October 2024

Clint Eastwood as the Man with No Name, iconic scene from A Fistful of Dollars, classic spaghetti western movie, Clint Eastwood in western attire, Eastwood’s character in action

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

Leave a Comment / Film /

A Fistful of Dollars is a ninja movie without the black suit, weapons, and Taijutsu. If you’ve been reading my blogs, you’ll know that ninja movies from the 80s are some of my favorites. You can read one on Revenge of the Ninja here and another on Ninja III here. I am a product of the ‘80s ninja craze in America, so I have studied about the art. Eastwood’s character is what a ninja would have really been like in feudal Japan. Ninja rarely wore black but rather were the “gray man” and fit in with their surroundings. Trickery and psychological manipulation were huge and lesser-known skills of the shinobi. Eastwood’s character uses these beautifully. Firefights and fighting are not too heavily used though which gives the film a nice feel and it keeps the focus on the character’s wit.

A Fistful of Dollars (1964) Read More »

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Leave a Comment / Film /

Let’s talk about Jules and Vincent Vega. Vega’s bad luck ultimately leads to his demise, which raises a curious question: Is he deaf in the bathroom? Meanwhile, Jules gets a lucky break, surviving what should have been a deadly gunfight. After the bullet holes reveal his miracle survival, he changes his ways and, as far as we know, survives both the movie and the life of crime. Marsellus Wallace, on the other hand, has terrible luck when Zed picks him first, making Butch much luckier. Butch, however, cares enough to help Marsellus, and that’s where Marsellus gets a little lucky. Butch’s luck continues when Marsellus lets him off with a warning: “There is no us, and leave town today.” It’s definitely a better deal than the alternative.

Pulp Fiction (1994) Read More »