The Running Wild Blog
Articles on the craft of filmmaking and the films we create.
BONUS WESTERN MOVIE REVIEW: Alias Jesse James (1959)
I turned this on the other night with moderate expectations for a mildly amusing Western Comedy. I was not expecting to watch one of Bob Hope's best movies. Like some of his other solo outings, Alias Jesse James is a perfect vehicle for the comedian....
Some Thursday Thoughts: WHAT’S YOUR FILM DIET?
There's a lot of talk about what we eat and how it effects our health. What's often ignored is the quality of our mental consumption, specifically the kind of visual entertainment we take in on a weekly basis. Over the years, I have seen first hand just how much a...
MOVIE MONDAY: Reviews of Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, See How They Run, and The Outfit
My weekly movie reviews. You can also read these on letterboxd. This week focuses on all new movies from this year. Mr. Harrigan's Phone (2022) Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars John Lee Hancock is my favorite Hollywood director working right now. He's a craftsman in...
Some Thursday Thoughts: GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY
GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY “Innocent until proven guilty” may be the law of the land but it’s not the method of our minds or the way of our hearts. More often than not, we jump to a conclusion about someone’s guilt, in a criminal or social situation, and...
BONUS WESTERN MOVIE REVIEW: Rider on a Dead Horse (1962)
It occurs to me that B-Westerns like this might be a better example to study for independent filmmakers than classics like Red River and Stagecoach. After all, the work of Hawks and Ford is often impenetrable, easy to admire from afar but not simple to go out...
MOVIE MONDAY: Western Movie Reviews – Week 177 – The Good Guys and The Bad Guys
Each Monday, I continue to share Western movie reviews. I have now launched a podcast about the making of Westerns and the overall filmmaking process. Click here to listen. Week 177: The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (1969) This film isn't like most of Burt...
MOVIE MONDAY: Reviews of 61*, Talent for the Game, 42, and
My weekly movie reviews. You can also read these on letterboxd. This week's reviews focus on three baseball movies. 61* (2001) Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars Revisiting Billy Crystal's love letter to baseball and two of its greats proves that this film is a lot better...
Some Thursday Thoughts: THE FIVE EXPECTATIONS I HAVE FOR ACTORS – Part 5
This concludes my five week series outlining the expectations I have for the actors I work with. 5. A Good Attitude Of all the actors I've worked with in the last twelve years, the one who most exemplifies the principles I've laid out the past four weeks...
MOVIE MONDAY: Western Movie Reviews – Week 176 – Mail Order Bride
Each Monday, I continue to share Western movie reviews. I have now launched a podcast about the making of Westerns and the overall filmmaking process. Click here to listen. Week 176: Mail Order Bride (1964) Who would have figured that Budd Boetticher's...
BONUS WESTERN MOVIE REVIEW: Dead for a Dollar (2022)
I continue to study the Western genre. I have now launched a podcast about the making of Western films. Listen here For me, a new Walter Hill movie is an event even if he hasn't made a great feature film since the 90s. And he's one of the few directors of the...
