Writer Jacob Calta reflects on the notorious 1974 crime thriller that further cemented Charles Bronson as an action star of the 20th century.
Author Archives: Jacob Calta
Staff Picks: The Sensational Stanley Kubrick
Today marks the birth of one of the looming legends of the modern motion picture, American director Stanley Kubrick. To commemorate this occasion, we at A Fistful of Film have chosen to examine a fair portion of his filmography, from his early studio pictures to his acclaimed latter-day output.
Staff Picks: The Ingenious Ingmar Bergman
Today marks the birth of Sweden’s premier master of the motion picture, Ingmar Bergman. In honor of this occasion, we at A Fistful of Film have chosen some of our favorite films of his.
An Offbeat Marquee Tribute – Ennio Morricone
Like many people, I was not expecting to wake up and find that one of the greatest creative forces in the world of film has passed. Sadly, Italian composer Ennio Morricone has leftus at age 91. And while most people will point to the masterful music penned for the work ofSergio Leone or for blockbustersContinue reading “An Offbeat Marquee Tribute – Ennio Morricone”
This Is It (2009): Here We Stand, Over A Decade Later
Writer Jacob Calta revisits the record-shattering 2009 documentary-concert film, and the man at its center, the late, great Michael Jackson.
In Search of Darkness (2019): Epic in Scope, But Not Quite in Depth
Jacob Calta shares his thoughts on the mammoth horror documentary devoted to one of the genre’s finest decades.
The New York Ripper (1982): All Vice, No Virtue
“The New York Ripper” takes two of my favorite niche styles of crime cinema and fuses them into one superb display of vice and violence. On one hand, you have a superbly stylized 80s giallo. On the other hand, it has the attitude & grime of a 70s urban crime flick.
The Tell Tale Heart (2020): An Inventive Take on a Classic Story
The Tell Tale Heart is a fresh take on Poe’s tale told with a psychotronic flair that is as in debt to Roger Corman’s beloved Poe pictures of the 60s as it is to the surreal stylings of Dario Argento, and even a hint of Cronenberg thrown into the mix.
The War of the Gargantuas (1966): Hell Hath No Fury Like a Frankenstein Monster
If there was ever a niche genre of film that I could simply watch whenever I want, without needing to be in a certain mood, it would have to be the iconic Japanese genre of daikaijū eiga.
The Offbeat Marquee #6: MJ’s Marquee
This sixth installment explores chapters in the legacy of one of the world’s most renowned entertainers, Michael Joseph Jackson. For over four decades, Jackson sang and danced his way into the radios, stereo systems, television screens, and indeed into the theaters of the world. Today, Calta takes a look at some of the many audiovisual landmarks in the King of Pop’s filmography.
