Author: Lee Wallender

Deception, influence, fakes, illusions, themed environments, simulations, secret places, secret infrastructure, imagined places, dreamscapes, movie sets and props, evasions, camouflage, studio backlots, miniatures.

Brute Force (1947): Hume Cronyn’s Sadistic Prison Boss Makes the Movie

I came to Brute Force (1947) for Burt Lancaster but left with Hume Cronyn. Having seen Lancaster in Sweet Smell of Success many years ago, I got on a Burt Lancaster kick and never quite left it. Because Sweet Smell… is just so damn good. It’s tough, cynical, it’s mean, it’s all New York-y. That movie,… Continue reading Brute Force (1947): Hume Cronyn’s Sadistic Prison Boss Makes the Movie

Paramount Studios’ “Murder Your Wife” Bricks in Murder Alley

At one time, it was assumed that New York City was the world and the world was New York City. So, films of the 20th century over-represented New York City in their depictions of ordinary, and often extraordinary, life. This meant that film studios always had to have a New York Street: a collection of… Continue reading Paramount Studios’ “Murder Your Wife” Bricks in Murder Alley

One Easy Way to “Show, Not Tell” in Fiction: Marc Scott Zicree

It’s one of the oldest and hoariest dictums in fiction writing and screenwriting: Show, don’t tell. Screenwriters are better at this than fiction writers because this is the nature of the game. They are creating visuals only. Exposition and characters’ internal thoughts in movies and TV theoretically can happen, but in practice it is almost… Continue reading One Easy Way to “Show, Not Tell” in Fiction: Marc Scott Zicree

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Categorized as Writing

City Guide: Singapore

[fusion_builder_container admin_label=”Intro + Quick Navigation + Facts” hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” status=”published” publish_date=”” class=”” id=”” background_color=”#ffffff” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” video_preview_image=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” margin_top=”-90px” margin_bottom=”” padding_top=”30px” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”6%” padding_left=”” admin_toggled=”yes”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”large-visibility” class=””… Continue reading City Guide: Singapore

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Categorized as Places

Strange “Child Christians” Sect of 19th Century San Francisco

San Francisco Nob Hill

The verse in the Bible, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things,” must not have registered on this group of people living in San Francisco in the 19th century. U.S. newspapers… Continue reading Strange “Child Christians” Sect of 19th Century San Francisco