Sam Fuller Rides Again

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by Leonard Maltin
September 27, 2012 8:18 PM
1 Comment

Sam Fuller, in a snapshot I took at the 1981 Telluride Film Festival.

Few writer-directors in the history of American cinema fit the definition of “maverick” better than the late Samuel Fuller. Brash and bold, he used his experiences as a newsboy, reporter, and infantryman to inform his best movies, from Park Row and The Steel Helmet to The Big Red One. If you admire his films and haven’t read his autobiography, A Third Face, you have a real treat in store. Fuller’s daughter Samantha has set out to make a documentary about her father to commemorate his 100^th birthday this year, making use of material that hasn’t been mined in the existing docs that cover his colorful life and career.

Like so many filmmakers (and wannabes), she has turned to the online support system at Kickstarter for funding. Unlike some, she’s already fully subscribed—helped, no doubt, by Susan King’s excellent article that appeared in the Los Angeles Times last week. But no movie project is ever swimming in funds, and besides, there are still thank-you gifts available at many modest contribution levels. The program closes this Sunday, so this is your last chance to participate in a tribute to a great filmmaker. Click HERE for more details.

Even if you don’t contribute, you’ll enjoy reading about this movie-in-the-making and seeing Fuller’s daughter speak about her dad and her dedication to this project.