Personal

And Then

I'm sure I'll feel embarrassed about this someday.

John Williams

Dear John

A new documentary on the legendary film composer is insightful, even as it leaves you wanting more.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Halloweek, Part 5 - The Night 'Halloween: Illustrated' Came Home

A 2023 interview with the publisher of an illustrated edition of the long out-of-print novelization to HALLOWEEN.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Halloweek, Part 4 - Evil Changes Shape

An overview to the novelization of HALLOWEEN ENDS, originally published December 2022.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Halloweek, Part 3 - Evil Dies Tonight

An overview of the novelization to HALLOWEEN KILLS, originally published in November 2022.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Halloweek, Part 2 - You Can't Kill the Boogeyman

An overview of the novelization of HALLOWEEN (2018), originally published in November 2022.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Halloweek, Part 1 - So Expensive, It's Scary

An overview of the novelization to HALLOWEEN (1978), originally published in October 2021.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Never Say Die

An overview of the novelization to THE GOONIES, originally published in October 2020.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Transatlantic Bustin'

An overview to two novelizations of GHOSTBUSTERS, originally published in October 2019.

books

Only Human

Andrea Swensson, Cornbread Harris, and the magic of art and family.

Movies

Man and Superman

The new Christopher Reeve documentary does an astounding job of humanizing Superman.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Mortal Monday

An overview of two MORTAL KOMBAT novelizations - one based on the game, one on the film - originally published in April 2021.

Music

From the Archive: Another Little Piece of My Heart

In my time working for record labels, I had the good fortune to write some sponsored editorial pieces for Discogs, one of the websites I visit most. Many of them have been published here before, and dealt with Prince. One, however, had to do with an artist I didn'

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: You Find This Man

An overview to the novelization of THE FUGITIVE, originally published in September 2020.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Watch the Skies

An overview to the novelization (and reprint) of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, originally published in August 2023.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Khan-fidentially Yours

An overview of the novelization to STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN, originally published September 2020.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: 'Snakes' with Bite

An overview of the novelization to SNAKES ON A PLANE, originally published in August 2021.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: The Un-Shagadelic Truth

A dive into the AUSTIN POWERS novelization that doesn't actually exist. Originally published August 2020.

From the Archive

From the Archive: Like a Version

In this archived piece from 2019 - before Taylor Swift made good on her plan to re-record her back catalogue - I wrote this history and critique of the practice.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Where Do I Begin?

An overview of the novelization to LOVE STORY, originally published in August 2020.

Started from the Bottom

Started from the Bottom: Week of 8/27/1988

Hot hits and middling bops from the dog days of summer '88!

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: 'The Rose' in Bloom

An overview of the novelization to THE ROSE, originally published in July 2022.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Foster Cares

A review of novelization legend Alan Dean Foster's memoir THE DIRECTOR SHOULD'VE SHOT YOU, originally published in July 2021.

Hollywood & Spine

Hollywood & Spine Archive: Little (Men in) Black Book

An overview of the novelization to MEN IN BLACK, originally published in July 2022.

Music

Requiem for a Scream

A tribute to Aerosmith, America's greatest rock band.