origin stories for some of the Phantasm saga’s most compelling characters including ice cream vendor/action hero Reggie, fan-favorite Rocky from Phantasm III and Chunk from Phantasm: Ravager.

Six Stories from the master of horror.

“You are in for a treat. As with the [Phantasm] films, these stories will give you what people call chicken skin, and others call Goosebumps. What [Phiction] will do above all else, is entertain. Dive in. The dark waters are fines.” – Joe R. Lansdale (best-selling author of Hap & Leonard, Cold in July and Bubba Ho-tep).

Recommended reading - The Backyard Beekeeper (2024):

The Backyard Beekeeper (2024).
An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden.
By Kim Flottum.

Revised and Updated.
5th Edition.

ISBN-10: 0760385823
ISBN-13: 978-0760385821

Description:

Enjoy the time-honored tradition of beekeeping in your own backyard or urban rooftop with this accessible resource for beekeepers of all skill levels, now in its 5th edition.

More than a guide to beekeeping, The Backyard Beekeeper features expert advice for:

Setting up and caring for your own colonies

Selecting the best location to place your new bee colonies for their safety and yours

The most practical and nontoxic ways to care for your bees

Swarm control

Using top bar hives

Harvesting the products of a beehive and collecting and using honey

Bee problems and treatments

New in this edition:

Natural beekeeping techniques like insulating hives for the winter to mimic the advantages of bee homes in the wild

Important new treatments for and updated info on the battle with Varroa mites

How to deal with the new antibiotic recommendations for American foulbrood

Introduction to new recordkeeping technology to consider

In addition to content updates to reflect the most recent research and technology in beekeeping, the book features a new design with larger, easier-to-read text, many new photos, and a more easily navigable structure.

With this complete reference and the expert advice of Bee Culture editor emeritus Kim Flottum, your bees will be healthy, happy, and more productive.

On this day in astronomy history - Northern Lights Aurora borealis:

The view of the Northern Lights Aurora borealis, from our home on Friday, May 10, 2024.
I’ve always loved astronomy and I wish I had more time to dedicate to it.
It was great to experience this rare natural event with my wife.