Review of The Typewriter, the Rifle & the Movie Camera (1996) by Russell G — 18 Jan 2011

A little more than ten years ago, this short, idol worship documentary was my introduction to the overbearing machismo and genius of reporter turned soldier turned filmmaker Samuel Fuller. Modern maestros Martin Scorsese, Jim Jarmusch, Quentin Tarrantino, and Tim Robbins fall all over themselves as they profess their love for the man behind underground classics like Pickup on Self Street, China Gate, Shock Corridor, I Shot Jesse James, The Steel Helmet, etc etc.

This is not an extremely informative doc (if you want the real grit and dirt read Fuller's autobiography A Third Face), but it gives you a taste of the man and fully accomplishes its goal of cinematic lust.

Thanks to the new Criterion release of Shock Corridor you can watch this 55 minutes doc as one of the special features. VF.