Ernie Hudson Books

I haven't seen this in over 20 years and was thrilled to stumble across a VHS copy of it. Candy and Levy really shine with Flaherty playing a solid Second City back-up. Really funny stuff, despite being dated. Just good old fashioned silly and fun. Sad to have lost Candy so young. He was an all time great. Any John Candy fan should own this film!!!

I dare anyone to keep a straight face throughout this movie!

As one who has seen all of John's work, I was flabbergasted to find this film at, or near the bottom of his film's popularity list. I can only attribute this awsome oversight to the fact that it hasn't been released on DVD. Why? Perhaps the 1984 release date? Or could it be a conspiracy by some "Anti-Candy-ite"? Who knows.

I am one who seldom, if ever, cares to see a film more than once, regardless of how great it might be, but "Going Berserk" changed all that. This non-stop roller coaster ride thru the most bizzare mis-adventure ever to befall human kind, is one I can't get enough of!

I daresay that if ya can't get it on DVD, Buy the VHS, and use that as an excuse to buy a DVD recorder as well!

TheDoc

Although somewhat dated, this is a hilarious film and one of John Candy's best. It is nonstop, madcap humor and slapstick with some funny sexual situations thrown in for good measure. Who can forget the twisted "Father Knows Best" sequences shown to brainwash John Candy's character against his father-in-law Ed Reese? Another memorable and hilarious character is Mohammed Jerome Willy, outlaw, who meets a rather unusual but stimulating demise.

Featuring a stellar cast, this is one movie you'll enjoy watching over and over again.

If you are lucky enough, also record it on TV--there was a different version made for television (cleaned up, of course), but the TV version features different scenes from the theatrical release.

One of my favorite comedies ever! The SCTV guys are great!!!

This early John Candy masterpiece is two hours of solid laughter. Ignore the silly plot. The main character (Candy) just goes from one improbable situation to a more improbable one. And they're well-written: You can't really predict what will happen (at least, not the first viewing...). If you like SNL, then this is the equivalent of two hours of SNL-like skits. You just keep laughing. John Candy is magnificent.

service throughout the day, throughout the month, throughout the year....100 stories of giving...the notes at the end of each story to jump into service in your community are a link to giving. .My favorite story was Christmas in April---I must admit I cheered for Frances as she conquered the steps--I read later that she and the writer are enthusiastic pen pals...what inspiration. Thank you to the 100 stone soup writers. You gave me a taste of who inspires you.

......one of the chapters in this book, these stories reflect movements that we should let sweep the nation!!!! Read and be inspired...told simply, the 90+ writers for this book brought these community heroes home....

such a pleasure to read these stories... such an opportunity for all involved with the project to share their words...you never know, maybe someone was inspired to do something today...by simply reading...as long as Stone Soup for the World is available to America's youth we know we have a bright future ahead... My favorites: The Forgiveness Party, Table for 6 Billion Please, and Peace for Their Grandchildren....and there are 97 more to read and pass on....

Stone Soup for the World is a set of 100 stories about compassion and volunteerism. From the intro by Colin Powell to the story of Ms.Larned's young brother, the whole book was a joy to read. I especially loved the Nelson Mandela and Paul Newman stories. This book has stirred me to be a better person and to help others. I recently walked in honor of my aunt who passed away from cancer and raised money doing it. It felt good just as these stories felt good. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to people from 9 to 99.

On occasion one of those books comes along that I can't put down. This collection of short (3 - 5 pages each) true stories are of people about whom, after I have read the story, I consistently say, "Why didn't I know that before reading this?" This book is truly an insight into past and current history through the prism of what stirs the heart and spirit.

This book set up an interesting situation, but I didn't feel it was resolved well. There are many unanswered questions. The ending is much too neat. I don't quite see how Charles becomes so transformed by this experience. I don't quite understand all the mind games his prisoner perpetrates. I never really understood why his prisoner chose to be imprisoned. He rambles on about many things he has done, but the reality of the life he speaks of seems difficult to translate into any kind of practical day to day. Thankfully, it is a fast, short read. I have enjoyed the Easy Rawlins books so much. I understand the need of a prolific author to experiment, as another reviewer pointed out, but this is nowhere near as engaging as the other works by Mosley that I have read.

I dare you to put this book down before finishing it! Compelling characters in an unusual story. Far better than what passes for popular fiction on most of the best-seller list. Bizarre? That is probably a little too strong. Different? Definitely!

Some have compared to The Stranger by Camus, but a more apt comparison might be to The Quiet American by Graham Greene, which explores somewhat similar themes of doing bad by trying to do good. Both books exemplify one of my favorite maxims, "You can't get something clean without getting something else dirty."

Many points in this novel stood out for me because I could draw parallels between my life and Charles Dodd-Blakey's. Despite our societal and ethnic differences, both of us are looked down upon by other members of society for what we lack, rather than appreciated for the people we are. This shared trait between the character and myself really took it home for me.

While studying all types of literature, particularily African, the ties to Mr. Dodd-Blakey's family history, as well as Anniston Bennett's work history were insightful and helpful.

I believe this book illustrates that none of the characters had power, despite their thoughts to the contrary. I was surprised by the end, disappointed, disturbed, enlightened and in a strange way, redeemed.

Every fine novelist experiments, and here Mosley tries his hand at Dostoevski's Underground Man or Camus's Stranger. The protagonist, Charles ("not Charlie!") is merely a pompous, verbose, drunken windbag whose "philosophy" is trite barroom cynicism. He muses endlessly about "Evil" (which seems to be Rich People) and about his only other topic, himself. The basement cage premise sounds more interesting than what Mosley actually does with it. Don't want to give away the ending, but I waited in vain for the twist that would repay the time wasted. Some growth, understanding, something. I longed for Easy or Fearless, whose actions showed Mosley's real understanding of life. Mosley knows far more than he can verbalize. This book is like watching a great actor try to sing and dance.

When we meet Charles, an African-American man living in his family's stately ancestral home on Long Island, he's not only down on his luck but feeling altogether directionless. One afternoon Anniston Bennet, a small white man, shows up on his doorstep with an unusual request - to live in Charles' basement for 65 days. For this Charles would be paid handsomely, and after some deliberation he agrees, but it isn't long before he has reason to suspect that Anniston's lodging request is a bit more complex and bizarre.

This was my first Mosley work, as he is primarily a writer of mysteries. 'Basement' is a small book, making for a quick read, and I enjoyed it pretty well. The nature of the ending took me by surprise, although looking back I should have seen it - or something - coming.

Fiction writer Walter Mosely takes yet another daring turn with Working On The Chain Gang. This slim volume is his excursion into non-fiction and political commentary.

Mosley uses concise, plainly spoken language to urge for the study of Black American History as a map of the coming times for all Americans in the global economy.

Wage Slavery, the villification of the youth, and the commodification of humanity are just some of the issues that were once almost exclusively restricted to Black Americans but are slowly becoming concerns of us all.

Mosley's eye is daring and his words speak from an unflinching, sometimes necessarily abrasive, truth that harkens back to the words of early American printer/abolishionist David Walker's Appeal.

Though there are moments of extreme pessimism and unformed solutions to the problems he illustrates, Mosley's Chain Gang is a more than apt blueprint for the new revolution.

Performers:
Eddie Albert, Stephanie Beacham, Harvey Fierstein, Elliott Gould, Joel Grey, Gregory Hines, Kevin McCarthy, Vanessa Redgrave, Jean Stapleton, Ernie Hudson, Glenda Jackson, Cheryl Ladd, Kevin McCarthy, Cathy Moriarty, Sharon Stone, Burt Reynolds, Rod Steiger, Alfred Woodard, Michael York, Ephram Zimbalist, Jr.
Original poems and introduction written by Judith Cummings.

This is a CD of straight Aesop's fables followed by the narrator trying to turn the moral into common language. Aesop's read better than they listen - at least for me. My kids really didn't like it because the stories are short (only about 1 minute) and the "real life applications" didn't make sense to them or me. Overall, I wouldn't recommend it unless you just want somebody to read the stories to you.