It was such an honor getting to meet Val McCallum this summer in Vermont. He wrote this beautiful song about Charles Bronson called “Charlie’s Coal” that he included on his 2019 album Chateauguay. It’s a moving tribute to his dad. I still can’t believe that I had the good fortune to be able hear him perform this live at the Skunk Hollow Tavern. His cousin Lindsay told me later that he wasn’t going to sing that night but decided to when he met me and my wife and found out we were visiting the area there to pay tribute to Bronson. What a great guy!
I thought I would share it with you today! I hope you enjoy!
Charlie’s Coal
Follow the highway, follow the heart, to the green hills of ScoopTown, where my daddy grew up. Working down in the darkness, hauling out the coal. Stays on your skin, never leaves your soul.
Digging coal, black coal, from down in that hole. Digging coal, black coal, makes the engines roll.
He dreamed of a woman, so blonde and so fair. So, he had to go find her, climbing up out of there. Together they handled, any twist in the road.It strengthens your life, when you share the load.
When daddy wasn’t well, she knew just what to do.Held him in her arms, ‘til the night turned blue.Made a fire in the fireplace from some of his coal. Power from so long ago.
I live by the ocean, California dream.He lives under the earth now, what he left isn’t seen. He gave me my first guitar. I still remember that day.I still see him smile, every time I play.It gets into your heart, never goes away.
Digging coal, black coal, down in that hole. Digging coal, pure gold, makes the engines roll. Daddy’s coal, pure gold. May the cameras roll.
I’ve shared several episodes of the “This Week in Charles Bronson” podcast with our readers over the last year. I just love visiting with my Buchinsky Buddy Eric Todd about all things related to Charles Bronson. In our latest episode, Eric pays tribute to actress Antoinette Bower, who passed away on April 30th, 2026, at the age of 93. The first Bronson film he ever saw was THE EVIL THAT MEN DO (1984), where Bower plays Claire Molloch, the sister and the love of the life of political torturer Clement Molloch (Joseph Maher). In Bower’s three-decade career she starred in just about every classic TV series you can think of, including Have Gun, Will Travel, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Star Trek, and with Bronson and Kurt Russell in The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters. It’s a lot of fun revisiting much of her film work, and finding out a lot of other interesting things about her life after she retired from show business in the early 90’s.
After that, I get to tell you all about my trip to Vermont! My wife and I were able to visit Charles Bronson’s gravesite at the Brownsville Cemetery in West Windsor, as well as the property that was once his and Jill Ireland’s horse farm on Bronson Road. We were able to eat at places where he liked to eat and even go shopping at places where he liked to shop! And to top it all off, we had the good fortune to meet his son, Valentine McCallum, who still has property in the area and just happened to be visiting when we were there. Val’s an incredible professional musician and singer, and we were able to catch him performing at the Skunk Hollow Tavern on our last night in the area. I share a couple of his songs on the podcast. What I love the most is that these are very personal songs that Val performed that night. I think you’ll enjoy them. I know we sure did!
So, if any of that sounds like fun to you, take some time to give us a listen. I’m sharing the YouTube and Spotify links below, but you can find us on Apple Podcasts as well!
When I was a teenager growing up in Toad Suck, Arkansas, we only had 5 TV channels. My favorite of those channels was Fox 16 out of Little Rock, because they showed a lot of movies. Many of my favorite movies to this day are the movies that showed on Fox 16 in the mid-80’s. One of those movies that they played frequently was TIGHTROPE. This being the TV edit of the movie, I was too young and naive to realize just how different of a character Wes Block was for Clint Eastwood. Sure, he was a badass cop, but he also indulged in somewhat perverse sexual activities with the ladies of the night in New Orleans. It’s actually an incredible performance and the type that helps separate Eastwood from so many of his contemporaries.
TIGHTROPE was released 42 years ago to the date on August 17th, 1984. Let’s celebrate by watching this interesting clip from the movie. It’s definitely tame compared to many others in film, but I love the payoff !
After reading a lot of negative reviews, I went into this 2011 remake of Sam Peckinpah’s STRAW DOGS expecting to not like it. I only bought the DVD because I’m a James Woods super-fan and completist. The good thing about that lowering of expectations, though, is that in my first viewing (in 2026) I was able to focus on the movie itself rather than in comparison to the original. After watching it, I would never argue that this version is a great movie, but I did find myself enjoying it more than I thought I would.
David and Amy Sumner (James Marsden and Kate Bosworth) arrive in her childhood hometown of Blackwater, Mississippi, where David plans to work on a screenplay while they fix up her old family home. David’s a successful Hollywood screenwriter, but he’s not tough at all, which is at odds with the small town football and southern deer-hunting culture he now finds himself in. Amy, who’s had some success as an actress, has a history with many of the people in town, especially her old boyfriend Charlie (Alexander Skarsgard). Eventually that history turns into something much more dangerous than you would ever imagine (if you hadn’t seen the original).
Because I’ve only seen the original film once or twice in my currently 52-year-old life, I don’t necessarily hold it as some sort of untouchable masterpiece of cinema, and I can like how this version of STRAW DOGS builds its tension. There are definitely some moments where I found myself wondering what the hell David and Amy were thinking. David seems intent on giving the local yokels every possible opportunity to walk all over him. Then again, as a person who always tries to be nice and avoid a fight, I don’t know how much different I would have been. I would hope that if my wife and entire livelihood was being threatened, however, I’d find the intestinal fortitude to do whatever it takes to protect them and myself. David eventually does find that nature within himself.
Amy’s unexplained behavior is even worse. After being offended that the locals ogle her when she’s exercising, she decides the appropriate response is taking her top off purposely in front of an open window so those same locals can see. While I can unequivocally state that there’s never any excuse for violence against women among rational people, the problem is that these are irrational people who don’t play by the rules of society. This is one of those cases where the only possible explanation for Amy’s behavior is because the screenplay needed her to do it. Even when the worst case scenario eventually plays out, the despicable behavior taps into our basic instincts and we want to see vengeance served.
James Marsden and Kate Bosworth are okay as David and Amy. Their characters aren’t particularly engaging, but you can’t help but pull for them in comparison to those around them. Alexander Skarsgard is awkward and creepy as Charlie, Amy’s old boyfriend. I loved him as the powerful vampire in the HBO series TRUE BLOOD. He’s something totally different here, and he eventually goes so far off the reservation you can’t help but want him to get his comeuppance. Of course, I wanted to watch the movie because of James Woods, who plays Tom Heddon, a former local high school football coach who seems to be just a drunk at the bar these days. It turns out that he’s loud, mean and incredibly nasty. In a history of playing vicious bastards, this character plays out as one of his worst. It’s an incredible performance just a couple of years before, as Woods has said, his unapologetically conservative political views would essentially get him blackballed from Hollywood.
The final scenes are extremely violent, and based on what we’ve seen, it’s hard not to feel that the violence is justified. It’s ugly, but I won’t deny that I wasn’t emotionally moved to see it. Legendary film critic Roger Ebert would say that he preferred this remake to the original. I won’t go that far, but that’s a pretty strong indicator that this film shouldn’t be dismissed just because most won’t find it to be as good as the original. What it is is a mean, violent thriller with some strong performances, especially from Skarsgard and Woods. If you’re willing to forget that it’s a remake of a superior film from 40 years earlier, you just may enjoy it!
I love westerns! Absolutely love them! Every now and then someone still gets them right, and director and star Kevin Costner delivered a great one in OPEN RANGE. Of course, one of his best decisions was casting Robert Duvall as the lead in his film. It’s a film I rewatch each year. As a matter of fact, I watched it just a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it again.
In recognition of OPEN RANGE being released 23 years ago today, on August 15th, 2003, I thought it might be fun to share this scene from one of the best westerns of the 21st century!
RUN OF THE ARROW opens with confederate sharpshooter O’Meara (Rod Steiger) shooting the final shot of the Civil War. With no war to fight and with a heart full of hate for the Yankees, O’Meara declares himself to be a man without a country and heads west. When he’s captured by a band of Sioux warriors led by Crazy Wolf (H.M. Wynant), he invokes the “run of the arrow”, a ritualistic game that could save his life. The problem… no one has ever survived the run of the arrow, but today’s his lucky day as he’s wounded but survives just long enough to be saved by the beautiful Yellow Moccasin (Sarita Montiel). She nurses him back to health and presents him to her tribal chief, Blue Buffalo (Charles Bronson), who eventually allows O’Meara and Yellow Moccasin to get married. Things seem to be going so well, too well. When Crazy Wolf starts another violent campaign against the American army, O’Meara must decide if he’s a Sioux warrior willing to kill American soldiers, or if there’s a part of him that can still love his country?
In RUN OF THE ARROW, director Samuel Fuller made a movie about the damage that occurs when human beings allow their hearts to be so filled with hate that they quit caring about other people. It’s also about what happens when those same people run into rational people, and we find out if they’re capable of considering the possibility that their own hate has blinded them from the truth. In other words, it’s a film that’s possibly more relevant today than it was when it was made in 1957. Bitterness and hate are represented by the characters of O’Meara (Steiger), Crazy Wolf (Wynant), and Lieutenant Driscoll (Ralph Meeker). O’Meara hates Yankees, Crazy Wolf hates the white man, and Driscoll hates the Indians. The rational people are the characters of Yellow Moccasin (Montiel), Blue Buffalo (Bronson), and Captain Clark (Brian Keith). Yellow Moccasin saves O’Meara when everyone else would have just let him die. Blue Buffalo engages in honest conversation with O’Meara and even welcomes him into their tribe. Captain Clark shows O’Meara an empathetic ear and kindness when others have told him to just get over himself. The actions and fates of the characters play out against this dynamic of hatred versus humanity, with the results underscoring just how tragic it is when people focus on the things that separate us rather than the things that unite us. It’s all so unnecessary, but it’s also a realistic vision of the world we live in. The film also struck me as particularly violent for a 50’s western, which also underscores that reality.
Some of the performances are very effective in the film. Rod Steiger’s Irish, confederate Sioux is an interesting character and the actor gives it his all as you’d expect. I’m a big fan of Steiger and his performance here only solidifies my respect for him. Brian Keith’s Captain Clark arrives fairly late in the proceedings and comes across as a tough, but honest man of integrity at a point when the movie really needs him. He has an excellent scene with Steiger where he debates the old confederate’s reasons for renouncing his citizenship with both sound logic, empathy, kindness and a hint of likable sarcasm all at the same time. It’s one of the best scenes in the film. And likewise, Charles Bronson, the most buff Hollywood Indian to ever strip down to a loincloth, comes across as a reasonable and kind tribal chief in his dealings. Bronson had played American Indians before, but he was usually more of the renegade, warpath variety, so it was nice seeing him as a good guy here. H.M. Wynant took the renegade Sioux warrior role here which you might have expected for Bronson at the time. He’s suitably fierce but one-dimensional. The same can be said for Ralph Meeker as Lieutenant Driscoll. He’s pretty much just a stereotypical jerk. He’s good at being a jerk though! And Sarita Montiel, voiced by Angie Dickinson, is quite the beauty as Yellow Moccasin.
I’ve recently heard RUN OF THE ARROW compared to Kevin Costner’s DANCES WITH WOLVES, and there are definitely similarities. I won’t go into all of those here, but one of the things I appreciated the most about RUN OF THE ARROW is the fact that the movie makes its feelings known about politics. In a movie filled with characters who have had their lives upended by the various decisions of political leaders, Fuller has crafted a story that focuses most sharply on defining the quality of men based on what’s in their “hearts.” When it’s all said and done, oftentimes the only control we have is the way we respond to the events in our lives, and that’s not politics, it’s personal. To drive this home, an older scout named Walking Coyote tells O’Meara that he could have been a chief if he had wanted to be. When O’Meara pushes him on why he didn’t want the position, Walking Coyote responds with, “Because I hate politics!” On that point, I couldn’t agree more.
My title may be a little misleading, but I always find it fascinating when certain iconic individuals work together on screen. Tom Laughlin and Charles Bronson crossed paths early in both of their careers, with Laughlin accomplishing something that very few actors would be able to claim later on… he knocked out Bronson!
It all goes back to the pilot episode of Charles Bronson’s T.V. series MAN WITH A CAMERA, titled “Second Avenue Assassin,” which premiered on October 10th, 1958. In that first episode, Mike Kovac (Charles Bronson) wants to get a picture of his old neighborhood pal, Joey Savoyan (Tom Laughlin). Joey has risen in the boxing ranks, and is getting a title shot at the champ, Sal Benning. But it seems that success has changed Joey from the guy Mike knew, and there have been many reports that he’s turned into a jerk who’d rather punch a reporter or photographer than look at them. When Mike goes to Joey’s training camp and proceeds to tell him that his attitude is an embarrassment to the people pulling for him back home, Joey gets pissed and the two men end up in the ring. Apparently, Mike could whip him back in the day, but times have changed and after absorbing a few of Mike’s jabs, Joey lays his ass out cold with one punch. The photograph that makes the papers that night is Mike lying flat on his back with the headline “Joey Savoyan puts ace photographer in darkroom!” There’s more to the story, and Bronson and Laughlin end up working together, but not many characters have knocked Bronson out and got to live to tell about it!
In celebration of Laughlin’s 95th birthday in badass heaven, I decided to share that video with you today. Enjoy!
One of the greatest actors to come from the state of Arkansas was born in Hot Springs on August 4th, 1955. Sometimes called the “Hillbilly Olivier,” Billy Bob Thornton seems to be aging like fine wine!
Happy Birthday, Billy Bob. You’re the best!
One False Move (1991)Sling Blade (1996)A Simple Plan (1998)Friday Night Lights (2004)Bad News Bears (2005)Landman (2024)
Being an Arkansan, and living in the same county where SLING BLADE was filmed, I’ve always been a big fan of Billy Bob Thornton. One of the things I like about him is his ability to somehow make the most miserable human beings just a little bit sympathetic. So many of his characters seem like they have no redeeming characteristics on the surface, but way down deep, in places they may have forgotten about, there’s a decent man trying to get out. That’s certainly the case with his Sheriff Darl Hardwick in THE BADGE.
Darl is a small-town Louisiana sheriff who spends most of his time dealing with the drunks, unruly youth and other assorted troublemakers. He’s not a model law enforcement officer, either. He drinks too much, womanizes, has a short temper and seems to take his marching orders from the politically powerful and corrupt Judge (William Devane). When the dead body of a transgender woman is discovered, Darl initially treats the investigation like any other. But it soon becomes clear that certain powerful people in the community want the situation to quietly disappear. Things get more interesting when the deceased woman’s spouse Scarlett (Patricia Arquette) shows up from New Orleans, with Darl ultimately deciding to confront some ugly things about his past and the community he serves.
THE BADGE is a movie that’s not afraid to get dirty and uncomfortable. Everything here feels sweaty, rundown and a little bit rotten. And that’s whether we’re in the porn shops and strip clubs of New Orleans or a majestic mansion near Shreveport. On multiple occasions, Darl comments on the bad smells that are around him. When you consider the ever present political corruption that we witness throughout the movie, it seems clear that the filmmakers are pounding that stench into our heads. It’s a heavy handed approach, but it gives the movie an atmosphere that fits its story of small town power and prejudice versus the LGBTQ+ community.
As I mentioned earlier, Sheriff Darl Hardwick fits Billy Bob Thornton like a glove. He’s a deeply flawed man, but he still has a sense of right and wrong, and when he’s up against the wall, he decides to do what he thinks is right. The supporting cast is very good, with Patricia Arquette, William Devane, Ray McKinnon, Thomas Haden Church, and Sela Ward all giving strong performances. I thought Patricia Arquette is especially good as Scarlett, and she has one line that made me laugh out loud. If you know anything about Arquette’s politics, her line, “I can’t believe I’m depending on Republicans to save me,” can’t help but make you smile.
THE BADGE isn’t a perfect movie, and there are times when it sacrifices some reality in order to make its points. But thanks primarily to Thornton’s strong work, I did appreciate it as a dark crime drama about an extremely troubled man who finds enough decency to do the right thing and fight for justice when everyone else just wants him to go away.
British director J. Lee Thompson was born on August 1, 1914. He directed some classics in the early 60’s, movies like THE GUNS OF NAVARONE (1961), where he received an Oscar nomination for Best Director, and the original CAPE FEAR (1962), which I personally consider superior to Scorsese’s 1991 remake. Gregory Peck, who starred in both films, once said there were only four directors he could trust to tell him whether or not he was faking his performance: Alfred Hitchcock, George Cukor, William Wyler and J. Lee Thompson. High praise indeed!
When the British film industry began caving in at the end of the decade, Thompson moved into Hollywood productions and continued to work steadily for the next couple of decades. He worked on films in all genres, like westerns (MACKENNA’S GOLD – 1968), science fiction (CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES – 1972) and horror (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME – 1981). After Thompson retired in 1989, he would sometimes lament that he had “sold out” his individual artistic desires in order to just keep working. But he would never be too hard on himself, because he enjoyed making movies and always brought professionalism and competence no matter the movie.
The main reason I like J. Lee Thompson is because he would make 9 films with actor Charles Bronson from 1976 to 1989. With Thompson as director, you knew the film would always have a certain level of quality, and Bronson loved his fast, no-frills method of shooting. In celebration of Thompson’s 112th birthday in cinema heaven, I thought it might be fun to provide my ranking of those 9 films. So here we go!
Messenger of Death
Coming in at #9 is MESSENGER OF DEATH (1988). Thompson is at his best during the incredibly tense and vicious opening sequence, but the script ultimately can’t keep the momentum going, and it’s one of Bronson’s more boring films. On some positive notes, it’s a different kind of movie for Bronson, more of a whodunnit than a straight action film. It has a strong cast, filled with veterans like John Ireland, Jeff Corey, and Trish Van Devere. It also has some beautiful Colorado scenery.
Cabo Blanco
Next up at #8 is CABO BLANCO (1980). After years of poor video releases, Kino Lorber released the film on a special edition Blu-ray in 2016, which highlights how Thompson was able to capture the natural beauty of the Mexican locations. Bronson gives a committed performance as Giff Hoyt. The casting of legends like Jason Robards and Fernando Rey, in a fantastically corrupt turn, are a big plus as well. Unfortunately, the film’s script and story never really come together and the end doesn’t make much sense.
Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects
Coming in at #7 is KINJITE: FORBIDDEN SUBJECTS (1989). This would be Thompson’s final film, and he goes out with a slick and sleazy thriller. In my opinion, KINJITE contains one of Bronson’s stronger Cannon performances, but the subject matter is particularly dark and ugly, with themes of child exploitation, human trafficking, sexual violence, and prejudice. I think it’s a good film, but you definitely need a bath afterwards. Juan Fernandez is odd and memorable as the villainous pimp, Duke.
Death Wish 4: The Crackdown
For #6, I’m going with DEATH WISH 4: THE CRACKDOWN. After the bonkers outrageousness of DEATH WISH 3, Thompson took the reins from Michael Winner for this entry, and delivered a much more straightforward action film. There is so much action in DEATH WISH 4, and the oilfield shootout contains some of Bronson’s more iconic imagery of the 80’s. The film was a huge renter at the video store, the most successful of the entire franchise in that department. John P. Ryan is also gleefully over the top as the bad guy.
The White Buffalo
At #5, I’m going with THE WHITE BUFFALO (1977). This western has grown on me over the years. Thompson is able to pull strong performances out of Charles Bronson and Will Sampson in the lead roles of Wild Bill Hickok and Crazy Horse. Combined with John Barry’s musical score, he’s able to give the film an eery, otherworldly quality with each appearance of the white buffalo. The film may have bombed at the box office, but it’s pretty darn good movie.
The Evil That Men Do
At #4, I’m going with THE EVIL THAT MEN DO (1984). I’m especially appreciative of Thompson for his work on Bronson’s final badass hitman film. The original director, Fielder Cook, was fired and Thompson was brought in at the last minute with very little prep time. He was still able to deliver a violent, brutal thriller. This one has its rough moments, but I’ve always liked Bronson as the amoral instrument of justice. And his down-low takedown of the giant sexual predator in the slimy Mexican bar is one of the more memorable scenes in any action film!
St. Ives
Heading into the top 3, I’m going with ST. IVES (1976) at #3. In Thompson’s first movie with Bronson, he delivers a fun, little mystery thriller. I particularly enjoy Bronson’s performance as Ray St. Ives. He seems to always have a smile on his face as he makes his way through the various Los Angeles locations. With definitely less action than your average Bronson film, I enjoy the change of pace as well as the excellent supporting cast of veteran actors like John Houseman, Jacqueline Bisset, Maximillian Schell, Harry Guardino, Harris Yulin, Dana Elcar and Michael Lerner. Heck, Jeff Goldblum and Robert Englund even show up as some henchmen. This is Bronson at the peak of his movie stardom.
Murphy’s Law
At #2, I make an extremely personal choice with MURPHY’S LAW (1986). While the film is definitely an 80’s Cannon time capsule, this is one of two movies that kicked off my lifelong obsession with Charles Bronson, with the other being DEATH WISH 3. Thompson keeps the action moving efficiently from one set piece to another as Jack Murphy and Arabella McGee (Kathleen Wilhoite) try to figure out who is framing him for the murder of his stripper ex-wife. Carrie Snodgress is enjoyably nuts as the bad lady. Not only have I watched this movie dozens of times, I have been blessed to meet the film’s composer (Val McCallum) and interview Murphy’s partner (Robert F. Lyons). This movie is just special to me in ways that critical analysis can never capture.
10 To Midnight
And at #1 in my list of Bronson-Thompson collaborations, I choose the 1983 tough cop/slasher hybrid TEN TO MIDNIGHT. Charles Bronson is particularly strong as Leo Kessler, the veteran detective and dad who will go to any length to bring down a vicious, impotent killer of women, played brilliantly by Gene Davis. It has one of the best and most controversial endings of Bronson’s career. I give credit to Thompson for delivering an entertaining thriller that would appeal to an audience outside of Bronson’s normal fanbase. 10 TO MIDNIGHT would be a major player on premium cable channels like HBO. When I met my wife, she didn’t know who Bronson was, but she knew the film and loved it. Even though he was already an aging action star, the success of this movie propelled Bronson’s theatrical leading man career to the end of the 80’s.
Thanks for all the memories, J. Lee. Your films have been an endless source of entertainment for me for over 40 years! Rest in peace, sir
Through the Shattered Lens 