My latest novel, FOUR, has been released. It is available as both an eBook and Paperback. The book starts in April 2013. Photo-journalist Iwakura and his reporter friend Eri, as she was known to the whole of Japan, would be working together again. The pair appeared very briefly at the end of Hijacking Japan, but…
“Crash: The Crash of Flight 401” and Remembering Eastern Air Lines Flight 401
In the next of my posts about movies which I studied for my article “Disaster Narratives by Design: Is Japan Different?“, I am writing about Crash: The Crash of Flight 401 (Berry Shear, 1978). Like my previous post about Flight 90: Disaster on the Potomac, this movie is based on an actual crash. The following…
“Flight 90: Disaster on the Potomac” and Remembering Air Florida Flight 90
Today (13 January) is the anniversary of the crash of Air Florida Flight 90, so it seems appropriate that, in the next of my posts about movies which I studied for my article “Disaster Narratives by Design: Is Japan Different?“, I am writing about Flight 90: Disaster on the Potomac (Robert Michael Lewis, 1984). The…
“Crash: The Mystery of Flight 1501” – Don’t Rush to Blame the Pilot after a Plane Crash
In the next of my posts about movies which I studied for my article “Disaster Narratives by Design: Is Japan Different?“, I am writing about Crash: The Mystery of Flight 1501 (Philip Saville, 1990) – also known as Aftermath, but not to be confused with the 2016 movie (directed by Elliott Lester) of the same…
“Fearless” – Excellent Post-Plane Crash Movie
In the next of my posts about movies which I studied for my article “Disaster Narratives by Design: Is Japan Different?“, I am writing about Fearless (Peter Weir, 1993). The following is a summary for the movie on IMDb about the movie: After a terrible air disaster, survivor Max Klein emerges a changed person. Unable…
“Ground Control” – A Plane Disaster Movie That Had Potential But Descends into Predictability
In the next of my posts about movies which I studied for my article “Disaster Narratives by Design: Is Japan Different?“, I am writing about Ground Control (Richard Howard, 1998). This was one of two films that came out in 1998 that related to air traffic control – the other being Blackout Effect. The following…
“Blackout Effect” – Surprisingly Good Air Traffic Control Disaster Movie
In the next of my posts about movies which I studied for my article “Disaster Narratives by Design: Is Japan Different?“, I am writing about Blackout Effect (Jeff Bleckner, 1998), also known as 747. This was one of two films that came out in 1998 that related to air traffic control. The following is a…
Photographing the Shinkansen: Shin-Kobe Station
Generally I prefer not to photograph shinkansen at a station, but there are times when it is the most practical thing to do. I’ve already done some posts about some stations such as Atami , Mishima, Maibara, Takasaki, and Tokuyama. This time I will cover Shin-Kobe. The main feature, in terms of photography, is that…
Mushroom Cloud Art
As I wrote about in my posts about the movies “Special Bulletin“, “Threads“, “The Day After“, “Black Rain” and “In the Shadow of the Mushroom Cloud“, I have had an interest in nuclear weapons since my teenage years. As well as the history and development of the weapons themselves, I also find something compelling about…
Book Review: “Let’s Make Lots of Money” by Tom Watkins
At some point in 2020, possibly in a Facebook group, I came across mention of the book “Let’s Make Lots of Money” by Tom Watkins. I had become aware of Tom Watkins’ name from reading “Pet Shop Boys, Literally” as he had been their manager at the time that that book was written. Other than…
