More musing on Sam Fuller

[“A question for Sam Fuller, in Afterlife Hollywood”]

More musing on Sam Fuller

By RM
sunday, july 13, 2025 at 2:09:00 a.m. edt

Thinking it over, Sam probably didn't have full control of those movies at Fox-the one I saw recently, House of Bamboo, was written by somebody else, with Sam as co-writer; it was pretty laborious. Normally Mr. Fuller is the producer AND writer AND director of his movies- a genuine auteur! (The major studios didn’t like someone who wore too many hats.)

One thing excellent in Bamboo was that Robert Ryan guy-he's so good at playing cold villains, you might think he was a Democrat in real life!

Here's a fun anecdote: when the rushes for Arrow were being screened, each shot began with a jerk of the camera. It was suspected that the equipment was defective-turned out, instead of yelling "Action!," madman Sam began each take by firing a gun into the air-right next to the unfortunate cameraman's ear!

-RM


By Grand Rapids Anonymous
sunday, july 13, 2025 at 7:58:00 a.m. edt

You probably answered the question. Unless Fuller felt “fully involved,” in every creative process, he went through the motions. He took more interest in his own “brain child”—gave more effort, in that circumstance—to make a movie he’d be proud to release. Others, it was just for the money. No one rolls sevens all the time (unless the dice are loaded). Directors seem to make their best movies early on, and as they get older, have a few bombs pop up on their resumes. It happens to the best of them.

--GRA


By RM
sunday, july 13, 2025 at 11:53:00 a.m. edt

Hitchcock said, “You’re lucky to get 3/4 [roughly] of what you want onto the screen” – and he planned everything meticulously. Because of (Communist) labor union rules, the director can’t touch the camera (possibly can’t even look through the viewfinder) – and neither can the cinematographer – only the camera operator! It’s amazing that the system still managed to turn out so many great movies!

-RM


By RM
sunday, july 13, 2025 at 12:32:00 p.m. edt

P.S. – Fuller’s The Big Red One, his “dream project,” which didn’t get made till late in his career, was awful (in my estimation) – and the “restored” version, released after his demise, was even worse! (Beware “Director's Cuts” released after the director is dead!) That’s one movie he should have made as a much younger man.

-RM