Fresh Fiction Blog | Kat Martin | All time favorite movies?

Since Academy Awards Night is one of my favorite evenings, I thought it might be fun to talk movies. Old favorites, new favorites, worst picks of all time.

Let's start with the positive. Who doesn't love ET? Star Wars? Gone with the Wind? Wizard of Oz? They're classics, never to be forgotten.

Sometimes I look back and realize some of the books I've written were probably inspired by films I had seen and loved. Gone with the Wind, at least the pre-civil war time in the South, elegant hoop skirts and Georgia mansions led to CAPTAIN'S BRIDE and CREOLE FIRES. I went on to follow CREOLE FIRES with SAVANNAH HEAT and NATCHEZ FLAME. Actually stayed in a gorgeous old plantation house in Natchez built in the 1840's.

I'm a Star Trek fan, a total Trekie. Maybe that's how I got interested in UFO's and wound up writing SEASON OF STRANGERS. I did a ton of research for that one and was amazed to find myself convinced there's a very good possibility UFOs are real.

I love Western movies. Quigley Down Under with Tom Selleck is a personal all-time favorite (if you haven't seen Tom in a pair of chaps you are really missing out!). There's a scene in my book, THE SECRET, a modern-day Western set in Montana, that was definitely inspired by the movie. I'm excited that the publisher is re-issuing the book next year.

I loved True Grit, both versions, love some of the great old Westerns like Wagon Master, Wagons West, Brigham Young. My husband, who still writes Western novels, and I belong to Western Writers of America. We love attending the conferences and plan to be in Albuquerque, New Mexico mid-June this year.

I love high action adventure movies. Old ones like The African Queen with Humphrey Bogart and Kathryn Hepburn, new ones like Taken, with Liam Neeson. The plot for my new book, AGAINST THE NIGHT, may have developed from the abduction theme of the movie.

AGAINST THE NIGHT is Johnnie Riggs's story, a fish out of water tale about a kindergarten teacher who braves the LA underworld to find her missing sister. It's clear Amy needs help, and John Riggs is just the man for the job. Unfortunately, Johnnie is more interested in Amy's luscious little body than the money she can't afford to pay him.

It's a romp that starts on L.A.'s Sunset Strip and travels all the way to the tropical jungles of Belize, a fast-paced, high-action, hot-blooded adventure I'm hoping readers will enjoy half as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Johnnie is a hunk and the cover of the book looks just like him. I hope you'll watch for AGAINST THE NIGHT and other of the books in my AGAINST series. Out the end of May is AGAINST THE SUN, Jake Cantrell's story, another fast-paced, heart-pounding tale.

In the meantime, have fun and happy reading. Warmest, Kat

AGAINST THE NIGHT

He knows what goes on in the dark. She's got the face of an angel and the body of...well, isn't that what he'd expect from an exotic dancer? But there's something about this girl that Johnnie Riggs can't shake. The former army ranger is hot on the trail of an elusive drug lord—and suddenly very hot under the collar, as well.

Amy's got her own agenda to pursue: her sister is missing and Amy seems to be the only one who cares. She'll enlist Johnnie's help and do her best to ignore her growing attraction to finally get some answers. But when the two trails begin to converge and reveal something even more sinister than they imagined, their mutual desire is the least of their problems. They'll bring the truth to light...or die trying.

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Comments

A lot of those movies and such are also some of my favorites ^-^ I'll have to search out some of your books, they sound interesting and fun!
(Alyssa m 12:33pm March 9, 2012)

I love Star Wars. Most of my favorite movies are comedies and action adventures like Bridesmaids, Tropic Thunder and The Mummy.
(Jane Cheung 3:47am March 9, 2012)

I thought Gone With the Wind was really good as well but personally I love the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth playing as Mr. Darcy.
(Chelsea Knestrick 6:04am March 9, 2012)

I still love The Sound Of Music.
Certainly looking forward to Against the Night.
Blessings,
Marjorie
(Marjorie Carmony 8:18am March 9, 2012)

I love movies too. I have seen all the movies you named. I'm a fan of the classics.
(Mary Preston 8:41am March 9, 2012)

I love all the old westerns. I used to watch them with my dad..and Bogart, I have watched everyone of his over and over...My favorite actor!!!
(Dawn Staniszeski 9:05am March 9, 2012)

I don't have a favorite movie; I have many favorites. I love the John Wayne westerns (including North to Alaska). I enjoy the Star Wars and Star Trek movies. The African Queen was marvelous. I roll on the floor with the old Cary Grant comedies. I loved Some Like It Hot with Tony Curtis (the first movie I ever saw). I think my favorites are movies with strong men and women who could be conceived as role models.
(Irene Menge 9:29am March 9, 2012)

Star Wars... But only the original 3 movies and not the later ones...
(May Pau 9:47am March 9, 2012)

I am a sucker for movies with Sam Elliot or Tom Selleck! And Quigley Down Under is one of my favorites, too.

Karen Krack
(Karen Krack 9:49am March 9, 2012)

Two movies I can watch again and again are Indiscreet with Ingrid Bergma and Cary Grant and Red Dust with Jean Harlow and Clark Gable. Romance movies at their finest!
(Lisa Elwood 10:12am March 9, 2012)

I'm not much of a movie watcher, so my choices are a bit dated, as well as a bit varied, taste-wise - the same way I like my books!! I liked Saving Private Ryan, My Girl, Benny and Joon, Edward Scissorhands, Midnight in Paris, Ironman, Sherlock Holmes, Big, and Sleepless in Seattle, to name a few. I'm looking forward to reading your book. You're one of my favorites, and since you have a new book out, I have to shoot you up on my TBR list!! Congratulations on your latest book. It sounds like a great plot, as always, and a great page-turner for up here in the North to go with my hot cocoa.
(Peggy Roberson 10:18am March 9, 2012)

I have never been a big movie goer. I am little and tend to get the 6 footer sitting in front of me. Or the person who won't shut off thier cell phone or the one that needs to tell everyone around them what is going to happen next. I would rather read in quiet. but that is just me..lol my mom raised me on musicals and theater though so I'm not a total recluse.
(Patti Paonessa 10:33am March 9, 2012)

I grew up with westerns as my dad is a HUGE fan and now so am I.
(Barbara Hanson 10:57am March 9, 2012)

I think most of my movie favorites are musicals--Grease is my most favorite.
(Sue Farrell 11:16am March 9, 2012)

THe movie that tugged at my heart strings recently was "Letters to Juliet". I love the movie and the scenery was fabulous.
(Robin McKay 11:18am March 9, 2012)

I like western movies a lot, and I also like what is considered "chick flicks"
(Wilma Frana 11:45am March 9, 2012)

I love movies. My favorites are Gone With The
Wind, The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, Anonymous,
Kenneth Branaugh's Hamlet, Bridget Jones Diary,
Love Actually, anything with Colin Firth and
Daniel Craig, Indiana Jones, I adore The Thin
Man series, the original Carole Lombard and Jack
Benny film To Be Or Not To Be, I can't forget The
Scarlet Pimpernel, wow..I know there is more
and my movie collection is only topped by my
bookcases.
(Carla Carlson 11:50am March 9, 2012)

It seems we no longer go to movies. Normally will wait til we can rent. My all time favorite movie is "Gone With The Wind". Then "Dirty Dancing".
(Pam Alderson 11:56am March 9, 2012)

Good morning all! Looks like fav movies was a hot topic. trhink I am going to see Act of Valor, the Navy SEAL movie. How can a movie full of hunky SEALS be bad? right? At any rate, getting ready to write about an ex-SEAL now a PI so I can use the background info.
Loved all your comments. some great movies in there. Hope you all like the new book! warmest, kat
(Kat Martin 11:58am March 9, 2012)

Thanks for a great post! You have listed all my favorite
movies! Gotta go and find Quigley... haven't seen that movie
in ages :)
(Erin Fender 12:02pm March 9, 2012)

At my age my list of favorite movies is longer than my memory. Now I prefer
books to movies. My husband and I are voracious readers. I go thru 8-15
books a week now that we are retired. He pitches in around the house so that
we have more reading time. Our TBR piles never seem to get any shorter
because we add to them as often as we can. Ebooks and audio books seem to
be taking over. Give me a real book as long as they are available!
(Sandra Spilecki 12:18pm March 9, 2012)

Love Calamity Jane, GWTW, and a bunch of newer ones...
(Colleen Conklin 12:20pm March 9, 2012)

My all time favorite is The Sound of Music. The music, scenery, and story are terrific and it always leaves me with the feeling that the future is going to be better than the past.
(Anna Speed 12:55pm March 9, 2012)

I love GWTW, anything with Errol Flynn, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, John Wayne
and Cary Grant classics. Oddly, one of my husband's favorites is My Fair Lady.
(He just loves that Professor Higgins... I'm likely to be called a 'guttersnipe' at
some point after watching it. Lol.)
(Jane Limback 1:50pm March 9, 2012)

I still have never watched Gone with the Wind. As much as I love my romance stuff I guess I should watch it lol. Your books sound really great :)
(MaDonna Lemmen 2:02pm March 9, 2012)

Glad to see Tom Selleck get a shout out for Quigley Down
Under. If he wanted to put on a Hawaiian Shirt and play an
older Magnum PI I am sure it would be a huge hit.
(Gayle Cochrane 2:45pm March 9, 2012)

Selleck is good in Blue Bloods if you haven't seen it. Like all authors I would love to have one of my books made into a movie. Just getting ready to start one that might work. I only have to convince Steven Spielberg! hope you all like NIGHT. warmest, kat
(Kat Martin 2:53pm March 9, 2012)

Hurray!! I see (finally!) that I'm NOT the only person in the world who hasn't seen "Gone with the Wind"!!! What a relief!

Anyway, I'm a total fan of musicals, starting from the beginning, up until pretty much the present, even though there are very many done anymore, unfortunately.

The original set of "Star Wars," of course. Not so much the second set, however. "Inglorious Basterds," a kind of "what if?" WWII movie with Brad Pitt, fairly recent. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (original version, NOT Hollywood's remake!) was really good (haven't seen the others yet).

And as a professional musician, "Immortal Beloved," the Beethoven bio-pic from sometime in the 80's, hit all the right buttons for me.

Later,

Lynn
(Lynn Rettig 3:08pm March 9, 2012)

OK, the statement that reads "even though there are very many done anymore," should ACTUALLY read "even though there AREN'T very many done anymore."

Sorry!! The brain, such as it is, got going way faster than the fingers could type.

Later,

Lynn
(Lynn Rettig 3:10pm March 9, 2012)

I think books inspire movies vs movies inspiring books.
(Kathleen Bianchi 3:35pm March 9, 2012)

I love SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS. It's classic fun.
(Marcy Shuler 4:02pm March 9, 2012)

I love the original Star Wars movies, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, The Usual Suspects and Clue. I also enjoy lots of horror and suspense movies.
(Stacie Deramo 4:51pm March 9, 2012)

My favorite movie changes all the time depending on what I have seen. Right now it is Couragous. I have seen that several times - I saw it in the theater then purchased it and have since watched it several times. It brings me to tears every time. I know what is going to happen, I can repeat many of the lines before they are said but it speaks to my heart.
(Wendy Hulbert 5:07pm March 9, 2012)

Two of my favorites are McKlintock with John Wayne and Seven
Brides for Seven Brothers.
(Diane Sallans 5:31pm March 9, 2012)

Pride and Prejudice is a favorite of mine along with Gone With the Wind.
(Maureen Emmons 6:25pm March 9, 2012)

meet me in st.louis!! and mcklintock!! wizard of oz!! this book sounds great!!
(Jennifer Beck 8:42pm March 9, 2012)

I love movies, almost any kind of movie. I love action movies, Rom.Coms, and thrillers, but no horror for me. We recently enjoyed Super 8, enjoyed Unstoppable a few months ago, and the Expendables was a favorite not too many, many months ago. I enjoyed One for the Money. I don't know if I have a real favorite.
(Lisa Kendall 9:27pm March 9, 2012)

I loved The African Queen. Such a great movie and it really has withstood the test of time!
(Jennifer Beyer 10:32pm March 9, 2012)

I find myself loving old movies more than most current ones. Too much animation and not enough real actors and actresses. Not being interested in Startrek has caused me problems when working the crossword puzzles in the paper. I am very familiar with your books, however, and know you are a great writer.
(Gladys Paradowski 10:19am March 10, 2012)

I love to watch good movies and especially western-themed new or old. I loved the movies Brad Pitt starred in: Legends of the Fall and Jesse James...also, Curious Case of Benjamin Button (all exceptionally good). I watched a lot of westerns when I was young growing up because my Dad was a huge fan of all the John Wayne movies and he watched them over and over (changing the channel wasn't an option in a one TV household back then). He also watched the Gunsmoke series and never missed an episode. He read every western paperback he could get his hands on. In turn, this rubbed off onto me, since I love western/cowboy romance books. I would be more than thrilled to read your latest release, Against the Night, Kat! Sounds great.
(Linda Luinstra 3:11pm March 10, 2012)

I have so many favorite movies. Witness, Last of the Mohicans, Speed, Little
Women and Gone With the Wind to name a few.
(Tammy Yenalavitch 7:14pm March 10, 2012)

I have so many movies that I love, Witness, Big Country,
Dances with Wolves, Last of the Mohicans, When Harry Met
Sally. And I could go on and on and...
(Cindy Olp 11:49pm March 10, 2012)

In my book nothing beats GWTW. I also liked all of the early movies of Paul
Newman. The movie that had the biggest impact for me when i saw it for the
first time was Planet of The Apes with Charlton Heston wow
(Joy Isley 7:03pm March 11, 2012)

This books sounds like a great read and i love the cover too! I'll add it to my 'to-read' pile :-)
(Kaci Verdun 11:22pm March 11, 2012)

Gone With The Wind and Meet Me In St. Loise are two of my favorites of movies coming from books.
(Alyson Widen 8:14pm March 23, 2012)

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