Comments on: The Samuel Fuller Collection

By: sweensryche

sweensryche — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:24:09 +0000

I recently watched Fuller’s “Shock Corridor,” one of the most hilariously over-the-top things I’ve seen in a while. I’m torn about what my favorite scene was – when the main character walks into a room of sex-crazed mental patients in full hair and makeup, who are apparently just standing around waiting to attack someone, or when he has one of many breakdowns in a ward hallway, throwing a tantrum and grabbing onto furniture as the guards drag him away.

Wondering what your take was on this one, Emmet.

By: R. Emmet Sweeney

R. Emmet Sweeney — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:54:30 +0000

I didn’t know the fate of Paul Kelly, Al, that does sound like it could be the plot of a Fuller noir….

They were all released by Columbia, yes.

And happy birthday!

By: Al Lowe

Al Lowe — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:44:20 +0000

It looks like I better move quickly and buy this set. I suspect it is not going to be in circulation for very long.

It is interesting that two of the actors you mentioned had notorious backgrounds. Paul Kelly was convicted of manslaughter and served two years in San Quentin prison; he returned to acting on stage and in the movies when he was released. Lee Tracy caused an international incident when he allegedly urinated from a balcony on a parade while drunk in Mexico; MGM fired him and he was replaced in the movie he had been filming, Viva Villa, by Stu Erwin.

They sound like Samuel Fuller characters.

Did Columbia release all the films in this set?

A couple decades ago there were books published about each of the major studios’ output. In each book, for each studio, every major release was listed and accompanied by a photo. I got the books on MGM, Warners, Paramount, RKO, Universal and Twentieth Century Fox. I didn’t get the one on Columbia Pictures.

Thanks, Martin Scorsese, for what you have done. And thank you, Mr. Sweeney.

Also, wish me Happy Birthday. Tomorrow is my birthday.