Greetings from Los Angeles. A terrible disaster in the skies today. The sadness is tinged with the positive thought that people risking their lives for science and progress are true heroes. Astronauts are in some ways the best of the best of our technological society, and earn our admiration. A salute ...

Two not-too-successful comedies today. Artisan's The Magic Christian is a well-known title that Savant was sorry to find out isn't much of a film. But it's an interesting train wreck from Terry Southern and Joseph McGrath, starring Peter Sellers, Ringo Starr, and a plethora of misused cameo appearances. There is, however, the undeniably unique spectacle of Raquel Welch whipping a galley of at least 100 topless oarswomen.

Image/Castle Hill's The Stand-In is another misfire released no doubt for the appearance of a pre-fame Humphrey Bogart. It's satire of the movie industry isn't as clever as it wants to be, and poor Leslie Howard is woefully miscast and misdirected. Joan Blondell shines, however.

Thanks for reading. I'm going back to the TV news. Glenn Erickson