American Scene

Swapping the grime of 1970's NYC for the gleam of LA, 1980's "American Gigolo" shows writer-director Paul Schrader's continued fascination with the country's underbelly, and it fits in a long history of portraying the world of American sex work on screen. Your patriotic co-hosts discuss the Los Angeles aesthetic, the story's morality, social hierarchies, and superficiality. (recorded January 20, 2021)

References:

"Los Angeles in the ‘70s: The Place & Time That Won’t Behave" (HuffPost)

"Richard Gere: Heart-Breaker" (Rolling Stone)

This week we revisit three more of our previous episodes! Ben completely reevaluates his take on American Pickle, Allen pitches a much better version of an American Assassin adaptation, and both of your patriotic co-hosts look back fondly on The Myth of the American Sleepover and their days as teenagers sneaking into R-rated movies.

This little movie brought hilarious meta-commentary to a comic book adaptation long before Deadpool! Revisit Paul Giamatti's breakthrough performance as Harvey Pekar as we discuss the Everyman, the tradition of the American working class novel, and our favorite breakfast cereals. (recorded Jan 2, 2021)

References:

"Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner: The party poopers" (The Independent, January 13, 2004)

"Where did the working class novel go? Gerald Howard talks tough about Kesey's "Great Notion"" (BELLEMEADE BOOKS, August 1, 2011)

Additional reading:

"The Strange and Wonderful World of “American Splendor”" (Independent Magazine, July 1, 2003)

"Working-Class Heroes in Literature" (UTNE Reader, September 14, 2010)

Tony and Emmy Award-nominee and star of "American Flyers" David Marshall Grant joins us to discuss his casting, training, the most memorable moment on set, the lasting meaning of the film, and processing American history through storytelling.

David Marshall Grant’s Broadway credits include “Bent,” starring with Richard Gere, and Joe Pitt in “Angels in America,” for which he was nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. His first play, “Snakebit,” was produced off-Broadway and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award. Other plays include “Current Events” at The Manhattan Theater Club and “Pen” at Playwrights Horizons. Television work includes Bobby Kennedy in “Citizen Cohn,” “And the Band Played On,” “Thirty-Something” and “Party Down.” He has been an  executive producer on “Brothers & Sisters,” “Nashville,” “Smash,” “Code Black” and “A Million Little Things.” Grant has appeared in over 25 movies, including “American Flyers,” “The Chamber,” “Air  America,” “Stepford Wives” and “The Devil Wears Prada.” He is currently writing the screen adaptation of Michael Ausiello’s “Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies” with Dan Savage.

Oscar-winning screenwriter Steve Tesich (Breaking Away) and Saturday Night Fever director John Badham teamed up with a wonderful cast including David Marshall Grant, Kevin Costner, Rae Dawn Chong, and Alexandra Paul to create 1985's absolutely delightful American Flyers. We discuss the film's inclusiveness, its western motifs, and the inspirational sports movie genre. (recorded December 10, 2020)

Since recording the first few episodes, we have had several months to reflect on those films and our discussions. Join us for our first American Minisode as we talk about the illogical setup of American Pie, debate if President Shepard (The American President) could safely date in the height of the COVID pandemic, compare American Psycho and Fight Club, and dive into the roller-coaster career of Vincent Chase! (recorded December 3, 2020)

Based on a true story (er, "some of this actually happened") and with a star-studded cast, acclaimed director David O. Russell, and a jam-filled soundtrack, "American Hustle" is a whirlwind of a film! Join us for a discussion of what defines the American hustle, how we attempt to define and redefine ourselves, and how our view of the world shapes our behavior. (recorded October 29, 2020)

From writer-director David Robert Mitchell ("It Follows") and producer Adele Romanski ("Moonlight") comes a sweet and low-key all-in-one-night coming-of-age story. We discuss the magic of small-town America and the innocence, awkwardness, and clumsiness of being a teenager. (recorded October 8, 2020)

The best-selling book series by Vince Flynn that started in 1999 gets its first adaptation nearly 20 years later with the 2017 film that mercilessly killed off its own franchise potential. We discuss the story's dangerously unstable yet inexplicably successful protagonist and the manipulative government forces who champion him.

References:

"American Assassin review – shallow and self-congratulatory" (The Guardian)

"American Assassin" (RogerEbert.com)

"Review: American Assassin is crying out for a mercy kill" (The Globe and Mail)

Ben sits down with a very special guest to talk more about the Jewish community, the entrepreneurial spirit, intergenerational dialogue, and the importance of character.