Yesterday's intended field trip to Star Trek: The Exhibition was yielded a raincheck due to some last-minute hangups. We'll reschedule it for the coming weeks.

Instead we threw together an impromptu movie day. Dan and Charles came by but Katie and Felicity went shopping. We had a fine time without them. We baked a lovely garlic bread and gave Dan some homework. I mention this so he doesn't forget because I know darned well he'll read this.

Anyhoo, we began with the '70s blaxploitation classic, Blacula (dir. William Crain, 1972, USA). It is an extraordinary display of mustaches and the men who wear them. It also taught me that vampires prefer to strike like a leopard, leaping from a precipice onto their unsuspecting victim.

Continuing the vampire theme, we watched Vampyr (dir. Carl Th. Dreyer, 1932, Germany). Dan hadn't seen it before but Charles and I had previously watched this one back in January. It's a movie that requires multiple viewings and even I, who has seen it a fair many times, still have trouble with it. Presumably Charles got more out of it this time but poor Dan must have been left thinking terrible things. It's a good movie though, just tricky to follow.

We finished up with a happy flick about World War II, The Great Escape (dir. John Sturges, 1963, USA). This film, with its fantastic score, makes me want to start an Elmer Bernstein a capella tribute band. I already have the parts worked out, I just need Charles to hum the bass line. Dan and Charles had a fight about Donald Pleasence. I also think that Damian Lewis should star in a Steve McQueen bio-flick and that young Richard Attenborough bears a striking resemblance to TCM'S Robert Osborne.

That is all for now.