Episode 52: Bat Babies in My Ear (AD-FREE)

This week’s prompts: World War II, Forest Green, 77

If last week was chaos, this week... still chaos. Lauren is podcasting under a blanket like it’s her last line of defense. Welcome to another wildly unpredictable episode of Curated by Chance—complete with dramatic retellings, wartime art dives, and a little Spielberg in between.

First up, Neal takes us on a tour of underseen World War II films—including the gritty suspense of The Train (1964), the postwar pain of The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), and the harrowing psychological horror of Come and See (1985). Along the way, we detour through Schindler’s List trivia (Robin Williams was Spielberg’s emotional support system??), Oscar history, and heroic art-saving curators.

Then Lauren dives into the art and radical politics of William Gropper. From his gestural murals to his cartoonish critiques of capitalism, Gropper’s work is full of energy, empathy, and Bruegel-esque wit. We cover tragic fires, heroic moms, acrobatic circus comics, Soviet trips, and why being deeply American and deeply critical aren’t mutually exclusive.

Also in this episode:
– The return of Music League (Volume III launches Friday! Two days! Link below!)
– A new prompt pull: Chrome, 834, Surfboard
– And why Lauren’s bat was basically Batman Forever-level huge

Plus:
– Who was almost cast in Schindler’s List (brace yourself)
– Why The Train needed a Ferrari to get made
– And what happens when your house is 125 years old and full of feelings

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