The “This Week in Charles Bronson” podcast interviews Sherman Alexie, writer of SMOKE SIGNALS (1998)!

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Bradley Crain

It’s been fun living life as one of the biggest fans of Charles Bronson in the world going back to around 1984 or 1985 when I first watched DEATH WISH on late night TV with my dad. For most of those years, my positive obsession was just shared with my family and friends. That began to change in 2021 when I met a guy named Eric Todd who ran the Facebook page “This Week in Charles Bronson.” Not only did Eric run the page, but he also hosted a podcast of the same name. I guess through my sheer enthusiasm about finally meeting people who love Bronson like I do, Eric asked me to be part of his show. I can’t tell you how much fun I’ve had joining Eric and his various guests over the last 4 years on the podcast. During that time, I’ve been part of interviews with actors Jordan Rhodes and Robert F. Lyons, actress Jan Gan Boyd, author Paul Talbot, and even Charles Bronson’s niece Lindsay Ireland. Each interview has been special to me, and Lindsay shared with us that her cousin Paul (Bronson’s stepson) listened to the episode that she was on. I never imagined my love of Bronson would afford me the opportunity to meet these kinds of people, and that Charles Bronson’s own family would enjoy our stuff!

The fun continued this past week when Eric and I interviewed Native American author Sherman Alexie, who wrote the screenplay for the movie SMOKE SIGNALS, starring Adam Beach, Evan Adams, Irene Bedard, Gary Farmer, Tantoo Cardinal, and Tom Skerritt. Sherman loves Charles Bronson, and he told us that his dad even looked like Charles Bronson. We discussed some of his movie work, some of his short stories and novels, and the Bronson film THE WHITE BUFFALO (1977). We spend a lot of time discussing films in general, where Sherman introduced us to the movies REC (2007) and MEKKO (2015). We even spend some time talking about the “awesome” James Woods and the “scary” David Morse, who have both worked with Charles Bronson! If you want to know why I put “quotations” on those words, you’ll have to check us out.

So, if any of this sounds fun to you, I’ve linked to the YouTube video below for your viewing pleasure! If you like it, go back and watch some of our other shows and even subscribe! Some of my personal favorite shows are when us Bronson fans just sit around and talk about one of his movies. You never know where the conversations might end up. Heck, some of my favorites are shows I’m not even on! I do apologize in advance for my accent. What do you expect from a guy from Toad Suck, Arkansas?

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special James Stewart Edition

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

Today, we celebrate the birthday of one of the greatest American actors of all time, the wonderful James Stewart! It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 James Stewart Films

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939, dir by Frank Capra, DP: Joseph Walker)

It’s A Wonderful Life (1946, dir by Frank Capra, DP: Joseph Walker and Joseph Biroc)

Rear Window (1954, dir by Alfred Hitchcock, DP: Robert Burks)

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962, dir by John Ford. DP: William H. Clothier)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Albert Pyun Edition

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, on what would have been his 73rd birthday, we celebrate filmmaker Albert Pyun!

It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Albert Pyun Films

The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982, dir by Albert Pyun, DP: Joseph Margine)

Cyborg (1989, dir by Albert Pyun, DP: Philip Alan Waters)

Captain America (1990, dir by Albert Pyun, DP: Philp Alan Waters)

Kickboxer 2 (1991, dir by Albert Pyun, DP: George Mooradian)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Frank Capra Edition

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

129 years ago, on this date, Frank Capra was born in Sicily. Capra was six years old when his family immigrated to the United States and, for the rest of his long life, he would often talk about seeing the Statue of Liberty from the deck of a boat sailing to Ellis Island. Capra went on to become a director whose work celebrated the ideals and the promise of America. He not only gave us the holiday classic, It’s A Wonderful Life, but he also directed one of the few political films that matteed, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. And let us not forget that the first two comedies to win the Oscar for Best Picture were directed by Capra, It Happened One Night and You Can’t Take It With You.

In honor of a great career and legacy, here are….

4 Shots From 4 Frank Capra Films

It Happened One Night (1934, dir by Frank Capra, DP: Joseph Walker)

You Can’t Take It With You (1938, dir by Frank Capra, DP: Joseph Walker)

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939, dir by Frank Capra, DP: Joseph Walker)

It’s A Wonderful Life (1946, dir by Frank Capra, DP: Joseph Walker and Joseph Biroc)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Dennis Hopper Edition

Posted on May 17, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films is just what it says it is, 4 (or more) shots from 4 (or more) of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films lets the visuals do the talking.

90 years ago, Dennis Hopper was born in Dodge City, Kansas.

It seems rather appropriate that one of America’s greatest cinematic outlaws was born in a town that will be forever associated with the old west. Dennis Hopper was a rebel, back when there were actual consequences for being one. He started out acting in the 50s, appearing in films like Rebel Without A Cause and Giant and developing a reputation for being a disciple of James Dean. He also developed a reputation for eccentricity and for being difficult on set and he probably would have gotten completely kicked out of Hollywood if not for a somewhat improbable friendship with John Wayne. (Wayne thought Hopper was a communist but he liked him anyways. Interestingly enough, Hopper later became a Republican.) Somehow, Hopper managed to survive both a raging drug addiction and an obsession with guns and, after a mid-80s trip to rehab, he eventually became an almost universally beloved and busy character actor.

Hopper, however, always wanted to direct. He made his directorial debut with 1969’s Easy Rider, a film that became a huge success despite being an infamously chaotic shoot. The success of Easy Rider led to the Hollywood studios briefly trying to produce counter-culture films of their own. Hopper was given several million dollars and sent to Peru to make one of them, the somewhat dangerously titled The Last Movie. Unfortunately, The Last Movie, was such a bomb that it not only temporarily derailed Hopper’s career but it also turned Hollywood off of financing counter culture films. Hopper spent a decade in the Hollywood wilderness, giving acclaimed performances in independent films like Tracks and The American Friend, even while continuing to increase his reputation for drug-fueled instability. Hopper would eventually return to directing with his masterpiece, 1980’s Out of the Blue. (Out of the Blue was so controversial that, when it played at Cannes, Canada refused to acknowledge that it was a Canadian production. It played as a film without a country. Out of the Blue, however, is a film that has stood the test of time.) Unfortunately, even after a newly cleaned-up Hopper was re-embraced by the mainstream, his directorial career never really took off. He directed 7 films, of which only Easy Rider and Colors were financially successful. Contemporary critics often didn’t seem to know what to make of Dennis Hopper as a director. In recent years, however, Hopper’s directorial efforts have been reevaluated. Even The Last Movie has won over some new fans.

Today, on his birthday, we honor Dennis Hopper’s directorial career with….

4 Shots From 4 Dennis Hopper Films

Easy Rider (1969, dir by Dennis Hopper, DP: Laszlo Kovacs)

The Last Movie (1971, dir by Dennis Hopper, DP: Laszlo Kovacs)

Out of the Blue (1980, dir by Dennis Hopper, DP: Marc Champion)

The Hot Spot (1990, dir by Dennis Hopper, DP: Ueli Steiger)

Brad’s “Hero of the Day” – Vince Majestyk (MR. MAJESTYK)!

Posted on May 16, 2026 by Bradley Crain

“He didn’t want to be a hero…until they pushed him too far.”

One of the reasons that MR. MAJESTYK (1974) is such a great movie is the fact that Vince Majestyk couldn’t care less about being a hero. He has too much work to do. He just wants to get his melons in and be left alone. And when an arrogant gangster tries to bully him, his stubborn ass refuses to be pushed around. That’s all there is to it. This simple character and story results in Vince Majestyk becoming an incredible badass hero.

Charles Bronson plays Majestyk with complete confidence. He’s not scared of Al Lettieri’s hitman, Frank Renda, one bit. The man’s more of a nuisance to him than anything because he’s keeping him from getting his work done. Majestyk feels authentic as a blue-collar, capable, hardworking man. With Bronson’s weathered features, he fits the part perfectly and looks like a man who’s worked outdoors for decades. That gives the film a credibility many action movies lack. You realize almost immediately that Renda has made a big mistake by going after a guy who is a lot smarter and tougher than he seems. The entire story plays out with a feeling of experience and determination beating misplaced arrogance.

Vince Majestyk is a man who has morals that are proven by his actions, not his words. He treats people the way he wants to be treated. He doesn’t posture or scream and threaten people. He’s a man of his word, and when he’s threatened, he simply draws a line in the sand and refuses to budge. That stubbornness becomes heroic as the villains, and the local law enforcement always underestimates him. And when it’s all said and done, you get the feeling that Majestyk will just get back in his truck and go to work.

That’s ultimately why Vince Majestyk is a great movie hero. He’s tough without being cocky, moral but not preachy, and dangerous even though he’s not Superman. Bronson played a lot of heroic characters over the years, but Vince Majestyk is my personal favorite!

Hero of the Day

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Danny Trejo Edition

Posted on May 16, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Len wishes a happy 82nd birthday to the man and the legend, Danny Trejo! Trejo’s journey from being a gang member to an ex-con to a drug counselor to a pop cultural institution is an inspiring one, all the more so because Danny Trejo is so candid about both his past struggles and his present successes.

It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Danny Trejo Films

Runaway Train (1985, dir by Andrei Konchalovsky, DP: Alan Hume)

Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987, dir by J. Lee Thompson, DP: Gideon Porath)

Heat (1995, dir by Michael Mann, DP: Dante Spinotti)

Machete Kills (2013, dir by Robert Rodriguez, DP: Robert Rodriguez)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special John Glen Edition

Posted on May 15, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to English director and editor, John Glen! It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 John Glen Films

For Your Eyes Only (1981, dir by John Glen, DP: Alan Hume)

Octopussy (1983, dir by John Glen, DP: Alan Hume)

A View To A Kill (1985, dir by John Glen, DP: Alan Hume)

Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992, dir by John Glen, DP: Alec Mills)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Sofia Coppola Edition

Posted on May 14, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today is the birthday of one of my favorite American directors, the one and only Sofia Coppola! In honor of this day, here are….

4 Shots From 4 Sofia Coppola Films

The Virgin Suicides (1999, dir by Sofia Coppola, DP: Edward Lachman)

Lost In Translation (2003, dir by Sofia Coppola, DP: Lance Acord)

Maire Antoinette (2006, dir by Sofia Coppola, DP: Lance Acord)

Somewhere (2010, dir by Sofia Coppola, DP: Harris Savides)

Brad takes on THE WHITE BUFFALO (1977), starring Charles Bronson and Will Sampson!

Posted on May 13, 2026 by Bradley Crain

Back in 2023, my family visited the Black Hills of South Dakota. The first thing we did was visit Mount Rushmore. The second thing we did was visit the Mount Moriah Cemetery and the final resting place of Wild Bill Hickok. Situated on the top of a hill overlooking the city of Deadwood, it’s a beautiful place that also includes the graves of Calamity Jane and Sheriff Seth Bullock. I insisted that we see the location for possibly the most superficial reason possible… because Charles Bronson played Hickok in THE WHITE BUFFALO.

Based on a novel by Richard Sale, the story opens with Hickok having a recurring nightmare of a snowy showdown with a giant white “spike.” And if he has pistols handy, he wakes up firing them uncontrollably and you’d better not be nearby. Determined to face his fear, he heads out into the hills with his friend Charlie Zane (Jack Warden), hoping to find the albino buffalo, so he can put him down and end the nightmares. Around the same time, the great beast has stampeded the camp of Crazy Horse (Will Sampson) killing his child in the process. Convinced that the child cannot have peace in the afterlife, Crazy Horse sets out to kill the buffalo so he can wrap his child in its white “robe” and free her spirit. With Hickok a prolific killer of Indians, and Crazy Horse a brave Lakota Oglala warrior, the two men seem to be on a deadly collision course in those snowy hills.

Charles Bronson’s final western, THE WHITE BUFFALO has a lot of the scenes you’d expect. With Bronson playing a famous gunman, we get to see several gunfights as he makes his way through various Wyoming towns, featuring well-known actors like Clint Walker and Ed Lauter. We also get to see him visit various saloons, as well as the widow Schermerhorn, played by Kim Novak. When he really “knew” her, she was a prostitute named Poker Jenny. Along with those I’ve already mentioned, it’s an all-star affair as we see such familiar faces as Stuart Whitman, John Carradine, Slim Pickens, and even a young Martin Kove sprinkled throughout the film. And of course, we get to see Bronson take on the gigantic white buffalo of the title, first in his dreams, and then later in reality! Directed by veteran filmmaker J. Lee Thompson, these scenes are staged and executed well, with Hickok’s nightmares given an especially eerie quality.

While the movie has the expected scenes, it’s the unexpected character moments that sets THE WHITE BUFFALO apart as a uniquely strong entry in Bronson’s filmography. Hickok may be a man haunted by dreams of a monstrous white buffalo, but Bronson plays him in such a way that we can feel his exhaustion and literal sickness from too many years of a dangerous and difficult life. The buffalo is more than just an animal… it’s a symbol of guilt, fear and the coming of death itself. Bronson could always underplay a role better than just about anyone else, but here he’s reflective and haunted in way that I’ve not seen before, and he’s really good.

I also think the movie gets better every time Bronson shares a scene with Will Sampson. Sampson brings dignity and intelligence to Crazy Horse. His mission is more noble than Hickok’s, and an unexpected friendship develops between the two men, despite their vast differences. Ultimately, it’s this relationship that provides the film an emotional weight that sneaks up on you by the end, even if it’s not meant to last.

THE WHITE BUFFALO is not a perfect film. The animatronic buffalo may look a little hokey, and the film may seem a little slow at times for those expecting an action-packed western or monster movie. However, Bronson and Sampson are so good in their myth-making performances that the film eventually becomes something more. It’s the idea of watching two aging warriors, bound together through the bravery of confronting death, that I found to be more interesting and compelling than anything else on display.

THE WHITE BUFFALO is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, Tubi, PlutoTV, and The Roku Channel.