To movie critics, a bomb is unequivocally bad-something that failed artistically, failed at the box office, or both. John Vetto, who describes himself as a cinephile but (most assuredly) NOT a professional movie critic, defines the term more broadly. To Vetto, a bomb may have bombed at the box office or become a cult classic. It may be genuinely terrible or merely silly. The one thing all bombs have in common? They're fun to watch.
In
Bombs Away: Fifty Old, Often Bad, and Mostly Forgotten Films, in No Particular Order
, Vetto takes a deep dive into these works not to make light of them (well, not
just
to make light of them) but to explore their history and themes, draw connections, provide insight into human nature, and enlighten us as to how and why these cheaply-made films were created.
So, grab some popcorn, dim the lights, and settle back for an edifying, entertaining journey through an underexplored corner of pop culture.