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6.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The March of Crime (2nd Edition) remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you have a weird obsession with early cinema artifacts or you’re researching the history of PSA-style filmmaking. If you’re looking for a fun night in, skip it. You will probably hate the pacing. It drags in ways that feel like a physical weight on your shoulders.
Wedgwood Nowell is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. Both behind the camera and in front of it. You can tell he really wanted this to mean something.
The whole thing feels a bit like a lecture from a very tired uncle. It’s got that specific kind of dryness that makes your eyes glaze over about twenty minutes in. There is a moment where the dialogue just stops making sense, and the actors seem to be waiting for a cue that never comes. It’s painful, but kind of funny if you’re in the right mood.
It reminded me a little bit of the strange, stiff energy in The Dancing Cheat. Both movies feel like they’re holding their breath, waiting for something exciting to happen that never actually arrives.
There’s a scene where someone is supposed to look shocked. They just sort of tilt their head to the left and stare at a lamp. It lingered for about ten seconds too long. It became weirdly hypnotic, like watching a clock tick when you’re bored at work. 🕰️
I don't know why I keep watching these old, crumbling dramas. Maybe I like the dust. Or maybe I just like seeing the cracks in the foundation of how people used to make stories.
If you enjoy this, you might also have a soft spot for the odd rhythm of The Sawdust Paradise. It’s got that same sense of trying to be more important than it actually is. Sometimes, though, that’s exactly what makes a movie worth talking about. Even if the talking is mostly just complaining about how much it drags. 🤷♂️