Who Loves Ya, Baby?
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: Kojak and Sipowicz
Finally sat down with THE BELARUS FILE tonight, a tape I picked up over a year ago at the grocery store for $4.95. It's a KOJAK reunion TV-movie from the mid-1980s that presents a new case for that suave baldie Theo Kojak, played so smoothly by silky Telly Savalas, and features a few old series regulars in small supporting roles (sans Kevin Dobson, who was doing KNOTS LANDING at the time). It's a solid mystery shot in New York and features the great Max von Sydow (THE SEVENTH SEAL) as a Russian survivor of a Nazi death camp who may or may not be murdering his fellow inmates 40 years later in New York City. It isn't action-packed or sensational or glossy or rat-a-tat-tat, merely an engrossing police procedural with clues and conversations and not a single Crime Scene Investigator in sight. THE BELARUS FILE isn't particularly memorable, but it's well-written and performed, the kind of quiet mystery network television appears to have forgotten about.

I'm also sadly anticipating the final episode of NYPD BLUE, which is scheduled for March 1. In typical get-no-respect-from-ABC form, tonight's episode ended in a cliffhanger (unusual for this series), which isn't so bad in and of itself, but the fact that ABC isn't airing the second part for another three weeks is infuriating. It looks like the show is already setting the groundwork for its finale, with stammering cop Medavoy (the underrated Gordon Clapp) hooking up with a hot new girlfriend (remember Mary Page Keller from '90s sitcoms like BABY TALK and OPEN HOUSE? I didn't think so.) and a new gig selling real estate.

I had an unexpected visit from an old friend tonight, who dropped by with his girlfriend. He and I used to be close, but we had a severe falling-out several years ago. And it was about, of all things, a woman. There's a lot to the story, but suffice to say that I was brutally victimized and rightfully took it personally for a long time, not so much because of the woman, but because of the underhanded way in which my friend screwed me over and continued to do so for years afterward, even after his relationship with this woman had ended. Every once in awhile, he pops up to get back into my good graces. He's never made a serious attempt to explain or apologize for his actions, but in his own clumsy way, he has attempted to slowly make amends. I was pretty surprised to see him drop by unannounced tonight. It was a little uncomfortable for me, as it always is whenever we're thrust together (because we have mutual friends), but I became more relaxed. He was here about an hour, and even though the conversation never really moved past small talk and "have you seen so-and-so lately" and stuff like that, I have to admit that it wasn't so bad. I don't think I'm ready to hang out with the guy all the time...maybe I never will be...but I don't think I'll feel so awkward the next time I run into him.

My VHS collection numbers about 700 or more. While I won't inflict the whole list upon you, every once in awhile I'll lay a few titles on you.
1000 Convicts and a Woman (not nearly as sleazy as it sounds)
1990 World Series (Go, Reds!)
1990: The Bronx Warriors
2019: After the Fall of New York
2020 Texas Gladiators
25x5: The Continuing Adventures of the Rolling Stones
36th Chamber of Shaolin, The
Abby (a hilarious blaxploitation EXORCIST ripoff)
Abductors, The (foxy Cheri Caffaro IS Ginger)
Abominable Dr. Phibes, The (Vinnie Price is a genius)
Accidental Spy, The (original HK cut)
Adam-12 (TV series)
Adios, Sabata
Adventures of Captain Marvel, The (serial)
Adventures of El Frenetico and Go-Girl, The
Adventures of Fu Manchu, The (TV series)
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The (TV series)
Adventures of Superman, The (TV series)
Agency
Agent of Death
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV series)
Alice in Wonderland (1976) (X-rated cut)
Alien Terminator (with Maria Ford)
Alone in the Dark (Palance, Landau, Pleasence and Howling Mad Murdock!)
Amazons and Supermen (crazy Italian acrobat superheroes rule)
America 3000
American Dragons
Angie (TV series)
Annihilators, The
Arousers, The
Assault, The
Astounding She-Monster, The
A-Team, The (TV series)
Atom Man vs. Superman (serial)
Atomic Brain, The
Attack of the 50 Foot Monstermania
Avenger, The
Avengers, The (TV series)
Avenging Force (Michael Dudikoff's best film--this needs to be on DVD--get off your ass, MGM!)