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