The author and music critic Steven Hyden joins the program from Minneapolis to discuss Paul Newman' and “The Fast (Eddie) Saga”: 1961’s The Hustler and Martin Scorsese’s only sequel, 1986’s The Color of Money.

We talk about The Hustler as a bridge between classic Hollywood filmmaking and the New American Cinema of the later 60s, and the great performances (all four main actors were Oscar nominated).

This was my first time watching The Color of Money. We discuss Scorsese as a commercial filmmaker, the great pairing of Newman and Tom Cruise, and how this film was a stylistic dry run for the next phase in his career. Plus: Scorsese’s masterful use of Phil Collins and Michelob Rock to capture a particular cultural milieu of the 1980s, his musical partnership with Robbie Robertson, and some of our favourite Scorsese needledrops,

Patrons of the Junk Filter podcast receive at least two additional exclusive episodes a month: some of our notable previous guests include Jared Yates Sexton, David Roth, Bryan Quinby, Sooz Kempner, and Jacob Bacharach. More to come! Sign up at https://www.patreon.com/junkfilter

Follow Steven Hyden on Twitter.

Steven’s upcoming book, Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack of a Generation, is available for pre-order now!

Trailer for The Hustler (Robert Rossen, 1961)

Trailer for The Color of Money (Martin Scorsese, 1986)