The George Eastman House is one of only five centers in the country that takes on film preservation projects. Having this organization in Rochester, and the George Eastman’s Dryden Theatre, where preserved films are often shown on the big screen, is a joy I take full advantage of whenever I can. This past week, the Dryden screened a print of the 1964 film The Pawnbroker, perhaps Rod Steiger’s finest role. Steiger plays Sol Nazerman, a Holocaust survivor running a pawnshop in New York’s Spanish Harlem. His performance is staggeringly powerful and he was nominated for an Oscar award for it. Sydney Lumet’s direction is extraordinary. In addition to the story’s examination of what loss and grief can do to us, this movie is ground-breaking in its use of flashback and the way Sol’s concentration camp experiences are juxtaposed with his life in the ghetto. I love black and white films, especially on the big screen, for their clarity and richness. The George Eastman House did a fine job on this print. Even if you can’t see it at the theater, watch this one at home. Highly recommended.

The writing community has suffered some difficult losses these past few weeks, with four very high-profile, incredibly talented authors passing:

Tony Hillerman died at the age of 83. He made Native American detective/crime literature a household genre all by himself. Brilliant writer and nice, humble guy. Read obit.

Studs Terkel died after a remarkable 96-year run. Not only was he a true American personality, but his books and interviews were fascinating. I absolutely loved this guy’s work. Pick up any of his books and be delighted. Read obit.

Michael Crichton died way too young. Goddamn cancer. Author of The Andromeda Strain and Jurassic Park, creator of the television series ER, among many other contributions to film and literature, the man was incredibly smart and probably never got the props he deserved for his writing and vivid imagination. Read obit.

John Leonard died at just 69 years young. He enjoyed a fascinating career as a writer, primarily of short stories, and he was also a well-known critic for the New York Times Book Review. He did a lot to shape literary thinking in his years of insightful criticism. (Wrote one of my favorite novel titles ever: The Naked Martini.) Read obit.

Enough already.