Crime

Stephen Schiff reviews the new film starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. He says that, despite its macabre premise, the movie is oddly comforting and fairy-tale like.

We talk about United States' newest Middle East ally's involvement in the international drug trade with Philadelphia Inquirer reporter David Zucchino. Zucchino covers the drug war for the paper, and has spent two years in the Middle East. He also won a Pulitzer for his coverage of South Africa.

Film critic Stephen Schiff review the new film, in which the muscled actor plays a cop who goes undercover as a teacher to capture a drug kingpin. Schiff says the movie tries to be all things to all people, but it somehow works.

We finally know who killed Laura Palmer. Or do we? Television critic David Bianculli has some thoughts on this week's episode of "Twin Peaks." He recommends sticking with the show over the new ABC mini-series, "It," based on the Stephen King novel.

James Fogle was a drug addict who, along with others, robbed drugstores to feed his habit. The film Drugstore Cowboy is based on his autobiographical novel of the same name; the book wasn't yet published at the time of production. It's now in stores. Fogle is currently serving a prison sentence, and joins Fresh Air by telephone.

Rhodes is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and journalist who wrote The Making of the Atomic Bomb. His new book is called A Hole in the World, about the abuse he and his brother endured at the hands of his stepmother. Rhodes eventually became a ward of the state, and grew up in a boys' home.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new movie about the infamous Claus Von Bulow murder trial. It stars Jeremy Irons, Ron Silver, and Glenn Close

The season premiere of the supernatural drama has come and gone without answering the question of who killed Laura Palmer. TV critic David Bianculli reviews what we know so far.

Kurt Vonnegut's new novel is set in 2001 in a radically reconfigured America. The complex, self-referential plot reveals unique insights into the United State's past, says book critic John Leonard. It's Vonnegut's best book in years.

Tucker wrote Brown's memoir, The Godfather of Soul, which was recently reprinted. He joins Fresh Air to talk about Brown's rise as a soul singer, the evolution of his stage persona, and his recent conviction and imprisonment, a punishment which Tucker believes is too severe based on the charges.

Director Alan J. Pakula's adaptation of the bestselling novel lacks the complexity and humor of the book, says film critic Stephen Schiff. The story concerns the murder of a woman lawyer and the difficult, sexually-charged investigation that follows.

Frank Friel was the co-director and chief investigator of the Philadelphia Police/FBI Organized Crime Task Force, which dismantled the Nicodemo Scarfo-led mafia in the 1980s. The gang's violent acts terrorized the Philadelphia area; they also infiltrated Atlantic City's casinos. Friel has a new book about that time, called Breaking the Mob.

Critic Owen Gleiberman reviews The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, which stars comedian Andrew Dice Clay as a rock and roll detective. Gleiberman calls the movie monotonous; Clay's performance, like his standup, is crass, but not without charisma.

Former NYPD officer Vincent Murano worked in the Internal Affairs Division, and went undercover to investigate crooked cops. His new book details his methods and some of his more memorable cases.

Television critic David Bianculli reviews the season premiere of "POV," public television's series of independent documentaries.

Police Chief Anthony V. Bouza. Formerly the Police Chief for the Bronx, and Minneapolis. He's just written a book, "The Police Mystique: An Insider's Look at Cops, Crime, and the Criminal Justice System," (published by Plenum).

Reverend Joseph Ingle. He directs the Southern Coalition on Jails and Prisons and ministers to death row inmates. "Last Rights," published by Abingdon.

Journalist James Adams. He's the Defense Correspondent and Associate Editor of The Sunday Times of London. His new book on the arms race is "Engines of War: Merchants of Death and the New Arms Race."

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg examines what has happened to underworld slang. He says it no longer thrives the way it did in centuries gone by.

Writer John Banville. His new novel is called "The Book of Evidence." (published by Scribners). It's a story of crime and guilt. Banville is literary editor of the Irish Times.