“Hail to the king, baby.” Bruce Campbell’s final line of Army of Darkness adopted a new meaning as the film became the quintessence of a “cult classic.” Although its predecessor, Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn, is arguably the best of Sam Raimi’s pre-sellout trilogy, Army of Darkness evokes the truest spirit of the cult [...]
The term “neorealism” denotes a different set of characteristics depending on whom you ask. Mr. Federico Fellini—known to film geeks as Il Maestro—auteured some of the most influential and often-cited examples of this essential moment in history. While 1954′s La Strada occupies more of the typical neorealism spotlight, his underrated feature from the year before, [...]
Pros and Cons Examined by Contemporary Standards The arguments that producers used to support block booking were the same issues independent theater owners were not thinking about while they fought against it. This supposedly unfair practice “allowed [the studios] to provide in quantity a product needed in quantity.” However, the theaters automatically received films in [...]
It is both a blessing and a curse when a character begins to outshine its creator. Long before Paul Reubens became Pee-Wee Herman, Charles Chaplin’s “Little Tramp” gave birth to a new era of comedy. His buoyant personality, yet forlorn appearance, became so iconic that few may have recognized the creative genius underneath (Chaplin did, [...]
This article also appeared as the cover story for the August 21, 2008 issue of ACE Weekly in Lexington, Kentucky. “When legend becomes fact, print the legend.” -The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) In recalling the strange and fantastic existence of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, one must attempt to navigate between fact and legend—the [...]
“Have you ever danced with the Devil in the pale moon light?” -The Joker (Jack Nicholson in Batman) For several decades, the Joker was maybe the most definable super-villain in all of popular culture. His iconic look, facetious attitude, and troubling history were standard knowledge among ten-year-old boys. But, not in a million years could [...]
The last five or six reviews I wrote were of films that had been released very recently. However, in the much earlier days of CinemaNoir.net I wrote more freely. For example, when I reviewed The United States of Leland I had only watched the film on DVD, which had already been on shelves for almost [...]
The Recycled Film was a blog about film, art, the web, and more; written and published by Charlie Thomason. As of May 2012, the site is no longer active and will not be adding new content. You can read Charlie's newer writing on The Bleachwave Blog, or check out his portfolio website.
