Friday, July 25, 2008

Rock Camp!

Dev and I are heading off for a week of Rock Camp at William Holland (www.lapidaryschool.org) He's taking faceting and I am taking Silver Smithing. Can't wait! Will post an update when we return and share our adventures. We are stopping by the Franklin NC show on the way there and the Grassy Creek show on the way back. We just might be rocked out by the time we get home....naaaa..never happen!

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Movies that Rock!

I am compiling a list of books and movies that have rocks, gemstones, jewelery, minerals, anything rock related as part of their plot.

Here's the list so far:

Not saying these are good, just saying they got rocks!

11 Harrowhouse -1974 - A small time diamond merchant jumps at the chance to supervise the purchase and cutting of a large first class diamond. But when the diamond is stolen from him, he is blackmailed into pulling off a major heist at the Diamond Exchange, located at 11 Harrowhouse

After the Sunset -2004 – involves the Napoleon number three diamond - The story of what happens after a master thief achieves his last big score, when the FBI agent who promised he'd capture him is about to do just that

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes- 1984 - The Star of Delhi – Some of the greatest cases of the greatest detectives

Asphalt Jungle – 1950 - A major heist goes off as planned, until bad luck and double crosses cause everything to unravel

Beau Geste – 1939 - Beau, John, and Digby Geste are three inseparable, adventurous brothers who haven been adopted into the wealthy household of Lady Brandon. Begins with the theft of a famous sapphire

Blood Diamond -2006- A fisherman, a smuggler, and a syndicate of businessmen match wits over the possession of a priceless diamond

Blue Streak –1999- A thief turned ex-con poses as a cop to retrieve a diamond he stole years ago

Breakfast at Tiffany's -1961- A young New York socialite becomes interested in a young man who has moved into her apartment building.

To Catch a Thief – 1955 -When a reformed jewel thief is suspected of returning to his former occupation, he must ferret out the real thief in order to prove his innocence.

Congo -1999- an expedition to the African Congo ends in disaster, a new team is assembled to find out what went wrong

Cradel 2 the Grave - 2003- A jewel thief's daughter is kidnapped after he steals a collection of prized black diamonds, which aren't at all what they seem.

Diamonds are Forever - 1971 -A diamond smuggling investigation leads James Bond to Las Vegas, where he uncovers an extortion plot headed by his nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld – Diamonds and Sean Connery, too!

A Fish Called Wanda -1988 - In London, four very different people team up to commit armed robbery, then try to doublecross each other for the loot

Flawless -2008 - A crime/drama set in 1960 London, where a soon to retire janitor convinces a glass-ceiling constrained American executive to help him steal a handful of diamonds from their employer, the London Diamond Corporation.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes –1953 - Lorelei and Dorothy are just "Two Little Girls from Little Rock", lounge singers on a transatlantic cruise starring Marilyn Monroe-Jane Russell, featured the song "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend”

The Great Muppet Caper - 1981- Kermit, Gonzo and Fozzie are reporters who travel to Britain to interview a rich victim of jewel thieves and help her along with her secretary, Miss Piggy

GRAND SLAM -1968 -A team of experts, Playboy-money man, a safecracker, an expert in electronics and a military/weapons expert plan a jewel heist during Rio's Carnivale.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – 2001- has the The Philosopher’s Stone – Sought by Harry Potter in the story that began the series

Herby Goes to Monty Carlo -1977- Herbie, the Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of its own, is racing in the Monte Carlo Rally. L'etoile de Joie, a big diamond

The Hot Rock -1972 - Dortmunder and his pals plan to steal a huge diamond from a museum. But this turns out to be only the first time they have to steal it.... Robert Redford and diamonds, too!

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom -1984- After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone. He agrees, and stumbles upon a secret cult plotting a terrible plan in the catacombs of an ancient palace.

Jurassic Park – 1993-Scientists clone dinosaurs to populate a theme park which suffers a major security breakdown and releases the dinosaurs. Without amber there wouldn’t have been a park

Kelly's Heroes – 1970 -Clint Eastwood and Telly Savalas - A group of U.S. soldiers sneaks across enemy lines to get their hands on a secret stash of Nazi treasure enemy linesLittle Man' Marlon -2006 -A wannabe dad (Shawn Wayans) mistakes a vertically challenged criminal on the lam (Marlon Wayans) as his newly adopted son Wayans plays a little gem theif

The Maltese Falcon –1931- Sam Spade, a private detective, gets involved in a murderous hunt for a valuable statuette

Men in Black -1997 -Two men who keep an eye on aliens in New York City must try to save the world after the aliens threaten to blow it up. “The Galaxy" is a gemstone on a cat's collar

The Pink Panther (2006 and 1964) The detective must solve the murder of a famous soccer coach and find out who stole the infamous Pink Panther diamond

Rififi – 1955- Four men plan a technically perfect crime, but the human element intervenes...being remade for release in 2009

The Rescuers – 1977- Two mice of the Rescue Aid Society search for a little girl kidnapped by unscrupulous treasure hunters -The Devil's Eye diamond

Reservoir Dogs – 1992 - After a simple jewelery heist goes terribly wrong, the surviving criminals begin to suspect that one of them is a police informant.

Romancing the Stone -1984 - A romance writer sets off to Colombia to ransom her kidnapped sister, and soon finds herself in the middle of a dangerous adventure - emerald called "Mi Corazon" (My Heart)

Superman –there a bunch of them - An alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest super-hero - Kryptonite

Titanic -1997 - Fictional romantic tale of a rich girl and poor boy who meet on the ill-fated voyage of the 'unsinkable' ship - has the The Heart of the Ocean

Topkapi -1964- Caper film about the theft of a jeweled dagger from an Istanbul museum.

Wizard of Oz – 1939-Dorothy Gale is swept away to a magical land in a tornado and embarks on a quest to see the Wizard who can help her return home - has the emerald city and ruby slippers!

* plot descriptions from http://www.imdb.com

http://www.prettyrock.com/gems-in-books-and-movies.htm


If you have anything to add, please share!