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In the Heat of the Night was in my high school required reading and the movie was required viewing. I've read the novel countless times over the last 45 years and I'm about to start it again, I've seen the movie countless times and each time see something new. Virgil Tibbs and Chief Gillespie both hold your attention. There is a murder. A rich man is dead. He came to Sparta to build a new factory.The man's death signals the death knell for Sparta a dying town. The police must act fast and when a black man unknown to any of them is found at the train station. He's arrested. The man's name is Police Detective Virgil Tibbs a top homicide detective out of Philidelphia. When Virgil's Captain offers Virgil's Services to the woefully inexperienced and under manned police force they accept. Except Virgil is a black man poking around in white man's business and its a good way to get him killed.

The murder is the macguffin that Hitchcock once wrote about. The plot device that drives the plot forward.It matters but not too much the whole point is Virgil Tibbs and Bill Gillespie The murder while complicated and takes twists and turns. Pales in the background.compared to how Virgil is treated by the white community. In the Heat of the night is a wonderful time capsule of what was once The South at its Jim Crow best. The pivotal moment occurs after a long day and after which Gillespie saves Virgil from a beating and possible death from a mob. He brings Virgil home. To his own home and makes a admission. He's never had Anyone over. No close friends as he has none. No wife no kids. Virgil despite his skin color is the first person to ever be in Gillespie's home. When Gillespie makes his admission of sorrow Virgil mistakenly tells him he's sorry and Gillespie flies into a rage telling him he doesn't need Virgil's sympathy. It's a important scene as Gillespie is having a black man in his home where he has had no one else. It's a admission that He sees Virgil as a friend. But southern traditions forbid him from saying so. The police Chief cannot have a black friend who is better then him. then at the end where Gillespie Carries Virgil's suitcase to the train for him, A strong sign of respect and friendship there even their parting words come hard to them. They respect each other. Two scenes stand out one is where the rich man slaps Virgil and Virgil slaps him back. And he shouts to Gillespie You saw that what are you going to do about it ? and Gillespie says I don't know. He tells him I'll remember that and turns to Virgil there was once a time when I would have had you shot for that. You believe it. The menace of the south oozes throughout that scene and you know Virgil tibbs is in real danger despite having the police chief as a friend and protector. In fact he puts both of them in danger for that act. The second pivotal scene is the one everyone remembers where a angry Virgil is being bullied by the police. And Gillespie taunts him with what do they call you and Virgil roars back with a defiant THEY CALL ME MISTER TIBBS ! And the movie stops for a beat and you can feel it. There is a change in the air coming to the south. That is if Virgil can not only solve the case before he himself gets murdered And if he can keep his pride in check long enough to work as a police officer.

A powerful movie that could not be made today. There are a few details form John Ball's novel that are missing and that could have added to the story. Bill Gillespie's back story for instance.. But here we don't need it Rod steiger's Powerful acting carries it over telling us all we need to know about Chief Gillespie. And we already know everything we need to know about Virgil Tibbs. He's black he's proud and he's the best Homicide detective there is and he's good at his job.

A powerful story that demands you watch it at least once. To show us how far we've come and how much further we have to go.

The Legend of Tarzan gets it right. I was 10 years old when I was introduced to Edgar Rice Burroughs Tarzan. The Series makes it clear very clear. Tarzan is a intelligent man an English Lord. A victim of a tragic event in which both of his parents died after being ship wrecked of the coast of Africa. but Little John Clayton the III was raised by Kala she of the great Apes who lost a baby. She took Little John and placed her baby in the crib. There was a bond formed. The Apes Named him Tarzan meaning pale skin. There is a scene at the start of the film where John Clayton arrives home to see Jane teaching school. She's teaching bird calls. And John imitates the calls and enchants the kids that her shows them his hands which became accustomed to walking on all fours his hands become like that of the great ape. His body has adapted to that of the apes. Such an important detail almost overlooked. Here is John Clayton entertaining school kids about his life as Tarzan. but when George Washington Williams played by Sam Jackson in a superb role. He calls him Tarzan. And he replies with My Name is NOT Tarzan I Am John Clayton the III The Earl of Greystoke. You know he doesn't want to be referred as Tarzan the subject of cheap dime novels.

Very important to note.

In the novels Tarzan has also struggled to maintain his name of John Clayton the III to him that name means he is a man Tarzan means he is a Beast. But as in ERB's stories John Clayton the III must always go back to the jungle to the role of Tarzan. Here the Reason is an American George Washington Williams has reports of slave trading and abuse of the natives up in the Belgium Congo. The King of Belguim has gone broke exploring the Congo basin. And for some reason there are reports of Natives going missing and slave trading and reports of mercenaries Williams appeals to the prime Minster of England and gets help from John Clayton . His wife Jane refuses to stay behind. To her Africa is home just as much as England. When they arrive in the Congo there they discover just how dire the situation has become. The King of the lost city of Opar has agreed to give diamonds to Mercenaries and the Belguim King's agent in exchange for one man the man who killed his son Tarzan. The Blood Feud increases when the Mercenaries kidnap Jane leading Tarzan and George Williams on a grand chase to the exciting and vibrant climax that simply makes you cheer.

Tarzan has been many things over the years. And like Sherlock Holmes partner and friend Dr. John Watson has been dumbed down by the still popular Johnny Weismuller Tarzan films to the extant many people think all Tarzan is ME Tarzan You Jane. And that is such a dis service to the Tarzan of ERB's novels Here we see what Edgar Rice Burroughs saw in Tarzan he is a intelligent man filled with a resolve to be a good man. But when the situation calls for it he can become the beast a smart cunning animal called Tarzan.

To me this film keeps the promise made years ago when Edgar Rice Burroughs first wrote Tarzan and that the first Screen Tarzan Elmo Lincoln made. That Tarzan is More then a animal. He's a man that can do extraordinary things. Things that are impossible for a a normal man.

The Legend of Tarzan is by far the best adaptation of Tarzan to date.

Cool Hand Luke is one of those rare films that lasts. It defies being dated despite being filmed in 1967. Cool Hand Luke tells the story of a Rebel named Luke Jackson who can't conform to Society's expectations. He went to War and came back with medals and proved himself a Hero many times over. But Luke can't settle down and so one night after drinking Luke takes the heads off of several parking meters . For this crime he is sent to the prison farm. Luke for the most part doesn't care. to him its all a big game. And in time Luke and Dragline the top inmate in the prison form a powerful friendship.

It's only after his dying mother comes to see him that Luke starts to change and after she dies that Luke no longer sees it as a game but a challenge to get out and as a result Luke plays a deadly game with people that don't play.

Luke is a die hard rebel to the end.

the Film seems like it was filmed last year and is still as fresh as ever. Luke isn't a anti hero. He's not a hero. He's just someone who is lost confused and is trying to figure it all out while in prison. And lucky us. We get to come along .