A Century Of Cinema

Returning home to black-and-white after our fantastical romps through the Technicolor Sherwood Forest and Oz, our 1940 pick - based off another harrowing decade of trivia - is The Philadelphia Story. Starring, and practically conjured out of thin air by, Katharine Hepburn, alongside Cary Grant and James Stewart, this high-society romantic comedy produced some mixed opinions from the gang, aside from the universally appreciated acting and dialogue. Discussion ranges from questioning the movie’s message and the right way to wear swim trunks, to the difference between lighting a scene and lighting a set, as well as the structural integrity of golf clubs.

Song selections for this episode:

Lucas — Love Is Dangerous by blink-182

Nic — Polly by Nirvana

John — Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order

Kyle — I’m Going Slightly Mad by Queen

1939 brings us the all-time classic The Wizard of Oz, our first movie that all four of us had seen previously. Based on a large series of novels, filmed in vibrant Technicolor, and starring Judy Garland in her best known role, Oz is widely considered to be the most seen movie of all time. Our conversation touches on dreams, tornadoes, on-set injuries, and weaponized slippers. We theorize on the origins of Rotten Tomatoes and an Oz baseball league, and cap it off with an end-of-decade trivia showdown for the ages.

Song selections for this episode:

Lucas — Home Is Such a Lonely Place by blink-182

Nic — Home by The Dear Hunter

John — Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John

Kyle — Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland

Another revisiting of a classic story, 1938 brings us back to Sherwood Forest with The Adventures of Robin Hood, directed by the prolific Michael Curtiz. Our first real color film, Robin Hood utilized the relatively new 3-strip Technicolor process, bringing star Errol Flynn’s swashbuckling to vibrant life. We discuss the 3-strip process, Curtiz’s and Flynn’s careers and clashes, the influence of the score and sound design, and compare with the 1922 silent version - and Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993).

Song selections for this episode:

Lucas — This Is Home by blink-182

Nic — Love Scene by Erich Wolfgang Korngold

John — Fight For Your Right (Revisited) by Beastie Boys

Kyle — Hip To Be Square by Huey Lewis & The News

1937 takes us to France and the work of legendary director Jean Renoir. This was the first Renoir movie for all of us and his unique style hits us each differently. We spot some influence on Goodfellas (1990) as well as Reservoir Dogs (1992) and touch on the directing career of Erich von Stroheim. Other discussion topics include the origin of snowball fights, the power of language, and explaining to John the magic of a snow day.

Song selections for this episode:

Lucas — Marlboro Man by blink-182

Nic — Crying by Roy Orbison

John — One by Metallica

Kyle — The Grand Illusion by Styx

For 1936 we have ourselves another musical - the Fred Astaire / Ginger Rogers dance spectacular Swing Time, directed by George Stevens. Astaire and Rogers’ sixth film since 1933 (out of ten total), Swing Time showcases Astaire’s incredible talent as a dancer, along with his tight, technical choreography. Topics discussed include Astaire’s combination of genre-defining artistry and crowd-pleasing entertainment, trouser cuff fashion, a detour into the quirks of movie credits, and the unfortunate and unexpected use of blackface and how it impacts the film as a whole.

Song selections for this episode:

Lucas — Dancing With Myself by blink-182

Nic — I Can’t Dance by Genesis

John — Careless Whisper by George Michael

Kyle — Do You Wanna Dance? by The Beach Boys

Based on our latest mid-decade debate, our 1935 pick is MGM comedy A Night at the Opera, starring the infamous Marx Brothers. The brothers’ comedic chops are in full effect in this lighting-fast screwball comedy that also happens to include some fantastic musical numbers and a compelling love story. Topics discussed include the origins of names and references (and where Looney Tunes got a lot of their stuff), the different kinds of comedy, and the rumored inspiration for classic 1968 comedy The Producers.

Song selections for this episode:

Lucas — Reckless Abandon by blink-182

Nic — Elvis Is in the Freezer by Ratboys

John — Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

Kyle — New Kind of Kick by The Cramps

1934 brings us back to the American West with Robert N. Bradbury’s The Star Packer. This low-budget, “indie” production was an early vehicle for star John Wayne, a B-movie actor at the time. We talk about on-set horse violence and how animal cruelty laws have evolved, take a quick detour into Pony Express talk, and get to the bottom of what “star packer” actually means.

Song selections for this episode:

Lucas — The Country Song by blink-182

Nic — Two of Us by The Beatles

John — I Shot the Sheriff by The Wailers

Kyle — Prehistoric Dog by Red Fang

Just a few years into the sound era we have our first musical with 1933’s Gold Diggers of 1933 (gasp). Directed by Mervyn LeRoy with musical numbers by legendary choreographer Busby Berkeley, this largely comic tale of (deserved) feminine trickery demonstrates Berkeley’s imaginative style and wild ideas (see: neon violins). The gang discusses Depression-era escapism, the different types of musicals and why we like them, and the most efficient method of delivering milk to New York apartment residents. (We also happen to mention a 6.4 magnitude California earthquake that affected the production - having recorded this episode prior and there being a 6.4(!) and a 7.1 earthquake in California this week. Gotta love that timing.)

Song selections for this episode:

Lucas — M+M’s by blink-182

Nic — Jumpstarted by Jukebox the Ghost

John — Girlfriend Is Better by Talking Heads

Kyle — Amore Com Delore by Philanthrope & Psalm Trees

Moving settings east to China, our pick for 1932 is Josef von Sternberg’s Shanghai Express, starring Marlene Dietrich. Another success for Sternberg and Dietrich (highest grossing movie of the year), Lee Garmes’ cinematography lent a dreamy quality to the film, while the production recreated an impressively realistic train ride. Discussion topics include: white actors playing ethnic parts (again), the actual definition of a “pre-code” movie, and the struggle of really trying not to let your crush know you care.

Song selections for this episode:

Lucas — Heart’s All Gone by blink-182

Nic — Madness by Muse

John — Reunited by Peaches & Herb

Kyle — Lovers in the Backseat by Scissor Sisters

No, that’s not a misprint! 1931 saw a fresh, full-sound production of the classic Jekyll and Hyde story and we take the opportunity to compare this new version to the one we saw in 1920. We explore the new techniques that were used (in addition to sound), not the least of which is the incredible lighting effects used for Jekyll’s transformation into Hyde. We also dive into the everlasting debate on the source of human morality, the actual value of winning an Oscar, the difficulties in using candles to light a room, and the mechanics of close-talking.

Song selections for this episode:

Lucas — Reckless Abandon by blink-182

Nic — Inside Out by Eve 6

John — Monster by Kanye West (feat. JAY-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Bon Iver)

Kyle — Victim of Changes by Judas Priest