​​“My existence is about making movies, so I’ve just got to rock and roll with the punches.”

That’s a quote from the inimitable, Bronx-born Abel Ferrara, one of the most brilliant and infamous filmmakers currently living. For nearly half a century now, Ferrara has been rocking and rolling with the punches; yes, Ferrara has technically been making movies that long, if you count scabrous early shorts “The Hold-Up” and “Nicky’s Film” (respectively about a gas station robbery, and a schmuck in hock to the mob).

Continue reading The Essentials: The Films Of Abel Ferrara at The Playlist.

This weekend sees the release of Eli Roth’s remake of Michael Winner’s “Death Wish” (read our review here). Remaking “Death Wish” is a strange undertaking, because the premise of a regular person rising up to “clean up the streets” has been done multiple times since 1974 (and essentially, the four “Death Wish” sequels are remakes of the original in and of themselves). The five-year span in which “Dirty Harry” (1971), “Death Wish” (1974), and “Taxi Driver” (1976) came out somehow metamorphosed the three films into something that has influenced decades of revenge action movies, usually involving government or law enforcement of some kind doing the revenge (“Taken,” “The Punisher,” “Out For Justice,” etc.

Continue reading Law Un-Abiding Citizens: Revenge Films That Walk The Same Path As ‘Death Wish’ at The Playlist.

Exclusive: A Nun With A Gun Gets Ready To Kill In Clip From Abel Ferrara's Restored 'Ms. 45'

Continue reading Exclusive: A Nun With A Gun Gets Ready To Kill In Clip From Abel Ferrara’s Restored ‘Ms. 45’ at The Playlist.

Review: Abel Ferrara's 'Ms. 45' A Lean Slice Of '80s Sleaze

Continue reading Review: Abel Ferrara’s ‘Ms. 45’ A Lean Slice Of ’80s Sleaze at The Playlist.

Abel Ferrara Talks The Return Of 'Ms. 45,' Courting Controversy, His Upcoming Film About Pier Paolo Pasolini & More

Continue reading Abel Ferrara Talks The Return Of ‘Ms. 45,’ Courting Controversy, His Upcoming Film About Pier Paolo Pasolini & More at The Playlist.