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Vern eulogizes the great Donald E. Westlake

RIP by Fat and Curious	Jan 2nd, 2009 01:22:25 AM

Payback was a great movie by the milf lover	Jan 2nd, 2009 01:26:49 AM
I still need to see the director's cut. Cant say I know anything else about Mr. Westlake as I am not much of a reader at all. Still, my condolences to his loved ones on their loss. On a different note, you say "They wouldn't even have to keep Gibson, because in the second book (The Man With the Getaway Face) he gets plastic surgery to hide out." What? So that means Frank Miller stole that bit for Dwight when he did it in Sin City: A Dame To Kill For? Damn.
Nicely done Vern! by Clarence Boddicker	Jan 2nd, 2009 01:32:14 AM
A good read and educational at the same time. I've never read his works...perhaps now I will.
RIP Dortmunder by DonRivella	Jan 2nd, 2009 01:35:23 AM
Westlake was unbelievably prolific. I usually try to stay away from authors who publish books more frequently than I vacuum my house, but you can't go wrong with Westlake. While not all his books are masterpieces, none of them has disappointed me. I find it remarkable that he managed to write both one of the funniest (Dortmunder) and one of the most bad ass (Parker) crime series. If you don't know the man's work, check it out, it's not too late.
Westlake was great by Continentalop	Jan 2nd, 2009 01:54:53 AM
I saw "Point Blank" years ago (and just bought it for my dad for Christmas) and that influenced me to go out and read his Richard Stark/Parker series. The funny thing is, as big as fan as I am of Westlake's novels and his screenplays, I did not know until now that he wrote the script for "The Stepfather". I guess there is always something new to learn.
Westlake was the best by brisco1138	Jan 2nd, 2009 02:08:19 AM
I had the pleasure of interviewing him two years ago for a 20th anniversary article I wrote about the making of The Stepfather. He said he loved talking about the movie because it was one of his few good experiences with Hollywood. He told some great stories, including how the filmmakers couldn't change even ONE word in the script unless Westlake approved of it (that was written into his contract -- a contract, he joked, that should be in the Smithsonion!). He was a truly talented man whose presence will be missed. RIP Don... We talked for a couple of hours, but you treated me as if we had been friends for life.
NOOOO by The Dum Guy	Jan 2nd, 2009 02:17:52 AM
I haven't a word more to say
by The Dum Guy	Jan 2nd, 2009 02:25:59 AM
other than to say next to King, this is (well maybe Lovecraft) the only author I own more books written by. Although, I haven't read them all, so there is more to read...
RIP by Xiphos_2	Jan 2nd, 2009 02:53:10 AM
Man I just reread the Hunter for like the tenth time about a month ago. Westlake was quite the writer. Thank you sir, for the many fine hours I spent immerssed in your worlds.
R.I.P, good sir... by FilmCritic3000	Jan 2nd, 2009 02:57:01 AM
He was and always will be a classic, a legend for all time.
Top work Vern by palimpsest	Jan 2nd, 2009 03:43:37 AM
I'll have to go and re-read some Westlake now...
Godspeed by Bloo	Jan 2nd, 2009 04:19:42 AM
You were a great writer weather it be in novels or screenplays. You influenced countless people, Godspeed
Vern isn't supposed to bring bad news... by Alonzo Mosely	Jan 2nd, 2009 05:00:38 AM
I loved me some Parker, and it is amazing, or perhaps it isn't, that we never got a faithful adaptation...
Great Obit Vern by IAmMrMonkey!	Jan 2nd, 2009 05:25:58 AM
I'm ashamed that I wasn't aware of this great man's work; I wasn't even aware that Point Blank was based on one of his novels but you've got my interest in reading the Parker books now. RIP Donald Westlike
Tedious new wave fucking around w/ (U.S.) iconography by PTSDPete	Jan 2nd, 2009 06:06:16 AM
And THAT'S Goddard for you, fellas ! Especially during his quasi-Marxist, pseudo-' Anti American ' times, of basically salivating over blond U.S. girls and getting real angry at Flash Gordon comics ( or something ). And that supposedly ' Maoist ' ' La Chinoise ', MAAAAAAAN. Tom Clancy is a real bigger - and more relevant - U.S. policy critic than HIM, back there. Or ever. I do respect him as a filmmaker, of course : admire his mastery of technique, like some of his films ( albeit most of them tending to dissolve into this ' lovey dovey ' schtick ), approve his view and use of film as continuing argumentation ( hence, ' the film essay ' ), hated his pomposity. Most especially the seemingly base-level impetus behind it, w/c looks to me as him vainly trying to resolve his horniness with girls, and a sort of loud, irascible, amorphic sense of ' politics ' you won't think he'd actually dignify in the streets. Just a random series of frustrations he's simply indulging in . We know that the thought of an American empire sucks, but please don't get toke up on it as some indulgence you can afford ! Like his crusade, it all ends up aimless, in bordering on NOTHING. He dourly scoffs at America's everything, yet has been living off its iconoclasms for YEARS. ( And his whole ' tirade ' with Spielberg. Completely and utterly ridiculous. Dang, isn't the guy not Jew enough for ya ?( Not to sound Anti-Semitic, but not to be exactly pro-Israeli-Imperial-Neofascis t-Agression War Machine, either ). The fact he seems to be less sympathetic to Oscar Schindler's ' wife ' in Argentina, as he argued , and more to the ACTUAL HOLOCAUST VICTIMS' DESCENDANTS he's been helping with his Hollywood carreer blatantly speaks otherwise ! ) That's why it's Jean Pierre Melville that I feel is the best among all of them Nouevelle Vague. He's the only one who actually buckles down and focuses on MAKING GREAT FILMS, more than merely talking about them; honing his arguments truly fine. He should have been the one to do those ' Parker ' novels like you described.
They are re-releasing all of the Parker Novels by aint_it_cruel?	Jan 2nd, 2009 06:28:15 AM
http://www.donaldwestlake.com/ wks_bkex5.html. But only three a year. Affordable copies of Sour Lemon, Plunder and Butchers should be available in 2011-2012...
Lemons Never Lie was good, too by Cruel_Kingdom	Jan 2nd, 2009 07:20:11 AM
I've found that anything written by Westlake/Stark is worth a read. I love crime novels, and Westlake was one of the kings of the genre. The only book I couldn't get through was Ask the Parrot. Not sure why I couldn't make it through, but it just never caught my interest. I kind of think Westlake/Stark was one of those guys, like just about every writer you can think of, whose work got a little more watered-down the older he got. But those early 60s and 70s novels are always fantastic. I've read The Hunter a couple of times, and I love that the best. The writer may die, but his work will live on... RIP, Donald Westlake/Richard Stark.
MilfLover by Cruel_Kingdom	Jan 2nd, 2009 07:23:54 AM
I don't necessarily think you can say Miller stole that plastic surgery bit from Westlake. That's kind of an old staple of the genre. Ever see Dark Passage? It's this great old movie where Humphrey Bogart is on the lam and he gets plastic surgery and spends half the movie with a bandage over his face. Definitely worth a watch, my friend.
Never read his stuff by Charlie_Allnut	Jan 2nd, 2009 07:57:39 AM
Sound right up my alley though. I actually liked the theatrical version of Payback more then the Directors cut... Lee Marvin may have been the toughest, most badass man to grace the silver screen.
Dont forget Dortmunder by m_prevette	Jan 2nd, 2009 08:05:20 AM
Everyone loves his brutal pulpy crime stuff...but I'll always love Westlake for the Dortmunder books...great tight plotting and freakin' hilarious...
Serious Bummer-- R.I.P. Richard Stark by Laserhead	Jan 2nd, 2009 08:05:37 AM
At least U of Chicago press is re-releasing all of the Parker novels, three a season, with cool new covers and introductions by John Banville. Damn. Part of me just thought that Westlake would go on forever...
milf lover by Laserhead	Jan 2nd, 2009 08:07:13 AM
Frank Miller stole just about every single plot trope and line of dialogue in the Sin City series. The plot of 'A Dame to Kill For' is one of the most recycled of all time.
m_prevette by Ace of Wands	Jan 2nd, 2009 08:17:38 AM
couldn't agree with you more. Great obit by Vern and I can understand why he would concentrate on the Parker stuff but there are quite a few good, hard boiled crime writers around. How many writers, however, can make you laugh out loud. Try reading "Help, I'm Being Held Prisoner" with a straight face if you can, and the Dortmunder books are priceless.
Wow, sad news. by johnnyangel	Jan 2nd, 2009 08:47:20 AM
I just finished reading the latest Stark book, Dirty Money, a few weeks ago and now there will be no more. Mel should make some more Stark movies. He has that crazy energy that isn't really right for the character Parker, but is a lot of fun on film anyway. I agree that Lee Marvin had the quiet cool to be the perfect Parker but he too alas is gone.
Bummer by toxicbuddha	Jan 2nd, 2009 09:11:13 AM
I am with you on the Stark Parker novels Vern. I love those books and that character.
RIP Westlake. Here is a link Vern by CarmillaVonDoom	Jan 2nd, 2009 09:21:39 AM
Abebooks is usually the place to go to find rarer stuff. Not sure what your budget is, but it appears that there are some cheaper but not cheap copies out there. http://tinyurl.com/7m6shx You're welcome! ☺ Westlake will be missed!
Also, there is always the library! by CarmillaVonDoom	Jan 2nd, 2009 09:23:00 AM
Unless you are some type of germ-phobic. Support your local library!
I've read several of hs books (by Westlake and Stark) by YackBacker	Jan 2nd, 2009 09:27:20 AM
He had a great sense of humor- very dark and playful, like Vern said. All you have to do is watch THE GRIFTERS and see what Westlake's mind was capable of producing. I haven't read a book by the man for several years, but his stories always stuck in my mind. His talent is available for anyone to enjoy in his volumes of books. Rest in peace, Mr.... all of you.
Dominic West should play Parker in a new film by YackBacker	Jan 2nd, 2009 09:31:43 AM
That guy may be British, but like Christian Bale, he don't sound British when he wants.
YackBacker by Xiphos_2	Jan 2nd, 2009 10:07:39 AM
Good Call on Dominic West as Parker. I've been racking my brain trying to think of somebody to play Parker and you nailed it. I thought Gibson was good but he's to old now I think and most every other actor is too soft. Lee Marvin was the best.
When I was a kid by ButtfuckZydeco	Jan 2nd, 2009 10:14:53 AM
I had about 10 of the Parkers, in skinny little 2-titles-1-book paperbacks, with both books starting at one cover and meeting in the middle (they were upside down to each other). Good stuff. Slayground was always my favorite. The Burglar Who... series is also pretty good, though cutesy. RIP
He also wrote Supertrain by WIBoomer1	Jan 2nd, 2009 10:50:48 AM
He never talked about that...wonder why...!
Nackles by JimCurry	Jan 2nd, 2009 11:09:25 AM
Anyone ever read his horror-ish short story NACKLES, about the anit-Santa Claus? Creepy stuff...
R.I.P by Jim Bolo	Jan 2nd, 2009 11:36:45 AM
Bad, bad news. I was lucky enough to meet him a few years back when he came to London to introduce a screening of Point Blank at the NFT and to talk about his work afterwards. Still got the autographed ticket stub. There were some great anecdotes, some quality thoughts and observations. I remember coming away from it thinking how how articulate the guy seemed. I wish I could remember more about the night, apart from Westlake saying Jack Palance was his first choice for Point Blank, and wished he'd chosen a different name for Parker as it was always a pain in the ass writing scenes about him driving that didn't end with 'Parker parks his car'. Of his more recent books, I finished Road To Ruin and Watch Your Back a couple of months ago. The Dortmunder books are a lot more light-hearted than the Parkers. Both made me laugh by the time I got to the final page. Farewell, Mr Westlake, you are missed already.
I found a Sour Lemon Score by Vern	Jan 2nd, 2009 11:43:30 AM
at a price that wasn't too bad. Thanks for the help with that. Those other two will have to wait though. Also I got a nice email that convinced me I have to read all the Dortmunders. Anybody know any details about Westlake's alleged work on Tomorrow Never Dies?
Westlake and Dortmunder will be missed. by danofan59	Jan 2nd, 2009 12:03:01 PM
Discovered Westlake in the seventh grade some decades back, beginning with The Hot Rock. Never got around to reading any of the Stark or Coe novels, though I did read one of the Holt books. I think the best Westlake adaptation, in terms of capturing the flavor of his writing, is the TV-movie "A Slight Case of Murder," starring William H. Macy. It's a shame that WB had "Help, I Am Being Held Prisoner" in development at one time, but never followed through. Would have made a great vehicle for Gene Wilder or, later, Robin Williams. Would also make a fun TV series. My favorite of the non-humorous ones of Westlake's is "Killing Time," which has been favorably compared to Hammett's "Red Harvest" (and with good reason). Stephen King has also been a longtime Westlake fan, and incorporated references to Westlake's books in his own novels before eventually writing "The Dark Half" as an homage to the Westlake/Stark relationship.
Oh, and for a real treat... by danofan59	Jan 2nd, 2009 12:05:10 PM
Visit Westlake's web site. Hopefully it still contains the "Starship Hopeful" stories that were originally published in Playboy. Funny stuff, and again would make a good series.
Vern - check out Full Contact by Wyr	Jan 2nd, 2009 12:31:17 PM
Full Contact, starring Chow Yun-Fat. It's an unofficial Hong Kong remake of Point Blank, directed by Ringo Lam. Very dark, violent and gritty. Excellent action scenes (fairly realistic ones as far as Hong Kong films go). Basic plot is the same, though there are changes to character motivation and the fates of certain characters.
Darwyn Cooke is adapting the Parker novels as comics by Laserhead	Jan 2nd, 2009 12:50:15 PM
Darwyne Cooke (The New Frontier) is going to be adapting the Parker books as comics for IDW, I think. First one comes out late this year.
Point Blank was on my Amazon list for years by Stormwatcher	Jan 2nd, 2009 02:02:58 PM
Before I got the email alert that it was available for pre-order. It took like 5 years. Man I love that movie, great DVD commentary, watch it with the Limey. I will read these books now based on Vern's recommendation as I am total Vern lover. Dude knows the pulse of near middle age guys.
Westlake and Tomorrow Never Dies by JimCurry	Jan 2nd, 2009 04:16:50 PM
Supposedly Westlake wrote the original treatment for the flick, but it was never used. None of his ideas remain in the final product.
More Sad News That's Not So Cool by darquelyte	Jan 2nd, 2009 04:39:25 PM
Jett Travolta, the 16 year old son of John Travolta and Kelly Preston died after apparently having a seizure and hitting his head in the bathtub of their vacation home in the Bahamas. My thoughts go out to his family. Tragic, horrible loss.
thanks by Vern	Jan 2nd, 2009 04:43:24 PM
I will check out FULL CONTACT, thanks for the tip Wyr. And Jim, thanks for the TOMORROW NEVER DIES info. Was it ever reported what his version was about?
darquelyte by Grammaton Cleric Binks	Jan 2nd, 2009 05:24:23 PM
I read that too. Apparently he's had a history of seizures. It is quite sad anytime a father outlives his son.
Don't bash Supertrain! by Stuntcock Mike	Jan 2nd, 2009 05:37:33 PM
Full Contact is totally insane. Insanly good.
Last Swing of the Sythe Takes Another Good One. by DatoMan413	Jan 2nd, 2009 06:19:52 PM
Man, 2008 sure was brutal. I didn't know he was behind a lot of good stuff. Thoughts and prayers as always.
Parker's by mxyzptlk	Jan 2nd, 2009 09:20:35 PM
I was able to find all of them with the assistance of my local library. I did end up purchasing a couple of the Grofield's at affordable prices through used online book stores.
"Smoke" (If you're into invisible men) by Somerichs	Jan 2nd, 2009 10:55:16 PM
Only book I've read from him thus far, and I can't say i remember every detail as it's been a good 10 or so years since I read it, but I do remember enjoying it at the time. It's about a career thief who breaks into a lab where two docs are doing research for the tobacco industry, and then proceed to force him to take a drug that makes him invisible. Hilarity ensues...for reals...
Travolta has some very weird, weird requirements by Stormwatcher	Jan 2nd, 2009 10:59:08 PM
He was supposed to stay at a hotel I managed years ago and I had to have all the windows blacked out to the point that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, that was the instructions, then we were to remove all sheets from all the rooms, all scents, all products, all mirrors, all items that could be thrown, hurled, used to stab, bludgeon, impale ect... it was all in the instrutions. I was terrified of what this kid was going to be like, there was so many instructions and I have dealt with many, many, many celebrities and rich to do types this one scared the hell outta me. Not surprised it ended badly. All that Scientology stuff about not medicating.
Plunder Squad and Butcher's Moon by Teapot Jones	Jan 2nd, 2009 11:00:07 PM
I turned on to the Parker novels two years ago, and also got stuck around Sour Lemon. This Christmas, my father (who has also become a big fan) gave me two 3-ring binders with Plunder and Butcher's in them, which he got from library copies. Unethical, yes, but even as amazing as these books are, who wants to pay over $500 for them (and I thought the $300 it was going for a couple months ago was insane). Anyway, look forward to Slayground since you're going in order, Vern. Probably my second-fav of the series after The Score. Also, a long-time fan of your work. Great to here you're a Stark fan as well.
Vern, I've looked... by JimCurry	Jan 2nd, 2009 11:33:46 PM
Really can't seem to find any info on what his treatment was about, but damn wouldn't that be a cool little read... His Bond would prob resemble Craig more than Brosnan.
Damn, a Melville directed Parker might have been something by Guy Who Got A Headache And Accidentally Saves The World	Jan 3rd, 2009 01:16:31 AM
Or maybe it would have just been Point Blank with Alain Delon instead of Lee Marvin, who knows. I do know that's a hell of a christmas present though, Teapot Jones.
Read his novel _Humans_ by pablo2004	Jan 3rd, 2009 12:41:23 PM
It's a terrific relgio/scifi story about the end of the world. I don't understand how it hasn't been optioned yet.
Such a fucking shame by Spaz_Monkey	Jan 3rd, 2009 02:07:08 PM
Westlake's Dortmunder books were among my favorites. He was the polar opposite of Parker, a perennial fuck-up, in and out of prison, no guarantees that his capers would even result in a payday. But just so damn much fun to read.
Dortmunder wasn't a fuck-up by Waylaid-by-jackassery	Jan 3rd, 2009 08:46:23 PM
He just had the most horrible luck in the world. It's proof of his cleverness that he always managed to get out out of whatever trouble his bad luck got him into. If you just know the hard-boiled Westlake, you'll be surprised how funny he could be. Oh and Jimmy the Kid features a sort-of crossover between Dortmunder and Parker. RIP Donald Westlake.
Vern try... by dannyocean	Jan 7th, 2009 01:23:11 PM
this link to the Thrilling Detective site... a great listing for Westlake, with a chronology of Dortmunder/Parker storylines, how they crossover, spin-offs, etc. http://www.thrillingdetective. com/trivia/westlake.html

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Vern eulogizes the great Donald E. Westlake

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