One of the most influential movies in my life opened on November 1, 1985. While most 12 year old boys were interested in movies like BACK TO THE FUTURE, RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II, THE GOONIES, and ROCKY IV, and don’t get me wrong, I liked those movies, the film that stood head and shoulders above the rest for me was DEATH WISH 3! I had become obsessed with Bronson, and this would be the first of his films that I would own on VHS. And I would watch it daily. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that maybe it wasn’t the cinematic masterpiece of its time, but I don’t care, the movie is part and parcel of who I am. The characters, the contraptions, and Charles Bronson earned it a place in my Hall of Fame. There may be better movies, but only a few movies come along at the perfect time to create a lifetime obsession. DEATH WISH 3 is that movie for me.

Happy Birthday, old friend.