I’ve only met Matt once in my life. It was four years ago at a bar in Florida. Though I’m not legally allowed to discuss the details of that ill-fated evening, I can disclose that there was a lot of beer, awkward silences and a giraffe (that poor creature never had a chance). I must have made quite an impression on him, however, as Matt has asked me to write a column here at Where the Long Tail Ends.

Though this is my third contribution, I suppose now is as good as any time to explain what TOO SOON will be about. For those of you who’ve asked what the title means, I really can’t say; it just amuses me for some reason, and it’s vague enough of a title to represent a column that will inevitably be many things.

As of now, TOO SOON will focus on my re-watching horror movies I haven’t seen in years to see if they still hold up (like Alone in the Dark), as well as watching movies I’ve always wanted to see but never got around to (such as Blast of Silence). Plus, since my love of movies is often eclipsed by my love of books, I’d like to go through my library and share not only what I feel the best books are, but the books that altered my DNA and completely changed who I was as a person – you know, those books. In fact, I’m finishing up a piece on Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves to get us started. (more…)

Blast of Silence is a 1961 noir film starring Allen Baron, who also wrote and directed. Baron plays Frankie Bono, a professional hitman, who arrives in New York City to kill a mobster during the Christmas holiday. Solitary and meticulous, Frankie patiently waits for the opportune moment to fulfill his contract; however, a random encounter with an old friend leads him to consider the possibility of a normal life and ends up jeopardizing everything Frankie has achieved.

To call Blast of Silence a crime film would be a disservice to the story. This is a 77 minute existential crisis, a psychologically claustrophobic nightmare, as fatalistic as they come, and the best you can hope for as the viewer who might side with Frankie Bono is that when the hammer falls, it’s quick and painless. And make no mistake about it, the hammer is going to fall on Frankie; only what makes Blast of Silence so interesting is that he isn’t being punished for being a killer, but for allowing himself to feel human. This is, after all, the beginning of the Sixties when the American post-war high was finally crashing down hard, and the idea of the American dream was losing some of its appeal. So when Frankie comes around and decides he finally wants his cut of the dream, it’s no wonder he gets what he gets. Sorry, Frankie, wrong decade, wrong genre. (more…)