Month: March 2021

Moviedrome Mondays: Run of the Arrow (1957) and Verboten! (1959)

by John Charet

This week’s Moviedrome Monday is a double bill entry consisting of two films by legendary cult director Samuel Fuller.


Run of the Arrow (1957)

Though I could not find a youtube video link of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introducing director Samuel Fuller’s 1957 revisionist western Run of the Arrow, I found the next best thing. Back in the summer of 2008, Cox served as presenter for a three-night BBC Four special entitled Five Westerns and all of his intros for them can be viewed on youtube. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was August 8, 1993 (read here). Notwithstanding his brief put-down of Clint Eastwood and Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street, I absolutely agree with Cox on every single thing he says states here about Run of the Arrow. Though I am amazed that Cox did not bring up that tidbit of it being one of the earliest American films to use blood squibs during it’s gunfights (read here and here). While it may not be the first western to paint Native Americans (the Sioux in this case) in a more positive light, Run of the Arrow does serve as an underrated example of one for devotees of the genre like myself. In addition, it is also far superior to Kevin Costner’s mediocre 1990 oscar-winning western epic Dances with Wolves. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Samuel Fuller films (read here).

Here is a youtube video link to Part 1 (his intro for Run of the Arrow is in part 2) of Alex Cox’s intro to the first two films from BBC Four’s three-night 2008 special Five Westerns

Here is a youtube video link to Part 2 (his intro for Run of the Arrow is in this one) of Alex Cox’s intro to the last three films from BBC Four’s three-night 2008 special Five Westerns

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer


Verboten! (1959)

Since I could not find a youtube video link of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introducing director Samuel Fuller’s 1959 post-WWII drama Verboten!, readers will have to rely on Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was August 8, 1993 (read here). Unlike Cox, I had no problem at all with the camerawork and as with Run of the Arrow, it is Fuller’s typically two-fisted approach to form and content that shapes Verboten! as one of his many masterpieces. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Samuel Fuller films (read here).

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer

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Moviedrome Mondays: Django (1966) and Grim Prairie Tales (1990)

by John Charet

This week’s Moviedrome Monday entry is a double bill consisting of two very different kinds of westerns. In this case, it would be the spaghetti western and an anthology horror western.


Django (1966)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to Italian director Sergio Corbucci’s 1966 iconic spaghetti western Django. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was August 1, 1993 (read here). As usual, Cox gives another eloquent introduction. Not unlike his intro to Corbucci’s The Great Silence (shown on Moviedrome back in 1990), it is fascinating to hear everything about how this spaghetti western was made to it’s release history. I too agree that Django tops all of the other Yojimbo imitations, which include fellow Italian director Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars from two years earlier in 1964. Though Cox does not outright say it, I too would rank Corbucci higher than Leone in the pantheon of the great directors of spaghetti westerns. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Sergio Corbucci films (read here).

Here is a youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to Django

Here is a youtube video link to what may be the US trailer for the film

Here is a youtube video link to what may be the film’s Italian trailer

Here is a youtube video link of British film critic Mark Kermode talking about it as one of his BFI player choices of the week

Here is a Spaghetti Western Database (SWDb) link to Alex Cox’s 20 favorite ones in the sub-genre (NOTE: I have seen most, but not all of these titles)

Here is an Amazon link to learn more about Alex Cox’s take on the spaghetti western in his 2009 book 10,000 Ways to Die: A Director’s Take on the Spaghetti Western


Grim Prairie Tales (1990)

Since I could not find a youtube video link of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introducing director Wayne Coe’s 1990 independent cult horror western Grim Prairie Tales, readers will have to rely on Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was August 1, 1993 (read here). Once again, I nod in agreement with Cox. While far from a great or very good anthology horror film, it is nevertheless a good one overall. As Cox so eloquently implies though, it is Janusz Kaminski’s cinematography and the presence of it’s two lead actors (James Earl Jones and Brad Dourif) that really stand out. Aside from VHS, Grim Prairie Tales has (to the best of my knowledge) never been given a Blu-Ray/DVD release (or at least here in the US), nevertheless, I did watch it on youtube awhile back (click here).

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer


Moviedrome Mondays: Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and 200 Motels (1971)

by John Charet

This week’s Moviedrome Monday entry is a double bill consisting of two very different kinds of films involving cult icons both behind and in front of the camera.

Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to master cult filmmaker Nicholas Ray’s 1955 classic teen melodrama Rebel Without a Cause. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 25, 1993 (read here). I could go on and on about why cinephiles like myself adore Nicholas Ray’s body of work, but I will have to save that for another day. Nevertheless, Cox’s thoughts on the cult followings of various artists are eloquent and intriguing. Rebel Without a Cause’s director (Ray) and it’s lead actor James Dean serve as just two of many examples that Cox demonstrates in the introduction. As for my thoughts on Rebel Without a Cause, I rank it as one of Ray’s many great films – somewhere in the top 5, If not the top 10. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Nicholas Ray films (read here).

Here is a youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to Rebel Without a Cause

Here is another youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to Rebel Without a Cause

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer

200 Motels (1971)

I have posted a youtube video link below to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s introduction to Frank Zappa and Tony Palmer’s 1971 surrealist musical 200 Motels. Readers can also read Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 26, 1993 (read here). While it may not be entirely successful, I do appreciate it’s absurdist humor and psychedelic imagery, and speaking as a huge fan of cult musician Frank Zappa myself, I absolutely adore the soundtrack.

Here is a youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to 200 Motels

Here is another youtube video link to Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox’s intro to 200 Motels

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s original theatrical trailer

My Favorite Andrew Dominik Films

by John Charet

* * * * (Out of * * * *)

1.   The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

2.   One More Time with Feeling (2016)
(Documentary)

3.   Mindhunter – Season 2 (2019)
3a. Episode 4 (2019)
3b. Episode 5 (2019)
(Streaming Series)

* * * 1/2 (Out of * * * *)

1.   Killing Them Softly (2012)

2.   Chopper (2000)

Moviedrome Mondays: Weekend (1967)

by John Charet

Since I could not find a youtube video link of Moviedrome presenter Alex Cox introducing legendary French New Wave veteran filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard’s 1967 surrealist black comedy masterpiece Weekend, readers will have to rely on Cox’s intro transcript here. The episode’s original airdate was July 19, 1993 (read here). Since I love all of Godard’s films, it will probably not surprise any of my loyal readers to know that Weekend ranks for me as one of his many great films. Cox hits the nail on the head when he described it as his most Bunuelian film. If any of you readers are interested, here is a link to my favorite Jean-Luc Godard films (read here).

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s French trailer

Here is a youtube video link to the film’s US trailer