whodunnit blog

Ten minutes pass before an older couple enters the truck stop. The quickly sit down a booth near the door, and as soon as the waitress sees them she promptly ends her conversation and rushes to serve them.

You look at the man drinking coffee next to you, and when he notices he quickly snaps at you.

“The counter’s for truck drivers only – not hitchers. You gotta sit at a table like everyone else, or you ain’t gonna get served boy.”

With food on your mind you decide to take his advice and find a place at table in the restaurant. After the waitress takes down the order of the older couple, she is now more than happy to take yours.

You make your way across the dusty gravel parking lot. You notice one trucker outside at the gas pump filling up his rig. But you are starving and you haven’t eaten anything but a candy bar all day. With a little bit of cash in your pocket, the first thing on your mind is a hot meal.

Through the door you make your way inside the truck stop / diner, and take a seat at the front counter. The waitress looks at you from behind the counter, shakes her head no and turns around to pour a cup of coffee. But when done, she doesn’t hand it to you – instead she pretends like she doesn’t even see you as she hands the cup to the guy next to you and strikes up a conversation with him.

The old lady drives for another two or three miles, while you cling onto the side of your seat, praying to survive. Eventually she pulls off for an exit, heading towards a large truck stop down the street.

“Well I’m gonna have to drop you off at the truck stop, dear. My place is just down the road but don’t worry – you’ll have no problems finding a ride to wherever you’re going from here. You take care now dear!”

And with that you exit the old lady’s station wagon and watch her drive off down the road towards the quickly setting sun.

You close the back door and open the front passenger door; you can’t be rude, after all. So you take a sit in the front seat next to the old lady and soon you are on your way.

“My name is Pearl. Yours?” The lady asks.

You tell her your name, and she of course has a grandchild with the same name. Pearl plays with the tuner knob on the radio, taking her eyes off the road as the car begins to swerve towards the guard rail.

“PEARL!” You scream.

She takes her hand off from the radio’s dial and puts it back onto the steering wheel.

“Oh I’m sorry to scare ya, dear.”

It’s been nearly two hours of walking down the highway, cars buzzing past without a care in the world. Some care enough to honk, and perhaps point and laugh about your situation to their passengers in the car; but finally someone stops. It is a kind old lady driving an old wood-paneled station wagon.

“Need a lift, dear?” Asks the old lady as her car pulls up on the side of the highway in front of you.

“Oh yeah, thanks ma’am!” Without wasting another second you open the back door, throw your backpack in and begin to follow.

“Oh, you can sit up here in the front with me. I won’t bite.” The old lady has a sweet, warm laugh.

You live the life of a street kid. You ran away from a rough life at home at the young age of 15, and have been on the streets ever since, eating from garbage cans and begging strangers for spare change. It’s not a pretty life, but it is yours, nonetheless.

After a quick, cold shower at the truck stop and a candy bar from the clerk you are back to the grind. Backpack on your shoulder, Converse All-Stars on your feet and your thumb sticking in the air. You are on a highway going out of Seattle, Washington. Destination: anywhere but here…

A comical look at the world of gangster lifestyles in the early 1900’s of New York City. A very young Michael Keaton plays Johnny Dangerously, and the movie also features other stars of the day like Dom DeLuise, Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Peter Boyle and more. It was directed by Amy Heckerling, and released in 1984.

This is really a movie for the ages – here we are nearly 30 years after its release and I’m still watching it, and so are my friends. The comedy is still funny, and though there are a few questionable parts, the movie is suitable for most families.

There’s not much to be said about this work of art that hasn’t already been said. Quentin Tarantino did a brilliant job with the directing, casting, and execution of Pulp Fiction, which hit the big screen in 1994. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Tim Roth, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Uma Thurman and many more big name Hollywood stars.

Four different comical, mischievous stories intertwine and eventually all come together in this fantastic, mind-bending psychological thriller that was even nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Many credit Pulp Fiction as the main source of inspiration for many great motion pictures to follow, as well.

This is a classic true crime novel written in 1974, based on the murders committed by Charles Manson and his cult in the summer of 1969. No doubt you’ve heard the story – you have probably even seen the movie that came out in 1976, which is also based on this book, too. But the novel delves much deeper into the world of the Manson Family, and tells parts of the story you cannot find anywhere else.

Written by Vincent Bugliosi, prosecutor of Charles Manson and several other members of his cult, there is no doubt that what he tells is the truth. The truth how he sees it, at least.

Without a doubt one of the most classical and popular whodunnit films of all time, Dick Tracy is directed and stars Warren Beatty as the comic-book inspired detective. Dick Tracy squares off against many different gangster villains, such as Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino), Mumbles (Dustin Hoffman), Flattop (William Forsythe), Pruneface (R.G. Armstrong) and more. The movie even gives an important role in the movie to recent rock and roll hall of fame inductee Madonna.

Of course, Dick Tracy contains all of the elements you would expect from a great gangster whodunnit film. Fast paced car chases, action packed and daring shoot outs – this movie has it all.