Frames (Audible Audio Edition) Loren D Estleman William Dufris Audible Studios Books
Download As PDF : Frames (Audible Audio Edition) Loren D Estleman William Dufris Audible Studios Books
Enter Valentino, a mild-mannered UCLA film archivist, who buys a decrepit movie palace and uncovers a skeleton in the secret Prohibition basement. He then makes a second discovery long-lost, priceless, reels of film Erich von Stroheim's infamous Greed.
The LAPD wants to take the reels as evidence, jeopardising the precious old film. If Valentino wants to save his find, he has only one choice solve the murder within 72 hours with the help of his mentor, the noted film scholar Broadhead, and Fanta, a feisty if slightly flaky young law student. Between a budding romance with a beautiful forensics investigator and visions of Von Stroheim's ghost, Valentino's madcap race to save the flick is as fast and frenetic as a classic screwball comedy.
Frames (Audible Audio Edition) Loren D Estleman William Dufris Audible Studios Books
In this novel Valentino, who is *not* related to the silent film megastar, bummer, buys a crumbling movie theater palace, that comes with a corpse and a complete copy of von Stroheim’s “Greed,” that has been missing since Thalberg refused to release the ten or twelve hour version in 1925. Fun.“Never underestimate the power of a mad genius to crap himself in public.” (79) “’ No matter if I could talk to you three weeks steadily could I possibly describe even to a small degree the heartache I suffered through the mutilation of my sincere work.’” (146) The first quote is about von Stroheim from a film historian in this novel. The second is von Stroheim talking to his biographer.
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Frames (Audible Audio Edition) Loren D Estleman William Dufris Audible Studios Books Reviews
The novelist is a noted movie buff and it was virtually inevitable that somewhere in his prolific output he would find room for a series that reflects that passion."Frames" marks the start of just such a series and his enthusiasm for the subject informs the whole book.
The protagonist is "Valentino",whose business card proclaims him to be a "film detective",a somewhat grandiose term for a researcher at UCLA whose job is tracking down previously missing or neglected film stock ,often of a mundane nature.However,one day he seemingly strikes the mother lode ; he purchases a rundown cinema and finds a large number of film cans in the basement.They appear to be a full print -some 8 hours in total -of "Greed ",Erich von Stroheim's silent movie magnum opus ,subject to severe editing by the studio and only available in truncated form .Inconveniently ,however ,the cans have company -a dead body ,which may or may not have died as the result of murder.The police regard the film as possible evidence ,and it may not survive the less than ideal storage conditions in a police laboratory.He resolves to solve the mystery of the dead body himself ,aided by his boss ,the noted film scholar Professor Broadhead ,and a feisty young female graduate student ,Fanta.He also finds time to begin a relationship with an attractive forensic assistant ,Harriet Johansen.If that did not give him enough to think about ,he is also visited by Von Stroheim's ghost ,pleading that he save his masterpiece.
The book is more in line with the soft boiled or cosy school of crime writing that are the authors' private eye yarns ,featuring Amos Walker ;there is no violence or sexual content for instance .The book is an engaging experience ,one more likely to appeal to those who love movies than to those indifferent about them .The characters are engaging ,especially the cheerful vulgarian ,Henry Anklemire ,a University administrator with the soul of a huckster .The mystery is neither deep nor profound but the book gets by on good nature ,some solid detection and a patently sincere love of the movies.
The "afterword" contains a short but informative guide to Von Stroheim and his films that might interest anyone moved to investigate the films being written about in the book.
Valentino, who bills himself as a Film Detective, though he is officially an employee of UCLA who searches for old movies, buys an old film palace with dreams of refurbishing the place. He discovers several film reels of a lost Erich Von Stroheim movie GREED in the basement. And since this is a mystery novel, he also finds a skeleton. To keep the police from confiscating the priceless reels as part of their investigation, Valentino tries to solve the age-old murder.
FRAMES is, I believe, the first novel length appearance of Loren D. Estleman's character Valentino who has appeared often in the short form in "Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine." I enjoyed the Valentino short stories. The novel seems a bit lighter in tone than the stories. The investigating "trio" of Valentino, his film scholar/mentor Broadhead and law student Fanta sometimes comes across as a comedy troupe with their banter. Most of the supporting characters, a secretary, a hustling PR man, a criminologist, have comic touches defining their personality.
The mystery itself holds up, although it seems a little thin and too easily solved. The characters remain interesting, which makes it an enjoyable read.
If you have an interest in Hollywood history and old movies (for ex you know SUNSET BOULEVARD, and a simile about Vincent Price's cracking face in HOUSE OF WAX strikes a chord) and enjoy light-hearted entertainment, then FRAMES is for you. Mr. Estleman clearly loves old movies and has done a lot of research that comes out in the pages. I enjoyed the book but wanted a bit more mystery. The Valentino from the short stories comes across tougher and more interesting.
A different side of the author. If you love old movies this is for you. Good book even if you don't.
I've been a long-time fan of Loren Estleman. His Amos Walker series has been the standard bearer of the hard-boiled PI school for over 20 years. His Peter Macklin books "stretch the boundaries" of the cliched murder-for-hire genre. Hell, I rarely read westerns, but I find Estlemans' works right up there with Zane Grey.
However, a series on the adventures of a UC film professor is not exactly the bullets and broads-type of story that he does so well. Eminently readable, of course, but not really a thrilling action novel.
I purchased this book for my grandson as he will be studying film in college next year. I enjoyed it, a quick read. I recommended that he read it after taking a film history course, because there are many references to silent films and I don't think he could relate to them yet.
In this novel Valentino, who is *not* related to the silent film megastar, bummer, buys a crumbling movie theater palace, that comes with a corpse and a complete copy of von Stroheim’s “Greed,” that has been missing since Thalberg refused to release the ten or twelve hour version in 1925. Fun.
“Never underestimate the power of a mad genius to crap himself in public.” (79) “’ No matter if I could talk to you three weeks steadily could I possibly describe even to a small degree the heartache I suffered through the mutilation of my sincere work.’” (146) The first quote is about von Stroheim from a film historian in this novel. The second is von Stroheim talking to his biographer.
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