Making of a grindhouse classic

Joel Bender and the evolution of 'Tenement'

A child walking in the South Bronx in 1982.

Joel Bender was the truest film artist I have ever met and that is going some. He had a child’s innocence and his taste was so intensely perfect that even spending a few hours with him was a film class in itself. He showed me how to watch a film. He didn’t waste time making small talk. He had a subtle heh-heh …