New Lincoln Community Playhouse booklist on BookGuide for The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940

The 1987 mystery-comedy-farce The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 is currently on stage (May 5-14, 2023) at the Lincoln Community Playhouse, neighbor to the Lincoln City Libraries' own Gere Branch Library. As we usually do, a new booklist was created to accompany a book display at the Gere Branch, featuring books that should appeal to fans of funny bit of mayhem.

The booklist includes book books and DVDs/Streaming videos that are similar in nature to the style of this play. But it also includes personal recommendations from the various cast and crew members who are involved in putting on this particular production. This booklist includes a little history of this play, plus descriptive blurbs and catalog hotlinks for each of the included books and DVDs.

You can "check out"this comedic booklist at the following hotlinks:

The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940

DVD Review: Blithe Spirit (2020)

Blithe Spirit

based on the novel by Noel Coward (DVD Blithe)

 

Having been a long-time fan of Noel Coward’s witty farces, and having enjoyed Dan Stevens in a few other roles in the past few years, I was looking forward to this version of Coward’s Blithe Spirit, with Stevens as put-upon author Charles Condomine. Surprisingly, this 2020 production has very little “oomph”, and coasts along solely on the limited charms of its primary cast members.

 

The plot, in a nutshell — Condomine is a 1930s British novelist, charged with writing the screenplay adaptation of one of his own novels. Only…he’s hit a brick wall, creatively, and is facing looming deadlines for his work. He has the brilliant idea to invite a spiritualist, Madame Acarti (Judy Dench) to his own home for an-person display of her prowess (and based on her recent public shaming, he believes her to be a charlatan), but things go horribly awry and Acarti is successful in summoning the spirit of Condomine’s first wife, Elvira (Leslie Mann), back from the dead. In the five years since Ruth passed, Charles has remarried to Ruth (Isla Fisher). It turns out that Elvira (who only Charles can see) inspires Charles to successfully start writing again…in fact, she dictates the story to him, without getting any credit for herself. Elvira then plots to get Charles killed, so he’ll be hers again…for all time. Wacky paranormal shenanigans ensue.

 

The performances are fine, but there’s a sense of the lackluster to this version of the story. There is a sense of lushness to the look of the film, with gorgeous sets, terrific costumes, and great music. But, it all just feels a little bit…empty. At least that was my feeling…maybe you’ll enjoy it more!

 

(Also available in a variety of other formats.)

 

( Internet Movie Database entry for this film ) | ( official Blithe Spirit web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you watched this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Delicatessen

Delicatessen

directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

This movie has been referred to as both a twisted black comedy and post-apocalyptic horror. The 1991 French film portrays a world where food (and sometimes running water) is scarce. The local currency is comprised of various grains. And, the postman carries a gun to protect himself from muggers. The butcher/landlord who runs the Delicatessen has an agreement with his tenants whereby they don't "squeal" about where he gets the meat from which is sold in his shop and he guarantees not to make them the cut of the day. Things take an interesting turn when the butcher's daughter falls for his newest selection to stock his shelves and aligns herself with the vegetable-eaters to save him. If you like dark comedy - this movie is for you! -- recommended by Jodene G. - Walt Branch Library

[ Internet Movie Database page for Delicatessen ]

Have you seen this one? What did you think?

Ten new reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog over the course of the entire month.